I sighed. “Not sure, you need to get your cousin to check the plate for me.”
He nodded. “Texting her now.” He looked up at me as he put his phone away. “She’s not on duty until later. She’ll let me know.”
I looked down at the ring, it was empty. “Wanna go?” I indicated the boxing ring. He rolled his shoulders as he stood.
Five minutes later, we were both in the ring, strapping our hands. The sparring was much like the other night, careful, controlled. Shadow must have been fed up with careful, he started to go harder. I was more than ready to up the stakes – he knew I wasn’t on edge like the other night; it was safe to spar a bit more dangerously.
We had a good fight, we ducked and flowed around each other like we had been doing it all our lives, which in a way we had. He held his hands up in surrender, the sign we were done. I shook off the extra energy I still had. I turned around and saw the audience we had gathered. The guys who had been here training had grouped around to watch us. At the back of the gym stood Frank. I got out and Shadow followed. I acknowledged the comments about the good fight.
As I approached the office, I knew what Frank was going to say as soon as he said it. I held my hand up to stop him. “Never going to happen,” I muttered as I passed him.
“Are you joking?” Frank demanded as he followed me into the office. I shook my head in amusement as he paced the small office floor. “My God kid, you would draw them in! You have the look.” He waved his hand at me, just in case I didn’t know what he meant. “You have the speed, the agility, you would get the crowd going – no doubt about it.” Shadow had followed us into the office and closed the door behind him. He watched me watching Frank.
I smirked as I drank some water. “Frank. Not happening. I have people that fight for me, I don’t need to fight, I don’t have to fight and I don’t want to fight.” I took another swig. He stood assessing me more. My eyes flicked to Shadow. He said nothing but I knew what he was thinking – he knew better to jump into this conversation though. I would deal with his thoughts later if he chose to raise them. I had a feeling he wouldn’t though.
“But...” Frank started to protest but I levelled him with a look. He trailed off and his shoulders slouched.
“I thought you left?” Shadow said to him.
Frank turned and shrugged. “I did. Then I realised I didn’t actually have anywhere to be, so thought I would come back now, rather than tomorrow and see what I am going to be working with.” His eyes ran over my frame again and he turned away, shaking his head.
Shadow and I watched him leave the office and head over to two regulars who were at the punching bags. Shadow turned to me, grinning.
“It’s like you were his great white hope. I think you just killed his dreams, man.” I snorted out a laugh as I watched Frank with the others.
“Jesus, I definitely think his dick got hard imagining me as the next fucking coming or something,” I joked.
“Christ, could you imagine you as the saviour of Boulder!”
“More likely to rob it than save it!” I laughed. I watched Frank fix one of the guy’s stances and lift his shoulder to give him better posture and gait. “I started hearing eighties theme tune music, I could see him imagining me running up hills and stairs in grey sweats.” Shadow let out a loud laugh and then the two of us were in our small office doubled over with laughter.
An incoming text message alert calmed us down. Shadow looked at his phone, his smile dimming slightly. “Mama, reminding me a husband eats with his wife.” He rolled his eyes as he pocketed the phone. “Maybe should have listened to Maria more before I asked mama for help,” he admitted remorsefully. Still I noted that he was reaching for his jacket.
“Shit, what time is it?” I asked pulling my own phone out. It was a little after five, I had to go get the Brat. I saw Shadow hesitate and nudged him to the door. “Go, I’ll get her later.” I ran my eyes over Frank. “If I have to leave, will he be ok with the keys?”
There was absolutely nothing to steal really, except the equipment – the place had insurance, I just couldn’t be bothered with the paperwork. Shadow nodded. “Yeah, plus I know where he lives.” He winked as he turned and left and I grinned at his retreating back.
I sat down and switched the laptop back on. I had questions still to be answered. The phone rang about an hour later. I had been checking out routes for my trip on Monday – the snow was still falling and the weekend promised more, the F150 Raptor was the best truck for these conditions but I worried about mom and Alicia in my uncle’s old Chevy. He’d put chains on at least; I knew he wouldn’t risk their safety.
“Yeah?” I answered. I sat back as I looked out over the gym. Frank was onto the next member and he looked totally invested in their conversation. I forgot to ask Shadow about the steroids, I better keep an eye on that, I mused.
“Aaron? It’s Gregor. Jim told us to remind you about Lela...or I can take her home for you if you want? She says she is staying with you?” Gregor fishing for information wasn’t something I was encouraging.
“I’m leaving now. Tell her to be ready in fifteen.” I hung up.
Twenty minutes later I crossed the yard to find Jim and three others working away still, with four of my guys in the office with Lela, hanging on every word she said. I stood in the shadows observing her, as she charmed them with her soft smiles and coy looks. Fuck me, this was a disaster waiting to happen.
“You all finished?” I asked quietly from behind them. Four very guilty faces turned to look at me. “Get out, make sure Jim doesn’t need you anymore tonight.” They shuffled past me quickly, two headed out over the yard, obviously already finished for the evening, the other two checked with Jim to make sure they could go. I turned to look at Lela – she was gathering her stuff getting ready to leave.
“I’m ready.” She nodded at me curtly. What the fuck was this? Hostility? From her? No, not happening. I walked over to her and tugged her coat off her. She frowned at me. I ran my hands over her shoulders softly and turned her so that her back was to me.
Ducking low I leaned into her. “Let me help you with that,” I said softly into her ear. I felt her stiffen and then relax. I slid the jacket up her arms and pulled it round her, grazing her front as I passed. Lela stepped away from me and turned to look at me in confusion. Her breath caught as I smiled at her.
“Um, thanks. I had it, but thanks.” She went to step back and I stepped into her. She tilted her head back to look at me. I leaned down again and reaching out, untucking her hair from under the collar. I kept my eyes on her and saw hers widen as she shifted to focus on my lips. I kept the inner smirk hidden as I straightened and with a hand on the small of her back, let her leave the office. I didn’t miss the stares from the guys in the shop as she left in front of me, flushed from the close proximity. I met each of their looks with my own hard stare and noted each acceptance. She wasn’t to be messed with, the message was clear. I kept my hand on her back as we crossed the yard, just for any that may not have gotten the fucking memo.
“How was your day?” Lela asked me softly, once we were both in the truck and heading back to the house. She still seemed unsure as she glanced at me and then resumed looking out the window.
“Fine,” I answered easily, the softness gone from my tone.
“I fixed Daisy’s filing system,” she offered up. I looked at her – she was looking somewhat hopeful.
“There was nothing to fix,” I answered as I stopped at a traffic light.
Lela let out a disbelieving laugh. “Are you joking? Only a psycho would understand that system!” I had her full attention now. “She’s obviously got a screw loose, I saw the picture too remember. I bet there are a few more than that at home!”
I’d forgotten about the photograph, but I didn’t need Lela messing with Daisy’s system. “Change it back. This psycho understood it perfectly,” I ordered as I pulled away as the light turned green. I could feel her eyes on me as I drove through the t
raffic. I looked over at her. “What?”
“You bastard.” She was shaking her head in disbelief. “That act back there, that’s what it was, wasn’t it? An act?”
The smirk slipped out this time. “Why Lela, did you think a day away from you and I suddenly wanted to bang you as soon as I saw you again?”
“You absolute prick. No. I didn’t think you wanted to bang me, I just thought you were done being a complete, total asshole.” Her voice had climbed higher as she spoke. She was getting ready to shriek, I could feel it coming.
“Calm your ass down. I told you to work there, I didn’t say make friends and stop my guys from working.” I pulled up outside my house and got out. I heard her jump from the truck and slam the door. I turned to her quickly and she pulled up short. “Do not slam my truck. Are you sure you’re 22? You act like a child.”
I turned back to open the door. As I went in and took off my jacket, hoody and boots, I watched her standing in the front entrance. Seething.
“You’re letting the heat out. You want to be left out there, or are you coming inside?” I asked her as I straightened. I watched her with amusement as she struggled with her options for a few seconds. She came in. Shocker.
“I don’t like you.” Lela folded her arms across her chest and glared at me.
“I don’t like you either Brat,” I answered as I walked to the kitchen. “Boots off,” I reminded her as I heard her start to follow me.
The boot sailing past me was her answer. I watched it land square in front of me. I turned slowly to look at her. Lela stood there with her hand over her mouth, she looked more shocked than angry.
“Are you fucking serious?” I asked her, I kept my voice low. Lela took a step back to the door and then assessed her feet. Neither of us doubted that I would throw her out with only one boot.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted, “you just make me so mad, I just wanted to hit you.” Lela remained in the spot as she wrung her hands together.
“You say you’re not a brat and then you act exactly like a brat. Throwing boots? Jesus Christ woman, grow up.” I turned away from her and headed to the coffee maker, I kicked her boot out of my way. I kept my back to her as I heard her collect the footwear and then she ran to her room.
No, not her room, the room.
I set the coffee on and leaned against the counter. She threw her fucking boot at me, I shook my head and then remembered the look on her face. I fought back a smile at the absolute astonishment on her face, but the smile quickly faded. I ran my hands over my hair and clasped them behind my neck as I bowed my head. She’d been here two nights. Two nights and she was driving me fucking crazy.
I was never going to last the whole time Skinner was gone. I may have to break into the fucker’s house after all. I rolled my head on my shoulders.
The coffee finished and I poured myself a cup. I was in the fridge gathering ingredients for my dinner when she appeared in the kitchen.
“What are you making?” she asked me softly.
“Dinner,” I answered as I started making my sandwich.
“Is that all you are having?”
I put the knife down. “Are you my mother?” I ran my eyes over her. She was in yoga pants again, with a yellow camisole and a cardigan. Lela was slender but she had curves in the right places – that made her figure interesting. Her hair lay soft and loose around her shoulders. She was definitely easy on the eyes, shame she spoke all the time and ruined it.
“I was just making conversation Aaron.” Her hands wrung themselves together again. I stood back as I took a bite of my sandwich. I shrugged and walked past her. Her hand landed on my arm to stop me. She left it placed there as I met her dark blue eye – they seemed unsure. “Do you,” she swallowed, “do you think we could start again?”
I walked on and took my seat in front of the TV. “Probably not,” I answered truthfully. I heard her sigh. “But I think we can both try to stop pissing each other off.” Where the fuck did that come from, Aaron?
“I’d like that,” Lela answered softly. I nodded to confirm and I heard her walking back up the hall.
Don’t go soft on me now boy, you have a long road ahead. With that thought running around my head, I turned the TV on.
“Please tell me you’re joking and you’re not hovering over my bed like a fucking ghost again.” I kept my eyes closed but I was wide awake. Again.
“I swear to you, there is someone outside,” Lela whispered from the foot of my bed.
I sat up and squinted at her in the dark. She had taken her phone into the room with the flashlight on; she would have been better switching the light on if she wanted to draw attention to the fact someone was awake. “Why the fuck do you have that on? If someone is outside, now they know you are awake.”
She looked at the phone and then me. “I thought putting the light on would alert them,” Lela whispered to me as she edged to where I sat.
I shook my head at her. “Yeah so creeping through the house with your phone lit up is less conspicuous.” I ran my eyes over her in exasperation. Tonight, she had new sleep shorts, they were white with lace which hugged her thighs in a very attractive way. A skimpy tank top and her cardigan over the top. I looked away before she caught me checking her out – I took the phone off her and turned off the flashlight. I felt Lela immediately step closer to me. I stood in the dark, I could feel the heat radiating from her. “Lela, move back so I can get dressed,” I muttered.
“Are you naked?” Lela stood back immediately, her high-pitched squeak making me chuckle.
“No, but I’m not going outside in just boxers either.” I pulled my sweats on and as I did before, I picked up my bat as I left the room. I turned back to her in the dark and almost knocked her over, she was so close to me. “Stay in here ok?”
“No, I’m coming too. I don’t want you to tell me it’s a racoon again.” She couldn’t see me roll my eyes in the dark but I did it anyway.
“For fuck sake, come on then.” I walked out but I felt her grab on to my sweatpants. I paused. “Lela, if you wanted a grope, I thought you would be more discreet.”
“Fuck off, I’m not trying to feel you up!” she whispered furiously at me. I could hear the indignant denial in her whisper.
“Keep telling yourself that babe.” I was grinning as I made my way into the kitchen. There was moonlight coming in through the top half of my kitchen windows. Only the bottom half of the curtains closed for privacy. No one should be out in the back garden and no neighbours overlooked it, so a full curtain was unnecessary. I didn’t usually bother closing them at all, but with the footprints outside last night, I was all for deterring potential onlookers. I made my way to the back door – I wanted to avoid the front for the moment. I had an old pair of work boots by the door and I pulled them on quickly.
“Why you going out the back door?” Lela whispered to me in confusion.
“Going to catch the bastard by surprise,” I replied as I hefted the bat in my hand.
“You said it was a racoon!” Lela whispered furiously. “I knew you were lying!”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t a racoon just now. Stay inside.” I turned the lock and quietly slipped out the back door. I glanced around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. I made my way quietly to the side of the house, keeping my eyes alert. I ran my eyes over the snow – it had started falling steadily, but if there had been anyone here, their footprints wouldn’t be covered yet. How long had Lela and I spent chatting before I got out here? Would they have seen the light from her phone?
I was out in the middle of the night, shirtless, wearing nothing but my sweatpants and old work boots. With a bat. If anyone was in danger of getting arrested tonight, it was me. I heard a crunch of something moving on crisp new snow, as I was about to turn, I pulled up and lifted the bat. He came around the corner in a semi-crouch and I swung with all my strength right into the bastard’s stomach. His cry of surprise mixed with the wind leaving him meant he didn’t make much no
ise. As he fell, I grabbed him, quickly putting my hand over his mouth to stop him from shouting out.
I lowered him to the snow, I pulled his black hat off and turned him over, I kept the bat at his throat and glared at my creeper. I had never seen this guy before. He was short, stocky, with dark hair and plain features. I glared at him, I leaned down until my knee was pressed on his chest and I put more weight on the bat.
“Who the fuck are you?” I asked him quietly.
“I’m not alone!”
“Good to know. Who the fuck are you? Who sent you?” I demanded. I leaned more on the bat. He choked as I pressed into his Adam’s apple.
“I’m not telling you anything.”
“Stupid move.” I stayed on him and thought quickly. I would need to incapacitate him before his friends came looking. I swore under my breath. I needed to knock him out. Without thinking too much about it, I jumped back with the bat. He surged up towards me and I swung. He dropped like a stone. I had to hope that kept him down. I made my way quietly around the corner. No one was approaching me. I walked quickly up the side, leading to the front of the house. I would need to come around fast, I needed the element of surprise. I rushed around the side of the house, ready to knock out whoever came at me with my bat.
The front yard was empty. I quickly checked the street, the white van sat there. Engine off, but it was empty. Did he actually come alone? That was stupid.
I turned around and narrowly missed the punch coming at me. I countered quickly with a stab of the bat into the midriff. My assailant grunted out in pain. I quickly threw an upper cut and as he staggered, I brought the bat to the side of his head. He, like his friend, dropped to the ground. I ran quickly to the front door and pounded on it. I didn’t have a lot of time.
“Lela, open the door!” I demanded. She did so and gasped as I dragged stranger number two into the house. I handed her the bat as I pulled my hoody on. It was fucking freezing and I was turning blue. “He wakes up, hit him hard.” I headed to the back door.
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