Remember Me

by Jo-Anna Walker

  “Do you know him?”

  Sebastian shook his head. “No.”

  “But you do know Lucas, don’t you?” Garrith sat in the chair beside him and leaned back, crossing an ankle over the opposite knee. “I know you do. Or else you would say that you don’t. Either way, Keisha is the one that told me that you and Tori went to see him.”

  Sebastian shot to his feet and started pacing back and forth. He pulled out his phone, pressed a button and put it up to his ear. “Fuck…Lucas, where are you?” Sebastian leaned against the couch and let out a deep breath. “Good. No…yes…I know…of course I care…no, Tori didn’t make me call you…” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I swear she didn’t, fucker…sorry, not into dudes.”

  Garrith shook his head at his friend’s banter and cleared his throat.

  Sebastian looked at him and sighed. “Listen…Lucas, shut the hell up for a second. Has Mathis paid you a visit? Lucas? Hello? Yeah, I’m still here my man…I don’t know…hold on.”

  Sebastian pressed a button on the phone and placed it in front of Garrith. He tapped the table with his finger. “This guy is like a brother to me. We go way back. He’s been through some shit. Hates everyone. Whatever you know, you need to tell him.”

  Garrith crossed his arms under his chest. “And if I don’t?”

  Sebastian leaned towards him, his face mere inches from Garrith’s. A malicious smirk spread on his face. “I love you, man, but if anything happens to him, you won’t have to worry about Keisha remembering you or not.”

  Garrith smiled and picked up the phone as Sebastian sat across from him.

  “Lucas?”

  “Who the fuck are you?” a deep gravelly voice asked.

  “Garrith Jameson.”

  “You’re a cop.”

  Garrith didn’t even bother asking how the guy knew that. There was no point. He knew how guys like Lucas Crane worked. “FBI. Former.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m on leave.”

  “What happened?”

  Garrith smiled at the guy’s no bullshit attitude. He could tell that he was definitely friends with Sebastian. Anything Sebastian wanted to know, he would ask. Honest to a fault. “Girlfriend got shot.”

  “Fuck man, that sucks. She okay?”

  Garrith fidgeted in his seat. “She doesn’t remember me but other than that, yes.”

  Lucas scoffed. “I wish my ex-girlfriends didn’t remember me. It would make my life a whole hell of a lot easier.”

  Wow, this guy sure was something else. Garrith looked at Sebastian before asking what he needed to know. “Who’s Mathis Verlinden?”

  There was a pause on the phone.

  “A pain in my ass.” The line clicked, going to a dial tone.

  Garrith held the phone from his ear and stared at it. Did he really just get hung up on?

  Sebastian chuckled. “You’re lucky he was on the phone with you for that long.”

  “Why?” Garrith handed Sebastian back his phone.

  “Lucas is…well, you’ll need to meet him, and then you can make your own decision about him. He’s a good guy. Just fucked in the head.”

  Garrith frowned. And that made him a good guy?

  “Why did you want to know about Lucas?”

  “Mathis Verlinden showed up at Brett’s club last night asking for him.” Garrith caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Malvado approaching him. The big pit bull’s black coat was shiny and he looked healthier than ever.

  “Shit. This cannot be good,” Sebastian mumbled.

  Garrith shook his head and scratched Malvado’s head in between his ears. “No, it’s not. Who’s Mathis?”

  Sebastian didn’t respond.

  Garrith’s hand paused on Malvado’s head and looked up at his friend. “You wanna tell me what you know about him?”

  “You think Jose Alvarez was bad. This guy is worse but in a whole different way.”

  “Who is he?” Garrith would find out anyways but he’d rather hear it from someone who actually knew him or knew of him for that matter.

  Sebastian ran a hand over his shaved head and sighed heavily. “He’s a billionaire. Has his hand in everyone’s pocket. Pretty much deals with everything illegal that you can think of. Drugs, weapons, women…you name it, he’s a part of it.”

  Garrith frowned. “So what does this have to do with Lucas?”

  Sebastian’s dark gaze bored into Garrith’s but he didn’t answer.

  Sebastian knew something that he wasn’t telling him. Shit. “Sebastian, if you know anything—”

  “I know nothing,” Sebastian stated.

  Garrith looked up and saw Tori and Keisha coming down the stairs, Keisha holding Antonio. A smile was on her face, making his heart flutter. Their gazes met and she looked away but not before he noticed the bags under her eyes. He needed to get her home. Home.

  “Garrith, Keisha told me that you saved her last night.” Tori came up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “I…yeah, I guess I did.” Garrith returned the embrace and ran a hand through his hair. It was no big deal. He would do it again in a heartbeat.

  “What are you talking about, little one?”

  Tori released him and sat in Sebastian’s lap, kissing his head. “There was a fire at the club last night and Keisha got trapped.”

  Sebastian’s eyes widened. “Holy shit.”

  Garrith watched as Keisha shifted from one foot to the other, holding Antonio in her arms. Her cheeks reddened and she kissed Antonio’s head. “I’m fine. Really.”

  “We should go.” Garrith rose to his feet, placing one last pat on Malvado’s head.

  “So soon?” Tori asked as Keisha handed her back Antonio. “But you just got here.”

  “Baby, we need to make a trip.” Sebastian kissed Tori’s cheek.

  She looked up at Sebastian lovingly. “Okay. Where to?”

  “We need to go see Lucas.”

  “Sure. When?”

  Sebastian looked at Garrith.

  “The sooner the better,” Garrith answered. Sebastian nodded.

  “Is everything alright?” Tori asked, placing Antonio in his highchair.

  “Yup.” Sebastian and Garrith answered at the same time.

  Tori and Keisha looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

  “I may not remember much, but I know when he’s hiding something,” Keisha mumbled to Tori.

  Garrith walked up behind her and cupped her chin. “Love, we should go.”

  Her back stiffened. “Why?”

  “Because you’re tired.”

  “No, I’m not.” She stifled a yawn then laughed.

  The sound washed over Garrith, moved through his body and deep into his gut. There was a laugh that he hadn’t heard in what felt like years. “Good try.”

  Her smile faltered and she turned away. “We have to go.”

  Tori nodded, a sad smile splaying on her lips. “Call me. We have to get wedding stuff organized.”

  Garrith clapped a hand on Sebastian’s neck. “Any regrets?”

  Sebastian grinned. “Not a fucking thing.”

  ***

  The things that Keisha remembered while visiting with Tori threw her. Garrith had said their sex life wasn’t ordinary and that it worked for them, but she didn’t know how she felt about it all. She knew she enjoyed it and knew that they needed to talk about it but she’d rather him show her instead. But it wasn’t like that would happen anytime soon. Even after having sex, she could feel him pull away, hide a part of himself that she wasn’t sure she would ever see.

  As they were leaving their friend’s place, she made plans with Tori to have a girls’ date and soon. The love she had seen between her friends made her heart swell for them. She could only remember bits and pieces about Sebastian, but Tori was happy. Finally.

  A warm hand landed on Keisha’s knee, making her jump.

  She looked up at Garrith but he didn’t meet her gaze. He just continued
to stare out the window as he drove her home.

  “Garrith?”

  “Yeah?” he croaked.

  “I remembered some more things.” She picked at a loose thread on her dress, praying he wouldn’t close up again on her.

  A moment passed before Garrith responded. “About what?”

  “I…I remember that you were talking to Tori on the phone a couple of months ago. I stole the phone from you and…” She chewed her bottom lip.

  Garrith turned to her this time but no emotion showed on his face. “And?”

  Keisha swallowed. “I remember being sore for a couple of days.”

  He turned back to the road, the corners of his lips turning up like he was having the same memory.

  “Why was I sore?” she whispered. Keisha had a feeling she knew the answer but she needed to hear it come from his mouth.

  “I didn’t hit you, Keisha, if that’s what you’re asking,” he bit out. His strong jaw clenched and unclenched.

  Her eyes widened. “I would never think that you hit me.”

  “No? Then why are you accusing me of it?”

  She wasn’t. “Garrith, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that. I know you would never hit me. I trust you. I just want to…I’m trying to remember.” Tears burned her eyelids, threatening to escape. “These little flashes of a memory are confusing me.”

  Garrith let out a heavy sigh. “I bent you over my knee and spanked you but I didn’t hit you.”

  Keisha’s body bloomed at his admission. He spanked her? “Because…”

  “Because you were being bratty, but love…” He turned back to her, his blue eyes shining with desire and hunger.

  “Yeah?”

  “You fucking loved every second of it. You used to be bratty just so I would spank you.”

  Keisha’s eyes widened, liquid heat seeping between her thighs. Images of her bent over Garrith’s lap as he caressed and then slapped her ass for defying him almost made a moan escape her lips. She knew she liked being spanked after the way her body reacted in the shower when he did it but for her to be bent over his lap? That was a whole different situation and one that she would love to experience. Again.

  She took a breath. “Isn’t that…?”

  “What?” Garrith pulled the big SUV into a gas station and shut off the vehicle.

  “Degrading?” Keisha finally answered.

  He turned to her, his eyes softening. “Some people may think it is but what works for some doesn’t work for others. It worked for us, love.”

  Keisha nodded. That made sense. The thought of being spanked turned her on and, surprisingly, it didn’t freak her out. The way her body was reacting, she really needed to change the subject or else they would never make it back to the city.

  “What are you going to do about this guy that wants Lucas?”

  “I don’t know. Sebastian’s going to go see him but that’s not going to help me.” Garrith rubbed a hand down his face.

  “We can take a road trip and go pay him a visit,” Keisha suggested. We… She wasn’t really sure why she volunteered herself but from what she heard about Lucas, he wouldn’t take it well if a stranger came knocking on his door. Not that she was any different from a stranger since she had never met the guy, but maybe he would be better dealing with a woman.

  Garrith frowned. “You want to come see Lucas with me?”

  Keisha shrugged. “Well, maybe we can tag along with Sebastian and Tori or we can go, just the two of us.”

  “I appreciate the thought but there’s no way that’s happening.”

  “Oh. Okay, it was just an idea.”

  “I know, kitten.” Garrith placed a quick kiss on her forehead and stepped out of the vehicle.

  While he filled the SUV up with gas, Keisha thought over what he had said. Their sex life was unconventional but it worked for them. Clearly the sex was a trigger for her memories, so if they could just talk about it, maybe eventually Garrith would open up about everything else. She just prayed it wouldn’t be too late.

  Chapter 11

  As they sat outside Brett’s apartment building, Keisha sighed. She didn’t want to be there. As much as she loved her brother, she wanted to be with Garrith in their own home. Since being shot, he hadn’t taken her there. She didn’t even know where there was.

  “Why haven’t you brought me to our place?”

  Garrith’s head whipped around at her question as he pulled the vehicle into a parking space. “Because.”

  “Because why? It’s my home too. I want go home, Garrith.” Keisha cringed at the whine in her voice. She wanted to see what she shared with him. She wanted something familiar. Having sex with him felt amazing, wonderful, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more.

  “I don’t think it’ll help.” Garrith’s voice deepened.

  “You can’t stop me from going home. It’s my place too.”

  “Technically, it’s my place. We didn’t buy it together.”

  “We lived together. I don’t care whose name is on the fucking paperwork,” she snapped.

  “Keisha.” Garrith’s voice took on that warning tone it did whenever he was mad or upset but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t give in.

  “I’m not leaving.” She crossed her arms under her chest and glared at Garrith. He wanted to be an asshole? Fine, but she could be just as big of a bitch, if not more.

  His gaze darkened and his jaw clenched before he turned the SUV back on. The beast powered up, the only noise between them. They drove in silence and Keisha watched the city fly by them. She knew they lived in a fancier part of town but she didn’t know exactly where. Garrith used to work for the FBI.

  “Do you still work for the FBI?”

  Garrith glanced at her, momentarily surprised by her question. “I’m on leave.”

  “Oh. Why?”

  His eyebrow rose like she really needed to ask that question. It was because of her he was on leave. Well, didn’t that just help all of the guilt that was soaring through her?

  She turned back around and stared outside. She didn’t know how much time had passed but when they pulled up to a small house, her heart gave a start. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

  “Why haven’t you brought me here?” Was that her voice? It came out small and tinny. She could feel her world shattering around her and the fact that Garrith didn’t even want her there in the first place broke her heart but also made her more spiteful.

  Keisha stepped out of the vehicle, not bothering to wait for Garrith’s response. He probably wouldn’t give her one anyways.

  She walked up the path, the sunset glowing on the front of the house. It was small, cute. Home.

  Her home. Their home. Since staying with Brett, she felt like she was intruding on his life. He was single. Had his own business. What twenty-seven-year old wanted to be living with their broken sister?

  Nothing about the house seemed familiar to her. There was a rose bush in the front garden that brought back the memories from earlier but nothing new. She felt Garrith walk past her, heading to the front door. The house was white with a green door. She frowned. Why was the door green?

  “It came like that. You’ve always hated the color. I haven’t had a chance of getting a new one.”

  Keisha glanced at Garrith, not realizing she had spoken aloud.

  He looked back at her before heading into the house, leaving the door open.

  She followed him into the small home and shut the door behind her, leaning against it for support. She didn’t recognize anything. She thought maybe it would trigger a memory of some sort but it didn’t…yet.

  Keisha stared down a short hallway lined with pictures. She looked at each one, her heart hurting more and more as she glanced at the images. Her with her friends, her brother, but none with Garrith. Maybe he had gotten rid of the pictures of them together or they didn’t have any pictures of them at all.

  She headed into the living room that had black furniture circling a fireplace. He
r breath caught when she noticed what was on the mantel. Pictures of her and Garrith…happy.

  She felt a warm body come up behind her but he didn’t touch her.

  Keisha’s gaze roamed over the black and white pictures. They were simply stunning. She wasn’t looking at the camera in any of them but at Garrith instead. The love she saw in her own eyes for the man in the picture made her stomach flip.

  Her heart sped up and with a shaky hand she lifted a picture off the mantel and brought it down. “I—”

  “We got these professionally done about a year ago but you wouldn’t cooperate and actually look at the camera.” Garrith’s voice was thick with emotion as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “We looked happy.” Keisha’s eyes burned with tears that threatened to escape.

  “We were, love,” he whispered.

  Keisha ran her fingers down the glass covering the image. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force a memory of that day. She wanted to remember more than just one thing at a time. She needed to remember him. My love.

  She gasped as a shooting pain pounded into her skull and dropped to her knees. The picture frame crashed to the floor with her. Mixed with the anxiety of not remembering and the exploding headache, she gripped the picture frame and cried.

  Warm arms enveloped her, holding her.

  She looked up and stared into Garrith’s blue eyes, darkened by pain. Pain over the fact that she couldn’t remember him. She was trying. She really was. “Garrith.”

  He shook his head and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t. I just…”

  Keisha gripped onto his shirt. “Please. I’m so—”

  “No. Stop.” He grabbed her wrists and went to push her off of him but she held on tight.

  “Garrith, why? Why is it so hard for you to talk to me?” Keisha pulled her hand out of his grip and cupped his cheek. His chiseled features, tanned by time spent in the sun, made her breath catch every time he looked at her.

  She ran her thumb over his full bottom lip, the scruff of his jaw scratching at her palm. His deep blue eyes shone with sadness but he didn’t respond.