Chapter 5
CHAPTER
FIVE
Brew
Me
Get over here, Nova showed up
I glance up at my cousin, hardly able to believe that she’s here. She looks terrible, and I’m angry. Really fucking angry. How could she get out of jail and not say anything?
It may have only been for sixty days, but still.
Haze
Nova?
Me
Do I speak French?
My phone rings.
“I thought she wasn’t out until next month,” he barks down the line.
“Me too, she’s out on good behavior and didn’t tell anyone.” I lower my voice. She’s in the shower, but I still don’t want her to hear me. “She’s in bad shape. Smelled like a brewery, skinnier, and she’s actin’ weird.”
“Weird as in drugs?”
“No, weird as in skittish. Pacin’. Lookin’ around my apartment as if someone might jump out at her.”
He sighs. “I’m on my way, we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“You’re gonna have to take her shoppin’ for clothes and shit.”
“Why me? Your arms and legs broken?”
“What the fuck do I know about chicks and fashion?” I whisper-shout.
“Sometimes I wonder how you made it this fuckin’ far in life,” he says matter-of-factly. “She’s in a crisis. I’m sure she’s not gonna be wantin’ haute couture, asshole.”
“Fuck off. Just get here. I don’t know what to do with her. She’s erratic.”
“I’m five minutes away.” He hangs up, and I resume my pacing.
If someone hurt her… I’ll go psycho. That’s what I need to get to the bottom of. The way she was acting has my suspicions raised.
When I hear the bathroom door unclick, I try not to pounce on her. I left her one of my t-shirts and put her stuff in the washing machine in the meantime.
“B-Brew, are you still there?” she calls out.
I pinch the bridge of my nose at her worried tone. “I’m still here, but we need to talk.”
She comes into view. My t-shirt swimming on her, and her hair tied up in a towel. She looks and smells better at least.
“T-talk about what?”
I give her a look. “Don’t play coy with me. I wanna know why you didn’t call anyone and then you just show up here lookin’ like Halloween.”
She blinks. “Should’ve called Haze,” she mutters.
“Well, your wish is about to come true, he’s on his way.”
“Great, can’t wait for the lecture.”
We’ve always been close, but this is low, even for her. “Answer me.”
Her eyes meet her feet. This isn’t Nova behavior. She’s usually sassy till the cows come home. “I thought I could do it on my own. You’ve both already done so much for me. I was embarrassed.”
“You usin’?”
Her eyes widen. “No, Brew.”
I move closer. “Tellin’ the truth?” I examine her face, waiting for a telltale sign of lying. I can smell a fucking liar a mile away.
“I swear to God, I’m not using! I may have been drowning my sorrows with tequila and cheap beer, but I’d never take drugs.” She looks affronted and kinda angry if I’m being honest. Good. That’s a perfect response for being accused of something you haven’t done.
“Next time, not that there will be one, you come to me, got me?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
I point in her face. “Don’t give me any lip. You got clean clothes?”
She shakes her head.
“Haze will take you shoppin’ when he gets here.”
“I can get stuff myself. Don’t you trust me?”
“Frankly, no, I don’t, not with my credit card.”
“Charming,” she huffs. “Speaking of which, what’s with the receptionist?”
Instantly I bristle. “What do you mean?”
“Talk about fifty questions. She wouldn’t let me in the back.”
I hold back my smile. That’s Erica; always doing her job. “She didn’t know who you were. You wouldn’t tell her your name, remember?”
She’s pale, way too pale, and she looks like she could do with a decent meal or five. “Why don’t you go have a sleep in the spare room?” I say when she opens her mouth, then closes it again.
Her face drops. “You’re leaving?”
“Why? Are you in some kinda trouble?”
She shakes her head. “No, I mean, you just got here.”
“And I’ve gotta go back to work. Too busy to be standin’ around here babysittin’ you.”
“That’s nice when I could be anywhere,” she mutters, moving past me to the fridge. “You got any food?”
“Of course I have food, don’t live in a cave. Help yourself. Plenty of stuff to make a sandwich.”
“Thanks, Brew.”
I turn, not wanting to get into an emotional heart to heart, which I know my cousin is more than capable of. “Haze will be here soon. Don’t go anywhere.”
I take the stairs back down to the shop.
Erica is typing away at the computer.
I clear my throat, thumbing behind me. “She’s a lot.” That’s as close as I can get to an apology.
Erica stops typing, looking up at me. Jesus fuck, why do I freeze whenever her pretty gaze lands on me? I’ve got to stop this shit. I need to go to the clubhouse this weekend and fuck her right out of me with one of the sweet butts. That’s what I need. Then that’ll be that.
Erica smiles softly. “Like you said, she just got in with the wrong crowd.”
Of course, she’s reasonable. That’s Erica. She’s too compliant, too nice. This world will eat her up whole if she lets it, and that worries me.
“She’ll be staying with me for a few days.”
“Roger that.” I’m still staring at her when she adds. “Was there anything else?”
Move your feet, asswipe. “No.” I stalk off to my office.
I’m pissed at my cousin showing up here unannounced and not saying shit. I don’t get what it is with the women in this family. They’re not only headstrong, they’re fucking annoying.
Sawyer wraps a knuckle on my door. “Got a second?”
“No.”
He comes in anyway. “We good for tomorrow?”
We’re supposed to be riding toward the Texas border, meeting up with Diamond. I agreed to wait twenty-four hours because we had too much to do here, now with Nova arriving, that’s thrown a spanner in the works. I’m not leaving her here unattended.
I glance up. “Yeah, but change of plans, my brother will be stayin’ behind.”
“Hot date?”
“Nope, worse. My cousin just arrived unannounced. She’s trouble.”
Sawyer raises his eyebrows. “Would I like her?”
I point at him. “You so much as look in her direction, I’ll rearrange that pretty boy face with my bare hands.”
“That’s a no then?”
“Brewster? We’re out of coffee…” Nova sings, then stops in her tracks when she sizes Sawyer up. “Oh, hello.”
Sawyer, already grinning, eyes her head to toe, then wipes his hand down his t-shirt before holding it out. “Pleased to meet you, I’m Sawyer, Brewster’s right-hand man.”
She smiles, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as they shake. Oh, fuck no. “I’m Nova.”
“She’s Nova, and she’s not interested,” I bark, then to her I add, “There’s a coffee machine right on the counter, there’s pods, you just gotta use your eyeballs.”
“I don’t know how to work those contraptions.” Why is she still smiling at Sawyer?
“They’re pretty easy once you get the hang of it.” Sawyer beams.
No. No. No! I glance at his hand, still in hers. “You can stop touchin’ her now.”
They pull away, and Sawyer laughs. “Brewster didn’t tell me he had such a pretty cousin—”
“Call me Brewster one more time and I’ll use you for target practice before we leave for Texas.”
“Ooh, are you going on a run?” Nova squeals.
“Yes.” I deadpan. “And no, you can’t come.”
Her smile drops. “You never let me have any fun.”
“Oh, really?” I snort. “The last time you had fun, you wound up in jail. Orange isn’t the new black, despite what they say.”
She narrows her eyes, but before she can yell at me, Sawyer’s grin widens farther. “What were you in for?”
She clears her throat, straightening her spine. “Aggravated assault.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Shit. Should I be packin’?”
“Oh, I don’t use guns,” she says, like it’s something to be proud of. “I use my fists.”
I slam my fist down on the desk, making the two of them jump. “Sawyer, fuck off. Nova, get back upstairs.” My t-shirt swims on her, but she’s still showing too much leg.
“Why do I have to get back upstairs?” she challenges.
“Because this is a place of business, and you’re half dressed. Go!”
She pokes her tongue out childishly, making Sawyer laugh. “Well, it was nice to meet you, pretty boy.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” Sawyer coos in a voice I only hear when he’s trying his luck, which isn’t very often. He tends to flirt but nothing more.
She fingers waves as she disappears out the door. Jesus fucking Christ. It’s happening already, and she’s only been here for an hour.
When Sawyer finally shifts his gaze back to me, his smile drops.
“Don’t even think about it.” I stand, causing him to take a step back. “She’s been through a lot, and I don’t need you messin’ with her head.”
He raises his hands like he has no intention of doing anything. “Hey, just bein’ friendly.”
“Well, go be friendly somewhere else. Don’t need her on the loose before she’s even had a moment to settle in. She’s fucked up, and I don’t need her flirtin’ and makin’ googly eyes at you.”
“Noted. I’m gonna saddle up.”
“You do that, and while you’re at it, ring ahead and book us a motel.”
“Isn’t that Erica’s job?” He walks backwards out of the room. “Or don’t you wanna ask her to do menial things?”
If I had something to throw at his head other than my fist, I’d do it. “Like I said; fuck off.”
Erica jumps, startled. I didn’t see her behind Sawyer. “Shit, I meant him,” I say as Sawyer walks off laughing.
Her face falls and I think it’s me until she says, “My van won’t start, I’m sorry, Brew, but I need to get over to the school with the costumes. Is there any chance you could take a look?”
“Sure,” I grunt.
I’m annoyed. Not by her, but by Sawyer and the way he and Nova just interacted.
I like Sawyer, he’s a good guy, but Nova is trouble.
If I leave her alone for a few minutes, I know she’ll be up in somebody’s business, causing mayhem.
Sawyer may think he’s ready for that, but he has no clue who he’s dealing with.
I head out to the lot, Erica behind me, looking worried.
“What happened?” I say, turning to face her.
“I turned the key, and it wouldn’t start.”
I climb into the van. It may be old, but it’s neat and tidy. Of course, Erica keeps it pristine, like the good girl she is.
I turn the key, and the van shudders but won’t start. “Sounds like the battery’s dead,” I say.
She moves from one foot to the other. “Is that fixable?”
I hold back my smile. “Yes.” I climb out, lifting the hood, inspecting it. “Will have to head over to Rock’s to grab one and replace it.”
“Crap, I’m going to be late.”
I rummage in my pocket and hand her my truck key. “You can take my truck.”
Her eyes widen. “For real?”
“Yeah.”
“But your truck is a brand new RAM.”
I shrug. “So?”
“I wouldn’t want to dent it or anything, it’s a bit of a beast.”
So am I, sweetheart.
“It’s not that hard to handle, just put it in drive and accelerate.”
She bites her lip, clearly conflicted about taking my vehicle. I don’t know why. It’s a nice truck, but my motorcycle is my baby. It’s not like I’m lending her my Fat Boy.
“Thanks, Brew, that’s generous. It’s just a huge truck. I’m used to driving a tiny minivan.”
“It’ll be fine. You’re overthinkin’ it. There’s plenty of room in the back for the stuff.”
“I appreciate it. I can probably grab the battery on the way back from sch—”
“There’s really no need. I’m headin’ that way anyway before I head out for a few days,” I lie. “In the meantime I’ll get all the shit out of the van.”
“As long as it’s not too much trouble.”
I level her with a gaze. Is it just me, or do her cheeks pinken slightly? “You gotta learn to accept help, Erica.”
She opens her mouth, then swiftly closes it again. “Thank you.” Then, before she can stop herself, she squeezes my forearm. “It’s very kind of you to help me out.”
Jesus Christ.
My dick hardens in an instant at her lightest touch. I imagine her squeezing my cock with that small palm and refrain from groaning. I nod once, moving past her to the side door. I need to get this shit moved and on my way before I do something I’ll regret.