Chapter 33 #3
“The police officer assigned to her today is a friend of mine,” he explained.
“He’s often on Kathryn duty and I asked him to tell me if she went near you.
She threw a fit when he wanted to go into the yoga studio with her.
So he stayed outside, even knowing it could mean his badge if something happened to her on his watch. She’s such a manipulative bitch.”
Surprise filled her. She knew that Marlin was no fan of Kathryn’s, but she’d never heard him talk about her like that.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that Dad keeps footing the bill for your bodyguard,” Marlin told her. “He can afford it.”
“Kathryn made it sound like he couldn’t.” She’d been feeling a bit guilty about that.
“Mom left a huge amount of money to Dad when she died. I guess she expected him to take care of us, or to set up trust funds for us or something. But he never did. He’s kept it for himself all this time.
It’s time he used it on someone other than himself or Kathryn.
If he calls and tries to pull the plug, you call me. ”
“You shouldn’t get involved. You work for him.”
“One thing has nothing to do with the other. I just wanted to make sure you were all right after Kathryn visited. I know how toxic she is.”
“You do?” she whispered.
“Yeah, Maya,” he said tiredly. “I wish I could have kept you away from her when you were younger. I even asked Dad to let you move in with me. But I lived in a house with three other guys. I didn’t have much and I was working long hours. He basically laughed in my face.”
Shock flooded her. “You . . . you wanted me?”
Marlin sighed. “I knew he never told you. Bastard. Yeah, but like I said, at the time I knew it wouldn’t work.
I’m ashamed that I didn’t do more to protect you from her, though.
It was painful to go home with her there in Mom’s place.
But I’ve realized now that no matter how painful it was for me, it was infinitely worse for you. ”
Tears dripped down her face.
“Maya, are you okay?” her brother asked as Matthieu stood and walked in behind her.
He was so close she could feel the warmth from his body. “Maya?”
“I’m all right,” she said hastily. “I just never realized that you . . . that you cared about me that much.”
Marlin started to swear. “That was my fault. I’ve fucked things up with you, Maya. When I came back to Billings a few months ago, I wasn’t sure that you’d want anything to do with me. I picked up the phone several times to call you, then chickened out. I’m sorry.”
“It . . . it’s all right,” she told him. “Thanks for t-telling me that.”
“You’re sure you’re all right?” Marlin asked, glancing from her to Matthieu.
“I’ll take care of her,” Matthieu told him.
There was a beat of silence. “Is there anything I should know about the two of you?”
“Like what?” Matthieu asked calmly.
“Not sure I’ve yet earned the right to do the protective big brother thing. But you should be careful with my little sister.”
Huh? What was he talking about? What did he mean, be careful?
“Matthieu is always careful with me. He’d never hurt me,” she said.
“Maybe not physically,” her brother said. “But things can happen when two people are with each other every moment of every day.”
“Not in any way. Matthieu is the best man I know.” And she was tired of people saying bad things about him in front of her.
“Yeah? Good to know. Let’s hope that Matthieu lives up to your belief in him.
I know I haven’t been around these last few years, but I’m back now.
I’m here for you. I’m going to try to make up for the past. I’ve got one thing to do and then my time will be freed up.
And we’ll start talking about why you live in such a terrible neighborhood. ”
Maya’s temper stirred. “There’s nothing wrong with where I live.”
“There is nothing right about where you live. This isn’t happening anymore.” Marlin glanced around her small house. “We’re finding you somewhere better.”
“I’m not a kid, you know.”
“I’ll always be your big brother. It’s my prerogative to boss you around.”
“Why have you never checked in on her?” Matthieu asked.
“He’s been living in Chicago,” she said.
“But I should have kept in touch,” Marlin said. “I left this town, swearing never to come back. But it wasn’t the right thing to do. And it wasn’t right to leave you, Maya.”
“You’re back now.”
“I am.” Marlin turned his gaze back to Matthieu. “I’ve done some research into you and Ink. Even though Reeves seems to think he’s a decent guy, I’ve since discovered that he’s a member of an MC club with criminal ties.”
“Criminal ties?” she asked.
“The Iron Shadows are known to have ties to Drew Markovich,” Marlin said. “He is a known criminal kingpin.”
A kingpin?
What the heck did that mean?
“Is that so?” Matthieu drawled. “You know not all MC clubs are criminals, right? Some of them just like to ride their bikes and have a beer together.”
“So you’re saying they’ve never been involved in anything criminal? Because it certainly seems like they end up in a lot of dicey situations. And what about their ties to Damon Steele?”
“Who?” Matthieu asked.
“He’s known to have his hand in most criminal elements of the city. I bet he’s not happy about the influx of new players on the scene. Quillon Lochlin is his brother-in-law. Or was.”
“You cannot judge a person by the actions of another,” Matthieu said. “And I’m not sure what the point is of telling me this. I don’t even belong to the club.”
“No? They’re not trying to recruit you?”
“I don’t even live here,” Matthieu replied, without actually answering the question. “And unless you have something concrete to accuse Ink or the club of doing, I would warn you to be careful.”
Her brother glared at Matthieu. This wasn’t good. She didn’t want them to argue.
“Marlin, Matthieu has been taking care of me these last few weeks. I’ve gotten to know him well and he’s a good man. He doesn’t have anything to do with these criminals.”
Her brother grunted. “I hope not. I better go. Just wanted to check in.” He glanced around the house. “We’re still going to have a conversation about where you’re living once this shit is all over.”
“Great, I look forward to that.”
Her brother grinned as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. Then he left and Matthieu guided her to the table.
“You all right, Maya?”
“Just . . . processing.” It would take her a while to think everything through. “Does Ink have ties to criminals?”
“Some of the guys in the MC he belongs to do. But that doesn’t mean that they’re bad people. You don’t know who Quillon Lochlin is?”
No? Why would she? She shook her head.
“It’s Spike. Millie’s Spike. He was married before Millie to Damon Steele’s sister. She died.”
“Oh no. That’s so sad.” But Millie wouldn’t be mixed up in anything bad.
“How do you feel about Marlin finally stepping up and being a decent brother?” he asked. He might have been deliberately changing the topic, but she let him.
She wanted to defend Marlin, but there had been times when she’d been so angry at him. When she’d felt abandoned by him. And it was kind of hard to believe in his words.
“I want to believe in him, but it’s hard.”
“Because you’ve been let down by him in the past. Him and the rest of your family.”
Yeah. Exactly.
“I’ve never found it easy to make friends. To trust in people.”
“I understand that with your past. But Livvy and Millie are good people. So are their men.”
“When Mom got ill, I drifted away from my friends at school and they didn’t try hard to keep our relationships intact.
Not that I can blame them. I was the kid whose mom had cancer.
No one knew what to say to me. I was still recovering from her loss when Kathryn came along.
By then, Marlin was in the police academy and had moved out.
And Maisy was in her last year of school.
She left soon after Kathryn moved in. She went traveling instead of going to college like Dad wanted.
They had this huge fight and she took off.
I cried all night. She called me a lot, but I could hear how much happier she was.
I became . . . defensive and angry. Moody and I pushed everyone away. ”
“And now you’re learning that not everyone will let you down.”
“I’m trying to believe that. I tried to push Livvy away but she seemed to think our lives were entwined since I helped her. And then she brought Millie in. I don’t think . . . well, I don’t think I ever had a chance of keeping Millie at a distance.”
She hadn’t intended to make another friend. But Millie had a way of getting what she wanted, while making you think it was what you desired. It was definitely a skill.
“No, I doubt that you did,” he said, sounding amused. “Millie is definitely a force of nature.”
“Do you know her well? Her man? Spike?”
“Not well, no. But I’ve met them both a few times. Same with Livvy and Sav. I know Ink and Betsy the best. They’re good people. All of the members of the Iron Shadows are. The men love their women, they protect them. Everyone takes care of each other.”
It sounded nice. Like a family.
The sort of family she’d want to belong to.
“Don’t push Livvy and Millie away because you’re scared. Although, I think you’ll find that they won’t be pushed away easily, anyway.”
Yeah, she thought he was right.