by Kate Swain
I smiled. “That’s good. Listen, Tex, speaking of your girl…”
“What about her?” Tex sounded defensive. I wanted to laugh.
“It’s her friend,” I explained. “The girl you recommended that we hire.”
“Is Amelia not working out? I can’t imagine that to be true. My Tanya said that she is…”
I interrupted, “No, no, she is a great receptionist. Thanks again for the recommendation. It’s something else. I’m concerned about her.”
“Concerned about her?” He made it sound like a foreign word. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that a guy is stalking her,” I said, then carefully outlined the details for him.
“Who would do that?” he asked, seemingly unable to understand why anyone would act with such malice.
“…and so, could you keep an eye on her?” I finished. I had been tense for the entire conversation, not wanting anybody outside the office to hear.
“Okay,” Tex said firmly. He sounded like he was extra focused. “I get it. You want me to keep an eye out for this creep, and if I see him…”
“You’re to kick his ass,” I said calmly. “And tell him…”
“…if he goes anywhere near Amelia, he’ll be sorry.” Tex finished. His voice was tight.
“Yes,” I agreed, feeling relieved. “That’s about right. Thanks, Tex.” I felt better, knowing he was now in the loop.
“Not at all,” Tex growled. “I’m more than happy to deal with assholes like him. Is she okay?” he added worriedly.
“I think so,” I said, thinking about Amelia calming down some since her return. But what did I know about her? I found it difficult to make any sort of assessment of her state. I had no idea how to tell if she was doing better or not—I knew that she was upset and rightfully so.
“Well, from now on, I’m going to keep my eyes out for this asshole,” Tex muttered.
“Great,” I told him, thankfully. “Thanks, Tex.”
“Sure thing,” he said.
We ended the call.
When he hung up, I leaned back in my seat with a sigh. Like me, Tex was part of Heaven’s Helpers, a bike club consisting mainly of ex-military guys. We raised money for charities to support battered women and children. And, whenever possible, we protected the vulnerable. Nobody except my brothers and other members knew about my membership.
I did it mainly for myself. Knowing that I could protect people made me feel useful, which made me feel good.
I sighed. I wished I could protect Amelia. I thought back to her worried face, the tears falling as she cried.
Again, I felt rage rising inside of me. I fought it down. Amelia had asked me to do nothing. If she had approved it, I would have gone to the restaurant, tracked this shit down, and cracked his skull open with my fists.
“Carter?” somebody called. I realized I’d shut the door, something I rarely did—at least during working hours. I got up and opened it. I found myself looking at my brother.
“Matthew,” I greeted him wearily. “What’s up?”
“Nothing… the guys wanted to know where you were. Your pizza’s cold,” he added, a soft smile on his face.
I shut my eyes. I had forgotten all about lunch! I realized now that I was hungry, my stomach twisting painfully to remind me to eat.
“Has Amelia eaten?” I asked, standing and pushing back my chair. It was only after I said it that I realized it was probably a strange thing to say.
Matthew frowned. “I don’t think so. We have extra food, though… Adam couldn’t finish all his. He’s allergic to chili-peppers.” He grinned.
“Why did he order it, then?” I asked, smiling in spite of myself. I put on my coat, surprised by how cold it was. I wanted to go outside for a bit before confronting the guys. “Let’s go around,” I motioned to Matthew. “I want to check the bikes.”
Matthew nodded. Our clients had parked their bikes in the fenced-off area of the parking lot as they waited for service. I followed him out, checking that everything was in order and nobody had stolen anything.
“Okay,” I said when we reached the door of the shop. “Let’s go in.”
I took a breath as Matthew opened the door. I felt foolish, thinking that everybody in the shop was probably laughing behind closed doors at my infatuation.
“Carter!” Mark greeted me. He came over and took my arm. “We saved your pizza. We thought about giving it to Adam, but then it looked like we’d have to call an ambulance for him.” He inclined his head in the direction of Adam, who was leaning on the wall, looking pale.
“Hey, Adam. You okay?” I asked. He nodded and cleared his throat.
“Yes, Carter,” he said. His voice sounded strained. I turned my head in Mark’s direction. “Did you get him a glass of water?” I asked.
“We did,” Mark confirmed. He jerked his head in the direction of the front work-desk, where Adam stood. A large cup of water stood there, clearly recently used. I nodded.
“Fine. What size pizza do I have again?” I asked. I always ordered the Four Seasons since it had four different toppings. It saved me from having to make unnecessary decisions.
“An extra-large,” Matthew confirmed. The pizza place we frequented did three sizes—regular, large, and extra-large. Even on a day when my hunger was tremendous, an extra-large would be enough for me.
“Thanks,” I grinned. I took the box, which Matthew had retrieved from the table near the microwave in the corner. It was going to be cold—I decided against heating some pieces in the microwave and instead turned towards the front office.
“Where are you going?” Mark asked as I headed back outside.
“To the office. I have to order those parts,” I reminded them. I got distracted from the task when I heard Amelia crying in the room next door, and I went to check on her.
“Great! I’m getting old waiting for those parts,” Mark called as I left the room.
“You can wait five minutes more, then,” I offered.
The other guys all laughed, and I heard Matthew about to launch into some war of wit with his brother. Smiling to myself, I carried the pizza box to my office. I took a few slices out and put them on a plate I kept in my office for emergency lunches. I carried the box to the office next door. Standing in the hallway, I knocked on the door, surprised to find it shut.
“Amelia?” I called through the wood. “You in there?”
“Yes,” a small voice called back. “Please, come in. I closed the door because of the noise from the workshop.”
“Sorry about that,” I said. “Here,” I added, producing my gift, “I thought you might be hungry.”
She looked at it and then up at me. She gave me a small smile. Her eyes shone. “Thanks,” she whispered.
I felt my heart melt. Grinning like a fool, I put the box of almost-warm pizza on the desk. “Here,” I said again.
“All for me?” she giggled. “There’s way too much!”
I shrugged. “You can figure out what to do with it,” I said gruffly. Damn it, why did I find it so hard to talk to her? Without fail, every time I was anywhere near her, I started talking in short sentences. My brain turned off or something. Something else in my anatomy turned on, though. I winced and hoped she wasn’t looking there.
“I will,” she said softly. “And thanks, Carter.”
“It was nothing,” I said, trying to soften my tone.
She looked up at me, and I felt my soul start to melt as I stared into those soft brown eyes. Damn it, but why did she have to be so beautiful?
I forced myself to look away and then walked back to my office. There, I sat and put my head in my hands and groaned softly.
Why did I have to fall for her?
I kept my eye on Amelia for the rest of the day. I ordered the parts, set up an appointment with my accountant, and did paperwork. But all the while, I thought of her and her safety.
Who was this guy? Was he dangerous? Would he continue to stalk her?
I
tried not to think about it. As it started getting dark, though, those thoughts returned to my mind. I glanced outside. It was almost seven o’clock. It was Fall now, and it was starting to get dark earlier. By seven-thirty, it would certainly be pitch black out there.
When I stood to make the rounds and check on the day’s work to prepare for closing up for the night, I found myself peering around the corner at her office. The light was off, and it seemed as if it was locked up.
“Matthew?” I asked when I’d finished inspecting the clean-up of the shop. “Do you know if Amelia’s left yet?”
Matthew frowned. “I think so,” he said. “I heard her keys jangling as she went out. She’s free to go when the office shuts, no?”
“Sure she is,” I nodded swiftly. Hell, why did even he have to assume I was being too hard on Amelia? I was sure I hadn’t behaved that badly. “Am I that much of an asshole boss?”
He grinned. “You want the truth?”
I shook my head. “I can’t be such an ogre, surely.”
He laughed. “I guess we have all been pretty shocked about how hard you are on Amelia,” he said. “We shouldn’t have made jokes about you and her, but I think we were all just hoping we were right.”
“Was I mean to her?” I frowned.
Matthew regarded me steadily. He had gentle eyes and was slow to anger. Not that he was angry now, not exactly. But I could see disapproval there. I swallowed hard.
“I was mean, wasn’t I?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I guess. I understand, though… she’s new here. You just want to make sure she takes us all seriously.”
“I guess,” I said with some hesitation. I knew that wasn’t true. Mark had hit far closer to the truth when he said I had a crush on her. I did. I was embarrassed about it, and I didn’t want her to know or anybody else in the shop.
“So,” Matthew shrugged. “We can all be a bit difficult sometimes. I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”
I bit my lip uncertainly. “I hope so. Thanks for talking about this,” I said.
On the way back to my office, I checked on her parking-space. It was empty, the little VW with its marks from several accidents was long gone. I tried not to feel the surprising stab of sorrow I felt on seeing her empty parking space.
“She’ll be fine,” I told myself. I wished, with a fervency that surprised me, that I could have driven her home like I did yesterday. At least then I would know she was okay.
“You’re being ridiculous,” I told myself harshly.
But it wasn’t ridiculous. I was falling for her. I wanted to see her again, to know that she was safe.
10
Amelia
I stared. The door was open in front of me, the sign above it slightly askew, but not visible in the dark outside. It was Friday, and I was standing outside a bar that was known locally as The Midnight Fright, even though the signage said “The Midnight Flight.” It was not the place I wanted to be during the best of times. It was a local dive bar and always full even at closing time. It had a dingy atmosphere and too often a dingy crowd. The Midnight was not my favorite venue for anything.
All the same, I had let Tanya talk me into going there after work on Friday night. I had dressed hastily in jeans and a new, never-worn pale blue blouse, which was, currently, the only clean top I owned. It was a bit fancy, especially for the Midnight, but it had to do. I had thrown a jacket over the top. I stood in the doorway and surveyed the battlefield.
Bikers, clad in leather and big in size, leaned on the bar in the corner. The light came from several ceiling-lights, though it was still dark in there, especially in the corners. Several tables, wooden and sturdy, dotted the floor, and all were packed with people. The noise was deafening.
“I don’t think I can go in there,” I whispered.
“Hey!” Tanya ignored me and greeted a guy who looked like a wrestler—all muscles and bulk. He waved us over. I let her cheerfully drag me into the bar, ignoring everything I’d said.
“Tanya. Tex said you’d be coming over,” the guy said, taking her hand.
Tanya grinned. “He did?” She made a face over her shoulder. “I didn’t think I was forbidden to go to bars now?”
The big man laughed. “He didn’t say that. He just said that you’d be here, so I was to keep an eye on you.”
“Oh. That’s kind.” Tanya beamed. “Thanks, man.”
“Not at all,” he said. At that moment, somebody called him over from behind the bar, and he lumbered over. I sat down as Tanya waved us to a vacant table. She shrugged off her coat, laying it on the back of the chair, showing the white blouse she wore underneath—elegant and dangerous. She had her own style, which matched her vivacious personality. I liked it.
“What will you drink?” she asked. “I’m into beer now.”
“You are?” I said with a look of disgust. I had never enjoyed it. “I’ll have the house wine.”
“Great. Hey!” She waved at a guy who appeared to be taking orders from the tables. “A glass of red, a Black Label and… shall we eat something? Yeah. Pizza.”
Looking over my shoulder to where the guy took the order, I felt my head swim. Going out with Tanya was always like this—she was the boss of every situation, and she would drag me into all sorts of adventures just because she moved too fast for me to stop anything. She had once ordered my meal for me before I even had a chance to look at the menu. This was far from the first time that something like this had happened, and I watched as she gestured for the waiter to go and fetch our orders, as authoritatively as if she was commanding a platoon.
“Thanks,” I murmured, as the waiter headed off with an order I didn’t know I’d placed.
“Great,” Tanya beamed, leaning on the wooden surface that was stained here and there with the rings from the bottom of glasses and, I noticed with some discomfort, some very sticky patches. “Isn’t this fun?”
“Um…” I was about to try and reply when the waiter appeared with our drinks. I took a sip of mine, watching Tanya grin at him and then produce her wallet.
“Let me pay,” I said quickly.
She gave me a disapproving look. “Second round is yours.”
“Oh. Thanks,” I nodded.
“Sure,” she said.
The music was loud, but it didn’t really matter, as Tanya kept up a cheerful one-sided conversation about everything that happened at work and included the latest with Tex. I smiled and nodded, and if I couldn’t hear everything, it didn’t really matter too much. I sipped my drink and felt myself relax.
I did need this. She was right.
Ever since the incident with Creepy in the restaurant parking lot, I had felt disoriented. I hadn’t realized how badly the experience threw me. Tanya had noticed, though, and insisted I come out for some fun. I was glad she made it happen.
“We had to come out,” Tanya said, coming to an end of her speech. “We had to celebrate your new job! How’s it going?”
I shrugged. Work was the one thing I didn’t want to talk about. Since the incident with Luke, I’d felt strange. Carter had been so nice about it. It surprised me.
Carter isn’t nice. He’s an arrogant dickhead.
I felt my cheeks flush just thinking about insulting him. Somehow it felt naughty and good at the same time.
“So?” Tanya asked, leaning over the table. “Feeling any better?”
“I am,” I nodded, feeling relaxed. “Thanks, girlfriend.”
“No worries,” she said, leaning back in her seat. She, too, looked relaxed. Her long red hair, freshly combed, hung back glossily over her shoulders, and her face with the one wrinkle across her forehead looked relaxed too. She had a vibrant, lively appearance, and was more full of life and energy than anyone I’d ever known.
As I watched her glancing around the bar, I cast my eyes to the door. I went stiff.
It couldn’t be. But, then, who else had that dark hair and big shoulders?
On the other side of the bar, at the door
, stood Carter. I stared.
It was Carter, all right. I felt my heart start to pound. I knew my hands were sweating, and my body was tense with excitement. I saw him look around the bar with that arrogant, I-am-the-greatest stare, and emotions and energy flowed through my body irrepressibly. It was a reaction of attraction, and I now knew that I was completely attracted to him. It was impossible to deny it.
He was wearing a blue button-down shirt, a dark blue that brought out the color of his eyes. His hair was clean and shiny, and his jeans were tight enough to reveal his strong thigh-muscles. When he turned around, I could see his tight butt, showcased by the jeans. I wanted to die, he was so hot.
“Tanya,” I whispered urgently, as my body felt the desperate need to flee before I died of embarrassment or shyness. “Can we…”
“Oh, look! Mark! Hello!” she waved, and my heart stopped. Mark had come in just before him, and he was standing by the bar. He saw Tanya wave and came over.
“Hi, Tanya. How’s Tex?” he asked.
Tanya grinned and laughed with wry amusement. “I seem to have suddenly become a biker accessory,” she chuckled. “Tex is fine. I’m also fine, so you know.”
Mark grinned shyly. “Sorry, Tanya. I’m glad you’re fine. Hi, Amelia.” He frowned as if he was surprised to see me frequenting such a place as this. “You also fine?”
I smiled, in spite of the desperate feeling of nerves that had taken possession of me. “I’m fine, thanks, Mark,” I said. “Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I need to find the restroom.”
I stood up on shaky legs and moved to the edge of the bench. At that moment, Carter caught sight of his brother sitting down opposite Tanya. Mark waved to him.
“Carter!” he called. “Come on over. Look who’s here.”
I saw Carter’s eyes fall on me when Mark half-stood, calling his brother again. Carter came straight over. My heart dropped into my shoes. I looked to Tanya for help, but there was no escape—it was too late to run.