by Jamie Begley
“That’s it?”
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know. Most women would be worried when someone threatens them.”
“They weren’t threatening me; just telling me to take better care of my flowers. Did you show the note to Penni and Grace?”
“Does it matter?” he mocked, answering her unanswered question with his own.
“Yes, I get notes and emails all the time. If I was scared, I wouldn’t have a job. I don’t want them to be worried about me.”
“Too late. Jackal showed them. You received other notes like this?”
“No, not like that. This one is different.”
“How?”
“Well, he didn’t threaten me; that’s for sure.”
“Where are the notes?”
“I threw them away.” Shifting her gaze, she was glad to see a woman doctor coming through the curtains. “You can leave now—”
“Your brother doesn’t need to leave. You can hold his hand as I pop your knee back into place.” The woman ran her fingers over her knee with a featherlight touch.
“I don’t need to hold his hand. I prefer—”
A wrenching pain had her arching off the bed, reaching out to make the doctor stop. Stump grabbed her hands, using his shoulders to press her back down.
“Your eyes are very pretty.”
“Huh?”
His eyes locked with her, holding her spellbound as the doctor placed a knee brace on her leg.
“How did you keep from screaming? When Max knocked my shoulder out of its socket, I screamed and cried like a baby.”
“You didn’t cry.” She didn’t believe that lie for a second.
Laughter crinkled the corners of his eyes. “I did. Ice offered to go to the store to get me a pacifier.”
“You can let go of my hands now.” Zoey’s gaze shied away from his when Stump freed her.
She only half-listened to the doctor’s instructions for her release. She just wanted him to leave so she could cry in privacy.
“We’ll get another X-ray and confirm that everything looks good. If it is, the nurse will bring you crutches and the discharge papers, and then we can get you on your way.”
When she didn’t have any questions, the doctor left, leaving her and Stump alone in the curtained-off room.
“Can I have my phone? I have clients that I need to contact.”
Surprisingly, he gave her the phone without asking any more questions and then stepped aside when the X-ray technicians came to take her away. She thought he would be gone when she came back. However, he was still there. Her shoulders slumped.
“What do I have to do to get rid of you?”
“Answer my questions.”
“There isn’t anything else to say. Someone left me flowers when the firefighters opened my office. It’s not a big deal.”
At his silence, Zoey unconsciously rubbed her abdomen at the burning sensation she hadn’t felt in years.
Sighing, she gave in. “What are you so determined to find out?” Once he left, she wouldn’t have to see the unmovable man again.
She lived in Queen City for the last seven years and had no contact with him until she found his dog. If Hannibal hadn’t run away a second time, she wouldn’t have had to see him again, other than when he came to Penni’s office.
“Do you know who sent the note and flowers?”
“No.”
“How did you fall down?”
Zoey lowered her lashes, shielding her eyes. “I tripped on the steps.”
“I found your phone on the top of the landing, not the bottom.”
“It must have slipped out of my pocket when I was between floors.”
“Was the emergency door locked or unlocked?”
The rapidly paced questions had her carefully gauging her answers.
“It was locked.”
“So, you went out the side door to the lobby?”
“No, I went back up to the second floor and went down that way.”
“Why didn’t you go through the lobby door?”
“I don’t know. I just assumed it was locked, too.” She couldn’t explain to herself why she hadn’t tried the door. “I wasn’t thinking clearly with the fire alarm going off.”
“You don’t strike me as a woman who would panic.”
Her eyes flew up at the skepticism she’d heard. Then she started to nervously rub her abdomen harder at the way he was staring at her. She stopped moving when he noticed.
Laughing huskily, she tried to make light of the terror she had felt in the stairway. “I know, you’d think as a life coach I’d make better decisions. I’ll have to work on it.”
His eyes darted back to her hand. “Is something wrong with your stomach? Did you hit it when you fell?”
“No, I’m just a little queasy after having my knee popped back in. Do you mind? I’d really like to be left alone.”
“One more question and I will. Did the person who sent you the flowers try to make contact with you outside the office building?”
“No.” Technically, the parking garage was separate from her office, so she didn’t feel guilty about giving that lie.
“A deal is a deal. I’ll leave, but just so you know, Penni and Grace will be coming to check how you’re doing.”
“That’s fine.”
“As long as I don’t come back?”
The obnoxious man she dealt with previously had relaxed into one she couldn’t understand how to deal with. His shift from being one of the biggest jerks she had ever met to a guy who wanted her to share his warped sense of humor with her left her in the dark as to how to talk with him. She seriously wondered if Stump was bipolar.
“You can stop pretending to be nice. It doesn’t suit you.”
“I’m a nice guy once you get to know me.”
Stump was a man she had no intention of getting to know. The burning in her stomach was giving a warning that a closer acquaintance with him would derail the health she had achieved by carefully choosing those she allowed in her life.
“Like when you’re not on your bike?”
“I didn’t mean to drench you. I never saw you that day.”
“You saw me this morning when your bike was loud enough to wake everyone in my neighborhood,” she reminded him.
“I was in a bad mood. I was worried Hannibal would get hit by a car before I could find him.”
“Being worried doesn’t excuse you being a jerk.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Uncertain that he really meant the apology, she nodded, accepting it. Despite years spent with her father, she believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt when it came to their behavior.
She could practically see the red aura surrounding him, sensing the power and passion within him. On the other hand, people with red auras tended to be narcissistic.
“Can I get you anything before I leave?”
“No thanks.”
Zoey watched his back as he finally left her alone. Her reprieve didn’t last long before Penni and Grace came in, their anxious faces showing relief when she told them she was about to be released.
“I’ll drive you home and make sure you’re settled before I leave.”
Zoey knew it would be useless to argue with Penni. Besides, she needed a ride home, since her car was still at the garage at work.
“I’m going home to get a change of clothes. I’m spending the night with you.”
“Thank you, Grace, but that won’t be necessary. I don’t have any steps in my home, and I’ll have crutches to get around with if I need to. I’m just going to bed. If I need any help, I promise I’ll text one of you.”
“I don’t want to leave you alone, in case you need something,” Grace protested.
“If I do, I won’t hesitate to let you know. I’ll be fine on my own. I can’t get in too much trouble just going to bed. Penni can make sure I have everything I need before she leaves. I’ve cance
led my appointments for the rest of the week so I won’t have to go out until Monday. I do need one favor, though. If one of you could come by on Monday to give me a ride to work, that would be helpful.”
“I can. You live just a few minutes from me.” Penni stepped forward, taking the crutches from the nurse.
Thankfully, when the nurse handed over her clothes, the women returned to the waiting area. It had been claustrophobic with the two of them and the nurse crammed into the curtained-off area.
With the nurse’s help, she slid into the wheelchair and was wheeled into the waiting room. Zoey expected their husbands and Stump to be there, but they weren’t.
Her mood lightened leaving the hospital.
Grace stayed until Zoey was in Penni’s car.
On the drive home, she waited for Penni to mention the note that Stump had shown her. When she didn’t, Zoey’s stomach unknotted from the tension.
She didn’t want to talk about the mysterious note and the meaning of it. Nor did she want to think about the shove that sent her down the stairwell. The notes were creepy as heck, but until she knew the reasoning behind them, becoming worried would do little good. Falling down the steps could have been a complete accident, as well as the emergency door being locked.
Penni helped her inside after they got to her house. Zoey didn’t miss the startled surprise when she followed her toward her bedroom.
“I’m not much of a decorator.”
“It’s minimalist; that’s for sure. I kinda expected you to have pictures everywhere, like what you post to your followers.”
“That would be weird having pictures of myself in my own home.”
“If you need a television set, Jackal and I have a spare one we aren’t using.”
Zoey shook her head. “I don’t need one. I don’t watch much television. And if there’s a movie I want to watch, I have my iPad.”
She had never invited her friends over, nor had she ever accepted invitations to theirs. It had been ingrained since childhood not to, and despite being on her own, it wasn’t a habit she sought to break.
“Oh… I see.”
Zoey could tell Penni didn’t.
She hobbled to her dresser to get a nightgown. Usually, she preferred wearing a thin pajama short set, but the nightgown would be easier to manage with her knee.
Holding the gown, she used the crutches to walk to the bathroom.
“Do you need any help?”
“No. If I do, I’ll call out,” Zoey said, closing the bathroom door behind her.
The pain wasn’t too bad as she removed her clothes, simply sliding them over her head before putting the loose gown on. Looking in the mirror, she grimaced at the raccoon eyes staring back at her.
Washing her face to remove the mascara smudges that the product reviews said didn’t exist, Zoey planned to post her own review that it did.
“You handle crutches like a pro,” Penni remarked when Zoey came out of the bathroom.
“I twisted my ankle in high school, so I’ve had to use them before.” Zoey sank down onto the side of her bed, scooting upward as Penni slowly raised her leg to the bed and sliding a pillow underneath.
Penni cocked her head to the side, staring down at her. “That’s the first time you’ve ever mentioned something personal about yourself.”
Zoey pulled her blanket off before looking at Penni. “I’m sure I have before.”
Penni sat down on the bottom of her bed, glancing around the tiny bedroom that only had a twin bed and a secondhand dresser that she bought at a Goodwill store. “No, you haven’t. You’re a private person. Ginny and you both have a lot in common where that’s concerned. You both let people get only so close, and then back away or change the subject.”
“Penni….”
“Don’t worry; I’m not going to pry. Your private life is your own business. I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk, I’m here. Okay?”
“Okay.” Zoey felt a lump in her throat at the heartfelt offer.
Penni gave her foot a brief pat before rising from the bed. “I placed a bottled water on your nightstand. You need anything else? Can I get you something to eat?”
“No, I’m good. Thank you.”
“I won’t disturb you tonight in case you’re sleeping, but I expect a call in the morning.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll lock the door on the way out… and Zoey, I haven’t forgotten about that note Jackal showed me, but I’ll wait until you feel better before I ask about it.” Penni left with the warning still ringing in her ear.
She should have known Penni wouldn’t have left without mentioning it.
Reaching underneath her pillow, she pulled out the worn rabbit, holding it close to her chest and drawing comfort from the inanimate childhood toy.
“What should I do? Should I tell her?”
Zoey didn’t expect an answer and didn’t get one. She mulled over the few options open to her, none of which she could do without shedding light on her past, which she wasn’t willing to do.
Every time she thought of her father, it brought to mind the oxymoron, pretty yet cruel. His good looks hid the wealth of cruelty he held inside. He had been able to hide his behavior when they moved to a new town, portraying a loving, concerned father and successful businessman. The longer they stayed, though, the ground beneath them would begin to crumble. Everyone eventually found out that the emotional manipulations he engineered had a direct effect on their bank balances spiraling out of control.
Stump might not be the most likable man she had ever met, nor would he be considered handsome enough to turn women’s heads—his features were too rough and rugged for that description—but he didn’t make any pretenses either. His personality matched the hard exterior. Also, both times Hannibal had run away, Stump had gone after the dog, which was more than she could say her father would do.
Setting the stuffed rabbit down, she reached for her phone, rescheduling her appointments and returning Patrick’s call that had gone to voicemail. She assured him she was fine and didn’t need help. Before hanging up, she talked to him for several minutes before his mother’s demands in the background had them promising to get together for lunch the next day.
Yawning, she placed the cell phone back on her nightstand. Turning the light off, she carefully scooted down on the bed so she could lay flat without disturbing her knee. Closing her eyes, she gave in to the drowsiness she’d been fighting.
Nightmares plagued her throughout the night, ones of her falling down the steps, making her jerk awake. It was only when she tugged the floppy-eared rabbit into her arms did she slip into a dreamless sleep.
11
“Are you fucking serious?” Max paused to stand in front of the chair.
Stump leaned back in the recliner, lifting his feet into the air. “About what?”
“You had a vest made for that knucklehead?”
“He keeps getting out of the collar I got for him. This way, no one has to take him to the vet to find out who he belongs to—they’ll see who he belongs to.” Stump patted the back of Hannibal’s vest. The dog had let out a low growl when Max called him a knucklehead.
“You’d have to be an idiot to miss that vest. Are those spikes?”
“If a coyote or a bigger dog tries to eat him, they’ll spit him out.”
Max’s face scrunched up before he broke out in laughter. “Bro… as fast as that fucker moves, they couldn’t catch him anyway.”
“Are you making fun of my dog?” Stump pushed his feet downward, lowering his dog.
“You’re begging the brothers to make fun of you with that vest saying: Property of Stump.”
Stump stared around the crowded clubroom, standing up to go chest to chest with the laughing brother.
“I don’t see anyone laughing but you.”
“That’s because they can’t read. I can.”
Using his barreled chest, he shoved Max back for standing too close.
&nbs
p; “You want to get an ass whipping over a dog?”
“How would you like it if one of the brothers called one of your kids a knucklehead?”
Max’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “There’s a big difference between a kid and a dog.”
“There is. I don’t let anyone who belongs to me be called names.” With his chest, he hit Max’s again, determined to get his point across.
Max grabbed a handful of his T-shirt, clenching his other hand into a fist. “If you’re wanting a beating, do that again.”
Hannibal began barking, circling the two men.
“If he bites me, he’s dead meat,” Max warned.
“If he bites you, you better not touch him,” Stump warned back. “He’s trying to protect me.”
“If you need protection from a dachshund, we need to throw your ass out of the club.” Max snickered to several of the brothers who had gathered closer to watch.
Like sharks, the Predators fed off carnage. Because of Max’s size, most of the brothers never took him on, and Max took advantage of that fact. Like them, Stump had never seen the need to take a stand against the man. It wasn’t the injuries he could inflict, but his insults against Hannibal that had him risking it.
“If I needed protection from a dog, I’d have a Doberman or a Pitbull.”
Hannibal’s barking escalated, drawing Ice and Jackal from the back room. Stump didn’t back down from the confrontation with the president watching.
After his meeting with Creed, Stump had seen Ice come into the clubhouse and go into the back room where Jackal had closeted himself. While still in the waiting room, he told Jackal what Zoey’s reaction had been to the flowers and the note. The enforcer hadn’t said a word at the information. Now Stump was itching to get in on the meeting with the two brothers, telling himself that he only wanted to find out about the meeting with Creed. Truthfully, he wanted to know if Jackal found out who left the flowers and note for Zoey.
Stump conceded that half of his irritation with Max was anger at himself, as to why he would give a fuck who had left the flowers. It was no skin off his ass, and none of the other brothers gave a flying fuck who did it, so why did it bug the piss out of him?