“And this is probably one of a handful of times you ever will,” he replied while grabbing our room key and, notably, my hand as we made our way out the door.
I bit my lip against asking what those other occasions could be. Sal and I had never talked about the future. I didn’t even know if he ever wanted to get married or have kids. I wasn’t sure myself how I felt about all that. There was plenty of time to figure it out.
We took a cab to the church where the service was being held. “You never mentioned your family was religious,” I commented as we stepped out and I leaned my head back to take in the overwhelming Catholic Church.
“We both know I never mentioned a lot of things,” he returned somewhat gruffly.
Hmm, clearly this wasn’t the time for idle chat.
Sal’s hand held mine in a vise grip as I followed him dutifully into the dimly lit church.
“Sal, you came!” a hushed yet exuberant voice sounded from our right. A beautiful girl came hurdling in our direction and locked Sal in a tight hug.
“Hi, Soph,” he greeted, hugging her back somewhat stiffly. He gave me a small smile over her head before pulling back slightly. He nodded his head toward me. “Sophie, this is my girlfriend, Kat. Kat, my sister, Sophie.”
“Hi,” I smiled warmly, extending my hand.
Sal’s tone had always been laced with regret when he talked about his half-sister. He didn’t see much of her and she clearly missed him.
“Hi!” she said as she beamed, shocking me by wrapping me up in a hug. She was petite with beautiful long brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes framed by thick lashes. Her skin was like porcelain. Sal had never mentioned how beautiful his sister was, but I supposed that wasn’t the kind of thing he thought much about.
“I can’t wait to talk more with you,” she prattled on as Sal again took my hand and led me deeper into the church. “How long are you guys staying?” she asked as she shot a hopeful look in Sal’s direction.
“We fly out tomorrow,” he responded curtly.
I saw her face fall slightly and took her hand in a quick squeeze. “We’ll have some time after the service to catch up,” I assured her, shooting a pointed look at Sal. He needed to soften up a bit with her.
“Well, how nice of you to make it,” a crisp voice sounded from behind us. I felt Sal tense beside me before turning to face the woman behind us. I followed suit, schooling my face in a tense smile, ready as I’d ever be to face Sal’s mother.
She was beautiful, which didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was the elegance and wealth she exuded. She wore her hair in a sleek blonde bob, and a designer ensemble draped her thin frame.
She eyed me with cool indifference before turning her penetrating gaze to Sal. “At least you had the decency to dress properly and cover up those hideous tattoos,” she snapped.
“Not here to see you. Don’t need your bullshit,” Sal bit out, his voice low and angry. “I’m here to pay my respects to the old man and then we’re outta here.”
She sneered, turning her beautiful face into an ugly grimace.
“Mom, please,” Sophie pleaded quietly. “He’s my brother, your son. We haven’t seen him in a long time. Can’t you at least be cordial?” she demanded, her brown eyes pleading.
“You, young lady, are up front with me and your father. Let’s go,” her mother replied, ignoring her daughter’s pleading. She walked away swiftly, her heels clacking on the marble floor.
“Sorry,” Sophie mouthed to both of us, following at a distance behind her mother.
“Wow, Sal. Your mom is a real bitch,” I muttered.
“Told you,” he grumbled.
“At least she didn’t reach out and smite us both down. I was kind of worried about that for a second.” I shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. Though I wasn’t entirely kidding. The woman was a bit terrifying.
He barked out a laugh. “Smite, huh?”
I shrugged again. “I haven’t spent much time in churches. Isn’t that what happens?” I asked with curious eyes.
“You’re a nut, you know that?” He grinned down at me and I felt my heart lighten. I’d made him smile amid all this tension. It felt awesome. Even though I still wanted to learn about that smiting stuff.
The service was long and formal. Sal muttered to me at one point that the old man, as he called him, would have hated every second of it. We sat a few pews back from his mother, Sophie and stepfather, who hadn’t even acknowledged us. A few people had turned to give Sal small waves or smiles of encouragement. I wondered if Sal had distanced himself from his entire family, when really it was just his mother and stepfather who seemed like total assholes.
“Sal, please come back to the house for a little while. Bring your young lady here,” an older woman was asking quietly as we stood outside of the church after the service. Sal had seemed ready to make a break for it, but I’d restrained him.
“I don’t know, Aunt Jenna, you know with Mom and Richard.” He trailed off shoving a hand through his hair.
“Oh, fuck ‘em,” she replied with a wave of a hand, and I couldn’t stifle the giggle that escaped. It was so unexpected coming from this elegant looking older woman. She grinned at me before continuing, “We all want to see you, especially your sister. Just for a little while?”
Sal looked down at me, uncertain.
“We’ll come,” I replied, making the decision for him. He needed a push or, in this case, a shove.
“I guess we’re going then,” Sal muttered and I winked at him.
“Excellent!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
“If it’s totally awful, we’ll just go,” I said as we slid into a cab. “It seems like aside from the ice king and queen everyone else is excited to see you,” I commented while sneaking a glance at him.
He didn’t answer, instead choosing to gaze out the window to the city beyond. I knew he was on edge. The run-in with his mother had bothered him more than he’d ever let on, but shutting out his entire family because of it wasn’t necessarily the answer. I only wanted to push him hard enough to give them a shot. Hopefully, they wouldn’t prove my instincts wrong. I could understand now why the trip to Spain had changed him so much. His father and grandmother welcoming him with open arms must have been life affirming for him after how he’d grown up.
I reached across the seat for his hand, squeezing slightly in silent support, but said no more.
Sal’s aunt’s house was a beautiful brownstone in what looked to be an expensive part of town. Sal had mentioned in the past how his mother’s family came from money; he’d always seemed uncomfortable with it. I guess I hadn’t realized how significant their wealth actually was.
I made sure Sal had a beer in hand as soon as possible. Then we mingled a bit with various relatives, all of whom seemed genuinely happy to see him.
When his mother and stepfather arrived, they stayed on the other side of any room we were in. Sal began to relax some, so when Sophie approached, he was noticeably warmer to her than at the church.
The three of us sat on one of the sofas in the living room, which cost more than my car, and caught up.
“So, how long have you two been together?” she asked, and I realized for the first time I didn’t know how to answer that question.
“Over a year,” Sal answered without hesitation.
I looked over at him clearly confused. We’d dated for six months and he’d been gone for six.
He leaned over to murmur in my ear. “Was always with you, babe,” he said just loud enough for me to hear while squeezing my hand.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to Sophie who was now regarding us with a warm look.
“So how’s life under the microscope, Soph?” Sal asked, and though his question sounded harsh, his tone held no menace. “Scratch that, it’s a fucking cage,” he muttered.
She grimaced but nodded in agreement and looked away briefly, clearly understanding exactly what he meant. “I feel li
ke I’ve been in it so long I don’t know how to get out,” she admitted.
“You always have choices,” he said, his eyes narrowing at something or someone across the room. “I didn’t have a clue where I was going when I left. Just that I had to. I found the desert, found the club, my girl.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been happier since I left,” he reiterated, leaning closer to her to drive his point home.
“You didn’t have to leave me, too,” she murmured, and I recognized this moment between siblings, which had no need for a third wheel.
“I’ll go refill my wine,” I said while quietly excusing myself.
I stood by the refreshments table smiling politely at people who made eye contact.
“So you and my son, hmm?” the ice queen asked by way of greeting as she approached from the hallway behind.
I looked around. Damn, no graceful means for escape in sight.
I straightened my shoulders and turned to face her with a smile. If this lady thought she could intimidate me, she had another thing coming.
“Yes, he’s amazing,” I replied blissfully as though she’d meant her comment as a compliment.
She made a slight scoffing sound before assessing me with a judgmental gaze. Obviously, my off-the-rack dress wasn’t to her standards. “How long have you two been seeing each other?” she asked.
“A year,” I nodded, glad we’d gotten that sorted out earlier.
“And what do you do?” she asked.
Oh, this should go over well. “I’m a bartender,” I replied steadily, bracing for impact.
Her eyes widened before falling back into her now familiar glare. “How very interesting,” she replied as though the words burned her tongue on the way out. “And how did you meet my son?” she asked coolly.
“Through my best friend, she’s engaged to Sal’s close friend,” I answered, meeting her gaze head on. This exchange was wearing me out, but I was determined not to back down from her. She was indeed cold and judgmental, but the way she kept referring to Sal as “her son” made me feel like she wanted to assert some sort of claim to him. And, if she didn’t give a shit, she wouldn’t be trying to claim him. She also wouldn’t be asking about him or about us if she didn’t care.
“Listen,” I started, “I know this isn’t my place, and you’ll probably hate me for saying this. But I’ll just give it a go,” I blurted before I could stop myself. “I’m sure there’s a lot about Sal you don’t understand or relate to. I’m sure the same is true for him with you. But, he’s an amazing man. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s a genius security specialist. Businesses from all over Nevada try to recruit him.”
This was true, but he stayed with the Knights and wouldn’t ever leave as far as I could tell.
“He’s an amazing boyfriend, a loyal friend, and a man who demands respect wherever he goes. You should be proud rather than turning your back on him,” I said firmly. “He doesn’t need me standing up for him. Sal can stand on his own. All I’m saying is by turning your nose up at him you’re missing the chance to know an amazing man who also happens to be your son,” I told her, taking a large drink of my wine while watching her reaction.
She eyed me up and down one more time, turned on her heel, and walked out of the room.
Well, that went well.
I felt a warm presence at my back and turned to find Sal staring after his mother with a narrowed gaze. “What were you and my mother talking about?”
“How amazing you are,” I answered honestly, moving to put my arms around his neck.
“Was she a bitch to you?” he demanded.
I shrugged. “Not really, no. I think the cold demeanor just comes with the territory. I held my own,” I said as I grinned.
He still looked unsure but gave me a crooked smile in return. “I’m sure you did. You ready to get out of here? See a little of the city?”
“I’d love to,” I agreed.
He took my hand giving a chin lift to a few people as he led me out of the house and onto the street beyond.
“Did you work things out with Sophie?” I asked later that night as we were seated at the little Italian place that Sal swore had “the best fuckin’ pizza in the entire world.”
“I don’t know if I can ever work it out,” he grimaced. “I was a shit to bail on her. I put her in the same category as my mother, I guess. I mean, I took her calls at least, but I certainly didn’t reach out,” he admitted while taking a sip of his beer.
“It doesn’t seem like she’s holding a grudge,” I said quietly. “She was absolutely thrilled to see you.”
“Yeah,” he agreed.
Sensing a need for a subject change, I turned my attention to the pizza. “This is awesome,” I said and grinned, taking another big bite.
Despite the events that had brought us here, the quick trip still had fun moments and it had certainly been eye opening. I felt like I now understood Sal better after meeting some of his family and seeing where he came from. We’d also managed to see some of the sights in our short trip. He’d already taken me to Times Square and we’d walked all over the East Village. After dinner, he was taking me to one of his favorite bars.
As we taxied the runway the next morning, I looked out the window thoughtfully, glad to be headed home.
“Thanks for coming,” he said quietly, eyeing me intently. “You made it a hell of a lot better.”
I turned to him and squeezed his thigh briefly. “You’re welcome, Sal, anytime,” I told him sincerely.
He nodded and didn’t say more on the subject.
“Excited to go home?” I asked him as our plane took flight.
“Fuck, yes,” he replied emphatically.
I laughed at his enthusiasm. “Me, too,” I agreed, realizing how true those words were.
I’d carved a life for myself under the Nevada sun, and I felt a deep kinship with my home. I’d built it from nothing and now I felt like I had everything.
Chapter 15
The next few weeks were relatively calm. I was still staying at Sal’s place, and although I didn’t have any issue with it, I didn’t like that it was only because he wanted to protect me. I wanted it to be because we both wanted it, not because there was a threat. But for the time being, I was rolling with it.
Scarlet had embraced wedding planning which thrilled Cole. They set a date in early spring for their wedding in the mountains. All the neighboring clubs would be present as well as the Sinners, her Dad’s former club and the one she’d grown up in. It was going to be a huge party and a hell of a lot of fun.
For now, the wedding on everyone’s mind was Connie and Wes’. It was in just a few days and both Sal and I were busy with groomsmen and bridesmaid duties. This basically meant we needed to be able to throw back a shot and, in my case, shake my ass on the dance floor.
I may not have grown up in a club or been around bikers except for the past year, but I fit in fine. These were my friends, my family and I loved how they let their hair down, partied hard, and loved deeply.
“One more, Kat, come on!” Connie hollered, squealing in delight as we stood at the packed bar in the dance club downtown. She’d decided to have her bachelorette party several days before the wedding so she’d have time to recover. And judging by the way we were going tonight, she had made a smart decision.
The guys were across town doing god knows what for Wes’ bachelor party. Ryker and Jeb, another prospect, were on the hook for watching us tonight and I didn’t envy their job. By the time we left, they’d have some very drunk females to wrangle.
I threw back the latest shot, wincing only slightly as the liquor burned sweet and smooth down my throat. Scarlet shook her head at me, smiling ruefully at my antics.
“Let’s dance!” Ettie cried over the music, and the four of us made our way to the dance floor. There had been a few other girls with us earlier in the night–Connie’s friends from work but they’d started dropping off, leaving just the four of us to close things down.
When we entered the empty bathroom, the subdued bass was a relief from the noise outside. We giggled drunkenly while talking through the stalls as we peed and then washed our hands side by side.
We were about to head back out when Jeb came stumbling into the bathroom clutching his side, his eyes wide and face ashen. My lip-gloss clattered into the sink as my hands flew to try to catch him. Two men followed immediately behind, shoving Jeb to the ground and securing the door behind them.
I was able to half catch him as his big body dropped to the ground. He groaned loudly in pain yet managed to sit up against the wall, his face a mask of agony.
My body stiffened when the second man turned to face me. It was the bastard who’d attacked me.
His evil face turned into a satisfied smirk. “I was hoping I’d see you again,” he said as he licked his lips, his tone sinister. His eyes trailed my bare legs and form-fitting dress.
My gaze snapped down to Jeb’s slumped form and back to the two imposing men.
Oh, shit. This was bad. Very, very bad. It looked like Jeb had been stabbed. He needed to get to a hospital immediately, and Connie and I were in a seriously vulnerable position. I looked over at my friend, finding her eyes shocked and face pale. She looked ready to faint and I grimaced, clearly no help to be had there.
Any trace of intoxication fled my body, and I was suddenly stone-cold sober with adrenaline coursing through my veins. I’d learned some badass self-defense in my kickboxing class, and I was stronger than I’d ever been. But, taking on two huge, armed men wasn’t in the cards for me. So, I figured my only option was to keep them talking.
“What do you want with us?” I asked as I stood defensively in front of Connie whose breathing was coming faster as the minutes passed. If she passed out shit was going to go downhill fast, or more downhill than it already was.
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