He sighed. “My daughter was quite upset. My daughter begged me to take her home.”
“Lela,” I snapped.
“Excuse me?”
“Your daughter’s name is Lela.” This guy was pissing me off more than his daughter did.
I heard a soft chuckle. “I know what my only daughter’s name is. She was right, you are blunt.”
I rose from the seat. I needed a smoke. “What do you want?”
“Whatever he is paying you, I want to triple it.”
I stood still. What the fuck? “What?”
I heard him take a breath, like he was preparing a speech. “Lela.” He paused. “Lela is my only child and she is lost. She finished art school and she found herself…shall we say misplaced. With no job prospects, no idea what she wanted to do, she lost herself.” I heard him swallow. “I didn’t help her, I don’t know if you know, but I am a lawyer – civil law, not criminal – but I had a big pharmaceutical case I was dealing with. I didn’t notice her spiralling out of control, until it was too late.”
I frowned. I wasn’t Dr. Phil, why was he telling me this? “Why are you telling me? No offence Dan, but I’m not so interested in the backstory.”
“Daniel,” he corrected me. I smirked. “I’m telling you because from what I can make out from Lela, you have her working? In your garage?”
“I do. It’s temporary,” I added, in case he got any ideas.
“She also has been out to a bar, but my understanding is that this has only been once?”
“Yeah.” I suddenly saw where this was going. This idiot thought I was a good influence. He had to be fucking kidding me. “Not interested.”
“Mr. Jonson, she’s been with you for four days, she has a job, she hasn’t been drunk and she has had no narcotics.” He let out a sigh. “I will pay you five times what he is paying you. Keep her with you for a little while longer, please. I want my daughter back and her being there with you is the closest I’ve been to my Lela in months.”
“You do know I’m more likely to strangle her? Your daughter is not easy Dan.” This conversation was insane.
“Daniel,” he corrected me again. It was as easy to push his buttons as his daughter’s. “Name your price.”
I scoffed. He couldn’t be serious. “Look, her mom’s back in ten days or whatever, she’s sending her to rehab, I think. You’ll probably get the bill, I know how the new husband operates.” I heard the muttered agreement. “Lela and I do not work well together. I’ll be surprised if she is at my house tonight to be honest. You’ve got the wrong guy.”
“My daughter will not go to rehab. I won’t have that mark on her name.”
“Are you shitting me? If she needs help, then she needs help.” I gripped my phone tighter.
“She’s been with you four days and she hasn’t needed anything,” he countered smugly. “You are obviously the help she needs.”
“I’ve truly never heard such bullshit,” I bit out. “No wonder she’s fucked up with you two as parents. One leaves her for a vacation, the other wants to sell her off.”
“It’s reassuring that you care for her. I wasn’t expecting that. This is good. Better.”
“Are you on drugs?”
He laughed. Laughed. Like this was a casual catch up, not him renting out his only child. “I think you are perfect for her. You are blunt, outspoken and quite obviously not intimidated.”
“I’m not your guy,” I snapped and I hung up on him.
I stared at the phone in my hand for a good few minutes. Had that been real? Rich people, they were unbelievable.
I looked up at a commotion in the gym. I could only stare. Shadow was smiling and shaking hands with Matt. This wasn’t happening. I was beginning to doubt my own sanity. I walked out of the office and headed to the two of them. I checked behind Matt to see what other one was with him. He seemed to be alone.
“Yeah, of course, you are welcome anytime. Let me show you around,” Shadow was saying. Matt pulled up short when he saw me. I crossed my arms reflexively.
“Why are you here?” I asked him.
“It’s always a pleasure,” Matt muttered. “Maria told me about Shadow’s gym. I wanted to check it out. I like the idea of a boxing gym.” He looked past me to see into the gym more.
“It’s our gym,” I corrected him. His eyes flicked to Shadow briefly.
“Ok, well, I can still look around?” Matt’s eyes flicked back to me and away again.
“Of course you can,” Shadow cut in, stopping me from replying. “I’ll give you the tour, though it isn’t much.”
I caught Shadow’s arm, and tugged him to the side. “What are you doing?” I asked him quietly.
“I’m showing the man around our gym, you know, the man who saved my baby.”
I looked at him. He stared back, unblinking.
“Fuck me. I’m out, do what you want.” I went back into the office and collected my jacket. I shrugged it on and headed out. I didn’t look back. They were all fucking crazy today.
I went home, shrugged my clothes off and took a long shower. I hadn’t slept in nearly two days when I thought about it. No wonder I was on edge. I got out of the shower and dressed in sweatpants and a sleeveless hoodie. It was three in the afternoon. I set an alarm on my phone for eight thirty and lay back on my bed and closed my eyes, hoping for sleep before tonight. I had five fights scheduled for tonight and I needed to be alert.
My phone rang. I tried to ignore it, but it rang again. I snapped the phone up in frustration. “What?”
“Aaron? Hey it’s Sam.” I sat up. Sam was an old friend, I actually smiled at hearing from him.
“How you doing?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’m good. Look, I hate to bother you on such short notice, but have you got anything scheduled for tomorrow night?” Sam asked me.
“Not at the moment.” I had no fights scheduled for tomorrow. Five tonight, four bigger ones on Saturday.
“I’ve got an event at the club. Need more security, you think you could help me out?”
“Which club?” Sam managed three nightclubs for a chain, two in Denver and one in Boulder.
“Z Club,” Sam answered. I nodded. The one on the outskirts of Boulder.
“How many guys you need?” I lay back down and closed my eyes.
“You and maybe three others?” Sam was slightly hesitant. Him needing four of us on top of his usual guys meant a big event.
“Who you got?” I asked leaning back and closing my eyes.
“I booked Shinebright.” Sam’s voice was excited. My eyes opened. That was huge. They were an up and coming rock band making a name for themselves and were local boys. No wonder he needed me and my guys.
“No problem, pay for my guys same as last time? Same cut for me from the door?”
“Absolutely.” He was quick to agree.
“Done. See you at ten tomorrow.” I hung up. I’d pull my guys together tonight at the Warehouse. I put my phone on silent. I really needed to sleep.
A while later I heard Lela come into the house. So, she came back after all, I mused tiredly. I glanced at my phone – after six. I had caught a few hours, I needed a few more. I closed my eyes and hoped she walked past my door. I wasn’t so lucky. My door opened.
“Are you sleeping?” Lela asked softly.
“Trying to.” Take the hint, walk away.
I heard her move further into the room. “Can I come in?”
I opened one eye and looked at her. “It seems like you’re already in. Lela, I haven’t slept for a long time, can we do this later?” I closed my eye again.
“I spoke to my dad,” she blurted.
“I know, he called me.” I opened both eyes this time. I saw her try to mask her confusion. “Thanks for giving him my number by the way.”
“I didn’t,” Lela answered. I studied her for a moment and then closed my eyes again.
“Spit out whatever you want to say and then, please, can I sleep?” My bed dipped
, my eyes flew open in surprise, Lela was sitting on the edge of my bed. “Seriously?”
Lela flushed and looked away. I noticed she didn’t get up though. “Scoot over.”
“What? Why?” I demanded.
“Oh, calm yourself, I’m tired too. Anyway, since you can’t seem to keep your eyes open, I think it may be easier to talk to you without you glaring at me. Now move.”
I was more tired than I thought, because I did. Lela lay down next to me. She didn’t look at me as she made herself comfortable.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on with people today,” I mumbled grumpily to myself. I closed my eyes again. I was seriously in need of sleep – that was the only explanation.
“Your bed is better than mine,” Lela commented, sounding slightly put out.
“Course it is, it’s mine,” I responded tiredly, “anyway, they’re both my beds”. I felt her moving and I opened my eyes to see she had turned and was now lying facing me. I turned my head fully and stared at her. “What?”
“Your eyelashes are so long.”
“What the hell are you talking about now?” I closed my eyes again.
“Women pay hundreds of dollars for your eyelashes and you are just walking around with them. It’s so unfair.”
I opened my eyes again. “You have to leave. I need to sleep. I can’t have you in here, talking crap to me about eyelashes. Go. I’ll talk to you later ok?”
“Can I stay if I am quiet?”
This time my eyes closed because I was forcing myself not to commit bodily harm to her. I groaned out loud in frustration. “Dammit Lela! Are you capable of being quiet? I don’t think you are! Go.”
“But…”
“Right, that’s it.” I sat up. She jerked back, slightly startled. I got off the bed and walked around to her side. Her side? I shook my head in denial. Without any hesitation I bent down and scooped her up into my arms. She squawked in protest but quickly wrapped her flapping arms around my neck as I carried her out of my room. I dumped her unceremoniously on the couch. Lela looked up at me in a mix of confusion and resentment.
“Stay,” I commanded and walked back to my room. I shut the door firmly behind me and my head drooped forward slightly. I heard her approach the door.
Fucking hell, give me strength.
I threw the door open just as she reached for the handle, causing her to lose her balance slightly. I caught her and steadied her.
“Are you trying to push me?” My temper was flaring; lack of sleep had me on edge. She had me on edge. Lela’s eyes widened slightly. I don’t think she knew how close to losing my temper I was, but she was getting caught up, real fast. “Back the fuck off. I need to sleep. I will deal with you and your daddy issues when I get up.”
“Let me go.” I looked at her in confusion and then realised I was still holding onto her arms. I let her go and stood back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were being serious, I just thought you were being…you.”
I closed my eyes tiredly as I rubbed a hand over my hair. “I don’t even know what that means. I’ll talk to you in a few hours.” I stepped into my room and firmly closed the door on her.
I lay back down and closed my eyes. There was silence in the house. Not caring what that could possibly mean, I finally fell asleep.
My alarm ringing woke me up. I groggily switched it off as I rolled over. It was possible that I felt worse for the short sleep. Getting up, I headed to the adjoining bathroom to take a piss. When I finished washing my hands, I went looking for the Brat. I readied myself to be prepared for the tantrum no doubt heading my way.
Lela was curled up fast asleep on the couch. As I did before, I studied her quietly. She looked completely innocent lying there. False advertising right there. Those blue eyes glaring at me and that soft pouty mouth hid a whiny and sometimes scathing tongue. I headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge. I stared in surprise at the sandwich on the top shelf. She’d tacked a note on it – ‘Aaron’. She made me something to eat? I pulled it out, it was egg salad. I glanced quickly over the contents of my fridge. She’d been shopping. When?
I must have been totally out of it. It was bad enough she could come into my room without waking me, but to come and go out of the house? That was worrying. I needed to be more alert, especially with what was currently happening.
Her head rose above the couch, her hand rose in a greeting. “Have you had enough sleep to stop being Mr. Grouch?”
“No,” I answered but I couldn’t fight back the smile completely. Lela stared at me in silence and then blushed before looking away.
“You should smile more often, it suits you.”
I snorted humourlessly. “Thank you – for the sandwich.” I nodded towards the plate. Lela smiled. A proper genuine smile. Yeah, she had to stop that, it was making my mind wander again. “So, what did you want to talk to me about earlier?” I started making a pot of coffee. I heard her walk into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter. I glanced at her – she was in yoga pants and a sweater. She looked completely comfortable in her surroundings. I fought the frown away at the fact that I didn’t seem to mind so much that she was in my surroundings.
“Coffee? Isn’t it a little late in the night for coffee?”
I glanced at the clock. It was just before nine. “Got a long night ahead of me,” I muttered.
“At the place that isn’t a nightclub and I’m not allowed to go to?” Lela’s tone was sharp. I glanced at her in amusement.
“That’s the one.” She opened her mouth; I cut her off. “C’mon, don’t do this again. We discussed it. The answer remains the same.”
“But…”
“Lela.” My tone was firm. She reluctantly nodded. “Now, what did you want earlier when you were terrorising me in my bed?”
Her eyes snapped to me and then she let out a soft laugh. “I was being bratty, I suppose.”
“Wow. Did you just…you know…admit to being a brat?” Lela laughed louder and I grinned in genuine amusement with her.
“I called my dad.” Lela pulled out a chair and sat down. I nodded as I waited for the coffee. “I didn’t tell him to call you – you said earlier he called. I didn’t give him your number. I don’t actually have your number.” I looked at her in surprise, then I thought about it.
“You’re right, you don’t.” I frowned. “Do you want it?” Jesus Christ, I felt like a fucking teenager, waiting for a pretty girl to agree to having my number.
“Yes please.” Lela blushed as she answered.
Well this was just fucking awkward. “Ok, so what did he say?” I asked, trying to steer us back to normality. I took her phone and put in my number. I grinned as I saved my details.
I handed the phone back to her and she immediately looked and searched her contacts. “You put your number in as Sexy Asshole?” Her laugh was genuine and incredulous at the same time.
“Am I wrong?” I winked at her.
I’m flirting with her. Why am I flirting with her?
Lela’s laughter quietened down. Her eyes ran over me again leisurely. “No, not wrong.” Our eyes met and I held her stare for longer than either of us were probably comfortable with.
“Call me.” I turned to pour myself a coffee. “Then I have your number too.”
“Sure.” She pressed a button, waited and then put the phone down on the table.
“So, back to your dad,” I prompted.
“Um, yeah. So, I phoned him and asked if I had to stay here. Don’t frown at me!” She protested. “You were horrible this afternoon.” She faltered at my raised eyebrow. “Ok, so maybe I wasn’t much better.” I grunted in acknowledgement as I ate my sandwich. “Whatever. Anyway, he said no. But he asked me how I was and what I had been doing since I got here.” Lela looked at her hands as she filled me in on the details.
“Did you tell him everything?” I took a drink of coffee as she shook her head.
“I didn’t mention last night or anything.”
; I watched her – that would have been her perfect opportunity to leave. It wouldn’t matter how hard daddy thought he was being – you tell your father that the guy’s house you’re staying in had two creeps skulking about it at night and that the guy knocked them unconscious and then disappeared with them? I don’t care what your kid’s done, you’re getting her out of that situation. I considered her as she continued.
“I just said I was working in the garage for a girl who was sick. He asked if I had been out to any bars or anything. I said once and I only had three drinks.” She sighed sadly. “He seemed to be super pleased. He asked about you, what kind of man you were.”
“You tell him I’m a despicable pig?”
“Bother you, did it?” Lela threw my previous words back at me. I laughed despite myself.
“Get to the end Brat.” Shaking my head in amusement, I finished my food.
“I told him you were rude, hostile, a bully and downright scared me.” I looked at her; she shrugged. “It’s all true,” Lela added defensively. I shrugged back, mocking her. “He asked if I felt safe with you,” she added softly. I looked up again and held eye contact. “I said you were a complete arrogant bastard, but yes.”
“What?” I leaned back in my chair. What was she saying?
“I told him I had never felt safer. Call me unhinged if you want.” It was Lela’s turn to look away.
“I’m not the good guy here Lela,” I remarked quietly.
“I know. There’s something shady about you. I don’t know what, but it is there.” Her hands pulled her hair off her neck, and she let out a loud sigh. “But last night, I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else with me. You make me feel safe, even when you growl at me and order me about. I know you’ll protect me.”
“You’re definitely unhinged. Those guys were here because of me. If you weren’t here, you wouldn’t need to feel safe.”
“But I am here.”
We stared at each other for a long moment. I shook my head as I got up from the table. “I need to get ready for work. I…” I looked at her and shook my head again. “I don’t know what to do with that,” I admitted. “I do know it still means you aren’t coming with me tonight.” I winked at her and was relieved to see her roll her eyes in amusement, not temper. I was smiling as I walked back to my room to change and take the opportunity to process that whole conversation.
Dark Heart Page 16