Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Julie
Groaning, I sink into the couch and curl my legs underneath me. I bring a cup of tea up to my lips and take a sip, the taste instantly soothing me. Tabby jumps into my lap, rubbing her head against me. I pet her head.
“Did you miss your mommy?” I ask her.
She purrs, which I take as a yes.
As thankful as I am to be home and in my own space, I miss Yak. He’s wormed his way under my skin. I never thought I would be one of those women who constantly wanted to be around a man, but here I am. Wondering what he’s doing and who he’s with. If he’s safe.
My phone buzzes on the end table, and I pick it up.
Liz
Are you still ignoring me? Don’t think I haven’t checked your location. I know your home.
Me
If you know I’m home, then why aren’t you here already?
Liz
Be there in five.
I shake my head and laugh softly. The girl lives a solid fifteen minutes away. Either she was texting and driving or she’s about to speed.
Six minutes later, Liz lets herself in, using the key I gave her when I moved in.
“I thought you said you were going to be here in five. It took you six,” I tease as she shuts the door behind her.
“Yeah, well, there was someone else at the stop sign down the street, then a kid’s ball rolled into the road. I figured I should stop so that way Daddy wouldn’t have to arrest me,” she quips, falling onto the couch next to me, scratching Tabby’s head.
She’s got her hair up in a messy bun and a matching workout set on.
“Did you just get done with your workout?” I ask.
Liz rolls her eyes. “Please, we both know the only workout I get is the naked kind.”
“How are you?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Good. Tired. I was worried about you. You know I don’t like it when you go quiet.”
I take a deep breath as she places the blanket from the back of the couch over her legs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
I take a deep breath and contemplate how much to tell her. It’s not that I don’t trust her, I just don’t want to worry her. Especially where for the first time ever, roles are reversed.
“Girl, I need you to spill. Start with the sex.” She winks.
“The sex is fantastic. Like hands down the best I’ve ever had. I didn’t know it could feel like that.”
Her eyes widen. “Wait, you’ve actually had sex with him? Already?”
“It’s different with him.” I shrug.
“So it’s serious?”
Serious enough that he’s claimed me.
I want to tell her, I really do, but I keep it to myself. Because for the first time in my life, I want to sit on something and see what happens.
“Yes. I know I shouldn’t like him, I really do.
The way we met, the fact that he’s part of a club, all of it is a giant red flag waving in my face, but I don’t care.
I like him. He makes me feel seen, special even.
I mean, come on, Liz. We know what safety feels like because of Dad, but with Yak, it’s next level. ”
She leans back and studies me. “I’m happy for you.
I really am. I want you to have all those things, but at the same time I am worried because of who he is.
Don’t get me wrong, I get the dangerous appeal.
It’s heady. I know Steve would fight for me if anyone looked at me wrong, but at the same time, there is a little bit of fear there.
I can’t help but wonder if I’m in over my head with him at times because of the things he says or the things I see.
If I feel that way, I can’t imagine how you feel with Yak’s club. ”
“I’ve met a couple of his brothers. I like some of them for sure,” I say, thinking of Sap, Poutine, and Yooper.
“But there are some who I wouldn’t want to be alone with,” I say, thinking of Aragon.
“I don’t think that’s just because of the club, though.
I mean, they could be accountants, and I still wouldn’t like them. ”
Before she can say anything, there’s a hard knock on my door, making me frown.
“I take it you aren’t expecting anyone,” she says quietly.
“No.” I set down my cup and stand.
Tabby jumps off my lap, giving me a look that says she is not impressed by my disturbance of her sleep.
Before I can take the few steps to the door, the person knocks again. Harder this time.
As I put my hand on the handle, I look over at Liz and see she’s got her phone pulled out, ready to call for help. Taking a deep breath, I open the door and frown when I see Ray on the other side.
“What are you doing here, Ray?” I ask my dad’s second-in-command.
He pushes his way into my house.
“Who’s here?” he demands.
“What the fuck? Just me, asshole,” Liz snaps.
Liz and Ray have never gotten along. Dad says they are like oil and water, but I think it’s deeper than that. I’ve seen Liz not get along with people in the past, but this is different. Something about him sets her on edge, and she can’t explain it.
“Tell me, Julie, who else is here?” he demands as he starts to look around the house.
“No one. It’s just us, and I don’t appreciate you barging in like you own the place. I’d appreciate it if you stopped searching the place like you have a warrant,” I tell him coolly.
He runs his hand through his hair as he turns toward me. “Look, I’m sorry. I was just worried. It took you a long time to answer,” he says.
I shake my head. “It took me less than a minute. You were just being impatient.”
“Now explain why you’re here and why you pushed your way inside,” Liz snaps.
“I’ve seen a strange truck here recently, and I thought it was time I asked you about it,” he confesses.
My heart sinks to my stomach but before I can come up with a reply, Liz steps in.
Liz scoffs. “Seriously? You thought you could push your way in here and demand answers on something that is legitimately not your business? Who Julie has over and who she spends time with is not up for question from you or the PD.”
His jaw clenches. “I’ll tell your dad that you have a man hanging around.”
“Do it, and then he can reprimand you for the gross overstep. You know what, if you don’t, I will because this has gone too far,” Liz says.
“You should leave,” I tell him quietly.
“This isn’t over,” he says as he walks to the door.
“You’re right, it’s not, and trust and believe Dad is going to hear about it,” Liz yells as he shuts the door behind him.
I walk over and flip the lock so he can’t let himself back in.
“What was that?” I ask, shaking my head.
“I told you I didn’t like that guy. I’m going to call Dad and tell him about that. It was wrong on so many levels,” she rants.
“Liz, don’t.”
She pauses, her finger hovering over the dial button. “What do you mean don’t? Dad needs to know about this.”
“He will, just not right now. I’m not ready to explain Yak to him. I just need a little more time,” I confess.
Her shoulders drop as she sighs. “I don’t like this.”
I don’t either, but I don’t tell her that.
“Trust me. I’ll take care of it,” I tell her.
What I don’t say out loud is the one who will handle it will be Yak.
I eye the camera in the corner of my living room.
In fact, I bet he’s already on it.
Yak
Parking the truck, I wait for a couple of cars to pass by. Once they pass, I get out and look around. When I see the coast is clear, I slip into the woods. After walking for a few minutes, I pull out the burner phone I just bought and call the only number saved.
“Yeah?” the man on the other end answers.
“Hey, is this Swift?”
“It is.”
“Hey, man, my name is Yak. I’m with the Oakheart chapter.”
Swift chuckles. “I know who you are. Now tell me what kind of favor Yooper’s little brother needs. It must be good if you’re calling.”
“Something like that,” I mutter, shaking my head.
“Well, are you gonna spit it out, or are you going to make me ask?” Swift asks.
I take a deep breath. “Things with the club here aren’t great right now. There are some things going on, and we don’t know who to trust. We need an outsider’s help. Someone we know who isn’t playing sides.”
“Well, fuck me sideways. I didn’t see this coming,” he huffs into the phone.
“Neither did I,” I say without thinking about it.
“You need me to clear members?” he asks quietly.
“If you can. That, and I have a few other names that need looked into.”
“Consider it done. Yooper’s a good one and doesn’t deserve this type of shit. I’ll send a link to the burner phone you’re using, and you can send over the names of who you want me to look into. It’s secure. No one can hack it,” he promises.
I raise my brow and look around. “How do you know I’m using a burner?”
Swift laughs. “Brother, you think I don’t track all unknown numbers? You’ll hear from me soon.”
He hangs up before I can say anything, and I shake my head. Yooper warned me Swift was legit, but for some reason I didn’t think he would be as good as Meek. Because trust and believe me, that’s some Meek type shit right there.
Thinking of Meek makes me think of Wolf, and I can’t help but wonder how my best friend is doing. Almost as if he knows I’m thinking about him, my phone rings, his caller ID flashing across the screen.
“You miss me?” I tease.
“My ears were burning, and Aspen is in the bathroom, so I figured it was you who was thinking of me,” he deadpans, making me laugh.
“I’m always thinking about you,” I quip.
I can hear his eye roll and smile.
“What are you doing? Everything okay?” he asks.
“Everything’s fine,” I lie.
Wolf sighs. “You’re lying.”
“I can’t talk about it. There’s a difference. You know that,” I tell him quietly.
Wolf is silent for a moment. “I hate that you are up there all alone doing lone wolf bullshit. I wish you would just tell us what was going on so we could help you.”
“Yeah, well, it doesn’t work that way. You know that. Besides, I’m not alone. I have my brother.”
“A brother you didn’t talk to for years,” he mutters. “It’s suspect that he reached out to you now.”
“Family is family. Anything there I need to know about? Am I going to be a godfather yet?”
“Don’t you dare put that on me, Yak!” Aspen shouts from the background.
“Do you have me on speaker?” I laugh.
“No, she leaned over to kiss my cheek and heard you ask. But for the record, no babies. For anyone that we know of,” he says.
“Damn. You guys are all shacked up, and no one is reproducing yet? You guys must be doing something wrong.”
“I’ll be sure to pass the message along.”
“Be sure you do.”
“Why did I call you again?” he sighs.
“Because I’m the bestest friend you’ve ever had, and you miss the fuck out of me. You wish I was there to hold your hand.”
“I fucking hate you,” he mutters.
“Lies. All lies.”
“Well, as riveting as this conversation is, I’m going to let you go. Keep me updated. My phone’s on if you need anything.”
“All right brother. Take care.”
Shaking my head, I hang up. I miss the fuck out of the guys in Colorado, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore.
Home is here. With Julie. With Yooper. The only thing missing are my sisters. As soon as the thought enters my brain, I push it away. I don’t want the girls anywhere near this disaster. Not right now at least, but maybe someday when shit has settled and is taken care of, they can come visit.
It’s been too long since I’ve seen them and even longer for Yooper. I bet he would go ape shit over how grown they are.
My phone pings again.
“Jesus, I’m fucking popular,” I mutter as I lift it.
When I see the notification that someone is at Julie’s, my heart rate kicks up.
Taking a few steps, I lean against a tree and watch as a police officer, someone who’s not her dad, gets out of his car. He walks toward her door like he’s on a mission, making me frown.
“What the fuck?” I hiss as he pushes his way inside.
Turning up the volume, I listen to his entire speech and watch him look around the place. I smile when he doesn’t notice the cameras, but my smile drops when he mentions seeing a truck there often.
What. In. The. Hell.
He’s watching my girl. The thought hits me like a freight train and pisses me off.
Who the fuck is this guy, and why does he think he has any say in my girl’s life?
It’s then I realize why the fucker looks familiar. He was there the first night I snuck around Julie’s place. He’s the cop who chased me.
Like a good friend, Liz calls him out and unknowingly lets me know exactly who he is.
Ray Overstreet. Second-in-command to Chief Corday.
Interesting.
I watch as he leaves in a tizzy. Then Liz and Julie start to argue over if they should call the Chief or not.
Julie looks right at the camera. “Trust me, I’ll take care of it.”
She says she will take care of it, but we both know the truth.
Overstreet just stepped into my web and has become my problem now. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I head to my truck.
I have some questions, and my girl is not going to like them.