Chapter 8
T he door almost shakes off its hinges when it knocks, and whoever it is seems very insistent.
“Okay. Okay, I’m coming!” I put down the book I’m trying to read and when I fling the door open and see Aaron staring back at me, I instantly know that something’s wrong.
“What’s happened?” I step aside so he can come in and when he stomps past me, I hold my breath while I wait for him to explain.
“ I don’t wanna freak you out, or scare ya but I need ya to make me a promise.”
“Aaron?” I take his hand in mine and force him to stand still. “Just tell me what it is.”
“I can’t.” He exhales in frustration.
“If you're gonna come in here demanding that I make you a promise you have to tell me why.” I stand my ground.
“Do you have to make everything so difficult?” He looks at me as if I’m the reason he’s all riled up.
“I’m not trying to be difficult, Aaron. I’m trying to understand.” He looks up at the ceiling as if he’s debating what to do, and when his eyes lock with mine he makes another agitated sigh.
“The mornin’ after you came here, I was joggin’ on the beach and I found a body,” he admits, scratching the back of his neck. “It was a girl, she couldn't have been any older than Willow, and accordin’ to Raze’s doctor friend, she’d been killed someplace else and dumped here.”
“That's… terrible.” I don’t even know who this poor girl is and I already feel awful for her and her family. I also question how a body can be found on the beach without me finding out about it.
“Yeah, well, what's even worse, is that last night the cops found another. This one was shoved in a dumpster outside a bar the club owns.”
“Shit.” I sink my ass on the edge of the bed. I’m no detective but I’m assuming this means the two dead girls are connected to the club, somehow.
“There's a serial killer out there, who’s targetin’ women, and I need to know that you don’t plan on doin’ anythin’ stupid.” He crouches down in front of me and takes both my hands in his. “Raze is ridin’ out to speak to your father and he’s asked me to take care of you and Peyton. I need you to pack a bag and come with me to the houseboat. I don’t want you here while all this is goin’ on. Whoever is doin’ this ain’t got no fear of the club,” he points out, looking scared.
“Aaron, I?—”
“Please, don’t argue, Eden. Just pack your shit,” he interrupts.
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I haven’t got any shit. ” I stare back at him sadly. “I’ve been borrowing from Peyton and Alicia, and I texted Laura a few hours ago to see if she could pack me some stuff from home and meet me somewhere.”
“And…?” He doesn’t look happy.
“I’ve got to be at the coffee shop on the boardwalk in half an hour.” I stand up and go to move past him. I appreciate his concern but I can’t allow myself to rely on him. What happened between us last week proves that I have to start taking care of myself.
“Fine, I’ll come with ya.” He sounds determined as he stands up and follows me.
“Aaron, Laura is Mark's sister, don’t you think that’ll be a little awkward?” I’m lucky my best friend even considered meeting up with me after what I did to her family.
“I don’t care about fuckin’ awkward, until we know who this killer is I want to keep you safe. I promised your brother.”
“It’s daylight, and we’re meeting in a public place. I’ll be safe.” I assure him, picking up my purse and the keys to Alicia’s car. She’s spending the day hanging out with Peyton on the beach and said I could use it when I needed to.
“Okay.” He holds up his hands in defeat and although it surprises me that he’s backing down so easily, I can’t help feeling proud of myself. He backs out the door and leaves without any fuss, and I move to the window and watch him head down the stairs back to the yard looking pissed.
With a smile on my face, I check myself in the mirror before heading out to the balcony and making my way toward the parking lot.
“Eden!” Peyton calls after me, rushing over and leaving Alicia talking with her brother, and that guy she has a huge crush on.
“I thought you girls were spending the day at the beach.” I really hope this doesn’t mean Alicia needs her car. I don’t want to have to reschedule. It’s taken me a long time to build up the courage to meet with Laura. I’m already nervous as hell.
“Change of plan. I’m headin’ out to New Mexico with Raze to visit…” She stops herself mid-sentence and suddenly looks guilty. “...I was just wondering if you could stop by the hut a few times a day and check in on Reggie. We should only be gone a day or two and I’d ask Alicia but she’s heading north to see her folks tomorrow.”
“Of course.” I smile at her, glancing across to the other side of the pool where Aaron and my brother are deep in conversation. Not having her and Raze here is going to make things even more tense between me and him and the fact Alicia won’t be here, either, makes it even worse.
“You're amazing, just help yourself to anything you need of mine while I’m gone.” She kisses me on the cheek and before she can run back over to be with Raze, I stop her.
“I’m going to meet Laura, she said she’d pack me some essentials.” I may only have known this girl a few days but I feel comfortable around her, and right now I need someone to tell me that I’m doing the right thing. In all the years Laura and I have been friends we’ve never fallen out, I don’t want her to think I’m taking advantage of her kindness.
“Are you nervous?” she checks.
“Well, I wouldn’t blame her if she’s a little frosty. I did dump her brother at the altar.” I blow out a breath. “I take it you and Raze are going to see my dad?” I can’t see any other reason why the two of them would be heading to Colorado. I like Peyton very much, and I don’t want her to feel as if she has to lie to me.
“Eden, I had to throw a fit in order for Raze to agree to take me, and I know you probably hate that I’m going and you're not. But Raze loves you, you have to trust him. If I can use the time we’re away to try and make either of them feel differently about the situation, I promise you I will.” I can tell she’s being sincere by the sadness in her eyes, and although it does kinda hurt to think that she’ll meet my own father before I do, right now it’s the least of my problems.
“I appreciate that and don’t worry about Reggie. I’ll take good care of him.” I lean in and kiss her cheek before waving over to Raze and heading toward Alicia’s car.
I wind down the window and thank Rocco when he opens the gate for me and I’ve barely gotten 500 yards up the street before I hear a loud, gravelly engine coming up behind me. Glancing up in my rearview mirror I curse myself for being so na?ve when I see Aaron on his bike.
I understand that he’s only doing this because he cares, but it’s not going to help with the ‘Laura situation’ at all.
He stays tight behind me for the entire journey, and despite being annoyed at him, I can’t help thinking he looks hot with his shades on. The fact that he’s topless beneath his cut is also very distracting, at a time when I really need to be focused. Laura has been such a huge part of my life and despite what’s happened and the lies I’ve had to tell her, I’m really hoping I won’t lose her friendship over this.
I pull up outside the coffee shop and when Aaron slides into the spot right beside me I get out and slam the car door. “I told you I was coming here alone,” I whisper-yell at him, trying not to draw any more attention to us. He already has the eyes of every single female walking past us on him and I hate that it’s making me jealous.
“I heard what ya said, and I decided to compromise.” He shrugs, resting his ass on his saddle casually. “You go ahead and enjoy your coffee, and I’ll wait out here until you’re done.”
“That's not a compromise,” I point out, still feeling furious at the fact he’s here.
“Trust me, it is.”
I let out a long, pissed-off huff as I turn on my heels and stomp toward the coffee shop door. “I like a double shot of espresso!” he calls after me, and I flip the bird over my shoulder as I head inside.
Laura arrives five minutes after me, and the fact she doesn’t make eye contact as she places the suitcase she's carrying, on the floor beside the table isn’t a good sign.
“I got your favorite. Iced tea.” I hold it up as a peace offering and smile at her.
“I wasn’t going to stop, especially now I see one of your new friends is waiting outside.” She looks out of the shop window to where Aaron is still resting against his bike and looking so hot that the pulse between my legs is making me paranoid.
“He’s just here for my protection,” I whisper, not wanting the whole coffee shop to hear my business.
“Protection from what? Katie, can you hear yourself? A few days ago you didn’t need protection. You were marrying my brother. Remember him, the guy you’ve been engaged to for three whole years?”
“Sit down, please. I want to explain.”
“Mark explained it already. I can’t believe you’ve been lying to us all this time. I thought we were best friends, and…it turns out, I don’t know you at all.” She shakes her head in disappointment.
“We are best friends, and okay, my name isn’t really Katie. I may have lied about that, and where I came from, but all those memories and the times we shared together were real. I’m still your friend.”
“Bikers?” She stares out the window in disbelief and shakes her head some more when she faces me again. “Really?”
“I know it all seems crazy, but it’s where I come from. My father was a Dirty Soul and I went to the compound just over ten years ago to find him.” I start to explain and it intrigues Laura enough to drop all the tension from her shoulder and sit herself down. “When I got there I found out I had a brother, and now that brother has become president of the club.”
“Okay, so why not be honest, why change your name and lie about not having a family?” She still doesn’t seem convinced.
“Something happened, something I really don’t want to talk about. I ran away from it and I made a new start. I swear to you, I wanted to leave it all behind me. But, the other day when I was getting ready in that chapel, I realized that I was being so unfair. Not just to myself, but to your brother, and your family.” I feel the knot in my stomach start to loosen as I open up to her. “I’m not Katie Sullivan. My name is Eden and I’ve been through unimaginable pain. It’s time for me to face up to that.” Now it’s me who's staring out the window at the man who I’m undoubtedly still in love with.
“And do all the bikers look like him?” Laura asks, sipping on her iced tea and blushing when he grins at us both from the other side of the glass.
“No, Aaron’s different.”
“And I’m assuming he’s the something that happened?” She almost looks as if she feels sorry for me.
“Laura, he was just the start of it,” I admit, feeling that sharp splinter dig itself a little deeper into my heart.