Chapter 12 #2
I’m still standing here, staring at her. Shaking myself I greet her back. “Visiting your mom?”
“Something like that,” she sighs. “I’m waiting for my ride.”
A momentary lapse of sanity almost has me offering to take her where she needs to go, but Cassie doesn’t ride on the back of anyone’s bike and it is a huge statement for her to climb on mine. Unless you claim a woman, she shouldn’t be at your back.
“Well, have a good day, Cassie.”
Her lips part at the sound of her name on my tongue and I don’t miss the little intake of breath.
“Thanks,” she says quietly, her eyes flicking back and forth on mine, like she is trying to read me.
We’re both broken out of the spell when Mace comes out of the clubhouse and gets on his bike. He doesn’t look happy. As if my brain wants to punish me, I turn back to Cassie to see her reaction as Mace catches us standing together.
Without conscious thought, I take a small step nearer to her.
Cassie looks at me, her eyes shrewder as she studies me.
Whatever she sees has her lips tightening.
She knows. No one could ever accuse Cassie of not being smart, seeing things how they are.
Now the three of us are like points of a triangle, all staring at each other.
“Cassie!”
“Oh God, I thought I escaped.” She closes her eyes and blows out a heavy breath.
“You’re gonna leave without saying anything?”
Really, I should walk away but part of me wants to know why Cassie is here, and Rosa is going to give me that opportunity.
“You said we would talk about this before you left, that’s why I let it go last night even when I really needed to talk to you. Are you going to tell them you want off the case?”
“Mother,” Cassie turns to face her. “Don’t try to tell me what to do about my job.”
“The man is a monster, Cassie.”
What the hell does that mean?
“Most of my clients are criminals, you of all people should know that.”
Even Rosa is taken aback by that comment, considering the club is her biggest client. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard Cassie say anything disparaging about the club.
“Mom, I’m not doing this here, not now. This is something I need to work out for myself.”
Whatever is going on here is really none of my business, but my feet don’t move. I’m not sure I like what I’m hearing, even if it makes no sense to me.
“Honey,” Rosa tries to calm her temper, no mean feat for the feisty wife of our enforcer. “I know you want to do this on your own, but you have us. All of us.” Rosa turns, and it’s like she finally sees me standing there. “Eli,” she says my name like she’s had the best idea ever.
Somehow, I don’t think I’m going to like the next words that come out of her mouth.
“We can have someone watch out for you.”
Cassie scoffs. “Mom, stop it.”
“It makes sense. You came here last night because-”
Cassie puts her hand over her mom’s mouth, effectively cutting her off.
“What’s going on?” I finally find my voice.
“Nothing,” Cassie says, as Rosa’s muffled voice argues back. “Mom is being her usual insufferable self.” She turns her glare back on Rosa who is turning her head left and right, but Cassie’s hand is clamped over her mouth.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
Everyone turns to look at Ballistic. I didn’t see him coming, too confused about whatever this is.
“Cassie, let go of your mother’s face,” Ballistic says, like it is something he never thought he would say.
After a moment she drops her hand.
“I don’t want to know what this is about and no one here wants to see it. Cassie, go home, Rosa come with me.”
“But…” Rosa jams her hands on her hips and turns to her husband. “I had an idea that you’ll agree with. Someone can watch out for-”
“Mom I’m an adult. I don’t need anyone protecting me, certainly not someone from the club.”
She casts a quick look my way but then focuses on her parents.
“We’ll talk about this,” Ballistic tells his wife. “And then we will talk to you later,” he tells Cassie. “This is the kind of shit we expect from the hang arounds, not you two.”
“You did not compare us to them,” Cassie glares at her dad.
“Randy Beillo did you really say that?”
Ballistic looks between the two women he loves, and I swear I see a twinkle in his eye. Which had to have been a trick of the light because Ballistic is not a funny guy, he doesn’t make jokes and he very rarely smiles.
They still look pissed. The phrase like mother like daughter has never been more accurate. Now they’re both glaring at him rather than each other. Laughter from the garage has me giving the men a warning look to shut their mouths.
“I’m leaving. Mother, always a fun time,” Cassie narrows her eyes, but there is no malice in her tone, only exasperation.
“All I’m doing is looking out for you.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Come here,” Ballistic pulls Rosa to his side and tucks her under his arm. She isn’t happy about it but she knows when to stop arguing, especially given we’re now gathering an audience.
“Call if you need us.” Ballistic turns and walks away taking a reluctant Rosa with him.
After a few moments, Cassie turns running a hand through her hair. She pauses when she sees me staring at her.
“Want to tell me what Rosa was talking about?”
“Not really,” she adjusts her purse strap and checks her phone.
“Rosa seems to think you need protecting. From what?”
“Nothing. She’s overreacting, as usual.”
“Rosa isn’t the kind to get hysterical over nothing, sweetheart.”
“Believe me, you haven’t seen my mom hysterical, that was nothing.”
Cassie shakes her head, then turns and looks at me. She’s weighing up whether to give me shit about calling her sweetheart. Guess she figures it’s the southern boy in me because she doesn’t argue about it.
“Cassie,” I say her name softly, hoping I can get her to calm down a little and tell me what is going on. “Rosa seems worried. Are you in some kind of trouble? What did she mean about a monster?”
“Eli, leave it alone. God, I knew I shouldn’t have… I’m fine. I don’t need anyone’s help. I can take care of myself. Just forget any of this happened Eli.”
“He’s not wrong.” We both turn to Mace standing a few feet away. “Sounds to me like you have a problem.”
Never thought after what happened yesterday I’d be agreeing with this bastard. A car pulls up behind me and Cassie straightens her back, giving us each a hard look.
“I don’t need anyone’s protection. That’s my ride,” she walks round me and hurries to the car.
Neither of us get chance to say anything before she is in the back and the driver is turning around to head out. We watch it go, the gate closing quickly behind it.
“That was weird,” I mutter.
“If Ballistic isn’t worried,” Mace says but stops talking when I turn to look at him.
I want to ask him what he said to King, whether he talked about our disagreement last night or if he kept it to himself but now that she is gone, I can’t help but think about the reason we were close to fighting last night.
Fuck this. I don’t make any attempt to talk to him. All I want to do is get under the hood of the Buick and think through everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours without him glaring at me. I’m not sure what it is going on with Cassie, but I want to find out.
“King is going to speak to you.”
I stop in my tracks and turn back to face Mace. “Ink and Dirt already spoke to me. Why would King want to?”
“He wants to know about the other thing.”
My confusion lasts only a few seconds. “You told him.”
“Had to,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Did you really?” I scowl.
He huffs out a laugh. “Do me a favor, Handlebar.” He doesn’t wait for me to ask what. “Next time we need someone on a job, be busy.”
Son of a bitch. Fuck him. We both turn and walk away without another word, but a whole lot of fucking anger.