Keep It Sexy (KIS Series Book 3) Page 8

  Squinting my eyes, I watched as four silhouettes formed at the end of the desolate road. I knew instantly it was my brothers, along with Don and Connor. Connor’s shadow leaned down to whisper something to my dad. Abruptly I was pulled forward with added force. I wasn’t resisting, but at the same time I was taking my time to get there. I had the urge to fall down on my knees and pray for something to break me from my restraints, but I didn’t.

  Connor placed his hand on my dad’s shoulder. Instantly I was pulled harder, thrusted forward so roughly I almost fell. The sky above me began to crackle louder, almost like it was angry. I began to hear whispering behind me, but when I tried to turn, my cuffs tightened. I tried to focus on the words but the thunder got louder and louder. Once again, I felt a tug, but not from the chains. It was from deep inside. I yanked on my restraints and turned. But when I did I was immersed in pitch-black smoke.

  I could feel myself waking up. I fought to stay asleep to hear what was being whispered. And right before I woke, I heard it.

  Judas.

  ***

  I woke gasping for air and covered in cold sweat, hazily remembering my dream. My heart felt like it was pumping ice and hot blood through my body. I had an uneasy feeling, like my skin was crawling with ants. I’d had this feeling since coming home from my dad’s house. He hadn’t asked me to do a job with him—big surprise there. I was surprised Don didn’t know about the boys harassing me at Jade’s, and at work, but he assured me that wouldn’t happen anymore. The whole thing felt off, like something big was going on, but nobody wanted to tell me, or at least it felt like Don was holding onto something big. I left feeling more anxious than ever.

  Jumping off the bed, I started doing pushups, hoping it would release this tense energy that was radiating from my stomach. After a while, I stood with shaky legs and burning arm muscles, more wired than ever. I was drenched in sweat; my baggy green Kiss Me I’m Irish shirt clung to my back and around my chest. I had to figure out a way to simmer the fuck down. Jade loved drinking tea, so I knew she had some sort of sleepy tea I could drink. Quietly, I shuffled upstairs, careful not to wake Pete and Jade. Setting the full kettle on the stove, I slumped on the chair, waiting for it to whistle. I stared blankly into the air as Jade came into the small kitchen.

  “Billie?” she whispered as she sat down across from me. “Billie, baby, what are you doing?” There was concern in her voice. My stare was trained into nothing but I couldn’t blink to look her way.

  “I’m waiting for the water to be ready.” I wasn’t sure why I sounded so detached. Billie took in a sharp breath before I felt the warmth of her hands wrapping around mine.

  “You’re working for Don again, aren’t you?” That seemed to snap me out. I turned to look at her worried face.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You have the same look you used to get when you were going to do a job.”

  My eyebrows furrowed before I blinked the expression I didn’t know I had away. “No, Jade, I’m not working for Don. I’m done with all that, remember?” I felt a little insulted. But at the same time I didn’t blame her.

  “Then what’s going on?” Before I could answer, the kettle began to steam and spout, making us both jump.

  Jade dropped my hand and rushed over to the stove. She assumed I needed something to help me sleep because I wasn’t a fan of hot beverages, and I watched as she unwrapped a chamomile tea bag from the tea drawer. She stood with her back to me until the bag had steeped for the desired time, which was about five minutes. The longest five minutes of my life. I suddenly had the feeling I was in for a heart to heart. I studied my chipped fingernails as I heard her toss the used tea bags into the trash. I didn’t look up until the hot mug pushed against my hand.

  “I had a bad dream,” I said as I blew the steam off the mug. “I can’t really remember it, but I woke up feeling like I was being pulled in two.”

  Jade frowned, and I continued, “The thing is, it wasn’t the first time I’ve had a dream like that, but tonight at work LCD showed up. And when they stood, the barstools fell…and I…you know I’m not superstitious, but it feels like all this ties in together.”

  Jade gently pushed her mug aside and held my hand. “Bil, that’s just an old Irish wives’ tale. It’s all just coincidence, not an omen.” She squeezed my hand before getting up and heading toward the half bathroom next to the stairs. She dug through the medicine cabinet before coming out with a small pill bottle. “Here,” she said, with a little white pill in her hand. “It’ll help you sleep.” I eyed her curiously. Jade wasn’t the type to take pills. She sat down, taking the mug back into her hands. “Sometimes when I hear the engine of a motorcycle being revved up, I can’t sleep. So I take those pills.” Jade watched her tea, embarrassed. I knew what she meant, and I knew it wasn’t the sound of my Frog that bothered her. It was the sound of a Harley that kept her up. My heart constricted for her. I hated that she still feared him, even though he was buried miles and miles away from here.

  “Does Pete know?”

  Jade sniffled. “No. I saw what it did to my dad when he walked in on it. I’m not going to destroy another man I love by giving him that sort of knowledge.”

  “Sweetheart, it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t destroy your father, that…animal did.”

  “Then why did he leave? Huh, Billie, why did he leave…me?” Jade choked on her sob as she tried to contain it. Pushing my chair back, I got on bended knee in front of her, grabbing her face with my hands.

  “Because he blames himself, Jade. If it weren’t for his lifestyle, if he wasn’t the president of a biker gang, then that danger would have never been at your doorstep. He left to protect you. It was the hardest thing he’s ever done, but he did it out of love. And he’s so proud of you for not falling into the same path. Instead, you married a man who thinks you walk on water. Did you know that, Jade? He loves Pete. He knows you chose the right man for you.” Her tears ran down her cheeks and onto my hands.

  “He said that?”

  “Yeah, hon, he did. And I’m sure one day he’ll grow some balls and tell you himself.”

  Jade chuckled as she wrapped her fingers over my hands. She pulled them down, got on her knees, and hugged me. “Are we okay, Bil?” she asked, and I knew what she meant. Ever since I had seen the Facebook pictures, I’d grown a little distant toward her, but now all that seemed trivial. We weren’t just friends, we were sisters, and no matter how many friends she had or how much our lives changed, we would always be family.

  “Yeah. We’re perfect,” I said against her hair, squeezing her tighter.

  We spent hours after that lying on the cold kitchen floor side by side as we remembered our childhood. And the times we would get busted for stealing candy from the vending machine at school or gambling on Jade’s softball games. We would get out of it by taunting the teacher into letting us go if I beat them at a game of poker. Of course, I would always win. That worked until the teachers picked up on it and started suspending me. Usually, I’d only be out for a day until the school got a phone call from Don and I’d be let back in. After a while, the teachers would turn a blind eye on the shenanigans Jade and I got into. It was almost always the new teachers who tried to suspend me, but they always learned fast that it was a bad idea.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Billie

  Saturday night at work, Jade decided she wanted to throw a welcome back party for me. She invited everyone at the bar and a couple of regulars to her house on Sunday afternoon. Christian thought it was a great idea and stupidly decided to close the bar so we could all party comfortably without worrying about having to go to work. I begged him not to do it, but he wouldn’t listen. I explained how everyone would lose money but they all seemed to love the idea of having a day to party with their co-workers. Everyone needed an extra day off, especially after how busy it had been the past couple of weeks.

  I took the opportunity of enjoying some alone time Sunday morning, w
hen Jade and Pete left to pick up the supplies and food for the barbeque to clean the entire house. It wasn’t dirty; Pete was on disability for hurting his shoulder on a job so he’d been home for the past three weeks. He always kept the house clean and made sure Jade and I were fed, but the tiny little things one forgets to clean in a house, like the baseboards and window blinds, had been neglected. I was on all fours scrubbing the living room baseboards when the doorbell rang. A deliveryman stood outside with a bouquet of white flowers in his hands.

  “Sign here, please.” He pushed the full vase in my hands along with the clipboard. He didn’t even bother asking me if he had the correct address or if I was the person intended for the delivery. I sighed, forcing back the clipboard with the same intensity, and stalked back inside, slamming the door in his face.

  Gardenias. Fucking Connor. Setting the crystal vase on the kitchen table, I plucked the small green card from the bouquet. It read:

  Adding a little of me to your welcome home party.

  The cold little shiver that was only saved for a certain type of his gifts went through me. When we dated and he seemed to know things he shouldn’t, it never really bothered me. In my stupid inexperienced youth, I imagined it was because he loved me so much and his stalking was done to protect me, but now as a twenty-two-year-old woman with experience, I knew the small gifts he sent throughout the years and him knowing things was cause for concern. Like me having a welcome home party when he didn’t know anyone from the bar.

  Still, a part of me knew he would never physically hurt me. And then there was my father. Connor would never threaten me or hurt me out of fear of what Don would do. I crumpled the card, throwing it in the trash before Jade freaked out. I finished cleaning, then went to the driveway to clean my bike. I was spraying the tires with the hose when Pete’s truck pulled in and a black SUV stopped along the sidewalk. Turning off the nozzle, I watched as Ava and her cousin Vanessa got out of the vehicle and walked up the steps.

  “I brought reinforcement,” Jade said while handing me plastic bags filled with groceries.

  I set down the hose quickly before accepting the bags. Inside, we all gathered around the small kitchen, putting away some items and setting others aside to be prepped or cooked. Jade concentrated mainly on trying to keep Ava talking, as Vanessa and I kept quiet around them. I soon realized I was more in the way than I was helping. Pete noticed the look on my face and handed me a bottle of beer, with a small smile on his face. I took it then stepped outside to the front yard, sitting on the concrete steps. Jade was too busy accommodating Ava; she didn’t even notice the flowers. I wondered if I was being ridiculous. I mean, who gets jealous of a friend having other friends?

  “The Frog looks good,” Pete said, sitting beside me. He shoved me playfully, making me chuckle.

  “Thanks.” I pushed back. We sat silently before I took a large mouthful from my beer. It was barely noon and I was drinking.

  “I feel like I’m losing her.” I picked at the label glued to the bottle. Pete breathed like he was trying to find the right words to say.

  “You’ll never lose her, Bil. You guys are like sisters…more than sisters. There’s no losing that connection.”

  “I feel like a kid fighting for the affection of her mother.” I laughed.

  “She’s not replacing you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

  “I’m not sure why I came back, Pete. She has you, a good job, and friends. Why did I feel like I needed to come back home for her? She’s doing just fine without me.” I couldn’t believe I was saying this out loud, but the more I spoke the heavier the situation I was in hit me.

  “Because you needed to believe she needed you back. Even if you coming back had nothing to do with Jade.” I stayed quiet, not sure how to respond to that. “Bil, you’re young, there’re a lot of twenty-two-year-olds that try to go off on their own and fall flat on their faces. That doesn’t mean you’re not good at anything else. Don’t let that be the reason why you’re justifying going back to work for Don.” My beer froze mid-way to my mouth.

  “That’s not why I came back, Pete,” I said defensively.

  “I hope not.” He finished his beer then stood and retreated back inside.

  I stayed outside until my bottle was empty and there was no more label left to tear off. The smell of meat cooking pulled me inside. The girls were in the backyard laughing and talking to each other while Pete laid raw meat on the grill. I slipped downstairs to change into a pair of worn out jeans and a white tank top. I zipped my leather bodysuit to my waist then pulled on my riding boots. Marching back up the stairs, I stopped on the final step when Christian appeared a few feet away. I hated the way my heart fluttered at his presence.

  “Where are you off to? Isn’t this your party?”

  I stepped slowly over the last step to be in front of him. “Party hasn’t officially started yet.” I glanced at the sliding door just to confirm I wasn’t missed. Clearly, I wasn’t. Jade and Pete were laughing with Ava and Vanessa. I had to leave for a while and shake off this pity party I was having. This wasn’t like me. “I’ll be back soon,” I told him. “But you’re more than welcome to go outside and join the pre-party.” Outside, I straddled my bike, surprised to see Christian had followed me.

  “Let me come with you.” He held onto my handle like I would drive off. I watched him cautiously as I pulled my bodysuit over my shoulders and zipped it up.

  “I’m not riding bitch on my own ride,” I told him.

  Christian chuckled. “I wouldn’t think of it.” Cocking his head, he gave me a look. “Yeah?” he said, as another form of asking. I took in a deep breath. His weight would make my bike uneven, but not enough that I couldn’t handle it. Before I could rationalize this, I just opened my mouth and let my feelings speak instead of my brain.

  “Hop on.”

  His mouth twitched. I was sure he was trying to fight a smug smile. Suddenly I was feeling coy. I was thankful when he straddled the bike and sat behind me so he couldn’t see my face. I was feeling good about having him come with me until he snaked his arms around my waist and I was snug between his legs. My heart felt like it had dropped to my stomach and I was sure he could feel it when he chuckled.

  “I thought we were leaving? Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t mind staying here with you pressed against me if that’s what you wanted.”

  I groaned, playfully elbowing him before starting the bike. It took me a few minutes to get used to the extra weight, but as soon as I did I accelerated and took off. I drove to Woodward Avenue right outside of Harden. There was an abandoned house we would go to party when we were younger. It was a Queen Anne style home with brown bricks and a tall black-shingled roof. The landscaping in front of the yard was overgrown with bushes and tall yellow grass. There was a massive hole in the middle of the roof and the foundation was missing pieces. Some windows were boarded up, but overall it was sturdy and safe to go inside. I turned off the bike and waited for Christian to hop off. When he did, he looked at me, concerned as he glanced at the house.

  “Is this where you bury my body?”

  I laughed. “No, I’d throw your body in a lake.”

  “Good to know,” he said tensely.

  “Come on.” I pulled on the front of his shirt. I shoved away weeds and pushed back branches as we moved in the direction of where the front door would have been. Inside of the structure, the bright early afternoon sun shone directly through the hole of the roof, giving it some much needed light. Dust flew by the sunbeam, illuminating every single speck.

  “This is actually kind of cool,” he said, testing the wooden planks on the floor. Not much had changed since I was last here. There were a few more holes but that was about it.

  “I know, right?” I pulled an old crate to the center of the room where there was better light. Pulling my knees to my chest, I watched as Christian looked around the house. He walked with caution. I studied the way his jaw clenched when he wasn’t sure about a step,
and the way his eyes would widen just a little when a plank creaked. I was mesmerized by the way the sun shone on his flawless olive skin, how his tattoos were brought to life when his body moved. The ink on his chest was always my favorite to watch. I didn’t know what it was completely, but what I could see was the top of what I assumed was a Mexican sugar skull with two vivid red roses on each side. I giggled when a critter ran under the floor and he stilled.

  “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of little animals?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not a fan of mice.” Christian walked over to me and sat beside me. I said a little prayer, hoping the crate wouldn’t collapse under us. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. I wasn’t acting like myself so I knew it was pretty obvious something was wrong. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

  I inhaled sharply.

  “Do you ever feel like you don’t fit in your own life?” I said.

  Christian leaned in, resting his elbows on his knees. The wood squeaked as he moved, and I held my breath a little. He stared at me with a certain look in his eyes, almost like he knew exactly what I was saying. But he didn’t say anything, just wrapped an arm over my shoulder in a soothing gesture.

  We sat like that for a while, watching the dust fly by and listening to the world outside our little bubble. It was comforting to know he wasn’t just a flirt. He was serious and reassuring when he needed to be.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Christian

  Tupac’s voice rolled inside my ears and the bass of “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” vibrated in my headphones while I gripped the iron bar. I pulled myself up for my last set. Taking a glance at the mirror in front of me, I was satisfied by the amount of sweat that had accumulated on my chest, arms, and face. Because of how much I worked at the bar, I didn’t have enough time to come to the gym like I wanted. I was starting to feel like I was getting soft, so today I made an effort to wake up earlier than normal and head to the gym across the street from my apartment.