“I know.” He wandered over to the sofa and sat down. “Coal stepped up when our parents were killed. He kept us together and raised us. We’re lucky to have a brother like him and I’ll admit I was an asshole when I found out about you guys. It was a shock.”
“To all of us.” She stepped away from the stairs, moving closer but not going to the sofa.
“Not to you. You always loved him.” He leaned back and looked at her. “You were devastated when he moved us out of the city so he could buy this place and start Tanner Cycles.”
“I lost…” She let her words trail off because what she’d lost was mild compared to his loss. She’d lost her mother, but he’d lost both of his parents and nearly lost Cain. She forced herself to finish her thoughts so she didn’t have to think about the one Tanner brother she hadn’t seen since she arrived. “It was just another blow.”
“It was hard on all of us. I gave Coal more trouble than I should have but I realized why he was doing it.” He let out a deep breath and shook his head. “It hurt him to leave you behind but he did what was best for the family. Cain…well you know what he went through. The doctors thought a change would help but he’s never been the same.”
“I’m not sure why you’re telling me this.” She placed her hand on the cool cement countertop, letting it ground her and keep her from traveling back to the terrible memories he was hinting at.
“We were thirteen, about to have our first school dance, and the only girl I wanted to take was you.” He paused for a heartbeat and let that news sink in before leaning forward, his gaze still on her. “When I heard you were coming, I instantly felt like I was thirteen again. I knew your heart already belonged to Coal, but I had hoped something might have changed. While I was waiting to make my move, Coal was making his.”
“That’s not how it happened. If anyone made the first move, it was me.”
“It doesn’t matter.” He slammed his hand against his thighs, as if the subject was closed.
“It does to me.” She stepped away from the counter and went to sit next to him on the sofa. “I’ve always considered you a friend and I hope we can move past my relationship with your brother to continue that friendship. All of us have been through enough shit. I don’t want this to be another obstacle we have to overcome.”
“Me either, which is why I came up here tonight. I wanted to apologize.” He reached out and laid his hand over hers. “I want you and Coal to be happy; you both deserve it. I don’t want to be a chink in things between you two. You already have one with Cain.”
“Thanks, Cyrus.” Her lips curled into a smile, thinking back to their school days together. They had been fairly close; maybe he’d thought they were closer than she had, but it didn’t matter now. He had been a friend, one she had always been able to count on. “I’ve missed you. I’m sure you have plenty of girls lining up for your attention. In school you always had a line of girls wanting to hang out with you.” Too many of them had wanted her to play matchmaker and hook them up with him. She hadn’t, not because she’d wanted him to herself as the other girls thought, but because none of them deserved him.
“Yeah, for what they think I can give them.” He pulled his hand away and leaned back against the sofa, his eyelids falling shut as he did. “Once Tanner Cycles took off, making the national news, the girls expected the world on a gold platter. It’s not my style. I’m not like Coal. I don’t fit in at fancy restaurants, and I can’t stand when the cameras are around. I’m a jeans and t-shirt guy. I don’t want to wear a monkey suit. Grease stains are part of my life because I love my work. I don’t want to have to change for a woman.”
“You shouldn’t have to,” she reassured him. “You’ll find the perfect girl for you. Don’t rush it; it will happen.”
“You need to be thinking about what you’re going to do, instead of focusing on girls.” The voice had them both turning toward the stairs to find Coal standing there, a grin on his face. “What?”
“How long have you been eavesdropping?” Cyrus shook his head but a smile had the corners of his lips pulled up, too.
“Long enough to hear you apologize for your behavior.” Coal strolled toward them until he came up against the back of the sofa, behind her, and reached out to lay his hands on her shoulders. “The girl for you will show up but until then, keep your grease-stained hands off my girl.”
“Not all of us can work behind a desk all day.” Cyrus shook his head and looked from his brother to her. “I don’t know how you can put up working in that office with him all day and then spend all night with him, too. If you ever get tired of his shit, you’re always welcome at the house.”
“Thanks, but he’s not as bad as you make out. Workaholic, yes, but we all have our faults.” She reached up and placed her hand over his.
“This workaholic is trying to take off the rest of the day and spend the weekend away with you and no work.”
“Well, I’ll get out of here.” Cyrus rose and glanced back at Coal. “She’s good for you, so don’t ruin it.”
“Thanks, little brother. When this shit has passed, we’re going to have to sit down and discuss things, so make a decision.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Cyrus hollered back as he descended the steps.
“What’s that about?” She leaned back, resting her head on the back of the sofa, and looked up at him.
“Come up with me while I pack and I’ll explain.” He waited for her to come around the sofa before taking her hand and leading them toward the stairs. “Cyrus has always had a talent with old cars. While we’ve taken on a few over the last several years, mostly for regular clients who want something special, it’s been limited. We have an opportunity to expand. A contact of mine owns more than four dozen vintage cars; he came into them when his grandfather died last month. He wants to sell them, but prefers that they go to someone who can bring life back into the cars. They were his grandfather’s pride and joy.”
“Nearly fifty cars—that’s going to be a big project. It also means taking him away from the bikes. Only Cal and Cyrus have the patience and skill to handle the custom paint jobs. Losing him is going to put more work on Cal.” He turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow and she added, “Don’t look at me. I do pay attention and I’ve learned a lot about the company in the last few days.”
“You have, which is something else I want to discuss with you.” He began gathering his thing from the dresser. “Is there room in your bag, or should I grab my own? I hear women pack for a week when they’re only going overnight.”
“Jerk.” She unzipped the bag and sank down on the bed. It was stupid but the idea of them sharing a bag, their things packed side by side, made her stomach tighten with excitement. This was truly happening. “There’s room.”
“Not all of the cars need a total overhaul. Some run but might need some custom work to live up to our reputation before we can flip them and make a profit. Others are going to take Cyrus’ time. But if he can pull it off, he could begin making a name for himself and branch Tanner Cycles in another direction. My heart has always been with motorcycles, same with my brothers—except Cyrus. He’s always had the need to be different.” A light chuckle rumbled from his chest as she tossed clothes into her bag.
“Here I thought I had your heart; now I find out it belongs to something with two wheels.” Keeping her gaze on the floor, she pretended to be hurt by his admission, when she always knew he had a love affair with bikes.
“I’m going to show you that you own my heart. Now let’s go.” He reached down, took her hand, and pulled her up to stand in front of him. “So fucking beautiful.”
“Are you talking about me or your bike?” Unable to keep the grin off her face, she let out a soft chuckle. “Can we take your bike? I want to wrap my legs around you and feel the vibration of the engine between my legs.”
“Not tonight, baby. I had to make certain arrangements with Chief Kingsworth in order for him to agree to this and one of them is that I’
ve hired a driver to take us.”
“A driver?”
“Yes.” He slid his hand up her back, pressing her tight against the front of his body. “I’ve made a call to the normal car company that I go through when I need a chauffeur and a car should be waiting for us downstairs. Our driver is an undercover police officer. He’s there to make sure everything goes as planned. He’ll be close by, as the condo is the top floor of a hotel. You have nothing to worry about; you’ll be safe.”
“I’m not worried about that.” She slipped a hand between them, to caress along his crotch. “An hour into the city seems like too long. I want you.”
“Baby…” He tangled his fingers in her hair, tugging just enough to cause a little pain to mix with the excitement coursing through her. “I promise it’s going to be worth it. We need this.”
Now that they had his brothers’ blessing, this was just what they needed: a few hours or days without the pressures of family or work. She could forget about Jay and the problem he’d dragged her into. This was time for them to just focus on themselves. Couple time. We’re a couple…
He pressed his lips to hers, stealing all remaining thoughts, and replacing them with need.
Chapter Eleven
Standing on the condo’s balcony overlooking the city of Minneapolis, Sydney felt more relaxed than she had in weeks. Fears of Jay’s predicament or his escape from jail to possibly kill her were no longer weighing on her shoulders. She couldn’t live with the threat of Jay coming after her hanging over her head forever, but right that moment, she was leaving it to the police to keep her safe and find her brother.
“Syd.” Coal slid his arms around her waist, pressing his chest against her back. “You’re chilly.”
“Umm.” She moaned as his lips met the curve of her neck and his warm breath caressed along her skin, sending goosebumps down her arms. “There’s something so beautiful about the city from up here.”
“I know, it’s you.” He sucked her earlobe between his teeth. “I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“Or your mouth, it would seem.” She spun around in his arms, so she could look at him. Seeing him standing there, his chest bare and jeans slung low on his hips, made desire spike within her again.
“You’re so fucking tempting, it’s hard.”
She arched her hips into him, grinding her body against the front of him, teasing her hand along his hardness. “It is hard.”
“Baby, you keep doing that and we’re going to leave room service standing outside the door. Your tiramisu will be the last thing on your mind.”
“Dessert then sex, and I promise it will be worth the wait.”
“If you stay in just my shirt, we might not make it through dessert before I carry you off to the bedroom.”
Circling her arms around his neck, she let out a soft huff. “Those tactics are why that fancy dinner you spoiled me with earlier is in takeout containers in the refrigerator.”
“I seem to remember it slightly differently.” Sliding his hand under the hem of his dress shirt that she was wearing, he tugged it upward as he caressed along her thigh. “Some vixen spent the entire time enticing me.”
“You’ll see enticing.” She hooked her fingers around the top of his jeans but before she could make her intentions known, a knock at the door interrupted them. “Saved by room service but the longer you make me wait, the more of a tease I’ll be.”
“I have no doubt.” He stepped back from her and headed for the door.
“Coal.” She stood in the sliding glass door opening and to prove her point, she licked her lips while slowly unbuttoning another button of the shirt, giving him a better view of her breast. “Hurry back.”
“Fuck, baby.” Distracted, he pulled open the door, holding it wide for room service to wheel the cart in. That was his first mistake; his second was not looking at the guy wheeling the cart until her jaw went slack with fear.
“Didn’t think I’d find you? You thought some fucking cops were going to keep me at bay?” Jay pushed the cart aside, revealing a gun in his hand before kicking the door shut and pointing it at Coal.
“Jay…” She didn’t know what to say to him. Fear had overcome her and all she could do was fumble with the button of her shirt, trying to hide from him. She wanted to look at Coal, but tearing her gaze from Jay seemed like the worst thing she could do. If he was there to kill her, she wanted to look him in the eyes. Not because she thought it would weigh on him harder if she forced him to do so, but because she wanted to keep his attention on her. She didn’t want Coal to get hurt because of her.
“Jay, come on man. You don’t want to do this.” Coal’s voice was even, even if anger shone through his eyes.
“Like I didn’t have to shoot your man in the hallway?” Jay motioned with the gun. “Move! Away from the door, now. You too, Sydney. Both of you in the kitchen. Now!”
Maverick! Move? I can’t even feel my legs, let alone force them to walk. Time stood still as she tried to pull herself together. Facing death was something everyone had to do sooner or later. Dying at the hands of Jay was something she was never prepared for. She wanted to face it with confidence, but there was none to be had.
“Come on.” Coal wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her back to the moment.
Things moved in a blur. Jay raised the gun and pulled the trigger but before pain exploded within her, Coal pushed her out of the way. No! But it was all over before she could get the word out. The glass door next to where they had been standing exploded, sending glass flying everywhere. As the glass landed on the hardwood floor and the balcony, she realized it sounded louder than the blast from the gun. A silencer…what if no one knows he’s here? We’re on our own.
“Jay…please….”
“Please what?” He waved the gun between her and Coal who had his arm around her waist, keeping her upright. “You’re fucking him, aren’t you? I fucking trusted you with her and you betrayed me. What the fuck were you thinking, Sydney? He’s too old for you.” He snapped at Coal before she could even answer his first question.
“You just tried to shoot me! Who’s betraying who?” she screamed. “We’re family. You’ve protected me and now you want to kill me. Why?”
“Dad said unless I want to spend the rest of my life in prison like Tim, I can’t leave any loose ends.” He shook his hand, waving the gun. “Don’t fucking change the subject. You’re standing there in his fucking shirt, your hair tangled, which leads me to believe you’ve just fucked him. Did he rape you? Tell me he did and I’ll blow his brains all over this place.”
“Fuck, Jay!”
“No, Jay!” She shifted her weight and tried to move in front of him, but Coal kept his grip on her, keeping her in place. “A loose end? That’s all I am?”
“Shit, Sydney, no. That’s why I came for you. We’re getting out of here. We’re leaving the country. I’m not going down like Tim.”
“If you’re not guilty—” He raised his eyebrow at her, cutting her off, and chilling the blood that ran through her veins.
“Not guilty.” Jay let out a deep laugh, tipping his head back as he did. “I just killed the man Coal had at the elevator. Do you think I’m going to get out of the cage once they’ve slammed those bars shut around me again? Fuck, no.”
“Is there so much rage running through our family that it turns everyone into a murderer? Tim, Dad, and now you.” She knew she shouldn’t bring it up, but the idea that she could be capable of it ate at her every day. She wanted to believe she was better than that…that she wasn’t what her family was, but it weighed on her mind.
“Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances. Isn’t that true, Coal?” Jay’s gaze focused on him. “Did you tell her that you went after Tim? You were prepared to kill him.”
Her knees buckled as the past rushed back at her like a freight train barreling down for a deadline. The present was no match as she was transported back to the hospital.
Even
after being told no multiple times, she couldn’t sit in the waiting room doing nothing. The guard was distracted and all she wanted to do was see him. Her eldest brother lay stretched in the hospital bed, his face flushed from the painkillers coursing through his body, trying to ease his suffering. Two broken legs and countless other injures, she’d overheard the doctors telling her father—but didn’t understand.
“Tim…” Her voice broke, and tears swam in her eyes. “Why, Tim?”
The door opened behind her and terrified it could be her father, she climbed on the only chair in the room and pulled the curtain back, hiding herself.
“You fucking bastard!”
Coal? What was he doing there? She wanted to go to him but the anger in his voice kept her frozen in place.
“You killed my parents. Cain might not make it. All because you were too high to keep your car on the road.” Something hard hit metal and Tim moaned.
“What the hell? What’s the bat for?”
“To bash your fucking brains in. Someone should have done it long ago. But instead of making the world safer, you were behind the wheel tonight. Coming over three fucking lanes of traffic and down the on ramp to slam into two cars, killing the people I love.” With every word, Coal’s voice rose until he was screaming. “You’re the one that deserved to die!”
The door opened and hard soled shoes clicked on the tile. “Hey now, son, you’re not supposed to be here.” From the voice, she realized it was the officer at the door.
“He murdered my family…my brother…” The anger in Coal’s voice mixed with sadness, breaking her heart.
“I know and he’s in custody. You can’t make him pay like this. Let the courts handle it. You have people who need you. Let’s go.”
The officer escorted Coal from the room, leaving her hiding behind the curtain, alone with Tim. Murder. She knew things were bad, but Tim was a murderer. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner dead? Cain? Was that why Mom was in a coma? All of this because of Tim?
Until Sydney: A Tanner Cycle Novel Page 11