"Alba has only been home once since starting college. I'm not used to being away from her for so long. I miss her."
"I understand. The bright side is Christmas is right around the corner. Surely she'll come home then," I smile.
"You're right. Christmas is mine and Alba's favorite time of year. No way will she miss out on coming home."
I stand from the table, "since you're already heading that way do you think you can give me a ride to Kings Construction? Gabriel's first client is not until noon, and I don't want to wake him up for a ride. He and some of the guys didn't get home until after two this morning."
"Sure. No problem."
On the drive to Kings Construction, the phone in my purse dings with an incoming text. A smile instantly takes over my face because I know who it is…Lex. We've been exchanging texts back and forth the past couple of weeks now. He was the first to reach out. I was a little shocked that he did. I mean I'm sure I'm just another case to him. But a little part of me hopes I'm more. The hard part has been keeping my semi-friendship with Lex a secret from Gabriel. It doesn't take a genius to see the club and the authorities don't mix.
This is also the first time I've ever kept something from my brother. If Gabriel knew I was talking with Lex, he might insist I stop. He would look at my involvement with him as a betrayal. I know I'm playing a dangerous game when it comes to juggling a friendship with Lex while being a part of The Kings family. With that thought in mind, I tap the screen on my phone and open the text.
Lex: Morning, beautiful.
Me: Good Morning.
Lex: How's your morning. Isn't today your first day of work?
Me: Yes. On my way now.
Lex: Have a good day. I'll check on you later.
Me: Okay. Have a good day. Bye.
Lex: Bye, beautiful.
9
Lex
"Coming to the club tonight?" Kai asks the moment we step out of the elevator into the parking garage at work. It's Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Usually, I join Kai at Rumors at the end of a work week to throw a few drinks back but tonight I'm not sure I'm feeling it. Honestly, all I find myself wanting to do is go home and call Leyna to tell her about my day and hear about hers. "I don't know, man; I'm burnt out this week." I pull my car keys from my pocket.
Kai nods, "Alright, well, if you change your mind you know where to find me," Kai climbs in his Truck. "I'll see you tomorrow." Backing out of his parking spot, he exits the garage. I've known Kai for a while now, and over that time he's gotten to know my family. My mom has decided he's a part of it, so he'll be joining us tomorrow for Thanksgiving.
Once I've made it to my building, I decide what I need is some fresh air. After placing a to-go order for some chowder from one of my favorite restaurants, I make the trek to Pikes Place. It's been raining for a week now, but it has finally stopped.
"Hi, Lex," Candice greets with a smile from behind the counter as I step inside. I eat here at least twice a week and know the staff by name. "What can I get for you today?"
"A large chowder." I retrieve my wallet from my pocket.
"For here?" she asks.
"To go this time. I called it in a few minutes ago."
"$15.45," she tells me then calls the order to the cook behind her.
I swipe my card through the reader and pay for my meal. Everything in Seattle is pricey, but you can't beat the quality or freshness of the seafood around here. After Candice hands me my order, I head back out into the cold and weave through the sea of people, carrying my food the few blocks back to my apartment.
As I enter the kitchen, I place my keys on the countertop along with the container of food and shuck my coat off, dropping it across the back of the chair. Retrieving a beer from the fridge and a spoon from the dishwasher, I grab my food and take it to the living room. With one person in mind, I pull my phone from my back pocket. Like always I text her first.
Me: Hi.
While I wait, I take the lid off my soup.
Leyna: Hi.
Does she anticipate hearing the phone ping with a text from me as much as I hang on to the silence once I've sent one? I type a reply.
Me: Can I call?
Leyna: Yes.
I don't hesitate. My thumb taps the call icon. Placing the phone to my ear, I wait.
"Hi, Lex." The raspiness in her voice when she says my name travels straight to my cock.
"Hey, beautiful."
"Long day?" she questions.
"I've had worse. Tell me about your day."
She sighs. "The same as yesterday and the day before that. Work, eat, sleep. Nothing exciting to tell." She sounds bummed or maybe even disappointed. I hear water slosh before hearing Leyna softly moan.
I close my eyes. Please don’t tell me she's talking to me from the bathtub. But I have to know. "You in the tub, beautiful?"
I hear the smile in her voice. "Si, Bella, and Alba gave me some bath soap that smells of roses, and a hint of vanilla."
Images of Leyna play through my imagination—the fullness of her tits, her taut nipples peeking from the surface of the bubbles—.
"Lex, you still there?"
Shit. Concentrate on something else.
"Still here," I answer.
She sighs for a second time. "I feel so stuck, Lex. Not that I'm not grateful because I am. Mi hermano and the club have been so good to me. It's just—." Leyna becomes quiet for a moment before she continues. "I want more. I feel so out of place."
I hate that she's feeling uneasy with her situation. We've gotten to know a little about each other over the past few weeks, and Leyna seems to be a strong independent woman. "What is it you want, Leyna?" I'm curious to know the answer.
"I'm not quite sure myself. I miss teaching, that's what I did in Cuba. I was good at it, but without an education I can't do what I love."
I don't know what to tell her. I know the feeling all too well when it comes to needing more out of life and wanting to do what you love, but how do I go about making all those things happen for her? One way or another I'll find a way to give her anything her heart desires. Wanting to get her mind off her worries and my mind off wanting her I change the subject. "Tell me about Cuba. The sights. The sounds. Everything."
"Oh, Lex, Cuba is beautiful. My country is rich with color, culture, food, and music."
I listen to her talk about her homeland, the places and people she has seen in her life. All I've ever heard about are the negatives of Cuba, but to hear Leyna go on about its people and beauty shine another light on her home country. And it only makes me want to know more about her and her passions in life.
* * *
Family, food, and football. That's what Thanksgiving means for the Taylor family. We sit around all day crammed into my parents' house. It's filled with the smells of food cooking and men watching TV before we all gather around the dinner table.
"You dumbass, his knee was down before that ball ever crossed the line," my dad yells leaning toward the TV screen. Hearing the front door open, I look up from the game and see Kai walking in.
"Sorry, it took me so long. Have you noticed it's snowing?" He takes off his jacket and hangs it on the coat rack in the small foyer. I glance out the window.
"Starting to come down good. They said we could get a few inches between now and the weekend, but I wouldn’t worry about it." Getting up from the couch, I lift my chin at Kai. "You want a beer?"
"You know it." Kai follows me into the kitchen. My sisters are gathered around the table chatting amongst themselves until they spot Kai behind me, and magically they all become mute.
"Ladies," Kai grins getting an ego boost from the attention he's gained. Thanks to the perfect mixture of his mother being Peruvian and his father being Native Hawaiian, Kai looks like he could be Keanu Reeves stunt double except with longer hair.
I roll my eyes and head for the refrigerator.
"Smells good," he strides past the table and stops beside my mom, leans over
and smells the meatballs simmering in a large pot on top of the stove. "How's it going. You need a hand in here?"
"Kai, I'm so happy you came." My mom hugs his neck. "You and Lex reach up there and grab my good china from the cabinet and hand them to your sisters," she treats him as part of the family.
Doing what we're told, Kai and I start handing down plates. About that time Nonna comes into the kitchen heading straight for the trays of food mom has spread out on the counter. One by one she dips a spoon into every dish. She does it with every meal my mom prepares. "Ma, don't go putting more salt in those meatballs," my mom fusses. Nonna never listens. Even if it's only two dashes of salt, it's just enough for her to make all the difference in the flavor. It makes me chuckle every time.
Thirty minutes later we are all gathered around the table, and the moment my dad finishes with the blessing we begin scooping food onto our plates. I start thinking about Leyna. She was excited about today because she has never celebrated Thanksgiving before. I find myself wishing all her firsts could be with my family and me. Usually, I don't take my phone out at the dinner table but ignoring my own rule, I pull my cell out and send Leyna a quick text.
Me: Happy Thanksgiving, beautiful.
I grin when she texts back.
Leyna: Happy Thanksgiving, Lex.
"What the hell, man?" Kai whispers beside me, and I notice he's looking down at my phone screen. Shit. I shove it back into the pocket of my jeans.
"What?"
"Leyna? Isn't that the chick from Polson—the biker's sister? I knew there was something about that woman that got under your skin. Have you been talking with her this whole time?" he whispers a little too loudly gaining unwanted attention.
My mother lowers her fork full of mashed potatoes. "A woman has gotten under your skin?"
Here we go. I've become the center of attention.
"April snooping around you again like a dog in heat?" Fran looks at me.
"That woman is up to no good. You need to keep a close eye on her," my mom warns.
"This has nothing to do with my ex." I look across the table at my Nonna hoping she will save the day yet again. She smiles at me, and somehow, I think she knows I'm hiding something.
"Her name is Leyna," I break down and confess.
"Leyna is a beautiful name. Tell us more about this woman who might be stealing my Principino's heart," Nonna continues to eat.
"Didn't mean to poke the hornet's nest. Sorry, man," Kai apologizes.
Deciding to leave the fact that Leyna was a part of the Santino case, I give them just a little information about her. "Leyna lives in Montana but is originally from Cuba. I've been getting to know her via text and phone calls for a few weeks now."
"You meet her on one of those dating sites or something?" my dad adds getting in on the interrogation causing my sisters to snicker at my expense.
"No, I met her while on assignment." I try to be as vague as possible. I get a raised brow from my dad.
"Is she pretty?" my Nonno questions with a mouth full of food.
"The most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on," I tell him honestly.
Nonno shakes his head in disagreement. "How can that be when the most beautiful woman in the world sits at my side," he turns and faces my Nonna, then kisses her cheek.
I want their kind of love—the kind that overcomes all odds because it's strong—the kind that stands the test of time.
"How long has she been living in the states?" Vi asks.
"About as long as I've known her."
"How is she adjusting?" Vi poses another question that gets me thinking about Leyna and our conversation last night.
"She's adjusted well, but misses teaching, which is what she did before coming to the US."
"You know, Deborah can help her if she's looking to teach again. I mean, she'll have to go back to school, but there are all kinds of grants she should be able to qualify for," my mom offers. Mom's friend Deborah is the dean over at Seattle University and I don't doubt she could help Leyna. I'm suddenly stricken with the reality I could somehow convince Leyna into moving to Seattle.
For the rest of our dinner the subject of Leyna and me is dropped. Oddly enough I'm okay with my family knowing a little more than I wanted them to about Leyna. When we are fully stuffed, everyone finds their way to the living room. Striding across the room, I look out the window. The snow is much heavier than it was hours ago, and the sun has set.
"Why don't you guys stay here tonight instead of driving in this mess. Lex, you and Kai can take your old room, Fran and the kids can take the basement room. Vi, you and Ari can bunk with your sister in her room for the night," my mom sips on her wine as she sits perched on the arm of dad's recliner with his hand resting on her hip. My siblings and I look at each other. It's been a long time since we've all slept under the same roof.
"We can always dig the Christmas tree and decorations out of the attic." Lily looks around the room hopeful we all agree to the sleepover.
"Kai, what do you say? Help me get the boxes from the attic?" I ask him and smile at my baby sister.
"I'm game."
With that being said, us men move into action bringing in the boxes. Taking a moment, I make my way upstairs to my old bedroom. Everything about the space is the same. All my football trophies line the shelves hanging on the wall and my high school and Police academy graduating certificates displayed in frames next to one another. Before it gets too late, I need to hear Leyna's voice. I pull my phone from my pocket and pull up the picture of her smiling face. She sent it to me a week ago. Knowing she is in her room at this time of night I tap her name and call her.
"Hi."
"Hey, beautiful. How was your first Thanksgiving?"
"It was a good day," Leyna sounds happy. "Did you enjoy time with your family?"
"I did. I told them about you," I confess hoping she doesn't mind.
"You did?" she sounds shocked and becomes quiet.
"Babe, you still with me?"
"I feel bad, Lex. I just—I haven't been able to tell anyone I've been talking to you."
I want to tell her to tell them to go fuck themselves. I don't give two shits what her brother or the rest of them think. But I don't. I rein my thoughts in and remind myself there is nothing more between us right now but a friendship. "I understand," I say trying to make myself believe my own words. I want to tell Leyna how I'm starting to feel about her but always stop short of confessing.
"Lex?"
I decide to change the subject. "If you're still interested in school and getting back into teaching, I have the name of someone who can help you." She doesn't answer me right away, so I quickly add, "I'll text you her information. Think about it and when you're ready give her a call."
"Thank you."
I look at the digital clock sitting on the bedside table. "It's getting late. I'll call you tomorrow, okay."
"Okay."
"Goodnight, beautiful."
"Goodnight, Lex."
10
Leyna
Months have passed. Christmas and New Year's has come and gone. With each day bleeding into the next, I become more and more restless. I feel like my friendship with Lex is the only thing keeping me sane. Only the guilt of keeping him a secret is eating at me. I've decided it's time to come clean because I have another secret. After months of pondering the idea, I've decided to go to college. I've decided to go after what I want. Looking down at the piece of paper in my hand; the number of a woman Lex said would help me, I pick up my phone, punch in the number and press send. The phone rings three times before a female voice answers. "Hello."
"May I speak with Deborah Harris, please?"
"This is she."
"My name is Leyna Martinez. I got your number from Lex Taylor."
"Of course, Leyna. I've been expecting your call. May I call you Leyna?"
"Yes, Mrs. Harris, Leyna is fine."
"Great, and please call me Deborah."
Already fe
eling more at ease with how lovely Deborah is being, I continue. "I apologize it's taken me so long to reach out. I just needed some time to think about taking such a big step."
"I understand, Leyna. Moving away from home and going to school is a pretty big step. Would you like to hear how I can help you?"
"Yes. I'm ready." Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and listen as Deborah explains how she is the dean at Seattle University. She also informed me that after her phone conversation with Lex back in November she immediately started pulling strings for me to obtain a grant. Deborah is going to email me the proper forms to fill out but said I should have no problems moving forward.
"Would you like for me to give you a list of apartments in the area?" Deborah asks. "I know of a building that several students live in. The rent is pretty reasonable, and I think you'd like it."
"Yes. Thank you. I want to go ahead and find something. My plan is to get settled and find employment a few months before my first semester."
"I want to warn you, your classes will be eating up all your time during the day. If you plan on working, it will likely be during the evening hours," she mentions.
"I understand. I'm willing to work hard. I want to do this," I say with certainty.
"I have no doubt you can, Leyna. You sound like a strong, determined young woman. If you need anything at all, you can call me. I'm going to email you that paperwork now along with the information on some apartments."
"Thank you, Deborah. I appreciate all you've done."
"It was my pleasure, Leyna. I look forward to meeting you and showing you around campus once you get to Seattle."
"I look forward to that too."
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