Safe With You: Winter's Rose #1

by Lizzie James

  “I think I should go,” James interjected before trying to walk past me.

  “No!” I shouted at him. “No. I want you to stay and I want you both to tell me what the hell is going on. Right now!”

  James widened his eyes at Alex and plonked himself down next to his brother on the sofa.

  I walked past them and took a seat in the armchair, waiting for him to tell me what he obviously couldn’t trust me with. I hated that today had now made me question everything that he ever said to me. How could he be falling for me but not able to trust me enough to talk to me about his problems?

  “Talk,” I ordered when he just stared at me. “Now.”

  “No,” he answered me stubbornly. “This is nothing to do with you.”

  I stared at his eyes, hating the cold glaze that had come over his chocolate orbs.

  “I have shared everything with you,” I whispered. “Do you know how hard it has been to open myself back up to another person? To lower the walls and let you in? I really thought that you meant everything that you said to me the other night.”

  Before I could get the will to stand and leave, his voice rang out, stopping me cold.

  “I will lose you,” he choked out. “If I tell you this, I will lose you forever.” He stared at me for a few moments before he looked at James and nodded his head to the door.

  He nodded, clapping him on the shoulder and walked out of the apartment, leaving us both alone.

  “Why don’t you trust me?” I asked.

  “I do! I do trust you but this...” He rubbed his forehead. “When I tell you this, I won’t stop you when you walk out that door. I won’t stop you.”

  I stared at him, not saying a word. I had a feeling that whatever I could have said, wouldn’t have sounded right.

  “When I was in prison, I shared a cell with this guy called Anton. Anton Giovanni. He was a popular guy and he looked out for me. He brought me into his circle and I had an easier time in prison than I probably would have.”

  “I’m assuming that he didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart,” I muttered.

  “Not really. If he looked out for you, it was because he needed something from you. I worked for him. Collected debts, organised beat downs, helped pass drugs from cell to cell, took part in fights for him... It helped to keep my nose clean and it made sure I got out on time.” He stared at the floor, and I knew he was ashamed of what he was admitting.

  The man he was describing was a stranger to me. I didn’t know that man and I never wanted to.

  “Go on,” I urged softly.

  He nodded his head before leaning his elbows on his knees and framing his face in his hands. The action hid his eyes from me and it broke my heart.

  I stood and went to him, taking a seat at his side. I reached up and took his fingers, forcing his gaze back to me. “Go on,” I repeated.

  “A few weeks before my release, a guard found drugs on me. I was on my way to pass them to a customer a few cells down when he found them on me. I thought Anton was going to be furious with me.”

  “Was he?” I asked.

  “No.” He shook his head. “He took the fall for me. Said it was him and that the guard was mistaken.” He let out a humourless chuckle. “He served extra time for it, and I got to walk free when my time was done.”

  “He saved you,” I whispered.

  “Hardly,” he muttered. “I may have walked out of that prison but my debt will never be paid. My soul was marked for hell a long time ago.”

  He looked up at me and I could see the dread that was reflected back at me.

  “The guard that busted me never got to make his statement. He was killed in a hit and run accident after work and never got the chance to report what he saw.”

  “Alex,” I whispered. “That poor man.”

  “I killed that man, Charlie.” His voice shook, and I knew he was close to breaking. “I cost that man his life, and I will never forget it.” He stood abruptly before walking to the window. “You can go now,” he said, coldly dismissing me.

  “What?” Now I was pissed. “You think you can just admit something like that and then dismiss me like a piece of trash?”

  “You can’t want to stay. Not after...”

  “Hey!” I grabbed his arm and spun him to face me. “Do you think that little of me? That I would just leave you when you needed me?”

  “It’s a lot to take on,” he muttered. He reached for me, raising his hand and rubbing his thumb along my cheekbone.

  “It is.” I grasped his hand, holding it to my cheek. “I haven’t exactly been without my own drama.” I turned my head and kissed his hand before asking my next question. “What I don’t understand is why this is suddenly a huge problem now? What happened?”

  He sighed. “Anton is in town. Apparently, your ex went to see him. He bought a gun.”

  Dread settled in my chest, and I knew that whatever problems we may have had, they were going to get a load worse. Like a hundred times worse.

  “So, my psychotic ex that has picked up stalking me as his new hobby is now armed and loaded. Fucking great.” I looked up at him, hating the sad smile that he gave me. “You shouldn’t have been afraid to tell me. We need to be honest with each other,” I reprimanded him.

  “I’m sorry.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead before pulling back. “I didn’t want to lose you because the man that I was.”

  I smoothed his hair back from his face. He was such a beautiful man, but he carried so many shadows within him. Death, despair and grief were his companions, and I was determined not to lose him to his darkness.

  “I’m sorry, Alex.”

  “What for?” He frowned down at me in confusion.

  “Your life was normal before me. Now, you have my crazy ex with a grudge.” I felt terrible about it. “I think we should go and see Anton.”

  “No fucking way.” He looked at me in shock.

  “I’m not asking.” I stood up and grabbed my bag from where it was against the wall. “You either take me or I will go and ask David for the location,” I threatened. I stared at him for several moments, waiting on his decision.

  Does he stay or do I go?

  Just as I began thinking I was on my own, he stood up and grabbed his keys. “Let’s go.” He nodded his head to the door, urging me through it before following behind me. He stopped to lock the door up and walked with me down the stairs, leading me out through the bar.

  “Where are you guys going?” James asked.

  “To see Anton,” I said. “Watch the bar. We’ll be back later.”

  He smirked at my ordering him around before he rolled his eyes at me.

  We spent the next forty-five minutes travelling in a taxi into the seedier side of London. It was quiet in the cab with only the sounds of the radio and the busy streets of the city surrounding us. When the car ride started, I had placed my hand in his and refused to let go. He needed to understand that I was there for him just as he was there for me.

  The taxi finally came to a stop, and after paying the driver, we climbed out and looked at the building in front of us. It was old, but the front appeared like it had been remodelled with new windows and doors. It had a sign above in bold, black letters: The Dark Room. There were several bikes parked outside and rock music was playing from inside.

  “It’s not too late to turn back,” he warned me.

  “Come on.” I pulled on his hand and led him inside.

  I walked straight up the bar, hating the way that a few men turned to leer at me. I didn’t belong in a place like this, but right then, I couldn’t care. I was here for a reason and I wasn’t leaving without getting the information that I needed.

  “I want to speak to the owner,” I said to the man behind the bar.

  He had stubble on his face and his arms and neck were covered in tattoos. I was sure he was very popular with the ladies, but I wasn’t interested. The only man I cared about was the one that I could feel at my back.


  “Not today, princess.” He turned away from me, moving a few bottles around before turning back.

  “Tell Anton he has a visitor,” Alex said. “Tell him it’s Alex.”

  “That’s okay,” a voice said from behind us. “Follow me.”

  I turned around and watched a man dressed in a dark navy suit lead us towards the back of the club. I guessed it was Anton. He had a smaller frame than Alex but was just as tall. His walk was confident. We followed him down a corridor, not stopping until he was leading us into a room at the end of the hall.

  “Take a seat,” he said. He walked around his desk and sat, resting his arms on the wood. “This is a surprise, I must say.” He turned to me before giving me a beaming smile. “You must be Alex’s lady.” He was a charming fucker, I had to give him that.

  “I’m Charlie.” I smiled when Alex reached for my hand, resting them on his knee.

  “What can I do for you, Miss Charlie? I am assuming you came here for something specific.”

  “I want to know what David had off you.” He raised his eyebrows in surprise but I quickly continued before he could say anything. “I want to help him. He needs help and I need to know what I’m dealing with.”

  “I’m not sure how that concerns me.” He cocked an eyebrow at me before his gaze flickered between me and Alex. “I’m not sure if you’re aware but—”

  “I’m aware,” I interjected. “Alex told me everything.” I tightened my grip on Alex’s hand. “I know that you and Alex go way back. I don’t think you realise what David is going to do with that gun.”

  Anton looked at Alex before coming back to me. “You don’t look too worried,” he said.

  I was terrified. Sadly, though, I was more scared of David. He wasn’t the man I knew. He may have controlled me, but to have a gun and plan on using it was a huge leap from controlling.

  “I’m not,” I lied. “But if David uses that gun on either of us, who do you think is going to be held responsible? David is losing it. He’s not the same man anymore. He’ll probably be labelled as a crazy fool, but you are the one who supplied an illegal weapon to someone who plans to use it to possibly harm someone.” I could feel Alex watching me and I was surprised that he was remaining quiet. “If you can get that gun back,” I bargained, “I won’t go to the police.”

  He rested his chin in his hands, staring at me. Suddenly, a smirk appeared on his face before he spoke.

  “I like you. You have some guts, I’ll give you that. Not many people threaten to drop me in to the police.”

  “I’m not threatening,” I replied. “I need David to move on, and he can’t exactly do that when he’s going around waving a gun, can he?”

  He stared at Alex for several moments before Alex subtly nodded his head.

  “I’ll sort it,” Anton replied. “One-time deal only.”

  “Why?” I asked, unable to stop myself.

  He nodded his head to the door, hinting at us for us to go, refusing to answer me. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Chase.” His words were kind but his tone wasn’t. “Alex...” He rolled his eyes at me. “Good luck with that one.”

  We quickly exited the club before walking down the street, arm in arm.

  “That went better than I thought.”

  He slung his arm around my shoulders before kissing the side of my head. “You’re awfully sexy when you’re bossing hitmen around.” He laughed, his warm breath washing over my cheek.

  “Do you think he will keep his word?” I bit my lip, worrying.

  “Anton is a shitty person, but he doesn’t break his word. If he says he’s going to do something, he’ll do it.”

  20

  Alex

  It had been several weeks since Charlie and I had seen Anton, and I was happy to say that it had been several weeks of complete peace. We hadn’t seen David hanging around, so it looked like Anton had gotten the gun back. Well, hopefully. I assumed David would have been in here, waving it about by now otherwise.

  I looked up, pulled out of my thoughts, when Charlie came through the door.

  “I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me.” I walked around the bar-top, not wanting a metal surface between us. “Busy today?”

  “Very.” She stacked the cake boxes on top of the bar before turning her body to face me. “I would have been here earlier, but the college crowd came in, and I didn’t want to leave Addie there on her own. We’re a staff member short today.”

  “Do I get you tonight?” I grinned at her before reaching down and palming her arse cheeks.

  “Maybe,” she teased. She wrapped her arms around my neck, allowing me to lift her up. She wrapped her legs around my hips before she gently rocked against me. “Have you been missing me?”

  “Fuck, yes.” I trailed my lips down the column of her neck, sucking at her collarbone. “My hand doesn’t feel half as good as you wrapped around me.”

  She gasped at my words as she grasped the back of my hair and yanked my lips up to hers. She thrust her tongue into my mouth before rocking against me.

  I stumbled forward, resting her back against the high bar surface. I tightened my grip on her arse cheeks as I thrust my hips against hers.

  “Whoa!” James yelled, none too quietly. “Do I need to go back out?”

  We both turned our heads to the side, watching as a cheeky smirk appeared on James’s face.

  “Hi, James,” Charlie muttered before she tapped my shoulders, urging me to put her down. As soon as her feet touched the floor, she grabbed a box and slid it down the bar to him. “Would you help me carry these to the kitchen?”

  I could see the blush on her cheeks, but she was trying to be tough and not make it any worse. I glared at James, silently telling him not to make it any worse.

  He chuckled before letting her pile him up with boxes, and they both took the desserts into the kitchen. Several moments later, they were both smiling when they came out of the kitchen.

  “What are you two looking so happy about?” I asked, wanting to be in on the joke.

  “Nothing for you to worry about.” Charlie skipped up to me and gave me a quick kiss before she was heading back to the door. “My place later? Addie is going back home to Manchester for the weekend.”

  “Sure. See you later, darling.” I gave her a wink as she went back next door and turned to James. “So?”

  “So what?” he asked. He walked past me and kneeled down next to the box of bottles of Budweiser and began refilling the fridge. “Dude,” he said, interpreting my silence correctly. “It’s a secret.”

  A small sliver of jealousy shot up my spine before I squashed it.

  “Let’s just say,” he continued, “that you’ll find out tonight.” He stood back up to his full height before he clapped me on the shoulder as he passed. “I promise, you’ll enjoy it.”

  The day passed by slowly—too fucking slowly.

  “Right! I’m going.” I moved from behind the bar before turning to face the boys. “Any problems, give me a ring.” I looked around, giving the place another look-over and headed to the door. I avoided the looks of a few past fuck buddies, not bothering. It sounded cold but that’s all that they were. Fuck buddies.

  Charlie was the girl for me, and I was never going to go back to the man I was before she gave me a chance. It sounded shitty to say, but they knew a different Alex. That Alex didn’t give a toss who he stepped on or who he shoved aside. Charlie made me a better man, and any mistakes I made in the past needed to stay there.

  Standing outside her building, I felt relief when I didn’t see David hanging around. After pressing the buzzer a second time, I smiled when I saw Addie walking towards me with her luggage bag.

  “Let me take that.” I grabbed the bag from her before turning to the taxi that was pulling up to the kerb. “I could have gotten James to drive you to the train station.” I put her bag in the boot and opened the door for her.

  “That’s okay.” She stepped into the cab before giving me a small
wave. “Have fun tonight.”

  “You know something I don’t?” I asked.

  “Maybe.” She turned to the driver. “Victoria Train Station, please.”

  I reached into my back pocket, pulling a fifty-pound note out before handing it to her through the window.

  “Stay safe, beautiful,” I called to her before descending the stairs.

  She looked surprised at my gesture, but before she could say anything else, the car pulled away from the kerb, taking her to her destination.

  I grabbed the door as a young man exited the building, running up the stairs. I knocked on the door, smiling when Charlie opened it.

  “Come in. You just missed Addie.”

  “I just saw her. She was getting into a taxi.” I leaned down and kissed her lips before pulling back. “Is there a reason she’s going home?” I trailed my eyes down over her outfit, loving how sexy she looked in her white summer dress.

  She turned away and led me to the kitchen. “She hasn’t been home in a long time. It’s her mother’s birthday tomorrow, so she thought she’d go home and surprise her.” She sounded a little sad by the end of her sentence.

  “Hey.” I reached for her hand before pulling her to face me. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing.” She shook her head. “I’m just being a stupid girl.”

  “No, you’re not. What is it?”

  “I just miss my mum. I haven’t seen her in over a year.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve been meaning to go home, but it’s just been so crazy here.”

  “Tell you what. When Addie comes back, we’ll plan a time to go and see her. You can even have James to help her in the shop.”

  “You’d come with me?” She sounded surprised. “Really? To Wales?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded at her. “It could be fun. I’ve never been to Wales. Have you told her about us?”

  “I may have mentioned some ruggedly handsome bar owner.” She giggled. “I spoke to her a few days ago and told her about you. She said she was looking forward to meeting you one day.”