Cavalier (Crimson Elite Book 1)

by T. L Smith

  We separate as Creed walks back over to me. I don’t say anything and turn away cleaning, the distance being better for us. Maybe it will kill the tension that surrounds us.

  “I need you to stay back after closing, we need to talk.” His voice settles over me, like warm liquid honey. Smothering me in all its deliciousness, so much so that I can’t help but turn around to face him. Creed isn’t close, not like his friend was.

  I manage to nod, and that’s all I can do as I watch him walk away.

  Creed’s there before I even finish. Grabbing my bag, I don’t say goodbye to Johnny, just wave, as I walk to Creed. He nods his head to the exit, his proximity too close. So close I can smell his aftershave. It smells like the rain mixed with something nutty. Something strong. All man. I keep a nice distance between us. His voice, combined with his whiskey eyes and his smell—I’m doomed. It’s only a matter of time before I give in, attack him even if he doesn’t want me to. Because it will happen. I’m not a shy girl, I take what I like, go after what I want, even if my head knows not to because it could ruin everything.

  “I’ll walk you home.”

  I nod my head with no argument. I’m used to walking home by myself even if some nights I prefer not to. That night becomes a reminder of what can happen if I’m not careful. Could I disappear the same way?

  “I’m going to give you three regular shifts, all twelve-hours. As you can see, we open for special events that go all day. Our nights are even longer, we want someone from open to close. Johnny does the other nights.”

  “I’ll take whatever you give.” The words came out wrong, and I wish I could take them back the minute they leave my mouth. His eyes go a hint darker and hooded as he looks at me. We both come to a stop, not far from my apartment.

  “Someone is at your door.”

  Turning fast, I see he’s correct. Someone is indeed standing at my door. That’s when I notice the car parked in front of my building—it’s not a regular car, it belongs to a police officer.

  “Be careful what you say.” Creed’s hand touches mine, and I look to it then back to him. His expression is serious.

  “What would I say?” I ask curiously.

  He shakes his head and drops my hand then follows me to where the officer is standing. He smiles at me then his eyes fall to Creed.

  “Miss Beckham.” I nod my head. “Do you have somewhere we can talk?”

  “Can I ask what this is about?”

  “You made a call a few weeks ago, reporting you saw unusual activity not far from your window. I’d like to discuss the details with you. We could go to the station, but I only have a few questions, so I thought it would be more convenient if I came to you?”

  Creed steps forward, and I know he’s going to say something. “Can my boyfriend join us?” I look back to him and notice he’s staring at me. I don’t look for long. Turning back to the officer, he nods his head as I start to unlock my door, and they both follow me into my apartment.

  Shit, did I clean?

  Is it a mess?

  Fuck! I didn’t even think before I invited them both up.

  Unlocking my door, they both walk in. Creed’s eyes track everything, he’s fast at assessing before he looks back to me. The officer stands at my kitchen bench. I shut the door, stepping over to my small, two-seater table and sit down.

  The officer pulls out a notepad and book, sitting opposite me. “I won’t take up too much of your time, just a few questions.”

  I nod my head and lose track of where Creed is until his hand touches my shoulder. It soothes me and makes my legs clench all at once.

  “Your call states you saw two men beating up on one. Can you describe what these men looked like?”

  My head starts shaking. “I didn’t see their faces, it was too dark.”

  “But you could tell it was two men? How do you know it wasn’t a woman?”

  “Even without seeing their faces, I could tell they were men. One was speaking to the man on the ground, he was telling him how he was going to tear him limb from limb to make a point.”

  The officer’s eyebrows raise as he writes it all down and continues his questioning. After a few more questions, he’s finished.

  “Did you get everything you need?” Creed asks, his hand still on my shoulder.

  The officer stands, nodding, then passes me his card. “Call me if you remember anything else.” His eyes find Creed. “And I didn’t catch your name?”

  “She’ll call if she does.”

  He walks to the door, opening it for him to leave. The officer leaves and Creed shuts the door and looks to me. “You still choose to walk home by yourself.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I know it’s stupid, but if I let one thing define me, I’d be fucked. Plus, I don’t really have a lot of choice.”

  “I’m going to kiss you now. Then I’m going to walk out the door before I bend you over your fucking small-ass kitchen table and fuck you until you can’t walk.” His voice is husky, hunger evident in his eyes.

  My legs shut and clamp together hard. He walks over to me with determination, each step my heart takes one loud beat. Nothing I can do will stop him. I’m not even sure if I want to stop him, to be honest. He reaches me and his fingers run through my hair with a slight tug, and he pulls back so I have to look up at him.

  It’s passion, pure fucking passion, the minute his lips touch mine. The world rushes away and all I can feel is him, all I can smell is the mint on his breath as he steals mine. It’s like he takes away my world and replaces it with his. Everything is black and all I can see and feel is him.

  “Elicea.” He says my name with determination like he pulls each syllable from my breath, stealing it for himself with each kiss. The kiss I know no one could ever replace. Because even when his lips leave mine, and his breath no longer licks my own, I still can’t open my eyes.

  Who kisses someone like that?

  Creed does.

  And he just walked out my door.

  9

  Creed

  That kiss fucked me so good that everything within me lit on fire as the warmth spread over me just from touching her damn lips. I would hate to see what her fucking body does to me. Fuck! I tried to withstand touching her. I tried real fucking hard. But I had to taste her, had to see if what she’s making me feel is even real. And I just confirmed it with that single fucking kiss—a kiss that stole my fucking breath then lit me on fire.

  Fuck.

  D is waiting for me as I walk through the doors. The lights are on, but everyone else has gone. He has a drink in front of him and some paperwork.

  “You walked her home. I take it you didn’t fire her?”

  I take the seat next to him, pouring myself a drink, drinking it all in one hit, then pouring another. “I gave her more hours, actually.”

  He grimaces, taking the glass from my hand. “Of course, you did,” he mumbles. “I can see the appeal. I get it. I can even see the way you are with her.” He pauses, leans on the counter as he looks at me. “But do you really think it’s smart to mix business with pleasure?”

  “I’ll fire her.”

  D laughs, shaking his head. “I went through her file, she has no money. My bet is she needs this job. I would also bet if you asked her to choose right now, she’d choose this job.”

  Leaning back, my hands go behind my head as I stare up at the ceiling. He’s right, she does need the job, I see the desperation in her eyes.

  “I kissed her,” I say, sitting up straight and pouring myself another drink.

  D simply stares at me.

  “And it was the best fucking kiss of my life.” I shake my head, tipping back the drink.

  “Never thought I’d see the day,” D says while standing. Grabbing his files, he taps my shoulder. “You should probably let Falcon know to back off, because to him it’s all a game. And you know how much he likes to play games.” He walks off leaving me to contemplate my actions.

  “I thought I heard you
come in last night.” Mom leans down and kisses my cheek, taps my shoulder before she walks to the stove. My mother didn’t have me young. Actually, I was a surprise to her. She had me when she was in her forties, and now she’s well into her sixties. I couldn’t ask for a better parent, one that loves me no matter what. And trust me, throughout my life there’s been a lot of ‘no matter whats.’

  Mom starts cooking, and I know immediately what she’s cooking. It’s my favorite meal—Eggs Benedict. She makes it every time I come around in the morning, some weeks I don’t visit enough. But I try to see her at least twice a week. She’s lonely in this house by herself. I bought it for her and even give her money every week, which she refuses to spend but I won’t take back.

  “Why do you look different, tell me, Creed?” She’s watching me, spatula in hand as she studies me.

  “Just tired, Ma.”

  She shakes her head. “Nope, tell me.”

  Did I forget to mention my mother was a lawyer, a damn good one too? That’s why when I came along, I was such a surprise. She was an established lawyer, no husband, and older than she thought she could get pregnant. She thought those days had passed her, but she was wrong.

  “It’s a girl.”

  She smiles, turning around to get back to cooking. “Her name?” she asks nicely. I can tell she’s excited. She always asks me when I’m bringing a woman home for her to meet. I tell her she’s the only woman in my life. She wants grandchildren. It’s not something I want.

  “It’s nothing.” I shake my head, reaching for the coffee that’s now gone cold.

  “Oh, it’s not nothing, especially since you mentioned her. Now tell me her name at least.” She puts the plate in front of me.

  “Elicea.”

  Pulling the chair out, she sits down next to me. “I look forward to meeting her. How did you meet her?”

  That’s the trick question, isn’t it?

  “I hired her.”

  Mom clucks her tongue and sits back. She has an idea of what our club really does but doesn’t ask because she knows I won’t tell.

  “So she knows what you do?” Her arms are crossed over her chest. One thing I was always shitty at was lying to her. Not just because she’s a lawyer and can spot bullshit a mile away, but because I have the utmost respect for her, so lying to her pains me.

  “She knows—some of what I do.”

  “I see.” Mom takes my coffee cup and starts making me a fresh one. “Well, I would like to meet her. Hopefully, soon?”

  “We’ll see.”

  The front door bursts open and Echo walks in. He pushes his blond hair from his face kisses my mother’s cheek then sits down, stealing my plate of food.

  “You back?” I ask him.

  He shakes his head with a mouthful of food, my fucking food he just stole from my plate. “Don’t tell them I’m back.”

  I smirk at him. “If you don’t stop eating my food, I will.”

  He stops with the fork to his lips, decides to bite then pushes the plate back to me. He looks up to my mother who’s already making him his own plate.

  “Darby’s been ringing me almost every day.” His hands pull at his hair. “Just because he chooses never to leave the joint, he thinks I don’t want to.”

  “Why are you back then?” He slides down on the chair. Ma places a plate in front of him and before he answers, he’s already eating. She kisses the top of his head then mine before she walks into the other room, knowing he wants to talk but won’t in front of her.

  “She called, again. Like she had every right, too. Who the fuck does she think she is?”

  I shake my head at him. “Stop answering. Change your fucking number.”

  “She wants me to come to their house to talk. Is she insane?”

  If he keeps pulling at his hair, he’s going to go bald.

  “Cut your hair,” I tell him.

  His hands stop and he looks up at me like I’m crazy. “Fuck off! Can I crash here for a while?”

  Before I can answer, Ma does. “Of course, you can. Creed doesn’t sleep here anyway, you can use his room.”

  Echo gets up, his eyes looking around before they come back to me. “And don’t think Falcon hasn’t been messaging me about you. I plan to meet her soon. Will be interesting to see what kind of girl can crack that shell of yours.” He walks off in the direction of my old room.

  Echo’s mother and father are assholes, they favor his brother more than they should. When he needs somewhere to go, he usually ends up here. He likes it here because Ma cooks for him like his mother used to. Plus, she loves him.

  “He’s very broken,” Ma comments, walking back in and sitting across from me. She takes hold of my hand, brushing it with her fingers. “He’s lucky to have you all. Even if Darby calls every day, it’s just cause he’s worried.”

  I nod my head, it’s true. We all worry about Echo, even when he gives us nothing to worry about. But a person can only experience so much hurt before they break. And he’s slowly breaking.

  “I’ll look after him. But in the meantime, I want you to tell me all about this girl that has caught your eye.”

  “Ma,” I say standing and shaking my head. Leaning down to kiss her cheek, I hug her tightly. “I need to go home to sleep.”

  She rolls her eyes as I walk out the door.

  I head off to bed, dreaming about that kiss, and the way her lips felt.

  The way she made me fucking feel.

  I’m fucked.

  10

  Elicea

  Flustered is all I can say, that man makes me flustered. I’ve needed the last few days to distance myself from him and just be me. I even went shopping, which is very rare for me considering I didn’t have enough money to rub between two fingers. But now, thanks to my new job, I have more than enough and even some for savings. I could finally buy a car if I continue to work like this. That’s unheard of, I would have had to work at least two jobs to get what I earn in one day at this place and then there’s the tips on top of that.

  “You can’t go out wearing that.” Tracey shakes her head. I spin on the spot, my white dress flowing up like Marilyn Monroe. I should have bought the wig too. My dark hair doesn’t really match. But the dress, oh my God, the dress is to die for. It fits me like a glove and I’m going to the movies and dinner.

  “What do you mean, I’m already out.” I smile big, and she shakes her head at me.

  “Would you at least put on a jacket? People are staring.” I laugh at her, she’s grumpy because she drank too much last night and is hungover.

  “Nope, it’s too much fun.”

  “People are staring.”

  I turn around again, so the dress flies up but not so high you can see up it. “Isn’t it just so pretty.”

  She stops, then her eyes zero in on me. “Oh my God, I blame the hangover for not noticing sooner. You have that look. Who is it for? The guy from the club?”

  I stop spinning and brush my dress down as we move in line to buy some popcorn. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She brushes me off. “Please, you always get that look. That lost, faraway stare. So who’s the guy? Don’t tell me you’re back with Mickey. If you are, I’m going to question your sanity.”

  Laughing at her, we order, and she watches me as I pay then step to the side to walk to the cinema.

  “No, I’m not back with him. Do you think I’m that stupid?”

  “I give up. Obviously, you aren’t telling me. So let’s change the subject to those new clothes and shoes.” She looks me up and down, the white heels matching my perfectly white dress. “You have a sugar daddy, don’t you?”

  The laugh bubbles up in my throat and escapes before I can stop it. Leaning over, I clutch my new perfectly white dress and can’t stop myself. “Sugar daddy,” I say between laughs.

  “Woman, stand up, you’re even more embarrassing now.”

  Wiping away the tears of laughter, I do as she says. “No. No, sugar
daddy. Just a better paying job.”

  “Well, get me a job, too,” she says as we enter the cinema. It’s quiet as we take our seat. She leans over and whispers in my ear, “I’m not joking, see if they’re hiring.” She’s quiet for a long pause, which is very unlike Tracey. “You’re happier, I haven’t seen you like this before. I like it, a lot.”

  Tracey knows my backstory, I’ve told her my life. She knows the ins and the outs and the pain.

  “You have a right to be happy, you know, your past doesn’t define you.” I grab her hand and squeeze. Talking about the past isn’t something I like to do. It hurts, like a sharp pain is shooting through me and squeezing uncontrollably. I guess it’s a side effect of losing everyone you love in one instant.

  My cell beeps, pulling me from where my mind was about to go.

  Shift tonight, 9pm.

  I groan, Tracey looks over my shoulder and shakes her head.

  “I’m not leaving before this movie is finished, they said the ending is epic.”

  I know what she means, it’s all I have heard about too.

  I start typing out before the movie starts.

  I’m at the cinema, I might be late. Is that ok?

  I put it on silent as the movie starts. I feel it buzzing twice before I pick it up to look at it. Tracey nudges me to put it down but I can’t. As I said, this job is a priority. And also, I’m pretty sure this is Creed’s number. Of course, he would have mine from my forms. His I didn’t know.

  I can pick you up.

  My eyes go big at his words, then I read the second text.

  I’m out front waiting for you. Take your time.

  “Who’s out front?” Tracey whispers, reading my message. I put my cell back in my bag and sit in the same spot with my leg bouncing, knowing he’s out front waiting for me. “Just go.”