Best (Change Series Book 3)

by Melanie Jayne

  He blew out a breath. “Five, okay?”

  I’d seen two cars and the SUV. “How many bikes?”

  “One.” He opened his door. “Wait for me,” he instructed.

  As soon as he opened my door, I continued my questioning, “So that makes four that I know of, what’s the fifth?”

  After I got out, Tye opened the back gate and pulled out a duffle bag.

  “What’s that?”

  “You are a curious kitten tonight, aren’t you?” He grasped my hand in his, and we started walking to my door.

  I tried not to like the feel of his hand holding mine again. His grip was strong, and he had calluses. I focused on the mysterious fifth vehicle. “Is it a golf cart? I know you live in a fancy neighborhood, and Jenn said that people drive those around.”

  He paused mid-step. “Do I look like the kind of douche who would drive a golf cart around? Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I played golf.”

  “Noted. I wasn’t insulting your manhood or anything.” I joked, but I looked at him from under my lashes to make sure that he wasn’t angry.

  “And my manhood is just fine, thank you very much.” He gave my hand a hard squeeze.

  As I stepped up to my front door, I peeked at his face again. His eyes were sparkling, so he was teasing me. “Good, I’ll post that on my social media accounts. The women of Indianapolis will be relieved.”

  “No social media for you. Not with the sharks circling.” His tone was dead serious.

  “Don’t have any accounts anyway, not since my name change. I don’t even check Pinterest.” I automatically handed over my keys and waited for him to unlock my door.

  “Whatever the fuck Pinterest is,” he mumbled.

  We entered, and I closed the door behind me and took care of the alarm.

  “Stay put while I check things out, and I’m going to pull your drapes and close your blinds.” He dropped his duffle and headed down the hall.

  “So bossy,” I said with a smile. I took off my coat and hung it up in the closet. I was enjoying the cooler October weather. The leaves were changing, and I could wear sweaters. In fact, I needed to go shopping for warmer clothes. During my winters in Denver I’d basically lived in thermal shirts or hoodies. I needed more appropriate work attire. Hell, I needed fancier clothes for my new apartment.

  Tye moved to the kitchen and pulled the sheer panels closed. “All clear but babe, anybody could see right into your kitchen.”

  “Can’t be helped. I can’t stay out of the kitchen,” I said, my voice a tad short. I wasn’t going to go back out to Walmart tonight to buy different curtains. I was too tired.

  “Just sayin’.” Tye stood with his legs shoulder-width apart and his arms crossed. He looked ready for a fight.

  I didn’t want to engage, not over something so stupid. “I understand your point. I apologize if I sounded snippy or ungrateful.”

  Our gazes locked for a tense moment. “No problem,” His uncrossed his arms. “Maybe keep the lighting low, huh?”

  I took a long look around my living space. “What is Forde thinking, renting that apartment to me?” I was reeling from the day’s events.

  Tye opened my refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water. “Survival first.”

  “What?” I was confused.

  “Forde and his guys, they think about their survival and the safety of their people first.”

  I moved to him and gently nudged Tye out of the way. “I’m starving. Are you hungry?” I’d been too nervous to eat dinner, and I’d thrown away my lunch. Suddenly, I was ravenous.

  “What are you going to make?” He moved closer and looked over my shoulder at the stocked shelves.

  “I just got a delivery yesterday, so I’m stocked up.” I grabbed butter and three types of cheese. “Grilled Cheese?”

  He stepped out of my way. “Awesome, make me two sandwiches. If you have any meat, can you add it to mine?”

  “Big appetite,” I commented as I opened the loaf of Texas toast.

  “You have no idea, sweetheart,” he said, his voice rumbling a little.

  I felt a shiver slide down my body to my now awakened pussy. “Getting back to Forde...” I cleared my throat and turned on the grill. “I mean, I can’t move. That place is too, too much. It was very kind of him to offer, but he’d be losing money.”

  Tye leaned his hip against the kitchen counter, out of my way but close enough he could watch what I was doing. “Do me a favor. Put your phone on speaker so I can hear Forde’s response when you tell him you’ve changed your mind.”

  I frowned. I’d only seen Forde in an argument once, and I really didn’t want his brand of controlled anger directed at me. “Surely he can’t afford to let me live there. I mean that place probably goes for double or triple what I pay. Plus moving is expensive, hiring someone with a truck and I got rid of all of my boxes.” Well, that was a weak finish. Plus I needed to see if anyplace nearby delivered groceries. What if I couldn’t get groceries?

  I could tell by the way one side of Tye’s mouth quirked that he was going to humor me. “He owns the building outright. He’s picky, and I don’t think he gives a shit if it’s filled or not. But if it makes you feel better, I’m surprised he’s going to let you pay any rent at all. So in a way, you won.”

  “I couldn’t live there for free,” I screeched. I paid my own way. Always. My mother allowed her boyfriends to pay for her lifestyle and then she was stuck and had to scramble when that relationship ended.

  “I just said he’d let you write a rent check, but who knows if he’ll cash it?”

  I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. When I realized I must look foolish, I tried to shake off my frustration and focus on the food. I added the cheeses to the bread on the grill and some turkey and ham for Tye. “I should know better than to argue with an attorney.” I sighed dramatically, although it was fun.

  He nodded. “If you remember that and accept that I’m always right, things will go smoothly between us.”

  I whipped around. I knew he was joking, but that “King of the Land” tone rankled. “Are you fuckin’ serious?”

  He laughed. “Just trying to make it easy for you, B. I won’t cut you any slack when you hit a rough spot, and you can treat me like the God I am.”

  I turned back to our sandwiches. “You’re a...” I searched for the right word, but had to settle. “An idiot.” And sexy, smart, hot and a really good guy.

  He opened and closed my cabinet doors until he found plates. “Looks good.” He held out a plate for his serving and mine. Then he put the plates on the table while I turned off the stove.

  “Water, Billie?”

  I liked it that he helped. “Yeah, that would be good.” I took my seat and opened the bottle of water. “I guess I should find my copy of the lease so I know what I’m going to have to deal with tomorrow. Plus I need to start a To Do list.” I let my sandwich cool so that I wouldn’t burn my mouth.

  Tye took a bite and groaned. “This is great.” He motioned with the hand holding his sandwich. “I’ll go over the lease. Then we’ll go room by room and list what goes to the apartment, and if you need anything to go to a storage place.”

  “Don’t tell me that Forde owns one of those, too.” I was almost afraid to hear his answer.

  “Not Forde, Osi.”

  These people amazed me with the breadth of their businesses.

  “Anybody own a moving company?” I muttered, a little acid in my tone.

  “No, but Forde has a hook-up. Some guy he helped over a turf war and protection payments.” Tye started on his second sandwich. “But I’m not supposed to know about that.”

  I shook my head. “Incredible.”

  Tye was chewing, so he motioned for me to continue with his free hand.

  “I’m amazed with how diverse you all are with your businesses and interests.” I started to think about how well off my friends must be.

  “You know the different types of work that
Limited does, right?” He watched me closely.

  I knew that on paper the majority of our billing came from Tye’s firm. I also knew that the men did some bounty hunting and some other types of work that seemed to be straight out of a Scorsese movie or a crime thriller and were classified as “consulting.” I didn’t ask for specifics, and they only told me the vaguest of details. However, I was coming to the conclusion that their “work” paid very well in both money and favors. I kept my answer light. “I’m the receptionist. I’m not privy to that kind of information.”

  He smiled and shook his head at me. “Says the woman who was smart enough to get away from her kidnapper.”

  I wasn’t used to someone mentioning that so casually. I waited for the panic to hit, but it didn’t come. “Unless it involves me, I don’t ask a lot of questions.” Not that anyone encouraged nosiness.

  “I pay Limited a shit-ton because your work’s on time and always thorough. The other, the ‘gray work’ is much more lucrative. But the real deal is, Forde knows how to make money. He’s some kind of investing savant.” Tye leaned back on two chair legs. “If you ask, he’ll help you out.”

  “I think this whole apartment thing is a big enough help,” I reminded him.

  “That’s about protection. After Layla’s deal, which by the way, happened in a grocery parking lot, Forde won’t sit idly by when he can offer a hand.”

  I knew only a little about Layla’s “problem.” “I never heard that story. Just that there was a dead husband, and she got caught up in something.”

  He smiled ruefully. “Well, let’s start with the Alessis. Tony used to do some deep cover work for the ATF. He still has a price on his head.”

  I knew my eyes rounded. “They seem like the typical family. I mean, except for the badass man and the wife who’s a deadly shot part.” The puzzle pieces started to fall into place.

  “He was home, rehabbing and recovering from taking a bullet, when he met Zoe. She blew him off at first. Then some shit started happening to her. He stepped in and took her to his cabin in the middle of bumfuck. It ended with Zoe’s ex-husband and a gun pointed at Tony’s chest.”

  I was riveted by the story, but Tye ticked off the details like they were no big deal. “What happened?”

  “Tony took care of him. One to the head.” Tye pointed to the spot between his eyes.

  “Wow,” I breathed.

  “Forde met Layla when she came to him for some help with the Cancerberos,” Tye continued. He must have seen the blank look in my eyes. He explained, “They’re a gang. They run drugs and some guns. They own the Westside area, Washington to around twenty-fifth or thirtieth, depends on the week.” He waited for me to nod before he continued. “Her husband was a doctor who had a smack habit, and the C-bros got their nails into him. He was siphoning off pills from the clinic where he worked. Lay had no idea. She was working two jobs and going to school. So the good doc shorted them one too many times, and a guy came knockin’ and shot him dead in their entryway.”

  I shivered at the story. Poor Layla.

  “That’s why you should always look before opening your door,” Tye instructed. “Anyway, the family of the shooter was applying pressure on Layla to withhold her testimony. So her aunt’s man called in a marker, and that’s how Forde met Layla.”

  “She must have been scared out of her head.” I got up to get another drink.

  Tye motioned that he wanted another as well. “She was sort of numb. I think she thought she wouldn’t make it to the trial; C-bros witnesses usually don’t. So they hooked up, or I should say Forde fell and didn’t give her a choice.”

  I thought that it had worked out well in the end for all of them. “She seems to be very happy.” I smiled at that understatement.

  “Forde and Vador, the leader of the Cancerberos, met and got some shit straightened out, or so we thought. There were some middle-management problems within the C-bros, and shit tends to happen when that comes to light. After the murderer was knifed in jail, some of his family abducted Layla in a kind of power play. They figured Forde would take out Vador, and then they’d take over the territory.”

  “They didn’t hurt her, did they?” I flashed to the scene after Lucy was born with Ryan and Forde sitting on her bed while she held the newborn. I couldn’t imagine anything ugly happening to their perfect little family. I swallowed hard.

  “There was some damage, but she made it out alive. When it all went down in the grocery store parking lot, she got Ryan out of there. They’d just met the kid three days earlier, and she made sure he had a chance to get to safety.” Tye took a long drink from the cold bottle.

  “I knew that part, about Ryan being kept a secret from Forde. It’s hard to believe. Ryan seems to be so much a part of their family.”

  “That’s Layla’s doing. Not that Forde would have turned his back on his son, but she made a home for them.”

  I nodded, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened to my friends.

  “I was there when Forde got the call from Ryan, telling him Layla had been kidnapped. He went stone cold. If something bad had happened, he would have killed anyone associated with the C-bros. I have no doubt.”

  I tried to understand the depth of those feelings. He loved her so much he would scorch the Earth in retribution.

  “What I’m getting at, Billie, is that with your past and this current hiccup, we aren’t going to let anything happen to you. We’ll do our part so you don’t have to worry. You just need to work with us so we aren’t wasting time and energy fighting with you.” Tye leaned forward on his arms. “That clear enough for you?”

  My heart was beating fast. “Crystal.” I would move so that my friends wouldn’t worry as much. Tye was here because he was part of the pack of alpha males who felt it was their duty to protect me. I accepted that and pushed forward. “I’ll get a pad and some sticky notes.” I stood and grabbed our plates.

  “Got any Sharpies?” Tye stood also, going into work mode.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Tye

  Billie had piled sheets, pillows, and a quilt on the end of her sofa. She’d changed into sleepwear—a huge red T-shirt and yoga pants. I tried not to notice that she’d lost her bra.

  “Thanks, I can make it up myself,” I said. I was trying not to think about the sway of her breasts.

  I grabbed my bag and headed to the half bath down the hall by the tiny office. I brushed my teeth and changed into my shorts. Draping my T-shirt over my shoulder, I headed back down the hall. Billie had shut her bedroom door. I knocked, and when she replied, I opened and stepped inside. A sheet covered her lower body, and she had the light beside her bed on and was holding her e-reader. I tried not to stare at the pants she’d kicked off at the foot of her bed.

  “Everything all right?” she asked.

  “Keep your door open,” I said.

  She looked guilty. “I might wake you. Sometimes, I pace or I turn on the light and read.”

  “It’s not a problem,” I assured her. “If I need sleep, it won’t bother me, and if I wake up, we can keep each other company.”

  Her look said she didn’t believe me.

  “I don’t need a lot of sleep,” I said, giving her my reassuring smile. “We can play cards or solve the world’s problems.”

  “Really?” She gave me an eye roll.

  “Yeah, babe.” I left, knowing she would do as I asked. Not because she was compliant, but because she was realistic.

  Something woke me up. My body knew that several hours had passed. I sat up and looked around. The light fell into the hallway from Billie’s room. She was up. I checked the time on my phone. 04:27. I stood up, scratched my belly, and went to check on her.

  She must have heard my footsteps, because as soon as I stepped into the doorway she said, “I’m sorry. I tried to be quiet.”

  “I got more sleep than I usually do.” I stretched and heard my back crack. “Gotta pee. Then meet me in the living room.”

/>   “No,” she shook her head. God, she was cute with that messy hair thing. “You should try to go back to sleep.”

  “Billie...” I grumbled as I walked to the bathroom.

  She was folding up the sheet when I returned. She had donned her yoga pants and a hoodie. I moved the pillows to the chair and held out my hands for the folded sheet. She handed it to me, and I added it to the pile. Then I grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto the sofa beside me. I draped the quilt over us. She held her body tensely as if she was afraid to touch me.

  “Want me to put on a shirt?” Maybe that was making her uncomfortable.

  “No, I like your ink,” she answered quickly. “I mean, if you’re not cold.” She ducked her head.

  “You got any tattoos?” It wasn’t like she’d exposed a lot of her body to me.

  “No,” she shook her head. “I’m afraid of the pain.”

  “I thought it was mandatory for Cali girls to be inked,” I teased.

  “I think I’m the oddity,” she grinned. “I’ve thought about it, but I just can’t work up the courage.”

  I shrugged. “Some areas hurt more than others.” That was no lie.

  “I cry over a paper cut,” she said, frowning sheepishly.

  I thought that was an exaggeration. She’d just told us that she’d broken her own hand. “I have a guy; he’s a true artist. You ever change your mind, I’ll hook you up.”

  She nodded quickly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  We were sitting side by side in semi-darkness with the only light coming from the hallway to my right. I heard her let out a long sigh as she dropped her head to the back of the sofa.

  “Are you going to tell me what that reporter said?” Her voice softer now.

  “You really want to talk about that?”

  She raised her head and angled it toward me. “No matter what she said, I’ve thought of twenty things that are worse.”

  I shifted a little closer to her and dropped my arm over her shoulders. I felt her body tense for a second, but then she relaxed. “Can’t turn off your brain?”