Chapter 5 Laura
FIVE
LAURA
The file cabinet was jammed again.
The thing was nearly as tall as me, and just as old.
It got stuck nearly every single day. Considering the majority of my job included keeping up the books for the club and filing enough legal documentation that it would pass with state auditors, I was in the cabinets all the time.
I also helped file receipts and ensured the various club owned businesses were organized, up to date and regulated with the state offices.
There was an older cabinet squeezed along the back wall that was locked, and only Red and now, I assumed, Killian would have a key. No one ever asked me to open it, and no one ever told me what was inside, which I was perfectly fine with, considering I was eager to find a new job soon.
I only had this one because Wes pulled a few strings for me.
Him deciding to marry my best friend basically meant she got whatever she wanted, and at the time, she wanted me to stay in Rose Ridge.
Not that I hated being here, or even working here, but I needed space from the club.
Especially after my confusing outing with Killian yesterday.
His big night was looming over our heads, and I was getting antsy with the timing of it all.
With it being Thursday, I assumed his initiation or ceremony would have taken place last night.
He was already wearing a new patch, but maybe this whole initiation was merely for the sake of ceremony.
Regardless, it was a party and one, I’d decidedly miss if at all possible, and then we’d move on. But no.
They were dragging this thing out. First, we spent yesterday, prepping and purchasing all the goods. Today would be spent cooking and doing food prep, and then tomorrow would be the first party thrown, but Red had made it clear, they’d be partying all weekend.
Honestly, I was considering a quick trip back to Richland so I could skip the whole thing.
My mom had become a little desperate for me to return home, and while part of me wanted to pretend it was merely because she missed me. I knew better.
“Come on,” I grumbled, tugging on the cabinet door once more with effort.
Stupid. Fucking. Thing.
My thumb was raw from trying to slide it into place and pull at the same time.
“That one sticks.”
I spun around, surprised by the smooth, familiar voice. Sometimes Brooks would hang around because Red was, but she was at home today, and the only other person milling about was Natty…so my heart was pounding fast at the unexpected intrusion.
Killian stood in the doorway, staring down at his phone like he hadn’t been talking to me.
A piece of his thick hair fell into his eyes, and my stomach clenched at the sight of it.
I loved his hair, hated myself for loving it, but loved it just the same.
I constantly fought the urge to run my fingers through it.
Feeling that familiar flush creep into my face, I returned my focus to the cabinet.
I hadn’t seen Killian since I left him at the coffee shop, after he accused me of sleeping with Kip.
Giving the drawer another tug, I froze when I saw Killian move around in my peripheral.
“Here.” He stepped closer, and I moved completely, allowing him access to the cabinet.
His dark brow rose in question. “I’m not going to bite you, Daisy.”
That nickname made heat seep into my chest. It wasn’t merely because we’d had to interact yesterday, and now we were again. Or that this was the most I had seen him in three months, but he hadn’t called me Daisy since…
Didn’t matter.
“Let me show you how to do it.” He coaxed, green eyes steady and solid until I was moving back in front of him.
He was at my back, and his hand eclipsed my smaller one. His thumb hovered over mine, and then, for some reason, his free hand moved to my hip.
I inhaled a sharp breath right as he pushed his thumb down, his hand over mine tugged on the handle and then kicked the bottom of the cabinet all at the same time. The drawer slid open and I fell back into him, so much so that the hand on my hip had to stabilize me.
“See, you got it now.” He laughed and helped me stand up.
I knew better than to expect any kindness from him, so I put distance between us and smoothed out my shirt. He watched me move and then let out a small scoff.
“You think I’m gonna hurt you, Daisy?”
His leather cut was over a white long-sleeve today, one that gaped at the neck, revealing more of his ink than usual. His hair cut into his eye, forcing his hand up to push it back.
“Not physically.”
His eyes narrowed, then his mouth opened like he was going to say something, but Giles walked in.
“Good, you’re here. Did you explain to Laura what we’ll need her to do?”
My eyes snapped back over to the new president. He had a small flush working into his wide jaw. Giles was now his right-hand man, and while that offered him an escalated role, it still didn’t seem right that he was the one keeping tabs on me or my job.
“Just about to.”
Killian pulled out a key and went to the cabinet I never touched. Bending down, he slid the metal inside and then tugged the top drawer open.
“We need you to go through these, see what’s here. No one has touched them for years, at least that’s what Red says. I tried to talk to Wes about it, but he wasn’t president long enough to know.”
“Why not just ask Simon?” My gaze flicked between Giles and Killian, but they both froze.
Giles peered over his shoulder and let out an odd sound. Killian began pulling files and lining them up inside of a clear container.
“The club doesn’t know he’s alive.” Killian finally explained once he was closer.
Well that was a rather big piece of information I wasn’t aware was secret. I felt another flush working up my chest. How come no one told me? I blamed Callie, if she were actually a part of the club like Red was, she would have said something.
Did Red even know?
“Oh.”
“You’ll carry this key from now on, but no one else can use it. You can’t loan it to Callie or Wes, not even Giles. I’m going to have you start working on these files now, so whatever you’re doing for Red, it’ll get bumped.”
Peeking over the tote, I began thumbing through a few.
“What exactly am I looking for?”
“You’re shredding anything that’s in the files with red marks along the front.” He showed me one that had a large red marker slashed in the form of an x.
“Okay, but why?” I folded my arms, glaring between the two Stone Riders.
Giles flipped his key chain over his thumb and finger, keeping watch by the door while Killian remained on the floor.
“It doesn’t matter why. It matters that it’s done, and that you don’t talk about what you see in these folders. Everything in here is illegal, so you’ll have to learn to keep your mouth shut.”
That wouldn’t be a problem, but I wouldn’t dignify his comment with a response.
“And the folders without the red mark?”
His green eyes bounced up, landing on me briefly before sliding the key off the ring and placing it on a new one.
“They’ll need to be relabeled and set aside for me to review.”
The tote was nearly full when he finally stood and handed me the key.
“Is there a time frame you need this done by?”
“Next week.”
“Well—” I started, but he just moved past me, lightly brushing my arm.
With one last look over his shoulder, Killian lifted his lip in a sneer.
“Now, maybe you’ll actually be pulling your weight in the club instead of having a free pass for being Callie’s best friend.”
Asshole.
“Oh, and you might want to rethink your little plan regarding leaving the club. Once you see these files, you won’t be able to.”
He was gone and I was left standing in the wake of Killian’s wrath. I had nearly forgotten how mean he could be. What a fool I’d been to assume he’d treat me like anything other than his plaything.
My phone suddenly chimed with an incoming text, pulling my attention from the empty doorway. I’d push this interaction with Killian down, just like I always did.
Reaching for my phone, I saw the text was from my mom.
Mom: There’s going to be a reporter emailing you for a quote on the piece they’re printing about your father. Please respond and remember to smile big even through text.
My eye roll was severe.
Smile big was my mothers way of reminding me not to do anything to make the family look bad. At least no more than I had already done.
In DC I had worked minimum wage jobs, sometimes two or three at a time while renting a room in an apartment shared with various people.
My mother loathed my idea of freedom, and while I knew I was on a leash, at least she’d given me the option to leave.
My father had thrown a fit, in private of course but mom understood that I needed this time away from home.
The only problem was mom assumed it was merely a faze.
She couldn’t quite grasp that I had no intention of ever returning to their world full of politics and games. I would if it was merely to be their daughter and not a game piece to be moved around.
Me: Thanks for the heads up, I will reply. How are you, Mom? I miss you.
Her response didn’t come right away, which allowed me some time to start sorting folders.
Mom: The political season is off to a great start. We’d like your attendance at a few functions this holiday season if you can swing it.
My heart plummeted with her response. It felt like texting one of those political campaigns that texted around voting season, letting me know my vote counted.
Every now and then glimpses of my mom would come through, but during an election season it was always buried beneath her wide, beaming smile and perfectly tailored pant suits.
I decided not to reply.
She knew I had moved to Rose Ridge, I’d told her as much when I moved here on a whim. But no follow up questions were ever asked. Not about my job, or why I’d selected such a small town when I’d vowed never to live in one again.