Page 9 of Tarnished Hands (Chained Hearts Duet #7)

Chapter Nine

PIPER

W e’re all at the lake house the following Sunday when Lucas says, “Your little boo thang has been coming into my work and annoying me.” Chanel, Lucas’ better half, hits him in the arm.

“Be nice,” she scolds.

“I am, woman, can you not tell?” He winks at her and looks back at me. “If he comes in one more time, be prepared for me to give him your number.”

“You don’t have my number.” I smile at him. Lucas smiles back, and it’s not a kind smile. Smiles from Lucas usually aren’t.

“Don’t I?” He raises his brows.

“Um, he may have taken it from my phone,” Chanel says apologetically. “Sorry.” She hides behind him.

I huff out a breath. “Delete my number,” I tell him.

“No. What if I want to spam you?”

“You did that last time. It’s why I have a new number. Dickhead.”

“Wren, back to your father,” Sailor says to her daughter as she chases after her uncle Joey. She pouts but does as asked, and Sailor sits beside me. “Is Lucas being mean to you?” Sailor asks. “I can always tell Keir.”

“I was not being mean,” Lucas says defensively.

“So, tell me about him.” She bumps my shoulder with hers.

“He’s a mechanic,” Lucas answers for me.

“You know him?” Sailor asks.

“Nope, but he works for us. And now, I guess, he wants to work for Piper too. Maybe cleaning her pipes.”

“You are so lucky I don’t have my gun on me right now,” I growl out the words at him.

“Yeah, that was my rule. No more shooting family.” Sailor smiles. I guess that’s fair since I did shoot Lucas in her house. “Is he good-looking?” she asks in a lower voice.

“He’s rugged, isn’t he?” Lucas adds, and I shoot him a death glare.

Chanel stands and offers Lucas her hand. She is the only one who can calm him. “Let’s go for a walk,” she says to him.

“But I am talking,” he whines.

“Walk, Lucas. So we can make out away from prying eyes.” She winks, and he gets up without another word and practically drags her off.

“He knows what you do?” Sailor asks. “That would be the biggest issue.”

“He does, but I’m only fucking him. Nothing more,” I tell her, keeping my face averted.

Sailor is one of those people you would hate to lie to.

She is caring but hard when she needs to be.

Though with Keir—the most dangerous and deadly man I’ve ever known—she could tell him to jump, and he would listen to her and ask how high.

“Do you want something more? Because if you do, that’s okay.

I know you think that because you’re the only female in the family in such a high position, you need to stand tall and show them who you are.

But, Piper, they already know. Keir realizes how amazing you are.

So go and have a relationship, do whatever your heart desires. We will all still be here.

“I don’t want a relationship,” I try to tell her again.

“Okay, for now I’ll stop. Although I do want you to tell me how he is in bed.” She nudges me with her shoulder again.

“Sailor.” She laughs at the sound of Keir’s voice.

“Tell me I didn’t just hear you asking how another man is in bed.

” He barks out a growl before he leans down and picks her up.

“I’ll show you to never ask about another man again.

” He throws her over his shoulder, carrying her back inside while she giggles.

I sit here and wonder if I take her advice, will I end up ever having what they do?

* * *

My apartment is small and homey. I enjoy it.

I’m not one to have company over often, and to be honest, I prefer it that way.

I didn’t grow up as an only child, but it sure did feel that way.

My brother was younger than I and always expected to go into the family business, and sometimes, I don’t think he even wanted it.

I did, though.

I loved it.

Usually it’s the firstborn, if you are a man, that is.

And I, clearly, have the wrong parts for that.

So I spent a year with my father in Italy, and without him knowing it, I learned as much as possible.

He assumed that a woman would never be interested in this life.

But I was always better than my brother.

I was a better shot, faster, and I sure as shit could knock him down.

None of that mattered, though.

He was a man, and I was not.

And when I finally got the courage to return after being in Italy, I realized I didn’t want to leave and would fight for my right to have this position.

I did, and I got it.

All because I wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Even if my brother—and most of my male cousins—hated me for being there. I was that annoying female family member.

But now, they get that I would give them my life if it were required of me.

And my brother, Roberto. I do think about him often. No matter how bad it was between us, he was still my brother. He chose wrong and assumed he was in love. When, in reality, she was using him. In the end, love and betrayal got him killed.

It’s another reason I keep to myself and maintain purely sexual relationships with men. Nothing more. But the older I get, the more I dream about a different future.

Not the kids’ part, though.

I’m not sure I’ll ever want that.

But the part where I wake up with someone next to me who wants to be there, who is happy to see me every day, and is fine with the type of work I do.

Because no man would have the pull to make me quit. Not that I could, anyway. Once you’re in, you’re in for life. I knew that from the start.

Walking to my refrigerator, I look at the picture of my father and brother, which I have stuck under a magnet. And I smile at the memory. It was a good one. There weren’t many of them, but that one was great.