by Brook Greene
He releases a deep throat growl as he pushes himself up off my lap, ‘you want to know why I don’t want you involved?”
“Yes I would love to know.” I scoot to my side of the bed only to hauled back so that he can look at me.
“While you were working in the prison did the paper work ever say what the inmates were locked up for?” He is sitting on his haunches with his hands resting on his thighs.
“No, it was only symptoms and prior treatments they had received.” I examine the lost look that has glassed over his eyes.
“I told you a couple of days ago about how I came to know Maxwell, yes?” I don’t speak I just nod, ‘the night I was set to deliver the goods we were meeting at an abandoned rest area on i-9. The boys and I arrived early and hung back to make sure everything was going down as planned, but something went wrong and one of the girls had gotten scared and ratted. Within two minutes of our arrival the fucking cops descended on the place taking Maxwell and five of his men into custody.”
He goes quiet for a moment then continues, ‘because none of my crew was arrested he thinks I sold him out to get out of the deal.”
“So he wants the goods, whatever they are?” I try my best to keep up with all the names and situations, knowing I should have brought a notepad to class because it is never going to happen.
“Yeah and,’ he drags in a breath, ‘Molly, the girl who ratted. He wants me to hand her over to his goon squad so they can take it out of her.”
My hand goes up to my mouth, ‘oh god Leo you can’t do that.”
“No shit Avery.” his faced is pained with grief.
“Wait you said there were two girls helping that night, what happen to the other?”
His silence is scary and his face twist into sadness, ‘Serena, she and I had been dating for three years,’ he drags in a labored breath, ‘I told her it was the last time I would ask her to help cause-“
If they had been dating and now he is with me something had happened to her. I was dragging out the ghosts of Leo’s proverbial closet, ‘Leo you don’t have to finish.” I have moved to him holding his pained face in my hands. I was on the verge of tears for him.
“Yeah I do because I need for you to understand how dangerous this man is and for you to know why I can’t let you out of my sight, ever. Until it has been taken care of.”
“Okay I am listening.”
“I got Molly to a safe house in Wyoming but Serena was stubborn and wouldn’t listen to me. She said that Max knew it was Molly who ratted and not her so he wouldn’t touch her, she was so convinced of it.” He closes his eyes and shakes his head.
The air in the room is heavy and the raw emotion flowing from Leo is gut wrenching, I lean back against the head board and pull him to me so he is resting much like he was before. His breath is ragged and it is as if he is finding it difficult. I run my fingers through his hair letting him proceed at his own pace.
“I was at the shop and she was out alone. I had begged her that morning to take someone with her but she adamantly refused. And when I say adamantly I mean things hurling through the air at my head. I had tried to get her on the phone all day but she wouldn’t answer. I just thought she was still pissed so I decided to make it up to her when she got home. I left the shop around fiveish, by ten that night she still hadn’t made it home. So I started calling everyone we knew and no one had seen her, I called the cops. Around three in the morning the cops pulled up to tell me they found her body at the same rest area the deal went down at. They had used the low jack on the car to find her.” I sucked in a breath and fight with myself to keep from bursting into tears.
“Oh god Leo I am so sorry.” The pain is fresh I can feel it as his body has gone rigid and his eyes are distant. He is back at that place and time in his life except for this time I am here with him. He wraps his arms around me as I encircle his head with my arms.
“The things that were done to her,’ he shakes his head trying to clear it of the images of his love and the brutality that ended her, ‘do you see why I need for you to trust me? To please listen to me when I say this man’s reach is beyond those bars he is behind? He has found you once Avery and now he will stop at nothing to get to you anyway he can.”
We fall silent again because I am not sure what I need to say or if there is really anything I can say that will ease him of this pain. He raises his head and place his lips on my belly, ‘I can’t lose you too Avery so please do as I ask when it comes to your safety?”
I lean his head back looking deep into his black eyes, ‘I promise from now on I will.” We sit for what seems like forever basking in the new direction of our situation.
“Can I ask you a question, I don’t want to fight, I just want to know something.”
He takes a deep breath as if he knows what I am going to ask, ‘go ahead.”
“Why were you so mad the other night when you got home?” I close my eyes and wait for the cursing tyriad, but it doesn’t come he has fallen silent and choosing his words.
“Cause I was mad about what had happened to you, it brought all the shit flooding back about Serena, and then you being stubborn, just like Serena. And the thought of losing you the same way, I drank my way through half the bar,’ he looks up at me again, ‘just know I am sorry Avery for that night and everything that has happened to you since we have met, I will make it right.”
Taking his face in my hands, ‘I know you will baby, I know.”
A knock at the door brings us from our moment, ‘Leo man the coffee is ready.” Dalton yells through the door.
“Fuck off, my door is closed and locked for a reason.” Leo retorts at the closed door.
I can hear Dalton laughing, ‘you gonna stay in there all day man?”
“Damn give me a fucking break brother.” He buried his face in my lap again.
“No rest for the wicked, so come on.” I hear Dalton laughing all the way down the hall.
“I guess we should get up.” Leo’s muffled voice filters out of my lap.
“Okay if we have to.” I sigh reluctantly.
Rolling off me he stops at the side of the bed and turns to me, ‘we good babe?”
“The best.” I say as I plant a kiss on his lips, ‘these are my favorite shiny bobble,’ Tapping my finger on his wonderfully talented lips.
“They are, are they?” A smile splits his face.
“Sinfully so.” I mirror his smile as I am pulled from the bed and carried to the shower and reminded again as to why they are my favorite.
****
Piper and I cook breakfast for Leo, Dalton, Roman and Beeker, ‘morning little man, sleep good?” I ask Beeker as I scope his plate full of scrambled eggs.
“My earphones are uncomfortable.” He smiles as he reminds me of the conversation we had had concerning the thickness of the walls in the clubhouse.
“Sorry.” I look at him and grin.
“No you’re not.” He smiles.
“Your right I’m not, not at all.” I freshen up his coffee as he takes a seat at the bar next to the other men.
“We will stay at the house tonight Beek so you can get some sleep.” Leo smiles as he tosses a piece of bacon into his mouth.
“Thank god those walls are thick.” Everyone burst into laughter and we spend the rest of breakfast talking. After Leo’s confession he seems like an anvil has been lifted from his shoulders, I wished he would have told me sooner so I could have saved him some of the agony I had put him through the past couple of weeks.
Around noon we all head out, Dalton and Piper leave for his apartment, as Beeker takes me to Leo’s, he didn’t join us for reason he said I didn’t need to know.
I follow him out to his SUV, ‘I will see you in a little while babe.”
“I know but I still don’t like you doing this alone.” I take his hand and intertwine our fingers together.
“I’m not, Roman is going with me, does that make you feel better?”
“A little I guess.” W
e say our goodbyes and I stand and watch him and Roman pull through the gate headed to a meeting.
****
Leo
“I tried to leave her alone for good Kent, I just can't man.” I tap my finger lightly on the top of his large wooden desk.
Taking a deep breath he sits up in his chair, ‘I know I heard and I am not at all pleased at the way you went about it this time.” His face is contorted with irritation.
I am not at all pleased with how I went about it either, ‘I know it was a shitty way but I have fixed it now somewhat, I hope.” Avery had said we were okay and she was fine, although I am not sure. She had seemed fine this morning after our talk.
Studying my face, ‘Heard the girl showed up at the clubhouse last night?’ His antagonizing smirk grates my last nerve.
“Yes she did.” I bristle like a pissed porcupine not knowing where he is going with this line of conversation. If he barks out an, I told you so I am going to kill him.
He laughs, ‘heard it got interesting, my girl taking care of business.”
“That she did, I don’t think we will have another problem out of Joy.” I suck back the side splitting laughter threatening to roar out of me at the thought of Avery kicking ass.
Leaning back he pulls up and email, ‘so back to business, Calvin is in court again today.” He rolls his eyes at me, ‘you would think after seven busts the stupid court system would recognize her as the piece of shit she is uh?”
“I can't wait till we blow the lid off this drug cartel, then Cowboy will have the ammunition he needs to get her to stay permanently gone, poor guy.” Cowboy has been in a bitter custody battle for more than five years trying to get, as Kent so eloquently put it, the piece of shit out of his little girl’s life. Roman, Dalton, Matthew and I have been taking up the slack so he can get his house in order.
“Hopefully that time is near, and we can all get a good night’s sleep. Anyway you boys will be on duty tonight,’ he looks at me, ‘think you can swing it?”
“Shit man can I call a mulligan, I told Avery we would stay at my house tonight,’ smiling at him, ‘alone.”
Pinning me with his stare, ‘I would appreciate it Leo if you would not talk to me about those things,” hitting a few keys on his key pad, ‘fine I will get the other boys to cover tonight, but tomorrow it's your ass in the van.”
“Fair enough,” I pause and look at him for a good long time. Avery has his features, only hers are softer and not so worn with the age and worry. Kent Delany has taken on himself during his lifetime, and I am getting ready to add to it, ‘Uh I am thinking maybe I should tell you about the discussion Avery and I had this morning.”
Glancing up from his keypad, ‘how much did you tell her?” How does he read a person like an open book, either that or I am severely losing my poker face.
“I told her the cover story hoping it would scare her into listening to me for a change, nothing about the job or our association.’ I sigh. ‘She still thinks I am a washed up quarter back hell bent on screwing every woman in a five mile radius.”
He levels his eyes at me, ‘I think it is time.” He has stopped his typing and is laced his hands behind his head.
“Time for what?” I am not a typically nervous man but here lately.
“Time for us to let her know you and are talking.”
“Great boss, now I am going to look like an even bigger duschebag.” I stand and start to pace like a caged animal. Is he fucking kidding me? I had just gotten Avery around to my side of the fence again, now he is going to blow all that shit out of the water.
“I will be there to smooth the edges, you don’t give her enough credit Leo. We are only going to tell her safety is our main concern. Nothing about the job or any details of our business, for now.” He takes up his phone and calls Avery.
After finishing up making plans with her, he looks at me, ‘you will show up about twenty minutes into our lunch. I will take these crime scene photos of Serena,’ he breathes deep and gives me a look. The apprehension must be written all over my face, ‘I am not going to make you out to be that bad of a guy but to just reinforce the issue of being safe to her. Besides I have to act like the worried father, and play off our little interaction at your house. I will make it look as if I am meeting her to run you through the mud.”
Giving him a smile, ‘thank you so much sir, I really do appreciate the encouragement and support.” I stand and turn for the door, ‘see you at lunch.”
****
Avery
I get settled back into Leo’s room and head downstairs to see that Beek is taking a nap on the couch. I smile and cover him over with the throw from the back. I pour myself a glass of wine and take the new book Piper had brought me out to the back deck along with my phone. Nestled into a lawn chair I crack the book open and begin to read.
I am half way through the fifth chapter when my phone rings, looking at the display I see it is my father, I take a deep breath before answering.
“Hey Dad, been a long time where have you been keeping yourself?”
“Busy, can you meet me in an hour?” Short not so sweet and to the point.
“Sure I guess, where?”
“The bistro on Fifth and Carmichael.”
“I can, see you soon.”
“Okay.” He ends the call from his end.
I sigh and lean my head back and watch as the puffy white clouds pass over head. My Dad had been expectantly absent the past week and it only makes me wonder what he has been up to. I can only assume he has been hard at digging things up on Leo and his club.
I went in and got changed before I woke Beeker up. I gently touched his leg, ‘Beek man it is time to get up.”
He jumps to his feet, ‘is something wrong, is somebody here?” His head is darting from left to right.
“No honey, my Dad just called and wants to see me for lunch.” I look at him and smile, ‘if someone had been here I think that my screaming would have been a more appropriate way to wake you.” I smile sideways at him.
He roughly rubs his eyes, ‘yeah I guess you are right, how long did I sleep?”
I cross to my purse, ‘around two hours,’ I turn back to him, ‘no worries, Leo didn’t come home for lunch so you’re safe.” I giggle at his horrified expression.
****
Twenties minutes later we are well on our way into town, ‘you might need to call Leo and let him know where you are going cause if he does go home and we aren’t there he will trip balls.” Beeker points out as we pull into town.
“Yeah I guess you are right.” I pull out my phone and send Leo a quick text message letting him know about lunch.
For some reason an uncomfortable silence fills the cab of my SUV, I turn to Beeker, ‘what’s wrong man?”
He shakes his head, ‘nothing.”
I swat his arm, ‘don’t lie to me.”
He hesitates then continues, ‘Kayla and I um-“ he stops and chews his words, ‘yeah know.” He moves his head as if to say had sex without saying it.
“Oh my god Beek that is wonderful.” I exclaim jerking his arm making him swerve in the road.
“Damn Avery it's not like neither one of us hasn’t ever done it before.”
“Great now you can come out as a couple.” I turn in my set to face him.
“Who knows?” He shrugs his shoulders.
“Exactly, you should just do it ya know, at the next party just show everybody you and Kayla are together. I don’t see what the big deal is.” I turn my attention back to the road ahead of us, ‘or I could just say something.”
He sighs, ‘you are going to say something aren’t you?”
“Yep.” I retort quickly at him.
“Oh god.” He grumbles.
“Oh hush and let’s go eat.” I jump out of the SUV before he can belly ache anymore about the subject.
My father is waiting for us at a table outside, ‘hey Daddy.” I greet him, kissing his cheek and take the seat across from him. Beeke
r takes a stool at the bar within sight of me.
“So how is Aunt Shirley?” I ask as I take a drink of the water the waiter has placed in front of me.
“She is fine.” He seems more irritated than usual.
“That’s good.” We sit in the uncomfortable silence always following us around.
He nods his head in Beeker’s direction, ‘body guard?” He snorts after his comment.
“No that is just Beeker.” I am sure Leo feels better having Beeker follow me around but to tell the truth I am not sure what the skinny little guy could accomplish if challenged.
“Avery we need to talk.” My Dad leans up and starts a conversation in his gruff way.
I take another sip of water, ‘okay, about what?’ I ask even though I know what it is about and that would be the one and only Leo Tucker.
He slides a manila folder across the table to me, ‘I have been doing some digging.”
Imagine that, ‘oh really.” Go fucking figure.
“Yes and the information is quit disturbing. He is not the man you think he is Avery.” He signals the waiter he is ready to order. I, on the other hand, have not even picked up my menu. I peruse the selections for lunch and decide on a chef’s salad and sweet tea.
Dad and I order then I point over to Beeker, ‘he is with us too.” The young man glances over his shoulder at a grinning Beeker that gives him a wave.
I direct my attention back to Dad, ‘so what makes you think I don’t already know about everything in the folder?” I sit back and know it is a bad idea to make light of a topic my father has deemed ultra important as he has Leo.
“Just take a look,” he sits up and pounds is finger into the top of the folder, ‘I am sure there are things in there he hasn’t told you.”
I shake my head, ‘Dad I know all I need to know about him and it is enough for me to be content and trust his every move.”
Dad reaches and flips the folder open to black and whites of a crime scene. I turn my head away quickly reaching up to close it all the same, ‘Dad he told me about her and what happen.” Darting my eyes around making sure the other patrons of the bistro hadn’t seen the graphic photos the folder contained.