by London Casey
I slammed the door behind me. “Look at me, you old fuck. Don’t set me up ever again like that. You don’t know what’s happening here.”
Jack stood up, his lip curling. “Did you kill that man?”
“Fuck you.”
“Answer the question, kid. Did you kill that man?”
“I was never formally charged,” I said. “So it doesn’t matter, does it?”
“In your heart it does, Slade.”
“I can’t rewind time and fix anything. I don’t belong in this town. This was a mistake. I’ll fix up that car for you, Jack, okay? But then I’m out of here. What would you charge someone for changing a tire?”
“Eh, depending on my mood? Maybe a hundred bucks, if that.”
I dug in my pocket and pulled out some twenties. I slapped them on the counter. “Here. Don’t charge her. I’ll cover the bill. Just get her out of here.”
I went to the backdoor and went outside. I flicked on a spotlight that shined only a portion of the way across the junkyard. Jack loved to collect shit, that was for sure. But the thing was, with all this shit and rust and beat up metal, all it took was time and care to turn it into something worth buying. A freaking hunk of junk that I could fix could end up netting Jack twenty grand or more.
I looked at my hands and realized that’s what I had been doing my entire life.
Fixing shit. But I never got to fix myself and what happened.
No car or motorcycle was going to do that for me. They were all just temporary highs for me. Like a junkie shooting death into their veins, the junkyard was my heroin. Focusing on what needed to get done took my mind away. Then the high of seeing it completed. Then came the low of seeing it completed which only fueled me to fix something else or get on my motorcycle and go find somewhere new to exist for a few minutes.
I walked to a car and lifted the hood. There was barely enough light to see in it. The engine looked pretty decent. It needed to be cleaned up. I forced myself to think about the next project Jack had for me. I’d have to assess the car and see what it needed. I’ll pick out parts from across the junkyard and if I couldn’t find what I needed, I’d have to go to other junkyards. It would keep me busy for days and then I could leave.
I had no reason to be in town. Liv was right about that. What happened that night really didn’t matter right now. Yeah, I had been threatened with charges for fucking murder. But they had been taken away. I made an off the record kind of deal to get away from it. Even though I was fucking innocent the town painted me as a killer. I guess I had it coming from the way me and my brothers acted.
I reached into the car and twisted off the oil cap.
I had no business in town. I had no business under the hood of the car. I had no business anywhere but the road. Fuck, I should have just taken the leather cut from the Savage Viper’s and sit at their table, voting on guns, drugs, pussy, money, and wars. Ride hard, live fast, drink lots, fuck even more. That’s what I should have been doing.
I rested my hand on the engine of the car and let out breath.
I felt her presence a second before she said my name.
“Slade?”
I shut my eyes. She was going to destroy me.
(OLIVIA)
“Where did he go?” I asked.
“Out back for a smoke,” Jack said.
“How much do I owe?” I asked. “I have my bag in the car.”
“Nothing.”
“What?”
“You heard me, nothing.”
“You don’t give away free stuff, Jack.”
“Normally I’d make a crude remark right now about you earning it, but this is beyond me.” Jack nodded to some money on the counter.
“Slade paid you?” I asked.
“I’m going to go finish up some whiskey and look into that tire for you. I should be able to have it here within a day or two. I can give you a call, okay? Then we’ll get you all switched out and you’ll be good to go. Take it easy on that spare, it’s not meant for drag racing.”
Jack walked into the garage and I walked behind the counter. I opened the door that led out back. There wasn’t much light but enough that I could see Slade. Standing at a car with the hood up. When he reached down, the back of his shirt pull up a little, showing his back. What was it about dirty blue jeans and a black belt that killed me like it did? Especially on him.
I paused and knew my place was to go home. I had bigger problems to worry about than thanking Slade for helping me. If anything, screw him. He set me up with this. He set me up to get stuck in this small town. He did what he did and then he took off.
He said he was innocent... he was never convicted...
I knew there was a story to what happened that night. All I remembered was the feeling of being on his motorcycle, staring up at the stars, trying to catch my breath. I had never expected pleasure like that in my life. The things he did. How he did those things.
Then we heard the noise of footsteps and our lives changed.
I couldn’t just walk away tonight though. Walker was out of town. And I had a fake pregnancy thing going on, which put me right back in the hot seat of lies and going against the grain. The only person in the world that would understand that...
“Slade?” I asked as I approached.
He stood and turned.
Against the soft light, he was a monster. His shoulders looked like they could hold a car. His arms filled out the short sleeves of the t-shirt and stretched the shirt, and that was before he was flexing. His body was built for strength, work, and pleasure. My fingertips tingled, along with a spot between my legs. My inner thighs trembled as the memories rushed back. I felt my face feeling flush as I started to get wet. I felt a warm gush seep into my panties. My toes curled and I felt my breathing wanting to go out of control. This was what Slade did to me. From the day I met him until now.
“What?” he asked.
“You didn’t have to pay for anything,” I said. “I have money. I’m not poor.”
“Most people would just say thank you.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“Nobody said you had to.”
“That doesn’t make up...”
“No, beautiful, it doesn’t,” Slade said. “I’m not looking to buy my way into your life.”
“Okay. I’m sorry for what happened.”
“Now or then?”
“What did I do wrong then?”
“You looked at me as though I were guilty,” Slade said. “Like the rest of the town. But that was a long time ago, right? You’ve moved on. I’m going to finish fixing up a car for Jack and then I’m heading out of town for good.”
Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed for his wrist and shook my head. “What about you? Have you moved on?”
“Why does it matter to you?”
“It does.”
Slade reached for my hand and peeled it away from his wrist. He gripped my hand, his strength so intense. He was gentle when he wanted and fierce when he needed to be. His thumb slid along the back of my hand, just like it had done along my cheek before his kissed me.
He kissed me. Jesus Christ, Slade kissed me. And then I kissed him. I was a fucking liar even worse now...
My eyes started to fill with tears.
“What is it, Liv?” he whispered. “What are you holding back and hiding?”
I shook my head. “I can’t. Not here. My brother will kill you, Slade. You don’t get how bad it really is.”
“Then make me get it,” Slade said.
“I can’t. Not right now. I can’t be here.”
“Because of someone else?”
“It’s too hard to explain,” I said. “Can I ask you to trust me when I say that?”
“I don’t have a fucking choice, do I?”
“No.”
“Then let me put it this way, beautiful. I’m going to be right here all day tomorrow and all of tomorrow night. But I can’t wait forever.”
I n
odded. “Okay.”
My heart was racing so fast.
Had I really just made plans to secretly meet up with Slade?
It was terribly wrong to do. I was going to end up letting so many people down because of him. But what about me? I wouldn’t be letting myself down. I’d be finally getting answers to questions that crawled through my heart everyday of my life.
Slowly, Slade lifted my hand and he kissed it. He ran his nose along my middle finger and took a deep breath.
“I haven’t forgotten the way you smell, Liv,” he whispered. “Time doesn’t heal wounds you keep cutting open.”
I shuddered and exhaled a shaky breath. A tear fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek. I took my hand back and backed away from him. As I started to turn, he said my name.
Liv.
Seeing his lips move and hearing that was better than the most beautiful summer day.
“Yeah?” I said.
“I’m guilty of so much in my life. But that night... I’m not guilty. And I never meant to hurt you. I never meant for things to end up here. In a junkyard.”
I nodded and walked away.
I had to get away.
If I didn’t... I was going to jump at him again.
And if I jumped at Slade again, it was going to be for forever.
(SLADE)
I splashed water against my face and caught my breath. It was only four in the morning but I was wide awake from some fucked up dream. In the dream it was Liv who took the fall that night. Off the cliff, staring up at me, calling my name. She went out of sight but she kept calling my name.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
She had a guy in her life. His shoes were in her trunk. It wasn’t my place to find out how serious things were, but shit, she had been more than willing to kiss me. Was that the kind of mess I really wanted right now? Going back in time to pick up the pieces of Liv... fucking her senseless, feeling her now as a real woman... and in the process, destroying everything she had built up for herself.
I knew her brother was a complete asshole. Owen had always been that way. A kid too good for himself, snobby because his father was a big time cop. His old man took a bullet to the gut during a traffic stop. And it definitely changed Owen. It made him harder than he had ever been, but he never crossed the line to my side of the world. He stayed straight, became a cop, and kept me out of town.
Until now.
I left the bathroom and grabbed the half gallon of milk from the fridge. I took a big drink and then stood there, leaning against the counter. For years my brothers had been riding my ass about Liv. Giving me shit for being on the run. I tried to say it was always about freedom and following the words Ma gave me before she killed herself, but it wasn’t that.
I was staying the hell away from Liv.
For my own good and hers.
Truthfully... I was told to stay away. If I came close again, I’d end up in jail. And goddammit if there wasn’t good cause for that to happen.
I heard my cell beeping from the bedroom.
Who the fuck would be calling me this late... or early...
I ran to the bedroom and saw it was Roman.
“Shit,” I whispered.
He was either drunk or in jail.
I called him right back. “What do you want, brother?”
“I need you, Slade,” he said, his voice heavy and cracking.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Willow... it’s the baby... something’s wrong...”
I grabbed a shirt and my leather jacket and was out the door.
The last thing I needed was another tragedy to face...
I ran down the hall of the hospital, following the sound of Roman’s voice. He was screaming fucking loud and I knew he was getting close to losing his shit for good. I turned the corner and saw him toe to toe with a security guard and a doctor behind the security with a hand out, pushing the security guard right into Roman.
Then I saw Roman bring his fist back.
“Ah, fuck,” I said and charged even faster.
As his fist moved forward I got there in time to hook my arm around his and pull him away. There were only two people as strong as Roman and that was me and Caine. But to face a Knight brother when they were ready to snap, that was a whole new beast.
Roman turned and threw his other fist. He connected with my jaw, sending me flying back. I fell into a table, sending magazines scattering to the floor. Roman stared at me with a deep rage in his eyes. Yeah, he was hurting and scared, but nobody swung at me without getting it right back. I lunged forward and put my shoulder into his gut and drove him back to the wall. We hit with a thundering boom. A picture fell and shattered. Roman put his arms around my neck and tried to get me in a chokehold. I quickly broke away, stepped back, and took my swing at him. My knuckles smashed against the left side of his mouth. Blood sprayed and he turned sideways, putting his hands to the wall.
I moved forward again and grabbed him with my arms, squeezing him.
“I’m so sorry, brother,” I whispered. “Tell me what’s happening.”
“What the hell is going on?” the security guard asked, completely shocked.
Roman turned and wiped his mouth. He pushed at me. “Get the fuck back, Slade. Shit.”
I stepped back and showed him my hands. “I’m right here, Roman. I said I’d come and I’m here.”
“This asshole won’t let me see my girl,” Roman yelled.
I looked at the doctor. “What’s going on?”
“I was trying to speak with Mr. Knight when he grew angry...”
“You want to see anger?” I asked. “I’ll tear this fucking place down unless you tell my brother what’s happening with his unborn child.” I looked at the security and moved fast, grabbing his cuffs and pepper spray. “And you... you couldn’t protect someone from rain with an umbrella. I can make one call and have a gang of bikers out front ready to come through this place and find out what’s going on.”
The security stepped back and grabbed for his radio. “This is...”
“Yeah, make the call,” I said. “Call your buddies. Rent-a-cops, right?”
“Just tell me what’s going on with the baby,” Roman said.
“Mr. Knight, I just told you what’s going on. We’re running some tests to determine what’s happening. It could just be some random pains but we want a better look at the baby and your... and Willow. Right now, she’s comfortable...”
“Why can’t he see her?” I asked.
“He’s acting irrational.”
My eyes widened. I stepped toward the doctor and Roman grabbed the neck of my leather jacket. I wiggled fast and left Roman with the jacket as I towered over the doctor.
“Look, Doc, I don’t know who fucking beat you up as a kid, okay? But if he looked like my brother, that ain’t our fucking problem. Take us to her right now.”
The doctor swallowed hard and his face was as red as an apple.
“Fair enough,” he said. “But I am going to report both of you and make sure security knows all of this that just happened. You both will be cited, charged, whatever is needed to ensure the safety of my patients.”
“Great,” I said. I put a hand to his shoulder. “Let’s start with the safety of Willow and my brother’s unborn child.”
I pushed the doctor and he started to walk.
Roman tossed my leather jacket at me. “What the fuck was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Christ,” Roman said. “He had a few points...”
“Shut up, Roman. You woke me up to come here. I’m here. How’s the football season going?”
“I’m fucking suspended, remember?”
I grinned. “Oh yeah. That’s right.”
“I fucking hate you sometimes.”
“I hate you all the time, brother.”
The doctor stopped at a door and nodded. “She’s in there, resting. I ask you to please remai
n patient, and stay confident for her.”
“Thanks, Doc,” I said. “No hard feelings. It’s family.”
Roman opened the door and rushed inside. I followed behind him.
There were two nurses at the bed. They both stopped and looked at me and Roman like we were hungry beasts.
“Willow,” Roman said. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Fuck, I can’t believe this.” He reached for her belly and put his hand to it.
She was very swollen even though she still had some time to go. If the baby came now... then again, what did I know about kids? Doctors could do stuff and keep things going along.
“She’s stable now,” one nurse said.
“I feel better,” Willow said. “Hey Slade.”
“You sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“I am. The baby is fine.”
Roman dropped to one knee. “For real?”
“Yes. Just some early contractions.”
“Contractions?” I asked. “Does that mean the baby is coming?”
“No,” the other nurse said. She smiled at me. “It’s just her body’s way of getting things in order. That’s all. Everyone is built differently. We were just trying to make sure of the umbilical cord and the positioning of the baby.”
“Sounds gross,” I said.
“Hey,” Roman said, looking back at me. “It’s fucking beautiful. It’s my kid.”
I laughed. “Calm down, tough guy.” I approached the bed and nodded to Willow’s stomach. “Can I?”
“Sure,” Willow said.
I put my hand to her stomach. “Hey little Knight. This is your Uncle Slade. You need to stay put, little one. No more scares. It’s not fun to take to the road on a motorcycle at four-thirty in the morning. Next time you do that to me, kid, you better be coming out.”
Willow laughed a weak laugh.
“She’s tired,” one of the nurses said.
“I’m not fucking leaving,” Roman said.
“Of course not, Mr. Knight.”
“My husband is a big fan,” the other nurse said. “Sorry. I just had to say it. I can’t believe you’re here.”
“You take good care of my girl here and I’ll give you and your husband some tickets.”