Chapter 7 Inferno
The scent of lavender oil touched the air as Nicki added several drops into the lotion.
She rubbed it into her hands to warm before applying it onto Tyler’s healing thigh.
She massaged the scar of the gunshot wound gently and used more pressure to massage his quad.
“It’s healing nicely,” she said to him as he lay with his massive leg over her lap and gazed at her from resting his head on the pillow.
“That’s because you are taking such good care of me,” he replied. “My angel.”
Nicki winked at him and continued the slow, delicate touch in the low-lit living room. A couple of candles flickered on the nearby coffee table and the rain tapped the windows. Another perfect evening together, basking in each other’s quiet presence.
Tyler’s cell phone ringing interrupted the sweet serenity.
“Hey, buddy, what’s happening?” Tyler asked, when he put the phone to his ear.
After a minute, he spoke again. “Thanks for telling me, man, I’m sure he picked up a girl on the side of the road for the night, or got a hotel. I wouldn’t worry about it. Yeah. Thanks.”
Tyler hung up.
“That was Cliff. He said Tommy never came back after his ride out earlier.”
Nicki’s forehead crossed. “That’s weird. Well, maybe it’s like you said, he’s staying with someone overnight.”
Tyler called Tommy. There was no answer.
“Yo. Let Cliff know that you’re alive, fucker,” Tyler recorded on a voice note.
“Tyler!” Nicki shouted.
“Don’t worry. This is what he does; he rides off on the bike as soon as it gets warm, for days even. He’s probably out with Rex, banging some new girls,” Tyler quipped.
“Well as long as he’s OK! You don’t have to be so mean to him!” Nicki said.
“It’s good for him.”
Nicki rolled her eyes flirtingly and grabbed her phone.
Hey, Cliff was worried that you didn’t come back before the rain. And we are worried too. Let us know that you’re OK, her text to Tommy read.
“Come sit down here, baby, so I can massage your shoulders,” Tyler offered invitingly. He was a difficult man to say no to.
Nicki crawled out from under his heavy leg and moved down to sit on the floor.
Tyler took off her sweater, slid her bra straps off of her shoulders and massaged her neck. His large, warm hands did wonders for her tension.
His hands moved lower to her shoulders and his loving touch felt all encompassing.
“Mmmmm, that feels so nice, darling,” Nicki whispered.
“Yeah, you know this is going to come off in two seconds, right? I’m just warning you now,” Tyler said, moving his fingertips down her back to the hooks on her bra.
Off it went effortlessly with Tyler throwing it onto the nearby lounge chair.
“Tyler! You’re bad!” Nicki sat up to join him on the couch, pushing him back and lying on top of him.
He threw the blanket over her and wrapped his arms around her warmly.
“Mmmmm, my baby,” he said, nuzzling into her neck.
“That was the best one-minute massage ever!” Nicki teased, only to get punished by instant tickling.
Nicki released her uncontrollable cotton-candy laugh.
Tyler was in heaven.
On Friday, Trevor entered Nicki’s office to hand her the inventory report.
“Hey, Trevor. Thanks. How’s Amelia doing?”
“She’s fine, she’s going to come by next Friday before we leave for Vancouver,” Trevor said with a rare smile.
“That’s great, it’ll be nice to see her again. Hey, have you heard from Tommy at all?”
“Naw, I haven’t. But you know how he gets when he’s riding; he’s gone for a few days at a time.”
“Yeah, everyone keeps telling me that. When I asked Jake, he even offered to call Rex but he said he’s not with him. I’m getting a little worried. The weather hasn’t been that great,” Nicki said.
“Yeah, I guess it is a little weird that he hasn’t at least texted back. If I hear from him, I’ll let you know,” Trevor said before leaving the office.
Nicki exhaled loudly and thought of Tommy, being so sad before he left.
Tommy, I hope you’re OK out there, she thought to herself, looking out the window. The lake was a gunpowder gray in the rain.
Vinnie entered the room.
“Hey, Nick, you wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, hey, Vin. I was wondering if you could check Tommy’s phone, like the GPS or whatever, to see where he is? I don’t want to track him or anything, I’m just worried about him. He’s been gone since Monday and hasn’t said a word to anyone since.”
“Yeah, I can check it. I’ll let you know what comes up,” Vinnie said. “Don’t worry. Tommy’s like that. He runs off, like a dog that gets out cause he wants to roam free, but then always comes back home.”
“Tommy’s more like a wolf!” Nicki said with a chuckle.
“Yeah, a wolf is definitely more accurate. That guy is wild. Needs to be with nature. Don’t worry, honey. He should be back for the delivery next Friday,” Vinnie said on his way out.
“I hope so!”
A little while later, Nicki received a text from Vinnie.
He’s in California.
On the following Friday morning, Sasha drove Nicki to work as Tyler went to the Compound at 7:00 AM to get prepped for the big delivery later and to schedule in an early morning physiotherapy session.
Nicki grabbed the mail from Cliff and walked up to the front door, only to be met with Steven, Tyler’s physiotherapist on his way out.
“Oh, hey!” Nicki said cheerfully. “How’s he doing?”
Steven smiled proudly. “He’s as strong as a horse! His quads are practically made of Kevlar!”
“Oh, that’s great to hear. He’s been working really hard, eager to get fully back.”
“Well, now, of course a full recovery will take several more weeks. So, no crazy stuff until then,” Steven warned.
Nicki pictured the casual multimillion-dollar, cross-border firearm smuggling job the crew was about to partake in tonight, with Tyler at the helm, and it made her lose any appetite she thought she had worked up.
“No way, no crazy stuff!” she replied lightly.
Nicki entered the house and ran toward Tyler as soon as she saw him. She threw her arms up around his neck and he lifted her up by the waist.
“Hi, I missed you this morning,” Nicki said before kissing him on his cheek. “Steve said you’re doing so well, I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, baby,” Tyler replied and kissed her on the lips. “What do you got there?” he asked.
Nicki shuffled through the mail in her hands. “Oh, just bills,” she answered, and nearly gasped out loud when her eyes noticed a California postage stamp on one of the envelope corners.
She covered it with a flyer quickly and gave Tyler another kiss.
“I’ll be in my office if you need anything,” she said, and went upstairs.
In her office, Nicki closed the door and went through the envelopes again eagerly, standing in front of her desk. All the usual bills and flyers except for the one, thin, white envelope with a single stamp on it.
The California Grizzly Bear, in all its glory, glared at her mischievously, as if it were a wolf.
Addressed only to Nicole Carter. No return address.
Nicki’s heart played a snaring drum roll as she opened the envelope, knowing it was from Tommy, finally letting—at least just her—know that he was OK.
Inside was a single piece of paper. A small, hand written note, on the Bahama resort stationary, with creases in it, evidenced by a crumpled past.
Nicki,
I’m so fucking stupid.
I was too blind not to see it earlier.
Before things progress with my brother, please talk to me.
I can’t stop thinking about you.
It’s eating away at my mind.
Tommy
Nicki stared at the note and swallowed slowly.
Tommy, normally the rambunctious, class clown of the group, never shy and always loud, was not one for communication when it came to serious things.
And this was the only way he could convey how he felt.
And why he left. And that, ever since their seemingly innocent night together in the Bahamas, the night before Nicki solidified her relationship with his brother, Tommy had unwillingly fallen in love with her.
And he had been a broken shell of himself ever since.
Oh Tommy, you poor thing, I have to find you, Nicki thought to herself.
She scanned the heart-wrenching hand written words again and remembered how Tommy apologized for this very note, that she never received, until now. His multiple failed attempts to talk to her, to text her, to let her know how he felt were always either interrupted or he had sabotaged them himself.
Where in California are you, Tommy?
The door of the office opened slowly and Tyler walked in, holding a roll of painter’s tape and wearing his devilish smile.
“Oh, now what are you up to?” Nicki asked teasingly, as she slid Tommy’s note in between the pile of envelopes on her desk.
The last thing Tyler needed in the middle of a war with the Leemans was the knowledge that his own brother, his most trusted and closest friend, had developed a secret crush on his girl.
Tyler closed the door behind him, walked across the room and reached up over at the corner of the office, under the camera.
He tore a couple pieces of tape and covered the little black dome with it.
He tossed the roll of tape on the couch and approached Nicki slowly.
“Oh my God, baby, what are you doing?” Nicki asked and started to make her way to the office door.
Tyler ran up, grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him, then directed her back to her desk.
Nicki nearly slammed into the desk but stood strong in front of him, anticipating his next move.
“You told me that you’ll be in your office if I need anything,” Tyler slithered into her ear from behind.
“Well, I need something. And you’re going to give it to me. Right?” he demanded in his low voice.
“Yes,” Nicki replied dutifully.
Tyler gathered her hair and pulled it back, making her face look up.
“Yes, boss,” Tyler instructed into her ear.
“Yes, boss,” Nicki repeated, loving every letter of it.
“Unbutton your shirt,” he said, gripping her hair tighter in his fist.
As she took her time and unbuttoned her silk blouse, Tyler kissed her neck softly and then made his way lower to kiss her scarred shoulder.
She closed her eyes from the sensation.