If I had my hearing, I’d hear the water rippling as I move my arms. I’d hear nature going about its business, with me as their only intruder. I may not be able to hear it, but I can feel it.
Closing my eyes, I let the water hold me up, and Luca invades my peace unbidden.
I’ve been pulled in by him one too many times, and this time is no different. As usual, it’s him who has the last word with his stupid text. Argh! I hate phones nearly as much as I hate him. I keep saying I have to move on, yet my mind always wanders back to him, finding myself in situations where he is.
What is it that I want? It’s a good question, and one I need to find an answer to. Perhaps if I’m focusing on myself, it won’t leave me any time to think about anyone else.
Swimming to the verge, I dry off with the towel I brought and lay it on the ground. Lying back, I don’t worry about anyone seeing me in my underwear. No one comes out this far.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly, I think about what I love in this world. Apart from my family, who are obviously what are most important to me. I smile, thinking of my plants and flowers, and how much I love this town. My home. As much as I love it, I’m not blind to the dreariness and lack of colour…
A perfect idea strikes. I could go to town hall and make myself a job by offering to tend to the public spaces, prettying them up with beautiful flowers and shrubs, and maintaining them throughout the year. They can’t say no to that. I wouldn’t even want much in return. Suddenly, I have a future, and I’m feeling better with a positive outlook on life again.
My phone pings with a new message, and my stomach drops. Reaching for it, I see it’s from Mason, checking up on me.
I know they’re worried, but I can’t keep living like this. In time, they’ll see I’m okay. It’s not like they believe me when I say I’m doing okay anyway.
Swinging my arm back, I throw the phone into the water. Life before I got a phone was much simpler. It’s a life wasted. If I’m not answering calls or texts, I’m checking to see if I’ve missed any calls or texts, but not anymore. I’ll catch hell for this, I’m sure, but I don’t care.
Basking in the rays of the sun, I close my eyes and let myself feel peace. By the time the sun is beginning to set, I’m completely there, and nearly float back to the house.
Checking in on my greenhouse, I spritz the wild red and orange lilies and open the window a crack, before heading into the house to see what I have for dinner.
My fresh start begins now.
Clutching my notebook to my chest, I can’t stop smiling. I was prepared to fight and beg to be taken seriously about prettying up the town, but I must’ve caught the council on a good day, or they just like the thought of me doing the work and it costing them practically nothing. I have a budget, and as long as I stick to it, I can do what I love.
A shadow falls over me as I step onto the sidewalk, and I look up to find the sheriff blocking my way.
Taking a large step back, he smirks, and I shudder from his coldness on such a hot day.
I point to my ear and waggle my finger, telling him I can’t hear him, and he reaches out for my notebook.
Moving back before he can make contact, I frown, showing him I’m clearly distressed.
Instead, he scribbles something down in his little black book and flips it round for me to read.
“Have a nice day.”
That’s it? For sure he’ll know who I am, that I’m connected to the club. He walks into town hall without looking back, and I shake it off and climb into my truck.
Driving out to the club, I roll down both windows and let the breeze whip through the cabin. I never imagined what it could be like to lose my hearing, but since I have, I constantly wonder what it would be like to lose my other senses. I struggle to cope without my hearing, but it would be indescribable to lose the sense of feeling. To not feel a thing ever again, I shudder at the thought.
When I walk into the bar, Emma gets my attention, and my smile grows. Nothing will ruin my good mood this morning, not even Luca, wherever he may be.
“Why are you so happy?” she signs.
“I got myself a job.”
Her face lights up as I settle myself on the couch next to her. It takes a hot minute to realise what’s missing.
“Where’s Penelope?”
“Your mom has her for the day. I’m just waiting for Myles to finish up with the club, and then we’re heading into the city for the day. What brings you here?”
“I came to tell Dad and Grandpa about the job.”
“Not to see if Luca was here?”
My happiness dims. “Luca has no relevance in my life anymore. I have my job now. I’m my own person.”
Angel walks through the door and my smile returns. I can have it all, and I will. Luca isn’t the only one who can move on.
“I’ll see you later.”
Weaving around the tables and chairs, I slide onto a stool beside him at the bar.
Waving, his eyes look me up and down before settling on my hands. Taking a deep breath, I jump into the unknown headfirst.
“Would you like to go out with me sometime?”
Formally asking him brings heat to my cheeks, and I’m grateful when he doesn’t keep me waiting long for an answer.
“I’d love to. But I’ll have to speak to your dad first.”
My dad won’t deny him, and the future becomes brighter, and I’m so looking forward to it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Luca
Walking into the bar, the first thing I see is Angel standing with Pope and Ricky, and the twins glaring at him. A take a seat on an empty stool, wondering what’s going on now. I catch Myles’ attention, and a dirty ass smirk hooks at the corner of his mouth.
“Hey, Jackson, Angel here is asking for our blessing to date Victoria. What do you think? Should we give him our blessing? Apparently, she was the one who asked him out.”
Fucking asshole. He knows exactly what he’s doing, but I give nothing away. Angel warily looks away from the twins and in my direction. I hold his stare. I warned him to stay away, but he obviously didn’t listen.
Before I can open my mouth to throw shade their way, Dad steps into my line of sight and turns to Myles, saying, “Keep your business to yourself, Myles” and joins me at the bar.
“Considering you seem to have a problem with just about everyone, I take it Angel’s on your shit list?”
I scowl, barely keeping my building anger reined in. “I have zero problems with anyone,” I grate out.
“This coming Saturday, the brothers will be deciding if he, Grim, and Dion will join our chapter, and I don’t think anyone will vote against. Get right with Angel. Get right with every fucker, or you’ll be the one who loses.”
Slapping me on the shoulder, he fucks off, and I turn back to the shit show across the bar.
I’ll show everyone I have no fucking problems with any fucker around here.
“Hey!” I holler. “After everything Victoria has been through, whoever’s dating her should prove they’re able to protect her.”
Pope lights up, his icy smirk breaking through his usual scowl. “Yeah? What do you suggest then, Luca?”
“If she were my sister, I’d want to see what he was made of.”
I watch them take in my suggestion. Pope’s smirk turns into a full-blown smile, but it disappears as fast it appears.
“I agree.” Rising from his seat, he turns to Angel. “Follow me.”
I wait for the lot of them to walk outside and follow to see what Pope’s going to put Angel through. I plot up on the nearest picnic table and pull out my smokes.
“Mason, Myles, go wait over there.” Pope points off, and the twins trudge over to the garages.
To Angel, he says, “If you can get past my boys and back here, you’ll have our blessing. But be warned, they won’t go lightly, so don’t hold back.”
“You want me to fight them both?” Angel clarifies.
&nbs
p; “If you don’t think you can, by all means, don’t.”
“No, it’s… I’ll do it.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll survive, somewhat,” Pope huffs. “Go on. I can’t be out here for long.”
While Angel heads to the other side of where the twins are, they prepare themselves by cracking their knuckles and rolling their necks.
This should be interesting. Drawing hard on the cigarette, I brace my elbows on my knees and settle in to watch this prick get his ass handed to him by the twins.
“You’ve got five minutes to get back to me. Starting … now.”
I expect him to rush forward, but he sizes up Mason to his left first, and then right to Myles, bouncing on his feet in anticipation of an attack.
“You’re wasting time, brother,” Myles mocks him.
Personally, I’d go for Myles first. Mason would come up from behind with a predictable jab to the head. But going for Mason first, Myles unpredictability isn’t something you can rationalise while fighting someone else.
Angel fakes a left and rushes Myles, failing to knock him over, but he does manage to get a punch to his ribs in as he football barrels him backward. Mason surprises me by hanging back, watching closely as Myles wraps his arms around Angel and swings him down onto the gravel.
He rebounds quickly and jumps to his feet. Mason edges closer as Angel catches Myles’ jaw with a punch.
The impact has Myles stumbling back, and Angel goes to move between the twins, heading for Pope, not counting for Mason running up behind him. Jumping onto his back, he takes Angel down, and I start to grow bored with their scuffling. Rolling around thinking they’re in the UFC cage, I take one last drag on my cigarette and flick the butt behind me. It seems Pope’s feeling the same too.
“Are we fighting or trying to fuck one another?”
Myles circles his brother, still scuffling with Angel, and slams his boot into Angel’s face. It gives Mason the time he needs to get to his feet. With the twins on either side of him, his fist shoots out and slams into Mason’s jaw, quickly followed by a heavy jab to Myles’ cheekbone. Mason rebounds sharply, but Myles falls down on his ass. Pope hollers, “Get on your feet, boy!” and Myles scowls in his direction.
I’ve never seen the twins get bested before, and I’m starting to enjoy the show. I blink and miss Mason’s punch to Angel’s eye. He shakes it off, and before my eyes, dips low, swings his leg around, and takes Mason off his feet. The asshole lands on his back, and before Myles can strike, Angel’s moving toward Pope, clearing the twins with such ease, it’s almost like they’re confirming they’re the pussies I believed them to be. All hype, no impact.
Standing before Pope and Ricky, Pope looks his usual stone-faced self, while Ricky looks somewhat impressed.
“Was that good enough for you, Jackson?” Pope hollers as Angel smirks over at me.
I shrug. That’s all they’re getting from me. I’ll wipe Angel’s smirk off one day.
Sara joins me as Pope stops on his way into the bar.
“Victoria is moving on. From what I’ve seen, you are too. Don’t let me catch you bothering my granddaughter again for any reason.”
She doesn’t look at Pope as she sits beside me. “Shouldn’t you get back inside, old man, before someone sees you’re still alive?”
Snorting, he hauls his old ass inside, and then I’m faced with Sara and her novel of questions.
“Why were they fighting?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Can we talk up in your room?”
“About?” I ask, watching Angel laugh with the twins.
Slipping off the bench, she holds her hand out and waits. Taking it, I let her lead the way up to my room, and before I can ask what she wants to talk about, she’s backing me up to the door and kissing me.
She’s hungrier than earlier, and still, Tor’s who I see when I close my eyes. Think of anything but her, for fuck’s sake. I have the woman I’ve always wanted back, and I need to make this work.
Grabbing her thighs, I lift her up and spin around, pushing her up against the door.
“Luca… slow down,” she gasps, and I instantly release her.
She slides down my body, and I step back once her feet are on the floor.
Catching my breath, I can barely look at her.
“Why did you stop? I only wanted you to slow down.”
If I slowed down, we’d barely be kissing at all.
“I…”
I what? I have no idea what to say. I can’t exactly tell her that when we kiss, all I can think about is Vic-fucking-toria.
“I’m sorry,” she says, dropping her chin to her chest, hiding from me.
“For what?”
“For ruining the moment.”
Sighing, I reach for her hand and press it to my lips. “Don’t be sorry because you don’t want to do something.”
“I guess we’ve both changed, huh?”
“It was only a kiss, Sara.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she holds her hands in her lap, and when she looks up at me, I see the old vulnerability surrounding her.
“It isn’t just the kiss. You warned me you’d changed, and I think the problem is, I haven’t, and I thought I didn’t believe you, not really.”
“What are you saying?”
Taking a deep breath, she rises from the bed and stands in front of me. Clutching my cut, she says, “I’m going to get to know who you are now.”
Is that what I want, though?
Chapter Thirty-Five
Victoria
The last box of flowers nearly slips from my grasp as I load it onto the back of the truck with everything else I need for today. The town council wants me to brighten up the verges around the town hall.
Slamming the back door shut, I dig my keys out of my pocket, then getting distracted by someone riding up my drive.
I don’t recognise the rider. I can tell my brothers and my dad from a mile away, but this is a motorcycle I’ve not come across, and it’s not until they get closer that I see it’s Angel.
Of all the times he could stop by, it’d have to be when I’m heading out. Still, I stand frozen in place, mesmerised as he swings his leg over his bike and whips his sunglasses onto the top of his head.
His smile takes me back to all the times I wished Luca would smile at me, and I’m reminded yet again why Luca is all kinds of wrong for me, and that he’s never going to love me or be happy to see me.
Waving, Angel’s smile grows, and I find myself smiling in return. Anyone can see he’s hot as hell. His shaved head isn’t something I usually find attractive, but on him, I can see the appeal. His eyes are gold today, and I can’t stop looking at them. Although, the bruising around his eye and the split lip aren’t attractive at all.
“This is me stopping by. I hope you don’t mind?” he signs.
“Of course not, but I was just on my way out. I have a new job starting today.”
The shiner under his eye is even uglier up close.
“I won’t take much of your time. I wanted to see if you’d like to go out with me now that I have your family’s blessing?”
I’m not necessarily a dating kind of girl. All I got from Luca were texts to hook up, but the idea of a date sounds exciting.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
His teeth bite into his bottom lip, and I nearly melt. He’s definitely a hot distraction, and one I can see myself enjoying immensely.
“Are you busy tomorrow night?”
Even if I was, I’d clear my schedule real quick.
“I’ll pick you up around eight. Is that okay?”
I nod, seeming to have lost the ability to sign. Forcing my hands to move, I tell him, “I’ll be ready.” Before I forget to ask, I add, “What happened?” pointing to his eye.
For a minute, I forget I’m not talking to my dad or brothers. I’m so used to asking questions and getting answer. I forget not all brothers in the club are so willing to share.
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br /> “This? It’s nothing, just something at the club.”
For a second, I picture him and Luca fighting, then I almost laugh. Luca would never fight over me or for me.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
Up until Angel arrived in Willow’s Peak, the thought of going on a date with anyone would’ve been nothing but a fantasy. Well, it wouldn’t have even been a fantasy at all. Luca was all I could think of, dream of, live for. But driving into town, there’s no guilt about moving on. There’s no hesitation to text Angel and cancel. There’s not even any resentment or jealousy to do this because Sara is back and at his side.
This is for me, and between tarting up the town and moving on, the future is sunshine and fucking rainbows.
I’m so tired, but I feel so fulfilled and happy. It took a little longer than I had planned, but the beds around the town hall building are now full of colour and beauty. Red Geraniums and white and purple Salvia Seascapes were a perfect choice to brighten up the building.
I long to put the radio on and blast the music, but it still doesn’t dampen my joy at my hard work today. A little regret hit me before I packed everything away, as I wanted to take a picture and send it to my mom, but I remembered I threw my phone in the creek. Tomorrow I’ll dig out one of Grandma’s old cameras.
The vibrations on the steering wheel grow stronger. Please don’t let anything be wrong with my truck. Glancing over in my side mirror, I see it’s my idiot brothers charging up fast, each of them riding up either side of me. I slow down as they speed up in front of me. Crisscrossing each other, and generally pissing about. Such idiots. They’re going to get themselves killed one of these days. They think and hope they’ll go out in a blaze of glory for the club, but I’d put money on them dying from their own stupidity. I honk my horn, but it doesn’t deter them. It only makes Myles speed up.
Mason drops back until he’s riding at my speed beside me, and motions for me to pull over. I may as well, knowing they won’t leave me alone until I do. I wouldn’t put it past them to follow me the entire way home if I don’t.
His Twisted Heart : Sons of Lost Souls MC Series Book Nine Page 21