by B J Wane
There had been several times over the past six months since he had come to work for the very men he secretly despised that he questioned his actions, then he remembered his mother’s last words and he hardened his heart and his resolve against anything or anyone with the name McGilley. By the time he finished the six pack he was three sheets to the wind, his anger and bitterness had risen to an all-time high and the lights had just gone out in Casey’s. He looked around the empty parking lot then at the two story club, and once again felt the rage of injustice suffuse him with irrational impotency. Thanks to his research and his infatuation with electronics, he knew exactly how to get into the club and how long he had before the backup silent alarm sent a message to the cops.
Thoughts of Olivia and what to do about their tenuous relationship were still plaguing Colin, keeping him from getting to sleep, when his phone rang a little after four pm. Knowing it could only be bad news at this hour, especially as the caller ID showed the call was coming from the Sheriff’s office, he snatched it up and answered tersely, “McGilley.” A few minutes later, after making a call to both Donovan and Brett, he was racing back to Casey’s.
The three of them pulled into the parking lot at the same time, the flashing lights from two patrol cars greeting them. “Whoever this is has gone too far this time, damn it,” he swore as they went inside and saw the damage.
Brett gave a low whistle as he looked around at the upturned tables, broken liquor bottles and glasses and the graffiti sprayed walls. “Someone sure didn’t like the old man,” he commented as he read the slurs against Casey McGilley.
“Are you telling me someone trashed my place because they have a grudge against Dad?” Colin asked incredulously as he silently added up the monetary cost of this latest prank.
“Looks that way.” Donovan walked over and righted a table, anger evident in his stiff shoulders and the tight clench of his jaw.
“Colin, I’m sure sorry about this. It looks like whoever’s responsible knew how to disable the main alarm and also knew how long he had before the backup alarm contacted us. He was nowhere around when we got here.”
“That’s my fault, Joe,” Colin admitted as he walked over to the bar and saw the damage behind it. “I knew the system wasn’t fool proof, but, hell, we’ve never had any trouble out here, at least not until lately.” Colin filled in his friend from the Sheriff’s department on the pranks they had all suffered the past few weeks.
“Sounds like someone has not only a grudge against your dad, but you three also. This is beyond anything a teenager might do, though. This could land the little weasel in jail.”
“And will if we ever catch the son of a bitch,” Brett said. “We can rule out Paul Monroe. He was picked up earlier this week and is back in jail where he belongs, this time without bail.”
“That doesn’t tell us who it is, only who it isn’t.” Colin kept an eye on Donovan as he moved quietly around the room righting tables and chairs and keeping his distance from the officers as well as his brothers. He debated telling him to leave everything until pictures were taken for both the police report and for the insurance claims because he knew Donovan worked through his anger by doing busywork or pounding on his punching bag, both of which seemed therapeutic for him.
“Let him go, we have enough to deal with right now,” Brett advised as if he could read Colin’s mind. “He’s pissed and you know he backs off from everyone when he gets pissed.”
“Yeah, I’d just wish he’d share with us why he does that, but, you’re right. There’s enough other shit to deal with right now.”
Hell, Colin thought irritably, this is the last thing he needed on top of trying to come to terms with both his feelings for Olivia and what to do about them and the promise he made her to be her temporary dom. The fact that more and more he wanted that position to be permanent was eating at him, as well as the reason it could never happen. Donovan wasn’t the only one who refused to share what was troubling him, he thought resignedly.
They were there for over four hours cataloging the damage, aiding the cops in filling out a report, and taking pictures for the insurance. Fatigue and anger made them decide to deal with the mess later, and after boarding up the two broken windows that would have to be replaced, they all headed back to their own homes to try to get some much needed rest.
Olivia heard about the break-in on the news Sunday evening and the fact that Colin hadn’t called just drove home how lopsided their relationship was. Whenever she had a problem, he was the first one she turned to, the first one she called for either physical or moral support. Recalling all the times she had done just that since Doug’s death, she had to admit there were times she had taken advantage of Colin’s friendship, had called him when she could have handled the problem herself, had leaned on him simply because she wanted his company, not because she actually needed his help. Thinking of those times, she wondered why he had put up with her for so long, why, since it was obvious he didn’t need her like she did him, he hadn’t eventually backed off from his promise to Doug.
Imagining how he and his brothers must feel, the anger at the violation of their property as well as the frustration of all the cleanup they must have to take care of, she decided to push aside her worry about their physical relationship as well as her growing feelings for her temporary dom and to return the favor of being there for him for a change even though he hadn’t asked for her support.
Pulling into Casey’s parking lot thirty minutes later, she saw Colin’s truck as well as two others, one with the McGilley Farms logo on the side, as well as a bright green Volkswagen. Glad that she had taken a chance that they’d be here, she went inside to see if she could be of some help.
Colin didn’t hear Olivia come in, the sound of the wet vac drowning out everything except the anger that still pulsed through him. Straightening up from running the vac’s hose under the counter to catch the spilled liquor behind the bar and seeing Olivia chatting casually with Brett and Kayla did nothing to defuse his anger. The last thing he needed this evening was the woman who had him tied into so many knots he feared his emotions will never get untangled from them. He had gone home last night intending to catch a few hours’ sleep before returning to start the cleanup, but when he wasn’t plagued with trying to figure out who was behind all the mishaps he and his brothers had been subject to, he was struggling with his constant ache of unrelieved lust for Olivia and what the hell to do about it. Each time he saw her, especially when he got her naked, it became harder to keep her at a distance, harder to keep denying what he wanted so bad, harder to keep his feelings hidden and his lust in check.
Now, when his guard was down due to frustration and lack of sleep, he wasn’t happy to see her smiling at Brett as he introduced her to Kayla. Turning off the wet vac, the large room was suddenly plunged into silence. “What are you doing here, Olivia?”
As far as greetings went, his wasn’t very friendly or welcoming, but Olivia put his brusqueness down to the ordeal of having his club trashed and walked over to him with a smile as she admonished him lightly. “I didn’t hear about what happened until I heard it on the evening news. I wanted to see if I could be of help.”
“Let her help, Colin,” Brett said as he picked up a roller and resumed painting over the spray painted obscenities on the wall. “I want to get out of here before midnight.”
“There’s not much to do, but, yeah, if you want to hang out and get dirty with us, why not?” Handing her a broom, Colin nodded toward the dance floor. “You can finish sweeping up over there. Donovan had to leave before he got that far, but he’s picking up pizza on his way back, if you want to stay for a bite.” The smile that lit her face had him itching to take that mouth in a hard, no holds barred kiss, an intimacy and indulgence he refused to allow himself until he decided the next step with their relationship.
“I would, thanks.” Taking the broom, Olivia turned from him and moved to the other side of the club, putting some space between her and w
hat was turning out to be more of a temptation than she had bargained for when she had approached Colin with her request two weeks ago. She was discovering the more she was around Colin, the more she wanted him and she was beginning to suspect she wanted more from him than sex.
Guilt swamped her as she started to sweep up pieces of glass that had managed to land this far from where the intruder had thrown bar glasses around the room. Usually thoughts of Colin and sex were accompanied with memories of Doug, but lately her thoughts have left her husband out of the equation and out of her desires, something she was having trouble coping with. She had been crazy about Doug from the moment she met him when he had been visiting his nephew who was recovering in the hospital from an appendicitis attack and had never given another man a thought until that night with Colin. Because of the attraction she had felt that night and the attraction she had sensed he felt even before then, she had decided the next morning that she would not indulge in a ménage with him or any other third party again. She wasn’t afraid she’d act on that attraction, her love for Doug was too strong and ran too deep for her to even think about being unfaithful or leave him for someone else, but it would have felt like cheating nonetheless had she asked for a repeat of that night.
Even now, three years after his death, she felt guilty for thinking she might be ready to explore another relationship again. Sex was one thing and she knew Doug wouldn’t begrudge her for seeking out relief again nor would he begrudge her eventually falling in love again, but rarely was guilt rational as she was discovering.
Hearing Kayla squeal in surprise and laughter drew her attention across the room in time to see Brett land a hard smack on her ass before trying to wipe a streak of white paint off his face. When all that accomplished was to smear it, making Kayla bend at the waist in laughter at his steely eyed glare, Olivia found herself smiling also. But when Brett grabbed Kayla, fisted her hair with one hand, holding her head still for a deep kiss as he plunged his other hand down the waistband of her loose sweatpants and kneaded the buttock he just swatted, Olivia’s smile slipped as she felt her own arousal peaking right along with Kayla’s. Recalling how much she enjoyed having her ass fondled, especially after a spanking, led to remembering how much she had loved anal play and sex. Growing uncomfortable with both their erotic embrace that now included the obvious grinding of their pelvis’s and her reaction to their play, she shifted her eyes and came into contact with Colin’s vivid green stare.
Colin had kept one eye on Olivia as he finished getting all the spilled liquor cleaned up and seeing her almost instantaneous reaction to Brett and Kayla’s play made his cock rise from the half-mast it had maintained since she walked in to a full, painful erection demanding relief. Raising a dark brow at her, he smiled slowly and winked, easing the tension between them. A tension he was going to have to deal with one way or another soon.
“Get a fucking room you two,” Donovan growled as he came in carrying three large pizza boxes.
Brett slowly released Kayla before turning to his youngest brother with a mock scowl. “You used to be a lot more fun.”
“I’m still fun, if you and Kayla will remember,” Donovan reminded them of their threesome with a slow drawl, “but there’s a time and place for everything. And now is not the time.”
Kayla just laughed at Donovan, trotted up to him and gave him a quick kiss before replying, “I’m starving. Is one of those a dessert pizza?”
Donovan rolled his eyes but then gave her a fond look of indulgence. “No, brat, but I brought you a dark chocolate candy bar if you behave.”
“For dark chocolate, I can do anything.” Ignoring all three men’s skeptical looks, Kayla took a seat and called over to Olivia, “Come join us, Olivia, and I’ll share my candy bar with you.”
An hour later Olivia was thinking it had been a long time since she let herself relax and have fun with friends. She enjoyed getting to know Kayla and listening to the way she teased Brett. That he was completely captivated with the younger woman was obvious and she found herself envying their relationship. Colin’s mood seemed to improve over pizza and by the time they were done eating and finished cleaning what they could that night; she was too tired to think about anything but falling into bed.
“Come on, I’ll walk you out.” Colin took her hand, let her make her farewells and led her outside.
“Are you going to be able to open next weekend?” she asked as he opened her car door for her.
“I think so, as long as the two windows get replaced this week, we should be good.” Bracing his hands on the car, he caged her in and looked down into those whiskey eyes that had captivated him since the first time he met her. “I, we, really appreciate you coming out tonight, Livie. Thank you.”
“It was the least I could do after all the times you’ve helped me. Colin, I’m thinking of selling the house,” she blurted out, silently hoping that by telling him her plans it would make it harder to put the decision off.
“Are you now? Are you ready for that step?” He didn’t know about her, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for her to move on. That would give him even less excuse, at least in her eyes, to keep his distance.
“I think so, but I won’t really know until I take it.” Olivia wanted him to kiss her, was dying to feel his lips on hers again. She had known her body wanted his for some time now, but it was just lately that her mind had felt a similar yearning.
As she leaned into him, Colin couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around her, but dropping a kiss on her forehead was as far as he’d let it go tonight. He needed sleep, hopefully undisturbed sleep, and he wouldn’t get it if he gave in to the need reflected on her face, a need he felt also but was still determined to find a way not to give in to.
“I’ll see you next weekend. Goodnight, Livie.”
Colin grabbed a beer from his refrigerator, padded barefoot into the great room and sank onto his leather sectional with a tired sigh. Propping his feet on the coffee table in front of him, he took a hefty swallow of the cold brew as he reached for the remote to the big screen television. He couldn’t remember the last time he was home by ten o’clock on a Friday night, but he had to admit he was grateful for the reprieve after the past week. Due to a delay in the shipment of liquor needed to replace what was lost last weekend, they were unable to reopen tonight. After tracking the delivery, he was assured it would be there by early afternoon tomorrow, which was the last detail needed to get Casey’s back in business.
The vandalism perplexed him, as it did his brothers. The mayhem the intruder or intruders wrecked on the club was destructive, but in a juvenile way. If whoever is responsible was the same one who left the nails in their drives, it wasn’t feasible it was anyone that wasn’t at least of driving age which made the three of them suspect college age kids. It was the why that had them mostly perplexed and the inability to weed out the culprits that had them so angry.
Shoving aside those concerns for now, he flipped through the channels and quickly noted he hadn’t been missing anything in the way of nighttime television programming. As he rose to search through his movie collection for something to take his mind off the club and a certain woman who continued to plague his thoughts, the sound of a car pulling up out front diverted him to the front door. A timid knock on his door had him looking through the peephole to find Olivia teetering on his front step as a taxi drove away.
“Olivia, what are you doing out here?” Opening the door, he watched her stumble in and caught a whiff of whiskey on her breath. Aw shit, he knew he was in trouble if she was drinking hard liquor. His Livie usually drank wine and only sweet wines at that.
“Can I come in?” Olivia asked him, her eyes bleary but able to focus enough to see him scowling down at her. Now, why the hell did that look have her panties dampening, she thought sourly, and why the hell did she have to want her husband’s best friend as much as she had wanted her husband?
“You are in and you’re about to topple over. Why are you here, drunk
?” Taking her hand, he pulled her into the den and sat her on the couch before squatting down in front of her. Dressed in a pair of old, faded jeans and a sweatshirt with the Sheriff’s emblem on it that had to have belonged to Doug by the way it dwarfed her, she looked lost and forlorn, her eyes swimming with confusion as she stared back at him.
“I don’t know,” she whispered tremulously. “Maybe because you’re always the one I think of when I don’t know what to do, then again, lately you’re always the one I think of no matter what. Little Maddie died yesterday, did you know that, Colin? That sweet little baby that never had a chance to leave the hospital and go home with mommy and daddy, never had a chance to be a little girl, she just…never had a chance. And now her parents have to go home to an empty nursery that never got used. I could use a drink.”
Colin pushed her shoulders back against the couch as she started to rise and pinned her with a hard eyed glare. “You’ve had enough, I think. You’re already going to regret this tomorrow morning. Thank God you had enough common sense left to take a cab instead of driving out here yourself. You should have called me, Livie.” She always became too emotionally involved with her patients. It was what made her so good at her job and so hard for her to cope at times like this.
“I love it when you call me Livie, did you know that? You’re the only one who does and that makes it special. I couldn’t call you; I had to get out of the house. I did it Colin, there’s a For Sale sign in the yard, only I didn’t realize, I didn’t know…”
“How hard it would be?” Damn he hated seeing her so sad, looking so broken up. Her rambling told him she had a lot to cope with this week and apparently it had come to a head this evening. He had spent the past five days thinking almost nonstop about her and what step he was willing to take with her next. He had been leaning toward giving in, giving her everything she wanted, including sex with him, until she could move on without him. As hard as he knew that would be on him, he simply was at the point where he had to step away or see this through. He had managed to get through the past three years being her friend after spending that one night with her, he could do it again. At least, that was what he had convinced himself he could do. “Let me get a pot of coffee going then we’ll talk.”