Cash

by O'Brien, Megan

  Guarding my girls was far more important than sleep.

  Chapter 9

  LAYLA

  “He’s here!” Riley’s high-pitched squeak could have woken the dead as we walked past the couch where Cash lay sprawled on his back, his hand resting on his abs. Damn, but the man was gorgeous even when he slept on an ugly floral couch.

  “Yes, baby. Remember I told you Cash stayed?” I whispered. “Let’s try to be quiet, okay? I’ll get you some breakfast.”

  “Is he going to stay every night?” Riley whisper-yelled.

  “No, baby.” I tugged her gently toward the kitchen. I prayed breakfast would distract her as I sliced up a banana and put a waffle in the toaster.

  Riley sat at the table looking thoughtful and confused at the same time. “Do we need a daddy?”

  I nearly dropped the plate I was bringing to her. “You can want a daddy, baby,” I murmured, placing the plate in front of her and sitting across from her. “And it’s okay if you do. But we don’t need one. The two of us, you and I, are a family.”

  “All my friends at school have a daddy.” She shrugged, biting into her waffle. “Mine’s gone, so maybe we need another one?”

  About a year ago, Riley had started asking about her daddy and why she didn’t have one. I’d explained that she had one and he loved her, but he’d had to go away. I’d also told her that she hadn’t grown in my belly, but she was in my heart. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how much of it she’d understood. I’d muddled my way the best I could, not wanting to share too much or too little. It hadn’t come up again until now.

  “Families are made all kinds of ways,” I explained gently. “But the main ingredient is lots of love. And we have that, don’t we?” I asked her, tweaking her nose with a grin.

  She batted me away, giggling. “Stop it, Mama!”

  “What’s going on in here?” Cash’s chuckle had me reeling. I hadn’t heard him come in. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed at the chest, watching us both with a handsome grin.

  “Typical chaos,” I responded, wondering how much he’d heard. “Good morning.”

  His gaze swept over me intimately. “Morning, baby.” He sauntered over to the table and dropped into the chair across from Riley. “And good morning to you, Miss Riley Bean. How did you sleep?”

  My heart melted just a bit as I busied myself toasting more waffles and making coffee as Riley answered him that she’d slept well.

  “Sorry, it’s nothing fancy.” I grimaced, setting a plate of waffles and a coffee in front of Cash.

  “Looks good.” He nodded easily, digging in to his food. “What’s on for today?” he asked me. “We doing the gym?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t today. I need to drop Riley off at school. Then I need to get some work done here.”

  He nodded, his eyes on me over the rim of his coffee cup. “Okay, I have some work to get done this morning too. I’ll get a man on you from the club and can meet back up with you two tonight.”

  “Er, what?” I replied in confusion.

  “Think you heard me.”

  “Can I talk to you for a second?” I asked between clenched teeth. I appreciated his help last night, but this needed to end before it went any further. “Finish up your breakfast. We’ll be right back,” I told Riley as Cash rose to follow me out of the room. I wasn’t worried about her being distracted; once Ri had food in front of her she was usually good for a little while.

  I tugged him into the living room, trying not to think about how toned his bicep was under my hand. “Look, I appreciate what you did for us last night,” I began, standing in front of him, hands on my hips. “But I need to majorly pump the brakes here. I don’t need Riley getting used to you being around. She’s already asking me about having a daddy,” I shared, partially in hopes that would scare the shit out of him.

  Instead, he eyed me steadily. “I heard.”

  “Okay, well, then you get where I’m coming from,” I clipped, frustrated that I couldn’t seem to rattle him. “I can get an alarm system installed here and I’ll go to the police station today. My issues don’t mean you have to suddenly be around all the time. It’s confusing for Riley,” I explained. “And for me,” I admitted after a pause.

  I was about to say more when he took my face in his hands and kissed me. My squeak of surprise was quickly thwarted by sheer lust as his mouth conquered mine.

  My hands pressed to his chest, holding on for dear life as he pulled me closer, his tongue sliding against my lips, seeking entry. I opened for him, relishing his taste, my knees weak as he kissed me senseless.

  He broke away, his forehead pressed to mine as we both breathed heavily. “If Riley didn’t need to get to school, I’d take you upstairs and work out all of your confusion,” he rumbled, making my belly clench. “Fuck, Layla. You make me crazy.”

  For a moment we stood, eyes locked, breathing labored. My heart hammered in my chest as I licked my swollen lips. I could honestly say I’d never been so attracted to someone in my entire life. I wanted him physically, but it was more than that, so much more.

  “I know you’re scared,” he murmured, his striking blue eyes locked on mine. “We haven’t known each other long, and you’re used to doing things alone. I know I’m asking a hell of a lot for you to trust me, not only with you but with Riley too. But, baby, that’s exactly what I’m asking. I swear to you—I can’t explain it, but I feel it in my goddamn bones. You’re mine and so is she. All I’m askin’ is for you to let me prove it to you.”

  I looked into his earnest face, one I felt I’d known far longer than the few weeks it had been, and realized I had a choice. I could deny him—I could push him away and continue to do what I’d been doing for the past two years since I’d adopted Riley. I could focus solely on her and little else. Riley had always been enough for me—and she always would be. But what if there was… more? I’d sworn to myself I’d make some changes since I’d moved to Hawthorne. Could I live with myself if I never found out what could be? Because the truth was, I’d never felt anything like this for anyone, the timing be damned.

  “Mama! I spilled!” Riley’s exclamation brought me back to earth.

  I stepped away from him, but his hand remained at my hip, maintaining our connection as his eyes demanded an answer.

  I blew out a pent-up breath. “This is my life. At 7:00 a.m., at 2:00 a.m.—pretty much around the clock. Which I’m sure you’re not used to. How about we take it one day, one spill at a time?”

  He eyed me steadily. “If that’s what you need, Layla.”

  I smiled, feeling my chest expand with something foreign but not unwelcome. I swept my hand toward the kitchen. “Okay, well then, clean up on aisle three.”

  He chuckled, following me into the kitchen to help me clean up after Riley.

  I stopped sharply, a sudden realization sending a shock of fear through me. “Do you think I need to worry about her going to school?” I whispered.

  His gaze softened. “No. Because I already have one of the guys watching the school for the day.”

  My heart warmed immeasurably that he’d thought about my daughter’s safety and had already taken steps to protect her.

  “Thank you,” I murmured.

  He shrugged as though it was no big deal, but to me, when I’d been in charge of everything for so long, it was everything.

  The cynic in me wondered if he’d still be around by the end of the week. But the dreamer somehow knew he would be.

  ****

  “Layla, seriously, girl, that cat sounds like it swallowed a goat and is trying to barf it up,” Emmie commented as she and Gracie sat perched at my barstools in the kitchen that evening.

  I’d just walked in the door with Riley when Emmie and Grace had shown up bearing a bottle of wine.

  “He’s deaf, Em,” Gracie chided. “I think he’s cute.” She looked fondly over at Oscar as he settled next to Riley while she colored at the coffee table.

  “He’s cute
and ornery. But he loves Ri,” I replied with a smile as I took a sip from my glass.

  “Why is X out front?” Emmie asked curiously.

  “X?”

  “Xander, Ginnie’s man.” She explained.

  My gaze flashed toward the street where a huge, tattooed biker had sat for the majority of the day, even going so far as to follow me to Riley’s school.

  “It looks like someone may have broken in last night,” I admitted, and both women gasped in surprise. “I have no idea who would do such a thing. Cash said someone from the club would be keeping an eye on things.” The puzzlement in my voice was all too apparent.

  Emmie and Grace shot each other knowing looks. “I bet he did.” Emmie grinned around the rim of her glass.

  “Is this normal?” I demanded incredulously.

  “Is what normal?” Grace asked.

  “For the men in the club to be so… intense. I just met Cash, and he’s acting like it’s totally normal for him to be around all the time and to have someone guarding me.”

  “It’s not normal,” Grace acknowledged. “Until they meet their woman.” She grinned. “They’re not related by blood, but the guys in the club seem to have that in common. Some of them fuck around more than others, but once they meet the girl that does it for them… that’s it.”

  I stared at her incredulously. “And you’re saying I’m that person for Cash?” He’d alluded as much, but it was still hard for me to process.

  “I’ve known Cash a long time,” Emmie murmured. “We both have,” she added, her eyes on Grace, “and I’ve never seen him take an interest in a woman like this. We gave him a bit of the third degree the other night,” she admitted.

  “You didn’t!” I exclaimed, horrified.

  “Hey, it’s what friends do,” she defended. “And I think it’s pretty safe to say he’s serious. Really serious. If you like him, and I think that you do,” she challenged with a raised brow, “then try to go with it, babe. I know you have a lot going on, but Cash seems to understand that. I never thought I’d say this, but I think he’ll be careful with you.”

  “Why didn’t you think you’d say that?” I asked.

  She sighed. “Let’s just say Cash wasn’t a choirboy before.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Right.”

  “He also wasn’t a man whore,” Gracie put in before clapping her hands over her mouth and looking over at Riley.

  I laughed. “It’s fine, she didn’t hear you. And that’s good to know,” I added dryly. “I think I need more wine.”

  Just as I was about to pour another glass, the sound of a motorcycle rumbling down the street caught my attention.

  I couldn’t deny that my heart pounded in response. Cash had said I’d see him tonight, I just hadn’t been ready to believe it.

  “It’s Cash,” Emmie confirmed as she peered through the front blinds. She looked over her shoulder at me with a wink. “Told ya.”

  “We’ll see,” I muttered, fighting a grin as she opened the door for him. I lost my breath for a moment when he walked in. When he wasn’t around, I could convince myself that he couldn’t really be that handsome. Then I’d catch sight of him and blow that theory all to hell.

  Despite Emmie and Gracie’s presence, he only had eyes for me as he walked toward the kitchen. “Hi, baby,” he murmured, dropping a chaste kiss to my lips before turning to stride toward Riley. He dropped to his knees in front of her, giving her his full attention. “Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted. “How was school?”

  “Good!” she replied with spark of excitement. “Eli let me hold his hand,” she boasted.

  Cash shot me a comical look of alarm as I smothered my grin. “She has a bit of a crush on Eli,” I shared.

  “She’s five!” he exclaimed. “She can’t have a crush.”

  “It’s a five-year-old crush,” I assured him as Emmie and Gracie looked on with wide grins on their faces.

  I cocked my head to the side. “What are you up to?”

  “Came to have dinner with my girls,” he replied easily. “And I’m gonna get your new unit installed,” he added, referring to the boxes that Gunner had delivered that morning.

  “We were going to order a pizza and watch a movie,” I replied. I’d been looking forward to it all day.

  “Sounds perfect.” He stood up. “I’ll order.”

  “We’ll just get out of your hair,” Gracie piped in as she and Emmie gathered their purses. “Bring her in if you want me to cut her hair,” she repeated the offer she’d made earlier regarding cutting Riley’s hair. Grace worked at a hair salon in town that I should make a point to visit myself in the near future.

  “I will,” I promised, and I meant it. I hadn’t known Grace long, but I already felt like I could trust her. And judging from her gorgeous red locks, she took the whole hair thing seriously.

  “Later, Cash.” Emmie waved. “Not that you really even knew we were here.” She laughed as they headed out the door. “I’ll call you, Layla!”

  Cash was looking distractedly at his phone as I waved to the girls and began to rummage in the junk drawer for the pizza coupon I’d saved.

  “Marty came over here today?” He demanded, looking up at me. No doubt my biker guard, who I now knew as X, had let him know.

  “Yeah.” I shrugged.

  “What the fuck for?” he growled, keeping his voice low and out of range of Riley, who was now engrossed in the toddler radio piping through the TV.

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “X stalked up right behind him when he rang the doorbell. He didn’t come in. Plus, I think X would have ripped his arms off if he’d tried. He was saying something about my assets and how I needed to do some paperwork. I told him Gunner had it handled and basically to get lost.”

  Dealing with the sleazy lawyer had been annoying but I hadn’t thought much of it until I saw how riled up Cash was over it. “Do I need to be concerned about this?” I asked him.

  His gaze shot to Riley, who had lost interest in her music and was now watching us both intently. “Let’s talk about it later,” he replied in a much calmer tone. “I have a pizza to order.” He grinned toward Riley.

  Chapter 10

  CASH

  “Tell me about the visit from Marty,” I prompted later that night. She’d just finished putting Riley to bed and we’d settled on the couch, her on one side, me on the other. I sensed she needed the space and I’d give her that—for now. I’d already pushed her limits by installing a state-of-the-art security system and forcing her to show me she knew how to use it, multiple times.

  She stiffened, only for a moment but long enough to tell me everything I needed to know. Something about his visit hadn’t sat well.

  Not that I was surprised. Martin Greenstein was a bottom feeder. The kind of man who preyed on those weaker than himself. The club had been keeping an eye on him for years, and I wanted nothing more than an excuse to take him down. If he so much as glanced sideways at Layla, that’d be enough for me.

  “I pretty much told you everything already,” she replied. “He came to the door saying something about wanting me to produce some paperwork. Your guy had him by the collar before he could get much more out.”

  I resolved to buy X a goddamned beer next time I saw him.

  “It was just weird, you know? I mean, I’m no lawyer but everything with the house seemed taken care of. I don’t know Gunner well, but it seemed like he knows what he’s doing.”

  “He does,” I interjected firmly.

  She nodded in agreement. “So then, I just don’t get what he wanted. I wouldn’t need a lawyer for anything other than the deed to the house. I don’t understand what he wanted.”

  “I’ll be sure to ask him myself,” I replied darkly. I couldn’t wait to get my hands around his scrawny neck.

  She looked at me warily. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt on account of me.”

  “How would it be on account of you, chief? What did you do?” I demanded, already knowing my
answer.

  “Well, nothing,” she stammered.

  “All right then.” I nodded, taking a sip of my beer.

  “Why do you call me that? Chief?” she asked quietly.

  I smiled around the rim of my beer before pulling it back to answer her. “Because you’re strong as hell and in charge of yourself in a way I haven’t seen in a long damn time.”

  She flushed and wouldn’t meet my gaze.

  “Aren’t you?” I pressed. Something instinctively told me I should.

  “Christ, I hope so.” She shot a glance at me, her eyes shining with emotion, before looking back at her beer gripped in her hands like it was a lifeline. “It’s all been such a whirlwind. I was just beginning my career, and one minute, my biggest concern was my next adventure, and the next I had an almost three-year-old to raise. I feel like I’ve floundered my way through the last two years trying to make a life for us. My nan was really my only support system. She encouraged me, believed in me, and loved both of us when we needed it most. But she’s gone, and she was really all I had aside from Ri. And I’ve tried so hard to hide from Riley how hard it’s been. Financially, emotionally. All of it,” she admitted in a rush as though I’d broken a dam inside her. “Shit, I don’t know why I said all that.” She groaned in embarrassment.

  “Because I wanted to hear it,” I replied evenly. “Were you able to continue with the career you’d started?”

  She shook her head. “Not quite. I’d started in outdoor photography, focused on sports mostly. Climbers, runners. Stuff like that. It required a lot of travel and for me to be in excellent shape. Both things I really enjoyed. But once I adopted Riley, it just wasn’t feasible. I switched to commercial photography. There were a lot of jobs in San Francisco, so it was a steady gig and I didn’t have to travel.”

  “And now?” I prompted.

  “Vegas is a strong market. I’m still processing some shoots from San Francisco, but I already have some leads. So I may not have the adventure part any more, but I’m determined to get the fitness piece back,” she stated firmly.