Chapter Two Fool Me Once
Belle
The man was insufferable. And yeah, I saw what his brothers were up to. Not funny. I didn’t care what kind of game they were playing. I did notice how defiant Liberty looked when he sat next to me though. Was this about showing them he could get me into bed? For his sake I hoped not, because he would never get me anywhere near one, even if we were in a furniture store together and in the mattress section at that. I chuckled.
“Something funny?” Liberty asked.
I shook my head. “No, just laughing about your goofball brothers.”
“You noticed all that, eh?” he asked.
“They aren’t very subtle,” I quipped.
He scoffed. “Of course not, they’re Walkers.”
I looked over at him finally as I asked, “What does that mean?”
He laughed now. “They don’t hide anything. What you see is what you get. They are also strong and determined and that’s why you are here.”
I felt immediately confused. What did that have to do with me being here? “What?” I asked.
He took a bite of his meatloaf and hummed as if he enjoyed the flavor. Swallowing, he replied, “If Justice wasn’t so damned bullheaded, he wouldn’t have ridden in that car trunk and almost got blown up just to rescue a girl that didn’t even want his help in the first place.”
I stared at him. “Scarlet didn’t want his help?”
“Not really, but then she changed her mind when she realized it was probably a trap. I am referring to you not wanting to be rescued.”
“Me?” I shook my head. “What does it have to do with me?”
“It was ALL about you!” he exclaimed. “Saving you. Man, she was a mess while thinking about how you might be hurt. She had kept it all to herself because she was so afraid to tell anyone. Then the whole time, you were all setup at a five star hotel with room service.”
I sucked in a breath and dropped my fork onto my plate. “That is unfair!”
“Really?” He took a sip of his iced tea and set it down. “Were you or were you not, hiding out in a hotel room? Did you get room service every day? Did you get wined and dined by a man who only wanted to use you?”
My mouth hung open in shock. “How dare you!”
“How dare I what?” he retorted.
“Accuse me of…of…”
“Yes?” Liberty replied. “What would you call it, Belle?”
I felt like slapping him, or tossing my tea into his smug face. I was literally speechless at his accusation.
“Oh?” He chuckled. “Nothing to say for once? It was a scheme Deacon hatched up and you played along. That is what happened.”
I slid my chair back as I stood and glared down at him. “You are a douchebag, do you realize that?” I cocked my head at him. “A big mouthed, opinionated douchebag.” I then paused as I heard no sounds at the dining table now. I slowly looked around.
Every pair of eyes in the room was on me.
Oh, wow. I suddenly realized I’d fallen right into their game as I heard sniggers and chuckling from his brothers.
“Belle?”
I looked a few seats down until I spotted her.
My mom stared at me. “What on earth?” she asked.
I felt my face flame as I was definitely a spectacle now as at least twenty people all stared at me. “This man needs to be taught some social skills. His mouth runs but his brain doesn’t work very well.” I set my napkin down on the table.
Some of the men in the room laughed at my comment.
Liberty now stood from his chair and looked right at me. “Just because I told the truth? That means I’m rude and stupid?”
“You said it, boy. It was stupid to make it sound like I was guilty of scheming to hurt someone and it was downright rude to say that I didn’t care what Scarlet went through. You twisted everything to make it the truth as you see it.” I braced my hands onto my hips. “I cared enough about her to leave my job and the life I had in order to save her. I am not this cold blooded bitch you have painted me to be, Mr. Douchebag.” I raised my chin at him and then headed away from him and the dining room.
I went out into the main room. Since everyone was at the table, I had the area to myself and that was just great with me.
“Belle!”
I let out a frustrated breath and turned around.
My mother was heading over to me with my drink and plate in her hands. “Baby girl, you didn’t even finish your dinner.” She motioned me to one of the tables they had there for guests. Setting my food and tea onto the table, she pulled out a chair and sat down.
Oh man, she wanted to talk to me now. Damnit, why did I let that big oaf get to me? I made a fool of myself by yelling at him and now I had to explain it to my mother. I pulled a chair out and sat down across from her.
“Eat first.” She gave me a nod of her head. “Then I have some questions about what just occurred in that dining room.”
I picked up my fork, but I had no appetite now. Who would? The man was so damned infuriating. I took a few bites then drank some tea. “I cannot stand him,” I finally spoke.
“You mean this Liberty guy?”
I nodded as I scoffed. “Yes, Mom. You know who I mean.”
“Yes, I can clearly see that. But what I don’t understand is why? I mean you hardly know the man.”
I paused and stared at her. “Believe me, the short time I’ve spent around him was enough.”
“Enough?” she asked. “He helped to rescue you, Belle.”
I leaned forward and stared at my mother. “Not really. Scar and I walked out of there on our own, Mom.”
Her eyes rounded. “What?”
I slowly shook my head as I picked up my tea glass. It was time to tell her the whole story. “It was never dad’s fault,” I stated.
“I understand that part,” she replied as she nodded. “But only you know the other part. The story of how this man fooled you.”
I felt angry all over again as she just had to remind me of how I had been ‘fooled.’ The same way that oaf reminded me a couple of times already. “He had a good case, Mom. He’s an FBI agent for real. Ask anyone here. He showed me a lot of evidence. Although later, they convinced me he had used what he and his mother had done and laid the blame on the Walkers. Well, Deacon himself is technically a Walker. I hope they told you that too. And his sister. Geez mom, she was the one that convinced me in the end. I did not scheme with the man, I was trying to help my sister. I mean it wouldn’t have been the first time she got involved with a bad man, would it?”
“No, it wouldn’t,” Scarlet said from behind me.
I lowered my head. Wow, I was just screwing myself over again and again tonight. And it was all his fault. That overgrown, muscle bound loud mouth.
“I can’t blame you for saying that. In fact, I don’t. My past is as it is,” Scarlet said as she came closer. “You need to just let go of these differences you and him have, sis.”
“I would if that big headed nuisance would let me.” I shook my head.
Scarlet laughed. “He isn’t that bad, Belle.”
“Oh? Well, he insulted me all over again. So I again told him off.” I looked from her to our mom. “He needs to shut up about it already. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why he keeps throwing that into my face. He already knows why it all happened.” I looked back over at Belle. “Yet tonight, he insinuated that while you were tortured by the thought of me getting hurt by some drug dealer. I was living in luxury at a five star hotel, getting room service. I mean he believes that I did not care! That I schemed with Deacon.”
“Sis, I’m sorry he said that.” Scarlet shook her head.
“I’m sorry too.”
We all looked over at Liberty as his brother and father stood next to him.
Liberty let out a sigh. “I apologize for insulting you. I shouldn’t have said any of that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and replied, “Is it because your dad and brother are making you apologize?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter? I am telling you that I am sorry for what I said.”
I slowly shook my head. “That doesn”t mean that you didn’t believe what you said. You said it was the truth.”
Liberty stared at me then looked over at his father Jarret and his brother Justice. “See? Apologizing doesn’t work with this girl.”
“Then what will?” Jarret asked.
I looked from Liberty to his father. “What does that mean?”
“What can Liberty do to make this right?” Jarret asked.
Many ideas formed in my head immediately. Like he could take a flying leap for one. Go fuck himself for two. I bit at my lip so I wouldn’t smile as I shrugged. “I really don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t. That is the problem,” Liberty stated.
“Son, haven’t you learned your lesson?” Jarret glared at him.
“You mean the one about running his mouth, Dad?” Justice laughed. “Nope, not even close to learning.”
“Stay out of this, brother,” Liberty grumbled.
“We all live here and we are all family,” Jarret said.
“I’m not a Walker,” I corrected him.
“Justice here is set to marry Scarlet,” Jarret reminded me. “So that makes you and your mother, family.”
I shook my head. “Look, him and I just do not get along. And I don”t think that is going to change. But I want Scarlet to be happy. I won’t let…him ruin the wedding or anything.”
“Won’t let me?” Liberty countered. “The absolute bold on you, woman.”
“Wow!” Scarlet chuckled. “You two are really…” She shook her head.
“Yeah, they are,” Justice agreed as he just kept grinning.
“So, what do you propose, Mr. Walker?” my mother asked Jarret.
“Propose?” I shot my stunned gaze over to her. “Mom, he said he was sorry. So that’s just… fine,” I added with a doubt filled tone.
“No, see. I can tell it is not fine,” Jarret said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Scarlet, who is your Matron of Honor?”
“Well, Belle of course,” she replied.
“And Justice?” Jarret looked over at the groom to be. “Your best man?”
“Dad, you know it will be Liberty.”
“What are you getting at?” I asked Jarret as I got an awful feeling I knew what he was going to ‘propose.’
“That you two do your jobs,” Jarret said.
“And that is?” Liberty asked him.
“Oh, no!” I exclaimed as I knew what he was getting at. “I will not!”
“Be respectful, Belle,” Mom admonished me, then she looked up at Jarret. “Explain what you mean, please?”
“They need to plan this wedding,” he explained. “Ma is doing a lot of it, but she has to bake and cook. So, these two can do their roles together.”
“Say what?” Liberty spoke up as he looked a bit pale now.
“Say like you and Belle work on the details together, brother,” Justice said with a smirk on his face.
Liberty raised his hands up. “Wait a minute here. I don’t know anything about weddings.”
“But you’re my Best Man, Lib,” Justice reminded him.
I just kept shaking my head. “You just cannot be serious!”
“I think they are serious, my dear,” my mom said. “I also think it is a great idea.” She smiled.
“Mom! For real?” I almost shouted. “This guy will Fu—screw this whole thing up!”
Liberty raised his hands up. “Oh, yeah? Well, I’m the Best Man, so I guess I’d better not.”
“Are you actually agreeing with this?” I glared at him.
He shrugged. “I wasn’t going to, then with you claiming I’m too stupid to handle the job. Well, I love a good challenge.”
“Oh. My. God!” I tossed my hands up. “No way! You all are actually suggesting that I spend time with this man?”
The whole group nodded at me…even Scarlet nodded.
“This might help a lot,” Jarret said.
“Help who?” I exclaimed. “We don’t get along at all and you expect us to plan this important event as a team?”
“It is true that you both would just be doing what your wedding roles already are, sis.” Scarlet grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
I stared at her then glared at Liberty.
He suddenly wore a smile on his face.
Oh, he thought he would make me back down, huh? No way. I nodded at Scarlet. “Ok, for you and Justice.” Yeah, it was on. This man would be sorry he ever agreed to this.