“You want it to be more?” Johnny asked him. Shadow took a step forward. Johnny’s eyes brightened at the thought of a confrontation.
“I’m a fair man Aaron,” Tommy said, interrupting any possible skirmish. His smile was back. “I’m not asking for anything that isn’t owed to me.” I spat on the floor at that blatant lie. “Three hundred grand and we’ll never discuss it again and your sister can stop looking over her shoulder. You have four weeks. Now get the fuck out of my bar.”
I stared at them both and then turned and walked out. Halfway to the door, I turned back. “The nightly visits stop.” Johnny nodded and I turned and left with Shadow behind me. This was my worst nightmare coming true.
I stalked over to the truck and turned once to Shadow. “Gym,” I said to him as I got in and drove away, leaving him and the bar behind me.
I could feel my blood boiling. It was thrumming through my veins. I was going to explode. I parked at the gym having had no clear recollection of the journey over. I got out and lit a cigarette. I needed a drink. I needed to hit someone. I needed a drink while I punched someone. Fuck! I didn’t need to punch someone, I needed to get my hands on my brother and beat the living crap out of him.
Shadow pulled up and got out, he had the keys to the gym in his hands and opened up. I followed him inside and headed to one of the couches. I detoured halfway there and savagely attacked one of the punching bags. I needed the release and kept going at it.
“Aaron! Aaron, stop,” Shadow said, pulling me away after a few minutes. I turned to him. “You’re bleeding.” He looked at me to make sure I understood. “Stop.” He watched me carefully; I glanced at my hands, I was bleeding. I didn’t care. “Come sit down, we need to think.”
I snorted as I made my way over to the couches. I caught the towel he threw at me for my hands and then he passed me a bottle of water. “What time is it?” I asked as I unscrewed the bottle and took a long pull of water. I wrapped the towel over the knuckles on my right hand.
“Almost four.” We both looked at each other for a long minute.
“Fuck!” In frustration I threw the bottle across the room.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Shadow agreed. He rubbed his hands over his face, then rested his head in his hands as he sat forward on the couch.
“Who the hell told him? It wasn’t Jay, he wouldn’t have told him directly.” My brother was an asshole but he wouldn’t have sold out like that. “But he’s told someone, and they’ve fucked me over.” I was still seething.
“I’ll find out,” Shadow promised. “What we going to do for the money? You got any of it?”
I slumped in the seat as I leaned back. “I have some of it I can get my hands on now.” I frowned as I looked away. “I’ll need some time for the rest of it.”
“I can give you...”
“No. This isn’t your problem.” I caught the fury on his face. “You know what I mean, the money isn’t your problem. I can sort this.”
“We’ll talk about it later.” A quick concession which meant we would argue in the near future. “Four weeks...more than I thought,” Shadow admitted as we both stared absently around the room. “I was sure it would be less.”
I nodded in agreement. “He’s waited three years, what’s four more weeks?” I muttered darkly. My mind was racing, who would Jay have been stupid enough to tell that would gain from going straight to Tommy?
“You’re not going to fight it?” Shadow asked softly. I shook my head as I let out a loud sigh.
“Nah, the game’s up. What a complete clusterfuck.”
“You still thinking you need to move your mom and Alicia?”
I hesitated slightly. “I am moving them, next week actually.” Shadow frowned at me. “I’m not asking you to help, I can’t have anyone else knowing. You need to concentrate on your family.” He glared at me. Shadow was a big man, it was no small thing when you pissed him off and I knew I was pissing him off. “It’s nothing personal, you know this. You need to concentrate on Maria and the baby. I can move my mom and Alicia, I have it all set up. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, but you’re not giving me any confidence here man. I would never betray you.”
I sighed long and deep. “You have a family to think of, what if it had been your house they were creeping around, with Maria as she is? Or worse, what if it was a few months later and the baby was born and this was happening, with your kid in the house? I won’t risk it. I won’t risk them.”
He sat and said nothing. I met his steady stare and waited. Shadow shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Finally, he nodded. “I understand.” Shadow frowned but then he glanced at his watch.
I stood. “Get home to Maria, your mom will be sending the cops out soon,” I joked. It was a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood, but he grinned at me. “I better get back to Lela and make sure she hasn’t gone crazy.”
“She’s pretty.” Shadow watched me from the corner of his eye, a grin hovering. “Didn’t realise she was a looker.”
“She’s pretty annoying is what you mean,” I answered, shrugging off his implication easily.
“Uh-huh, looked like you were real annoyed when you were wrapped around her,” he commented as we descended the stairs to outside.
“Shut up, you know it isn’t like that.”
“Do I?” I knew he was trying to make light of a hard night and I appreciated the effort, but still, I didn’t want these thoughts floating in my head.
“Thanks for coming, I’ll speak to you later.” I glanced at him and caught the huge shit eating grin, I got in the truck and left him laughing on the sidewalk as I headed for home.
I parked and got out. There was a light on in Walter’s front room. I knew he would be sitting somewhere, watching. I raised my hand in greeting as I headed to my front door.
I pulled up short when I remembered I had said I would warn Lela I was at the door. I knocked softly and heard no movement. I didn’t wait. I unlocked and opened the door. I slipped out of my jacket and my boots, then headed to the kitchen. Lela was curled up on the couch, sound asleep. I stopped and looked at her. She was pretty, I knew that – actually, pretty wasn’t the right word, she was stunning. Her shoulder length blonde hair looked so soft and I wondered absently what it would feel like to run my hands through it. Her skin was pale but flawless. I ran a thumb over her cheek. She murmured in her sleep, her lips were slightly parted and were naturally pouty. I caught myself staring at her, wondering what those lips would taste like. I shook my head. She was a job, and I needed to remember she was a liability. I walked around to the front of the couch and gently scooped her up. I carried her to her room and placed her on the bed. She let out a soft sigh as I stepped back. I covered her with the comforter and left her to sleep.
Heading into my room I shrugged out of my clothes and headed for the bathroom to have a shower. I glanced at the clock – just before five in the morning. I was due to get up soon, I wouldn’t be going to bed now.
Standing under the hot spray in the shower I let the water run over me, wishing it could wash away more than tonight’s cuts and bruises. I rested my head on the tiled walls. Three hundred grand, where was I going to get it? I had about half in bank accounts, but that would clean me out. I had no mortgage on the house or either of the businesses. I couldn’t lend against them, I didn’t own either outright. I didn’t want to take a loan out on my house, I bought that with cash, but it was an option I may need to consider.
My mind wandered as I remembered Lela earlier in those white sleep shorts. I groaned softly as I felt my dick harden. Fuck me, I’d be jerking off in the shower next, like a horny teenager. Thrusting thoughts of Lela from my head, I quickly soaped up and rinsed and got out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I walked into the bedroom and pulled up short.
Lela sat on my bed. “You do know your habit of coming into my bedroom is becoming an obsession,” I greeted her. I leaned against the doorframe as I watched her.
“What happened?”
“Went for a chat, came home, took a shower. There will be no more late-night visitors.” I added the last bit more softly. I saw her shoulders relax slightly.
“You didn’t wake me.”
“Wasn’t anything to tell you.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Her eyes ran over me, lingering on the towel for longer than I think she realised. “Lela, my eyes are up here.”
Her face flushed as she looked hurriedly away. “You’re always trying to make it out like I am fixating on you,” she muttered.
I laughed. “That’s because you are. You need to let out your sexual frustration.”
“With you?” Her voice was slightly incredulous, but I noted she was still flushed.
“I wasn’t offering and if you were asking,” I made a show of considering her, “I would probably say no.” I gave her a cheeky wink.
She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “You wouldn’t say no,” she scoffed as she placed her hands slightly behind her and leaned back to look at me. Her eyes ran over me again.
Confident, aren’t we?
I smirked at her as I took a step towards her. Her breath caught as she looked at me. I bent down to her on the bed and took her hand. I pulled her to her feet and wrapped my arm round her waist, pulling her into me keeping hold of her hand. I was flush against her and could feel her heart racing. Her cheeks were pink and she darted her tongue out to wet her lips. I watched her with hooded eyes as I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, drawing her attention. It was a practiced move and one I knew how to use. I curled my hand into her waist and pressed her further into me. I dipped my head and brought my lips to hers, just shy of touching hers.
“Lela...” I whispered softly.
“Yes.” Her voice was low and breathy, I felt her push slightly into me more.
“Go to bed.” I let her go and stood back. She stood still for a brief moment and then the Brat was back.
“You really are an arrogant bastard, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” I answered her honestly, I couldn’t help but smile as she glared at me. I watched her compose herself. She was furious that I played her and more furious that I was watching her struggle to hide it. “Go to bed, you have to be up soon for work,” I reminded her.
Her focus was laser sharp on me. “What?”
“You’re covering for Daisy. You agreed.”
“No. I didn’t. You said one day.”
I laughed. “No, I didn’t.” I mocked her. “I told you that you were covering for Daisy, you’re there until she’s back.” She opened her mouth and I cut her off. “It isn’t up for debate. You have to change the system back to Daisy’s way, remember?”
“I think I hate you.”
“I’m ok with that, go to bed.”
She stormed past me and I chuckled softly to myself as she slammed the bedroom door closed. I took the towel off and pulled on a pair of boxers. I rubbed the towel over my hair and got dressed. Taking my iPad, I headed to the kitchen to make coffee, while I considered my options on getting the money I needed. I had money, it just wasn’t easily accessible.
I was deep in thought when Lela came into the kitchen, dressed, pulling her luggage with her. I simply looked at her, waiting.
“Take me to a hotel.”
I threw my head back and laughed at her. When I recovered, I took a drink of coffee. “No.”
“You asked me if I wanted to go to a hotel. I want to go to a hotel.”
“How much money you got?” I asked as I took another sip of coffee.
She shrugged and pulled out her wallet. Her face fell when she counted the money in her wallet. “About fifty dollars.”
I folded my arms as I sat and watched her. “Not going to get a hotel with that are you?”
“You can give me money.”
“Why the hell would I give you money? You’ll get paid for the work at the shop, when you are finished covering for Daisy. Until then, go back into the bedroom, stop being a child and get ready for work.”
“What? You’re not telling me to go to bed?” she snapped angrily at me.
I glanced at the wall clock. “Nah, I’d be getting you up in an hour, may as well head in early today.” I took another drink of coffee. I watched her. Would she go anyway? I doubted it, but I was waiting for it.
“I thought we called a truce?” she muttered quietly, trying a different tactic.
“We did. Then you went into Brat mode. You know I don’t like Brat mode.”
“You were beating people up in your house!”
“That’s just a fabrication of the truth and you know it.”
“Fabrication? Such a big word for the likes of you...” she muttered.
Bitch.
“What? The fact I didn’t go to college must mean I’m stupid?” I scoffed at her. I rocked back in my seat. “Be careful what stereotypes you want to throw around Lela, you won’t like what comes back at you,” I warned her quietly. I watched her standing there while she debated her options. She could be stubborn and actually go, which would be easier for me, but she was convenient being at the shop. If she stayed, I still needed to get rid of her for next week. It was better if she went. My God, this whole situation was just annoying me. I should have left her at the bar. None of this shit would be happening.
She had the grace to flush with embarrassment. She shrugged. “Can I get money or not?”
“Absolutely not.”
“My mom’s husband gave you money for me, why can’t I get it?” Her hands were on her hips, her posture indignant. “You’ve stolen my money!”
I laughed. This woman was bipolar or something, one minute she was soft and sweet, the other she was a raging brat. I frowned at her. “Are you bipolar?”
“No! Why would you ask me that?”
“Because your mood swings give me whiplash, wasn’t sure whether you were officially mentally unwell, rather than just – you know – unhinged.” I got up and poured more coffee, I took it back to the table.
“Charming. I’m not unhinged, I want my money.” She was scowling at me now.
“I said no.” I drank my coffee.
“Why not?” Lela walked over to the table and sat down, she clasped her hands in front of her, did she think this was a negotiation?
“Because you can’t be trusted not to spend it on drugs.” Her eyes immediately filled with tears and she sat and shook her head, the fight instantly gone from her.
“I told you it wasn’t like that...” she whispered softly. Now I felt like a bastard and that only annoyed me further. Saying nothing, I rose, taking another drink before setting my cup in the sink. I glanced at the clock.
“Come on, we may as well get to work,” I said as I headed to get my boots on.
“Aaron?” I turned and looked at her. she looked completely miserable and I felt a stab of guilt again, which I quickly shrugged off. “I’m not this horrible person you seem to think I am. This person I become with you, that isn’t me.”
I nodded at her to show that I understood. “Interesting. Let’s go.”
She didn’t move and sat and stared at her hands. “You just frustrate me so much, you run hot and cold and...” She wrung her hands as she continued to stare at them. “I don’t know what I’m doing! I’ve been sent here, mom’s not stuck around – again – and they leave me with you and you’re,” she gestured at the length of me, “all that and cold!”
“You saying I’m cold and heartless Lela?” I mocked her.
“Yes! That day you packed my bags and put them outside, I knew you didn’t care that I would have nowhere to go, you just drove away and left me.” The tears were back. “And yesterday in the shop you were so cold when you spoke to me, but then when those guys were in the house, you seemed like you actually cared.”
I got my jacket on and looked at her. “You’ve done nothing to make me like you, you’ve done nothing to make me think there is a better person in there. You’re right, I don’t kno
w you, nothing you have done has made me want to know you more, and quite frankly, now you’re just making me late while you feel sorry for yourself.” Her eyes flashed angrily at me and I raised an eyebrow. “Come on, let’s move and you can start showing me this other you.”
A soft laugh escaped her as she got to her feet. “You’re a bully, do you know that?”
“Yeah, probably am,” I agreed as she came up beside me and started putting her boots on. I grinned down at her as I laughed. “I don’t deny I’m a heartless bastard and don’t plan on changing.” With that, I held the door open. She faltered slightly and looked at me. “I can be nice,” I offered.
Lela flashed me a soft smile as she walked past me. Shaking my head in amusement, I followed her out to the truck.
I stayed for the morning in the shop – snow had fallen hard during the night and there were a few call-ins looking for winter tyres. Added onto the work we already had booked in, I took care of the call ins.
The morning passed swiftly with no incident. I liked the easy flow of the work – one car up, tyres off, new tyres on, one car down, repeat. My guys stayed away from the office and I heard not one complaint from Lela, which in itself was a miracle.
Gregor came over to me as I stepped out of the warmth of the shop to smoke. I shuddered at the cold, but I didn’t go back for my hoody. I wouldn’t be long. My t-shirt was fine for a quick smoke.
“Aaron,” he greeted me softly. He glanced quickly over his shoulder, making sure we wouldn’t be overheard.
“What you got for me?” I asked him. I knew this was about the respray of the stolen cars. Another quick glance over his shoulder and he moved closer.
“I spoke with my cousin. The cars are mostly from Denver but some of the other towns as well, even goes as far as Colorado Springs and stuff?” I nodded. “He gets given a list of what the guy he works for is looking for.”
“Who’s he work for?” I took another drag.
“Carlos Ramirez.” Gregor shrugged. He obviously didn’t know him. I did though. Rumour had it that Carlos was in business against Malcolm. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being involved in anything to do either with or against Malcolm. “He says he’s easy-going and quite a nice guy,” Gregor added.
Dark Heart Page 14