Gearhead

by Evelyn Glass

  If I’d been taking a drink, I would have spat it out everywhere. “Excuse me?”

  “Being seen with you has been good for business. There are a lot fewer articles about my supposed illegal side businesses, and more and more families are coming into the restaurant. So, I figure the next best thing to being seen with a do-gooder,” he said, repeating the descriptor every article seemed to label me with, “is to become a do-gooder myself.”

  If someone had told me a few weeks before that I would lie in Jasper Black’s bed and talk with him about donating to charity, I would have pointed them in the direction of the nearest asylum. But I was definitely not insane, and it was definitely happening.

  I sat there trying to wrap my head around everything, and then remembered how the conversation had started. “Wait, what does this have to do with me?”

  “Well, since you won’t accept free money, and you are an inherently charitable person, I thought perhaps you could be my charity consultant.”

  I recognized each individual word, but couldn’t seem to grasp their meaning. “Charity consultant?”

  He nodded, readjusting the sheet around his waist, so even more of his toned midsection was exposed. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. I’ll give you a budget and let you spend the money however you see fit. It will be a great way to engage with the community, and there is nothing people love more than a rich man who donates his money.”

  “I’ve never run a charity though. I’ve only ever donated my time, and that was only to a few places that would look good on a resume. I’m not exactly altruistic.”

  “Look who you’re talking to!” He laughed. “Compared to me, you are like Mother Teresa and Gandhi’s love child.”

  I shook my head. “I think that’s blasphemy or something.”

  “See! I need you to tell me things like that. Please do it?”

  He needed me? Jasper Black didn’t need anybody, least of all me. But still, the idea was flattering. Plus, I’d been dreading going to work every day, and working with charities was the dream job I didn’t know I had. For so long, I’d been wondering where things with Jasper were headed.

  I’d grown up believing that there was a predetermined plan for your life, but everything with Jasper had felt like a nightmarish side story. I’d lied to my friends and family, and the attraction I felt towards him only made things worse. What did it say about me that I could ever like someone like him? But now everything made sense. I was meant to accept this job.

  I nodded. “Sure, I’ll do it.”

  ***

  “You can’t quit,” Kayla said the moment I’d told her about the charity consultant position.

  “I’m not quitting. I’m being promoted,” I said. “Jasper wants some help deciding where to donate, and he wants me to make those decisions.”

  “You’re a waitress; you don’t know anything about dealing with a budget.”

  “Thanks so much for your support,” I said, slamming the fridge closed. I’d been standing in front of it, door open, looking for something to eat for ten minutes, but suddenly I wasn’t hungry. This was the first real conversation I’d had with Kayla in weeks, and it was a fight. Not exactly what I’d been hoping for.

  “I’m not trying to be mean; I’m trying to be honest,” she said, a nervous finger twirling in her dark hair. “You don’t think it’s weird that he’d give you such an important position?”

  “First, it’s donating money to charity, not exactly rocket science. Second, I don’t think it’s weird. I’m his girlfriend, after all.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I couldn’t stand another second of Kayla talking down to me.

  She rolled her eyes. “You are not his girlfriend. What do you really even know about him aside from how good he is in the sack? You two are dating, but he has never been over to our apartment other than to pick you up, and you never talk about him.”

  “Your attitude hasn’t exactly made the apartment a warm, inviting environment,” I snapped. “You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder for weeks.”

  “Because you’re being stupid!” Kayla roared out. “You are too blinded by his abs and the insane gifts he is constantly showering you with to see the truth. Jasper is dangerous! The only way this ‘relationship’ ends is with you hurt or heartbroken.”

  I wanted to tell Kayla she was wrong, but the words wouldn’t come. She shook her head and left – headed to the restaurant to pick up an extra shift. The truth was, Kayla could absolutely be right. Our arrangement had no end date. If Jasper were smart, he’d dispose of me the way he did the Jackal I’d seen that night behind the restaurant.

  And maybe he would. After all, he couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t run to the police and tell my story as soon as I had a chance. I wouldn’t, of course – not least of all because he knew where my family lived. Even if I could ensure my own safety, I would never be able to ensure the safety of each of my siblings. If I turned Jasper in, the Hellions would retaliate, and I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of their wrath.

  No matter how much I tried to repress reality or spin the story, the truth was that Jasper and I would only ever end in ruin.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Marin

  I spent the night lying on my bed, staring up at the yellowed ceiling, wondering how I’d found myself in such a precarious position. Accepting the promotion from Jasper meant more money and would be an amazing addition to my resume. Not to mention, I would be able to help people.

  Jasper had shown me the budget he had in mind for his charitable giving, and it was considerable. I would be able to help so many amazing charities and make a real difference in people’s lives. However, I could also be putting myself at risk. My life was quickly becoming linked with Jasper’s, and I feared the more I let him into my life and became part of his, the more danger I would be in.

  He’d already shown me where the Hellions hung out and partied, and I knew many of the motorcycle club members by name. I’d be able to pick most of them out of a line up with ease. That made me a liability. Jasper’s public image had already been boosted by me. What if we were nearing the end of the arrangement? Would he really just let me go?

  I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow, wanting to scream in frustration, but unable to summon the energy. At some point, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, I felt pillow creases on my cheek, and I rubbed at the sleep in my eyes. I searched for my phone wondering what time it was, and then I heard the knocking. Someone was at the front door, which explained why I’d woken up.

  I laid back down and decided to let Kayla answer the door. I felt exhausted and guessed I could have slept all night and most of the next day. The knocking continued, and I didn’t hear Kayla moving around in her room. My phone screen turned on, blinding me. I squinted at it until I could make out it was only eleven. Kayla would have just finished closing the restaurant. She wasn’t home yet.

  I groaned and rolled out of bed. I only had a pair of blue pajama shorts and a tank top on, so I grabbed my cotton robe from the back of my bedroom door and threw it on.

  I looked through the peephole, but it revealed nothing but darkness. The fluorescent outside of our door had been flickering like mad for the past week, so it was no wonder it had burnt out. I opened the door only a crack, prepared to tell whoever was on the other side to come back in the morning, but as soon as I opened the door, I tried to close it.

  My efforts were hindered by a black boot that wedged itself between the door and the frame.

  “Hello, Marin.” Angel’s voice was oil slick and slimy. I heard the smile in his words, the joy he felt at my fear.

  My heart was thundering as I pushed my weight against the door, trying to hold it shut. Angel easily pushed it open and leaned against it, arms crossed. He stopped there, though, and didn’t charge into the apartment the way I’d expected. I could have tried to run past him, but he would have caught me. I could have screamed into the hallway hoping a neighbor heard me, bu
t he would silence me before anyone could even discern where the noise came from. My only real option was to talk to him, and hope he didn’t have anything evil in mind.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  He smiled, revealing white teeth. He ran his tongue across his lower lip. “I see Jasper told you about me then? Good for him.”

  The only thing Jasper had really told me about Angel was that I shouldn’t worry about him. The Hellions had more members than the Jackals, so they were well-suited to win any kind of war Angel wanted to start. The problem for me was that the Hellions weren’t standing behind me in my apartment.

  I was completely alone, and I knew, despite Jasper’s assurances, I should absolutely be worried about Angel.

  His eyes scanned my body. In the struggle to keep the door closed, my robe had gapped open, and my tank top had ridden up past my belly button. I closed the robe around myself quickly and met his eyes again, trying my best to show him I wouldn’t be so easily intimidated.

  “How did a good girl like you find herself tangled up in this mess?” he asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

  “If I told you that story, we’d be here all night,” I said.

  Angel winked. “That would be fine by me. I have nothing but time.”

  “What do you want?” I asked, talking loudly so the tremor in my voice wouldn’t be so obvious. I projected confidence in the hope I could trick myself into being less terrified.

  “I have something of importance to talk to you about,” he said, leaning back to be sure the hallway was clear. As soon as he did, he stepped inside my apartment and closed the door behind him.

  I felt cornered. With the door closed, Angel seemed even larger than he had before. He filled the space, stealing all of the air. I took a step backward, bumping into the back of the armchair Kayla and I had picked up on the side of the road the day we moved in. We re-covered it in a bright red fabric, and the only thing I could think now is that it looked like the color of fresh blood.

  “It’s a little late for a chat,” I said. “Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”

  Angel smiled and then shook his head. “I’ll be quick. Besides, you are always with Jasper. I had to catch you alone. And since your roommate is at work, I knew now would be a good time.”

  I felt the threat in his words. He’d been following me, and he wanted me to know. While I’d been sleeping over at Jasper’s and coming and going from my apartment, he had been there. Or, at least, one of the Jackals had been – keeping an eye on me, watching my every move. Suddenly, I was glad I hadn’t been to my mom’s house in a few weeks. The last thing I needed was for Angel to show up at the house where my little brothers and sisters lived.

  “Why don’t we sit?” He gestured to the sofa.

  He moved forward and reached out to put a hand on my back to lead me to the couch, but I dodged him. Instead, I sat at the far end of the couch on the very edge of the cushion, putting as much distance between myself and Angel as I could manage.

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  I wanted to groan. Hadn’t I met my lifetime quota of deals with motorcycle club leaders? Certainly, fate couldn’t be so unkind to me. Still, I had to hear him out. It was clear Angel wouldn’t leave until he’d said what he’d come to say.

  “What would that be?”

  “As I’m sure you know, your boyfriend and I aren’t exactly friends.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” I said, rolling my eyes. Their feud seemed childish to me – little boys trying to show who was tougher – but I knew it had a serious undertone. People died fighting this war, and I couldn’t dismiss it so easily.

  Angel smiled, but I saw the annoyance behind it now. He was losing his patience. “And as I’m sure you also know, I’m aware of your arrangement with Jasper Black.”

  I stared at him blankly.

  Angel sighed. “I know Jasper Black is not really your boyfriend.”

  This information surprised me. Not only had I almost forgotten our relationship was a sham, but Jasper hadn’t even told the Hellions that our relationship was entirely fake. I’m sure plenty of them had suspected something fishy. After all, Jasper’s usual conquests wore thigh-high boots and eyeliner and never stayed around more than a night. I didn’t quite fit the mold. However, the details of our arrangement had remained entirely private. How Angel had come across this information was a mystery, and rather concerning. If he knew about our deal, what else did he know?

  “Or perhaps that is news to you,” he said, raising an amused eyebrow at me.

  I tried to arrange my expressive face into a neutral mask. I couldn’t afford to give Angel more information than he already had. And I also couldn’t afford to let him see my fear.

  “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” he said, lowering himself onto the arm of the couch, his hands crossed and resting on his thighs. “Your little arrangement with Mr. Black only means that you can be of very great use to me.”

  “I’m tired of being used,” I said, cutting him off. It was true. My entire life had been spent taking care of people, whether out of necessity or force. Just once, I wanted to do what was best for me.

  Angel laughed. “And I’m sure you’ll grow more tired of it still before your life is over.”

  Hearing him mention anything about the length of my life sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Jasper Black killed one of my men recently. Did you know anything about this?” Angel leaned forward to look into my face, but I turned away, breaking eye contact. “Ah, I suspected as much. It’s okay. I do not hold it against you.”

  “As you shouldn’t,” I said. “I didn’t do anything wrong. You all are the criminals, not me.”

  “But you have done something wrong. You’re an accessory, my dear. You witnessed a crime and told no one. More than that, you attended galas and dinners and parties with the murderer. I’m sure people would not find you to be such a do-gooder if they knew the truth.”

  I didn’t want to listen to Angel. It was clear he was trying to manipulate me, but did he have a point? I’d separated myself from the situation so much that I didn’t realize how wrapped up in it I’d become. Jasper had ordered someone to be killed, and rather than report the crime, I had stripped in his office less than an hour later.

  “If Jasper goes down for the murder, you will go with him. It’s unfortunate, and I do wish to help you avoid your fate,” Angel said, slipping from his spot on the arm of the couch to the cushion. He reached out to me and placed his hand on my knee. “I just need you to testify against him.”

  My head snapped up, eyebrows furrowed. “You just said I would go down for the murder, too. Why would I ever want to admit I was there?”

  “I have friends in the police department. Friends who would make sure you didn’t face any jail time for your role.”

  “Stop saying it like that. I didn’t have a role. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, the guy they killed was a drug dealer who worked for you. Bringing attention to his death would only bring more suspicion down on you.”

  Angel clacked his tongue a few times and shook his head. “I said I have friends in the police department, remember? I’ll be fine.”

  “Why don’t you just deal with Jasper on your own then? Isn’t that what you motorcycle clubs do? Take justice into your own hands?” I asked. “It would be even easier if you are telling the truth and actually have all of these friends in high places.”

  “This is cleaner.” Angel stared at me, his eyes emotionless black pits.

  The smirk he’d been wearing since walking through the door was gone. It hadn’t ever been real to begin with. This Angel, the one with a scowl and narrowed eyes and hate brewing under his skin, was the real Angel. Pure evil, through and through.

  I’d once thought Jasper was evil, but now I could see the difference. Jasper, at his core, was a businessman. He did what he had to do to make money and keep his well-oiled machine runn
ing. Angel was part of this world because he enjoyed it.

  “Have someone else testify,” I said. “I’m not going to do it.”

  Angel raised one eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, running his eyes down my body as though thinking of the easiest way to dismember me. “You are the only one.”

  I shook my head. “That can’t be true. If you have the police force behind you, you don’t need me. I’m nobody. Find someone else to lie for you. I’m not going to do it.”

  Angel ran his teeth along his lower lip. “Have I not made the consequences of siding with Jasper Black clear?”

  I started to answer, but all at once, Angel was on top of me. He had me pinned to the couch cushion, his hip bones crushing against mine, his hands wrapped around my wrists, pinning my arms above my head. He smelled like smoke and leather and dirt, and I tried not to breathe as I thrashed against him, fighting for my freedom.