by Jen Davis
“She was right to question me, you know. She only wants to protect you.” His deep voice was quiet.
“I know. She’s been looking out for me for as long as I can remember.”
“You’re lucky to have her.”
“I am. She didn’t say anything I didn’t expect.”
He tucked another wayward lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m not going to give up on us.”
“Promise me,” she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head. “I promise, but I need you to promise something too. You’re going to be on guard when you go back to work tomorrow.”
“Oh, I promise. I already went through this with Will. He signed off on the security guard. He’s not even banging the drum for me to stop seeing you anymore. I’m surprised he didn’t want me to hire my own personal bodyguard.”
“It wouldn’t be the worst idea.”
Spoken like another overprotective male. “You two have more in common than you think.”
He hugged her closer against him. “Oh, we’ve got something in common. Both of us would take a bullet to keep you safe.”
***
Brick
Brick reported directly to his boss after he dropped Olivia back home. It had been two hours since Sucre had texted him, and though he’d answered him right away, the man did not like waiting for anyone.
“Ah, Brick.” Sucre rose from his throne and held his arms open. “Glad to see you could finally join us.” The boss reached to the table beside him, where two chocolate muffins rested. One was half-eaten. Sucre lifted the other and offered it to him. “Muffin? They’re sugar free.”
And unmistakably from the bakery where he shopped for his grandmother. Were those her muffins? He refused to ask, but his blood pressure soared.
Bowing his head, he played the game. “No, thank you. Sorry to keep you waiting, Boss.” When he got the call to come in, he’d texted Sucre he went out of town scouting for a hunting cabin. Olivia had done some quick research on her phone before he left her apartment, finding a few places for sale or for rent. He had a list in case Sucre pushed for more details. He’d wait until Sucre asked, though. Offering too much information without prompting would look squirrely.
Sucre sniffed. “I don’t know why you want to be out in nature. We’ve got everything you need right here.”
It wasn’t a question. He stared at the floor, waiting submissively for instructions.
“I have some new product coming in tonight. Go stand at the bar and look intimidating.”
Motherfucker. There wasn’t even a reason to call him in. Sucre had only done it to interrupt whatever he’d been doing.
Shaking his head, he turned toward his assigned destination.
“Oh, and Brick?”
He stopped.
“Maybe I do need to think about spending some time in the great outdoors. Send me some addresses.” His voice hardened. “Or better yet, show me the GPS in your phone.”
This is where it paid to be prepared. He had already cleared his history from the track and the falls and punched in four of the cabins Olivia had found on Zillow. He pulled up his GPS app and handed the phone over to his boss.
Sucre narrowed his eyes and gave the phone right back. “Just go. And next time, don’t keep me waiting.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
Brick
Brick didn’t have to face Will for several days. He’d talked with Olivia every night since their date, and she’d told him her brother knew everything they were dealing with. As much as he dreaded facing the fallout it would bring, he was glad Will kept her safe in the afternoons. He was doing his part by keeping Tre occupied at night.
The electricians were installing the light trim at the house on Burgundy Street, which had the entire construction team focused on the Decatur house for the rest of the week. Will stood waiting for him by the front door when he pulled up Thursday morning.
“Let’s go out back.”
He followed Liv’s brother around the property to the backyard that butted up against a wooded area.
Will lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. “You know how I feel about the idea of you and my sister.”
“I think the whole crew knows. I get it. I know she deserves a regular guy, one who doesn’t do the shit I do. I swear, I tried to stay away from her, but I can’t.”
Will was sucking down his cigarette so fast, it was already halfway gone. “Tell me you are not a danger to her.”
He wished he could, but it would be a lie. “I promise you I will never hurt her, and I will do everything in my power to keep her safe from anyone who would try.”
Will tossed the filter in the dirt and ground it in with his heavy boot. “This Tre guy. He’s bad?”
“The worst I’ve ever seen.” Which said a lot.
“You have no idea what I’ve been through to keep my sisters away from this kind of shit.” Will kicked over one of the barrels of construction debris. Chunks of sheetrock, nails, and two-by-fours spilled out on the ground. “I failed once with Izzy. I’ll be damned if I come up short with Liv too.”
He bent over to right the now-dented can. “You didn’t fail her,” he said gently. “She told me how you stepped up after your parents died. You mean the world to her.”
“I wasn’t there when she got sick.” Will cursed under his breath, and they worked together to clean up the mess on the ground. “I heard a lot about you when I was inside. Can you at least tell me you’re not as bad as your reputation makes you sound?”
“No. I’ve done some bad shit. I still do. The only thing I can tell you—something hardly anyone knows—is I hate every second of it. I always have, but I’ll use it, you feel me? I’ll use the reputation, the skills, whatever. I will fucking break anyone who touches her with a goddamn smile on my face. We do what we have to do to protect the people we love. You understand.”
“Better than you even know.” Will sighed. “I won’t stand in your way. Not like it would have made a difference anyway.”
He offered Will his hand, and they shook. “It will make a difference to her. Thank you.”
Will stayed behind, already pulling another cigarette from the pack, while Brick made his way inside the house. He could see significant changes in the layout since the last time he’d been here. The man who’d commissioned the build had decided he wanted an additional bedroom downstairs with an attached bathroom. So, they’d had to extend the foundation and plumbing before they could even start adjusting the framing, which they worked on today. At least, he was working on it with Kane and Matt. Will and Cyrus focused on some task in the backyard.
Kane raised his hand in greeting. “Seems like you’re still in one piece. Should I congratulate you on surviving your conversation with Will? It looked intense.”
“We’ve reached an understanding.” Kane didn’t push for more, which was one of the qualities he liked best about him.
About an hour into the job, Matt’s phone rang, and he stepped away to answer the call. The man spoke too quietly to give anything away, but his face said it all. The dude looked ready to set the room on fire. Gritting his teeth, he walked back over. “I’ve got to go. Family emergency. Will you guys let Xander know I’ll call him?”
“Sure, man.” Kane gripped his shoulder. “Anything I can do to help?”
Matt shook his head and strode out the door.
Robby bustled over to them seconds after he was gone. “What’s going on? Is he okay?”
Kane raised his eyebrows, and Brick shook his head at him subtly.
“I’m not sure.” He caught himself before he called Robby kid. “He only said he had a family emergency.” He lowered his voice. “You ever try talking to him?”
Robby shot Kane a nervous look, but the biker was intently measuring the support beam he’d been working on. “I’ve said hi and stuff. I bring him Nestea; he doesn’t really like soda.”
“Not what I meant.”
“I know.
” The kid sounded dejected. “I’d rather keep my distance than be disappointed, you know? If he doesn’t have a chance to reject me, I can keep the dream alive.”
A month ago, he would have never even imagined he could be with a woman like Olivia. “You never know what life can bring. I can tell you this, though, if you want something, you have to reach out and take it. You deserve to be happy, Robby.”
A blush crept up Robby’s neck. “Thanks, Brick. You’re a better big brother than my real one ever was.”
He had never had a little brother, but with Robby, he was getting an idea of what it might be like. “Any time.”
Kane finally looked up when Robby walked away. “He’s got a thing for Matt? Baby-mama-drama-every-other-week Matt York?”
“C’mon, you know as well as anyone we can’t help who we want.” The heat in Kane’s WTF expression could melt the paint off the walls, if the house actually had walls, but Brick shrugged it off. “You think I didn’t notice whatever was between you and the boss lady the other day?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, brother.” Kane issued a warning with his voice.
“I’m not trying to bust your balls, man. Really. I didn’t go out looking to fall for Will’s sister either.” Holy shit. He’d said it out loud, but it was too late to back out now. “That’s my whole point. Maybe we give into it and maybe we don’t, but we don’t get to choose who we fall for. It just is.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s good for us,” Kane grunted. “The kid’s probably in for a world of hurt.”
He slapped his friend on the back. “Probably. Or maybe he and Matt will end up friends. I’m starting to learn they’re kind of nice to have around.”
Together, they lifted the wood into place and secured it.
By the end of the day, the additional framing was complete. They walked together toward the area where they had both parked.
Kane paused to fasten his helmet. “I’m thinking you might make a pretty decent drinking buddy, man. Come have a beer with me tomorrow night.”
It surprised him how much he wanted to say yes. Kane had really grown on him in the past few weeks. It might be nice to hang out, like regular people did. “I wish I could, but I’ve got a fight tomorrow night.”
“I heard you fight. I’d love to see a match. Would it be cool for me to come check it out?”
It had never even occurred to him anyone outside of Sucre’s orbit would even be interested. “Sure.” He rattled off the address of the gym. “The matches start at ten. I’m usually at the end, though.”
“This is going to be awesome, brother. I’ll see you then.” He climbed on his bike.
“Hey—aren’t you working tomorrow?”
“Nah. I’ve got club business. I’ve already cleared it with Xander.” He grabbed the clutch and pushed the ignition button, bringing the engine to life. “Gotta make a run with my guys, but I’ll be back in time for your fight.” He grinned widely before taking off down the street.
***
The gym was packed Friday night even tighter than usual. Brick scanned the crowd for Kane’s face, but too many bodies kept him from seeing clearly. It didn’t really matter if the guy made it there or not. The fight would go the same, either way.
Sucre had paid him a visit while he warmed up in the little office which belonged to Freddy, the old guy who ran the place. Sucre didn’t tell him to lose, but he did want him to take a beating. It was an instruction he didn’t get often, but sometimes, Sucre liked to bet against the odds to make a little extra cash. What most people didn’t realize—or at least they didn’t talk about—was the fact that the boss controlled the outcome of every bout he fought in.
Tonight, he would let Antonio Reyes beat the crap out of him for at least twenty-two minutes before he took the guy down. His stomach turned even thinking about it. Reyes had a reputation as a solid fighter. This was going to hurt.
The big digital clock above the ring showed five after midnight when the ref called him up. By then the place reeked from the press of unwashed bodies and booze. Almost everyone watching was either buzzed or blitzed, and they roared when he entered the ring. The cheers didn’t fool him. They wanted to see him bleed, and they were about to get their wish.
Reyes faced him with clear eyes and cool composure. When the bell rang, the guy led off with a powerful punch, leaving him gasping for breath. He had to fight back or he wouldn’t make it two minutes, much less twenty-two. He planned to volley a blow for a blow but save his hardest hits for the end.
The strategy sucked balls.
In the first five minutes, Reyes clocked him in the eye, and blood trickled down with the sweat threatening his vision. A minute after that, the guy punched him in the ear, leaving a tinny ring in his wake. By the fifteen-minute mark, his body ached, and his head was swimming. If he didn’t start hitting hard soon, he wouldn’t be able to at all.
He threw all his weight into a blow to the ribs, sending Reyes hunched to his side. He followed it up with an elbow to the nose, gushing blood from his opponent’s nostrils. A quick glance at the clock showed him he still needed to kill five more minutes. But how?
The crowd had grown rabid, roaring with each punch—even the weak ones both fighters threw now. He’d busted up his hands so completely, it hurt as much to hit Reyes as it did to take a hit. He could barely make a fist, so he started hitting with the heel of his hand.
Two more minutes.
He swayed on his feet. The noise got further and further away. Swinging wide, he missed his target completely. Before he could regroup, Reyes delivered a one-two punch, making him stagger back.
Would this fucking fight ever end?
Finally, Sucre gave him the signal. But he had nothing left. He struggled to stay on his feet. Thank God, Reyes was in the same boat. He was listing like a drunken sailor.
This had to end now.
Ignoring the pain, he curled his hand into the tightest fist he could make and punched Reyes square in the jaw. He followed the hit with a strike to the nose, and the man dropped like a bag of concrete.
He only waited long enough for the ref to call out his name before he lurched toward the door. Two steps out into the street and the world went black.
***
Liv
Liv curled herself around her pillow, the bed a warm cocoon, as she held the phone to her ear. Though they’d texted, it was the first time she’d spoken to her sister in days, and Izzy’s voice relieved some of the anxiety that came with her absence. With Carol gone, she’d had no one to tell about her date with Jonathan, and she was busting at the seams.
“It was actually really amazing.” She wanted to share every perfect detail, but a tiny part of her wanted to hoard it all in a little secret place inside her heart.
Iz didn’t push, one of the reasons it was so easy to talk to her. “We drove go-karts, then we went to the falls. It was so beautiful with all the trees and the trails. We laughed, and he sang. He held my hand, and he kissed me.”
“Sounds like a Disney movie, Nugget. Any birds flying around with ribbon or dwarves marching past?” Iz snickered.
“No, but there was pecan pie.”
A beep announced she had a call on another line. She squinted at the clock on her nightstand.
Twelve-forty-five. Normally she’d already have been asleep two hours. Jonathan’s picture she’d taken on their nature date filled the screen. He never called this late.
Saying goodnight to her sister, she clicked over. “H’lo?”
An unfamiliar voice answered. “Is this Olivia?”
She sat straight up in the bed. A thousand possibilities surrounded the identity of the person on the other end of the line. None of them were good. “Who is this?” she asked sharply.
“My name is Kane. I work with Brick and your brother. You probably saw me at the bar for Will’s birthday. Long hair. Brick’s in trouble and yours was the only number in his call log.”
Her stomach fell, an
d her self-protective instincts warred with concern for her man. “What’s wrong? Is he okay?” He said he had a fight tonight, but he’d sworn they were all fixed, and he always won.
Kane paused. “He’s in pretty bad shape. He probably needs a trip to the hospital, but something tells me he wouldn’t want to go.”
“Bring him here.” She rattled off her address. “But Kane? Make sure no one follows you.”
“I promise. I’ll be there in ten.”
They made it in eight. Enough time for her to dig out her first aid kit. She opened the front door as soon as a car pulled up outside.
In the shadows, she spotted the big frame of the biker-looking guy she remembered seeing at Will’s work site. He practically dragged an even larger man who had one arm crooked behind his neck for support.
Jonathan.
She ran out and met them three feet in front of the doorway. As they moved together into the apartment, the light gave her a first look at Jonathan’s face. Her attempts to prepare herself failed, and her eyes filled with tears.
His entire face was swollen and misshapen, but his left cheekbone looked the worst. She guessed it was the cheekbone, but it could have been his eye; it was hard to tell because it was swollen shut. A cut above his eyebrow was bleeding and it appeared it had been for a while. Wet and dried blood trailed down his cheek and smeared on his neck and bare chest. He only wore a pair of knee-length shorts.
He was clearly out of it. The one eye she could see appeared tired and unfocused. She didn’t think he even knew where he was because he didn’t so much as glance at her when Kane settled him down on the sofa.
“How do I help him?” she murmured.
The grim expression on Kane’s face only made it worse. “Keep him awake until you’re sure he’s coherent. No doubt he’s got a concussion. Get some ice on the swelling. Clean him up. Not much else you can do.” A horn honked outside. “My buddy Cue Ball is outside waiting.” He moved toward the door. “If it gets too bad, call 911. He won’t be happy about it, but you do what you’ve got to do, hear me?”