My heart warmed at his big-brother-like gesture. It was too bad he couldn’t help get my heart back from Kelton. “Do you help every girl you meet?”
“Not every girl. I can’t help those who don’t want help.” His voice trailed off as he bent forward, digging his elbows into his jeans-clad thighs.
“Why do you, by the way? I mean, help girls off the streets?” In my mind, Dillon was a walking contradiction. On the one hand, he sold guns, although I hadn’t seen any. Yet he wanted to help girls in distress. My intuition told me the name Grace inked on his arm had something to do with his answer.
“I’d rather not talk about it right now.” He sat up.
“Okay, but why me? I’m not homeless.”
“You know my cousin, and to be honest, I don’t want to see you get swallowed up by the streets of Boston. Again, I’d like to help you.”
It would be so easy to have Dillon and his crew threaten Terrance into giving me my money back. But this wasn’t Dillon’s fight, and while I could use the help, I didn’t want him risking himself. He’d said he didn’t want any trouble. I imagined if the cops came poking around they’d have several questions regarding Bee and Allie since they were runaways, even though they were of legal age. I couldn’t jeopardize their lives either.
“I have to handle this on my own.”
His focus was somewhere out in the yard or on the street. The branches of the oak tree scraped together.
“Is a gun necessary to take care of your problem?”
“Let’s just say I’d feel safer if I had one. And to put you at ease, I’m not planning on using it to kill anyone. And before you ask, I know how to handle a gun safely.” I’d learned everything I could about them after Gracie had accidentally shot Kelton’s sister. At first, I hadn’t wanted to go near one, not after seeing my sister so distraught. Anytime she saw cop shows or guns on TV or someone was talking about them, she’d go into a deeper depression for days. More importantly, I didn’t want to be afraid of them.
“Then you’d be fine with a Taser? It would protect you long enough for you to get away without putting a bullet into someone.”
The last thing I wanted to do was put a bullet into anyone, but as angry as I was with Terrance Malden, I couldn’t be sure what I would or wouldn’t do. Although if I did take Zach hostage, then a gun would be more threatening. But maybe a hostage situation was not the way to go. I didn’t want to get arrested. I had to come up with a plan without getting myself thrown in jail. In the meantime, maybe it was for the best that I arm myself with a Taser. At least a Taser would incapacitate Terrance until I could tie him up and get him to talk. I shrugged. “I guess you’re right. A Taser would be fine.”
The house door opened, and some heat drifted out along with Josh. “Boss, phone call on the landline.”
“I’ll be right in,” Dillon said as he pushed to his feet.
Josh left the door cracked as he vanished.
“I’d ask you to stay with us while you’re in Boston, but I have a feeling your answer would be no. I’d like you to consider it though. Bee and Allie would love for you to stay too.”
“I’ll think about it.” The thought of not sleeping at the hostel appealed to me, especially since I was spoiled from the comfortable bed I’d slept in the night before, and I could save some money. Although the downside would be Kelton. If he showed up again, I wasn’t sure Dillon would be so accommodating.
“Good. Why don’t we go in?” He held out his hand.
“I need to make a phone call first.”
He reached the door. “Lizzie, if you ever need an ear, I’ll listen.” Then he went inside.
Tilting back my head so that it rested against the house, I closed my eyes and yawned. It wasn’t even noon, and I could snuggle in bed and sleep for a week. But I couldn’t relax. After another deep yawn, I pulled out Zach’s card and my phone then dialed his number. It was time to set the wheels in motion.
Chapter 9
Kelton
I danced on the balls of my feet in the boxing ring in our garage. I cracked my neck, waiting for Kross. The entire family was home. We usually tried to get together on Sundays, especially when Lacey was down from college. My mom adored her and couldn’t wait for Lacey and Kade to marry.
“Come on, Kross.” I was itching to punch someone. Preferably Dillon Hart.
“Chill,” he said as he hopped into the ring. “Dinner’s not for another hour. What’s bugging you anyway? You’ve been a dick since you walked in. What? You only get laid four times this week instead of seven?”
Zero. I even abstained from Trudy Davenport’s advances again. “Are you going to talk or punch?” After I’d left Lizzie standing on Dillon’s porch the morning before, I hadn’t been able to concentrate. Hell, I hadn’t been able to focus since I’d first seen her Friday night. I’d planned on drinking or getting laid. Neither had happened. Sleep was impossible. Food didn’t smell good. Not when her jasmine scent was part of me. I wanted to taste her more than I wanted to scarf down my favorite meal of pizza and beer.
So, when Kross asked me to spar with him, I jumped at the chance—anything to relieve the tension that seized every muscle in my body.
We shuffled around each other as Kross smirked. That was never good. Kross had been boxing since he’d graduated high school and had been doing it professionally for the last year. One of his key moves was curling his lip on one side before he knocked out his opponent. He threw a left hook, hitting me square in the jaw, the pain blurring my vision for a second.
“Is that all you got?” I threw one of my own, connecting with his nose.
He didn’t flinch. “Nice one. I see you’ve been practicing.”
Yeah, with walls. I jabbed with my left.
Kross ducked. “How’s that new place you’re living in?” He came back with a right hook, knocking me into the ropes.
I opened my jaw then closed it before moving it from side to side. “It’s big for just me and Zach.”
The door to the garage creaked, and in strode a pissed-off Kade. Something told me he was about to unleash his anger on me. I couldn’t imagine it was Kross, since he’d been out of town with his coach, scoping out future opponents.
He stalked closer, pounding his large feet against the cement floor. “You lied to me, Kel. Care to explain why?”
Kross glowered. “Since when do we lie to each other?”
Since Lizzie Reardon showed up at Rumors.
“Start talking.” Kade settled against Lacey’s Mustang with his arms crossed over his chest. “Or I’ll get in that ring, and you’ll be out for days.”
Kade hated to be lied to. Which was ironic since Kade had lied to Lacey in the past. He had his reasons, and I certainly had mine.
Kross jumped out of the ring, took off his gloves, then wiped his face with a towel.
“Well?” Kade asked.
I cursed myself for lying as I followed Kross’s lead. Once I got the sweat off me, I pulled on a T-shirt and sat on the edge of the ring. Kross joined Kade against the car. I swung my gaze between them, trying to think where to start. Both waited with equal expressions of you-better-start-talking-or-I’ll-make-you-talk. I didn’t have much to tell them. Kade was concerned, mostly about our mom. I couldn’t blame him. The last thing I wanted was to bring up the past. My mom was home. She seemed happy, although she still had her moments. When it snowed, she got quiet. Since her time in the mental health facility, she’d come to associate snow with Karen and the angels. She’d always tell us boys that snow was an angel’s blanket.
“Does this have anything to do with Chloe?” Kross asked.
“No,” Kade barked. “Lizzie Reardon.”
Kross gasped. “What the fuck? Lizzie, the girl Kelton sulked over for months after she moved away?” His jaw hung open
.
“Yo, I’m right here.” I gripped the base of the cushioned ring. “And I didn’t sulk.” I just lost my fucking heart and mind.
“Like hell you didn’t,” Kade said. “But that’s not the problem. Is it now?” His face reddened.
No, the problem was me. I was still trying to get the image of me almost kissing her out of my head. I itched to taste her, kiss her, and run my hands through her long thick hair. But I wasn’t ready to take the plunge. My heart wasn’t ready. Although if I did those things, maybe I could get rid of the desire to feel her again. To feel what it would be like to kiss her one last time. I mean, to really kiss her.
You’re an idiot. You know one kiss and you would drop to your knees and worship her.
I growled. My insides waged war with pain slicing through my gut. She was in Boston. So close, yet so far. I’d hoped she was in the city searching for me. But it was clear she didn’t want me to recognize her. Even after our encounter on Dillon’s porch she was pushing me away.
“Kel.” Kade raised his voice. “Is it true? Is the girl really Lizzie Reardon?”
Kross hadn’t closed his mouth.
I inhaled the sweaty air. “Yes. So fucking what?”
“Why did you lie, man?” Kade squinted as though the sun was blaring in his face.
Kross shook his head. “We’re not going to castrate you yet.”
“Come near my balls, and—”
“Enough.” Kade scratched the back of his head. “Dillon Hart paid me a visit at the club last night. He doesn’t want you anywhere near Lizzie. And how did you know where he lived?”
“I asked Hunt to find out.” He worked at the Guardian, a company owned by Jeremy Pitt. They did all kinds of security checks when someone hired them as a bodyguard.
A muscle jumped in Kade’s jaw. “I told Dillon you wouldn’t be bothering him or Lizzie again. Right, Kel?”
“I’m sorry I lied.” The pain in my gut eased slightly. “I didn’t know for sure if she was Lizzie. The hall was dark, and she didn’t exactly fess up. I had to see if my instincts were correct. I paid a visit to Dillon’s house yesterday. Yeah, it’s Lizzie Reardon. But don’t worry. I won’t ever bring her up in this house.”
“And what about Dillon? I don’t want to bail you out of jail or find that you’re in a coma in some hospital.”
Big brother was always trying to protect his family. I couldn’t blame him. He’d been through enough when his high school nemesis had ambushed Kody and sent him to the hospital to get revenge against Kade.
“I don’t mess around with other guys’ girls.” I wasn’t completely sure if they were dating. However, they had been kissing when I interrupted them at the club. Regardless, I would hate if the tables were switched. Better yet, I’d kill any dude who came between a girl and me. At least I didn’t have to worry about killing anyone since I didn’t have a steady girl.
“You can’t see her,” Kross said. “We know how fucked up you were when she moved away. And Mom.”
I stood. “You too? I was thirteen. Let’s not forget how ornery you were when you had to leave your girl behind when we left the academy.”
“Still, dude. My girl wasn’t a reminder of what happened.” Kross pushed off the Mustang. “If we have to see Mom return to the mental health facility, I’ll—”
Kade caught his arm. “Easy.”
Kross jerked out of Kade’s hold. “I’m cool.”
I snarled. “You think I’d do anything to hurt Mom?”
Kade rubbed his jaw. “It’s your dick we’re worried about.”
I growled. “Bite me.” I stormed out, passing Lacey.
“Kelton, I want to talk to you about Chloe,” she said.
I waved my hand in the air. “Later.” Like a lifetime later. With Lacey and Chloe as cousins, I was in the middle of a situation that was sure to blow up. More between Lacey and me. I adored my future sister-in-law, but I wasn’t about to listen to her speech about why I should get back together with Chloe. I had bigger problems. I had to keep my distance from Lizzie. But I wasn’t sure I could.
I showered quickly, dressed, then opened my bedroom door to find Lacey with her knuckles raised, about to knock.
“I don’t want to talk about Chloe. What’s gone on between us is our business,” I said nicely.
She splayed her fingers. “Five minutes. Then I’ll leave you alone.” She pushed past me and took a seat on my desk chair, sitting regally with one leg crossed over the other, hands in her lap. She’d taken after Chloe more and more. Actually, Chloe’s mother was big on proper etiquette.
I leaned against the doorjamb. Might as well get this over with.
“Something is wrong with Chloe, and she won’t tell me. And I don’t think it has anything to do with the breakup, even though you know she’s in love with you.”
I was well aware of that fact. Suddenly, I wanted to bang my head against the wall until my brain shut down. “I’ve told you several times, I don’t do love.”
“Yeah, because you’ve seen how Kody still hurts over the loss of Mandy. Blah. Blah. Blah. You’ve got to open your heart someday.”
Screaming, yelling, or even tearing out my hair wouldn’t do any good. I wanted to tell Lacey to back off. But she was only looking out for her cousin. I got that. “You did warn Chloe about me when you first met your cousin. I’ve also been very clear with Chloe about my intentions. She deserves someone who is willing to give as much love as she gives in return. I’m just not that guy.”
She popped out of the chair and glided over to me. “Will you ever be that guy?”
Maybe someday. “No.”
“You will.” She pointed a finger in my face. “And when you do find that special girl, you’ll never be the same. Or maybe you’ll be less of an ass.”
I was never the same when Lizzie moved away. Hence one of the main reasons I couldn’t or wouldn’t fall in love. “But a lovable ass.”
“Pfft.”
“Lace?” Kade called. “Dinner is ready. Bring Kelton.”
“Do you know what’s wrong with Chloe or not?” she asked.
“I can’t say I do.” I tipped my head to the hall. “Go. I’ll be out in a sec.”
I wasn’t exactly hungry. But my mom would be disappointed if I didn’t make it to dinner. She’d also be worried if she thought I wasn’t feeling good. I straightened, combed my hands through my wet hair, and wound my way down to the dining room.
Dad took the head of the table near the window. To his right was Mom, then Kody. To my dad’s left were Kade, Lacey, and then Kross. They were passing around salad, rolls, and lasagna, filling their plates as they chatted.
I slid into the chair next to Kody, inhaling the spicy aroma of the lasagna.
“Lacey, when does baseball training start?” my dad asked as he poured dressing on his salad.
“Next week,” Lacey said.
She was a big deal for Colby College. She’d perfected her fastball, curveball, and slider along with a change-up pitch she’d learned her freshman year on the team. The media whispered about her being scouted by one of the major-league organizations. One thing I admired about her was her dedication to the game. I didn’t know if women would ever make it into the major leagues, but if any female could, it would be Lacey.
My dad beamed her way. He had a huge soft spot for her, as though she was his daughter. I wouldn’t doubt he was thinking of Karen. My sister had wanted to play sports, mainly football. Mom reached out with her small hand and touched his unshaven jaw. He kissed her palm. They each seemed to know what the other was thinking.
“Kelton,” Dad said. “Have you heard from Mr. Davenport about your summer job?”
Mom peeked around Kody. My heart warmed to see how proud she was of my intentions to become a lawyer. So
metimes I had to pinch myself that she was even home. My dad said her medication helped a great deal. I believed time was a better medicine. But if the past showed up at our door, all the healing could be gone in a second.
“Not yet. Probably tomorrow.” Trudy had relayed that message to me when I’d seen her at Rumors. “If not, I’ll call.”
“You need that job for your résumé and law application to Harvard,” Dad added.
“Martin,” Mom said in a small voice. “He knows that already.”
Dad had been asking me for the last two weeks about the application process. Normally he didn’t ride any of us about what we had to do, but with only me in college, he seemed to be particularly interested in making sure I graduated and got into Harvard Law. He’d wanted all of us to get a degree, but Kody, Kross, and Kade had other interests, at least for now.
I took a bite of lasagna, the spices exploding on my tongue. After I finished chewing, I said, “I have the packet ready to submit this fall. The only thing missing is the summer job.” I’d interned at a small law firm in Boston last summer. But my father and I figured a larger and more influential law firm, like Davenport, would seal my application.
“How’s the club going?” Dad asked Kade.
“Busy,” Kade said in between bites.
Lacey wiped her mouth. “Speaking of the club. I meant to ask you.” She glanced at Kade. “I overheard some guy talking to you last night. Who’s Lizzie Reardon?”
My mother dropped her fork, the sound booming louder than a detonated bomb against her plate. My dad all but choked. Kade froze with a dinner roll halfway to his mouth. Kross stopped chewing. Kody kicked me hard underneath the table.
Motherfucker.
My pulse went from fifty beats per minute to a thousand in Mach time. I tried to swallow the large chunk of cheese that was lodged in my throat, but it wouldn’t move.
Lacey’s face began to resemble my father’s, whiter than the snow falling outside. Before I could move or say anything, my mom rose gracefully and left the room.
The Maxwell Series Boxed Set: Books 1-3 Page 71