CHAPTER TEN
– REEF –
Out with the old, in with the new. Man, no truer words have ever been spoken. Add the fact it’s New Year’s Eve tonight to make it a classic new beginning and we’re all set to start building a future. One where I’m not single anymore.
I stare at my old lady who is munching on a pickle. Fuck. The emotion crossing her face earlier in the shower hit me straight in the chest. To add those words? Wishing I was the father of her unborn child? All. The. Feels.
Indescribable. This woman ignites so many things inside my body, involving foreign feelings and yet it’s a straight up fact she’s it for me. Doesn’t matter if I’m tied to the little one by DNA. I meant what I said about family and brotherhood.
It’s not like I woke up one day and craved a family, or ever thought about kids, a wife, a family, a fucking future. I’m a biker, love my lifestyle, and the here and now was enough to deal with. Maeve enters my life and opens doors I didn’t even know existed. I might not have given it a thought before, but I’m all fucking in when it comes to my old lady.
“Want another one?” I question with a smile in my voice.
She licks her fingers. “Nah. Shall we make some popcorn or did you want some other snacks while we watch the movie you picked?”
We each picked a movie for tonight and are going to watch both back-to-back. I asked if she was sure she didn’t want to go over to Zale’s place. She mentioned something about tonight being their first New Year together as a new family, and didn’t want to impose.
Of course she wouldn’t impose, and she knows it too. Then again, she looks tired and I’m also feeling a tiny bit guilty for fucking the energy right out of her. She needs a quiet night and it’s exactly what we have planned. New Year or not; it’s our choice to live the way we want.
“We’re starting with mine and then yours?” I ask when my phone rings. “Why don’t you put on the movie while I take this call and make popcorn?”
She gives me a thumbs-up and leaves the kitchen while I answer the call.
“Zale, everything okay?” I keep my gaze on the kitchen door while I grab a glass bowl to put the kernels in.
“Sebastian called me to let me know Stuart was allowed to go home after he gave his statement. He’s still a person of interest, but law enforcement needs all the evidence processed, and the autopsies done to be able to officially charge him with something. He’s not to leave town and Sebastian mentioned he doesn’t have any other living relatives so he also will inherit everything his parents had, including a fat life insurance policy.”
I watch the kernels pop and grunt. “The fucker offed his parents, no doubt in my mind.”
“Definitely,” Zale agrees. “I saw him pull up in his parents’ car about a half hour ago. He disappeared into the apartment above the garage.”
“Good thing we all decided to stay home,” I tell him.
“Amos checked in to tell me everything was in full swing back at the clubhouse.”
I snort while I hear the microwave beep. “They don’t even miss us, and it sounds fucked-up, but I don’t miss it either. Sitting on the couch watching a movie with Maeve doesn’t compare and feels damn good.”
“Same here, VP,” Zale rumbles. “Did I just hear Nixie’s microwave? Are you making popcorn?”
“Yeah. No coming over, though. I fucking mean it. Maeve is tired as fuck and I bet she’ll be fast asleep within the first fifteen minutes of the movie. She wanted to give you guys some space with it being your first New Year together, and yet I’ve seen how tired she is. Worrying about what the fuck happened across the street isn’t helping either.”
“Understood. Nixie knows ’cause I asked if I should invite you two over again and she told me to leave it. Something about having her close was enough and that they had lots of time ahead of them to spend time together.”
My chest squeezes how great those two are together. “Both of them have a pure heart.”
I faintly hear the doorbell when I throw some butter into the bowl of popcorn and add some parmesan cheese, knowing it’s Maeve’s favorite.
“We fucks don’t deserve them, and yet no one else can have them either,” Zale growls.
With a smile in my voice I tell my prez with determination, “Fuckin’ A.”
“Talk tomorrow,” Zale rumbles.
“Night, Prez,” I grunt and disconnect the call.
I take the bowl of popcorn with me on my way to the living room but come to a stop when I see Maeve standing at the door. Stuart is standing in front of her and the fucker instantly pisses me off.
I only hear the last part of his sentence when he said, “I really don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“Understandable,” I grunt and place the bowl of popcorn on the table in the hallway.
I wrap my arm around Maeve and she automatically leans back against my body, making my chest swell with pride. Stuart’s sharp gaze is locked on our interaction and I watch how his upper lip curls up as if he’s smelling something disgusting.
“I didn’t realize you weren’t alone. I shouldn’t have come.” He inclines his head. “Have a good night, Maeve.”
The asshole completely ignores me so I can’t help myself when I say a little too loudly, “You have a good night too, Stuart.”
Instead of wincing due to the jab I just gave him, the motherfucker flashes me with a look of pure evil, something I’ve seen on a few crazy people I’ve encountered in my life. I pull Maeve closer and throw my shoulders back as if I’m bracing for whatever the fucker throws my way.
A smooth and polite look slides across his face and he inclines his head before walking away.
I shut the door and come face-to-face with a pissed off Maeve. “Was that really necessary? Crap, Reef, his parents are dead and you wish him a good night?”
“What was he doing here, Maeve? What did he ask you before I showed up, and he instantly mentioned he shouldn’t have come?” I fire back.
Maeve winces. “He asked if I could use some company.”
“If you could use some company,” I grit. “Right.”
She huffs out a breath. “This is insane. How do we even know he killed his parents? Maybe everything was a freaky accident and he’s out there alone right next to the house his parents died in. On. Freaking. New. Years.”
I shrug, not feeling an inch of pity for the fucker. “His ex is missing, parents died under weird circumstances, he had nothing and needed to start over, and with his parents out of the way he’ll inherit everything including a fat life insurance policy his parents had. There are too many coincidences if you ask me. And then there’s the expression he just gave me, along with the fucker showing up on your damn doorstep every damn time I’m not there with you. Fucking hell. I took a call from my prez who was telling me Stuart drove home in his parents’ car about an hour ago and lo and behold, I find him here, talking to you.”
“Why did he drive home in his parents’ car?” Maeve muses.
“Why does that matter?” I wonder, after all the details I gave her I thought she would agree Stuart looks mighty guilty with the motive I just mentioned when it comes to killing his parents and making it look like an accident.
Maeve’s gaze finds mine. “It’s something Humphrey mentioned…he said something about Stuart and him needing to talk about the baggage Stuart left in his trunk. Stuart gave me a look as if he had no clue what Humphrey was talking about, since he just mentioned to me how disorientated and confused his father appeared. Now it makes me wonder if there was something in the trunk and why he ’s using his parents’ car while he has his own.”
I let her words soak in my brain for a heartbeat or two and can only think about one thing. “He might have killed his ex and put her body in the trunk.”
“Holy shit,” Maeve squeaks, eyes wide as she takes a step back to point at my chest. “That totally makes sense. We should go and check his trunk.”
My head rears back due to her suggestion. “The fuck? No, we shouldn’t. What we should do is call Sebastian and let him do it.”
Maeve stalks over to the window in the living room, slides the curtains to the side and peers out. “I don’t see his car, it’s not in the driveway. Do you think he’s put it in the garage?”
“Again, Sebastian’s job, darlin’. I’m gonna call Zale and have him contact the authorities.” I have my phone in hand and shoot off a message for Zale to get his ass here.
She drops the curtains and turns to face me. “What if we’re wrong? We’d harass Stuart some more who is grieving his parents, and drag Sebastian out here on New Year’s Eve.”
“First, does that fucker look like he’s grieving? He wanted to be with you, that’s why he was standing on your porch, Maeve. ’Cause why the fuck mention he shouldn’t have come when he saw I was here? If he really didn’t want to be alone then it wouldn’t have mattered who was fucking here with you. Second? It’s Sebastian’s job. He’s on duty anyway.”
I hear the faint sound of a key opening a lock and then Zale steps inside the house along with Nixie and Leon.
“What’s up?” Zale questions.
I turn to face them. “Maeve here remembered something about the night Stuart was looking for his father. Then we came to the conclusion Stuart might have killed his ex as well and has stashed her in the trunk. Maeve had the brilliant idea that we should check the fucker’s trunk to make sure.”
Maeve steps in front of me. “Humphrey said to Stuart that they should talk about the baggage Stuart left in his trunk. Stuart acted as if his father was crazy for mentioning it, and you, Zale, told Reef Stuart came home in his parents’ car. Why would he drive theirs when he has his own car?”
Nixie snaps her fingers. “She’s right. Humphrey always keeps their car in the garage and it’s been sitting outside ever since Stuart arrived. I thought it was weird, putting Stuart’s old car in his garage instead of their new one.”
“Let me call Sebastian,” Zale rumbles and steps away.
“So, we’re going to sneak into their garage and check?” Leon asks, excitement in his fucking voice.
“No, we’re not,” I tell him.
At the same time Nixie and Maeve say, “yes,” in sync.
I glare at both of them, and thank fuck Zale stalks back into the room. Hopefully Sebastian told him he’ll swing by instead .
Zale shakes his head. “Sebastian needs to wait for the reports. If there’s reasonable doubt they can get a court order to search the place. Right now he can’t simply barge in the apartment and garage to check. He asked us to keep an eye out in case he moves shit and such.”
“We should definitely check,” Maeve states. “I could go to his apartment and talk to him while you guys–”
“No fucking way,” I snap. “You’re not getting near that idiot and we shouldn’t do any vigilante shit. Zale, help me out here.”
Zale shrugs. “You and I could sneak in there for a quick look.”
I roll my eyes and grumble, “Not you too.”
“Hey, you guys,” Leon whispers. “He’s on the move.”
“What?” I grunt and glance through the small opening Leon is looking through.
Stuart shoves his hands into his pockets and starts to walk down the street. “He’s got a bag slung over his shoulder. Where the hell is he going?”
“I could follow him, and stay on the phone with Maeve while you check the car in the garage. Nixie can call you guys if I tell Maeve he’s coming back,” Leon suggests.
“Sounds like a plan, kiddo.” Zale grins. “But you stay way back and don’t come near him.”
“Got it, Dad.” Leon grabs his phone and Maeve’s starts to ring as he slips out the door.
Zale smacks my shoulder. “Come on, VP, let’s do some good old-fashioned breaking and entering.”
Fuck. This shit has disaster written all over it. Still, I follow Zale out the door, because curiosity is a bitch.