Chapter Twelve
“SO, HE JUST left? And no one has talked to him since?” Kelsie grabbed a slab of ribs from the meat section at the grocery store as she asked the question.
Brenna nodded. “That’s what Lock said.”
“Does anyone know where he is?” The idea of Ty heading out of town without so much as a wave as he rode off into the sunset had her second-guessing every decision she’d made over the past few days.
Did she cross the line when she’d kissed him?
Was he upset about what happened with his brothers when they confronted the man who’d hurt her?
If she hadn’t followed that man with a gun, for God’s sake, would Ty still be here?
All the reasons he could have left seemed to point to her, and it left a pit of unease in her stomach and an ache in her heart, especially because her last question was the one she felt most certain had a yes for an answer.
Was he so disinterested in her that he left so she couldn’t come on to him again?
Ugh.
“No one knows for sure, but Curly said Ty loves Marco Island. He’s guessing Ty rode down the coast to spend a few days there.” Brooke shrugged. “Grab a few more of those. These guys eat like they’re teenagers.”
That had Kelsie smiling as she reached for another package.
“Anyway, he’s only been gone two days. I don’t think anyone’s worried. There’s been… a lot going on.”
Shame washed over her. “Right.”
Brooke winced. “Oh, shit, no, Kelsie, I’m not blaming you for anything.” She pulled Kelsie into a one-armed side hug. “Please don’t take this on yourself. Ty is a thinker. Sometimes, he can get introspective and more introverted than the rest of the guys. He doesn’t recharge by being in a big crowd like, say, Jinx or Tracker.”
Harper snorted. “You calling my man an attention whore?” She stuck her hands on her hips and mock glared.
“No,” Brooke said with a glare. “I would never. He’s so shy and hates the spotlight.”
The group of them broke out in giggles right there in the meat department of their local grocery store.
They were nuts.
Kelsie vowed then that she’d enjoy the day and stop obsessing over Ty and why he left. If it were her fault, solving that mystery wouldn’t make him return faster. She’d come to the store with the ladies, who were quickly becoming her close friends, and they were shopping for an extravagant barbeque at the clubhouse. If there was ever a time to enjoy life, it was now.
Who knew when the next shoe would drop?
So, instead of prolonging the discussion, she turned to Brenna. “Did we think about dessert?”
“Oh, we did not,” Brenna responded. “Good call.” She grabbed Kelsie and Liv’s hands before speaking to the others. “The three of us will run next door to that cookie place and buy them out while you gals get the rest of the stuff.”
“Yesss,” Jo said, rubbing her hands together. “That place is the shit. Get like ten of every flavor.”
“Will do.” Brenna hauled them off, not that Kelsie and Liv needed much encouragement to join her.
“What cookie place is next door?” she asked as they exited the building. They flanked her, each taking a side in an unspoken agreement to keep people—men—from getting too close. Liv shot lasers at any man who so much as glanced in their direction. Kelsie couldn’t say she felt at ease, but there was strength in numbers, and so far, she’d handled the outing well. Later, she’d probably collapse from the exhaustion of being on alert and tense, but she could handle it.
“It’s called Dough My Goodness. Have you had them?” Liv asked.
“I haven’t.”
“Girl, you are in for a treat. They are the best cookies I’ve ever had. Before I met Spec, I’d go so far as to say they were better than sex, but now…” Liv shrugged with a twinkle in her eye.
Barking out a laugh, Brenna said, “I’d have to agree with you. We’ll say they’re better than sex with anyone besides our men. Maybe you’ll get a chance to find out.” She elbowed Kelsie as she winked.
“Me?” Kelsie said with a snort. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, I think she’s talking about a very handsome older man named Ty,” Liv said in a sing-song tone, nearly skipping in her damn fancy heels.
Ty? Did they know she’d kissed him? Her face heated. “What? I, uh, I mean, um—”
The women laughed. “Yeah, that’s what we thought,” Brenna said with a giddy grin.
Kelsie stopped walking, making the other two halt as well. “Look, even if I was interested in him, which I’m not,” she rushed to add, though they both looked at her like they didn’t believe a word out of her mouth. “Pretty sure it’s a bad sign if a man flees a city to escape you.”
“Or, he wants you too much, and it’s fucking with his head.” Liv linked her arm with Kelsie’s and tugged her along.
Wanted her too much?
No way. That was insane. She frowned.
Wasn’t it?
“C’mon.” Liv shook her arm. “No more man talk. Only cookie talk. You need to get the right mindset to pick out which cookies you want. This is important business.”
Kelsie laughed. “I thought we were buying all the cookies.”
“Huh, you’re right.” Liv grinned wide, showing off her perfectly straight and gleaming white teeth. “Doesn’t change anything. For the next ten minutes, all you are allowed to think about is sugar and fat.”
God, these women made life fun. When had she laughed so much? When was the last time she rode the wave of life’s simple pleasures?
So long ago, she didn’t remember specifics.
Each of the Handlers’ women seemed to genuinely enjoy her company. They weren’t fake and wouldn’t put on airs if they didn’t like her. The warm feeling of authentic friendship was one she hadn’t experienced in ages, maybe ever. Growing up, she’d always had to wonder if friends only wanted to be around her because of her influential family. The ones she decided might want to be her friend often ended up on the wrong side of her father’s business schemes and scams. These days, Kelsie kept to herself in her quest to keep off her family’s radar and protect innocents. That meant becoming a homebody even when the loneliness became unbearable. But today, she didn’t need to worry about any of that.
And it felt damn wonderful.
“Sugar and fat, huh? I think I can manage that. Lead the way.”
Liv squealed, and the trio headed to the bakery with arms linked.
Fifteen minutes later, they walked out of the shop with an obscene number of cookies in nearly every flavor imaginable. She might have sampled enough to stay full for the rest of the day, but her heart and stomach were stuffed with happiness.
Laughing over Brenna’s tale of a horrifying diaper mishap with her ol’ man’s son, they strode toward Brooke’s SUV to stow their goodies. Kelsie held her gaze on Brenna as she stepped off the curb and smacked into a firm body.
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry!” she said as she bobbled her box of cookies.
“Don’t drop them!” Liv, who’d been empty-handed, rushed over to relieve her of the box. “Phew. That would have been a true tragedy.”
Now safe from disaster, Kelsie turned toward the poor person she’d smacked into. “I am so sor—”
She gasped.
“Surprise! Long time no see, Kels.”
Her jaw dropped, and she blinked, but no sound came out.
“Kelsie?” Brenna stepped closer. “You okay? You know this guy?”
“Do I need to call Spec?” Liv had set the box down and already had her phone to her ear.
The last thing Kelsie wanted was for any of the Handlers to show up, especially Spec. It would be the shit show to end all shit shows.
“N-no,” she squawked. “It’s okay, Liv. This is…” Her stomach swooped, not in the excited way it did when she saw Ty, but in the horrified way it did when something terrible was about to happen. “I know him. He’s… he’s my brother.”
Both women’s eyes widened to almost the same enormous size and shape. If she wasn’t about to vomit, she might have laughed.
Lorenzo tilted his head, his customary smarmy smile in place. “You haven’t told your friends about me, sis?”
Hell, no, she hadn’t, and she wasn’t about to right now.
Brenna must have sensed the please-leave vibes Kelsie was giving off. She grabbed Liv’s arm and tried to pull her away. “We’ll give you two a moment of privacy to talk, okay, Kels?”
“Hell no, we won’t.” Liv scowled first at Brenna, then directed the full force of her distrust at Lorenzo.
“Liv, it’s okay. I only need a few seconds, then we can put these in the car and meet up with the others.”
Frowning, Liv let Brenna tow her a few feet away. “Fine,” she called out. “A few minutes. But this is as far as we’re going, and I’ve got my hand on Spec’s number. Say the word, and I’ll call him.”
Spec, not Ty, of course, because he’d left. Not that Liv would have called him even if he’d been in town.
You’re pathetic.
Shrugging off the annoying thought, she faced the even more annoying problem in front of her. “What are you doing here?” she asked Lorenzo, who stood before her in one of his many Bespoke suits. Had she ever seen him in anything else? Not since long before he turned eighteen. Lorenzo was a striking man. She wouldn’t exactly describe him as handsome, though his long trail of broken hearts would suggest otherwise. Her favorite word to describe her brother was slick.
Slick dresser, slick talker, slicked-back blond hair, a slick calculation in his eyes—blue eyes the same shade as hers. He used that slickness to get what he wanted when he wanted it. It was how he’d evaded the law his entire life despite shady business practices and violent accusations.
“Can’t a guy just miss his sister?” He grinned, and she swore she heard a ding and saw a sparkle like in a toothpaste commercial. Was he really going to try to charm her now?
Kelsie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest as though she could protect herself from whatever unpleasantness he brought. “Cut the shit. You’re wasting your breath if you think you can manipulate me like one of your bimbos.”
“I’ll have you know, I’m a married man now.” He slid his manicured hands into his pockets, affecting a relaxed posture as though they were great buddies instead of estranged siblings.
“Yeah, and if you think I’ll believe you’re faithful to your wife, you”re as dumb as you are corrupt.”
One of Lorenzo’s perfectly shaped eyebrows arched high into his forehead. “You’ve grown a spine, little sis.”
She grunted. “Yeah, well, I’ve been through a lot. Helps to be able to stand up for myself. Besides, I’m pretty sure I had a spine when I walked away years ago.”
Lorenzo chuckled as the slimy smile returned. “That wasn’t your spine. It was a tantrum.”
Clenching her fists to keep from smacking him, Kelsie said, “How about we skip the chit-chat, and you just tell me what it is you want.” Her heart beat fast, and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. It could have been the Florida heat or the apprehension of being near Lorenzo. Thank God she hadn’t been out alone.
“Why do you think I want something from you?”
She narrowed her eyes, which had him laughing again.
“I think I like you with a little spice, Kels. You know why I’m here. Time is running out. I figured you might need a little motivation to come on home.”
Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow as disbelief swamped her. “Is Dad delusional? How on earth is he going to run for governor? The man who is on house arrest wearing an ankle monitor for another two years? I’m sure the only reason he isn’t behind bars is because he paid someone off.”
Shrugging as though he couldn’t fathom what she was referring to, Lorenzo removed his hands from his pockets to rub them together. “Don’t be na?ve, Kels. When roadblocks are placed in your path, sometimes you have to get a little creative to get where you want to go.”
“And where is it you want to go, Lorenzo?”
“To the top, Kelsie. I’m already there, but I’d like to stay. It’s real nice up here.”
With a huff, she shifted her gaze to her friends, whispering but keeping one eye on her. “I’m sure it is, but I’m not into stepping on anyone below me to get there. I prefer to get there through hard work and honesty.”
“There you go, being na?ve again, little sister.”
“I prefer to think of it as saving my soul.”
This time, Lorenzo laughed so loud that they drew the attention of customers strolling through the parking lot. Kelsie shifted with unease. Her brother had a recognizable face. He’d been splashed across headlines for everything from who he slept with or which cologne he wore to their father’s lengthy trial, where he sat in the front row every day.
Kelsie hadn’t shown up once.
“You are aware of what happened to me a few months ago, right?”
He shrugged. “Yes, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“You don’t see how forcing me to marry a man whom multiple women have accused of sexual misconduct and abuse could be triggering? I can’t imagine marrying anyone, but Andrew Tinsley? I’d rather die.”
Ty’s face popped into her mind, but she shoved it aside. In the darkness of the lonely nights, she could fantasize about marrying a man like Ty or Ty himself, but that’s all it’d ever be. In reality, she had a high chance of remaining single forever.
Depressing as the thought was, she’d take it over Andrew Tinsley.
“Look, I’m just going to come straight out and say it. I’m not interested in anything that touches our family. I paid my dues throughout my childhood when I was used as a pawn to lure in unsuspecting investors and clients with our perfect family act. You remember my friend, Lara, from when I was in high school?”
Lorenzo had ten years on her, so by the time she hit high school, he was living on his own in a penthouse paid for by their father, so his confusion wouldn’t have been surprising if it weren’t for the impact this story had on her life. If he gave one single shit about her, he’d remember her best friend. They did everything together. Spent all their free time together. Had sleepovers every weekend. They played the same sports, joined school clubs together, and were as inseparable as two friends could be. Until Lara’s family lost every penny they had thanks to Kelsie’s father and his crooked business dealings.
Lara’s family had been forced to move from their eight thousand-square-foot mansion to a bedroom in a family member”s house, selling off nearly everything they owned for cash. Kelsie had been devastated, and this was also when she realized her family wasn’t the good guys.
Stricken with guilt and despair over his devastating investment choices, Lara’s father took his own life six months after they moved.
Kelsie never heard from Lara again.
“Never mind,” she said rather than spill the details that wouldn’t sway his rotten heart. “You need to go, Lorenzo. I’m not coming home, I won’t associate myself with Dad, and I’m not marrying Andrew Tinsley. Ever.”
The only outward sign of annoyance was a slight twitch in his left eye. Otherwise, he didn’t appear surprised or disappointed by her response. He took two steps closer and spoke so only she could hear. “I’ll leave for now, sis, but you might want to reconsider the offer. I’d hate for your new friends to run into trouble running any of their businesses.”
Her blood boiled. “Don’t you dare. The Handlers aren’t easily manipulated like the people you’re used to defrauding. They’ll fight back.”
“Hmm,” he said as though really considering her statement. “You know what is easy, though? Motorcycle accidents.”
After he dropped that little bomb, he tipped an imaginary hat in the direction of Liv and Brenna. “Ladies,” he said before turning back to Kelsie. “Think about what I said. We’ll be in touch.”
She stood rooted, frozen to the spot as terror washed over her. She knew her family was capable of horrible things, including violence, but would they really go so far as to cause one of the Handlers to get in an accident?
Her knees buckled. Only Liv rushing over and grabbing her by the arms kept her upright. “Kelsie, you’re pale as death. What did he say to you? Did he threaten you? I’m calling Spec.”
She held up a hand as she tried to get her brain to connect to her mouth. “Don’t,” she managed. “It’s all right. I’m fine. It’s just… family stuff.”
Brenna tilted her head and stared at Kelsie so hard she felt the other woman could see straight past her bullshit. Thankfully, Brenna didn’t call her on the semi-lie.
Liv’s gaze shifted to Lorenzo as he climbed into a Range Rover. “Why does he look familiar?”
Oh God. She did not want Liv putting two and two together and realizing she’d seen that face splashed all over headlines just a few years ago. Liv came from money. For all Kelsie knew, their families were acquainted.
What a nightmare that would be.
It’s time to get control of the conversation. “Look,” she said as she bent to retrieve the box of cookies. “I’m not close with my family. There’s a lot of toxicity there, and he came to try to talk me into going home, which I am not interested in. That’s all. Can we forget about it and enjoy the rest of the day? I’m really looking forward to trying these.” She lifted the box of cookies to remind them of where they’d been before Lorenzo ruined it.
“Of course,” Brenna said with a smile.
Liv didn’t answer, but her lips pursed, and she appeared deep in thought.
“Right, Liv?” Brenna elbowed her in the side.
“What?” Liv blinked. “Right, oh yes. Consider it forgotten.” She waved her hand in front of her face as though brushing away the event. “Come on. The others are probably checking out with the groceries right now.”
Kelsie lagged behind a step as they finished their trek to the car. Her mind spun with the implications of Lorenzo’s sudden appearance. Not only did he know exactly how to find her, he seemed to know about the Handlers.
What would she do if her family caused trouble for the club?
Maybe she should leave. Drive to another state and start fresh. The thought of it brought tears to her eyes. The MC had become her buffer to the real world. As long as they surrounded her, she felt untouchable, which Lorenzo just proved false, but the feeling remained.
Liv was smart. She’d figure it out soon. Then what? Would she tell the rest of the ladies? Would she tell Spec? The notion that terrified her the most was Liv thinking she was involved with her family’s scandalous lifestyle.
“Yo, Earth to Kelsie! Come on, girl! We got food to prepare.”
The rest of the ladies had met up with Brenna and Liv at Brooke’s SUV, their cart overflowing with supplies for an epic barbecue. She rolled her shoulders to shake off the events of the past few moments, then jogged over to meet them.
She’d smile and hang out tonight, even if she had to fake her happiness. She couldn’t handle questions, and if the guys thought something was amiss, they’d be like dogs on a chicken bone.
Even though new friends surrounded her, a feeling of loneliness washed over her. Keeping secrets isolated her and caused guilt to tighten her chest. Not for the first time, she wished she wasn’t alone. What would it be like to have a man hold her through this stress, unburden her soul to someone who’d kiss her and promise to stand by her side, and leave her troubles at the doorstep for a night of passion?
Was that something she’d ever know?
The Handlers’ ol’ ladies were some of the luckiest women she’d met. They were relationship goals across the board.
Ty’s face floated into her mind, nearly making her lose her footing. None of what she dreamed would ever happen with him.
Then why was she starting to want it so badly?