“There was someone on the roof.” She pointed toward the door that led out there. “They were trying to get in the door.”
Crash’s gaze went to the door.
“I fired off a shot. Into the ceiling. And then it got quiet. I thought maybe I had scared them off. But then I heard someone downstairs. I thought you were them.”
“When? How long ago?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“How long have you been huddled in that corner?”
“I don’t know. A while.”
“Christ, baby. I’m so sorry. I never should have left you alone.”
“Do you think it was him? Do you think he found me?”
Crash thought back to when he’d pulled into the garage. There’d been a group of three of the neighborhood punks standing on the opposite corner. They’d taken off when he’d pulled up. He hadn’t thought much about it, but that’s probably who it had been. “I saw some neighborhood kids out on the street. They ran off when I pulled up. It was probably them. Most likely trying to break in and look around to see if there was anything in here worth stealing. Don’t worry, baby. They weren’t getting through that door. It’s reinforced steel, and dead bolted.”
She pushed out of his arms, moved to the dresser and began rummaging around in her purse. Crash frowned wondering what she was doing until he heard the unmistakable sound of pills rattling in a prescription bottle. He moved to her and grabbing her upper arm, he pulled her around. His eyes fell to the pills she was shaking out into her hand. “What’s that?”
“My pills.”
He reached out his hand, stopping her. “For what?”
“For when I feel like this.”
“And what do the pills do?”
“They…they calm me down.”
“You been taking them all this time?”
She shook her head, not looking at him. “No, I don’t like taking them.”
“Why?”
“Because they make me fuzzy and lightheaded.”
His hands closed over hers. “How about we try something else to help you?”
“I don’t have anything else.”
“Not talkin’ about a different drug.”
She looked up at him then. “Then what?”
He smiled, pulling the pills out of her hands.
She started to panic. “Please, Crash, don’t take them from me.”
He shook his head. “I’m not, honey.” He put them back in her purse. “They’re right here if you absolutely need them. But, let me try something else.”
“Nothing else works.”
“You never told anybody about this, right? Other than the doctor that prescribed those pills.”
She nodded.
“So, no one has ever tried to help you. You’ve tried to deal with this all alone, right?”
Again, she nodded.
“What would help you, Shannon? Talking about it? Me holding you?” He glanced toward the bed and teased, “A distraction, maybe?” She looked up at him, and he saw the vulnerability in her eyes. God, he wanted to protect that.
“Can we get out of here? Go somewhere? Please? I just don’t want to be here right now.”
Crash smiled down at her. “Sure. Whatever you want, Princess.”
She went back into his arms, her head pressed against his chest. He stroked her hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “How about I take you out on the bike? You up for a ride?”
She nodded against his chest.
They rode for hours. Down along the coast and back, watching the early light of dawn turn into day as the sun rose over the horizon and climbed into the sky. And in that time, Shannon fell in love with riding. It was so freeing and made her forget all her problems. Seeing the countryside from the back of a bike was nothing like being in a car. On the bike, you were out in your surroundings, not seeing it from the other side of a piece of glass. You could look up and see the sky above you, the trees passing overhead, the ridge of the hillside, just so much more. It was like going from a flat photo to a 360 degree shot. You could hear sounds going on around you, not just some radio noise. You could feel the wind, smell the sea. It just involved all five of your senses in a way that being inside a car did not. It made her feel so much more a part of the moment than she ever felt rolling along in a half catatonic state in a monotonous car ride.
They stopped along the way for breakfast and then later, for lunch. Shannon was having the time of her life. Anywhere she wanted to stop, Crash did so. When she pointed at a deserted stretch of beach along Highway 1, Crash pulled over, and they hiked down to the beach. When she saw the wharf down in Santa Cruz, Crash pulled over, and they walked around. When Shannon said she wished she had her cell phone, so she could take some pictures, Crash bought her a pocket camera at one of the shops. They watched the sunset over the ocean, and then Crash headed them in the direction of home.
Or at least that’s where Shannon thought they were headed.
They ended up at a cookout at Cole and Angel’s place.
Shannon had been in the kitchen helping the women with food until Angel had shooed her out onto the back deck where the men were overseeing the kids playing on the big wooden play set that Angel had informed her Crash had helped Cole to build for the twins third birthday several years ago.
Shannon walked past the sunken living room where Mack, Red Dog, Wolf, Green and Cajun were sprawled around the giant sofa pit group watching a game on the big screen TV. She strolled outside where Crash, Cole and another man were sitting on the back deck. Looking off to the play set, she saw Red Dog’s son, Billy and Cole’s kids, TJ and Melissa were all playing on it.
Shannon took a seat next to Crash.
He reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his mouth for a kiss. “You okay, Princess?”
“I’m fine.”
He nodded toward the other man and introduced Shannon. “Shannon, this is Rusty. He’s a member of the War Dogs,” he grinned over at Rusty and added, “but we don’t hold that against him.”
Shannon looked over at the man. He was young, maybe ten years younger than Crash. He had his hair cut in a short military style, a pair of cool shades over his eyes and a tiny infant cradled to his shoulder. “Hi, nice to meet you.”
He nodded, “Pleasure’s all mine.”
“How old is your baby?” Shannon asked, nodding to the child.
He twisted his neck to brush the baby’s head with a kiss. “Little Katie is three months. Aren’t you, punkin’?”
The baby sneezed in response.
Shannon laughed, then asked, “So, what are the War Dogs?”
Rusty replied, “We’re a riding club of ex-military guys.”
“You were in the military?”
“Yes, ma’am. Marines. Still in the Reserves.”
She nodded and turned to Crash. “Maybe Jake and Shane should meet Rusty.”
Crash laughed. “You tryin’ to run off our recruits, woman?”
She rolled her eyes.
He reached over and kissed her hand again, then smiled and winked at her as he drained the last of the beer from his bottle.
“Can I get you another one?” she offered.
“I can get it,” he replied.
She snatched the bottle out of his hand, getting up. “I’ve got it.”
He grabbed her empty hand again and gave it another kiss as she moved past. “Thanks, babe.”
Cole’s eyes tracked her movements as she went back inside, little Brayden squirming in his lap. Then he turned to Crash, chuckling. “Guess I owe you a hundred bucks. You got her waiting on you. Never thought I’d see this day.”
Crash frowned, shaking his head. “It’s not like that. That was a stupid bet. One I never should have made. One you better never tell her about.” His eyes narrowed at Cole.
Cole nodded, coming to realize just how deep his brother’s feelings were beginning to run for this girl. “She won’t hear it from
me.”
Brayden started to fuss in Cole’s arms, twisting and thrashing and trying to get down to go play with his big brother and sister. Cole bounced him in an attempt to pacify him. “You’re too little for that, buddy. Maybe next year.”
“Daddy! TJ and Billy won’t let me play with them!” Melissa called to her father.
“Dad, she’s got cooties! Girls aren’t allowed in me and Billy’s fort! Make her leave us alone!” TJ argued.
“Daddy! TJ just threw a frog at me!” Melissa yelled, really mad now.
Cole looked over at the play set as he held his screaming youngest son and grumbled, “This parenthood thing doesn’t look like it did in the brochures.”
Crash chuckled.
Rusty pulled his daughter away from his shoulder and looked at the spit up all over his shirt. “Yeah. I think my recruiter lied to me.”
“Yeah—they kind of lose that new car smell after a while,” Cole replied, sniffing his son’s diaper.
Crash laughed. “You’re both so full of shit. You love it, and you know it.”
“Okay, Uncle Crash. You can pitch in anytime,” Cole replied.
Crash got to his feet and walked over toward the play set.
Shannon walked back out on the deck with a bottle of beer and took her seat, watching Crash with the kids. With a sudden impulse, she set his beer down next to his chair and pulled out the pocket camera she still had with her.
Crash scooped up Melissa and tossed her in the air. She squealed, and he did it again. “How’s my best girl?” he asked, cuddling her in his arms.
Melissa looked up at him with big serious eyes. “TJ and Billy won’t let me play with them in their stupid fort,” she said loud enough for the boys to hear.
“Our fort’s not stupid. You are!” TJ yelled.
“You are!” Melissa yelled back.
Crash pulled Melissa close in his arms and whispered in her ear, “Darlin’, let me let you in on a little secret.”
She looked at him wide-eyed. “What’s the secret, Uncle Crash?”
“In about ten years, things are going to change. And then, Billy over there is going to be dying to spend time with you.”
“Really, Uncle Crash?”
“Absolutely, sweet pea.”
“Promise?”
“I swear.”
“Pinky swear?” she asked, holding her little finger up.
Crash grinned and hooked her pinkie with his. “Pinky swear.”
“But that’s forever from now,” she whined.
“It’ll be here before you know it, honey. Besides, you have your castle side of the play set. And everybody knows that castles are way better than any old fort.”
Melissa kissed him on the cheek with a big smacking sound and hugged him around his neck. “I love you, Uncle Crash.”
“Love you, too, sweet pea.” He hugged her tight, and then set her down. She ran off to play, giggling. Crash turned around smiling, and his eyes connected with Shannon’s as she barely had time to snatch the camera down and out of sight. She smiled back at him, knowing that shot was going to be precious.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Tuesday night, just as Angel had promised, she and Crystal came over for girls night. Shannon was sitting at the island. Crash was on the kitchen side, leaning forward, resting his folded arms on the granite when the intercom went off. Angel’s voice came over the speaker. “Hey, Crash. Let us in.”
Crash grinned at Shannon. “Your girls are here.”
“So, it would seem. Are you going to let them in?” she asked with a smirk when he continued to just lean there, staring at her.
“You gonna be okay if I leave?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I checked the rooftop. Not sure how they got it down, but they’d gotten the fire escape ladder down. That’s how your visitors got up to the roof the other night. I took care of that. They won’t be able to get it down again.” He grinned at her. “Only Spiderman’s getting up here now.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ll call me when you want me to come back?”
The intercom went off again. “Crash! Open up!”
Shannon grinned. “I’ll call you. Are you going to let them in?”
“After you come over here, and kiss me goodbye.”
She slid off the barstool and walked around the island. Crash’s cell phone, which was sitting on the island next to his elbow, went off. He glanced at the readout. “Your girls are impatient.”
As Shannon reached him, he straightened from the counter and pulled her to him, his hands on her hips. Her hands slid up his chest, over the cool smooth leather of his cut to his broad shoulders. He gazed down at her and waited, not dipping his head to hers, wanting her to come the rest of the way to him.
And then she did.
Her hands moved to cup his jaw, and she went up on her toes, her soft mouth pressing against his. His hands slid from her hips, around to the small of her back and pulled her closer. He tilted his head to better angle his mouth to hers, as her mouth opened under his.
His cell rang again, and he broke off, lifting his head an inch. Then he went back for another light brush of his mouth against her. And then he stepped back, grabbed his phone and moved to the elevator.
They stared at each other as he descended.
Five minutes later, Angel and Crystal piled out of the elevator.
Crystal was manning the blender, mixing up frozen margaritas. Angel was at the microwave heating up some queso dip and Shannon was digging through the cabinets looking for margarita glasses. She’d spotted some giant goblets up on the top shelf of one of the cabinets that she thought they could use, and she was up on her tip-toes stretching to reach them when she heard Angel screech, “What is that?”
Shannon almost dropped a glass twisting to look at her. “What?”
“That!” Angel was pointing to Shannon’s stomach. “You have a tattoo. Let’s see.”
Shit, Shannon thought as she dropped back off her toes, setting the glasses down. Now she was going to have to tell them about it. “Umm…”
“Come on, let’s see it,” Angel insisted.
Crystal had stopped blending, turning to look.
Shannon rolled her eyes and lifted her loose flowing shirt. She had on her yoga pants, with the waistband pulled down low so as not to brush on the tattoo which was still in its early days of healing.
“Wow, that’s beautiful,” Angel said, bending to see it.
Crystal moved closer, peering over Angel’s shoulder, and then whistled low. “Damn, girl.”
“You didn’t have that the other day when I came over to help you dress for the party,” Angel said in an accusatory voice.
“No. Crash did it Saturday.”
“Crash inked you?” Crystal asked, her brows lifted.
“Well, um, yeah.”
Crystal grabbed the pitcher of margaritas and headed around the island toward the roof. “Come on girls, I can’t wait to hear this story.”
Angel snatched up the chips and queso, and Shannon followed with the glasses.
When they were all settled in chairs on the rooftop, Crystal poured them each a drink, and then leaned back and instructed Shannon, “Okay, shoot. And don’t leave anything out.”
Shannon proceeded to tell them how a rainy day had led to a game of Truth or Dare, which in turn had led to a game of pool. Then she explained about the wager.
“And you lost?”
“I’d say she won,” Crystal commented with a sly smile. “Crash is an artist. That ink is beautiful. I sure wouldn’t mind a man wanting to put that kind of symbolism on me.”
“It is kind of romantic. You being the rose, him all wrapped around you, protecting you,” Angel admitted.
“It’s cool as shit,” Crystal exclaimed. “No, scratch that. It’s hot as shit!”
“What do you think it means?” Shannon asked.
“I think it means he likes you,” Angel replied.
> “Oh, he likes you all right.” Crystal turned to Angel. “You should have seen him when she walked in the club Friday night. His jaw hit the floor. He didn’t leave her side the whole night.”
Angel turned, grinning at Shannon.
Crystal kept on. “I knew that outfit would do the trick.”
Angel looked at Shannon. “Have you, you know…”
“Have we what?” Shannon asked.
Crystal grinned, not afraid to be blunt. “Has he fucked you yet?”
“Crystal!” Angel reprimanded her.
“What? It’s what we all want to know, isn’t it?”
“You don’t have to be so crude about it.”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “Fine. Has that beautiful God of a man made sweet love to you yet?” She turned to Angel. “Is that better?”
Angel smiled. “Yes.”
They both turned to Shannon and said simultaneously, “Well, has he?”
“No, not yet.”
“Has he tried?” Angel asked. “Have you kissed or anything?”
“We’ve kissed and…some other stuff.”
“Ooo…other stuff can be yummy,” Crystal commented with an eyebrow waggle.
“And well he kind of asked me…”
“What? Asked you what?” Angel prodded.
“He showed me that cage thing.”
“Oh, yeah, the cage fighting. What about it?”
Crystal turned to Angel. “This is like pulling teeth for God’s sake.”
They both turned to Shannon and said, “Just tell us!”
“Okay, okay. He, umm…he said a woman like me didn’t just give it away, that a guy had to earn it.”
“Ooo, that’s so romantic.”
“He’s scoring major points in my book for that,” Crystal noted.
“He asked me if he won the fight next weekend, would I bestow a prize on him. When I asked what kind of a prize, he said he wanted me to spend one night with him.”
“Oh my God! I can’t believe you’re not already all over that boy. You two looked so hot for each other Friday night,” Crystal remarked.
CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) Page 28