Chapter Ten
Brody
“Rachel’s friend was Bill?”
She nods, and I rub my hand over the back of my neck. Fuck. This isn’t going to sit well with Raffe.
“Bill didn’t know who I was.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank fuck.”
Jenny begins to clear the table, and I can tell I struck a nerve. I grab her around the wrist. “Hey. I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”
“I know what you meant. If Bill would have known, it would have been considered a betrayal toward Raffe according to club rules.”
“Listen, I’m not saying you and Rachel betrayed him, but …”
Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about all of this. If I’m having a hard time with it, how will the others react?
“It’s okay, Brody. I don’t expect anyone to understand.”
She pulls away from me and heads over to the kitchen sink.
“So, I’m going to be upfront.” I turn in my chair to look at her. “I can’t leave you here.”
Jenny doesn’t turn around, but tension pulls her shoulders upward. “Forget you ever came here. You yourself are unsure of my motives. Just walk away, and no one ever has to know.”
“Your mother was supposed to receive a letter today. From what I understand, there are multiple letters going out to the club.”
Her shoulders fall, and she takes a deep breath.
“Again, I hate to do this, but I’m going to have to ask you to come with me. My wife and I just put a new addition on our house. We have a guest room.”
“I can’t leave.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
She turns around and leans against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. “Both.”
I sigh loudly, shaking my head. “I can’t do it, Jenny. I’m sorry.”
“So … so you’re just going to kidnap me?” Her eyes narrow in my direction. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been taken against my will.”
Her words are a fucking punch to the gut.
“Jenny, I’m sorry, but my loyalty lies with Jackson.”
“Mine too.” She straightens, squaring her shoulders. “I’m not going to run, Brody. I’ll never leave here. This is the only place I’ve ever felt safe.”
“You’re willing to see him?”
Her arms wrap around her stomach. “So you are going to tell him.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I need some time to think about this, but that might not matter because Miss Maggie might already know. She might be on her way up here now.”
Jenny’s eyes go to the front window as panic begins to pull at her brows.
I rest my elbows on the table and bury my face in my hands. “Fuck.” What am I going to do?
“His daughter, Aspen. How old is she?”
“She’s two but she talks like she’s three.” I lean back in the chair, taking a deep breath.
“And he has a wife?” she asks, lowering herself in the chair beside me.
I nod. “Yeah. Her name is Willow.”
“Willow and Aspen. Such beautiful names.” She smiles wide, and her whole face lights up. She really is a pretty woman. She closes her eyes for a moment. “What is she like? How long have they been married?”
This is stuff she really should be asking her son, but there is something about her that draws me in. I find myself answering all of her questions.
She rests her chin on her fist as she hangs on my every word. “You know a lot about him,” she notes quietly.
“He’s my brother.” I shrug.
“So, tell me about your wife. What is her name?”
“Daisy.” I can’t help it. I shyly blush.
Jenny chuckles softly. “Another pretty nature name.”
It takes me back to the day I met my wife. “Yeah, I fell in love with her name and her on the same day.”
She nods. “It’s like that, isn’t it? It feels like the universe has branded it on your heart somehow.”
“Yeah, as if it’s written into my DNA.”
A look of longing passes over her face as she stares across the room. I lose her for a minute before her gaze returns to me. She smiles. “So, do you have children?”
Instantly, my chest puffs up. My boy is my fucking pride and joy. “I have a son. He’s not quite two yet, but the kid is built like a brick shit house.”
Jenny laughs. “Colorful description.”
“Shit. I mean, sorry. I’ll have to get use to this no cussing around a mom stuff again.”
She blinks rapidly, but I ignore how my words make her feel. It’s true. She’s a mom. She’s Jackson’s mom.
“I named him Jack.”
Her lips part as if she’s going to speak, but no words leave her mouth.
“I wasn’t lying when I said I was loyal to Jackson.”
She rubs her temples. “Gosh, this is a lot. I’ve learned so much tonight.” She shakes her head, swallowing hard. “I’m so happy he has a family. Thank you for looking after him.”
My gaze roams over her little house again. It’s cozy. I like it here. It feels like home.
“Everyone loves Jackson and not just because he’s president of the club.”
This gets her attention. “Bill was the president once.”
“He was. After he passed, Jackson’s uncle, Dirk, took over the position. Dirk is Rachel’s brother. After that, it went to Jackson.”
A proud smile lights up her face. “Oh, I bet he’s good at it, isn’t he?”
I can’t even kid her. “Yeah, yeah he is, but don’t fucking tell him that. It will give him a big head.”
Her gaze goes back to the window. I know she’s stressed about the letter to Maggie.
My phone rings as if we’ve somehow summoned the old woman.
Fuck. Here we go.
“It’s your mom,” I tell her.
Her eyebrows shoot off of her face. “Don’t answer it,” she begs.
“Sorry, but I’ve never sent Grandma Maggie to voicemail. No fucking way can I not answer.”
I lay my phone on the table and then hit speaker.
“Miss Maggie. Miss Maggie. What can I do for you on this fine evening?”
“Don’t give me all that sass and charm, boy. I got a letter from Rachel.”
Jenny pushes her palms into her eyes at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“Oh yeah?”
“She said you needed my help. What can I help you with, honey? What’s going on?”
“Rachel said I needed your help?”
“That’s what her letter said.”
“Oh.”
I push Jenny’s arm, shrugging at her. Like what the fuck am I supposed to do now? I can’t lie to Grandma. Fuck that. That’s just straight up asking for bad karma.
“You’re stalling,” Grandma says matter-of-factly.
“Oh.”
Jenny shrugs back, looking as helpless as I feel.
“Well, yeah, I guess it would be nice to talk to someone.”
“Okay dear, I’ll be there in a minute. I’ll have Ray drive me over.”
“I’m not home right now. Maybe we could meet up tomorrow.”
Maggie doesn’t say anything for a long moment. “You’re not home?”
“No.”
“Where are you?”
“Um, I’m … on club business,” I say quickly.
“Will you be home tonight?” she asks.
“No.” My gaze narrows on Jenny, and she rolls her eyes at me.
“Okay, honey. Well, you just stop by when you get back to town.”
“Will do. I appreciate it.”
“You have a good night now and be safe.”
“I will.”
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you too, Grandma.”
Jenny holds her chest, and I’m not sure but I think she’s hitting her max on what she can take in one day.
“You’re not very good at lying, are you?” she asks as soon as I hit disconnect.
“Fuck, I’ve never lied so much in my entire life.”
“I’m sorry.”
I wave her off. “I just need a minute to think about all of this.” I reach for the contract and read through it again. It’s simple enough. Both of them promised to keep quiet. The only way it could be broken was if Jackson or Raffe needed help.
“It’s cut and dry. Unless Jackson needs me, and you’ve already told me he doesn’t, the contract cannot be broken.”
She’s trying her best to get me to uphold the agreement and keep her secret.
“But what about Raffe?”
“What about him?” Her brows pull together in confusion.
I slide the paper toward her. “It clearly says if Jackson or Raffe needs you.”
Her eyebrows dip lower as she reads where I’m pointing. “It was only supposed to say Jackson.”
“Well, it doesn’t.”
Jenny’s mouth falls open, realizing Rachel slipped it into the contract without her noticing. Her head darts up suddenly. “Is Raffe not okay?”
“No. Not really. You heard the phone call earlier. Jackson’s been worried sick about him. We have all been. He’s gotten a little better, but …”
“If Raffe is having a hard time, I agree with Jackson. Why would my mom give him that box?”
“Do you know what’s in it?”
“It’s my memory box.”
I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Ash. I better send someone over there to make sure Raffe’s good since I obviously won’t be heading back tonight.
He answers on the first ring.
“Hey. Can you run over to Raffe’s and check on him? I was going to stop by, but I’m caught up out of town.”
Ash whispers to Lexie, telling her what I just told him.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll head out right now. He’s not at the warehouse?”
“No. Jackson said he’s been staying at the house the last few nights.”
“Oh shit. Yeah, that’s probably tough. I’m headed out the door now. Oh, wait. Lexie wants to talk to you.”
He hands the phone to her. “Hey,” she says.
“Hey.”
“Are you okay?” she asks quietly, like she’s trying to hide our conversation from her husband.
“Um, yeah.”
She’s silent on the other end. “Okay, well, Rachel wanted me to make sure you followed through on her letter.”
“I did,” I assure her.
I’m impressed. Lexie’s kept this a secret for two years. That’s loyalty. I haven’t given her enough credit, and that makes me feel shitty.
“Rachel told you what the letter was about?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she sighs quietly. “What is she like?”
I laugh lightly. “She’s stubborn.”
Jenny’s eyebrows shoot up in warning, but it doesn’t matter. Lexie already knows.
“You’re still there?”
“Yep. I got to ask, why did Rachel give me the first letter?”
Lexie thinks about it for a second. “Because you’re levelheaded. She trusted you to judge the situation.”
“I knew I should have pranked that woman more.”
Lexie laughs. “She knew you would do what was best for the family.”
“Yeah, if only I knew what that was.”
“Does she seem … good?”
It makes me laugh. “Yeah, I guess.”
“One thing I’ve learned is that the truth has a way of setting you free,” she says. “But you’ll make the right decision. I better let you go. Ash is waiting for his phone back.”
“Wait! What’s up with Maggie’s letter?” I ask.
“Rachel said it was to keep you from thinking too long. She told me to tell you to just decide and go with it.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“You know what I think?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“I think no matter what you decide, it will lead everyone exactly where they’re meant to be. We have one destiny, and any path we choose will get us there.”
I smile. I never saw Lexie delving out words of wisdom, but maybe she’s right.
When I get off the phone, Jenny is standing in front of me with a blanket and pillow.
“I’m sorry I can’t leave you alone,” I tell her, taking them from her hands and setting them beside me.
“That’s okay. I understand. The person on the line … they know?”
“She does. Her name is Lexie. She’s the one who gave me the letter, but she won’t say anything. She’s loyal to Rachel.”
Jenny nods sadly. “You’re all very loyal to each other.”
“We’ll figure this out tomorrow,” I assure her.
Her gaze drops to the contract before returning to me. “I don’t know why she included Raffe on this document, but it doesn’t matter. I can’t help him.”
“Rachel must have thought you could.”
“She was wrong.” Jenny turns away from me and heads into her bedroom. “Goodnight, Brody.”
“Goodnight, Jenny.”
Her steps pause at the sound of her name.
I don’t think she hears it very often … if ever.