by C L Green
Hearing the story I was horrified. Not horrified at what the men had done, but horrified there were two separate families who thought they were Vincent’s number one focus in life. How sad. Two families who both thought the man of their household was so busy working to provide for them that he could only come home to stay a few nights a week.
What an asshole.
I know how I felt finding out that my so called boyfriend was cheating on me. That was bad enough. But I can’t imagine the heartache of being a child and finding out your daddy has a whole other family somewhere that he loves and cherishes, perhaps even more than he does your own.
Aagh.
“See you in fifteen,” Zane announces before tapping the screen on his phone and sliding it into his pocket.
“Luke’s meeting us there,” Jake announces as he sends another text message to Luke letting him know a table’s booked at his mother’s restaurant, Holders.
“I’m not even going to wear my contacts,” I announce cheerfully. I am now officially no longer hiding from Tony and Vincent so why bother right? Although having green eyes had been cool for a while, the hassle of putting in and taking out contact lenses every day is not something I’ll miss. That and the annoying shadows when your turn your eyes and the colored centres slide across your vision.
Jake’s face softens a he murmurs, “I like blue,” before he walks across the room to lift Pierre off his doggie bed where he’s been laying watching the activity in the room with both interest and caution.
A room that in the last five minutes has started to get steadily busier. The flow of people started with the arrival of Pops and some of his biker friends. They drifted in from the garage where they’d been working on someone’s bike. Clearly sick of making themselves scarce (which they did swiftly on Jake’s orders a couple of hours ago), they’d reappeared, grabbed some beers and started hanging out at the pool table. Giving us space, yet making it clear that Saturday night was upon us and it was time to unwind.
As Jake straightens from stooping over Pierre’s doggie bed, I notice Pierre seems relaxed and calm. Clearly he can read Jake’s body language as he flops happily against Jake’s ample chest and settles in for the ride. “Quick outing for the dog and then we lock him in your room. Keep him away from the noisy drunkards while we’re out, yeah?” Jake explains as he makes his way towards the garage door. The garage has an exit to the scrap filled backyard behind the shop and it’s currently the best place to take Pierre for his walks.
Nodding my agreement, I decide to organize Pierre’s tea and get ready to leave while Jake takes him out. Emma and Zane also move to action and disappear out the side door and into the maze of adjoining rooms.
Like magic, we reconvene in the shopfront five minutes later. Emma and I have both changed out of our shorts into blue denim jeans and pulled on a pair of mid-calf biker boots. Looking at each other’s choice of clothing we both burst out laughing. Seemingly, we are both starting to embrace our inner biker. In the past we both would have opted for a skirt and tall boots with killer heels. Our backward slide to jeans and biker boots is hilarious. It’s also way more comfortable.
Pierre unhappy about his confinement in my room was appeased with dinner and a huge beef marrow bone. How quick he forgot his displeasure at solitary confinement when he saw the bone.
Jambo, Emma decided to leave supervising the bar. The bird seems happiest when there is a lot of noise around him and plenty of people to entertain. Wandering through the communal room, the last thing I saw him doing was dangling someone’s keys dangerously close to their drink on the bar. Probably not that big of an issue except that I saw a push button remote on the key ring with the keys. The bird may be funny but clearly he’s not that bright. My guess, he may need to use some of his dog fighting aerial tactics to save his ass if he makes that particular slam dunk.
Holding the shop door open for us, Jake watches us file through before locking it behind it us. The shop officially closed a couple of hours ago. Scanning the street for Anton and his car, I’m surprised to see he’s gone.
He actually took Jake’s advice.
There are four Harley’s parked in front of the shop but apart from that, the street is lifeless. Anton has seemingly decided not to risk upsetting Jake any further.
I wonder how my father will respond to that? He seemed borderline obsessive compulsive about my safety which was why he sent Anton home with me in the first place. Whether his OCD is a good or bad thing I have yet to find out.
Watching Jake locking the door, I see his eyes scan the street as well. His green eyes alert, his black hair shining in the late afternoon sun I feel a small thrill zing through my body as I grapple with the idea that this is my boyfriend. This huge, muscle-bound hulk of a man with his sexy as sin tattoos and eyebrow piercing. I’m only now beginning to understand fully the definition of no pain, no gain. Throwing myself out of the back of that truck had in hindsight, been so worth it.
Good work Arianna.
Appearing happy that he can’t see Anton in the immediate vicinity, Jake’s body relaxes and his arm flies out to grab me by the waist. Pulling me swiftly to his side, he nods to Zane who starts striding off towards Holders. Emma strides on her long legs easily at his side. We fall in behind the two of them.
The feeling of walking along a street, heading out for a meal with my hulk at my side is amazing. With the background threat of my previous life chasing me now seemingly over, I’m starting to feel like a new woman. I’ve got a whole new life ahead of me and right now, it looks good.
Sighing as I tuck myself closer to Jake’s side, we wander along in silence. My mind relaxed, I watch Zane and Emma walking along close to each but not touching. Those two have me confused. They fit. They like each other and yet they don’t want to show it. Well not publicly anyway.
Note to self: Talk to Emma in private about her feelings for Zane.
Snapping my mind from its wanderings, Jake speaks in his low rumble. His intent to remain unheard by Emma and Zane is clear. “They confuse me too.”
Huh? Is he a mind reader?
Glancing up as we walk I see Jake’s head tipped slightly sideways as we walk along. His eyes are locked on the small gap between Emma and Zane. “I told him to cool it. He didn’t. I even told her to cool it by explaining she’d be better-off with Luke. She ignored me. I’m not sure what it means that they both decided to ignore me. Your girl doesn’t look like the sort that will put up with heartache.”
“Is this good or bad do you think?” I ask quietly.
“Don’t know the answer to that either. What I can tell you is that Zane never settles. He’s not monogamous. Never has been and never will be. He just doesn’t have it in him to focus on one woman at a time. If your girl can’t deal with that, she needs to take care of herself before that shit stings her. You need her. I need her. Zane needs her too, just not the way he thinks he needs her.”
Oh dear. Note to self: Talk to Emma sooner rather than later.
Nodding against his side, we overtake Zane and Emma as they stop to look at something of interest in a shop window. Turning into the street and seeing Holders restaurant up ahead, Jake’s voice rumbles softly again. “When we get back, we talk about where to from here. We need to work out what you wanna do about your old life and we need to talk about the bitch I’m still married to.”
Flipping from happy and relaxed to instantly tense and stiff, I freeze.
Fuck.
The wife.
I had so forgotten about her. We’ve had a couple of brief conversations about her so far with each conversation ending prematurely. The only facts I know about the wife so far is that she’s a bitch, Jake is trying to divorce her and that she’s fighting the divorce at every turn. Why a women who Jake appears to dislike passionately and who I’ve not seen once in the time I’ve been around Jake would be fighting a divorce is beyond me. This will clearly be an interesting conversation.
“Shit,” I mumble to myself.
Leaning down so his mouth is near my ear and I can feel his hot breath blowing gently across my face, Jake says something else almost as alarming. “And you should probably prepare yourself for Ma’s ecstasy to see us havin’ dinner together.”
I barely have time to register this extra morsel of information before Jake propels me through the front doorway of Holders and straight into his mother’s arms.
Ellen greets me with enthusiasm. Like I’m her long lost daughter, her arms envelop me and she squeezes me tight. The smell of her soft musky perfume overwhelms me and I find myself sighing as I instantaneously relax. It’s amazing the affect this kind and gentle woman can have on me. “Arianna, my precious girl. Are you becoming a Saturday night regular?” She asks cheerfully as she unwraps her dainty arms from my sides and leans back to look at my eyes. She has a huge smile on her face.
She is dressed similarly to when I visited the week before. A simple cut black dress and her hair pulled back tightly in a bun. The pearls replaced by a necklace of large, flat, bright green shiny stones that match her eyes. The necklace is stunning.
I smile back at her as Jake slides forward to take my position so he can bear hug his mother tightly for a few moments. Releasing the hold on his mother, he then slides his arm around my hip as he drifts me sideways and towards a table where I can already see Luke sitting. Ellen remains near the door welcoming her other son and gifting Emma with a motherly hug as well.
Luke’s eyes lock on mine and a smile crinkles his face instantly. His blue eyes light up with warmth and welcome. He then shifts his focus to Jake above me and does the subtle chin lift all these boys give each other in greeting. As we approach the table I see it has five settings but six chairs. It’s a window table again, chosen to enable us to enjoy the view. Luke is sitting in of the two seats facing sideways to the window.
Assessing the situation quickly, Jake releases his hold on my hips, draws out the seat closest to the aisle and seats me in it. He then slides straight into the chair between me and his friend. I ponder the seating arrangements for a moment and wonder whether he did that on purpose. Did he do it to keep me away from Luke or did he do it because he always sits next to his friend?
Interesting.
I would have preferred to sit in the window seat to watch the street rather than sit in the aisle close to other patrons. Deciding I’m not going to be a fading flower for the rest of my life, I lean across and whisper in Jake’s ear. “I’d rather sit near the window if that’s okay?”
“Not tonight sweetheart,” Jake replies dismissively leaning his ear closer to my lips.
“Am I allowed to ask why?” I reply a little more loudly feeling instantly annoyed that I’m not allowed to choose my own seating arrangements to eat a meal.
Sensing my change in emotion, Jake turns in his seat to face me. His jaw slides gently across my lips as he does. Capturing my eyes with his, he leans in close. His hot breath now tickling against my lips, he watches me intently as he says, “You can always ask me anything Arianna.”
Focusing on the vindication in his words I subconsciously register Zane and Emma sliding into their seats opposite us. Ignoring their arrival I ask, “Will you always answer me?”
“Yes,” he responds immediately his eyes so serious I can tell I’m his sole focus right now and it feels good.
“Even if I don’t like the answer?”
“Absolutely.” He says with conviction. “We do this. We do this right. Now ask me again.”
Starting to wonder if the answer to my question was worth all this fuss I nibble on my lip. Jake’s eyes drop to my lips and then slide back up to mine. “Ask.”
Okay then.
“Why I am not allowed to sit near the window Jake?” I ask as I mentally steel myself for the annoyed response I know is going to roll off my tongue when he mentions something about Luke. Knowing this, I scrunch my face in agony.
Jake smirks at me. “I know what you’re thinking and you’re a long way from the truth. I sat you on the aisle because Anton didn’t fucking listen. I clocked him hovering at the end of the street when we got here and now he’s camped in the fuckin’ beer garden of the pub down the road. Until I’m sure his designs are for good not evil, you do not sit in windows and you do not wander around anywhere on your own. You hearing me?”
Oh.
Shit.
Well at least he didn’t chase Anton down the street for a chat. That could’ve been awkward.
“Seriously?” I mumble as my eyes dart to the window as if I’m suddenly going to see Anton standing right there staring at me.
“The pub’s about six doors down on the other side of the street Arianna,” Jake chuckles as he watches me eye the window.
Quickly assessing the situation for what it is, I inwardly decide Jake has made the right choice. In all honesty I don’t know who Stephen Bradford is and I don’t know if Anton is a good guy. “Right then, aisle it is” I announce as I sway back away from his face and shift my attention to Emma. “What are we eating?”
“Steak. With salad. A big, thick chunk of cow’s ass that will take two days to digest,” Emma answers without hesitation as she sits her IPhone flat in front of her and starts fiddling with the screen. “I’m gunna Google Stephen Bradford. I’ll find out more later when I get back to my computer, but let’s start with Google.”
“Good idea,” I agree as I lean forward to see her screen. Sensing me hovering close, Emma lifts her eyes and scowls at me.
“What? Mine’s still at Jake’s house?” I scowl back at her.
“Oh. Yeah.” She grimaces. “Forgot that.” I then watch as she leans back down to her handbag and resurfaces with yet another IPhone. Switching it on, she types in her passcode and places it down in front of me. “I always carry a couple of spares,” she announces with a grin.
“Seriously?” I ask as I hit the Safari button on the screen in front of me.
She doesn’t reply.
The next hour flies. We order and receive our food. We eat, we enjoy, we Google. We read a plethora of information on the Bradford family. We even find two references to the tragic death of Carolyn Bradford following the disappearance of their daughter Penelope. Stephen Bradford’s story seems to add up.
The men seem happy to leave Emma and I to our Googling selves and spend their time discussing boring men’s business. During the few times I bothered to pay attention to their conversation, I got the distinct impression they were talking business. In among their casual rambling there were underlying currents that I realized were covers and they were efficient in the art of conducting covert conversations within seemingly random conversations.
It is only as my dessert, a delicious looking Crème Brulee lands gently in front of me that I sense an abrupt swing in the mood at the table. The men’s quiet conversation stops and I hear Luke hiss, “You have to be fuckin’ shitting me.”
Jake’s body zaps from relaxed to alert. Zane sits up straighter and all three men start staring out the window and up the street at something of interest. Emma and I look at each other and lean forward to look out the window as well.
The street looks normal. Cars have parked all the way along both sides. The restaurant around us is booming with patrons and it’s that time of the evening, just on dark, when folks are strolling up and down the street on their way to and from food and drink venues. Wondering if Anton is close enough to be pissing the boys off I rescan the street.
No Anton.
What am I missing?
The only thing I can see that appears slightly out of the norm is a red Honda Accord sitting half way down the street with its brake lights on. Which isn’t exactly unusual on a street with food outlets. The driver may just be looking for a parking space.
“Maybe she missed us brother,” Zane murmurs still staring out the window and down the street. I look at the three men again and I’m instantly convinced they are staring at the Honda Accord.
“She’s got fuckin’ eagle ey
es, there’s no way she missed us bro,” Jake mutters sounding angry. “This is not going to be cool.”
I swing my eyes to Jake and see his lips curling in a savage grimace. He looks pissed. Luke is shaking his head as he announces, “And there it is.”
I follow his eyes back to the Honda Accord and see that it is now reversing up the street. Fast. So fast that cars traveling along the street behind it are now slamming on their brakes, honking and then angrily overtaking it to get out of its way.
Whoever’s driving that car is an accident waiting to happen.
“She might just be looking for a car park,” Zane murmurs, his eyes pinned on the car.
“I don’t see any parks do you?” Luke replies as he too stares at the red car reversing rapidly down the street towards the restaurant.
“We shouldn’t have sat at a fuckin’ window table,” Jake hisses angrily, the venom in his voice alarming me.
“Um… Jake,” I ask placing a hand on his arm. “What’s going on?”
Jake doesn’t register my contact on his arm, or my question. “The bitch wouldn’t set foot in the Harley shop if her life depended on it. She won’t fuckin’ hesitate to come in here though. Fuck.”
Emma and I share a confused look and watch as the red car finally stops in the middle of the street direct out front of the shop. We can now see the driver’s window is down and a beautiful woman with long, glossy red hair is glaring at us all through the window.
Giving Jake’s arm a little pat, I try to gain his attention again. “Jake?” I ask a little louder this time. “Who is that woman staring at us?”
And that’s when I hear it.
The growl.
That sinfully deep growl a man does when he’s mad. Raging mad. Livid. Ready to rip someone’s throat out mad.