I grinned. “You’ll find out soon enough. I thought I’d swing by and let you know I got your message.”
“My message?”
I slowly nodded my head, my eyes never breaking contact with his. “You didn’t want to see me?”
Liam burst into laughter. “Why the hell would I want to see you? I thought I made it very clear I never wanted to see your ass anywhere near me or my family. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear the first time.”
“I guess not, but you’re not going to do anything here. Look around you. I’m not going to jail for your dumbass,” I said in a monotone voice. A cop was patrolling the park, as if he could stop what was happening right under his nose. He was trying not to be obvious, but he was definitely watching us.
“I must have beat you senseless because you are a special kind of stupid. Let me say it slow: I don’t want to see your face again. Get the fuck out of town,” he growled.
I smiled. “Too bad your orders don’t mean shit to me. You’re not the same man, Liam. I get that. You’re some big badass. I’m not the same man either. Your bullshit tactics don’t mean shit to me. You can’t intimidate me. You sure as hell don’t scare me. I’ll leave when I’m damn good and ready. I have some unfinished business around here.”
Nick jumped off the table, coming to stand in front of me. “I hope you don’t think Michelle is going to want you. She’s mine now. She isn’t going to want your raggedy ass. I suggest you stay away from her.”
I smiled. “Maybe.”
Nick stepped closer, his chest pressed against mine. He was an inch or two taller than me, but I had taken down bigger and stronger guys. I pushed back, letting him feel the strength in my chest.
“She’s mine. We’ll be getting married soon, very soon, and if I catch you sniffing around my wife, you won’t have the option of leaving town,” he hissed. “What Liam did, that’s nothing compared to the way I’ll make you suffer.”
I smiled through the pain and shock of hearing Michelle was marrying another man. I wasn’t going to let any of them know they had gotten to me. I couldn’t afford to lose my focus, not when I was facing down three of them.
“I’m not here for her. You’d know if I was. Back up, Nick, before I give Liam a preview of what’s coming for him,” I growled, pushing forward, making him take a small step backward.
Nick stared at me for several seconds before stepping away.
“Look at you.” Liam stood from the table. “You put on a few pounds and now you think you’re invincible? You have to know I let you walk away that night. I could have ended you. The fact I’m letting you stand here right now is mighty generous.”
“You didn’t end me. That was your mistake. Now I’m back and I am nowhere near finished with you.”
I delivered a death stare to each man before walking away. I never once looked back. Looking back would have made me look nervous. I wasn’t. I knew, without a doubt, I had made my point. Liam knew I wasn’t messing around. I wasn’t the biggest guy on the planet, and I wasn’t packing a gun, but I knew how to be scary. I knew how to intimidate. I feared nothing. They had given me that little gift. Liam and his goons had beaten me to within an inch of my life. I had survived. I had come back stronger. That had made me who I was today. I wasn’t afraid of getting beaten down. I knew what pain was and had survived it. I knew how much my body could take. They didn’t.
I started my bike and pulled away, making a wide circle through the parking lot. I smirked, watching them all watch me ride off into the sunset. That gave me a tiny bit of satisfaction. I had gotten to them. I knew they were all a little worried. Nick was obviously worried Michelle would want me over him. Joke was on him. I knew for a fact she did. Her sweet little body wrapped around mine, dripping with multiple orgasms, had told me she still wanted me.
I was glad to be on my way, giving me a chance to process what Nick had said. I knew I shouldn’t believe anything he said, but something about the way he had said it told me it was true. Michelle was engaged. She had been seeing Nick and never bothered to mention him. I couldn’t deny the sting or the streak of jealousy I felt thinking about her in his arms, moving under him, sharing her body with him.
I rode back to the motel, wanting desperately to find Michelle and ask her directly. I couldn’t. It was too dangerous. If Nick and Liam found out I had talked to Michelle or slept with her, it would be bad for her. I could handle myself. She couldn’t. I didn’t have the right to jeopardize her life. I would keep my distance until my business with Liam was settled. If Nick wanted to get his ass kicked, I would happily do it for him. Then I would track down Michelle and ask her what I needed to know.
13
Michelle
“Hi, buddy!” I greeted Joey as he walked out of the school.
“Hi, Mom.”
It was a little sad that the highlight of my day was picking up my son from school. Nervous tension had been making me a little crazy all day. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There had been nothing from Elijah, and Liam never mentioned him again. I reached up, feeling the bruise on my cheek that had been carefully covered by makeup. I wasn’t a makeup artist and knew the bruise was still visible if anyone looked close enough, which was why I kept my large sunglasses in place.
“Are you hungry?” I asked Joey once we were in the car.
“Did you make cookies?” he asked, his eyes lighting up.
I chuckled. “No. Not today. I think we have some Oreos though.”
He clapped his hands. “Good!”
I had barely gotten home before Nick showed up at the house. He didn’t bother knocking, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that something was wrong. I took a deep breath and prepared to give the performance of a lifetime. I had to appear happy to see him. Nick would bitch to Liam if I was standoffish. I was supposed to be happy about our impending marriage. If either of them got the idea I was less than thrilled, it would create problems and Liam would force the marriage to happen immediately.
Playing nice and pretending I liked Nick bought me some time. For what, I wasn’t sure, but every day I could stall him was a good day. In the back of my mind, there was a secret hope Elijah would rescue me from the hell I had been stuck in. As much as I told him to leave me alone, I prayed he wouldn’t.
I looked at Nick, giving him a radiant smile. “Hi!” I said in a fake cheery voice, not wanting to irritate him. “Liam isn’t here.”
“I know. I wanted to see you.”
“Oh?” I asked, gulping down the lump in my throat. “Missed me that much?” I teased.
He was standing just inside the doorway, wearing his leather cut with a white T-shirt underneath. The tattoos up and down his arms were on full display. Seeing the ink reminded me of Elijah’s intricate tribal bands and other artwork. Elijah’s tattoos were truly works of art. Each piece meant something. The tats on Nick’s body were evidence of violence. They were ugly and tacky, and I hated looking at them.
Nick nodded and stepped toward me. I didn’t dare resist him. If I did, it would trigger a response. Instead, I did my best to relax, not wanting to appear tense. He would suspect something was off.
I turned to Joey. “Hey, can you go put away the clean clothes I put on your bed?”
Joey was at the table, waiting for the Oreos and milk I had promised.
“But you said—”
“After you do what I asked,” I said, my voice firm.
I wasn’t sure what was on Nick’s mind, but I didn’t want Joey witnessing anything that would leave lasting scars. Joey could be a little mouthy at times. If he thought Nick was hurting me, which was entirely possible, he would stand up for me. Nick wouldn’t hesitate to discipline my son, and I didn’t want Joey to get hurt. The best place for him to be was far away from whatever was about to happen.
Nick walked toward me. “I know Elijah’s back,” he said, his green eyes holding mine. “Your little boyfriend has risen from the dead thinking he’s some tough guy.”
“Oh really? I had no idea,” I said. “How’d you hear that?”
He nodded, still holding my gaze as he stood inches away from me. “I don’t want you talking to him. If I find out you’ve seen him or talked to him, shit’s going to hit the fan. Do you understand me?”
I nervously nodded my head, willing to say anything to calm him down. “I haven’t seen him since that night eight years ago. I haven’t talked to him. I didn’t know he was back. I mean, Liam said he was, but there are always rumors flying around. Are you sure it was him?” I said, feigning innocence.
“Yes. We had a brief conversation today, face to face,” he sneered.
“You did?” I didn’t have to fake my surprise. My voice had gone up a couple octaves and my heart raced.
I scanned Nick’s face for signs of bruising or anything to indicate he’d been in a fight with Elijah. Had they truly only talked? God, the lump that had been in my throat was now in my stomach, growing with every breath. What if Liam had done something? That would explain why Liam wasn’t here and Nick was. Did Elijah say something about what had happened between us? My heart was racing, and I suddenly felt weak in the knees.
Pull it together! Elijah would never betray you.
I couldn’t let Nick see me sweat. If I looked nervous, he would know something was up. I quickly pulled my wits together and shrugged, feigning nonchalance. I had seriously been getting better at the acting thing. With as much practice as I’d had over the years, I should have been at the Oscars level. Nothing had upped my game like Elijah’s return and my impending marriage, though. Fake it till you make it had taken on a whole new meaning for me. Making it meant I was still breathing and didn’t have any broken bones.
“Yeah. Your old boyfriend had the balls to come by and see us at the park,” he said.
I wanted to laugh. I wanted to rejoice. I loved that Elijah had big balls, metaphorically and literally.
“Wow, that was brave of him,” I mused.
“Brave?” Nick sneered, and I knew I had used the wrong word. Thinking about Elijah’s balls had thrown off my acting skills. “Stupid. It was fucking stupid and he’s going to pay. He thinks he can ride back into town and make threats. He’s an idiot. I know he’s going to try to get back with you. I saw the look in his eyes when I mentioned your name.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I haven’t seen him,” I reiterated.
“You sure about that?” Nick asked, looking at me with contempt.
“I think I would remember.”
“No one’s come by the house? You’re sure about that?” he asked, and I suddenly worried he or Liam had the house watched.
“What about that one guy, Mom?” Joey said, walking into the room and blowing the lid off my lie.
Nick’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “What the fuck did you say?” he said, turning his gaze to Joey.
I immediately side-stepped, putting myself between Nick and my son. “Don’t you dare talk to him like that!” I hissed.
Nick looked at me. “Shut up. I’ll talk to him any way I want. He’s almost a man now, aren’t you, Joey?”
Joey moved from behind me, his little chest puffed up as he looked from me to Nick. I looked at him, begging him not to say anything. Joey looked at me, then Nick.
“A man came here a couple days ago.”
“What’d he look like, Joey?” Nick asked in a low, dangerous growl, his eyes on me.
Joey had no idea what he was doing. He wanted to be cool and act tough like Liam was constantly telling him to do. He wanted the guys to like him, and if that meant ratting me out, he would. He didn’t understand the consequences.
Joey looked at Nick and shrugged his shoulder. “I don’t know because I was in my room. But I heard a motorcycle.”
I inwardly groaned.
“Really?” Nick said, his stare menacing as he looked from me to Joey.
Joey nodded his head. “Yep.”
When Nick looked back at me, I could see the rage in his eyes. “Don’t, please. Not in front of Joey,” I whimpered.
Fortunately, Nick had some common sense. “Get lost, kid. Me and your mom have something to talk about.”
Joey quickly obeyed, heading down the hall to his bedroom before shutting the door. I was grateful he was gone and wouldn’t witness whatever it was Nick was going to do. I also hated that I was left alone with the man when he was obviously pissed. But Joey couldn’t protect me, and I never wanted him to be in the position where he felt he had to.
Nick was shaking his head. “You lied to me, Michelle? I can’t believe you would lie to me. You’re as stupid as he is.”
“I didn’t talk to him. He knocked on the door and I told him to leave!”
He had to believe me. My insides were twisted into knots. I was afraid of Nick. I didn’t want to be. I hated that I was.
“You lied to me?” he repeated, his voice low as he pushed his body close to mine.
I backed up a step. He followed. It wasn’t long before I found myself pushed against the wall, his chest pressed against mine, his face nearly touching my own.
“I didn’t want you to be mad,” I whimpered, switching tactics, playing the scared victim. It wasn’t a big stretch.
He glowered at me. Liam would kill him if he hurt me. I wasn’t Nick’s to beat on. That was Liam’s job, and he took it seriously.
“He better not come around here again. I told him you were mine. I told him we were getting married. Now he knows. If he shows up again, there won’t be a next time. Stay the fuck away from him!” He shouted the last sentence so loudly, I felt his words in my very soul.
I nodded my head. “I will,” I whispered.
Nick spun around and stomped out the door. I leaned my head against the wall, not moving until I heard the sound of his bike fading in the distance. With intense relief to still be alive and in one piece, I slid down the wall, my knees bent against my chest, my face resting in my hands as I took a few moments to pull myself together.
“Are you okay, Mom?” Joey asked.
I wiped my face before looking at him and smiling. “I’m fine.”
“Nick was really mad.”
I nodded, hating he had to witness what could only be referred to as domestic violence. “He was. He left, though. We’re going to be okay.”
“I’m sorry.”
I leaned forward and messed up his dark hair. “Don’t be sorry. You did nothing wrong. Now, help me up and I’ll see what I can find to make for dinner.”
He grinned, extending his hand and putting in a great deal of effort to pull me from the floor. I gave him a quick hug before heading into the kitchen. I knew Nick was going to run and tell Liam about Elijah’s visit. Of course Liam would be pissed and come home in a bad mood. Everything I had been worried about if and when Elijah returned was happening. Things were going to get ugly.
14
Elijah
I had already spent too long in the city. Clearly, I was dragging my feet. Every minute I stayed and didn’t do what I’d set out to do risked the success of my plan. It was Michelle. I hadn’t counted on feeling so strongly about her still after all these years. I had known there would always be something between us, but I hadn’t counted on being so drawn to her. It was as if no time had passed. Everything I felt for her back then was as strong as it had ever been.
Pulling on my leather jacket, I headed for the door. I planned on shaking things up a bit more by crashing the bar where they tended to hang out. Liam was an old dog and had zero new tricks. He did the same thing day in and day out. He’d been hanging out at the same places back when I was around. The guy clearly didn’t like change. In his line of work, new places could have been dangerous.
The vibrating of my phone in my back pocket stopped me from walking out the door.
I had programmed the number into my phone, the contact listed as the letter G in case my phone happened to be stolen or taken off my dead body. I didn’t want Liam or Nick to discover her nu
mber in my phone and make her pay for what I had done.
“What’s up?” I answered.
“Where are you?” she whispered.
“Why?”
“They know you were here. They’re going to kill you!”
“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I asked, worried for her safety.
“I’m fine. You have to leave town,” she hissed.
I didn’t know where she was, but she was not in a place where she could talk. That much was clear.
“I can’t do that. I’ve already told you I can’t.”
Her frustrated groan came through clearly enough. “Look, Elijah, you and me, it is never going to happen. You need to leave. I don’t want to see you again. I’m deleting your number and you should do the same.”
“Stop. You’re only saying that because you’re afraid.”
“No shit! I am terrified. Go away! You’re putting me in danger. Go home and don’t ever come back!”
“What did he do?” I asked, my blood boiling with rage at the thought of one of them hurting her. “Did he put his hands on you?”
She hesitated for a second. “Nothing yet. I can’t see you again though. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to talk to you ever again. I’m moving on with my life and you need to do the same. We can’t be together. I’m getting married. Nick said he told you. I should have told you before.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You’re only marrying him because Liam is forcing you to,” I spat out, hoping she would confirm it.
“I’m sorry. That isn’t true. Nick and I are together. What happened the other day between us was a mistake. It can’t happen again.”
“It wasn’t a mistake. I felt you, Michelle. You’re not with Nick,” I said, my voice low and intimate.
“I am. I’m going to be with him. We’re never going to be together, Elijah. There’s nothing here for you.”
Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I did my best to calm down. I couldn’t let my temper reign. I needed to control my every move.
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 29
