by Jamie Begley
“You really want Jewell watching every move you make? She already stays on your case for texting so much.”
Train finally fixed the postage machine without Rider’s help since he was busy studying the layout of the factory so he could move his workstation closer to the equipment and not have Jewell’s censuring gaze on him.
Train lost track of what Killyama was doing when Stori came to complain that the seed refrigerator was leaking. He thought Rider wasn’t the only sucker in the factory. Jewell had probably wanted the day off to keep from having to deal with the problems that were waiting to be fixed.
The rest of the day flew past. Every now and then, he caught sight of Killyama as she worked. But, as the workers started to leave, he didn’t see her.
He walked through the factory and was about to go out the back door to see if she had decided to take a break when he saw her coming out of the door marked PRIVATE.
“How did you get in there?” Train asked her sharply. The only ones who had a key to that part of the factory were the founding members. They were never allowed to let anyone inside.
“It was open. I was looking for a packet of seeds. I must have gone in the wrong room.”
Train clenched his teeth in fury at the lie. “That door is never open.”
“Dude, I don’t know what to tell you; it was open.”
He stared at her angrily. “Tell me the fucking truth for once. How’d you get in the door?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, her lips tightening. “I’m. Not. Lying. What’s the big deal, anyway? The bikes and cars in there are nice, but they aren’t anything I haven’t seen before.”
“The big deal is that, unless you have a key, no one is supposed to be in there, so you couldn’t have gone in there unless you have a key.” Train looked down at his keys that were attached to his wallet, seeing the one to the door was still there.
“Maybe I picked the lock.” Her smartass answer didn’t lessen his anger.
“No, the door is solid steel, and so is the lock. Unless you have a blowtorch, no one is going through that door without a key. What was in there you wanted to see?”
“I was looking for the s-e-e-d-s,” Killyama ground out. “You need me to spell it out again?”
“No, I got it the first time. Empty out your pockets.”
“Are you serious? You really think I’m lying?”
“Empty your pockets, Killyama. Prove it to me.”
“I’m not proving shit to you. The door was unlocked. Why would I lie?”
“I don’t know,” Train snarled sarcastically. “Why do you lie about anything? You lied about going to the Brown’s training camp. You lied about working in Sex Piston’s shop. Shit, you lie about what you eat for breakfast if you don’t want me to know, even though I told you lying was a rule breaker for me.”
“I only lie when it’s none of your business. I don’t need you keeping tabs on me!” she snapped.
“Well, that’s not going to be a problem for you anymore.”
“What’d you mean by that?”
“It means, I’m done. I won’t take the safety of the club over you.”
“I am not lying, Train.”
“I don’t believe you. Are you going to empty your pockets, or do I have to empty them for you?” He had to give her one last chance, praying she would empty out her pockets and prove she wasn’t lying to him.
She crossed arms over her chest. “Go fuck yourself.”
“Don’t make me do this, Killyama. Just give me the key, and I’ll forget about it.” Again, he gave her a chance to redeem herself. It was a chance he would never offer another man or woman.
“No.”
Train sighed, motioning to Rider who had been slipping up to Killyama as they argued. She caught the movement too late to react as Rider caught her in a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides.
“Did you lock the front door?” Train asked Rider.
“Yes.” Rider looked as coldly furious as he did.
Train caught Killyama’s foot when she tried to kick him, holding it by his hip. Moving to her side where she couldn’t use her free leg, he shoved a hand down the pocket that was closest to him. Coming up empty, he had more difficulty in the other pocket, finally succeeding, just to find it was also empty. She stopped moving as he reached around her to search her back pockets.
“Son of a fucking bitch,” Train snarled, jerking away from her and touching blood on his shoulder. “Bite me again, and I’ll call Viper to come search you.”
She spat in his face when he moved to search her back pockets, but she didn’t bite him again.
When they were done checking her, she tucked her T-shirt back into her jeans, frostily telling him, “I told you I didn’t have the key.”
“Do you have your key?” Train asked Rider.
“Check my keychain on my desk.”
Train nodded at Killyama. “Don’t let her go.”
“I wasn’t going to,” he said coldly as Train went through the back area to where the workstations were, coming back with the keychain in his hand.
“Is it there?”
“No,” Train answered, staring at Killyama, who was staring back at him stonily. He put Rider’s keychain in his pocket. “Hold her tighter,” he warned.
When she started kicking out again, he caught both of her legs. Using all of his strength, he managed to pin her thighs against his side with one arm, his free hand going under her T-shirt to her bra. He ran his fingers under the bra, feeling for what he was looking for and pulling the key out.
Releasing her legs, he stepped back, showing them both the key.
“Let her go, Rider.”
Rider released her like he had just let a rattlesnake go.
“What were you looking for?”
“The bathroom.” She put her hand under her T-shirt, not embarrassed by the proof of her deception.
“You want me to call Viper?” Rider asked.
“No, I will.”
Train made the call, and then stared at Killyama while they waited.
When Train heard the knock on the back door, he opened it to let Viper and Shade inside. Then he stayed by the door, letting Viper deal with the situation. When she had refused to give him the key, he had lost the ability to interceded for her.
“How’d she get the key?” Viper asked grimly, staring down at the key Train handed over to him.
“She must have taken it off my keyring when she offered to fill the orders for me,” Rider explained, glancing at Killyama before moving even farther away from her, as if revolted from merely being near her.
“If you wanted to see what was in there, why didn’t you just ask Train?”
“I was just curious, okay? I didn’t realize it was a big deal until Train got pissed.” Her shrug didn’t set Viper’s temper off, but it did his.
“When you saw I was mad, why didn’t you just tell me what you had done?” Train questioned, still hoping she would come up with an explanation for her behavior.
“I lost my temper.”
“You lost your temper?” Viper gave her a deadly smile.
“Yeah. What can I say? I have a bad temper.”
Her offhand answers had the brothers simmering. Her attitude wasn’t helping her. It was making things go from bad to worse.
When Viper moved toward Killyama, she didn’t so much as flinch, but Train saw the brief flash of fear on her face before she was able to cover it up with a sneer.
Viper brushed past her, going to the door behind her. When he opened it, he called for Shade and Train, and then turned toward Rider.
“Can you watch her on your own?”
“I got her,” Rider answered as the three of them went through the door.
“Do you have any idea what she was looking for?” Shade asked as soon the door was closed.
“No,” Train answered, knowing there was no way Killyama could hear them through the soundproof walls unless the door was open. “I don’t kno
w how long she was in here, either,” Train admitted, staring stoically ahead. He would be damned lucky this time if Viper didn’t take his jacket when he offered it. He had been the one who had given Killyama the chance to betray them twice now.
“I’ll check the security room.” Shade went to the back corner of the room, past the motorcycles and a few of the brothers’ cars. The one he had borrowed from Moon was up on a hydraulic lift, waiting for him to change the oil.
Shade pulled a key out of his pocket that only him and Viper had and opened the lock. Train saw the light flip on, and then they waited as Shade went inside.
“What do you think she was looking for?”
Train looked around the large room. “She could have been checking to see if she recognized any of the cars in here. I’ve borrowed most of them when I was watching her.”
“Could be. Hammer and Jonas are experienced enough that they might have seen you tailing them,” Viper agreed thoughtfully.
It took five minutes before Shade returned to their sides. “I don’t think she got in there. Whatever she was looking for must have been in the garage.”
“Okay, so maybe she was just trying to see if you were tailing her, but brother, we still have a problem.”
“I know. I already told her that, if she didn’t hand over the key, I was done with her.”
Viper nodded, satisfied the problem had been dealt with. “I’m sorry. I know you care about her.”
“I love her, Viper, but I can’t deal with her lies.”
“I’m not going to ban her from the club this time. You brought her back to the club, you can deal with the fallout.”
“I will.” Train understood what Viper was telling him. He was going to take the heat for Beth and Lily’s anger because Killyama would never again be allowed to step any part of herself on The Last Riders’ property.
Viper left through the bay so he wouldn’t have to see Killyama again. Meanwhile, Train went through the cars to satisfy himself that Killyama hadn’t been snooping through them.
“You’re being quiet,” Train said to Shade, who had made no move to leave when he had finished.
“I’m thinking.”
“What are you thinking? I’d love to hear it, because I’m so fucking mad I want to bust a wall.”
“I think she was searching for something, but I don’t know what or why.”
Train grimaced. “I should have known something wasn’t right when she showed up this afternoon. She never comes over until I call or text her.”
“You didn’t plan on her being here today?”
“No, she was supposed to be hanging out with Sex Piston. She said Rocky and Star had a virus. I believed her. She lied to me, and it wasn’t the first time. Usually it’s when she’s with Hammer and Jonas. I’ve been telling her I don’t like her bounty hunting.”
“Why not? She’s good at it. Damn good. She earned a reputation she deserves. Other than me, she couldn’t be in better hands than with Hammer and Jonas when she’s not with you.” Shade paused before telling him, “Every month, Lily mismanages our checking account. She gives most of her paychecks to anyone who comes into the church store with a sob story. Every month, when we balance the checkbook, she hates to admit what she’s done, saying she bought a new pair of shoes or a new dress, despite knowing I don’t see any new clothes or shoes. When you’re in a relationship, you get used to it.”
“I don’t have to anymore,” Train said starkly, going to the door. “You coming?”
“You go ahead. I’m going to check around here some more. I don’t need to be there to hear what you’re going to say to her.”
Train went into the other room. Killyama had climbed onto one of the tables that was used for items that had been ordered as presents. She swung her long legs back and forth as Rider stood nearby watching her.
“We’ll walk you to your car.” Train motioned her toward the door, not showing a hint of emotion.
Killyama jumped off the table, and Train and Rider followed her out the back door, Rider lagging behind them. She never looked at Train as they drew closer to her car.
Crash was standing on the club porch, staring down at them. From his face, he had already heard what had happened.
“Killyama, tell me the truth. Why did you do it?”
“How do you say fuck off in French?”
Train had trusted her, given her a part of himself he had never given another woman, and she was telling him to fuck off?
“I hope whatever reason you gave yourself was worth it.”
Killyama’s back was toward him as she opened the car door. Without a word, she got inside and shut the door. She was driving away from their relationship seemingly without a care in the world. Train wished he could say the same.
Then, a brief glance he caught of her reflection in the window stopped his thoughts. A flicker of hope remained lit in his heart. It was flickering, but it was still there.
Hope was a gossamer thread that tied someone to their beliefs. It could be strengthened by faith, or broken when it was stretched too tight. He believed that Killyama had a reason for breaking into the back room, but he was struggling with the faith he had in her that it was a reason that could justify what she had done. The only reason that thread between them hadn’t been broken yet was his love for her. One more twist on it, though, and it would be severed forever.
There was no rebuilding his faith in her without an explanation, which she was refusing to do, so he had to either find his own answers or cut the thread himself.
Train gave Rider his keys back before going to his bike.
“You going after her?” Rider asked incredulously when Train started his bike.
He backed his motorcycle up. “No. I’m just going for a ride.”
Peeling out, he drove out of the parking lot without any sense of direction, letting faith lead the way.
32
Train stared at the bedroom window, waiting for the light to come on. It was still early; the sun having come up an hour ago. He had no intention of waking her up so early, but the waiting was starting to get to him.
Sitting where she could see him if she looked out her window or open her door, he didn’t want to startle her, yet he hoped she would see him before he had to knock on the door.
It was eight a.m. when he saw her bedroom light come on. He waited until he saw the light come on in the kitchen before he got off his bike and knocked on her front door.
“Train? What are you doing here?” Peyton asked as she opened her screen door, staring at him with a frown of concern. “Is Killyama all right?”
“Yes. May I come in? I’d like to talk to you about her.” Train didn’t expect her to let him in since he had only met her once, yet she opened the door without hesitation, inviting him inside.
“I’m making some coffee. Would you like a cup?”
“No, thank you.” Train racked his brain, trying to find a way to start the discussion.
“You said you wanted to talk to me about Killyama?” she prompted.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve been seeing your daughter for several months—”
“I know.” She tightened the knot at her waist that held her housecoat together.
“We broke up yesterday. She did something that I consider a breach of my trust—”
Peyton held her hand up, stopping him. “I don’t want to hear the details. If Killyama decided not to see you anymore, then I respect her privacy. I won’t try to change her mind.”
“I broke up with her. And it’s not her mind that needs to be changed. It’s mine.” Train stared at her, willing her to see what was in his heart. “I love her. I have for some time, yet she continues to push me away by lying. Yesterday, she went so far as to steal a key off a friend of mine.”
“She must have had a reason. Killyama never stole from anyone before.” Her troubled eyes met his.
“That’s why I’m here. I guess I was hoping you would know something that Killyama wasn’t
willing to tell me.”
“No.” Peyton went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Without her makeup on, Train could see Killyama in her. Her mother wasn’t as skillful as her daughter at lying.
“I’m sorry I can’t help you. Are you sure I can’t offer you any coffee?”
“No, what I want, you aren’t willing to give.”
“Call her. Try to talk it out … Maybe you will be able to work things out with her.”
“I’ve tried. Believe me; I’ve tried. Do you know that she swears she’ll never get married, that she doesn’t want children?”
“She’ll change her mind.” Peyton’s dismay showed he had exposed a sore spot.
“She might be pretending it’s a joke to you, but she’s serious about it. I tried to find out why she doesn’t want a future with me, or any man, but she stonewalls me. A man can only take being told to fuck off so many times before he starts to listen. Either you help me or, so help me God, I’m going to walk out that door and I won’t look back.” Train gave the same opportunity to Peyton he had given to Killyama. If she didn’t help him, he was done, and he let her see that truth in his eyes.
Tears welled up in Peyton’s as she set her coffee cup back down on the counter with a trembling hand. “Will you give me a few minutes? I need to get dressed. There’s something I think you need to see.”
“All right.” At this point, he was willing to do anything to shed some light on Killyama’s behavior.
“Have a seat. It won’t take me but a moment,” she excused herself.
“Take your time. I’m in no hurry.”
Peyton nodded then went through the narrow trailer toward her bedroom, while Train took a seat on one of the benches at the kitchen table. From there, he could stare out the kitchen window. He almost expected to see flashing blue lights, or Hammer and Jonas’s vehicle pull up. He had offered to leave, but Peyton could have become frightened and used the opportunity to call the police or someone else she could trust.
When she returned, she was wearing slacks and a blue cowl neck sweater. It was early spring and the mornings outside were cool.
“The grass is damp in the morning,” she explained as Train watched her slip on a pair of rain boots before going to the door. “Ready?”