Back at the SUV, they bolted to their sides of the vehicle, yanked open the doors and threw themselves inside. Aiden rammed the key into the ignition and flipped the key. As soon as the engine roared to life, he shoved the rig into drive and hit the gas, flipping a U-turn and heading back the way they had come.
“Whew.” Jack breathed out when they were back on the highway. “That was fucking close.”
Aiden checked the rearview mirror. “I didn’t even see anything.”
“He was coming.”
“I believe you. I’m just saying …” He trailed off, not knowing what he actually was saying.
They rode in comfortable silence until Jack broke the silence. “You seem different the last few days.”
Aiden turned his head away from the road and threw his friend an incredulous look. “Seriously? I seem different!”
“Yeah. Man, it’s not an insult, why are you so pissed?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Aiden shot back. “Maybe because my whole fucking life is falling apart and I have to run away like a little bitch, and now to make matters even worse, I have to live with a bunch of Keepers who hate my guts. I am literally living out of bags and I don’t know how any of this shit happened.”
“They don’t hate you, and we are going to fix this. It’s only temporary.”
“It’s not temporary. I can never go back.”
He didn’t look at Jack, but he could feel Jack’s eyes on him. “You can if my mother isn’t in the equation anymore.”
Aiden snorted at the idea. “Right.”
“All we have been talking about is how to avoid her. But, now … with Lucy pregnant, I won’t risk her taking any of that away.”
“I don’t think …” Aiden started to speak but Jack cut him off.
“Oh, don’t think for a moment that I wouldn’t. You think I’m protective of Lucy? Up until now, that has been nothing compared to what would happen if someone messes with my kid. I will kill them without thinking twice about it, and that includes my own mother.”
“Look, I know how you are about Lucy, but your mom?”
“You know that my mother wouldn’t blink an eye to take me out, and I’m her son. Imagine what happens if she finds out about the baby.”
Aiden nodded. Camille Walker was hard as ice and wouldn’t care one iota if Lucy was pregnant, she would probably want to kill her even more than she already did. “Yeah. I understand. So how are you going to go about this.”
“I don’t know. I’m just tired of living in fear and it makes it worse that it’s my own mother. If she’s out of the picture, maybe I still have a chance to take over, to … you know, rule.”
“I highly doubt that you would be accepted as Emperor. And besides, your father is still hanging on and even though he’s dying, he’s still the Emperor,” Aiden reluctantly explained.
“We could try,” Jack offered, “It’s the only way to ensure that Lucy and the baby remain safe.”
“While I agree that your mother being out of the picture would create a safer environment, the whole, now I want to rule, thing, won’t work. You can’t renounce your family and your title and then expect the Reaper society to simply accept you back. You betrayed them, they all know it and they won’t let it go.” He glanced over at Jack to see how he would take that news.
“Okay, fine. Then forget that part. I just want to end all of this.”
Nothing was going to end this. Reapers and Keepers were natural born enemies and would always be at odds. Lucy was the Chosen One, the one who was prophesied to bring forth an end to the Reapers. Therefore, the Reapers would never stop trying to put an end to her.
“We all want it to end. But, this shit is forever man. You know that. As long as she exists, the Reapers will keep coming for her, no matter what.”
Aiden pulled into the Estmond’s driveway and parked, then turned to glance at his friend. “We will figure it out. There has to be a way to end this.”
He watched as Jack glared through the windshield, staring at the yellow farmhouse in which he now lived. Finally, Jack nodded and pulled the handle on the door to get out. “There is a way to end it. And it starts with my mother.” He pulled the handle and got out of the SUV, “Thanks for taking me with. I’ll see you in there.”
Aiden shook his head. “Nah, I think I’m going to head over to the bar for a little while. I need something stronger than beer right now.”
“Okay. But don’t get too fucked up or Greg and the rest of the posse will yell at you. Believe me, I know.” With that, he spun in the gravel and headed for the porch, his boots crunching the gravel as he walked.
Aiden watched him until he had entered the house and closed the door behind him, and then he reversed and backed out of the driveway.
He arrived at the bar just as everyone was getting off of work or something. The place was packed. He pushed open the door and shoved his way through the mass of people holding drinks and shouting at each other over the music.
Reese, the pretty dark haired bar tender, made eye contact with him as he approached the bar and offered him a slight nod. She was currently pouring beer from the tap into glasses so he found a free stool at the bar and sat down to wait.
When she finished delivering the beers to a bunch of loud guys at the other end of the bar, she made her way over to him. “Hey, Jack’s friend.”
“Hey, sexy bar tender,” he responded.
Her lips curled into a smile. “Your admiration can be displayed in the form of big tips. What can I get you?”
Tilting his head, Aiden examined the woman. She was exceptionally attractive. Her long chestnut hair fell down her back in waves and she had long bangs with curls that hung down around her eyes. His intuition told him that she wasn’t one of those who would be easy to get into bed. He sensed a hardness underneath that soft appearance. “I’ll have a jack and coke, double the jack.”
She nodded and turned to grab the bottle off the shelf behind her, then bent to get a glass from beneath the bar. “So, what brings you into this fine establishment this evening?” she asked as she poured the amber liquid over a layer of ice cubes.
He shrugged. “Needed a drink? This place has booze.”
Finishing his drink she slid it toward him and leaned over a little. “A double Jack usually means something is bothering a person.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow as she straightened.
“But, what do I know, I’m just a little ole bar tender,” she finished, grabbing a bar rag and wiping the area in front of her.
Was she flirting with him or was she like this with everyone? He had zero clue to answer that question. Everything this woman did seemed enticing and flirtatious, yet at the same time, she had this ‘do not fuck with me or I will gut you’ air about her.
He liked that.
“There is plenty bothering me. I lead a problematic lifestyle,” he responded before sipping his drink.
She nodded knowingly. “Hmmm … so, it’s not woman troubles.” She tilted her head as she examined him. “I see … your stressed out about something, you haven’t slept much and you have conflicting emotions about whatever it is that your stressed out about. The angel and the devil are on your shoulders, fighting for control.”
Even with the lack of emotion and training to keep a straight face during certain situations, Aiden felt his lips part as his jaw fell open. For a moment he only stared at her in shock.
“I’m right then?” she asked with a smile.
He closed his mouth and fixed his eyes into a glare. “How in the hell would you know any of that?”
She shrugged. “It’s my job.”
“No, that’s a fortune tellers job.” He finished off his drink in one long guzzle.
“This job, we see and hear many stories. We learn the expressions and the postures, the drinks that go with different feelings. Even as a child I used to sit here with my father and listen to him talk to the customers. I watched and I learned, and now my daddy is gone and I
am the one who is here for my people.”
He nodded. “So, it’s more than a job … it’s your calling.”
“I suppose. I imagine I would have to have some natural talent of reading and empathizing with people, but a great deal of this was learned simply observing all my life.”
He pushed his empty glass toward her. “I can’t say I exactly like it that you can read me, but I think it’s cool you’re good at what you do.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“But, I’m still not talking about my problems with a stranger,” he finished.
Behind him he heard someone entering the bar. Reese waved at the newcomers and then turned her attention back to him for a moment. “That’s okay, I have other customers who will tell me their deep dark secrets.”
Curious, Aiden turned to see who she was waving at and was surprised to see Liv entering the establishment. He was also shocked to see that she was alone. He would have assumed that at least one of her brothers or sisters would be with her.
She waved at Reese and caught sight of him staring at her. Her eyes darkened and she smiled weakly, offering him a wave as well. After pushing her way through the crowd between the door and the bar, she appeared beside him.
She was tired. Darkness shaded the space beneath her eyes and her skin didn’t seem as radiant as it normally was. She had her red hair tied up into a messy bun atop her head with a few tendrils falling down around her eyes. “Hey.” She greeted him, wedging her way into the space beside him.
Reese stepped up to the bar on the other side of them. “Liv, good to see you.” Then, she turned her head slightly and glared at the man on the stool beside Liv. “Rog, don’t be an asshole, offer your seat to the lady.”
Surprised, Rog snapped his head toward Reese. He had been chatting with the guy on the other side of him. “Oh … uh, sorry Reese. Olivia, here, take my seat.”
“That’s okay…” Liv tried to decline, but Reese cut her off.
“Thank you, Rog. What a gentleman.” She wiped at the counter as she spoke.
When Rog had vacated his chair and Liv was sitting on it, Reese let out a long breath. “Okay, now what can I get you.”
“Something strong,” Liv told her, “I don’t care what it is.”
Reese moved her eyes between Liv and Aiden, flicking back and forth from one to the other. And then, with a mischievous glint in her dark brown eyes, she bent to get a glass from beneath the bar. “Coming right up.”
Why in the hell was Reese looking at her like that? It wasn’t as if she’d never stopped in for a drink before. She turned to Aiden while Reese poured her drink. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “It was an ‘I need something stronger than beer’ kind of day. What about you, same?”
Liv considered before speaking and then leaned in toward him a little. “That and I couldn’t sleep. I went home and tried, but …”
“I get it,” Aiden told her before she could go on.
She was glad he didn’t want her to explain. Not only was she stressed out about everything going on, guilt over killing that Reaper was beginning to eat at her. “Thanks,” she murmured as Reese pushed a drink toward her. “What is this?”
Her longtime friend smiled and tilted her head. “Don’t ask, just give me your money.”
“I’ve got her drinks.” Aiden stood up and pulled his wallet out.
“I can pay for my own booze, Re…Aiden.”
He rolled his eyes as he threw some cash on the bar. “I have her drinks,” he repeated. “And keep the change.”
Reese grabbed the bills and opened the register. “If the man wants to pay for your drinks, let him.”
“Well,” Liv raised the glass that Reese had given her. “Here’s to getting some sleep.” Aiden clinked his glass to hers and they both proceeded to guzzle down their drinks.
“Damn,” Reese set her hands on her hips, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I don’t even need any other customers with you two around. If you keep drinking like that, I could just stand here and fill your drinks all night long.”
“Only one more for me.” Liv pushed her glass forward and Reese smiled knowingly. It wasn’t uncommon for Liv to come in for a drink or two, but it was a rare occurrence that she ever got drunk at the bar. Those days of getting so shit faced that she couldn’t walk, much less drive herself home, were far behind her.
Reese finished mixing the drinks and slid them across the bar. “Thanks.” Liv accepted hers.
Aiden made a face and plucked the cherry Reese had placed on top of the ice cubes out of his drink. He pinched the stem between his finger and thumb, and held it up. “What is this shit?” he demanded.
The bartender had moved down the bar by several people and was currently pulling the caps off of a couple of beers. “I thought you needed something sweet with all that bite.”
Aiden let go of the cherry and it plopped back down into the liquid. “Is that so?”
Liv rolled her eyes as Aiden’s lips curled up into a smile. He probably thought Reese was flirting with him. She very well may have been. Reese knew how to charm people, both men and women alike. She was a badass, though. A woman who spoke her mind and didn’t let anyone give her any shit. Everyone knew not to mess with Reese. But, she was also a very pretty woman who ran a bar for a living, which meant she had to emanate just the right amount of flirt to keep the tips coming.
Reese continued to serve to her customers and didn’t bother responding to Aiden, so he went to work on his drink.
Liv stirred her drink with the tiny red straw that floated between the ice cubes. The fact that she was sitting here next to Aiden, a Reaper, was still incredibly strange to her. He was also currently living in her house, and that was something she had never, ever, thought would be one of her problems.
She still couldn’t trust him, even after all the things he’d done to help her family. The bad things people do in life always outweigh the positive. She knew that he loved Jack, that much was clear. But until the Empress forced him out, he had been loyal to her. It was hard to believe that he could change sides so quickly.
What made all of this even harder was the fact that this Reaper was smoking hot and when he looked at her, she felt as if his gaze could strip her naked, exposing everything, including her emotions.
When it came to men, her life consisted of short term relationships and one-night stands. Living in a small town and being a Keeper definitely whittled down her options as far as dating went. So, she’d learned over time that relationships wouldn’t last. She couldn’t tell anyone about the family secret and explaining why she often had to be out all night, plus occasional bruises, made it hard to maintain any kind of relationship. This left her lonely quite often and she had gotten used to that.
But, she still had needs and sometimes a girl needed physical contact, which was what led her to the long line of one-night stands. Keeping that shit a secret in a small town was not easy either.
She swirled the straw in her drink and then sipped at it. She couldn’t deny that she was attracted to Aiden, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why. Maybe that was why she wanted him gone so badly, maybe it had nothing to do with the things he’d done and everything to do with the fact that she was lonely.
“You all right?” Aiden’s voice cut into her thoughts.
“Yup.” She nodded. “Fabulous.”
He seemed to get it that she didn’t want to talk about it, and she highly doubted he really wanted to know anyway. From what she knew of him, she was surprised he even asked in the first place.
Aiden pushed his glass away and Reese swooped in to take it. “If you want another I’m going to have to take your keys.”
“Seriously?” Aiden’s mouth fell open. “I’ve only had two drinks!”
Reese tilted her head and locked eyes with him. “You have had two double drinks. A third double would make that six regular drinks. Therefore, your keys go right over t
here on the wall and you can come and get them tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“That’s right.” Reese’s face was stern.
Liv elbowed Aiden and shook her head. “Don’t even try to talk her out of it. I’ll take you home.”
Again, the bartender’s eyes flicked curiously back and forth between her and Aiden. “See, you have a ride. I’m not forcing you to drink more, but if you do, you’re all set.”
“Fine. Fuck it.” Aiden stood and after digging around in his pocket he withdrew his keys and tossed them on the bar. “I’ll have another.”
Reese grabbed his keys and turned, placing them on the old license plate that hung on the wall. After Mr. Knight’s accident, Reese had the plate turned into a key hook that served as a memorial for her father and also a way to do her duty keeping drunk drivers off the street. All the locals knew the rules for Knights Bar and that plate was overfilled with keys quite often.
Liv lifted her glass to her lips, taking another sip and scanning the bar. Most of the patrons were local, but there were a few tourists scattered around in there. Sometimes, she wished that she lived in a big city where no one knew anyone and your business was yours alone. In reality, she could move if she wanted to, but her family was what kept her in Summer Hollow.
Greg was assigned a graveyard in the Bay Area and he was always making trips back home, so it would be senseless to leave anyway. Her family needed her and she needed them, it would probably be that way forever. Not that she minded. Most of the time she loved the fact that her family was so tight, but there were often times when she could definitely do without the Estmond drama.
Out of nowhere, a scratching noise sounded over a microphone. The crowd groaned in unison and many covered their ears in response. Glancing toward the source of the noise, Liv saw several people setting up a karaoke area on the stage.
“What are they doing?” Aiden asked from behind her.
“It’s karaoke night.”
“Oh, seriously? Are you going to sing something for us?”
Keeper Under Fire (Graveyard Guardians Book 3) Page 10