Chapter Twenty-Five
Garrett
Why is it so hot? And what is… I peel open my eyes and glance at the head of blonde hair. Calli is pressed up against me, her head on my chest. Her skin is warm beneath my palm. My arm is wrapped around her, keeping her close to me.
Blinking the sleep out of my eyes I do a quick sweep of the room, to confirm where I am. Pointless really, I know where I am. This is the second time I’ve woken up in her apartment. Lying beside her.
Calli’s hair is falling over her face. Carefully, I raise my arm and brush back the strands so her features come into view. Sunlight is creeping in through the blinds, highlighting the planes of her face. She looks so peaceful, totally relaxed.
The feel of her naked body pressed up against me makes my dick take notice. Shit, after last night, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to introduce that into this moment.
I made good on my promise. Calli didn’t want to think about those letters and what they mean. She needed the distraction, and I willingly gave it. Yeah, it was my day off yesterday, but I had shit to do. Spending the whole day and night with Calli wasn’t a part of the plan.
I’m not used to this, but I’m comfortable here with her curled up beside me, listening to the sound of her gentle breath as she sleeps on.
We didn’t talk much about what she is intending to do. The whole time I’ve known her, I’ve talked about her work, how she can’t waste the ability and craft she honed for years. Now, her taking it back up has me equal parts excited and… something else I can’t articulate.
If she takes this on, she’ll leave.
She should do it. Absolutely she should do it. And if this one job leads to more for her, to her architectural career revitalizing, then we should all be happy for her. All the friends she’s made here.
Her seizing this opportunity is the right thing to do.
So why do I feel… something dark, and unpleasant about the thought of her going away?
Calli is the first person I’ve talked to about my sister in years. Even when I have told people, it’s never been in full detail, and my mom was never brought up. Gwen dying was painful, it almost broke me. Mom abandoning me too was one of the hardest things I’ve been through.
It’s a moment in my past that I wish I could wipe out. Or change. If I hadn’t fought with mom and stormed out. If I had seen the texts from Gwen telling me to please stop fighting with mom. There were so many choices I could have made that would have changed the entire course of that night.
I’ve never made peace with it. I don’t think I ever will. Talking about it shouldn’t relieve any of my pain or guilt. One touch of her hand against my arm stilled the warring emotions which were rising inside of me as I talked about my sister.
How does she have the power to do that? A woman I barely know. One I’m struggling over the idea of her leaving.
I should go. There are things I need to do before I go into the shop today. Things to do with Calli, and keeping her safe. Isn’t she safest with me here? If I ask, would she come with me?
Calli lets out a sweet sigh and her hand moves across my abs beneath the covers. For a second, I think she is going for my dick but her fingers smooth over the plans of my chest, and cup my shoulder, like she is holding me down, stopping me from leaving.
I’m not sure she is awake, and I enjoy these last moments before she opens her eyes and lets out another soft sigh. Her head lifts, one eye pries open, and she squints against the sun.
“Morning,” my voice is raspy. I clear my throat.
“Hey,” she shifts slightly but I keep her against me.
Something is telling me to hold her a little longer. Accepting it easily, Calli sets her head back down, slightly higher on my chest. The gentle pressure of her lips against my neck surprises me.
Again, my dick stirs but it will not get involved in this. Easier said than done. There is no way to fight the natural reaction to Calli’s lips on the side of my neck and jaw. We went at it hard for a while last night. I know what my piercings can do. She will be sore.
It wasn’t all sex. We talked about the not so serious shit. Opening up to her became natural and listening to her telling me funny anecdotes about her friends was nice. I didn’t think I would have as many funny or pleasant stories to tell, somehow Calli teased them out of me.
It’s fucking killing me I’m hiding something from her.
“What time is it?” she mumbles against my skin.
Using my free arm, I grab my watch from the bedside table. There is something oddly right about this moment. It’s strange as fuck. This isn’t what I do. After I gave her what she needed upon reading those letters, I should have left.
Shaking off these maddening thoughts I check the time. “Six fifteen.”
Calli groans. We both have work today. This bubble has to break.
She gives me one last kiss on the jaw, then sits up and stretches. My eyes follow the line of her spine, her hair spilling over one side of her shoulders. I can’t resist and trail my fingertips along the slight ridges of her spine.
Calli looks over her shoulder at me, giving me a small smile. Then her grin broadens. “Can I have some coffee today, please?”
“You really don’t need to ask,” I say. “Something tells me my non-caffeine influence is over.”
“Yep. I need it. There should be some of that green smoothie left over too.”
Time to move because this feels too nice. It’s disconcerting. I sit up, the blankets are pooled in both our laps. There is no stopping my eyes dipping to her naked tits. It’s not all about staring at them, or the slow hardening of her pink nipples.
The tattoo is scabbing over. It’s not the best part of the healing process. She needs to treat it right, so there are no blemishes on that perfect skin.
“I know, moisturize,” she elbows me.
Then I do something completely out of character. I lean in and cup Calli’s jaw, turning her face to mine so I can kiss her. Her soft moan against my lips and the brush of her tongue against mine thaws out a little of the darkness in my chest.
“Go get your coffee,” I say, then press one last kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I got shit to do.”
Her eye roll and slight smile aren’t hiding what’s going on. She’s feeling this too.
Pushing the covers aside, I get up, stretch with my back to her because we worked out quite a lot last night, then go on the hunt for my clothes. Calli tells me I can use the shower, but I need to leave. Get my head on straight and understand what is happening to me.
Callie grabs her robe and goes in search of coffee as I finish dressing. In the kitchen, she watches as I tug on my boots. I need to go but there is something I want to know before I do.
The letters are still on the counter. Not spread out like we left them, which means she looked them over again before straightening them up.
We watch each other across the counter separating the kitchen from the living area.
“I need to think about it,” she answers the unasked question between us.
That she isn’t rushing to pack her bags says a lot. Calli has changed since she got here. She’s seen a different way of living. The pull of her work will always be strong. If I was in her shoes, I’d run back to tattooing.
“They’ve been waiting for an answer for a while,” I say. “And they’ve not given up.”
“Do you think I should do it?”
“I can’t answer that. It’s your choice.”
“But you must have some thoughts about it.” When I don’t answer, she nods. “Okay,” she shoves the letters into a drawer and grabs her mug. “Thank you for yesterday. Your hangover cures worked miracles. And the other stuff was a bonus. Thank you.”
“Calli,” I move toward her. I fucking hate her thanking me.
She’s closing in on herself. Reverting to pleasantries because I’m a fucking dickhead. I don’t like that. And it’s fucking horrible to hear her thanking me for having sex with her. Nothing about that was to help cure a hangover. Jesus.
I swipe a hand through my hair. I’m never at a loss for words. Her beautiful cobalt eyes never leave mine. With only slight effort, I shake myself out of it.
“It should be a simple decision. That your conflicted says a lot. I’d offer my opinion but I mean it, this is your decision.”
“What if I want your opinion?” she asks quietly.
“Something I’ve learned over the course of my life is, you can’t let other people stand in the way of what you want. Sometimes we make the wrong choices, mess shit up.”
Her expression softens, she knows I’m referring to my decisions both before, and after Gwen’s death.
“You have got to think about what you want. What you really want. This life, or the one you had before.”
“I could do this building and come back.”
“You don’t believe it’s that easy, Calli.”
Her look says that is what she is thinking. “It doesn’t mean I have to stay. I can get clients here.”
“Sure, there is no reason you can’t,” I check my watch again.
“Oh shit, I’m going to be late for work. I need to shower.”
“I don’t know, Vixen,” I revert to the guy I was before she read that letter. “I kind of like the idea of you walking around with my scent all over you.”
Calli rubs her lips together and shuffles a little. I can’t see past her waist but it’s obvious she’s clenching her thighs.
As I walk along the hallway to the front door, I can’t help but pause at the drawing on the wall. Calli comes out of the kitchen holding her coffee and watches me. She told me last night this is the building they want her to go back for.
It’s a beautiful design that should come to life. For the first time since seeing her work, I hate it. I dip my chin, and she gives me a small smile. Then I get the hell out of there before she sees what is written all over my face.
I don’t want her to go.
I double check the address information again when I pull up to the two-story family home.
This can’t be right. There is a Harley Davidson at the far end of the driveway, up against the side of the house. I recognize it straight away. It’s Nero’s. Damn, this is a nice house and not at all what I expected for the President of a one percenter motorcycle club.
He’s never invited me into his personal home before. When he sent me the address earlier and told me to be here at seven, I hadn’t questioned it. He took my thoughts off Calli, and what she is going to do.
If she goes back to San Antonio to do this job, I’m not convinced she’ll come back. It’s not easy to push her from my mind, especially given the reason I’m here to speak to Nero at all is because of Calli. Whatever job he has for me comes second.
The doorbell chimes and I wait on the porch, hearing the sound of boots approaching. Nero is shirtless when he pulls the door back. He has tattoos on every inch of his chest and arms, there isn’t a single space of un-inked skin.
“Hey, thanks for coming.”
“Sure,” I respond. He turns and goes inside. I follow and close the door.
The house is as nice inside as out. We pass a few rooms on either side of the hallway and head for the kitchen at the back. Nero grabs a T-shirt and pulls it on. He turns to face me. What is that look about?
A squeal from the left side of the kitchen draws my attention. A kid is sitting on the ground in some kind of plastic kid prison, filled with toys. He’s maybe two or three, I’m not good guessing kids ages. He’s old enough to say ‘hi’ and wave at me.
“I’m trusting you with this.”
Nero steps up beside me and looks at the kid. I don’t take my eyes off him as his expression softens.
“He’s yours?”
Nero swipes a hand over the stubble on his chin, watching the kid. “Yeah. I share custody, she had to go out.”
What the hell do I say to that? It says a lot he is asking me to keep this secret.
“No one else knows?”
“Rebel and Speedway.”
Rebel is the club’s VP. It’s Speedway who is a surprise. He’s one the of the most vocal members in the club. He’s always stirring shit up. Likes to think he’s funny too.
“His mom is Speedway’s sister.”
That explains it. It doesn’t matter who Nero has let in on this, only that they never talk about it. Being the kid’s uncle will do that. I vaguely recall meeting Speedway’s sister once. She came to a party, and he did nothing but bitch and moan about her leaving.
Was that when this happened? The kid seems about the right age. I think.
“Does this have anything to do with the job?” I ask, nodding toward the kid.
Nero laughs. “Anyone else would be asking questions. His name at least.”
“Figured if you want to tell me, you will.”
He checks his son, then indicates for me to go into the dining area. I walk away and look over the backyard. There is a kids swing set on the manicured lawn, together with patio furniture and a grill. Have I walked into the twilight zone?
I wait while Nero deals with the kid, setting him up with the TV, a box of juice and some tiny sliced up grapes. Nero, a dad. He’s one of the hardest men I’ve ever met. Most people I’ve come across are terrified of him. I’ve seen him beat the shit out of two men at the same time.
Yet here he is making sure this tiny person is warm enough and has a bear close by.
The TV is loud enough to keep the kid occupied. He’s forgotten we’re here. We head to the furthest end of the table from the kid.
Nero sits back in the chair opposite me. The family man is gone. The Prez of the Blackhawk Disciples is back. It’s only the whiney sound of the cartoon playing behind us that reminds me there is an innocent kid in the room.
“Why don’t you tell me what you wanted to see me about?”
It seems a hell of a lot easier to tell him my issue is to do with a woman. Now that I know he has issues in that regard too. And a kid.
“Get over that,” Nero tells me. “Forget he’s here.”
“Kind of hard.”
He cracks a rare grin. “Yeah, well, try listening to that shit for hours on end. My ears are immune to it. What is it you want, Ghost?”
Now we are down to business. I came here for one reason. At this point I don’t even care about what he needs me to do for him. He is quiet as I tell him what’s been going on and that the man he had me follow after Caleb Dexter, showed up at the apartment building a few days ago.
Nero doesn’t speak. Every few minutes he glances at his son but he’s listening to me, taking it all in. When I’m done, he leans his elbow on the arm rest and strokes his jaw.
Something about the way he is looking at me changes. It’s subtle, but I read people, and he is trying not to let on he’s troubled by this.
“You serious about this woman?” he asks.
I go to speak, then pause. Am I? Keeping her safe is the most important thing to me. That doesn’t mean it’s serious.
“You don’t need to answer that, it’s written all over your face.”
“It’s not like that.”
Nero glances out of the back window, then over to his son. “Yeah, I’m familiar with that .”
What the hell does that mean? He has a thing for his kid’s mom? Not the time for me to be thinking about his problems. Hell, a month ago, that wouldn’t have entered my fucking head.
“You want to know about Dutton, and if he poses a threat to her?”
I nod my head once, terse.
“That would involve telling you what is going on inside the club. And based on the terms of our deal, that means it’s not possible for me to divulge anything to you. Unless you want your status to change?”
Our eyes hold for a moment, then Nero huffs out a laugh.
“I know what you don’t want. I’m not about to change the terms.”
“We both know I can find out what I want to know without asking.”
“I’m aware. You followed the hierarchy, and that’s good.” He inhales deeply and sits forward, resting his elbows on the table. “There are things I can’t tell you. But,” he holds up one hand before I can get my words out. “Caleb isn’t a threat, he’s a dumb ass who needed money and got involved with the wrong people. He’s not even a small part of it. He was only ever a way in. The real focus is Dutton and where he can take us,” he rubs his chin again and pauses. “And that is where I draw the line with telling you anything else about our issue with him.”
There is no point arguing. Nero has done what I asked, explained just enough, and assured me Caleb isn’t a threat. It still doesn’t feel resolved. I don’t feel better about it.
After a long drawn out silence he leans back in his chair.
“While we were figuring shit out, something came up. It’s why I needed to see you.”
My jaw is so tense, it feels like I’m about to crack all my back teeth. He’s going around in circles and it’s pissing me off. This isn’t a simple case of making sure those assholes aren’t a danger to her.
This is an underlying gut feeling about Ray Dutton. One I don’t like. The prick was in her apartment building and didn’t go see the guy he should have been there for.
“I came here out of respect, Nero. Like I’m expected to. I won’t let something go down that I could have prevented. Even if it is nothing that will affect her. When I saw him there,” I clench my fist. “He recognized me.”
For the first time since I got here, Nero is troubled.
“Did you talk to him?”
“No, I was with Calli. I got her inside then went out to see if I could catch him.”
“Did you?”
He reads me without me having to say it. “What is it with this guy Nero?” I lean forward too. It’s confrontational. At this point, I don’t care. “You wanted to see me because of this guy too. You already said that. What can you tell me?”
Silence hangs heavily between us. Who the fuck cares if I overstepped? He’s going to tell me something I will not like.
“We’ve known one another a long time. Our association has never been understood by anyone else at the club. More than once, I’ve had to tell members to stand the fuck down when it comes to you.”
“If you think I care about that, you don’t know me.”
He lets out a very small, begrudging laugh at that. It fades and his face is serious again. “I will not divulge what I was looking into him for, but after we dug a little deeper, it brought something else up.”
“And you want me to look into that.” It’s not a question, but it is weird that he won’t tell me, yet needs more from me.
“No. I looked into this myself. I had to make sure I knew the truth before I talked to you.”
Now I’m confused. Wait… Dutton recognized me the other night. Is this something to do with me? What the fuck?
Nero watches me closely, then glances at his son. He is holding his juice cup with one hand and using a red plastic hammer to smash some toy soldiers with the other. A chip off the old block already.
Now I get it. He brought me here, with his kid in the room, because what he is going to tell me is going to end badly. Possibly for Nero. He needs to keep me in check and that kid will do it.
My opinion of him changes. Using his kid like this? That’s fucked up.
Until he tells me what he knows about Ray Dutton.
And it shatters my world.