Page 13

Chapter Thirteen

I fire off a text to Sabrina, telling her I’ll be home as soon as I can. Things between us aren’t what they once were, but I’m trying to do better. I’ve put as much distance as I can between Kiesha and me. Which hasn’t been easy, considering it’s my job to protect her.

Link isn’t a man who makes empty threats. The last thing I want is to piss him off when he’s already itching for a fight. The whole club is keyed up and ready to be done with this Adam fucker and him attempting to make Zoe’s life hell. Like Link said, he should have killed the dickhead years ago.

For years, he’s been toying with Zoe and her daughters. It’s no wonder Kiesha has daddy issues. I watch her as she plays with her little sister. Teaching her how to properly hold and pet the cat without squeezing too tightly. She’s not stopped smiling since she got here, but I’ve noticed the sadness in her eyes when she thinks no one is watching and I know that I put it there.

I don’t know how to make up for hurting her. The only thing I know to do is keep my distance. As soon as this is over, she’ll go back to her normal and forget all about me.

My cell rings and I step off to the corner that veers to the hallway and to the kitchen, depending on which way you turn to take the call.

“Guess what?” Sabrina squeals.

“What’s up?”

“Ember says that she thinks Prodigy will move in with Zoe soon and that means they will need a new roommate. If Smoke agrees to it, then we’ve got a place as long as we can cover our part of the rent. You’d be closer to the club, and I’d get to spend more time with Ember.”

“Sounds perfect.” The sound of glass breaking has me ending the call and rushing toward the source, followed by Kiesha and her mother.

I throw my arms out to keep them from entering the room any further. I’m the only thing standing between them and Adam, Kiesha’s father and Zoe’s ex-husband, as well as his gun. Blood drips from his knuckles where he punched the glass of the back door to gain entry inside the house.

Everything unfolds quickly and I don’t have time to think as Kiesha’s little sister barrels into the kitchen chasing after the cat. Before I can grab hold of her, Kiesha scoops her up.

I’m frozen in place. A shield between them and a gun wielding asshole.

One wrong move and any of us could be dead.

I can’t afford to make a rash decision. I stare Adan down, trying to anticipate his next move. There’s no remorse on his hardened face despite the fact that he’s aiming a loaded weapon at two of his children. The expression in his eyes is wild and angry. He’s unhinged and desperate.

I stand my ground, though on the inside I’m anything but calm.

“Let the kids go and you and I can talk about this,” Zoe attempts to reason with him.

“Shut up, bitch.”

“Don’t talk to my mom like that, asshole,” Kiesha shrieks from behind me as her sister cries.

Fuck. This is going to end badly. I’ve got a gun tucked into the back waistband of my jeans, but if he sees me go for it, the bastard will shoot me with no regard to anyone. Not even himself. If it were only the two of us, I’d take the chance. If I make one wrong move, I’m dead. Then who will protect Kiesha, her mom, and sister?

Someone behind me goes for either my gun or the phone, but I can’t take my focus off Adam.

“What are you doing, you stupid bitch? Let me see your hands.”

I take a tentative step back, hoping I can usher them out of the room, but he fires a warning shot into the ceiling. “You think I’m fucking playing with you? I’m here for my girls. Marie’s waiting in the car.”

“You’re not taking them anywhere!” Zoe screams at him, and he fires off another round.

“Next one will be between your eyes.”

The two of them continue to argue while I look for an exit that doesn’t involve him shooting at us. It’s gotta be fast. He’s out of patience and I’m afraid the next shot he takes will be at us. I’ve never been in a situation like this. Hell, I’ve only ever shot at deer out in the woods. I’m in over my head, but now isn’t the time to panic.

Zoe grabs my gun, stepping past me. “Jimmy, get the girls out of here.”

Damn it all to hell. If Zoe takes a bullet, I’m dead either way. I make a decision and pray it’s the right one as I retrieve my weapon from Zoe as a shot rings out. Chaos erupts and I use my body as a shield for Kiesha and her sister As Prodigy enters the scene and goes for Adam.

Seconds later, I’m on the floor, blood oozing from the left side of my head, with Kiesha kneeling over me. I touch the side of my head, thankful I seem to be all in one piece besides a small nick on my ear that probably came from a shard of glass. “Thought he blew my brains out for a second.” I laugh it off, earning me a punch to the ribs.

“You’re an idiot,” Kiesha says with unshed tears glittering in her eyes. Her lips press to mine in front of her family as they bicker about what to do with Adam.

“You did the best you could, given the circumstances.” Prodigy clamps a hand to my shoulder. “Not bad at all, Prospect. My woman and her girls are safe. That’s what matters most.”

“Thanks, man.”

“I’ll give you two a minute.” He walks back into the house as Kiesha comes out to my truck.

“Thanks for saving my life back there.”

“All part of the job.”

“It was more than that. You could have been killed.” She shivers, likely from the shock of it all. It’s not every day there’s a shootout in her kitchen. Hopefully, it will be the last.

I don’t know how Prodigy didn’t put a bullet in Adam’s head, but he said he didn’t want that image burned into the girls’ heads. Didn’t want that to be how they saw him or how they remember their father.

The police arrested him and took everyone’s statements. It’s late and I’m beat.

“Don’t mention it.”

“I know this means you won’t be driving me around anymore or pretending to be my boyfriend. You have a life to get back to with Sabrina.”

“It wasn’t all pretend. You’re a sweet girl, Kiesha. Any guy would be lucky...” I cap my palm over my fist. “You ever get into another hostage situation I’m your guy.”

She lets out a soft giggle, her shoulders shaking with the relief of laughter after the tense and terrifying ordeal. “Remind me to get into more hostage situations, then.”

“I’m serious, Kiesha.” I grab her by the shoulders, pulling her in close enough to see the flecks of gold in her hazel eyes. “You deserve better than this. Better than your good-for-nothing father and better than some dirty biker who can’t make up his mind whether he’s good or bad. Who kisses pretty little brats behind his girlfriend’s back.”

A tear rolls down her cheek and I instinctively wipe it with my thumb. “I’ll find better, eventually,” she says softly, her voice barely audible above the crunching gravel as the cops wrap up their investigation.

Before I can say anything more, she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me into a hug that feels like home. The kind of home I’ve been searching for all my life. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I know.”

She stares into my eyes searching for permission, but this time I make the first move and kiss her goodbye, closed mouthed. “Stay out of trouble.”

“I can’t make any promises.” She disengages from our embrace. “Guess you’ve gotta go, huh?”

I roll my lips, tasting her there and craving more. “I’ll see you around.”

“You better.”

I force myself into my truck as she struts back inside, not looking back.

On the drive home, I replay the events of the evening over in my mind, dissecting every decision I did or didn’t make. I didn’t expect to miss Kiesha already, but I do.

The narrow and winding road leading back to my Gran’s place is nearly pitch black, with the sky being as cloudy as my mood. The silence of the cab of my truck only serves to amplify the buzzing thoughts in my head. A dull ache throbs from my nicked ear, a reminder of the close call with death and Kiesha’s teary eyes. At least she’s safe now.

Things could have gone down a lot differently. We could all be dead, but we’re not.

I park and kill the engine, then lean back against the seat, staring up at the ceiling of my truck. The events of tonight are too fresh on my mind to get out of this truck. I can still feel Kiesha’s lips on mine, the shock in her eyes when I kissed her goodbye. The taste of her is still on my tongue, strawberries and sugar.

Regret for things I did and didn’t say.

I’m not ready to face Sabrina and answer the millions of questions she’ll no doubt have. But It’s time to come clean. About all of it. I could lose her, but I can’t build a future with her based on a lie.

That’s not who I am. Not the man my Gran raised me to be. If my relationship with Sabrina is going to work, it has to be built on the truth. Even if it hurts. Forcing myself out of the truck, I mentally prepare myself for what I have to do.

Sabrina is waiting for me at the kitchen table, sipping on a mug of tea. Her tense expression meets mine, but her eyes brighten at the sight of me. “Hey. You scared me. Is everything okay?”

I toss my keys on the counter. “I hope so.”

“What happened?”

“My current job for the club ended. We should talk. I wasn’t completely honest with you before.”

“I knew. Deep down I knew, but I swallowed your lies because I was hungry for you.”

“I know. Sorry can’t fix what I did.”

“So what? Is this how it’s going to be? You feeding me lies and me pretending that we’re okay?”

“I got caught up in the job, but it won’t happen again.”

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

“There was a kiss.”

“Just a kiss or more?”

“One kiss.” The lies come all too easily, and I can’t stop.

“Do you like her?”

“No. It was a job. Nothing more. I went a little too far one time.”

“I don’t know how to trust you.”

“I swear to you. That’s all that happened. I’ll never see her again.”

“And what about the next job or the next skank?”

“Things will be different. I’ll be coming home to you every night. We’ll do what you said. Move in with Smoke and Ember until we can afford our own place. I won’t have to sleep at the clubhouse or crash at Trenton’s.” I take her hand and pull her up from her chair. “Come on. We can make this work.”

“I don’t know.”

“Think about it.” I wrap my arms around her. I’m a selfish bastard.

I should cut her loose, but I’m not ready to lose her.