Chapter 19 #3
“You can’t do this?” I snap out. “What are you thinking? How do you have that money?”
“Drew, we’ll talk about it when I get back.” Pushing a panel on the bike, he glances towards the gate, I guess to make sure she isn’t coming, before handing me the gun he pulls out. “Just in case.”
Nodding my head, I slip it into my purse as he looks at me, smiling. “What?” I ask.
“There is one good thing about being blackmailed.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t give a shit that she can see us when I do this.” He whispers as he pulls me closer to him, his hand coming down and gripping my chin, and he passionately kisses me. “I told you, I’d do way worse for the woman I love.” He whispers as he pulls back.
“I love you, too.” I can’t stop the grin as I look back up at him.
Terri’s at our side as we whisper back and forth, and I step back. Eli looks over at her, holding out his hand, waiting for her keys before he pushes his head back into the helmet and drives out, pausing only at the end of the drive to make sure the gate closes.
“Well, wasn’t that cute?”
Cutting my eyes at her, I turn without saying a word and walk back into the house.
“This place is really nice.” She tells me as she looks around.
I refuse to speak to her as I walk back to the bedroom and changing out of my dress and into something a bit more comfortable and a bit more concealing for the gun Eli handed me.
Could I shoot my own grandmother?
I’d have to actually think of her as a grandmother to even be able to answer that question unbiasedly.
Walking back into the living room, I see her sitting on the couch, and I roll my eyes.
“You know, you’re a lot like your mother.”
“Good,” I mumble.
“Good?” she laughs. “Your mother —”
“I’d be careful what I say next…”
Shaking her head, she just turns back to staring at the wall. “Did she ever tell you she punched me in the face?”
“She did.” I nod. “She also told me how when Dad almost died, you didn’t even bother to show up.”
She’s silent, and I’m sure she’s trying to figure out a way to twist the story to make my parents look bad.
“Khan had to call me.” She admits. “I was his next of kin; they should have called me.”
“Technically.”
“What?”
“Technically you were, but you hadn’t seen him in how long before that?”
She remains silent again, and I can sense what she’s doing. It’s what she’s always done when she finally sees us after years. “It’s a shame, really…” she trails off, and I glance over at her, looking through the pass-through between the kitchen and the living room.
“What is?” She fucking gets me this time, assuming, like everyone else in my family, that my curiosity will best me.
“That your mother would choose to leave you like that, at such an impressionable age.”
“Fuck you.” I snap out at first before realizing it, and being able to rethink anything I’m saying. “That’s rich judging her while you pawned off your fucking kids on anyone within a mile vicinity.”
* * *
I remain in the kitchen, glaring at her as she watches TV. Hating her more for ruining the incredible time we were having this week. Every time she laughs at the show my blood boils.
“How’s law school going?”
I only glare at her in response, refusing to speak to her again until Eli gets back. She’s just going to do what she always does and get a fucking rise out of me. That’s why she brought up law school, just to prove how she watches me.
The revving of the bike’s engine the only thing bringing me peace.
The door opens, and Eli throws a bag on the couch next to her. “Now, get the fuck out.” He stares at her the entire time she opens the bag as if she’s about to count it all.
Eli clears his throat. Looking down at her again.
She grins at me before heading toward the door. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“Oh, Terri, one more thing.” Eli pauses, causing her to stop as her hand reaches for the handle. “He left school so she wouldn’t end up with you.”
The door slams, rattling the walls.
“I am so sorry.” I whisper as Eli turns around, looks at me, and smiles.
“It’s fine, baby.” He walks over to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in.
“How can you say it’s fine? My grandmother just blackmailed us.”
“Yeah,” he laughs and nods his head as he steps back and walks toward the fridge. “And the longer we decide to keep this a secret, the more people will.” I can sense the humor in his voice.
“What?” I ask as I follow behind him. “Are you… are you saying you want to tell people? Tell…” surely I’m misunderstanding this.
“I have nothing worked out yet, but I feel like if the universe is ever trying to give us a sign... it’s right now.”
“Then why give her any money?”
“Cause it has to be on our terms. We need to control the narrative.”
“Especially when the club finds out.” I add.
“Yeah.” He agree.
Squealing, I lunge across the room, tackling him to the bed. Straddling his hips, I kiss him forcefully at first before pulling back. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Do what?” He laughs, leaning up on his elbows and staring right back at me. “Piss off an outlaw MC? Hell, no. Be able to walk in public with the woman I love? Not a fucking doubt.”