Chapter Twenty #2
Ethan is about a year older than me. He’s about six three and is in great shape.
His brown eyes slowly check me out. He’s had a crush on me for years.
One that he’s respectable about, but it still makes me giggle.
He has no idea the baggage I come with, or that the man who has my heart would take him out with his pinky.
Ethan has nothing to do with the criminal underworld of this city.
He’s a grease monkey who my brother found working out of an alleyway for barely enough money to survive off of, so he took him under his wing.
“Ms. Fischer. What a pleasure it is to see you. I wasn’t expecting such a stunning woman to be in our presence today.” He’s smirking the whole time, like he can’t even take the stuff he’s spilling seriously. He’s such a flirt, but it’s good natured.
“Mr. Evans.” I give him a playful finger wave the same time Dieter tells him to fuck off.
Ethan laughs loudly at both of us, “No, but seriously Lee, you look good.” His smile turns more gentle. My health is kept under lock and key, but Ethan knows the bare minimum since he takes over the shop on days Dieter sits with me.
“Thanks, I feel good today.”
“Good enough to go dancing with me tonight?” He waggles his eyebrows at me.
Dieter chimes in, “Good enough to watch her man fuck you up if he catches you looking in her direction.”
Ethan’s eyes widen in mock surprise. “You got a man, Lelonie?”
“I do.” My face lights up just thinking about how I’ll get to wrap myself around him soon, hopefully in a few days.
“I’m not scared, I’m sure I can take the punk.” He’s trying his hardest to bite back his smirk.
Dieter’s eyes twinkle with mirth, “Oh yeah, E? You’re going to go after Mac Byrne?”
The smile melts off his face. Gone is the silly man who was joking just seconds before. His body turns rigid, “You’re not fucking serious.” His eyes dart from Dieter’s to mine in shock.
“Watch it.” Dieter’s voice turns deadly low.
He throws his hands up and storms out of the room, “What the fuck ever.” He slams the door behind him.
I look over to my brother, who looks just as shocked and confused as I feel.
What the hell was that? I’ve never seen Ethan act like that before.
Honestly, the only time I’ve ever seen him not smiling and carefree is when he has had to run Dieter something by my apartment and I’m having dialysis or a bad day.
“Should I go check on him?” I look back at the closed office door.
“No, he’s fine. I’ll talk to him when you leave.”
“What’s his problem?”
“Lee, everyone knows who the Byrnes are. Everyone knows Rowan’s wife and son were kidnapped.
They know Kieran was shot. What the fuck is going to happen to you now that you’re with them?
E jokes around. He playfully flirts with you to make you smile, but he’s a protective man.
He’s just worried.” He pushes up to his feet and walks over, dropping a kiss on my head.
“He’s a good friend and a good man, Lelonie.
You’re my sister, so he’s a little extra on edge about you dabbling with the mob.
It’s about time to close up. Mama has Hannah so I can come straight to your house.
Do you want to hang out here and wait for me, or do you want to head back home? ”
“I’ll hang out here. I’m going to call Mac while I wait.”
Mac got his phone back a few hours ago. He said he left it in Rowan’s car by mistake and didn’t realize until he had already left.
If I were a betting woman, I’d bet that Rowan made sure his phone was left in the car.
Unlocking my phone, I find his number and click on it before bringing the phone up to my ear.
He answers on the first ring, “Hey, Beautiful.” I can hear the smile in his voice, and it’s so addicting.
“Hey, Handsome. What are you doing?”
“I’m walking around with Rowan, making sure he got all of my hiding spots. It’s sticking this time, Lee. Fuck, I swear I’m going to make this stick.” I’m terrified he won’t, but he sounds so sincere.
“That’s good, I’m proud of you. How was therapy today?” I want to try to normalize these questions so hopefully he feels comfortable talking to me about it.
“It was good. He’s really curious to see how I feel about the meeting tonight.
He thinks I’m going to like it. I’m not so sure, but we’ll see.
Kie’s going to come with me, which makes me feel better about it.
I was thinking our weekends together could be on the weekend that my new month falls.
You know, kind of like it’s a celebration.
I know it might sound lame, so if it does we can scrap the idea. ”
“No, actually I love that. And we can talk whenever, right?” I’m nervous about this. At the same time, I have all the faith in the world that we can do this.
“Yeah, baby. I’ll text you when I can throughout the day. And I want to know everything going on with you. No sugarcoating anything.”
“That only works if it’s a two way street, Quill.”
“Of course. No more half truths or lies. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” I can hear his sincerity and want to wrap him up in my arms so badly. I love this man more than anything, and if that means we change things up for a few months, then so be it.
“My brothers will probably camp out at my apartment that first weekend, just so you know.” I’m trying to lighten the mood, but I can tell I missed my mark.
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
“Is that okay with you?” I gently push.
“Yeah, I was in active addiction for almost nine years, sweetheart. That’s a lot of trust I have to make up for.” Okay, so we’re still in a good frame of mind. That’s good.
“You’re right. I’ll wait until you’re done with your meeting tonight. Will you call me when you leave?”
“Yeah, of course I will. I’ll text you, Lee.”
“Talk to you soon, Quill.” I hang up and decide to wander out of Dieter’s office into the three port garage.
The doors are rolled up, and there’s a car in each bay.
Different mechanics’ tall toolboxes line the back wall.
The smell of grease, gas, and sweaty man assaults my nose all at once.
Ethan’s voice makes my ears perk. I’m nosy by nature, and I need to know what’s being said.
He and Dieter are standing in the farthest bay from me.
Quietly I sneak into the middle bay and crouch down behind the Palisade that blocks me from their view.
The other mechanics that work for my brother have left already.
So the only way I can get caught is by Dieter or Ethan.
“You need to chill out. I know you’ve got a thing for Lee, but you have to let that go. We’re bros, but you step in the way of my sister’s happiness, and we’re going to be bros that take it out into the yard.” Dieter calls Ethan all the way out. My jaw drops. Damn, men really have no couth.
“You’re whacked, do you know that? I don’t have a fucking thing for her.
I mean, don’t get it twisted, your sister is a twelve on her worst days, and she has every quality that I’d love in a woman.
But she’s your sister, and as someone who’s been working with you and been treated like a family since I was seventeen, that’s like wanting to fuck my sister.
” He makes a gagging noise, and I try hard not to be offended.
He did call me a twelve, so I’ll take that as a win.
I hear Dieter dry heave as well, “Don’t ever use ‘fucking’ and my sister in the same sentence again or I’ll fire you. What’s your problem then?”
“My problem is, I love her, and there’s this part of me that wants to put her in a bubble and protect her from all the dangers of the world.
And do you know what one of the biggest dangers of this town and Jersey City is?
Let me remind you… The fucking Byrnes. You might as well send her off to one of the Rossi men and call it a day. They’re just as fucking dangerous.”
There’s no way Ethan can know how hard that declaration hits Dieter in the heart. He has no idea of my background. He thinks I’m biologically my parents’ kid. He isn’t wrong, though. They’re both dangerous. I just have to trust that Mac can keep me out of the flames so I don’t get burned.
“You haven’t seen them together. He would lay his life down if it meant she had a good day over a bad day. I know what you’re saying, trust me. I know. Also, I don’t believe for one minute that she’s in even a speck of danger when he’s around.”
I’m done listening to this shit. I’m an adult and can make my own decisions. I know it’s hard for them to remember that, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Standing straight up, both men catch me and stare at me slack jawed.
“I’m ready to go home, D.” Before either of them can speak, I turn on my heels and head straight for my brother’s truck.
I refuse to speak to him the whole way home, and when we get home, I go into my room and shut the door.
The text on my phone from Ethan goes unanswered too.
Mac should be calling me soon. I just need him to call.