He was quiet for a few minutes. “So you said concert? Like he’s a violinist or like he’s a country star or are we talking rock star variety?”
“Hell, he probably plays the violin. I think he can play anything he picks up, to be honest with you.” Nervously picking at a spot on the peeling table, I inhaled a deep, shaky breath. “But he would be the rock star variety. God, I was so dumb.”
“I’d like to say fuck him and feed him fish, but I have to ask. What’s the underlying cause of the abuse? I’m assuming both drugs and alcohol with what you said, but what started it?” His sister brought our plates and set them in front of us. Then she placed a squeeze ketchup bottle and hot sauce on the table.
Staring at him as if he had two heads, I realized Logan never told me the details. “We didn’t really discuss it. Something happened when he was a kid, I think. Or hell, maybe it was an easy cop-out for typical teenage angst. Later, I believe it was because he blamed himself for his older brother’s death.”
Thoughtful, he watched me for a few minutes before he responded. “What kind of rock and roll star is he?”
“I shouldn’t say. It wouldn’t be fair to him. You could sell the story to the tabloids or something.” Nervously, I chewed on my lip.
“Why don’t you?” He seemed more than curious.
“What? No way. I could never do that to him.” The thought of hurting him and the rest of the guys like that for a buck sent a shudder through me. After watching me for a little longer, he poured a generous amount of hot sauce on his grilled chicken sandwich, then took a huge bite. As he chewed, he continued to watch me.
Uncomfortable with his unwavering stare, I took a bite of my burger. At any other time, it would’ve been a great one, but the conversation we’d been having left me without much of an appetite. After a single bite, I set it down and took a drink of my water.
“This guy. He wouldn’t happen to have a brother named Levi, would he?” Unable to disguise the shock in my eyes or expression, I swallowed hard. “That’s what I thought. So I’m guessing you’re Logan’s ol’ lady, huh?”
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
“Excuse me?” Surely, I’d heard him incorrectly. There was no way that in the middle of a state the size of Texas, I was sitting at a table with someone who knew my husband and his brother.
Finishing his sandwich in about four bites, he washed it down with his tea, then leaned back in the booth, resting an arm over the top of my suitcase where it sat on the bench next to him. “Funny thing. I went to basic training with Levi. The drummer, Dominic, was in the same Marine Corps Special Ops team as a brother of mine up in Iowa where I just came back from. The only time I met Logan was briefly at our basic training graduation, but I know who he is.”
Disbelief had my head dropping forward and my shoulders drooping. Of all the fucking places I could’ve stopped, and all the places I could’ve chosen to eat at, and all the guys who could’ve sat down at my table.
How?
How was my luck that shitty?
“You have got to be shitting me,” I whispered. I didn’t think he’d heard me, but the man must have had bionic hearing. His chuckle had me opening my eyes and looking at him.
“Funny how shit happens, huh? It’s a small fucking world. What is it they say? Six degrees of separation? So does he know you’re here? I’m guessing no.” I wanted to smack the knowing smirk off of his face and shove a wad of napkins in his laughing mouth.
“Yeah, really funny. Ha. Ha. No, he doesn’t know. Are you going to tell him?” Resignation heavy in my heart, I didn’t know what to do. Of course, that was nothing new, because that had been my perpetual state of being since running into Logan in that coffee shop in Boston. He’d sent me into a tailspin, and I’d been flying by the seat of my pants ever since.
“So you’re running? Hiding? Starting over here? What?”
“Who are you to even question me? You don’t know me, nor do I know you.”
“Exactly. Which is why I’m asking. Because I don’t think you have a clue either. I’m only trying to be a friend and trying to get you to look at where you’re going with your life. You wanna stay here, my sister and I will help you get settled. You wanna go somewhere new or you wanna go back to your man, well, I’ll help you do that, too.” The sincerity in his words humbled me.
“You just met me. Why would you be willing to do that?”
“Because Levi was my battle buddy, and even though we didn’t see each other after basic, we kept in touch. He’s my friend, and you’re his family. Whether you like it or not. So I’m offering you my help. If you want it.” Raising a single shoulder, he acted like it was no big deal that he was offering to help a woman he’d met for the first time in a crummy diner where his poor sister worked.
“If you can recommend a decent hotel that won’t break the bank, we’ll take that as the first step. Then I’ll work on figuring out where I go from there.” My shaky inhale undermined the confidence I’d tried to play off.
“Fair enough. Sounds like a plan. You gonna eat any more of that burger?” He nodded toward my plate.
Twisting my mouth to the side in chagrin, I wrinkled my nose. “No. I sort of lost my appetite.”
“Probably a good thing. Those burgers are to die for, but they sit awful in your stomach later. Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
“Oh, you don’t need to do that. I can call an Uber. Just let me know where I’m going.” The thought of putting the poor guy out any further than I already had didn’t sit well with me. I also didn’t know the guy.
When I tried to pull out cash for my meal, he stilled my hand, gave me a stern look, and threw a couple of twenties on the table.
“Bull-fucking-shit. I’ll give you a ride. If you don’t want to ever see me again, that’s cool, but I’ll at least make sure you get there okay.” A stubborn light hit his ice-blue eyes, and I knew it would be dumb to argue. Resigned to getting a ride with him, I was not prepared for his mode of transportation.
“Good thing your suitcase is small so it will fit on the rack.” Gaping at the bike, I couldn’t deny it was sexy, but I’d never been on a motorcycle. As he strapped my suitcase to the rack behind a small seat back, I stood there wringing my hands.
“Um, I didn’t know you had a motorcycle. I expected a car or truck.”
He laughed. “Well, this is what I have today. Here.” He handed me a helmet, and I looked at it like it was covered in spiders.
“What the hell do I do with this?” My eyes bugged, jumping from the matte black helmet to him and back.
“You’ve never ridden?” There went that eyebrow again.
“No.” Giving him a look that told him to kiss my ass, I stood with a fist on my hip and the helmet in my other.
“Give it here.” He brushed my hair back, then pulled it over my head. After fastening the little strap under my chin, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. “A little big, but we aren’t going on the interstate, and I’ll be extra careful.”
“I feel ridiculous.”
With a grin, he mounted the massive bike and instructed me how to climb on. “Hold on. And lean with me, but not too far.”
Nodding, I realized he couldn’t see me. “Oh. Okay,” I half-shouted.
Traveling through town, we wove in and out of traffic, but true to his word, he was careful and never went too fast. I had to admit it was pretty liberating. By the time we stopped in front of a clean-looking hotel in a nice neighborhood, I was sad to see the ride end.
He helped me get my suitcase off the bike and walked me up to the front desk. “Thank you for the ride.”
“No problem, babe.”
The girl at the front desk was ogling the tall biker next to me, and I honestly couldn’t blame her. Little did she know, he wasn’t there with me and I definitely wouldn’t be hooking up with him. Maybe if I wasn’t so damn in love with the man who’d broken my heart.
The sad thing was, I was afraid there’d never be anot
her man for me because none of them would ever match the feelings Logan had brought out in me. Despite everything, I missed him so damn much.
The clerk gave me my key, and even though I thought that would be the end of it, he walked me up to my room.
“I’m not sleeping with you.” Stubbornly crossing my arms and cocking my hip, I followed his movements. He chuckled as he continued checking every inch of the room before he looked satisfied.
“No shit, hon. Chill.”
Grabbing a small notepad off the desk, he wrote two numbers down. “Top one is me, Styx, in case you forgot. The bottom is my sister, Tori. If you need anything, you give us a call. If you never want to talk to us again, it’s whatever. But at least I feel better knowing you’re safe.”
Feeling bad that I’d thought the worst of him, I dropped my arms to my sides. “Thanks again. Sorry, I wasn’t sure if you…. I mean…. You know.”
With a tip of his lips he patted me on the back. “I mean it. Call me if you need anything. Even if it’s company for dinner. I have a whole slew of brothers and we’ll meet you for dinner wherever you want. Promise, it won’t be a date.”
A brief, thankful smile curled over my mouth. “Thanks.”
“Quit thanking me. Do your soul-searching, and if you need any help with that, you let me know that too.”
“Okay.” Awkwardly, standing by the open door, I waited for him to step out of the room.
With a chin lift, he was gone. I fastened all the locks after him. Then I leaned against the door feeling lost again.
Rubbing my face, I decided to shower, then think. At least, try to think.
Letting the hot water run over me, I couldn’t help but remember the last shower I’d taken with Logan. His hands had slid over my slick skin before he….
Ugh! Stop!
Finishing up, I dried off, padded out to the room, and dug out some comfy clothes from my suitcase. I tossed my purse on the dresser, and it fell over and some of the contents spilled out. My phone slid right off the slick surface and onto the floor.
When I scooped it up, I realized it was still shut off from the night I’d left Logan in Birmingham. Dreading the number of missed calls and messages I probably had waiting from him, I was also a little afraid there wouldn’t be any more at all.
Once my phone powered on, I noticed I actually had more missed calls and messages than I’d guessed, and they weren’t all from Logan.
Though there was at least a text message a day from him.
Logan: I don’t know if you’ll believe me but nothing happened with Mina and it never would have
Logan: You’re the only one for me
Logan: Stella. Please answer me. I love you
Logan: God Stella, I miss the fuck out of you
Logan: If I never see you again, I want you to know, I’ll never love another woman like you ever again
Logan: You probably don’t believe me, but I’m going to be a better man. One you can be proud of. Even if it’s from afar
Logan: Today was awful without you. I love you so goddamn much
Logan: I lied. Today was worse than yesterday.
Logan: I’ll love you forever
Then there were the missed calls and voicemail messages. After the first few, I was crying so hard I couldn’t listen to any more.
Returning to the missed calls, I saw there were some from a Seattle number I didn’t recognize. Then there were several from Levi, Poppy, and Linda. Checking my text messages again, I scrolled through dozens from everyone who’d called. The last one from Poppy simply said: CALL ME ASAP.
Opening the thread, I saw a multitude of messages. They were all from last night and today. They seemed to become increasingly urgent.
Dialing Poppy’s number, I didn’t have to wait long. She answered on the second ring.
“Stella! Oh, thank God!”
“Poppy? What’s wrong?” Sniffling, I tried to hold my shit together.
“It’s Logan. He’s in the hospital. Where are you? Can you get here soon? He tried to detox on his own and he’s had several seizures. We have no idea how many he had before Maggie found him. He’s in the ICU at University of Washington Medical Center. They have him on IV meds and he’s stable, but I thought maybe you…. Shit. I didn’t know if you wanted to know or if you wanted to be here. I’m sorry if you didn’t want to hear from us. God, I’m rambling. I’m so sorry.” Poppy took a deep breath and tried to laugh, but it fell flat.
As soon as she’d said he was in the ICU, my stomach had bottomed out. If there was any doubt about my feelings for him, hearing he that was hospitalized on a medical floor was enough to send my heart into overdrive.
“I’ll be there. Dammit. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Stomach flipping and churning, I was shaking from head to toe.
“Okay. Good. Okay. Thank you. I know he’ll want to see you. All he’s done when he’s conscious is ask for you.” Her admission had my chest aching. When he’s conscious.
“I’m coming. See you soon.” Without even waiting for her reply, I ended the call and looked for the soonest flight out. Then I checked the wait times for an Uber or Lyft. If I could get a ride and not have to wait on an Uber, I was pretty sure I could make the one in a couple of hours. It had two seats left.
Scooping up the notepad, I dialed the first number, hoping he wasn’t on his bike.
“Yo. Who’s this?” I recognized the deep voice as Styx’s.
“It’s Stella. So I have a favor to ask after all. Is there any way I could hitch a ride to the airport?” His answering chuckle told me he’d been waiting for that call.
“Sure thing, doll. I’ll be right there. I’m assuming you need to leave soon.” I was shoving the few things I’d pulled out back into my suitcase.
“Yes. Like, immediately. Please?”
If someone had told me a week ago that I’d be trusting a complete stranger in the middle of a strange state, I would have laughed them out of the room. But there I was doing it.
“See you soon. Wear jeans and boots if you have them.” No goodbye, no see ya later; the call was simply done. That was fine with me though, because I was able to go back online and book the flight I’d found. Thankfully, there were still the two seats. I only needed one.
At damn near light speed, I changed into jeans and a pair of hightop Vans, the closest thing I had to boots.
Double-checking that I hadn’t left anything, I rolled my suitcase out of the room. Dropping the key off at the front desk so soon after checking in, added to my still wet hair, had the clerk looking at me strangely.
I could imagine what she was thinking, and it made my cheeks flush. Especially when the roar of loud pipes echoed under the hotel’s canopy drawing her attention.
At her raised eyebrows and judgmental eyes, I gave a snide smile and met Styx out front.
He patiently strapped my suitcase back on the bike, handed me the helmet that had been strapped there first, and put his back on.
“Where’d this come from?” I held up the helmet he’d given to me.
“It’s my sister’s for when she rides with me or one of the brothers. If we’re going to get you there at a decent time and through Austin traffic, we’re both wearing helmets.” The crinkles at the corners of his eyes told me he was smiling. He was so tall, I couldn’t see his mouth with the helmet on.
“Okay.” Suddenly nerves set in, and I wanted to cry again. I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. It was as if all I had done for the past week was cry. Being an emotional wreck wasn’t me. I was the strong, steady, reliable person.
Because I was a survivor. I didn’t squander anything. I lived and enjoyed life. I didn’t put up with shit.
Except thinking all that crap made me feel like I was trying to convince myself rather than it actually being true.
“You ready?” It was then that I realized he’d been standing there waiting on me as I stared at the ground and held the helmet to my chest. Blinking rapidly to clear my eyes,
I nodded.
“You want me to braid your hair so it’s not a tangled mess by the time we stop?” Remembering when Logan had braided my hair, I almost burst into tears.
Shaking my head, I began to braid it myself. “I got it,” I whispered. After digging for a hair band, I wrapped it around the end with a heavy heart.
Pulling the helmet on, I had to rely on him to fix the strap because I couldn’t remember how he’d done it before.
The trip to the airport was a blur. Before I knew it, he was stopping in the drop-off lane, and I was handing over the helmet that he bungee corded to the backrest. He’d pulled his off and hung it from his handlebar.
After running his hands through his hair, he hesitated briefly. “Look, Stella. For what it’s worth, I believe that people come into our lives for a reason. Whatever cosmic bullshit brought you to my part of the world, I can only believe that it was so I could return a favor. Levi looked out for me when I was a scrawny, scared kid who was afraid of my own shadow.”
Running my gaze over his massive frame from head to toe, I had a hard time believing that could’ve ever been true. “Um, okay.”
His wry grin was slightly lopsided and reminded me of Logan’s. “Yeah, I know. Hard to believe, huh? That was a long time ago, but I’ve never forgotten it. You’re his sister regardless of what happens with you and his little brother. But remember this… if your man doesn’t deal with wherever this shit started, he’s never going to get past it. That will only bring you down with him. I’ve seen it before. So for both your sakes, I do wish you the best.”
“Trust me, I’m well acquainted with the downfalls of addicts, but thank you. This is so weird. I literally just met you, and yet I feel like I’ve known you for ages. Thank you. I feel like I can’t say that enough.” Pulling in a deep, shaky breath, I glanced over my shoulder. “I better get going.”
“No problem. And remember, if you ever need anything, you contact me.” Then he gave me a teasing grin as he climbed back on his bike. “And if you decide to kick his ass to the curb, you know where to find me.” He winked. The laughter that followed as he pulled his helmet back on told me he was joking. At least, I was pretty sure he was.
No Treble Allowed: A Straight Wicked Novel Page 22