“Boys do not tell young girls that their ‘tits are hot’ and then ask young girls if they ‘give head’. I think we can all agree on that.” Liam fought to keep his voice even and calm when he wanted to rip the kid from limb to limb. “The fact of the matter is, that should be reported, and I’m assuming you aren’t going to do that because this other child’s father is on the school board. So let’s just make a gentlemen’s agreement that you will suspend that little shit for six days, and if he ever comes near her again I’ll take care of it. Forget letting her brother beat his ass.”
Mr. Tucker had the presence of mind to realize that Liam wasn’t kidding. “I think we can agree on that.”
“Fine, let me sign his paperwork and get Mandy, and we’ll be out of here.”
“She doesn’t have to go home,” Mr. Tucker argued.
“I’m not making her sit here today after what she’s been through. She’s a sensitive kid.”
Within minutes Liam had signed all the paperwork and signed the kids out, and they were headed down Louisville Road. Both of them were quiet as they sat next to him.
“I’m not mad at you two.”
“Mom’s gonna be,” Mandy whispered, tears already in her eyes.
“For what?” Liam asked, not understanding.
“She always tells us to walk away,” Drew answered. “To not rise to anyone’s teasing.”
Liam could see where she was coming from, but he happened to agree with Drew on this. He wouldn’t let anyone talk about Roni like they had talked about Mandy.
“For what it’s worth, dude, I would have done the same thing had some fuckwad messed with Roni like that. Shit, sorry. I shouldn’t cuss.”
Mandy giggled, covering her mouth. She was an innocence that he hadn’t had in his life – ever. So untainted by the outside world.
Drew was the complete opposite. He knew reality and just accepted it – probably to shield Mandy from it.
“We won’t tell,” she assured him.
“Are you alright?” he turned his attention to her brother.
“My nose and mouth hurt, but I’m okay,” he shrugged. “My hand actually hurts worse than anything.”
Liam glanced down at the boys hand and winced. “You got him good, didn’t ya?”
Mandy giggled from her spot next to her brother. “He hit the floor and wiggled around for a minute before getting back up.”
Liam couldn’t help it, the giggle was contagious. He laughed with the two of them.
“Did you two even eat yet?” he asked, glancing at the dashboard clock.
They both shook their heads no. “Well c’mon then. Let’s get y’all some lunch.”
Slowing down against traffic, he signaled and pulled into Donna’s Country Store. The three of them walked into the building together and went up to the counter, checking out what was in the hot case. “Looks like we got pizza rolls, slices, and maybe some chicken wings,” Liam mumbled. “What do you want?” he asked, looking at Drew.
“A couple pizza rolls.”
He motioned to the cashier behind the counter to grab those for Drew. “And what do you want, darlin’?”
She wrinkled her nose at the pizza. “Can I get a sub?” she asked, eyeing the menu board of sub sandwiches.
“Yeah, whatever you want.”
The kids’ eyes widened. Those words hadn’t been spoken to them in a very long time. It dawned on Liam that Denise probably hadn’t been able to do this for them, and they were unsure what they were allowed to get. Perhaps they didn’t feel comfortable asking him for something. Tapping the counter, he went down the aisle and grabbed two bottles of soft drinks and a large bag of chips. He added onto that a couple of chocolate bars, because he figured everyone liked chocolate bars. Once back to the counter, he ordered a sub for himself for good measure. When the total came to over $20 he saw their mouths drop open.
“It’s okay,” he assured them, pulling his wallet out of his pants. He laid a couple of bills on the counter and waited for his change. “Drew, why don’t you go clean up a little bit in the bathroom,” he motioned to the men’s restroom.
With Drew gone, he and Mandy stood holding their purchases in silence. He had absolutely no idea what to do with a girl, and the silence was awkward.
“Can you make sure Drew doesn’t get in trouble?” she asked him out of the blue.
“What do you mean? He’s already in trouble at school.”
“With Momma. She’s gonna beat his butt. I just don’t think it’s fair. He was protecting me, and if he gets in trouble, then I should too.”
They reminded him so much of him and Roni that he had to smile. “I’ll take care of it. I promise.”
“You keep your promises don’t you?”
She looked at him so shrewdly, he blushed. He didn’t want to lie to her, ever. “I try to,” he answered honestly.
Reaching over, she hugged him around the waist. It took him by surprise, but he hugged her back the best he could with the bags in his hands.
Drew came out of the bathroom looking much better, and they all went and got in the truck. As they drove back to the shop a song came on the radio, and Drew turned it up, he and Mandy singing along. Unable to help himself, Liam sang along too. Never before had he wanted to accept someone else’s kids as his own. But these two were special, and he would never forget this being the first day he’d ever thought of himself as a father.
Chapter Fourteen
“Denise is back.”
Liam didn’t want to admit that those words made him happy. He’d been worried about her. It wasn’t a dangerous mission they’d sent her on. It should have been an easy in and out, but that didn’t change his feelings where she was concerned. He didn’t like using outsiders to do jobs that members of the club should do. Though he knew that since he’d claimed her in front of the club they would expect her to work for them – it still didn’t sit well with him.
On top of all of that, he now had to explain that her son was suspended from school. A doctor that did favors for the club examined Drew once they got back to the clubhouse, and now the twins were playing out back with the other kids. The boy had been quiet for the most part since they left the school, and it had worried Liam. The doctor assured him that everything was fine.
All talk stopped as Denise strutted through the front door of the clubhouse. The only time any of them had ever really seen her was when she was dressed as a frumpy mom of two teenagers. This woman that walked through the door was a damn siren.
“I see that,” he mumbled as he gave her a slow, leisurely once over.
Her hair had been cut and it looked highlighted. The clothes she had on hugged her body. Who knew she had curves and legs that went on for days? The skirt she wore showed those legs and hugged her ass in the most amazing way. Makeup made her eyes look huge. This woman was living in his home?
“Hey,” she greeted him softly, looking uncomfortable as she noticed all eyes on her. Her voice was a little deeper than normal, her accent just a little thicker. She sounded like a porn star talking to him about everyday life. “I got what you need.”
He cleared his throat. He was sure what she said and what he heard had two totally different meanings. “I’m sure you do.”
Brows furrowed, she gave him a look that said blatantly she hadn’t meant what he had heard. “What? I got the property records.”
Pissed at all the attention she was getting and the feelings he was having, he stood up and put his arm around her waist. “Why don’t we go talk about this in the office?”
“I’m fine out here,” she argued.
“No, trust me, we need to go to the office,” he instructed. As they walked away, he threw a glare at all the brothers still watching the two of them.
When he finally steered her in the right direction, he shoved her into the office and slammed the door on the laughs that followed them.
“What was that all about?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest.
The motion caused the shirt she wore to tighten and showed the cups of her bra through the thin material. He had to shake his head when he realized that piece of fabric was the only thing between his eyes and her naked body. “You have no idea do you?”
“I’m so lost, Liam.” The tone of her voice told him just how much. “Didn’t I do what you wanted me to?”
“You look hot!” he blurted out, causing heat to gather on her cheeks.
“Oh,” she mumbled, pressing her hands against her skirt. Men didn’t say things like that to her, and it immediately gave her sweaty palms. “You can thank Sparkles for that.”
“Shut the fuck up. What were you doin’ with Sparkles?” he asked, laughing loudly.
She bristled. “I couldn’t figure out what to wear. I called your sister, she called Sparkles.”
“Don’t go gettin’ all uptight on me, baby. You look great. I’ll have to let Sparkles know how much I appreciate it.”
“You do that. Do you want to see what I found or not?” she asked as she had a seat and crossed her legs.
He groaned. She wore nude hose with the fuck me heels she also sported. This was a turn of events he had not expected. Not from the person who only acted like a mother. He wondered if she slept in the nude. Shit, he was going to hell – quickly.
“Liam?”
“Yes, what did you find out?” he barked, much harsher than he meant to.
Her eyes were clear as she looked at him. They didn’t show fear, but they did show concern. “Are you in a bad mood?”
“More like hornier than a motherfucker,” he mumbled.
“What did you say?”
He had a seat in the chair behind the desk, spreading his legs to give his ever expanding dick a little bit more breathing room. “Nothing, I’m fine. But before we talk about what you found out, we gotta talk about Drew.”
“What about Drew? I had a message from school earlier, but I didn’t have a chance to call them back.”
“Drew got into a fight today.”
Her face reddened with anger, and her eyes widened. “He did what?”
“Now, don’t get mad. Just hear me out.”
“Hear you out? Why did they even call you?” she asked, fuming.
“Because you put me down as an emergency contact.”
She realized that he was right. “I’m sorry, I’m not thinking clearly. My son was in a fight? Is he hurt? Was the other boy hurt? What were they fighting over?”
“This is where I need you to hear me out, Denise.”
Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to slow the pounding of her heart when the instinct was to run to her child and make sure he was okay.
Liam could see her looking out the window to the office, obviously trying to get a look at Drew. She was such a better mother than the one he’d had. Clearing his throat to stop his show of emotion, he soldiered on.
“Drew and another boy got into a fight over some pretty graphic and lewd comments made to Mandy.”
“Oh my God, are you serious? She’s thirteen years old,” she gasped.
“I know. And Drew did what any brother would do for his sister, he stood up for her. The other boy was suspended for six days, Drew for three. I don’t think he should be punished. He’s such a serious kid as it is.”
He worried that he was overstepping a boundary here. He was essentially giving her advice on how to raise her children. Something she’d done on her own their entire lives. Her reaction to this would tell him just how ready she was for a relationship. Which, in turn, brought about the question he had to ask himself. Was he really ready for this? With her it wouldn’t be fuck and run. It would be waiting on the front porch with a gun when boys came to the house to pick up Mandy for a date. It would mean giving Drew the birds and bees talk – taking him to his first strip club when he turned eighteen. Instead of feeling panicked, he was completely calm. That, more than anything else, told him that he was ready for this.
“I know,” she worried her lip between her teeth. “He is serious, and I’m thankful that he stood up for Mandy. I’m worried about him, but I’m not mad now that I know why he was fighting. I think you’re right.”
“Mandy will be happy to hear that,” he grinned at her.
“Why’s that?”
“She told me that if Drew got in trouble then she should too because he was standing up for her.”
Denise laughed. “Those two have always stuck together – since they were little babies. I think this is an exception we can make. This one time. I do want him to know that I won’t tolerate fighting.”
“I think that’s fair,” Liam agreed.
An awkward silence enveloped them. They had just spoken like parents of two children or maybe a married couple. It was a little disconcerting.
“Anyway, back to the information you got for me.”
She leaned over, grabbing the USB out of her purse. As she bent, the neckline of her shirt fell down, exposing breasts that were cupped by silk. His earlier thoughts wondering about what her naked skin looked like were gone now, replaced with wondering if her nipples were sensitive or not.
“Damn,” he breathed.
“Did you say something?” she questioned as she straightened back up and reached over to hand it to him.
He cleared his throat and let his eyes caught the lacy edge of the bra she wore beneath her shirt. “What? No, let me see what you got.”
He told himself to get his head in the game and pay attention to what she was talking about. Taking the USB from her, he let his fingers brush against hers. It sent a flash of awareness through his body. No other woman had ever affected him like this. With a sigh, he put the USB into his laptop and pulled up the file.
“I noticed that the deed was quit claimed about three months ago.”
“What does that mean?” he asked, loving the sound of her voice. It showed in her inflection that she took an interest in what she had done.
“It means they didn’t go through a bank. The terms of the sale were agreed upon by both parties and done by a lawyer for a small fee. That means it doesn’t have to be approved by a bank, and there doesn’t have to be any financing. When I pulled up the LLC’s name, it showed me they have ten more properties in the Barren County area. All of them were quit claimed three months ago by the same person.”
“Who was it?”
She went behind the desk and reached over his shoulder. He didn’t move when her chest came into contact with his body as she leaned over and grabbed the mouse. Liam watched as she clicked a few buttons to sort the document and then chose a search option. “Umm, looks like a Richard Joyce owned all of them before the quit claims.”
“Son of a bitch,” he cursed slowly. That cooled his desire off like no amount of cold water could. The club had a history with this man.
“You know him?” she asked.
He laughed harshly. “You could say that. Dick, as we like to call him, is a former member of the club and dad’s ex best friend. He’s not even supposed to be around this area.”
“So it’s bad he owned these buildings?”
“It’s bad that he’s got his grimy paws on whatever the shit this is. Thanks for the information. I gotta talk to William about this.”
Gone was the carefree guy who been openly flirting with her a few minutes before. Here now was a man who looked like he could commit cold-blooded murder. The quick change of mood was the one thing that scared her most and made her question the decisions she had made.
Chapter Fifteen
Denise squirmed, uncomfortable. She had made dinner only to have her children decide they wanted to eat with new friends. After their day at school, she figured they deserved a little bit of time with people who wouldn’t judge. This meant that she and Liam were left alone in his house. Because she’d already cooked, he’d decided to eat with her. It had been a quiet affair so far.
“Have I done somethin’ to piss you off?” he asked, taking a bite of his baked potato.
“Since I talked to you earlier, you seem like you’re either pissed off or scared of me.” He shrugged, rattling his ice in his glass before taking a drink. He watched her closely. It was obvious she wanted to say something, but she held back. “You can say whatever you want to me, I won’t be mad.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, playing with the food on her plate. “Because earlier, you went from a happy-go-lucky guy to looking like you could murder someone with the flip of a switch. It scares me. I have children in this home with you.”
Silence settled over the two of them, so obviously at different points in their lives. Liam thought over how he should answer her. He debated over whether he should tell her the truth or tell her what she wanted to hear. It hurt him to know that she worried about her kids with him. Had he not proven he respected not only her but the kids? Hadn’t he proven that just today?
“Don’t lie to me, please,” she whispered.
“That’s just me.”
That didn’t make her feel better at all. “What do you mean that’s just you?”
“I am that guy. I go from 0-60 in two seconds. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. That’s who I am.” His stomach dropped as he saw the look on her face. For some reason he wanted to impress this woman, and apparently his answers weren’t cutting it. Never before had it mattered to him what a woman thought of what he did. Now, nothing else mattered but what this woman thought.
“Oh.”
Panic welled up in his stomach. In all his life, he’d never scared a woman, and he was confused as to how he had scared Denise. “Don’t do this, don’t be scared of me.”
She got up from the table and walked to the screened-in porch. Hugging her arms around her waist, she looked out into the black of night. Lightening streaked in the distance, and light rain hit the tin roof that covered the porch. The storm building in the atmosphere matched the storm building inside her.
Was she doing the right thing? Should she stay in this situation with this man? Was she too far in to get out? The big question….did she want to leave? For some reason she felt safe in this environment. Much safer than she had felt when she was on her own with her children. It was all so confusing. Denise felt him enter the small area but refused to turn around and face him.
Heaven Hill Series - Complete Series Page 9