Broken Arrow, page 10
He wipes the corners of his eyes, and I have to laugh with him. His wife Alice is small and sweet, but that doesn’t mean I relish the thought of staying in a man cave full of bikers who don’t have wives and kids to go home to.
“Honey, Josh can stay with you. That’s not a problem. I assume because his place is compromised, too, that’s what you both want.” Alice points to Morris. “And this one will kick the ass of any of those guys who even looks at you funny.”
Josh is oddly silent about the offer they’ve made to the two of us, moving into a vacant room in the Disciples compound while Josh continues to work on my case. It’s generous. It’s practical because it’s the last damn place that anyone would think to look for me.
Even with the doubts I have, it’s clear I have no better options. Unless I want to completely bankrupt myself in a matter of days, moving from one hotel to another.
“And my car?” I ask. “If I bring that along, won’t I just reveal my location to whoever has a tracker on it?”
Josh interrupts then. “Your car can stay here. Anyone who’s watching will figure out quick you’re not living in this strip mall.”
Josh explains that since he’s not sure whether I’ll be safe, for the next few days, he’ll take me to school. As much as I appreciate the offer, I can’t afford more of Josh’s time. But this is serious. Really serious. It’s not only my safety that’s at stake, but my future well-being. If I throw every penny I have at Josh, then what?
Sigh. I don’t like any of it.
But at this point, both my safety and Josh’s are on the line. What other choice do I have? Even if I can’t afford to pay him for all his time, we both need a safe place to sleep until this gets sorted out. Or it ends. I shiver at the thought of all the ways this might end, and suddenly living with a bunch of wild bikers sounds a lot more appealing.
“Can I ask how much?” I ask.
“How much?” Morris cocks his chin. “I don’t follow you, sweetheart.”
“She wants to know how much you’ll charge her to stay at the compound,” Josh supplies.
Alice looks at Morris, who glowers at me with the kind of menacing look I’d hope he’d turn on anyone who threatened my safety.
“We don’t profit off helping our own,” Morris grits out. He smacks Josh across the chest. “This guy’s not one of us, but he’s close enough. What we have is ours to share with whomever we choose. And I’m offering a roof over your head and meals for as long as you both need it. Understand? I don’t want to hear another word about money.” He waves a hand at me and turns to Josh. “You can take Crow’s old room. I’ll talk to Tiny. When are you planning on rolling in?”
Josh looks at me, then back at Morris. “You think Tiny’s going to go for this?”
Morris lifts his brows, and that ends the conversation.
“This afternoon,” Josh confirms. “We have some things to take care of, but we’ll move in today.”
Morris and Josh talk a bit about logistics while Alice comes and loops a hand around my arm. “Annie, I know you don’t know me, but the MC is family. And that makes anyone they take under their wing family too.” She gives me a warm squeeze and then releases me. “You and Josh should come by our house for dinner sometime, meet my little ones. I have a ten-year-old and a one-year-old. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about our life…”
I smile. “I’d love that, thank you.” And even though I don’t know this woman from Adam, I mean it. The invitation seems sincere, and I could use some genuine friends right now.
“All right, man.” Morris claps Josh hard on the shoulder and then walks up to me and offers me his hand. “Great meeting you, darlin’,” he says. “I’ll see you at the compound.”
Alice and Morris head out, leaving Josh and me alone. I don’t know what to say, and for a moment, it seems like Josh doesn’t either.
Things have changed.
We’re not just pretending to be a couple so no one asks questions. We’re continuing a lie that is just going to keep growing.
While at the same time, the reality of why we’re doing this is taking me to a dark place. I drop into a chair, grip my knees with my hands, and take a long, deep breath.
“Annie, are you okay? We can put the brakes on this plan anytime. You just say the word.” His brows are knitted together, and I am overcome with gratitude that he’s giving me a choice.
Truth is, I don’t know if I’m okay. I don’t know what I did to get myself into this situation. I’m a nobody. A basic person who wanted to get a degree, make some art, and figure out who I am.
Now there’s a tracker on my car, a stalker on my tail, and I’m about to move in to a compound with biker outlaws.
“Josh, I…I don’t even know what to say. I got you into this…” I lace my fingers together and glance down. “I’m grateful there’s a place we can both go to be safe. But…” I look up and meet his melted-chocolate eyes, “I can’t take their charity. I can cook and clean. I can make myself useful. You didn’t sign up for this. You gave me a deal on ten hours of your time, and now look.” I shake my head. “You have to close your office because of me.”
I think I’m past tears now, though, to be honest, I’m not sad. I’m weary. I’m looking at the mountain ahead of me, and even though I have no strength left to climb it, I know I have to. I don’t have any other option. I’m just sorry that I had to drag anyone else down with me.
He stares at me as though I’ve just offered to climb a pole and give lap dances to every biker in the club. “You don’t have to do anything, Annie,” he says slowly. “You didn’t bring any of this on yourself. You sure as hell didn’t expose me to this weirdo letter-writer. I have to protect myself, and there’s no way I’m going to leave you now, whether you can pay me as your investigator or not.” He kneels on the office carpet and looks like he wants to touch me, take my hand, but he doesn’t. He stands back up and shoves his hands deep into his pockets. “I promised to keep you safe. There’s no price tag on that promise, babe.”
Suddenly, the tension between Josh and me is as hot as the Florida sunshine. I don’t know what I said or what’s changing between us, but it suddenly hits me that we’re going to be holed up together, I bark out a nervous laugh.
“I guess it’s a good thing we’re pretending to be together,” I say, my voice shaking slightly. “I don’t know who Crow is, but I’m grateful he won’t be needing his room for a while.”
Josh licks his lips, and all I can feel is the throb of heat between my legs. “Let’s do this,” he says, turning suddenly and heading into his office. “I need to make a sign for the door, grab my shit. You need to put everything you brought from the hotel and everything in your trunk into my truck.”
He’s all business again, and I wish we could have spent a few more minutes in that sexy, sweet space. Where I could indulge in the fantasy that Josh is mine and that he really will protect me because he wants to, not because I hired him.
“Did you check out of the hotel?” he asks as he rummages through the drawers of his desk.
“Yeah, but only after I cleared out the minibar and trashed the room. I hope you don’t mind.”
He has his laptop in his hands, and he freezes, looks at me, and then shakes his head. A low rumble of a laugh slips from between his lips.
“Annie Hancock,” he breathes. “You’re something else.”
He unplugs the coffeemaker, tapes a handwritten sign facing outward on the door, then puts a hand on the small of my back.
“You ready?” he asks. “Make sure you grab your parking pass from your car.”
I nod, the reality slowly hitting me. “I’m going to have to talk to my dad, aren’t I?”
He locks his inner office and slings a dark-brown leather messenger bag over his chest. “We can talk about it. I think we’ll have lots of time to talk about what comes next.”
I watch as he turns out the lights and locks up his office. I can see Alice standing in the office next door. She and Morris are kissing, and he’s got his hands on her ass. The level of grope that’s going on makes me feel a little guilty. I shouldn’t be watching Morris grind on his pretty wife, and yet I don’t want to look away. That is what real love looks like.
Marriage, children, a biker, and his babe.
I’ve never seen that kind of love before, and hell, I’ve certainly never seen that kind of lust. It’s more than just sweet. It fills me with a longing so powerful, I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry.
To be loved so deeply and so openly. To have someone I belong to so completely. It’s something I want as much as I want to find myself as an artist.
I don’t think I realized until now that what Morris and Alice have is possible. It’s certainly nothing I ever saw between my parents. I was way too young when Mom died to have even a single memory of what they were like as a couple.
And I’ve never felt anything like that for any of the guys I’ve dated or slept with.
I nudge Josh in the ribs.
“What?” he asks.
I motion toward the office. “If that’s what big, bad bikers are like, I think I’m going to enjoy living at the compound.”
Josh raises a brow at me after seeing the way Morris is manhandling his wife. “If that’s what you’re into, babe, you just say the word. But you say it to me, got it?”
My cheeks flush so hot, I’m tempted to fan myself. I meet Josh’s eyes, and he gives me a look that just does me in.
It’s official.
I’m crushing hard on my PI.
By the time we pull into the motorcycle club compound, the sun is setting, and I’m starving, exhausted, and angry. Josh and I went to the police department to file a report about the letters and the trashed dorm room. The result was exactly what I expected—there was no crime being committed. No evidence that I was being tracked without my consent since I couldn’t locate a tracker on my car.
The officer who took the report was professional and pleasant, but realistic. She gave me a pamphlet about stalking and explained that if there was a demand for money or any damage to property that was not on the school’s campus, I should call them or come back in.
Josh didn’t seem as discouraged as I was. He lifted the sunglasses off his face and turned to face me. “You want to settle in?” he asks. “Unload the truck then grab some dinner? Carnival Pizza or County Fair Burgers?”
I look at him, confused, but then start cracking up. “There’s no such thing as Carnival Pizza or County Fair Burgers. Don’t you make promises you can’t keep.”
His grin is sexy and sweet as he shakes his head. “Come on, Annie. Time to meet the bikers.”
The compound itself is surprisingly normal. Lots of motorcycles are parked outside, and when we knock, the door is opened by a woman with loads of wrinkles and even more sass.
“Arrow, you sonofabitch,” she says, putting a hand on her hip. “If I’da known you had an old lady, I wouldn’t have tried to seduce you so many times.”
My mouth falls open.
The woman laughs and laughs until a fit of very raspy coughs replaces the giggles. “I’m shitting you,” she says, opening the door wide. “Come on in. Morris told me to expect you.”
“I’m Annie,” I say as we walk inside.
“Well, aren’t you a sweet little thing. Midge, babe. I’m basically the heart and soul of this group of hellions.” The woman has a lit cigarette pinched between two fingers, which she waves in the air for emphasis.
“Don’t believe a thing she says.” An enormous man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a serious set of biceps nods at us. “Arrow,” he says. “Good to see you, man. This your old lady?”
Josh claps the man in a half hug, then turns to me. “Annie, this is Logan, but you can call him Crow.”
“Pleasure, Annie.” Crow holds out his hand to me, and I shake it, trying not to giggle. This man looks like every stereotype and then some. But his hand is firm, his handshake gentle. And I notice a tattoo on his finger where a wedding band would go.
“Nice to meet you,” I say. “Is it your room that we’re taking?”
Crow nods. “I’m not here much anymore. Wife wouldn’t love it if I spent too many nights with these bozos.” He gestures to an unbelievably huge man who’s lumbering past, an empty plastic drinking cup that probably holds a liter of liquid in it in his hand.
“Fuckin’ running a women’s shelter now,” I hear him grumble as though he’s talking to us.
Crow hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about Tiny,” he says. “He’s one of the last bachelors left. He misses the good old days when the Disciples…” Crow shoots a look at Josh. “Let’s just say Tiny’s stuck in the past.”
“Fuck off, Crow!” Tiny’s shout echoes through the compound. “Domesticated motherfuck…”
I look at Josh nervously. “Are you sure this is okay?” I ask quietly. “I don’t want to put anyone out…”
Crow holds up a finger and stops my question. “Tiny!” he yells. “Come meet Annie, Josh’s old lady.” Crow turns and heads toward a large, modern-looking kitchen. Tiny has one side of the refrigerator open, and he’s dumping a mountain of ice into his cup.
“Why do they keep calling me an old lady?” I whisper to Josh. “I’m in my twenties, for crap’s sake.”
“It has nothing to do with age,” he whispers back. “I’ll explain later.”
Midge is in the kitchen too, tearing open a bag of potato chips.
“How’s work?” Josh asks Crow, ignoring Tiny and Midge…and me.
“It’s good,” he says, nodding. “We have our slow seasons, but this summer was the tits. I’m looking to hire more guys on my crew. Flooring subs, electrical, plumbing. Birdie’s running the office now, handling the certs and shit from all the subcontractors. It’s a goddamn full-time job making sure everyone from demo to finish carpentry’s got insurance.”
I know a thing or two about construction from working with my dad, so I follow along mostly with what they’re saying.
“You kids staying for dinner?” Midge asks, stuffing a handful of chips into her mouth.
I look to Josh, who shakes his head. “We’ve got plans, thanks. I thought we’d unload the truck before it gets too late.”
“I’m out of here.” Crow taps his fingers on the counter and wishes everyone a good night. “See you in the morning, man,” he calls to Tiny. “I got to be on the job by seven tomorrow.”
“Go straight there,” Tiny grunts with a wave of his hand. “I’ll meet you. Kiss Birdie for me.”
Crow claps a hand on Josh’s back and wishes me good night.
“Nice to meet you, Crow,” I say.
Then, Tiny turns and glares at Josh. “You,” he says. “In my office.”
Josh nods, and we follow Tiny down along a hallway to an office. For a minute, I feel like I am on the set of a TV show, and it’s unlike any room I’ve ever been in.
Tiny has an extra-large desk and an office chair to match, but it still squeaks under his weight when he sits. He points to two wooden chairs opposite his, and like we’re interns interviewing for a position with the CEO, Josh and I look at each other, then cautiously take a seat.
“So,” Tiny says, “I hear you got trouble?”
Josh nods. “It happens, man. We could use a place to crash until I sort shit out.”
Tiny looks at me, his lips firm but his eyes soft. “And you…Annie, is it?”
I nod. “Annie Hancock, sir.”
Tiny laughs so hard, he almost spits out a mouthful of soda. “Sweetheart, you can call me Tiny. Now.” He opens a desk drawer and pulls out two sets of keys. “This is what you need to know.” He slides one small ring with two keys on it toward me and another toward Josh. “The silver key will let you into the front door of the compound,” he says. “The gold key locks your room.”
I hold the keys in my hand, but I never take my eyes off the massive biker.
“This is normally something we do not do.” He punctuates each word to let me know exactly how he feels about this situation. But then a beat-up-looking cell phone vibrates on the desk. “Excuse me a minute,” he says. “Marla?” he says, swiping to unlock the phone. “I’m with some people. Can I call you right back?” He hangs up the phone.
Josh grins but doesn’t say anything.
Tiny shoots him a look. “As I was saying. We don’t normally let outsiders into this space. This place is sacred. We’re more than just a brotherhood. We’re a family. Tighter than tight. Closer than blood.” He points a thick finger at Josh. “Not that long ago, this son of a bitch helped my daughter and our brother Leo out of a jam. Which makes you one of us. Your enemy,” Tiny says, his voice deadly serious, “is my enemy.”
He takes a break to sip his drink and wipe his forehead with the back of his hand. “So, for as long as you need a place, you’re welcome. I’m going to bitch and moan from time to time, but that’s my way. I’m old-school. Bikers had bitches, and compounds weren’t for kids and fucking families.”
He turns one of the pictures around, and I see a family portrait of a girl who I assume is Tiny’s daughter. She’s clutching a newborn baby, and a really handsome guy in a leather vest is kissing her head. Tiny glowers behind them, looking somehow angry and proud all at once. “I got a fucking family now, so I guess it comes for all of us eventually.” He chuckles. “So, welcome home. Midge will show you where the laundry is and which room is yours. Eat, drink, shower, fuck—the place is your home as long as you want it. And if you know more about this threat you’re facing, Arrow, your job is to tell me everything. A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us. We clear?”
Josh is agreeing with Tiny and thanking him, but all I can hear is the echo of one word—fuck.
I may be safe, but I feel like my time here is going to cause a whole lot of trouble.
10
ARROW
“I’ve been meaning to ask, why do they call you Arrow?”
