Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
FRANCESCA
I’ve kissed Rhett a thousand times before, but none of them compare to this kiss. This kiss reaches the depths of my soul, leaving me with a renewed sense of hope.
We pull apart, gasping for breath as our lungs try to suck in as much fresh air as they can.
Rhett groans and says, “Chessie, I really have to go. I’m sorry.”
“What time will you be back tonight?” I ask, panting in another lung full of air.
He glances away for a second. “I’m not sure, but I do know it’s going to be a long night. I can come over and make us breakfast tomorrow morning, if you want.”
“Mm-hmm. Sure.” I press my lips together in a tight line as I reach for her door handle. There’s no point in him coming over in the morning when we both have places to be.
If he doesn’t want to make talking and getting our relationship back to what it used to be a priority, then there’s nothing else for me to say.
“Chessie, please don’t be like this. My hands are tied. They’re literally tied. I have to go, and I can’t be late. ”
I blow a deep breath out through my mouth. “Fine, then go. Have a good night doing whatever you’re going to be doing.”
If he wants to keep his secrets, then I can’t trust my heart with him. It has to be all or nothing.
“It’s not like I’m going to a party. Believe me, I’d much rather be here with you.”
I turn away from him so he can’t see the sadness on my face. I don’t want him to know how hurt I am. “Then stay. Fuck whatever plans have just popped up.”
“I can’t do that. I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” I whisper before getting out of his truck.
My heart clenches with pain as I feel the old wounds breaking all over again. Too much has happened, that much is clear. Maybe there’s no repairing what we once had.
Maybe he isn’t supposed to be in my future.
I quickly grab my groceries from the backseat and head toward the building before my tears can fall, resisting the urge to turn around and give him one last look.
It will be easier this way. A clean break before I can heal and move on.
But as I walk through the main doors to the apartment building, I know it won’t be that easy. It wasn’t easy two years ago, and it won’t be easy now.
My lips are still tingling from my kiss with Rhett.
What the hell was that about?
He says he has to go but then kisses me ?
I walk through the lobby as I head toward the main elevator. Everywhere I look, I’m reminded of Rhett.
This was his apartment building first. His team. His town. I’m just an outsider.
My stomach growls, echoing off the bright white marble flooring. Maybe I can find a Chinese restaurant to deliver dinner.
While I wait for the elevator to come down, I search on my phone for the closest Chinese restaurant. Two-tenths of a mile. Even if they won’t deliver, I can walk to pick up food.
A couple of the veteran players walk into the lobby. Spencer Reed glances my way and gives a head nod before turning back to one of his fellow players, my brother, Joey.
I give him a friendly smile before turning back toward the elevator. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
First, Rhett said he has somewhere to go. Then, my brother and another player comes downstairs.
Are they all going out to the club and Rhett didn’t want to tell me? I would have understood if he already had plans with the guys.
Spencer tries to whisper, but his whisper might as well be spoken in a normal tone. “Are we still going to be expected at morning skate after doing the job at the shipyard?”
I perk up a little at the mention of the shipyard.
Is the entire team involved with the shipping business? Would Dad really mix his businesses and bring the players in?
Is this related to the club in any way?
Joey whispers something before shaking his head and saying, “We need to get there now. Montgomery is already waiting outside. We can take two cars.”
A wild and crazy thought floods my mind. I should follow them down to the shipyard and confront all of them.
Of course, I’d have to wait for them to leave before following them down there or else they’d make me stay home. I run up the stairs and dart inside my apartment to put up my groceries.
The shipyard is only a five-minute drive, so I know I can walk the mile and a half in no time.
I put up the refrigerated groceries and leave the rest on my counter before darting back out into the hallway. I lock my door and sprint back down the stairs.
When I get outside, Rhett’s car is long gone.
“Shit. I need to hurry.”
Someone clears their throat behind me. Turning around, I see Chase Williams leaning against the side of the building puffing on a cigarette. “Do you need a ride somewhere?”
A ride would get me there quicker, but I can’t let him know what I’m up to.
“Uh, no, that’s okay.”
He takes a few steps closer to me. “I don’t mind. It’s not like I have anything else going on. Besides, it’s the least I can do after fighting during practice the other day and making you work harder.”
I know I shouldn’t let him know where I’m going, but maybe I can get him to drop me off somewhere close by.
“Okay, here’s the deal. I’ll let you drive me, but you can’t tell anyone where we are going or what you see once we get there. After you drop me off, you can’t linger. You have to leave.”
“How are you going to get home?”
“I’ll either get a cab, or I’ll walk. It’s only a mile and a half.”
He glances around for a moment before saying, “You got yourself a deal.”
He puts his cigarette out before leading me over to a sensible four door SUV. The black leather interior compliments the black exterior.
“Nice car.” I say as I slide into the passenger seat.
He starts the car and classical music starts playing a little too loud. He turns the volume down and says, “Thanks. It’s not a sports car like most of the guys, but it’s been a great travel car.”
“I think it’s a responsible and sensible car.”
Based on his actions on Monday, I would have pegged him as a sports car owning, adrenaline-seeking playboy hockey player. Not someone that listens to classical music and drives the speed limit.
Maybe I judged him a little too harshly.
“So, where are we heading?” He pulls out of the parking lot and heads toward the main road.
“The King’s Empire Gentleman’s Club. ”
He chokes on his saliva and stops the car as he stares at me. When I don’t laugh or make a joke, he says, “Are you serious? You really want me to drive you to The King’s Empire?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Why would you want to go to a strip club?”
Sensing that we are going to be here for a while, I turn my entire body in my seat to face him. “Why wouldn’t I? Women go to strip clubs too, you know.”
He rolls his eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know women go to strip clubs. I’m just surprised that’s where you’re heading now.”
“You’re surprised that I might enjoy watching women dance and take off their clothes?”
“Well, yeah. Wouldn’t every guy?”
I shrug. “Yeah, well, maybe. I could be going there to talk to the manager about getting a part time weekend job.”
His mouth falls open for a second. “You do know that some of the guys from the team go there, right? Like a lot of them go there.”
“We’re all consenting adults.” Not that I have my eyes on anyone other than Rhett, but teasing Chase Williams right now is pretty fun.
He looks at me as if he can’t believe I’m even considering working as a dancer. “Your dad and brother would literally kill anyone that looks at you in that way. Hell, your brother already threatened us after the fight on Monday.”
I roll my eyes. How many times has he talked about the puck bunnies? “Of course he did. Misogynistic asshole. But that’s why I said you can’t tell anyone about this, and I mean it.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “I won’t say anything. Not a word.”
“Good. Now let’s go.”
He heads straight to the club as if he’s been here a time or two before pulling into the back parking lot of the club.
There’s a few cars parked back here, but besides the thumping of the music coming from inside the club, it’s quiet.
There are no cars driving by. No people milling about. Hell, I can’t even hear if there is work happening across the street at the shipyard.
I get out of the car. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you around. Just not here. Remember, not a word.”
He glances toward the club. “Uh, yeah. Just be safe.”
I stay still until he drives off, back in the direction of the apartment, before walking across the street to the shipyard. No one is manning the front gate, so I push it open a few feet and walk through.
It’s quiet, like no one is around, but the flashing orange glow of the forklift bounces off the sound barrier wall that separates the shipyard with the yacht marina next door.
Someone is at the dock working to unload or load a shipment.
More like several people. Dad, Joey, and a few players at the bare minimum. Not to mention the security guys Dad hired to watch over the shipyard .
I shake my head and slowly walk toward the back of the building where the river is.
Maybe I have this all wrong. Maybe I misheard what Spencer said. There’s only one way to find out the truth right now.
I stick close to the building, staying in the shadows as I slowly make my way to the back of the building. The closer I get to the noise, the faster my heart pounds in my chest.
Am I scared of what I might find? Am I scared that I have, once again, been left out?
I stop at the edge of the building before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. In my heart, I know what I’m going to see, but my mind is hoping my heart is wrong.
Peeking around the building, my gaze moves from the small cargo ship to the group of men. I can’t see who is driving the forklift, but he’s unloading pallets of boxes from the ship and dropping them halfway between me and the ship.
Movement gets my attention and I watch Joey, Spencer, and another man run over to the pallet, rip the protective plastic wrap open, and carry smaller boxes to the different trucks waiting for the delivery to be loaded up.
They run back to the pallet and repeat the process until another pallet is dropped off.
Where’s Dad?
My gaze wanders around the expansive lot until I spot him. Dad is standing off to the side, talking on his phone before yelling something at the man driving the forklift.
There are two tied up, gagged, bloodied, and beaten men slumped against a metal shipping container.
They’re not the first ones I’ve seen like this. I’ve seen what happens when you really piss off my dad, and it’s a lot worse.
Movement catches my attention. Someone is jogging toward Dad and the two men. My heart clenches as I stare at the man who just joined them.
Rhett Montgomery.
“What the fuck?” I murmur as my mind tries to remind my heart that we already suspected this.
But the hurt is still there, ripping my heart to shreds. Not only has Rhett known about my family’s mafia ties, but he’s been working for them as well.
Why wouldn’t he tell me he was working for Dad? Why would Joey keep it a secret? Why did they not tell me during the meeting on Monday, or tried to tell me since?
Dad claps Rhett on his back and the two of them nod before heading over to the forklift.
This is how I pictured life two years ago. This is the dream I knew could never happen.
I turn around and run away, feeling betrayed. I’m not paying attention to where I’m going or how loud I’m being. My only thought is to get as far away from Rhett and my family and to do it as fast as I can.
As I get to the front of the building, I meet the end of a gun barrel. Someone steps out from the shadows with a smirk on his face .
It takes me two seconds to recognize the person pointing the gun at me. It’s none other than my ex-boyfriend, my past situationship, Jax Brown.
Can life get more fucked up than this right now?
“Jax? What are you doing here? And why are you pointing a gun at me?”
His smirk turns into a snarl, setting my nerves on edge. Something is wrong.