27. One More Item On The To-Do List
Chapter 27
One More Item On The To-Do List
Ash
I keep shooting glances out the parlor window, growing more aggravated by the second.
Why?
Because my woman’s truck still sits in the lot.
Even after Dr. Fulton warned her to take it easy. Doesn’t matter if the doctor thinks I’m overreacting. Ori’s safety isn’t negotiable.
I crack my knuckles, the sound echoing through the quiet shop. Time to push Ori’s stubborn ass out the door and back home.
But I don’t make it three steps.
Kevin Duncan strolls through the entrance to Black Lotus like he owns the place, his smug expression already setting my teeth on edge.
I freeze, my pulse quickening.
“Be with you in a second,” I bark, my voice tight.
I glance toward the back to warn Lucille, but Kevin raises a hand, stopping me in my tracks.
“Don’t bother. Lucille walked across the street ten minutes ago. She looked well, by the way. Must be the company she keeps.” His smirk widens. “Though she’s not why I’m here.”
Fuck.
Clearing my throat, I shove my hands into my pockets, hoping the maneuver will keep my fists from flying into this prick’s face. “What do you want?”
Kevin strolls over to the reception desk, tapping his manicured fingers on the edge as he surveys the room. “You’re not very friendly to your clientele, are you?”
“You’re still not a client, so I’ll repeat—what do you want?”
Kevin’s smirk deepens as he leans casually against the desk. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
A chill races down my spine, but I keep my expression neutral. “If you’re here to congratulate me about Lucille, save it. She’s not your problem anymore.”
“Hardly.” Kevin chuckles, the sound low and grating. “I’m well rid of that one. She’s trouble, you know.”
“Then what are you congratulating me for?”
Kevin’s eyes narrow, and his voice drops an octave. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
I step closer, closing the gap between us. “You don’t know shit.”
Kevin tilts his head, his sneer sharpening. “Don’t I?”
My fists clench in my pockets, every muscle in my body coiled tight.
Kevin holds his ground, an air of arrogance surrounding him, his overpriced cologne assaulting my senses. “The better question is, how do I know? And the answer, Hammond, is that I know everything.”
I grind my teeth, trying to keep my voice even. “If you’re here to play games, you can leave. Now .”
Kevin chuckles again, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. “Relax, Ash. I’m just saying it pays to know who your friends are—and where their loyalties lie. Sparkwood’s a small town, after all.”
My heart slams against my ribs. He knows. He fucking knows.
“I will kill you,” I growl, my voice cold and firm, every word laced with barely restrained fury.
“For what?” Kevin’s grin widens, his tone dripping with mock innocence. “For pointing out the obvious? For suggesting you keep your house in order? It’s not a crime to be observant.”
I step forward, glaring into his gray eyes. “Get. Out.”
Kevin raises his hands in mock surrender, but the smirk never leaves his face. “Message received, lover boy. No need to get so worked up. Just be careful. You’ve got a lot of moving parts to manage. Wouldn’t want them all to fall apart now, would you?”
His words hang in the air like noxious smoke as he strolls out, the door swinging shut behind him.
I stand there, frozen, Kevin’s words looping in my head like a ticking time bomb.
He knows.
About Ori. About Lucille. Maybe even about Trace.
There’s a goddamn leak.
Before I can think, the fury explodes from inside me. I whirl and slam my fist into the wall, the sheetrock caving beneath the force. Pain radiates up my arm, sharp and searing, but I welcome it.
“Jesus Christ, Ash!”
Braden’s voice cuts through the haze, and I glance up to see him rushing toward me. His gaze volleys between the jagged hole in the wall and the blood dripping from my knuckles.
“What the fuck?” he snaps, his eyes blazing.
I shake out my hand, ignoring the sting as I press it against my thigh. “It’s nothing. Just leave it, Braden.”
“It’s nothing?” He points at the hole in the wall, his jaw tightening. “You just put your fist through the wall and your hand’s bleeding all over the damn floor. What the hell is going on?”
“I said it’s nothing .” I bite out the words, desperate to get my brother off my ass.
Braden tosses up his hands in resignation. “I’m so over this goddamn drama. What is happening to you?”
I don’t answer. There’s nothing I can tell him. At least, not now.
My brother steps back, his expression hardening. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
I meet his gaze, my chest heaving with unspoken words, unspoken fears. “It’s better if you don’t know.”
His face falls, disappointment etched into every line. “I’m done. Whatever this is, I’m done with it, and with you.”
“Braden—”
“No.” He holds up a hand, cutting me off. “Figure your shit out. Before you lose everything.”
He storms into the back as I stand there, blood dripping from the cuts on my knuckles.
What he doesn’t realize is I’m terrified I already have.
After Kevin’s surprise visit, I don’t waste a second.
I clean up my hand and the mess on the floor, hanging a random photo to cover the hole in the sheetrock. One more repair to add to my ever-growing list of things to do.
I call Trace, my voice sharp and shaking. “Meet me at Black Lotus . Now. No questions asked.”
But even as I hang up, my mind is somewhere else—on Ori.
I march over to One More Page , my chest tightening with every step.
God help Kevin if he’s gone anywhere near her.
The bell above the door jingles as I step inside, but I barely notice the few customers milling around. My eyes zero in on Ori, perched at the coffee bar, sipping her drink like the world isn’t crumbling around us.
I can’t let her see how wrecked I am. I have to hold it together. For her. For our baby.
But the second I open my mouth, my thin veneer of control snaps. “We need to talk. Now .”
She turns, startled by the edge in my voice. Her eyes widen as they sweep over me—my bandaged hand, my disheveled hair, the barely concealed panic vibrating from every pore.
“What happened to you?” Ori asks, her voice laced with concern.
“Don’t worry about it,” I bite out.
Her gaze drops to my hand, her brows knitting together. “Your hand?—”
“It’s fine.” I wave her off and grab her elbow, steering her toward her office.
But no place feels safe anymore
“Ash—”
“I said don’t worry about it.” My words emerge harsh and sharp, as the fear inside me roars like an unrelenting beast.
Once in her office, I shut the door behind us, leaning against it for a moment to catch my breath.
Her arms cross over her chest as she glares at me. “What do you want?”
“Who did you tell?” The words fly from my mouth, driven by the panic raking at my throat.
“About what?” she fires back, her eyes narrowing.
“Don’t play dumb, Ori. Who else knows?”
Her mouth falls open at my insulting remark. “No one. I’ve been here less than half an hour.”
I tug a hand through my hair as my frustration mounts. “Why can’t you just listen for once?”
“Play along, you mean?” she counters, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’m not telling anyone . Don’t worry, I’m used to being second rate. It’s the theme of my life.”
Her words damn near derail my perilously dangling emotions. “Ori, that is incredibly unfair and untrue.”
“Is it? Keeping things quiet was your idea.”
“Just for now,” I say, desperation creeping into my voice.
“And I am.”
“You need to understand?—”
“No.” She steps closer, jabbing a finger into my chest. “ You need to understand. You act like I’m set to blab this baby news all over Sparkwood, but the truth is, I didn’t even want to tell you . It’s hard enough standing in line with the rest of your women, but I won’t do that to my child.”
Her words are a knife to my chest. She has no idea how much I want to tell her everything—to let her know she’s my whole goddamn world. But I can’t.
I drop my gaze to my hands, my knuckles raw and aching as I crack them.
She presses her palms against her eyes, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “I hate that anger is the only thing I seem to feel anymore. It’s no good for any of us. I’m going back to my apartment. I’ll rest there. Don’t worry about me—or us.”
I step closer, my voice trembling. “That’s just it, Ori. You’re all I worry about. This isn’t me being a controlling asshole. It’s about protecting the most important things in my world.”
Her eyes search mine, filled with frustration and hurt. “Ash, you don’t want anyone to know about our baby, but everyone knows about Lucille. She broke your heart, and yet here she is, reaping the rewards. Well, I won’t be your dirty secret.”
“Beautiful, I never hid you.” The emotions course through me, threatening to break loose and drown us both.
“No.” Her voice softens, her gaze locked on mine. “You hid your heart, which is worse.”
“Ori—”
She steps back, wrapping her arms around herself as if to shield against the storm brewing between us. “Choose. For once in your life. Me or her. I’d rather live alone than like this anymore.”
“Can we please talk?—”
“No.” Ori shakes her head, tears brimming in her dark eyes. “I’ll get that fairytale if I have to build it myself. But I refuse to subsist on the scraps of affection you toss my way. I want it all. I deserve it all. And I finally see—I’ll never get it from you.”
Her harsh demands leave me speechless, and I know I can’t argue with her about them. Not now, at least.
She reads my silence and lifts her chin, the sheer strength in her gaze shattering the last vestiges of my composure. “Stop toying with my heart when all you intend to do is break it.”
Then Ori points to the door, her message clear: the conversation is over.
“Promise me you’ll go straight to your apartment and lock the door.” My voice cracks, but I bite back the anguish threatening to claw its way out of my chest.
“Fine.”
Her tone is clipped, the anger radiating off her in waves. She’s furious, and I can’t blame her.
But that’s fine—so long as she listens to me. So long as she’s safe.
One day, she’ll understand why I had to lie to her. And how every word, every omission, damn near broke me.
“This is a bad idea,” Trace mutters, sinking into one of the newly installed booths in the speakeasy.
He’s not wrong, but I’ve been super careful this past month, and everything still went sideways.
Now, I’ve got bigger problems than his damn case. Problems involving the woman I love and the baby she’s carrying.
“Couldn’t be helped,” I reply, sliding into the seat across from him and Lucille.
The construction crew cut out early after running out of material, and I figured this was the most secure place to talk. Not that anywhere feels safe right now.
“What’s going on?” Trace asks, his sharp gaze darting between Lucille and me.
“There’s a leak,” I say, drumming my fingers on the table.
Trace’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean? How do you know?”
I throw up my hands, my frustration boiling over. “Those aren’t the right questions. How about why is there a leak, and what the hell are you going to do about it?”
“Relax, Ash,” Lucille says softly, placing a hand on my arm.
I rip my hand from her grip and shoot her a scathing glare. “I can’t relax, Lucille. You know why? Because my world is upside down right now, and you’re the common denominator.”
Lucille leans back, her shoulders slumping. “I know. I’m so sorry you’re involved in this mess.”
Her voice carries the same exhaustion and guilt I’ve been dragging around this past month. She means what she says, and it’s not her fault. Not really.
We’re all at our breaking point.
Trace knocks on the table, calling back my attention. “What makes you think there’s a leak?”
I flex my aching hand, the stiffness worsening by the minute. “Ori is pregnant.”
Lucille gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. “Really? That’s wonderful, Ash. Congratulations.”
I bounce my foot against the floor, unable to keep still. “It would be, right? Except I’ve sworn Ori to secrecy. She thinks it’s because you’re pregnant with my baby. She believes she’s second best in my life, and I can’t tell her otherwise.”
Trace leans forward, his voice threaded with aggravation. “Congrats on the baby, but that still doesn’t answer my question. Why do you think there’s a leak?”
“Kevin dropped by this morning.”
“What did he say?”
“He offered his congratulations on our impending arrival.”
A muscle jumps in Trace’s jaw. “How the hell does he know about the baby?”
“Exactly my question.” I slam my fists against the table, the wood vibrating beneath the force. “How the fuck does this psychopath know anything about Ori and me?”
Trace rakes a hand through his hair, and I can almost see the gears and switches flipping in his brain. “I need you both to think. Think hard. Have you let anything slip?”
“No,” Lucille states. “We’ve been careful, Trace. We know what’s at stake.”
“How much longer do we have to keep this shit up?” I ask, desperation edging my voice.
Trace’s hand taps out an erratic rhythm on the table. “The shipment’s set to arrive tomorrow night, but now I’m not sure it’ll happen. Not if Kevin has insider information. Fuck, I hate dragging civilians into this shit.”
“Hey, we haven’t said anything,” I bark, motioning between me and Lucille. “We’ve been careful.”
Trace’s nostrils flare, his jaw tightening as he growls, “Well, someone said something. What about your guys upstairs?”
“Zane doesn’t know a damn thing.”
Trace sharpens his gaze on me. “What about your brother?”
Before Trace can respond, a new voice slices through the air.
“What about me?”
I whip my head up to see Braden standing in the doorway, his expression a volatile mix of confusion and rage.
“What’s up, Braden?”
"You tell me," Braden says, his heavy, measured steps echoing across the floor. "I come downstairs to talk about a client, and I overhear some stranger throwing my name around."
“It’s nothing,” But I know my response is futile. My brother is past the point of walking away.
“Bullshit.” Braden’s glare hardens, volleying between Lucille and Trace. “This whole situation stinks. You and I never keep secrets from each other. Never .”
“Braden—”
"I’m not done," Braden bellows, jabbing a finger at me. "It’s your life. If you want to screw it up with Lucille, fine. But it becomes my business when I hear my name in some stranger’s mouth, questioning my integrity."
Trace rises, extending his hand in a calm greeting. "We haven’t met. I’m Trace."
Braden’s lip curls as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Why the fuck should I care who you are?"
"Because you know him—or at least know of him," I reply, my head pounding like a marching band has taken up permanent residence in my skull.
Braden’s eyes go wide as he looks between Trace and Lucille. “Wait. You’re her ex-husband? You’re that Trace?”
“One and the same,” Trace says, his expression devoid of emotion.
Braden passes a hand over his eyes. “What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Ash?”
Trace gives me a subtle nod and I motion to the seat beside me.
“Sit down, Braden.” My voice is steady despite the overwhelming fear coursing through me. “It’s time to fill you in.”
It’s not even ten in the morning, and my brother looks like he needs a drink. Hell, he might need an entire bottle.
The man sits shell-shocked, trying to process the truth behind the situation with Lucille and me. To be fair, it’s the same expression I’ve been wearing for the past month.
Braden scrubs his face as he absorbs the barrage of revelations thrown his way.
“Shit,” he mutters.
I clap a hand on his shoulder. “Braden, I hated not telling you.”
He shakes his head as if that might bring clarity to the craziness. “I appreciate the truth. Lucille, Trace—sorry for lashing out.”
That’s the thing about Braden. He’s got a temper, but he knows how to apologize—and mean it.
Best guy on the planet, no doubt.
"No worries. You have every right to hate me," Lucille says, offering a faint smile.
"I don’t hate you," Braden argues.
"You all do, and I get it." Lucille shrugs, her expression resigned, as if forever cast in the role of harlot and home wrecker.
"Actually, Cilly," Trace interjects, using a nickname I’ve never heard before, "it takes tremendous courage to do what you’re doing. You took a hell of a chance, and I’m going to make sure you’re somewhere safe once this is over."Lucille nods, but I see the lost little girl inside her—hopeless and alone.
And in that moment, I forgive her for not loving me back all those years ago and breaking my heart into a million pieces.
If she hadn’t, I never would have gotten the chance to love Ori and I know without a doubt that she is the love of my life.
Trace pivots toward my brother. “Braden, I know these two trust you, but I’m not thrilled you know this much about the investigation. So, here’s the deal for all of you: keep your mouths shut. If this case gets compromised because of loose lips, I’ll make sure the law comes down on you harder than you can imagine. Understood?”
“I think I liked him better as the head of an MC,” Lucille mutters, clearly unfazed by Trace’s show of authority.
“Cute,” Trace responds dryly. “But no joke, guys. Mouths shut, or this all falls apart.”
“Fine.” I stand, giving my brother a clap on the back. “Do me a favor. Clear my afternoon.”
“Where are you going?” Braden asks.
“To be with my woman. But hey, Braden …” I pause, letting the weight of the moment settle. “There’s another secret I’ve been keeping from you.”
Braden rests his chin on his hand and smirks. “Let me guess—Ori’s pregnant.”
Talk about silence.
After a few beats, Braden’s eyes go wide. “Holy shit, is Ori pregnant?”
I can’t hold back the grin quirking my lips. “Yeah, she is.”
A smile spreads across his face, slow and genuine. “See? Now that makes sense. Congrats, my brother.”
“We’ll celebrate soon. But first, I need some quality time with Ori.”
“I thought she wasn’t speaking to you,” Lucille calls out, twisting in the booth to look at me, a slight glint of mischief on her face.
“I have a few ways to convince her. Right now, I just need to be near her. Trace, do you think you guys can handle the rest of this case without me?”
Trace snorts and waves me off. “It won’t be easy, Hammond, but I’ll manage somehow.”
Hey, we need to end this on a positive note, right? Because we will take Kevin Duncan down.
He will pay for the lives he’s ruined.
Anything else is too unbearable to consider.