5. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Reeve
Swirling the water around the glass in my hand, I watch as my younger brother walks toward the corner booth I'm seated in, a small smile gracing his face.
"Did you know he was coming here?" Luxe asks from beside me.
"Nope."
"You think that might've been why he tried to call you?"
I turn to glare at my friend as Liam reaches the table, sliding himself into the booth.
Luxe chuckles, tips his head in Liam's direction, then excuses himself as he shifts across the leather bench and walks away, leaving me and my brother alone.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, dropping my glass onto the table, my gaze slicing over to meet Liam's.
He sighs, slumping into the leather as he shakes his head.
"If you answered my calls, you'd know exactly why I'm here."
I scoff, lifting the glass to my lips. Taking a sip of water, I blatantly ignore his dig.
"New tattoo?"
Glancing at the back of my hand—the one now covered by an inked skull and more letters across my fingers to match the other one—I nod.
"Got it a couple of months ago."
"I didn't think you'd get another tattoo related to the club."
Frowning, I flex my fingers, glancing down at both of my hands.
"These ones aren't. The only one relating to the club is the one on my back," I tell him, referring to the emblem tatted across the entirety of my back. It matches the placement of the skull and guns on the leather jacket I wear.
I glance around the room, my eyes catching on the small redhead my brother walked in with. She jumps off the stool and walks toward the kitchen with Mackie's wife.
"Who's the girl?"
He sighs.
"Trix."
When he doesn't offer more than that, I turn to him, raising a questioning brow.
"She's my best friend, and she's in a tough spot. She needs a job, one that pays well, and I wanted to help, so I thought here would be a good place. I did try—"
"No," I state, shaking my head.
"Reeve, you don't even know her."
"I don't care. I don't want her working here."
"Well, I don't think that's really down to you, is it?
You may have some pull being the Enforcer, but Callux and Warren are the ones that'll decide if she can work here.
If you'd answered my calls, you'd probably have gotten your way, but you didn't. I called Milo instead, and he told me to bring her here. "
"Milo doesn't make the decisions either."
"But he'll easily be able to convince his dad to let her work here. Besides, I think Honey likes her, and Honey always gets her way around here," he says.
The kitchen door opens, and Trix walks out, Honey by her side as they make their way toward the stairs.
Trix glances over her shoulder as she reaches the steps and smiles at Liam. But when her murky green eyes meet mine, my stomach flips, making me frown.
Her deep red hair shines beneath the lights, the hoop in her nose twinkling, while straight teeth are quickly hidden by her perfectly pink, pouty lips as the smile drops from her face.
She turns away, walks up the stairs, and disappears from view.
"I don't think it's a good idea," I grumble, my eyes still glued to the spot where she just was. The image of her is burned into my mind so vividly it's as if she's still standing there, allowing my hungry gaze to roam over her.
"Of course you don't. You don't trust anybody, and you always think people have ulterior motives, but I can promise you, Trix isn't like that," he tells me as the incessant tapping of his fingers gets louder.
"A job is exactly what she needs right now.
Plus, if she's here, I won't have to worry about her while I'm at college. "
"So she isn't in college?"
I'm confused by my own curiosity. I snatch my gaze away from the stairs, focusing on my little brother instead as he shifts in his seat, shaking his head.
"She dropped out before summer break."
"Why?"
His eyes meet mine, and he shrugs.
"It's not my story to tell, man."
"Well, I'm going to need to know more than that if she's going to be working under my roof, Liam."
"I can't give you any more," he says, gaze trailing to the stairs as she reappears. "Just know I need her to get this job, and I'm begging you to look out for her."
I scoff. "I'm not a babysitter."
Standing from the table, he inches his way out of the booth, peering down at me with desperation.
"I'm not asking you to babysit her. She'd kick my ass if I did. I just need someone to keep an eye on her in case something happens, because she'll try her hardest to hide it from me."
My brows draw down, and I cross my arms over my chest. I watch my brother paint a smile on his face when his redheaded friend moves toward us.
Usually, I'm unbothered by people I don't know. I never have the urge to want to know them, but when it has to do with my brother, I can't help but find myself intrigued.
Liam's a good kid, and he has potential for a good life.
I'm protective of that.
It's the main reason I allowed my father to push me away from him for years.
If this woman starts working here, it puts Liam's future in jeopardy.
I can tell he cares for her, and that's an issue, because if she's here, he will be too, and I won't stand for that.
But, if he thinks I'm looking out for her, then maybe he'll still keep his distance.
She links her arm through his when she reaches the table, and flashes him a timid smile.
"I got the job," she mutters. "I also met the President guy you were talking about. He was nice."
Liam's brows raise in surprise, and I'm sure mine do too.
"Callux was nice?" he asks.
She nods. "Seemed a little grouchy, but he gave me the job and told me I can start tomorrow, so yeah, I'd say he was nice."
Liam sighs, and pulls her into a hug, his eyes connecting with mine over her shoulder.
I can see the question he's silently asking me, and although I huff in annoyance, I subtly nod.
Relief instantly spreads across his face, and he mouths "Thank you" before loosening his hold on her.
Trix turns to face me. Her eyes bounce across my face and my arms, assessing me while I take my time doing the same to her.
Now she's closer, I can see the freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and the tops of her cheeks, and the slight blue hue in the center of her deep green eyes.
She's strikingly beautiful.
My gaze skates down her body, watching as she pulls her cardigan closed. It covers the small top she's wearing beneath but reveals more of the denim shorts that are plastered to her wide hips and thick thighs.
"Trix. This is Reeve, my brother."
Liam's voice interrupts my perusal, and I snap my gaze back to the woman's face.
She slowly drags her eyes to mine, and we both stare at each other for a few moments, silent tension forming between us.
"Well, I'm not sure why I expected more from the two of you," Liam says, throwing an arm around Trix. "Emery's probably waiting for us, so we should go."
Trix nods, her eyes flicking away from mine as she steps out from my brothers hold and makes her way toward the double doors.
Liam clamps his hand on my shoulder, then steps away from the booth.
"I'll see you soon."
"Don't come back here without giving me a heads-up next time," I grunt. "You know you're not meant to be here, and I won't let her change that."
He huffs, sliding his hands into his jean pockets.
"I'm not gonna be stupid. As long as you look out for her, I won't need to be here, and I'll stick to only seeing you when dad's out of town."
Watching them leave, I turn in my seat, my eyes moving to the window over my shoulder, and I watch intently as Liam slings his arm around Trix again, then pulls her into his side as they walk down the steps toward his car.
He presses a kiss to the top of her head before letting go, and I narrow my eyes, tracking her movements as she climbs into the passenger side.
"Who knew Baby Bishop surrounded himself with such beautiful women?" Luxe says, leaning over the booth and staring out the window with me.
I watch in silence as my brother's car drives away, and I sigh when he disappears from view.
"He's brave to bring her here," Luxe chimes when I turn back around, no longer interested in what's happening outside. "Everyone's already extremely curious about her, and I don't blame them."
Bristling at his words, my eyes cut to the booths in front of me, filled with the other members of the club. My jaw clenches, teeth grinding as I watch them all talking and laughing.
The thought of some of the guys being overly friendly with her has anger flaring inside my chest. I grimace, disturbed by my own thoughts and feelings.