Speed King (Men of Action)

by Ahren Sanders

  “We came to talk,” Rich confirms my suspicions.

  “We sure as hell did!” Amanda raises her face, eyes now on fire. “I should strangle all of you!”

  She twists her head to the other guys, who shrink back like scolded boys.

  “It’s my fault.” I take the blame, knowing it’s useless. She’s gearing up for lecture mode.

  “It’s all your faults. Graduation was an important day—why weren’t any of your parents there?”

  “It was a formality, and we made it low-key,” I explain. “We’re having a celebratory weekend soon.”

  This is the truth. Talon, Ford, and Major’s families are visiting in a few weeks.

  “Well, that’s fine, but what about Pete and Sandy?” Amanda pushes.

  My spine goes straight at the mention of my parents.

  “Not going there.”

  “Son, Pete’s been sober for over ten years. It’s time to get over the grudge. When will you cut him some slack?” Rich poses the same question he’s been asking for a while.

  “There is no grudge. Let that shit go a long time ago.”

  “What about your poor mother? She loves you so much. This rift is putting her through hell.” Amanda’s also repeating the same thing she’s said for years.

  “There is no rift. It wasn’t a big deal. I’ll invite her to lunch soon.”

  The unspoken question hangs in the air, and Major shuffles his feet uncomfortably.

  “Go ahead and ask, Amanda.”

  “What about Harley?”

  “What about her?”

  “I’ve almost given up on mending the fences with your parents, but poor Harley? You used to be so close. She’s been waiting to hear from you.”

  “She’s busy, didn’t want to bother her.” It’s a sorry-ass excuse. Actually, it’s a bald-faced lie and sounds exactly like it.

  “Bother her? You’ve been in town for over six months. She had tears in her eyes the whole ceremony. She has always been incredibly proud of you. Then you ran like a coward!”

  I try to beat the guilt clawing at my insides. I knew she was there, felt her before we even entered the floor. It was easy to spot her, sitting with her parents in the section for personnel. She looked incredible in the navy-blue dress. Her silky auburn hair was hanging straight, the usual curls blown out. I fucking loved her curls, but she was gorgeous any way she came.

  It had been three years since I’d seen Harley in person. Her grandfather’s funeral. I didn’t know the man well, but the heartbreak in her voice on the phone had me boarding the first flight available. My intentions were to slip away unnoticed, but my three overly interfering friends ended up by my side, claiming their support. I knew it was bullshit. They wanted to meet the woman who had me so far wrapped up that I never showed interest in anyone else.

  Major, Ford, Talon, and I met in boot camp and became quick friends. Our goals and drive were identical, knowing we were all on the same path with our military careers. They were the closest things to brothers I would ever have. Hell, our brotherhood was stronger than most sibling relationships I’d witnessed.

  Marines, brothers, and now partners. They were family, and outside of Harley, the most important people in my life. Over the years, and many nights, they learned about Harley. She came to know them, too, through stories.

  In those early years, they understood my position. She was too young and too much was at stake. But after she went to college, they took a different stance. A standpoint that encouraged me to tell her the truth.

  A suggestion I refused to follow through.

  The years away, I allowed myself the communication. It was safe, and even with my feelings, I could compartmentalize, making myself think of Harley as a girl.

  That weekend home changed everything. I lost the fight and was forced to face the truth. My beautiful, sweet girl was now all woman. Three days was all it took for me to fall even deeper under her spell. I was fucked.

  Totally fucked.

  And then I made the mistake… breaking every promise I vowed as an eighteen-year-old when I left her to join the Marines. Just one kiss, I told myself. One kiss wouldn’t change anything between us.

  The instant my lips touched hers and I finally had her in my arms, I was toppling over the edge of insanity. It took every bit of strength to walk away, claiming it was wrong.

  I thought I lost her for good that time. The look of raw devastation on her face is etched in my brain, and I swore if I ever had the chance, it would never be there again. She may have thought I didn’t love her, but she was wrong.

  It took a while, but I finally heard from her again.

  Please let me know you are safe.

  The email came through while I was overseas, and it took days to see it. For the first time in my life, I was at a crossroads about how to react. Ignoring her was not an option, but this was a chance to make a clean break. Then that damn angelic face filled my head. I couldn’t let her worry.

  I remembered my end game.

  Her… everything I was doing was for her.

  So I typed out a generic response and opened myself up again. It wasn’t my choice to be an elusive asshole; it was a necessity. Our position and role in the Marines was active combat. Until we decided to get out, I needed her to live her life free of worry and be happy.

  “Amanda, we should mind our own business,” Rich says, bringing me back to the present with all eyes on me.

  She shoots Rich a daring glare that now has me shifting uncomfortably.

  “I wish I could go back in time all those years ago and tape your overbearing, opinionated, stupid mouth shut! You should be ashamed! You took something beautiful and innocent and made a colossal mess of things.”

  Rich hangs his head, running his hands through his salt and pepper hair, and then focuses back on me. “I am ashamed. I made a mistake.”

  “You did what any father would do. Harley was too good for me. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably have a few stints in jail under my belt. I’m the man I am because of your push. Never let that fact go unnoticed.”

  “What I did was chastise an eighteen-year-old young man that had a shitty home life and got caught up in his father’s mess. You were doing what you had to do to survive. I was too hard on you.”

  “We knew I was enlisting and leaving. Stringing Harley along would have been the wrong thing to do. She deserved better.”

  “But you wouldn’t string her along. You were a better man at eighteen than most men I know. And you only got better from there. I never should have intervened.”

  “You did the right thing, and it was over a decade ago. Time to let it go.”

  “I’ll let it go when you tell me you’re stepping up.”

  “I’ve got it handled.”

  “Really?” He arches his eyebrows, rolling his eyes in a way that tells me he knows I’m full of shit. “Four grown men hauling ass out of their own graduation ceremony to hide from a woman that wanted nothing more than to congratulate you? Bunch of chickens. That’s not stepping up.”

  The guys all shuffle their feet. I press my lips tight, unable to argue. He’s right; it was cowardly.

  “Don’t wait too long.” His words are simple, but there’s a meaning behind them that sets me on edge.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “There’s a new guy coming around. He’s been persistent.”

  Major blows out a breath, prying the beer bottle from my hand. At the mention of this guy, my body goes rigid.

  “If you care about her in any way, she needs to know,” Amanda suggests.

  “Can’t stop her from dating.” The words come out grave and clipped, ripping a hole in my gut.

  “Ugh! You are extraordinarily bull-headed.” She actually stomps, her face flaming red. Her actions remind me so much of Harley’s that some of my irritation slips away.

  “Another reason we came by is to let you know Boyd called me after your little meeting today,” Rich breaks i
n. “Can’t predict the future, but if you boys don’t screw up, you have the recommendation.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “It’s a long road, Ace, and I’ll support your career. But like Amanda said, don’t wait too long to really start your life. Especially if you want that life to include Harley. A lot has changed in the three years since you were here.”

  Rich is digging deep. He knows how I feel about his daughter. Always has. We go into a stare-down, the boiling in my gut spreading through my veins. His lips twitch, one side curling up.

  “See I may have finally made my point. Word of warning, the woman has a temper like her mama.”

  Amanda nods in agreement “Us Jacobs women know how to hold our own.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  2

  Harley

  It’s only seven o’clock and my feet are already throbbing in agony. The next three hours will be hell.

  “Please don’t tell me Tom changed the dress code.” My best friend, Jewls, joins me behind the bar, ready to start her shift.

  “I forgot my clothes at home this morning so I’m stuck wearing these.” I wave to my business attire from my day job.

  “You look nice.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Maybe you look a tad out of place. Why don’t you change your shirt?”

  “I tried, but Tom doesn’t have any more in my size.”

  Her eyes light up as she reaches to the underside of the bar, digging in her bag, and a blur of blue zips across the space. “Found one,” she chirps.

  “Jewls, you’re a size smaller than me.”

  “Half a size, technically, and this shirt has been worn. It’s stretched out.”

  “Gross.” I wrinkle my nose.

  “It’s clean, you freak, just perfectly worn.”

  “Fine.”

  I roll my eyes on the way to the restroom to change. It’s a little snug in the chest, but the rest is loose and it’s a much better choice. When I look in the mirror, my eyes bug out. Snug isn’t the right word.

  My chest is bursting at the hem of the V-neck, barely covering the lace of my bra. I glance at the cream ruffled blouse in my hand and contemplate putting it back on when there’s a banging on the bathroom door.

  “Jewls needs you! The rush has started,” Tom barks gruffly.

  “Too late to change my mind now,” I mutter, hurrying to the bar.

  An hour later, we have a chance to breathe and I catch the sly grin on Jewls’ face as she whispers something to Tom. He looks at me, then back to her, walking away, shaking his head.

  “What was that about?”

  “He’s acting like an old man,” she replies, wiping the bar top.

  “How so?”

  “Something about you showing skin in his bar.”

  “What the hell? He loves skin.” The girls who work the floor and man the bar on the weekends wear much more provocative outfits, and he encourages it.

  “That’s what I told him. This is much sexier than the stiff, stuck-up wardrobe they force you to wear daily.”

  I ignore her comments about my clothes, mainly because I agree. Being a junior marketing executive at my firm requires a certain level of conservatism. While I’m not one to show a lot of skin, I wish the dress code was looser.

  “Don’t worry about him. This should cheer you up.” She waves a wad of cash in front of me before dropping it in the tip jar below the bar. “We are getting closer to our vacation.”

  Our vacation. Two weeks in Europe. Jewls and I bouncing around from city to city, visiting my cousin, and closing the trip with a Mediterranean Cruise.

  That’s why we are working here. Every bit of this money goes to our trip. Tom is an old colleague of my dad’s who retired and opened the bar years ago. He traded his uniform-wearing structured life to laid-back, t-shirt-casual bar-owner. He secured a perfect location that brings in heavy clientele, especially from the force. Everyone supports him.

  He agreed to hire us with little experience and trained us in what he labeled ‘his way’. We aren’t typically scheduled weekend shifts, but the nights we work provide a good amount to pad our European Fund.

  “You ready to talk to me?” Jewls’ question brings me from my thoughts.

  “About what?”

  “It’s been days. I’ve been patient enough.”

  I shrug, glancing around the bar, hoping someone needs a drink so I can avoid her inquisition. Unfortunately, everyone is glued to the baseball playoffs on the overhead screens.

  “Nothing to say. His responses to my texts have been short and distant. He doesn’t have time to get together right now, even for coffee. Doesn’t take a genius to see he’s not interested.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No big deal,” I lie.

  It is a big deal. My head has been in a complete daze since seeing Achilles at his graduation.

  It did not surprise my parents when I asked them to get me a ticket with them. Dad’s position on the force gives him floor seats, and I knew it would work to my advantage. Luck was on my side, and all four of the men were directly in my line of sight during the whole ceremony. I knew he was planning an escape. The tension in his body rolled off in waves.

  Once, only once, did he glance my way. When his dark eyes connected with mine, I forgot how to breathe.

  Dazzling... That’s the only way to describe them.

  He let his guard down, and I felt the heat between us. There was a dash of hope in that split second before he broke the connection.

  When he fisted his thigh and flicked two fingers, that was my cue. He made the mistake of looking to his left. I followed his eyes to the exit, and I was on my feet, inching that way before the commissioner was through speaking. I had no clue what to expect, but enough was enough. He’d been evading me for too long. I tried to stop him, make him talk to me, but I was too late.

  “Earth to Harley.” A palm waves in my face.

  “I’m pretty sure he’s cut me off again,” I whisper softly, hating to admit it. “He’s been back in town for over six months. Things are definitely different between us. Even communication with the guys is turning weird.”

  She slides her hand in mine and squeezes sympathetically. There’s no use in telling me to get over Achilles and move on.

  “I’m not going out with John again.” I change the subject.

  “Not surprised. You can’t have chemistry with anyone when your whole mind is consumed with Ace,” she pauses, her gaze moving over my shoulder and her eyes lighting up. “Although, I think the tides may turn soon,” she giggles.

  I twist to see what she’s referring to and suck in a deep breath. Major, Talon, and my dad are all sitting at the end of the bar. Major and Talon are staring at me with wide eyes while my dad is wearing his signature grin. As I walk closer, I peer past them to see if Achilles is following, but Dad gives me a quick shake, indicating he’s not here.

  “What a pleasant surprise.” I lean across and give my dad a half-hug.

  “These rookies needed to be introduced to Tom’s,” he answers, swiping a handful of bar nuts.

  “Hi, guys.” I try to reach across and hug them both, but they remain stiff.

  “I thought you worked in a swanky marketing firm?” Major asks flatly.

  “I do, but I work here a few nights a week.”

  “This is a bar.”

  “I’m aware of that.”

  “It’s a blue bar.”

  It’s true, ninety-percent of the clientele are active or retired police, but that shouldn’t matter. “So?”

  “If you’re working in any bar, it should be the kind that has crystal chandeliers and serves drinks for twenty dollars a pop. Not this.”

  “What’s wrong with this?” I prop my hand on my hip, narrowing my eyes. “Are you implying I’m a snob?”

  “Hell no, but Ace will flip his fucking shit when he finds out,” Talon spits out.

  “Why?”

&
nbsp; “Look at you,” he waves his hand. “What are you wearing?”

  Humiliation heats my skin, and I know splotches are crawling up my neck. “I’m wearing a shirt, Talon. And these are called boobs. A lot of women have them. What is that Marine slang? SITFU?”

  The acronym scrolls through my head, making sure the letters are correct. Suck it the fuck up.

  The slap of my dad’s hand on the hard wood draws my attention his way, and he’s dropped his chin to his chest, roaring in laughter, and clearly enjoying this.

  “Dad, what’s wrong with you?”

  “I couldn’t have set this up better if I tried. Damn.”

  “Set what up?”

  “Hey, guys, I hear congratulations are in order.” Jewls slides three bottles of beer to them, thankfully interrupting the ridiculous conversation.

  “Jewls?” It’s slight, but there’s a flicker of surprise in Major’s eyes.

  “Hey, Major, Talon.” She smiles.

  Talon jerks his chin, but Major’s expression has gone blank.

  “Cat got your tongue?” she teases him.

  “I just… You…” he stumbles over his words.

  “I’ve grown up? Three years in a long time.” She helps him out.

  “Obviously,” he mutters.

  Jewls and I met in college and, after graduation, she decided to stay in Nashville. She’s known about Achilles and his friends since the beginning of our friendship. At my grandfather’s funeral, she met them for the first time. During the weekend, I was too wrapped up with Achilles, but watching this exchange, I have to wonder if something happened between her and Major.

  “Lookin’ good, Jewls.” Talon shoots her a grin.

  “Thanks, Talon. Welcome to Nashville.”

  “You’re working here, too?” Talon questions.

  “Part-time, like Harley. We cover the bar three nights a week.”

  Right as she answers, a regular from the other end calls my name, and I give a wave, leaving them to serve him. As I turn, I catch the glint in my dad’s eye, and suspicion settles in the pit of my stomach.

  What is that all about?

  3

  Ace