I stood around the corner while Chops and Brooks talked. And I could tell by the tones of their voices that the conversation got heated at times. Chops was upset that we came and went when the whole point was to shroud me away until I was safe, and Brooks insisted that I’d be much safer at my place with someone watching over me. Brooks used my job as an excuse: I couldn’t just take that kind of time off. I didn’t have those kinds of benefits. And with Gage not around to reap the benefits of Chops’ “alternative jobs”—whatever the hell that meant—money was tight.
Things weren’t that bad, but playing it up to Chops apparently worked.
Because he let us go freely and without further questioning.
The ride back to my place was silent. I clung to Brooks and kept my head on a swivel, wondering if Chops was having us followed. I didn’t doubt it for a second, but what I really craved was to know who the hell was on the other end of that phone call.
“All right,” Brooks said as we walked into my townhome, “time to talk.”
I locked the front door behind me. “You hungry?”
He shook his head. “After we talk.”
“Then, let’s a least get some coffee.”
“Raven,” he said curtly.
I sighed as I made my way into the kitchen. “When I was sneaking out, I found Chops on the side porch talking on his cell phone to someone.”
“All right, and?”
I started making a pot of coffee. “And what he was saying on the phone didn’t sound very good.”
“Who was he talking to?”
I put water in the pot. “That’s the thing, I’ve got no idea. I wish I did, though. What he was saying didn’t sound very good.”
Brooks leaned against the countertop while I worked. “Tell me, verbatim, what he said. And leave nothing out.”
I licked my lips. “The first time I heard him speak, he said ‘of course they didn’t go for the idea.’”
“What idea?”
I shrugged. “I’ve got no clue. But that’s what he said. He kept trying to talk after that, but I guess the voice on the other end of the line was interrupting him? Anyway, when he got the chance to speak again, he said ‘I told you these guys are a bunch of pussies. I’ve got this. Don’t go questioning me just because things backfired.’”
I looked over at Brooks and found him fuming. “What else?”
I turned on the coffee pot. “Then, he said ‘Plan B requires him. You know that.’”
“Who?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. But I remember those words exactly. His voice… it was, almost distorted in a way. Like, he was possessed or something.”
“Or desperate,” he murmured.
I furrowed my brow. “Desperate?”
He shook his head. “Was there anything else?”
I leaned against the counter and folded my arms across my chest. “Nothing after that. He caught me in the hallway eavesdropping and told me that if I opened my mouth to anyone about anything I had just witnessed, I’d have to deal with him.”
Brooks’ eyes darkened. “He threatened you?”
“He made me promise I wouldn’t say a word and then made me keep my gaze out the window. Like he didn’t want me watching him at all.”
“Did he say anything else to you after that?”
I hesitated. “I mean—”
Brooks closed the distance between us. “What did he say, Raven?”
I looked up at him and held my breath. “He said if I didn’t do as he asked, the fate that would ‘befall me’ would be worse than what I could ever imagine.”
I decided not to tell him about the kiss against my ear. Brooks already looked as if his head were about to pop off with anger, and if I told him Chops physically touched me?
I wasn’t sure the man wouldn’t end up right back in jail for murder.
“Anything else?” he glowered.
I didn’t want to lie to him. “Please, don’t ask me that.”
He narrowed his eyes. “If that man said something—”
I shook my head. “He said nothing after that, I swear.”
He paused. “So, he did something.”
My eyes watered. “Brooks, please. You’re scaring me, just like Gage used to.”
That seemed to disarm him, and he physically backed away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean t-to scare you.”
I released the breath I had held. “It’s okay.”
He raked his hands through his hair. “Did that man hurt you?”
I looked him dead in his eyes. “No. I’d tell you if that happened, one hundred percent. He didn’t hurt me at all. Just scared me pretty badly.”
He ran his hands down his face. “Son of a bitch. I’m gonna kill him.”
I rushed to his side. “No. Don’t even joke about that.”
He glared down at me. “Who the hell said it was a joke?”
I cupped his cheeks. “Brooks, promise me you won’t hurt him. Not now, anyway. You can’t fight Chops just because of me, okay?”
I waited until Brooks nodded before I released my hold on him. I mean he wasn’t the only one who didn’t like Chops. I was never fond of the man. We never saw eye to eye on anything, and the way he treated the women around him disgusted me. Every single hook-up he ever had, he talked down to them like dogs. He’d boast about his escapades as if their worth meant nothing to him, and no girlfriend he’d ever had around lasted more than a couple of weeks. The man was a walking relic of the past in his ways with women, and it sickened me that he ran the club my late husband gave his life for.
Brooks turned his back and walked into the living room. “Jesus fuck, I want to strangle him so badly.”
My head fell back. “And you can do that if you want, but not on my account. Find out what he’s up to first. Make that the reason. Because whatever his plan was, it backfired.”
He slowly looked over at me. “So, he’ll be using another plan.”
I reached for the dinging coffee pot. “Yep. Want a cup?”
“Please.”
I grinned. “You’re the only tough guy I’ve ever come across that has manners.”
“Gage had manners.”
I clicked my tongue. “Sometimes.”
He chuckled. “Guess that’s better than nothing.”
Maybe. “Anyway, I assume you’re going to have to enlist the help of the guys to do this. Who do you trust?”
I grabbed both of the mugs of coffee and walked over to him as he started talking.
“Right now? The only person I really, truly trust is Porter. But the guys sort of proved to me this morning that I can kind of trust all of them. Thanks.”
I passed off his coffee. “Welcome. How so? What happened this morning?”
He eased himself onto the couch. “Well, it’s not protocol usually to talk about church meetings with outsiders, but since this kind of happened after the meeting…”
I placed my hand on his knee. “What happened?”
He looked over at me. “The guys essentially admitted to me that Chops is out of control and something needs to be done about him.”
I patted it before sipping my coffee. “That’s good. That’s very good.”
He slid his phone out of his pocket. “And I’m probably going to shoot Archer a text here in a second to keep an eye and an ear out for Chops while I’m gone. The man will have more of an emotional stake in all of this.”
“Why’s that?”
He started texting away. “If I told you that, I’d give away the church meeting. But just trust me when I tell you it’s not good.”
I snickered. “If Chops is involved? Doesn’t shock me one bit.”
He grinned. “There. Sent.”
“What did you tell him?”
His eyes flickered across the screen. “Keep your ears out for Chops. He’s up to something. And come to Raven’s if you guys need to talk. That’s where I am.”
“Good. They’re welcome here anytime.”
He put his phone away. “So, what’s the plan? Are you actually going to try and work while all of this is going on?”
“I mean, do I really have a choice?”
He shrugged. “You could take some vacation?”
“I have to put in for it at least a week in advance.”
“Then, put it in tomorrow. Cash in a week or two.”
I blinked. “Or three. Maybe four?”
He slowly looked over at me. “How much vacation do you have saved up?”
I paused. “Never really felt the need to take it after Gage died. It’s just kind of been rolling over ever since.”
He took my hand. “I’m so sorry, Raven. From the bottom of my heart, I—”
I squeezed it. “It’s not your fault. Even though I know you’ll blame yourself, it honestly isn’t. There’s so much about that night that we don’t know about, there’s no telling who the hell is to blame for what really happened.”
He scooted closer to me. “You have my word I’ll figure it out, though. Because something in my gut tells me Chops’ shit is all wrapped up into this.”
I balked. “You think Chops had something to do with Gage’s death?”
“And Hyde’s. Either that, or he’s at least covering for who is responsible. And neither of those things are going to fly now that I’m back.”
I turned to face him. “Promise me something.”
He nodded. “Anything.”
“Promise me you’ll find out who did this to Gage and Hyde. If it’s something someone has deliberately done.”
He cupped my cheek, gazing into my eyes. “You have my word.”
“Good.”
His eyes studied mine and our bodies gravitated toward one another. My body leaned into his, wanting nothing more than his comforting warmth. The voice in the back of my head screamed at me to stop. My heart slammed against my chest, almost as if it were pumping the brakes inside of my ribcage. And when I felt Brooks’ breath against my lips, my pelvis warmed.
Which halted me in my tracks.
“I should get some sleep,” I said softly.
Brooks licked his lips. “I think we could both use some sleep.”
I slowly pulled away, thumbing over my shoulder. “Guest bedroom is just down that hallway. I’m upstairs, right above you.”
He nodded. “There a bathroom down here, too?”
“Yep. The first door to the left down the hallway. It’s not accessible from the bedroom, but it’s right there.”
“It’ll be fine, thank you.”
I stood to my feet. “Feel free to help yourself to the toiletries in here, too. And the food in the kitchen. There isn’t much since it’s just me here, but you’re welcome to it.”
He grinned. “Thanks.”
A warmth crept through the marrow of my bones. “Anyway, time for a rest for me.”
He sipped his coffee, his eyes never wavering from my own. “I’ll be down here if you need me.”
I always need you. “Great. Wonderful. I’ll see you after my nap.”
My eyes held his for a beat and a half more before I finally pulled away. The spell he had on me from the first night we met felt stronger than ever despite the distance and silence between us over the years. As I made my way for the kitchen, I prayed my staircase was enough to keep us apart. As I threw back the rest of my coffee, my mind begged for any God above to rid me of the emotions I felt for the man who had just invaded a home I once shared with his best friend.
I felt his eyes on me as I set my mug in the kitchen sink. I felt his stare against the sway of my hips as I made my way up the stairs. Without another work spoken, I put distance between myself and the man that still held part of my heart. And when I got to the top of the steps I wanted to cry, I felt so guilty. I wanted to vomit, I felt so selfish.
It didn’t stop the thought from crossing my mind, though. The one thought that told me just how deep into this shit I already was.
I really hope Brooks follows me up here.
And I scurried into my bedroom to shield myself from the shame I knew was barreling up the stairs behind me.
