His brow wrinkled in clear confusion. “I haven’t talked to Wes. I’m back because this is where I need to be,” he answered firmly. “I missed you,” he added quietly.
“Go fuck yourself, Sal,” I said bitingly as I opened the door and slammed it behind me.
Chapter 4
“There just wasn’t a spark,” I explained to Jodie, my fellow bartender as I slung drinks the next night. I hadn’t told her a word about Sal.
She’d asked about my date with Gavin and I’d had to fight to recollect how I even felt about it. My mind was full of Sal. The lack of spark with Gavin was the least of my concerns. I hadn’t slept a wink the night before. I felt like the walking dead.
“Well, I’m glad you went out with him,” she nodded, deciding not to pry further. “It’s good practice if nothing else,” she said as she shrugged. I knew she was being deliberately casual, letting me off the hook.
I headed to the opposite side of the bar to refresh drinks where needed and to change the music to something more upbeat as the night picked up.
Hours later, I was more than ready for my shift to end. It had been a busy night and I was ready to crash. “I’ll have another one, baby!” one of the college dipshits who I’d been putting up with for the last hour hollered entirely too loudly.
“Sorry, bud, I already called last call,” I told him while sneaking an eye roll at Jodie. There were five of them sitting at the bar, the only customers left, and I had to admit this was one of those nights where I was glad one of the Knights would be in to make sure I got home okay.
“Oh, come on, gorgeous, just one more.” He gave me a lopsided grin. I put my hand out to clear away their drinks and he grabbed onto it.
“Let go,” I commanded, trying to pull my hand out of his grasp.
“Hands off!” a familiar voice barked from the doorway.
My entire body froze as the guy hastily dropped my hand. My heart felt like it stopped and then started beating so swiftly, I worried it would fly out of my chest as I turned to watch Sal stride toward the bar.
His timing as of late had been…ironic? Irritating? I couldn’t quite decide.
I felt like a deer in headlights and completely devoid of thought for a few seconds. My body’s reaction was completely uncontrollable as he came nearer still. My heart pounded; my knees went weak, and I could swear my panties were wet at the sight of him.
“Hey,” his deep voice greeted as his eyes swept over me possessively. I saw his eyes heat as they took me in. Sal had always made it abundantly clear he loved every inch of my body. His expression proved that hadn’t changed. His eyes swept back over to the college guys as they packed up and began to make their exit.
Who the hell did he think he was storming in here and trying to be my own personal savior? Well, screw that.
My eyes narrowed, self-preservation taking over. “What do you want, Sal?” Being angry felt a hell of a lot more empowering than bursting into tears, or worse yet, hurling myself into his arms. “Actually, you know what? Forget it, I don’t care what you want,” I added harshly as the last of the college guys filtered out. I turned to Jodie who was pretending not to watch our exchange. “You covered if I head out now?” I asked her, trying to keep the desperation from my voice.
“Yeah, sweetie, go ahead,” she answered easily. I hadn’t told her much, but we’d worked alongside each other on many a night, and I was sure she’d pieced together Sal was someone important.
“Thanks,” I answered. Without a second glance at Sal, I grabbed my purse from under the bar and hightailed it outside. My hands shook as I pulled my keys out and heard the bar door open and shut behind me.
Dammit, I felt completely out of my depth with this. My emotions were all over the place, a chaotic jumble pounding violently in my chest.
“Kat, wait,” he commanded from behind me.
I kept walking, unable to face him. When I unlocked my car door, he stood so close behind me that I could feel his body heat.
He braced one arm against my open door and one against the roof of my car, effectively caging me in.
“You’re gonna have to talk to me sometime,” his gravelly voice stated as his lips grazed over my ear.
My betraying knees went weak at his proximity and the rasp of his voice, but somehow I managed to hang on to my restraint. “No, I really don’t,” I said as I shook my head, proud I managed not to turn around. “Back up,” I added quietly.
He sighed as he always used to when he was feigning patience with me. “Okay, baby, for tonight. I’ll back up,” he allowed.
I dove into my car the moment he moved away.
Tonight, the headlight shining in my rearview making sure I arrived home okay wasn’t so reassuring.
I didn’t even bother turning the lights on inside my apartment. Instead, I sat numbly on the couch for a while, just as I had the night before, feeling completely confused and lost. My phone had been ringing off the hook, but I didn’t even look at it.
My buzzer starting ringing an hour later and I sat up abruptly. It was after two AM. What now?
“Yeah?” I answered my intercom impatiently.
“Kat, it’s Hank. Scarlet’s water broke. Get your ass down here,” he barked.
Shit, I was going to win the worst best friend of the year award. I’d been ignoring my phone for hours!
“Coming, two seconds!” I yelled.
I flew around my apartment in an absolute tizzy grabbing what I needed and then hauled my ass downstairs.
“Christ, Kat. I thought you were on baby watch,” Hank chastised me when I dove into his truck at Mach speed. “Cole is gonna be pissed.”
“I don’t need any shit. I already feel bad enough,” I sighed, gazing out the window as the town went speeding by.
“Sorry, babe, just razzin’ you,” he replied, sounding surprised at my sensitivity.
“Yeah, well don’t,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Sal put this rod up your ass?” he asked in his typical blunt manner.
I turned to glare at him. “Not helping,” I pointed out.
He sighed and turned his attention back to the road. “Him leavin’ was a shit thing to do. But there’s no doubt why he came back. And darlin’, it wasn’t for the club,” he pointed out in a gentle tone.
It was easier when he was razzing me.
We were at the hospital in fifteen minutes, and I literally ran through labor and delivery. I arrived in her room in panting hysteria to find her calm as could be sitting up in bed with a hospital gown on.
Cole glowered at me from the chair beside her.
“I’m so sorry,” I burst out, rushing to grab her hand.
“It’s fine. I’m fine,” she assured me and turned to pointedly glare at Cole, telling him to ease up. “My water broke, but labor hasn’t even really started yet,” she said calmly.
Leave it to Scarlet to have a handle on everything, including birth.
The next several hours were fairly uneventful as the hospital staff induced her labor. She wasn’t in any pain yet, and I entertained her by reading snippets from gossip magazines while Cole intermittently sat beside her and paced in the hall. The guy was a wreck. But as the night turned to dawn, I gradually saw her face grow more strained until she let out a quiet, “Shit.”
“Painful?” I asked quietly. Cole had drifted off for a minute in his chair, but woke abruptly at my words.
“Yes,” she breathed as Cole rushed to her other side, his eyes red from sleep.
“Well, honey, that just means she’s coming soon,” I tried to soothe her.
“Yeah,” she agreed as Cole ran a hand through her hair and stared down at her like she hung the stars.
“You’re going to be such a great mom,” I told her. It was true; she’d be the best.
“So are you.”
I scoffed.
“You will,” she insisted. “Shit,” she breathed again.
“I’ll get the nurse,” I stated
, leaving my friend and her man to their last few remaining moments as a twosome.
It wasn’t until I held Grace Mae Jackson in my arms that I cried. She was named after Scarlet’s mother and Cole’s grandmother. She was tiny, pink, and perfect.
The entire club was packed into the waiting room, a boisterous loving crowd who hollered and whooped when Cole proudly announced the birth of his daughter. I knew Sal was there too. I felt him even though I stopped myself from seeking him out. His presence was surmounted by the birth of my niece and the happiness of my best friend. I didn’t even spare him a glance.
“Go home, sleep,” Scar commanded firmly that afternoon. “I’m fine. Gracie’s fine. Come back tomorrow,” she said as she waved her hand.
“You sure?” I asked.
“Sure,” she beamed. She’d been glowing ever since her daughter was placed on her naked chest.
“Okay, I’ll come back as soon as I can.” I grinned as I leaned over to kiss the baby’s head. She was sleeping soundly in the bassinet by her mom’s bedside. “She’s beautiful. Did I say she was beautiful?” I asked.
She laughed. “Only about a hundred times!”
“I’ll walk you out,” Cole nodded, standing up alongside me. “Kat, thank you,” he said sincerely when we were out in the hall.
“For what?” I asked, confused.
“For being with us. For being such a good friend to her,” he said as he shrugged. “And to me,” he added.
“Of course, I love you guys.”
His expression turned thoughtful as he regarded me cautiously. “Hey, I know Sal’s back and—”
“Don’t even think about that,” I cut him off. “Focus on your beautiful daughter and soon-to-be wife. Don’t worry about my bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit,” he argued forcefully.
“Whatever it is, don’t worry about it. I’m fine,” I assured him with a fake smile that he saw right through.
“Mack will drive you home,” he said with a sigh, knowing he wasn’t going to get any further with me on the subject. He’d known me long enough to know when I wasn’t going to share.
“Okay, great.”
When I arrived home I felt a jumble of confusion, joy, and sheer exhaustion, but mostly exhaustion.
My phone began ringing the moment I got inside. Thinking it might be Scar needing something, I rushed to dig it out from the depths of my purse.
“Hello?”
“Katherine?” a raspy woman’s voice demanded. Though it’d been ten years it wasn’t a voice I’d ever forget.
“Ma?” I replied incredulously. What the hell did she want? “What the hell do you want?” I voiced my question aloud.
She barked out a laugh and I winced at the sound. Clearly, she still smoked a pack a day.
“Nice way to greet your mother,” she said as she snorted.
“You never deserved the term. What do you want?” I asked again, ready to be done with the conversation.
She sighed wearily. “Stu and I are in a bind. We need to borrow some money.”
“Who the hell is Stu?” I demanded.
“My boyfriend,” she replied with exaggerated patience as though she needed to speak slowly for me to catch up.
“What happened to Dad?” I asked, sitting down hard on my barstool.
She snorted. “That bastard and I split years ago, Kat. Now, about my situation.”
“Hold on a second,” I demanded abruptly. “Let me get this straight. I haven’t spoken to you in ten years. You’re telling me you’re not with Dad anymore and you only called me to borrow money? You’re shitting me, right?”
“No, I’m not!” she exclaimed. “We took out a loan, we had a sure thing, but it didn’t work out. And now this cock sucker is demanding interest on top of what we borrowed,” she whined.
“And you thought I was your best bet?” I demanded incredulously.
“Well, yeah,” she answered as though I was completely stupid.
“How did you even get this number?”
With several state lines between us, I hadn’t planned on ever seeing or talking to either of my parents again.
“Stu knows people,” she replied simply.
Maybe if I was smarter I’d have dug a bit more into that, but I was so desperate to get off the phone I couldn’t bring myself to give a shit. “Well good for Stu,” I said sarcastically. “I don’t have any money for you, Ma. I make enough to pay the bills and put food on the table, which is more than I could say when I lived under your roof. I certainly don’t have any to spare and especially not for you,” I said, surprised at the conviction behind my words.
“Well, fuck me,” she muttered.
“Nice catching up, Ma,” I replied sarcastically.
“Listen you little…”
I hung up before she could finish and fought the urge to hurl my phone across the room. I glared down at my shaking hands and took a few deep breaths. I was so angry with how she could still affect me, that she knew how to reach me.
Then realization dawned.
I’d told her off. No, I’d told her off. Maybe I should feel sad my mother didn’t give a shit about me and, sure, part of me did. But handling her that way was like vanquishing one of my demons and it felt good. No, it felt great.
With the feeling of gratification, I slipped off my clothes and crawled immediately into bed, sighing with relief. I didn’t think I’d ever been so tired. Despite my mother’s disturbing call, not much could have kept me from sleep.
Now I needed to drift into oblivion and that’s exactly what I did.
The next morning found me holding my new favorite person while her tired parents looked on. I’d brought them good food and strong coffee, which gave me immediate baby privileges. I was in my own world talking to a sleeping Grace, feeling relaxed and happy. So, I was completely unprepared when a knock sounded at the door and Sal walked in with Axel and Tag.
My heart did that annoying pounding thing and my stomach dropped to the floor.
His eyes immediately found mine, boring into me with heated intensity.
“Here you go,” I said quietly, giving the baby back to Cole. “I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetie. Love you,” I said to Scarlet as she looked at me with wide eyes. “It’s fine,” I mouthed to her reassuringly, even though I knew she wouldn’t believe it for a second.
I couldn’t have gotten out of there any faster than if I was on fire.
“Kat, dammit, wait a second,” Sal’s voice commanded from behind me. I didn’t even fathom stopping. I cursed when I realized I’d have to wait for the elevator. I briefly contemplated taking the stairs, but knew in my haste I’d end up face planting somewhere along the way. He easily caught up with me as I punched the button impatiently.
“You’ll break your finger, Birdie,” he noted casually as I slammed my thumb into it.
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped as the doors opened and I shot inside.
Somewhere along the way, Sal had started to call me Birdie. I was never sure where it came from, but I’d always loved it. I was “baby” or “babe” sometimes, but Birdie was something special just for us. Hearing him use the term now pissed me off.
Of course he followed me, his imposing form standing next to me as we silently descended. He’d gotten bigger, more muscular in the time he’d been away. He’d always been ripped but leaner than the other guys; now he was significantly bulkier. He seemed to have put on pounds of muscle, which further sculpted what had already been a drool-worthy body. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his beautiful tattoos that covered both arms and led up onto his neck. I’d never dated someone with tattoos before Sal, and I was surprised at how much I loved them. Sal’s were beautiful and colorful. Though, of course he hadn’t told me the stories behind most of them. That was Sal for you.
He kept himself carefully guarded. I’d always struggled to get to the heart of him. There was so much about him I didn’t know. And his lack of public affection had always b
othered me. When we were alone, he always wanted to be close, but being in public was a different story. I’d never been satisfied with that and had always hoped he’d come around. I was willing to be patient because I loved him. I’d thought we had time.
When the doors opened at the ground level, I bolted out as though the devil himself were behind me. “Kat, just give me a fucking second,” he said sharply as we neared my car. I stopped with my back facing him and sucked in a ragged breath, pissed as all hell at the tears forming in my eyes. He’d never seen me cry, not many people ever had, and I didn’t want him to see my vulnerability now.
“Sal,” I said quietly as I turned to face him, looking up into his dark, stormy expression.
His eyes widened at my tearful expression.
“You have no idea…” I choked out. I’d been close to saying how he had no idea what he’d done to me and then thought better of that line of conversation. It would make me feel too raw to express how much he’d hurt me. My tear-filled eyes were already showing him enough. I changed tactics and tried to unsuccessfully clear my throat. “If you ever cared about me at all, let me be,” I said as his eyes looked down at me with something I’d never seen before. Was it tenderness? Regret?
“I mean, I’m sure you did us both a favor anyway,” I continued, proud that I hadn’t let any tears fall. “Clearly, I wasn’t the girl for you.” I took my keys out of my bag, determined to get out from under his gaze as quickly as possible.
“What the fuck does that mean?” he growled.
“Sal, please. I can’t do this with you.”
“I’m not giving up, you should know that,” he told me firmly.
Great.
He let me get into my car without another word. I resisted the urge to watch him in my rearview mirror as I drove away.
Chapter 5
It had been two weeks since that day in the parking lot. Sal was proving more difficult to deter than I would have predicted. He showed up for every one of my shifts, sitting patiently until closing at the bar despite my lack of acknowledgment. And every night he escorted me to my car and followed me home at a respectful distance on his bike. We didn’t speak, other than when I was forced to take his order. I tried my best not to look in his direction, knowing if I did, a part of my resolve would crumble. Despite myself, I’d come to expect his quiet presence and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look forward to seeing him. Clearly, I needed to find a way to deal with his resurgence into my life. My heart felt as though it had been firmly implanted in my throat ever since he’d slammed back into my life with a force which eclipsed everything else. It was exhausting, seriously.
Sal (The Ride Series) Page 3