by S. Nelson
“Come on. Get up. Food’s gettin’ cold.” He disappeared from the room before I could argue or tell him I didn’t want anything to eat, which would’ve been another lie.
After changing into my clothes from last night, I nosed around in his closet for any traces of another woman but didn’t find anything. When I finally entered the bathroom, I invaded his privacy once more by rifling through his drawers, searching for something to indicate he’d had company at some point, but again I came up empty-handed. Realizing I was being ridiculous because I shouldn’t care whether he’d taken women back to his house, I tied my hair up into a loose knot on top of my head, washed my face, and used the extra toothbrush I found in one of the drawers. When I looked somewhat presentable, I shuffled into the kitchen, inhaling the wonderful aroma of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
Plopping down at the table, I leaned back and took in his place, appreciating the open concept. The décor screamed bachelor pad but was tasteful and not overdone. Browns and creams were the main palette. Not my choice because I loved lots of color, but the simplicity suited Kaden.
His kitchen, however, was right up my alley. Rich, mahogany-colored cabinets lined every wall and mixed with the white granite countertops, I felt the need to cook something myself, and I didn’t like to cook, so that was saying a lot. A huge island was centered in the room, same color cabinets and countertop to match. And top- of-the-line stainless-steel appliances completed the kitchen, giving the space a sophisticated feel.
With a slight turn of my head, I could see his living room, a beautiful large stone fireplace with a huge television hung directly above it, drawing my attention first.
“How many times have you used that since you’ve been here?” I asked, pointing toward the fireplace.
“A few. Sometimes it’s nice to take the nip out of the air.”
I looked around some more before saying, “Your house is nice. From what I’ve seen of it.”
“Thanks.” His back was to me. “It took a lot of work to renovate, but I like how it turned out.” He opened the cupboard and pulled out two plates and two glasses. “Do you want orange juice, water, or coffee?”
“Orange juice.”
After dishing out the food, he strolled toward the table and placed my plate in front of me, followed by a huge glass of OJ. The silverware was already on the table along with some napkins.
“I never thought I’d see the day you’d become domesticated.” I took a bite of eggs, then another. I had to stop myself from shoveling in all the deliciousness at once. “Or could cook.”
“Well, I had to learn. Otherwise I’d starve or end up eating a lot of fast food, and that wouldn’t be good for me.” He patted his belly, and even though he wore a white T-shirt and pajama pants, I couldn’t help but remember the sight of him in my brother’s room when he dropped his towel.
I smiled around a forkful of pancakes. “It’s very good,” I finally said once I’d managed to swallow.
“I do make a good breakfast. But I can also make a mean plate of spaghetti, complete with homemade meatballs.” Kaden’s lips wrapped around his fork, a drip of syrup lingering on the corner of his mouth before his tongue licked it off. “I can make it for you sometime, if you like.”
Did he just ask me over for dinner?
I wanted to tell him no, that this was the only time I’d be stepping foot in his house, but instead I said, “Sure.”
Changing the subject before he could solidify plans for us to share another meal together, I asked him how work was going. Then he asked me the same question.
We chatted while we ate, and it was nice not to have an overwhelming feeling of anger clutch every fiber inside me at being around him.
“I don’t think I’ll eat for the rest of the day.” I pushed my plate away from me and moaned before leaning back in my chair, my arms draped loosely at my sides.
There was a slight pause in the conversation before Kaden said, “Do you think we can—”
The legs of my chair scraped against the tile before he could finish his sentence. “I have to get going now. Can you take me home, or do you want me to call for a ride?”
He rose from his seat right after me. “Ya know, you’re gonna have to let me finish sayin’ what I need to at some point.”
I pursed my lips together. “Ride?”
“Of course, I’ll take you home. Just let me get changed and then we can go.”
As Kaden walked away, I realized he was right. I was gonna have to hear him out in order for us to move on.
Question was, would it be together or separate?
23
When I finally pulled up in front of Riley’s house, the entire ride driven in silence, I grabbed her hand before she opened the door. I wanted to tell her I needed her, that I wanted her back in my life, but instead I ended up thanking her for having breakfast with me. Before she hopped out of my truck, I reminded her I’d see her on Saturday. She frowned, until she realized Saturday was Roman’s birthday party. I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed she’d have to see me again so soon or not, her face slipping into a mask I’d seen many times before she closed my door.
“How’s Riley?”
I bumped my head on the corner of the hood, cursing out loud because Ace managed to startle me.
“Fuck, man.” Rubbing the back of my skull, I snarled at him. “You can’t creep up on me like that when I’m workin’.”
“I didn’t creep up on ya. You just weren’t paying attention.” He looked over at Tag, who was trying to find a hose for me on one of the many shelves housed in the garage. “Hey, Tag. How’s it goin’?”
“No complaints.”
Even though Tag hadn’t been around long at all, he seemed to fit in well. Not only was he a huge help with the workload, but all the guys who met him liked him.
They exchanged nods before Ace turned his attention back on me. “So?”
“So… what?” Wiping my hands on the rag near me, I looked away from Ace, realizing he was gonna press me about Riley. Had he picked up on somethin’? Had she told anyone what happened last night?
“What happened with her?” Before I could divert or ask him what he meant, he said, “If Stone wasn’t her father...” He wiggled his brows. “She’s hot.” He laughed, but when he saw the murderous look on my face, he abruptly stopped. “What?”
I wanted to run and tackle him. I wanted to punch him in the face for even thinking about Riley, but I controlled my temper, albeit barely.
“Not smart,” I heard Tag mumble.
Ace looked between us. “What? Will someone fill me in? What did I say?”
In all fairness to the guy, he had no idea how close he came to a beating and all because no one knew about the history between me and Riley. I decided right then and there, in the midst of my anger that I would change the circumstances surrounding me and the woman who I let slip through my fingers.
And Saturday would be the day.
A short sense of relief wafted off me until I realized Ace was still staring at me, his comment about Riley continuing to boil my blood.
“Nuthin’. I just got a lot on my mind.”
Ace took a step back, no doubt aware of the tension still present. “I was only asking if she was okay afterward. She was pretty drunk when you two left.”
“She was fine.” I took a breath, then another, then asked him a question to distract him so that he didn’t unknowingly piss me off any further. “Don’t you think you have your hands full with Chelsea?’ Whatever smirk had been on Ace’s face moments before disappeared the second I mentioned Riley’s best friend.
“Can you believe how she fawned all over that fuckin’ band? And with me right there, in the same damn room?” He grabbed the back of his neck and dipped his head, his chest rising and falling in aggravation.
“She’s single, isn’t she?” I pressed because I was aware of their attraction toward each other, as well as having information that they’d hooked up a few times, that de
tail coming straight from his mouth.
Ace’s nostrils flared. “Technically.”
“Then she can do what she wants, right?”
“No,” he shouted, lowering his voice when he saw Prez approaching. “Not when I’m around.” He strode off, jerking his chin toward our leader before disappearing inside the clubhouse.
I chuckled to myself, thankful I’d been able to divert the attention away from a topic I still had yet to figure out.
“Hey,” my dad greeted, coming closer to inspect what I was working on. “How’s everythin’ goin’?”
“Good. Almost finished up here.”
“Remember your mom wants you over for dinner later. Don’t flake out like last time.” He gave me a stern look, then slapped me on the back.
“I won’t forget. I’m gonna run home in a bit, take a shower and then I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” He turned to walk away but didn’t get far before I stopped him.
“Did you ever meet Tag?” He shook his head, looking across the garage at the guy. “He’s pretty cool. Been helping me out here. He even stepped in to help the guys at Indulge when shit popped off.” My dad wasn’t a patient man by nature, so if I wanted him to meet the guy, I better get to it.
“Tag, come over here a sec.” Once he was near, I introduced the two of them. “Prez, this is Tag Denton.” I looked at Tag. “And this is Marek, the president of the Knights Corruption, and my father.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Tag greeted, extending his hand. My dad looked him over for several seconds before taking his hand.
“Thanks for helping Kaden out.”
“My pleasure. He was the one who saved me when my truck broke down. Don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise.”
My dad looked back at me. “Don’t be late.” Then he walked away without another word.
“He seems….”
“Yeah, I know,” I responded, knowing exactly what Tag meant. Marek had a presence about him that didn’t require him to say much yet still be respected, even feared by some. More so in his heyday than now, from what I heard, but the intimidation he exuded, whether he meant to or not, was real.
“You look like him.” Tag slung a dirty rag over his worn T-shirt before pulling out his phone.
“Oddly enough I’ve been told that before.”
“Why is that odd?” he asked, typing out a text before returning his phone to his back pocket.
“Because he’s not my biological father.”
“Really?” Tag seemed genuinely shocked by the news. “I would’ve lost money on that bet.”
“Yeah, he and my mom took me in when I was three months old.”
“That’s cool, man.” I didn’t think he knew what else to say because in general the topic made most people uneasy. They assumed I was uncomfortable, which made them feel the same way, and so on.
I’d known since I was a little kid that my mom and dad weren’t related to me by blood, but it wasn’t until I was around fourteen or so that my dad sat me down and told me the whole story about how Tripp’s ex dropped me off at the club one night, claiming I was his son. The math didn’t add up, and before they could stop her, she took off. My mom begged to take me until he could find her… and that was that. When I was around a year and a half, Tripp found out that my biological mother, Rachel, had died of a drug overdose, therefore putting me in the care of my parents for good. They legally adopted me when I was two.
There was a time I felt a certain way about the situation, a sense that something was missing, which I was sure plagued most people who were adopted. Why didn’t they want me? What was wrong with me that they didn’t want to keep and raise me? That kinda stuff.
But when my mom told me she prayed for me, before she even knew me, all that shit went out the window and I never gave my birth mother another thought.
I was meant to be with Cole and Sully Marek.
24
Lounging around the house on my day off did nothing but give me time to think about Kaden and everything that had happened in the past few days.
We’d gone months, hell… years, without seeing each other as much as we have recently and while I didn’t understand his need to be near me suddenly, I couldn’t lie and say that I was completely annoyed with his attentions. Completely, being the operative word.
It was as if Kaden had bombarded my world with his presence, barely giving me enough room to breathe, let alone come to grips with him trying to get me back into his life in some capacity. On several occasions, he said that we needed to talk, that he was sorry, but he never elaborated on the conversation or at the very least gave me any sort of resolution or plan going forward. Yes, I cut him off most of the time, but that never stopped him from saying what he wanted in the past.
I realized my way of approaching our new situation seemed cold and detached, but I needed to protect myself from what would most likely end up happening, which would be for us to become friendly again, maybe even stretch the boundaries of our relationship into something more… then it would all come crashing down around us.
At this point in my life, while I was still scared to tell my dad about us if we indeed chose to be together again, I would, but I didn’t want to cause unnecessary stress in my life by revealing something that might not go anywhere long-term. I also didn’t want Kaden to have to deal with the fallout at the club every day, either.
Flipping through the television stations, my restless mind wouldn’t calm enough for me to focus on much, let alone a movie or show. After searching for several more minutes, I grabbed my phone from beside me and unlocked the screen, pulling up the last text message I received from Kaden. He’d thanked me for cutting his hair and I replied with a curt no problem.
I felt like things had changed drastically between us since that text. After he’d taken me back to his house after Rustic, we possessed a different rapport, even if it had only been slightly altered from our previous interactions as of late.
While I thought about the new dynamic between Kaden and me, my phone dinged with a text from an unknown number.
Unknown: Hey, it’s Linc. Can you do me a huge favor?
Me: I’m lying on the couch in my jammies, so if it requires me to get dressed and leave the house… NO
Unknown: I’ll owe you so big
Me: How big?
Unknown: Five percent of my next winnings
For my brother to offer me any percentage of his pot meant that this favor was something I wouldn’t normally agree to. But five percent of his prize money could amount to a hefty amount and there was this pair of shoes I had my eye on.
Hmm… How bad could the task be?
Me: Fine. What is it?
Unknown: I need you to grab my phone and bring it to me
Me: That’s it?
Unknown: Yeah, I’ll send you the address where I’m at. Text me back at this number when you’re here and I’ll have one of the guys run out to get it
I was confused by the task. It seemed simple enough, so then why would he offer me so much money to complete it?
Me: Where’s your phone? In your room?
Unknown: No
Walking into my bedroom, I tossed my cell on top of my dresser before entering my closet. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a black-and-white striped shirt, already looking forward to shedding them soon to put my comfy pajamas back on. Lincoln sent another text, and when I opened the screen again, I shook my head, as if he could see my response.
Unknown: I left my phone at Indulge. Carla has it behind the bar
My fingers glided over the keys faster than I believed they ever had before, my irritation reaching a whole other level.
Me: There’s no way I’m going to that place just to grab your damn phone. NO!
Unknown: I need it and there’s no one else to go. I’ll give you ten percent. Come on… please!
I shot my best friend a text and she replied right away, accompanied by all sorts of emojis.
Unknown: Thanks. You’re my favorite sister
Me: Not flattering since I’m your only sister
“I can’t believe I let him talk me into this,” I mumbled to myself, slamming the driver’s side door and waiting for Chelsea to get her ass out here to join me.
The parking lot was packed, vehicles taking up every space in front, around the sides, and, I assumed, filling up the space designated behind the building. There were two bikes parked out front, one of which I recognized as Kaden’s.
“That’s great.” Again, I spoke to myself, but that time my bestie heard me.
“What’s wrong?” She linked her arm with mine and practically dragged me toward the front door, her blonde and pink hair swinging around her with each step.
“This is the last place I wanna be right now. Scratch that. This is the last place I wanna be ever.”
“Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch. It’s just a strip club. Who cares?” She laughed, but I didn’t find anything amusing about me having to trek inside, even if my visit was gonna be brief.
Every step toward the entrance of the club made me tense, and while I wanted to pass off the reason as nothing more than not wanting to be surrounded by naked chicks and drunk horny men, the real reason for my reservation was that I didn’t want to come face-to-face with anyone who might’ve had sex with Kaden. I couldn’t tell who it was just by looking around, but the possibilities were endless and daunting.
I wasn’t dumb. He came here often, and I doubted all his trips were due to club business. And even then, even if he was here because of his duties, I doubted he’d turn down free pussy if offered.