Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Noelle
Eazy shuts the truck door, walks around the front, and stops. That is when Rooster and Brewer, whom I have met already, approach. Brewer says something that causes Eazy to peer over his shoulder into the truck’s cab. For a split second, our eyes lock. I’d give anything to know what he’s thinking and what he and his friends are saying. Suddenly, the thought of Eazy thinking less of me puts my stomach in knots.
I have never cared much about what people think about me, so why does Eazy’s opinion matter? He must think I’m a horrible person. God, what if he decides to call the police? Sweat breaks across my brow, and my heart is beating out of my chest at the prospect of him getting the cops involved. I could go to jail for kidnapping. They would discover what I did, and Zack would return to his dad.
I can’t let that happen.
I won’t let that happen!
My flight mode kicks into gear, and my eyes dart around the empty parking lot. I need to get back to my car. I glance at Eazy, and he’s still talking to Brewer. So I reach for the key in my coat pocket, which comes up empty. I check the other pocket and my fingers close around nothing. “Crap,” I hiss.
Zack eyes me. “What’s wrong?”
“I think I left my keys in the car.”
He points out the window. “You did, but I saw Eazy give them to that dude with the ponytail.” He points out the window.
“What’s wrong, Noelle?” Zack starts biting his nails, something he does when he gets anxious.
I move his hand away from his mouth. “I don’t think we should be staying with my new boss. It’s weird.”
Zack shrugs. “He seems cool to me. And besides, I’m sure his place is better than the car.” Zack’s face falls when the words are out of his mouth, and I know he instantly feels guilty. “I didn’t mean it like that, Noelle.”
I kiss the top of his head. “I know you didn’t, buddy.”
My brother is right. Eazy’s offer to put us up for the night is the more responsible option, and deep down, something tells me I can trust him.
Zack elbows me in the side. “Here he comes,” he whispers.
I watch Eazy stride to the driver’s side of the truck. A gust of frigid air rushes in when he pulls the door open before quickly hopping in. He sits there for a beat, staring at the steering wheel while Zack and I eye him warily. Maybe he’s having second thoughts about letting us stay with him tonight.
“Um… you know Zack and I will be fine alone. We can—” I don’t get the last word out of my mouth before Eazy cuts me off.
“It’s late. The only place you’re going is home with me.” His words come out in a growl.
I begin to fidget in my seat. “O… okay.” I look over at my brother, whose eyes are ping-ponging back and forth between me and Eazy. Then I ask, “Are you going to call the police?”
Eazy rears back, clearly shocked by my question. “Why the fuck would I call the cops?”
“Because I was trespassing on your property after hours.” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “And because I had a child sleeping in my car instead of someplace safer,” I go on to add. “I know how all of this must look to you. You can tell I’m living in my car. But it was only for one night.” My voice starts to shake as I hold back tears. “I was going to get us a hotel or something tomorrow. I didn’t have enough money.” I feel Zack shift closer to my side, silently offering his support and showing whose side he’s on.
Eazy, however, is white-knuckling the steering wheel, and the set line in his jaw tells me he’s agitated. “I’m not calling the cops,” he grinds out.
The truck cab turns uncomfortably silent as Eazy shifts into gear and drives us away from the parking lot. As we ride through town, I notice how Zack stares out the window with a goofy grin. I have to admit, Ember Falls is a sight to behold. It’s like stepping into a literal Christmas wonderland, with every light pole, street sign, and tree draped in colorful twinkling lights that make the whole town glow.
“Is it like this every Christmas?” he asks.
Eazy nods. “Yeah. And if you like this, wait until the Fourth of July, Halloween, and pretty much any other holiday.”
“Seriously?” Zack perks up even more.
“Oh yeah. Ember Falls doesn’t do anything half-assed. The whole town gathers in the square on Christmas Eve for its annual Ember Falls Christmas festival. There will be ice skating, pictures with Santa, and the ladies down at the community center put together a cookie contest.”
Zack cocks his head. “Cookie contest?”
“It’s where people compete for who has the best Christmas cookies. Whoever wins has braggin’ rights for a year,” Eazy explains.
“Cool.” Zack looks at me. “You should enter the contest, Nelly. Your cookies are the best. Nobody can beat you.”
My little brother’s praise turns my face red. “Thanks, buddy, but I don’t think mine are worthy of the famous Ember Falls cookie contest.” I pat his leg.
“Besides, we might not be here on Christmas Eve.” I hate saying the words out loud, but I’m not sure I still have a job after tonight. Eazy didn’t call the police, but that doesn’t mean he wants someone with my baggage hanging around.
Goddammit! The crestfallen look on Zacks’s face makes me regret my words immediately, though it’s not my brother who interjects.
“What the fuck you mean you won’t be here?” Eazy barks out, making me jump. Then, I’m instantly irritated by the constant use of his foul language around Zack. Not that he’s not used to that sort of talk, but it’s usually coming out of his father’s drunk mouth.
“Do you have to cuss so much?” I snip.
“Yes,” he says without missing a beat. “Especially when I hear you talkin’ nonsense.”
I gasp. “I am not talkin’ nonsense, Eazy. Just stating facts.” I take a deep breath to try to calm my temper. “Look, I appreciate everything you are doing for Zack and me tonight, and I’m grateful you didn’t call the cops, but I’d also understand if you decided to fire me.”
“Fire you?” Eazy interrupts. “Jesus Christ, woman, why the hell would I fire you?”
I look down at my lap and shrug.
“I see I got my work cut out for me, workin’ some of the bullshit out of your head,” he mutters.
“What?”
“Nothin’, baby.” He shakes his head. “I ain’t firin’ you.”
“Oh.” That is all I can say.
Then he adds, “And you ain’t leavin’.”
Stunned, I stare at the side of Eazy’s face, his expression giving nothing away. What in the world just happened? Confused, I look at Zack and see him grinning from ear to ear. I narrow my eyes and mouth, What?
My brother giggles and shakes his head before looking out the window. Something weird happened that I haven’t quite made heads or tales of. But my brother has never been this comfortable around men. Growing up with an abusive drunk for a father has made Zack wary and destroyed his trust in most people. But not Eazy. Not even when he is cussing up a storm or barking his displeasure at whatever has come out of my mouth. Then it dawns on me, and it’s all I can do to hold back tears. For the first time, my brother likes a man and feels safe. And if I’m being honest, so do I.
Fifteen minutes later, Eazy steers the truck down a narrow gravel road, and soon the streetlights disappear. The only thing cutting through the pitch-black forest are the headlights. This is about when I should regret getting into a vehicle with a stranger who could lead me into the abyss of the unknown. If this were a movie, I’d yell at the screen, telling the girl she was stupid for trusting a stranger. But I’m not doing any of those things because, at this moment, all I can think about is how close I am to Eazy and how every single time we hit a bump, my thigh brushes against his or his arm grazes mine, making me hyper-aware of the effect the man is having on me. And if that isn’t bad enough, his scent is everywhere. He smells of pine, laundry detergent, a hint of whiskey, and cigarettes. You’d think the smells combined would be awful, but to me, they are intoxicating.
“Wow!” Zack exclaims, pulling me out of the haze. “Is this where you live?”
I peer out the windshield to see what Zack is talking about, and the sight ahead makes me gasp. About fifty yards away stands a massive two-story building—a barndominium, which is a rustic mixture of a barn and farmhouse-style structure. I’ve heard about them before but never seen one in person. This one is black metal with wood trim. In front of the house is a paved driveway with several motorcycles and various cars parked. Off to the side is a four-door garage. Eazy parks in front of one of the garage doors. Seconds later, it opens, and he eases his truck inside.
“This is the clubhouse. I have my own house but crash here during the week.”
“Clubhouse?” Zack asks.
Eazy jerks his chin. “It belongs to the Devil’s Punishers.”
My brother looks at Eazy with fascination. “You’re in a motorcycle club?”
“I am.” Eazy nods. “I’m their president.”
“This is so cool!” Zack shoves the door open and hops out of the truck.
I look at Eazy and grin. “So you know, he’s going to bombard you with questions now.” My smile drops. “Let me know if he gets to be too much. He’s curious and can be a lot.” I look over at Zack, who is busy nosing around the garage. “Just…” I pause, letting my protective instinct kick in. Zack has always been an inquisitive kid. He loves to learn and asks many questions about things that interest him. Zack’s dad despised that side of him. He hated the constant questions and Zack’s curious nature. His father believed children should be seen and not heard. I can tell Eazy and the club have their gears turning. “Just don’t be mean to him,” I finish.
A firm grip around my bicep draws my attention away from Zack. I’m met with stormy hazel eyes when I turn toward Eazy, still sitting behind the truck’s wheel. “The only way I’d handle you or your brother is with care, baby. You have my word.” Eazy and I stare at each other for a beat, and I can’t explain it, but I know without a doubt he means every word he’s just said.
“Come on. Let’s get you two inside so you can get some rest.”
I go to open my mouth, but Eazy shakes his head. “Tonight, you and your brother have a safe, warm place to lay your heads. You answer all my questions tomorrow, and we figure out the rest.”
Too exhausted to argue, I nod.
Satisfied with my response, Eazy grabs my hand and coaxes me to climb out of the truck through the driver’s side behind him. “Let’s get you and your sister inside, little man,” Eazy calls out to Zack, who is checking out a partially assembled motorcycle. “I’ll bring you out here tomorrow and show you around, okay?”
Zack grins and nods. “Okay!”
Eazy leads us inside through the garage, and the first room we enter is the kitchen, which opens into an ample living space. On one side of the room, I spot a bar area where two men are sitting on stools. One of the men has a scantily dressed woman sitting on his lap. And over by the pool table, dressed much the same way, is another woman hanging all over a guy playing pool. I pull Zack into my side to shield his young eyes. All eyes cut to us as we walk in.
“What’s up, Prez?” a guy sitting at the bar calls out.
“Get them the fuck out of here,” Eazy barks, and I watch as the two men nod and quickly usher the women out the door without so much as a peep, leaving us alone.
“Rooms are upstairs.” Eazy jerks his chin toward the stairs. Zack and I follow behind him as he leads us up to the second level of the clubhouse. A hallway stretches out on either side, but Eazy leads us to the right. We pass four closed doors and stop at the end of the hall. “This is my room.” He opens the door, revealing a room much tidier than I’d expect for a man. Situated on the right side of the room is a king-size bed with a dark oak bed frame. A large dresser sits across from the bed, while a floor-to-ceiling window stands off to the side.
Eazy walks over to the nightstand and flips the light. “The bed is big enough for the two of you. The sun will be up in a few hours. Try to get some sleep. We’ll sort out a permanent sleeping arrangement tomorrow.”
My eyes snap to Eazy, and I find his heated gaze on my face. Suddenly, I think about an arrangement that entails sharing a bed with him. It was as if he knows what I’m feeling, and one side of his mouth curves up, making me blush.
Quickly, I turn away. “This is more than fine. Thank you.”
Eazy points to a closed door on the opposite side of the room. “Bathroom is through there. Someone will be here in a minute with your things. I’m going to crash in the room right across the hall… if you need anything.”
I stand next to Eazy’s bed, feeling a little unsure. Everything in the past twenty-four hours has happened so fast. Now I’m standing in the bedroom of a man I hardly know who is making me feel things I’ve never felt before. A man who is not only my new boss but is also the president of a motorcycle club.
All those things aside, the one thing I am certain of is I feel safe.
So, I’m going to trust my gut and lead with that.
“Thanks, Eazy,” I whisper.
“Torin,” he murmurs back.
“What?” I wrap my arms around my waist.
Eazy stands in the doorway, unmoving. “My name is Torin.”
I smile and test out his name for the first time. “Thanks for everything, Torin.”
“You’re welcome, baby.”
I watch Torin turn on his heel, closing the door behind him with a soft snick. A breath escapes me as I return to the bed and find Zack already asleep.
And just like that, I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders.