by L. Wilder
“Not a lot. Her parents died in a car crash when she was sixteen. She ended up living with some aunt here in Washington. Tristen rebelled like teenagers do. Drinking. Partying. Got herself into some trouble. She hadn’t been living with the aunt long when she ran away. Bounced around from place-to-place until I gave her a job here.”
“And the sister?”
He ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair as he sighed. “There are two kinds of people in the world: those who thrive under adversity, and those who crumble beneath it. Tristen was lost, couldn’t get her shit together after the death of her parents, while her sister went on to college and managed to make something of herself. It caused a rift between them, and I just assumed they never got back on track.”
“Any idea where they grew up?”
“Massachusetts. Her dad was a professor at MIT.”
“That explains her background with computers. I’ll see what else I can find.”
“While you’re at it, check Tristen’s flight. See how far she made it, and then call the hotel. See if she or her friend ever checked in. For all we know, all this mess with Josie is just some kind of diversion. We can’t take any chances here. There is too much at stake.”
“And what if she’s telling the truth? What if Tristen really is missing?”
He started for the door as he said, “Then we find her and do whatever it takes to bring her home.”
I’d always wondered what kind of life Tristen had made for herself, and I was relieved to see that she was doing better than I’d imagined. When she told me she was living at an MC clubhouse, I’d pictured a place with concrete floors and old metal beds, but her room was nothing like that. It was actually nicer than my first apartment, with a pretty cherry bed set and small desk in the corner, and there was a flat screen TV mounted on the wall with brightly colored flowers on the dresser. It was full of charm and suited her perfectly. As pleased as I was that she had a nice room, being around her things made me miss her even more. There was a time when we were close, really close. We shared everything, even our bedroom, but things changed when Mom and Dad died.
Just a few weeks after our parents’ funeral, I went off to college. The timing couldn’t have been worse. She resented me for leaving her, feeling like I’d left her the same way our parents had, but I didn’t have a choice. If I hadn’t gone when I did, I would’ve lost my scholarship and any chance of ever getting my degree. I couldn’t take that chance. I wanted to be able to help her, pick up the slack where my parents no longer could, and I couldn’t do that working in a checkout line. She wouldn’t talk to me for over a year, but then one day, out of the blue, she texted me. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. From there, we started talking more and more. We were finally getting back on track, and I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to her.
My worries kept piling one on top of another, and I found myself crying once again. My mind was wrecked along with the rest of me. Big was right. I was physically and mentally drained, and I needed a hot shower.
After turning on the water, I tried to peel off my wet clothes, but they clung to my body, making it almost impossible to remove them. The fact that I was in agony didn’t help matters. I was almost to the point of tears when I finally managed to get my jeans off and toss them on the floor. Just as I was about to step in the shower, I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I almost didn’t recognize myself with the bruises and cuts on my wrists and the burns on my abdomen. Choosing to ignore my wounds, I hobbled into the shower and let the stream of warm water rush down my back. My muscles cried with relief while my burns stung like fire. I tried my best not to cry out in pain as I took the soap and carefully washed my wounds. Once I was done, I got out and put on one of Tristen’s t-shirts and a pair of sweats. After I slipped on some oversized socks, I started for the bed. I was about to crawl in when there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, a man I’d never seen stood there.
“I’m Doc. Stitch sent me to see about you.” Without my invitation, he stepped inside the room and placed his medical bag on the side table. “Need to check your wounds.”
“Ummm. No. That’s not necessary.”
He reached for my hand. “No sense in being stubborn about it. We don’t want these wounds getting infected.” There was a kindness in his eyes that I wasn’t expecting, so I didn’t argue when he started bandaging my wrists. “Need to check your burns so I can see what we’re dealing with.”
The burns weren’t bad, but I knew he was right. The last thing I needed was for them to get infected, so I raised the hem of my t-shirt just high enough for him to see them. “They aren’t all that bad.”
“You got lucky.” He reached into his bag and took out a small jar of ointment. His hands were soft and gentle as he applied the medication and a loose bandage on my wounds. Once he was done, he reached in his bag again for a bottle of pills and then turned to me. “Put the cream on your burns twice a day, and the pain relievers as needed. Need to take a couple now. They will help you sleep tonight.”
“Somehow, I doubt I’ll be sleeping tonight.”
“You might be surprised.” He smiled as he started for the door.
There was something about him that reminded me of my grandfather. Maybe it was his lopsided smile or the fact that he smelled like old cigars and maple syrup. Whatever it was, he gave me a comforting feeling, a feeling that I could trust him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“You can ask. Doesn’t mean I will answer.”
“This guy, Cotton. He’s the president of the club, right?”
“He is.”
“Is he a good man?”
He looked me dead in the eye as he replied, “One of the best I know.”
“Would you say these other guys – Stitch and Big – are they good men, too?”
“They are. I know your run-in with Stitch wasn’t pleasant, but you have to remember, you were a threat to the club. It’s his job to eliminate threats. Simple as that.”
“Was Tristen a threat? Would he have eliminated her?”
“Tristen could never be considered a threat, child. She’s a good kid with a lot of heart. We all think a lot of her.”
“I hope you’re right.” My mind was filled with doubts. The not knowing was killing me.
“Big will find her. We’ll know something by morning,” he tried to assure me.
“By morning?”
“Take the pain medicine and get some sleep.” He turned and walked out of the door. The room suddenly grew empty and cold, making me feel lost and alone. After taking one of the pills he’d given me, I pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. I closed my eyes. I wanted to forget what had happened, but my mind wouldn’t let me. Every time I got close to falling asleep, a terrifying image would crash through my thoughts—the determined look in Stitch’s eyes, the pain, the fear, and the panic. I tossed and turned for almost an hour, and then I remembered the last thing Doc told me: by morning. I couldn’t help but wonder if Big had managed to dismantle the virus I’d used and was working on finding Tristen. Curiosity got the best of me, and I eased myself out of the bed. When I stepped out of the room, I had no idea where I was going. I had no idea which room was his, and the dark hallway was creeping me out. Ignoring that warning voice that was screaming in the back of my mind, I started walking quietly towards the end of the hall. I hadn’t gotten very far when I noticed a hint of light shining from beneath one of the doors. Hoping that it might be his, I tapped on the door and waited.
“It’s open.”
The voice sounded familiar, deep and inviting, so I slowly cracked the door open. Relief washed over me when I found Big sitting at his computer, but when he turned to look at me with those beautiful gray eyes and body that most girls dream of, that feeling of relief was quickly replaced with a different feeling—a feeling I had no business feeling. He was sitting there with no shirt on – just a pair of loose fitting, low-rise shorts – and my mind went into sensory overlo
ad. So many muscles. And tattoos. And piercings. Damn. He was too hot for words. No man should look like that. It was so unfair, especially when I looked like a hot mess. And on top of that, there was the whole thing of him being a bad guy, a guy who might have hurt my sister—a guy I couldn’t trust and certainly shouldn’t lust after. Thankfully, those unwanted feelings quickly disappeared when I pulled my eyes away from his rock-hard abs over to his computer. When I caught a glimpse of my face on the screen, I felt like another bucket of cold water had been dumped over my head. “I see you got the server back up.”
“I did.”
“What are you doing?”
“I could ask you the same question. You should be in bed, or have you come to do some more voodoo shit to our server?”
“I couldn’t sleep, and from what I can tell, it looks like you’ve taken care of all the voodoo.”
“It wasn’t easy, but I managed. How did you slip it in without me knowing it?”
“I slipped a worm into one of the emails I’d sent to Tristen.”
“Smart. I’ll give you that.”
I walked over to him and saw that he’d found a picture of my father and me standing outside of MIT. I hadn’t seen that picture in years and had no idea how he’d managed to find it. “So, now do you believe that I’m really Tristen’s sister?”
“Never said I didn’t, but proof never hurt.”
“You should be trying to find Tristen. Not wasting time with this.”
He crossed his arms as he turned his chair to face me. “Never been one to waste time, Josie. I’ve already checked into Tristen’s flight. I know she never got on that second plane. I also know that neither she nor her friend Amanda checked into the hotel. I’ve got a contact looking into the security feed at the airport. If he finds anything, he’ll let me know.”
“Is he any good?”
“He’s the best. I wouldn’t have asked him otherwise.”
His words hit me like a Mack truck. He believed me, and even after all I’d done, he was going to help me find my sister. He wasn’t a bad guy after all, and for the first time since she’d gone missing, I had someone on my side willing to help find her. I’d wasted so much time thinking these men were the ones that had hurt Tristen. If I’d just trusted her, believed what she’d told me, then we would be closer to finding her. Thankfully, Big hadn’t decided to hold my stunt against me and was still willing to help. I was surprised how much it meant to me. I could feel the emotions stirring inside of me as my eyes dropped to the floor. “Thank you.”
“Come here.” The sound of his voice was like a magnet pulling me towards him. Without thinking, I took that first step, only stopping when I was standing right in front of him. He placed his broad hands on my hips, easing me closer to him as he said, “I’m going to do whatever it takes to find your sister. You have my word on that.”
“Okay.”
“Now, go back to bed. You need to sleep.”
I couldn’t stomach the thought of going back to that room alone, so I asked, “Can I just stay in here?”
His hands fell from my hips as he considered my question. “Not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I won’t bother you. I’ll be quiet.”
He sighed. “Just until I finish working on this. You can use the recliner. I sleep in it from time to time. It’s not all that bad.”
Relieved, I quickly walked over to the other side of the room and curled into his large, leather recliner. The intoxicating scent of his cologne surrounded me as I took the fleece blanket from the back of the chair and pulled it over me. I’d barely gotten settled when I heard him tapping away at his keyboard. I looked around the room, noting how different it was from Tristen’s. Where her room was a bit girly, his was all man – gray walls, dark furniture, and a huge desk filled with every piece of technology you could imagine. From the looks of it, he spent most of his time sitting in front of his computer, just as he was now. I had no idea what time it was, but I knew it was late. He had to be tired, so I said, “You know it’d go a lot faster if you just told me what you were looking for.”
“I thought you were going to be quiet.”
“I’m just saying I could help.” I rolled to my side and faced him. “Just tell me what you are trying to find.”
“I need to fill in some of the blanks where Tristen is concerned. It could help us figure out where she might’ve gone.”
“I can do that.”
“After the car accident, she moved in with your Aunt Natalie?”
“Yes, but not at first. She started off with my grandmother, but it didn’t work out. Tristen went through a bit of a wild streak. Skipped school. Stayed out late. Messed around with the wrong kids.” It was hard knowing that my sister was spiraling out of control and there was nothing I could do about it. I remember trying to talk to her, but she just wouldn’t listen. She was too angry and full of resentment, and I was the last person she wanted telling her what to do. My grandmother didn’t know how to handle her, so she sent her to live with my aunt and uncle.”
“And they lived in Seattle?”
“Yes. For as long as I can remember.”
He turned back to face his computer. After typing for a few seconds, he asked, “How long did she stay with them?”
“Maybe six months. If that long. My uncle’s always been a bit of a hard ass. He wouldn’t take her crap, so she left. Ended up moving in with one of her friends. I never thought it was a good idea.”
“What makes you say that?”
I yawned. As much as I hated it, the pills were starting to kick in. I closed my eyes as I answered, “She was too young to be out on her own.”
“What do you know about Amanda?”
“Who?” I yawned again.
“The girl she went to Mexico with.”
“She and Tristen worked at some diner. They lived together for a little while. She was a good kid…” I started. I was warm, I was beyond exhausted, and every word seemed hard to force out of my mouth. “She moved to LA about a year ago with her little sister,” I yawned again, “Was surprised when Tristen… said… she was… going to Mexico with her.” I heard him talking and even though I desperately wanted to hear what he was saying, it just sounded like a muddled mess of words. I could feel myself falling, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My exhaustion finally won the battle, and I crashed.
I’ve been dealt some shitty hands in the past, but this had to be one of the worst. She was lying there, looking so beautiful, so fucking tempting, and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. There was a time when things could’ve been different. I could’ve followed a different path, one more like hers – reputable and upstanding – but that wasn’t the life I’d chosen. I liked things the way they were, but it didn’t stop me from imagining what it would be like to have her wrapped in my arms. I knew I had a job to do, but every time I tried to focus on the computer screen, I found myself looking over at her. I couldn’t help myself. I’d never known anyone like her. Sure, she was beautiful, but she was so much more than that. She was smart. She knew things and could do things that would make most people shake in their fucking boots. Her drive was a force to be reckoned with. Failure wasn’t an option; either she would find a way or make one. I could see it in her eyes. There was a fire inside of her, not the kind that simmered deep inside, but the kind that flared and crackled for everyone to see, and I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I had to keep my distance or I was bound to get burned.
I had no idea what time it was until Cass knocked on my door. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“Be there in a minute.”
I got up and walked over to Josie. She looked so peaceful curled up in my recliner, and I hated to wake her. Reluctantly, I gave her a light nudge on the shoulder. “Josie?”
Her eyes fluttered open. “I must’ve dozed off.” She stretched her arms above her head as she yawned. “I guess those pills were stronger than I thought.”
“How ya fe
eling?”
“I’m okay.” She stretched again, but this time her face twisted in pain.
“Doesn’t look that way.”
She winced once more as she tried to sit up in the chair. “I’m good. Just need a minute to get the kinks out.”
She was trying to play it off, but I wasn’t buying it. I knew she’d been through hell last night, and it was going to take her some time to get over it. “I’ll get Doc to come check you out again.”
“No need for that. I’m fine. Really.” She feigned a smile as she brushed her hair out of her face. “Did you find out anything about Tristen?”
“Not yet.”
“Any idea how long it will take to hear back from your guy?”
“Shouldn’t be much longer. Thought we’d grab some breakfast while we wait. You hungry?”
After tossing the blanket to the side, she stood up and replied, “Yeah, I could go for something to eat.”
“Then, we’ll head down to the kitchen.”
She looked down at her clothes and asked, “Wait… Shouldn’t I change?”
“Up to you.”
“You going to wait for me?”
“I can.”
“Okay. Give me five minutes.”
“Take your meds while you’re down there.”
She nodded, then rushed out the door. I’d barely had time to put on a t-shirt and jeans when she returned fully dressed and her hair pulled up in a messy bun. Simple, yet absolutely stunning. Damn. She was killing me.
“You ready?” she asked as she watched me put on my boots.
“I am now.”
With her following close behind, I headed straight for the kitchen. When the loud rumble of laughter and talking came pouring out into the hall, Josie looked over at me with apprehension. “Sounds like a full house.”
“Maybe, but it’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You do remember what happened last night. You know I haven’t exactly had the warmest of welcomes so far.”
I stopped and turned to face her. “We’re all family here, Josie. We look out for each other. People say you can’t choose your family, but they’re wrong. We’re brothers by choice. We’ve sworn a bond of brotherhood to each other, a bond stronger than blood, and there’s nothing we won’t do to keep our family safe. You came to us as a threat and never told us otherwise. We had to eliminate any chance of danger. You left us with no alternative.”