Chapter 26 #2
“She wouldn’t need me to defend her if that was the case. Lisa has always been able to handle herself, eh, Lisa?”
She shot me another nasty look.
“See this?” I pointed to the slight bruise on my cheek from where she had slapped me yesterday. “Bad tempered, this one.”
“You hit him?” John asked, frowning at the both of us.
“It wasn’t like that,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “Just ignore him. He’s no one important.”
“Is that true, Lisa?” I asked, loving the way she stiffened every time I used her false name.
“Lisa?” John questioned, looking back and forth between the two of us, a frown creasing his forehead.
“He’s Axel’s dad,” she said through gritted teeth.
“And?” I asked, raising my eyebrows at her.
“And… my old man,” she said, rolling her tongue in front of her teeth and under her upper lip.
“Your old man ?” John spluttered.
“That’s biker talk for husband, just in case that wasn’t clear.” I grinned, unfolding my arms and leaning slightly back on the table.
“Him?!” He spluttered, ignoring me completely. “Lisa, can I speak to you a moment in private?”
“Nope,” I said, my grin widening.
“Lisa, please.”
“It’s for the best if you don’t,” Rachel said. “Everything he said is true. He’s Axel’s dad, and I am his old lady. I’m not going to tell you a different story in private. So, is there anything I need to sign to make this official? I’d like to get home to the kids.”
“Kids? Plural? I thought you only had your little boy.”
“Things are complicated, and not really any of your business,” Rachel said. “I just want to hand in my notice and leave.”
“I can’t let you leave with him,” John said, surprising me. I had expected him to back down more or less straight away. There was no stopping us from leaving, regardless of what he tried, but it was cute that he thought he could.
“I’m worried about you. Is this all your own choice? Because you don’t look happy about this.”
“I’m not happy because this is an awkward situation. I’m happy with Dante, and we’re back together through my own choice. Honestly, John, the best thing you can do right now is stay out of this.”
“Is he who you were running from?”
“Excuse me?” Rachel muttered, her fists clenching.
“Oh, come on. When you first arrived here, you had nothing. No ID, no money, nothing. You were terrified of being caught by someone. Do you think I’ve forgotten?”
“Fine,” Rachel snapped. “Yes. I was running from him. Do you want to know why? Dante is the president of the motorcycle club, The Devil’s Disciples.
And I ran off with his son. My name is not Lisa, it’s Rachel.
And the last person who interfered with my leaving ended up with a bullet in her head.
So I promise you, John, the best thing you can do is let me hand in my notice and forget I was ever here. ”
John looked at me, and I shot him another easy smile. For some reason, that seemed to make him even more nervous, and he looked away quickly.
“You don’t have to accept this. We can ring the police. They can help. Just say the word, and I’ll have him escorted from the building.”
I laughed out loud at that. John threw me a nasty look in response. “You know how I feel about you, Lisa—”
“Rachel,” I interrupted.
“Right. Rachel. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past. I can accept anything. I’ll keep you safe. Just say the word and I’ll ring the police. We’ll get Axel, and we’ll go far away from here. If you’re not happy, just give me a sign and I’ll help you.”
“I think she’s said all that needs to be said,” I murmured, pushing myself off the table and walking over to Rachel, draping my arm over her shoulders. She moved closer to me, putting her arm around my waist.
Don’t read anything into this, Dante. She’s doing it because of the contract. Don’t allow yourself to fall for her again.
It was easier said than done when her body was pressed against mine, her head under my chin, the scent of her shampoo invading my senses. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to bury my nose in her hair and lose myself in her.
“Wait for me outside,” I said quietly.
“Dante,” she said, pushing slightly away from me so she could look up at my face.
“I’m not going to hurt him,” I promised. “I just want to have a talk, man to man.”
Rachel looked at me for a long moment before she nodded and walked out of the room without a backwards glance.
And then it was just me and John.
“Look,” I began when I heard the click of the door. “I know what you’re thinking—”
“I’m thinking you’re no good for her, and you’re going to end up hurting her.”
“Fair enough,” I shrugged. “That’s pretty much what I expected.
But just know, me and Rachel have a long and complicated history.
I haven’t always treated her the best, but I have never harmed a hair on her head, and I don’t intend to start now.
She is the mother of my children, and we’re just wanting to put our family back together. That’s all.”
“I find that very hard to believe.”
“Good job I’m not looking to convince you then, isn’t it?”
“She was a wreck when she first arrived here!” He snapped at me.
“Part of the complicated history I was just telling you about. If it makes you feel any better, I was a wreck when she left.”
“Sure you were. Men like you move on to the next woman like that,” he said, clicking his fingers at me.
“You’re making a lot of assumptions about me, John. I’d quit whilst you’re ahead.”
“Are you saying I’m wrong?”
“I’m saying this is none of your business, and you need to let her go. You never stood a chance with her to begin with, and you definitely won’t now. She’s with me, and that’s the end of it.”
“And you expect me to believe that you won’t hurt her again?”
“I expect you to stay in your lane and mind your own business,” I snapped back, reaching my limit.
“Out of respect for Rachel, I have played nicely. She asked me not to hurt you, and so I won’t.
Not today. But that’s where my promise ends.
The minute I leave this room, all bets are off the table.
If you attempt to come after her, or interfere in her life in any way, then I won’t be so forgiving. Do I make that clear?”
He looked me up and down, a sneer on his face. “Shouldn’t you be letting her make those decisions?”
“I think she’s made her decision more than clear.
You just seem incapable of hearing and accepting it.
But let me make it abundantly clear what’s going to happen.
Rachel and I are leaving. That’s the end of it.
You will not contact her again. I’m going to take her back to the clubhouse, and we’re going to raise our family together.
” I stepped closer to him, forcing him to back up a couple of steps.
“Should I find out you’ve tried to track her down, or make contact with her in any way, I will find you, and I’ll forget all about that promise I made to not hurt you. And I won’t make it quick.”
“I could ring the police right now with those kinds of threats.”
“Be my guest,” I grinned down at him. “But for the record, it’s not a threat. It’s a promise. I’ll kill you with the same hands that I’ll have her screaming my name with tonight. Understood?”
I ripped the door open and slammed it shut behind me, not bothering to look back.
“How did it go?” Rachel asked when I approached her, pausing her movements. I grinned as I pictured her pacing back and forth, debating whether or not to go back into the office.
“Fine. Look,” I said, raising my hands. “No blood.”
“That doesn’t mean it went fine. What did you say to him?”
“I gave him a friendly warning. What does it matter to you?”
“It doesn’t. I just—”
“He’s out of our lives, and you’re now officially unemployed. Let that be the end of it. Come on,” I snapped, grabbing hold of her arm. “The kids are waiting for us.”