by Barb Shuler
“Come to my place?” I jumped and turned to look up at Max.
“Why, Mr. Callahan, are you trying to seduce me into your bed, again?”
“Always,” he said, leaning in to kiss me softly.
“Hmm, well I have to get this little fella some food, and a bath-”
“We can do that at my place. Please, baby. I missed you in my arms last night.” His voice drifted over me and I groaned as I leaned into his warm body.
“You don’t fight fair.” I whined.
“Nope, not when it comes to you.”
“Fine,” I said, giving in. I looked down at the pup in the backseat. “Well, Bruiser, let’s go to Daddy’s.”
Max chuckled and swatted my ass before pulling back to open my door.
“I’ll follow you. I have some raw chuck he can chow down on, that should work for tonight. We can get dog food tomorrow. Drive safe.”
“Always,” I said, kissing his lips before I got in the car and he shut the door. I locked us in and started my car. I waited until he was in his Jeep before I pulled out of the space and headed for the road.
I yelped in surprise when something pounced on top of me. A cold, wet nose shoved its way into my face and I sat up, laughing at the growly bark that came from Bruiser. I rubbed my face to wipe the sleep away then leaned over and eyed him. There had been a big change in him over the last week. He was eating, drinking, and when we were at Max’s, he loved the sand and water.
I stretched and scooped him up, kissing his snout.
“You need to go potty?” I yawned and tossed my covers back before pushing myself from the bed. I carried Bruiser to the back patio of my condo and sat him on on the fake grass mats that had a potty pad on top of it. He sniffed a few times then squatted down to do his business. I shivered as a light breeze blew over us. The sun was just cresting, which threw shadows and sparks of light across the backyard. I smiled down at Bruiser when he let out his infamous growly bark again.
“I hear ya. How about some breakfast?” I opened the back door and moved to get him a small piece of a treat, his reward for going potty outside. He took it and I moved to the sink to wash my hands.
After getting his bowl of puppy chow on the floor I went about getting my own breakfast ready. I glanced at the clock and nodded. I had four hours until I was needed at the Magnolia to help Jenn with the setup for a private party we had scheduled this afternoon. I had just sat down at the table to eat my egg, cheese and spinach omelette when the doorbell chimed. I grinned. Maybe Max had come over after his shift. The bell rang again and I hurried to open the door.
My eyes widened when they landed on the man in front of me.
“Go away!” I snarled just as his hand reached for the door. I shoved it back, slamming his fingers in the door.
“You stupid bitch!” His loud voice and large frame filled my small porch as he shoved his weight into the door. I jerked back so I wouldn’t get hit with the door. I went ass over teakettle, slipping on the rug and falling backwards. I felt a pop, and then pain shot up my leg. My ankle felt like someone was stabbing it with a hot poker. For fuck’s sake!
I screamed at him in frustration. He needed to leave. Now! “Get out of my house!”
I heard the scraping of nails on the hardwood floors and Bruiser’s loud barking. I grabbed Bruiser’s collar with my free hand, not wanting the asshole to kick him. I’d gut him like a fish if he tried. There were voices coming from outside and when I looked up again, my neighbor, Mrs. Adams was there, a scowl marring her wrinkled face.
“I’ve called the police. I suggest you leave!” The old woman gave him a look that made Eric turn and leave in a hurry. I let out a frustrated sigh. Bruiser was still barking and growling, but I held onto him.
“Bruiser, leave it!” I gave the command and after a moment he turned those big puppy dog eyes on me. He leapt onto me and covered me in doggy kisses. I wrapped my arms around him and tried to calm myself.
“Kennedy, sweetheart, are you okay?”
“Mrs. Adams, thank you. I’m okay. I tripped over the stupid rug.”
“I didn’t call the police, I just said that. Do I need to?” She sounded worried. I looked up at her and shook my head.
“No, ma’am. Really, I’m fine. It was nothing.” I hadn’t moved from where I sat on the floor with my dog. I knew there was no way in hell I was moving right now. Not on my own at least.
“If you’re sure, dear, I’ll be going. If you need anything you just call me, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am, thank you. If you would, shut the door for me.”
“Of course, dear.”
Once I was alone again I laid back and closed my eyes. I wiggled to pull my cell from the coffee table where it lay charging. I got it in my hand and hit Jenn’s number.
“What’s up, Kenn?” I could hear noise behind her and shook my head.
“The sky.” This was my standard response to her.
“Ha. Smart ass. What’s up?”
“I need you to come over. There was- I need help off the floor.”
“Why are you on the floor? What happened?” Her voice took on that pitch I knew well. I shook my head. “Kennedy Elise, you answer me right now, or so help me.”
“Jenn-”
“NO, you tell me or I’ll-”
“I tripped. Eric was at the door and I moved wrong-”
“He what? I’m gonna cut that mofo.”
“Can you-” I was cut off by the sound of a slamming door.
“Max and Hunter are coming with-”
“NO! Jesus. Jenn, don’t tell him. Please. He’ll lose it. I-”
“Kennedy.”
“No, don’t tell him, Jenn. I’m begging you, please. He’s gone, and it’s my own fault that I tripped. Honest. He didn’t do this to me. I fell. My fault. My ankle is on fire.”
“I won’t tell him. God help me, I won’t. But they are coming with me. Deal with it.”
“Jenn!”
Ugh. The bitch hung up on me. I snorted and laid back on the floor, heaving another loud, frustrated sigh. This was gonna be fun.
11
Maximus
I’d been nailing a board in place when I heard Jenn raise her voice inside. Both Hunter and I dropped what we were doing and headed into the house. Her brows were drawn in and she looked absolutely murderous. If there was anything I knew, it was my sister’s, ‘I’m going to kill you’ face.
“They are coming with me. Deal with it.” As soon as the words left her mouth she tapped the screen on her phone and shoved it in her pocket. Without looking up she shouted out orders.
“Get your shit. We have to go to Kenn’s. She decided to have a fight with the rug and lost.”
“What? Is she okay?” I asked, pulling my t-shirt off the back of her couch where I left it and slipped it on.
“How do you have a fight with a rug?” Hunter asked.
Jenn snorted.
“She’s a bit of a klutz, babe. Woman could, and has, tripped over air a few times. Come on now, let’s roll.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Tony. He answered as I climbed into my Jeep.
“Sup, man?”
“Meet us at Kennedy’s. Jenn said she had a tumble and might be hurt.”
“Be there in ten minutes.”
The phone went dead and I tossed it into the seat as I pulled out of the drive behind Jenn and Hunter. My mind raced the entire drive. Kennedy only lived a few miles from Jenn, but it seemed to take an eternity to get there. I parked, jumped out, and was at her door before the others. I tried the handle and it was unlocked. I made my way in and my heart stopped. Kennedy was sprawled out on the floor, her t-shirt pulled up to show her exposed abdomen. Her long legs were clad in a pair of short shorts and she looked miserable.
“Baby, you okay? What happened?” Bruiser whined and licked Kennedy’s face before she pushed him away. Her arm had been over her face when I came in, now I saw why. She was crying.
“I’m
fine.”
“Kennedy! Jesus, woman!” Jenn’s voice filled the room and I gave my sister a look, which in turn got me a scowl and the finger. Brat!
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Help me up. My ankle is on fire. I’m scared to move it.” She sniffled and wiped at her face.
“Jenn, get Bruiser for me. Baby, I’m going to help you sit up once Tony gets here. I want him to-”
“Here. I’m here,” Tony said as he pushed himself through the door.
Bruiser barked and Jenn, being Jenn, snorted while walking away.
“I know, boy, I know. They just barge in and take over everything.” She moved to sit on the couch with him.
“Kennedy, what happened here? Where do you hurt?” Tony asked as his hands moved to check her neck. She didn’t say anything at first. I gave her hand a squeeze.
“I went to back away from the door..my foot got caught on that stupid rug and I went ass over teakettle.”
“Okay, where does it hurt?” Tony’s voice was calm and reassuring as he checked her arms out.
“My right ankle. It feels like someone’s stabbing me with a red-hot poker..”
Tony moved down her legs and I didn’t miss the look he cut my way. I leaned over and kissed Kennedy on the forehead. I knew what was coming next. He’d have to look it over and see if we needed to head to the ER. The yelp of pain she let out when he flexed her ankle made my heart lurch. Kennedy sat up, her head connecting with my chin. I grunted, but moved to wrap both arms around her, pinning her arms down so she didn’t lash out at Tony.
“Deep breaths, baby. In and out. Come on, you can do it. In and out. Work through the pain. It’s almost over.”
“I don’t think anything is broken. That’s the good news. Bad news is, I think you’ve torn a tendon or ligament, maybe both. With the swelling, and the fact that it’s turning colors, it’s bad enough that you need to keep weight off of it.”
He wrapped an Ace bandage around it, moving her foot into the proper angle as he went. He grabbed another and wrapped a little higher and lower on her foot. “You’ll need to ice it as well. Twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off for a few hours, then spread it out to twenty minutes on, and an hour off. It’s a lot of work, but it’ll help.”
“Not possible. I have to work. We have a party this afternoon. Jesus! I have a dog to walk and a life! Walking is a part of all of that. I can’t keep ice on me at all times either. You’re crazy.”
She was rambling. I kissed her jaw and shook my head then stood. I needed to get her settled on the couch. I’d stay with her.
“If Tony says no weight on it, then he means no weight on it, baby. You could injure it more and then you would really be up shit creek. Please listen to him. He knows what he’s talking about.”
“I don’t have time to just sit on my ass. I have a restaurant to help run, and a house to keep up, and many other things I can’t think of right now,” Kennedy snarled, trying to shake me off of her.
Yeah, nice try, beautiful. Not happening.
“Kennedy.”
“No, Jenn, I’m fine.” She tried to push me away again. But, I only let her go when Jenn got up and got in Kennedy’s face.
“Stop being a brat!”
“Back off, Jennifer!”
“Ladies, this is not necessary,” Hunter chimes in. I raised a brow as I watched them. Something wasn’t right here.
“Don’t make me tell him.” The barely there whisper made my gaze go to my sister and then the woman I loved. Something was hinky. Jenn was glaring at Kennedy and they both had tears in their eyes.
“Don’t,” Kennedy begged.
“I- I have to. Look at you.”
“I did this. Legit. I tripped and busted my ass.”
“Because of him.” Jenn’s jaw ticked while she glared at Kennedy.
“Someone wanna tell me what the fuck we’re missing?” I asked. Kennedy gripped Jenn’s hand and the tears started rolling along her cheeks. I could see Hunter shifting on his feet as he also tried to figure out what was going on.
“Tell him, or I will,” Jenn said, again.
“Someone best start talking. Now.”
Kennedy shook her head and moved to hide her face from me. Jenn leaned in and hugged her close, whispering something I couldn’t hear. Kennedy nodded against Jenn and I watched as she pulled back. Her gaze went between me and Hunter then back to me.
“Jenn?” I questioned.
“I need you to promise you won’t freak out on me. Kay?”
“I swear-”
“Bubba, please.” I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was serious, so I squatted down so I could see them both. I was having a hard time getting my anger in check. I took in a deep breath and leveled a look on my sister.
“Tell me now, Jennifer.” Something told me I wasn’t going to like what was said, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t need to hear it. Jenn looked away from me as she spoke.
“He was here.” Those three words sent a spike of anger through me like I hadn’t felt in years. I knew what ‘he’ she meant. I stood, slowly, my hands curling into tight fists. My knuckles cracked from the pressure. I took in a deep breath, and let it out.
“How long has he been gone?” I asked. My voice may have stayed calm, however I was anything but.
“Um- I called-”
“How long, Kennedy?”
“She called me right after he left, asshole. Let her get her words out!”
Jenn barked. I gave her a look, then moved out the door.
“Max!” I ignored Kennedy’s frantic voice. I couldn’t right now. I had phone calls to make. I didn’t want him around her. Ever. I would hunt him down and rip him apart with my bare hands. I pulled my phone out and hit Rooster’s number.
“Sup, boss?”
“Get to Kennedy’s. Bring the team.”
I didn’t give him time to answer before I hung up. I went outside and paced the lawn in front of her condo. My mind raced with what could have happened. She could have been hurt, or abducted. Fuck! I was going to find a way to get this guy, if it was the last thing I did.
“Max, get in here!” Hunter’s booming voice brought my head up and I was moving before I knew it. When I came inside Kennedy was shaking so hard Jenn was shaking. She was gasping for air. Her lips were turning blue and her eyes were rolling into the back of her head.
“What the fuck is happening?”
“Panic attack,” Jenn ground out.
“Kennedy, baby, you gotta calm down.” I moved to the floor beside her. I put my arms around her and pulled her into my lap. Tony had an oxygen mask on her a second later.
“Kennedy, I need you to take a few deep breaths. Max is fine. You are fine. I need you to let the oxygen in. Can you do that for me, darling girl?” Tony’s voice stayed calm, but the look in his eyes probably matched mine.
“Come on, Kenn, relax, chick.” Jenn was crying against Hunter’s chest now. Bruiser was whining and I was seconds away from losing it. Tony pulled a syringe from his bag, and within a minute’s time he shifted her, pulled her shorts down slightly, cleaned a spot with an alcohol wipe and had injected the clear liquid in the syringe into her ass.
“What was that?” I asked, pulling her closer to me.
“Lorazepam,” Tony replied as he put the small vial back in the bag. I nodded and within a few minutes Kennedy was calming and her breathing was evening out. I placed a kiss to her forehead.
A hard knock came at the door. Rooster stood there, with Kelly and Preston behind him.
“Come in and shut the door.” I shifted and stood with my girl in my arms. “Let me lay her down, then we’ll talk.” Tony nodded and sat the small canister of oxygen on her abdomen. “Jenn, come sit with her, please.”
“Yeah,” she said as she followed us into the bedroom. Bruiser was right behind us. I laid Kennedy on the bed and scooped Bruiser up.
“Okay, boy, you take care of the girls. I’ll be back.” I sat Bruiser down and he moved to lay
in front of Kennedy and nuzzle into her. Jenn sat beside her and sighed as she looked down at her best friend.
“Here. Jenn, in twenty minutes I want you to take this off and then put it back on-”
“Twenty minutes. I know I got it.” She took the ice pack and laid it over Kennedy’s ankle and foot. She looked at her watch and nodded.
I gave Kennedy a kiss to her cheek and turned to walk out of the room. I had things to do.
“Alright, what’s the word,” Rooster asked.
“We keep this mofo away from my girl by any means necessary.”
I knew Hunter, Rooster and Tony were with me. We had been a team for so long. We were brothers, and had been for the last fifteen years, so I looked to Kelly and Preston.
“We’re in. Anything you need, boss.”
“Thanks. Now, let’s get a plan worked out. I want them both under watch, twenty-four/seven.”
“Why both?” Hunter asked.
“He could use Jenn to get to Kennedy. I’m not taking any chances with either of them.”
12
Kennedy
“Those boys lose their jobs or something?” I asked, completely annoyed.
“Try to ignore him, them. I do,” Jenn said as she shrugged.
“It’s been going on for over a month, woman. I’ve not had so many men up my ass at one time since college. I wasn’t a fan then, I’m not a fan now,” I retorted.
“They mean well. You know why they've all been on guard duty. It’s keeping Eric away.”
There was a crash of silverware on the floor and I turned to see Guillermo looking at me slack jawed. He gave me a horrified look. It hit me why and I made a disgusted face.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake. I didn’t mean that literally, G. Give a girl some credit.”
I moved out of the kitchen, leaving behind Jenn’s peals of laughter. Bitch! She best be glad I like her.
I moved across the floor and dropped off the plates I had, greeted our customers and smiled. That smile dropped every time I saw Max staring at me from across the room. He meant well, I know that. But I had no time to myself. He had to know every place I went, everything I had to eat… for Christ’s sake I’m surprised I even got to pee in peace, alone. If I went in the back, when I came out he was outside the door. Talk about a mood kill, man.