Damien: Billionaire Bad Boy Romance (35 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE
 

RAFE
 

I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t stop her. Beth was going into work. Even if I told her to stay home again, I had a good feeling she’d head in anyway. After finding Tristan dead, and having that run in with the Hells Spawn, I was reluctant not to follow her all the way to the hospital and camp out in the parking lot, but she could be pretty damn stubborn.

“It will be fine, Rafe. I’ll text you at lunch if that will make you feel better.” She turned away from me with her little smirk on her face. If Madison wasn’t sitting at the table eating her cocoa puffs, I would have given her a slap on her ass.

“You’ll do better than that, you’ll text me every couple of hours. And I’m coming over for lunch, so you text me what time that happens.” I stepped behind her as she finished smearing peanut butter on some bread for Madison’s lunch, and gripped her hips. Fuck, she smelled so good, like spring flowers.

She let out a loud sigh. “Fine. Do you want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich too, or will you be bringing your own food?” She gestured to the loaf of bread and looked over her shoulder at me.

“Isn’t that Maddie’s lunch?”

“No, she can’t bring peanuts to the day care. She’s having carrot sticks and a ham sandwich.”

I picked up the jar of generic peanut butter and looked over at Madison. “You don’t like ham?”

She snatched the jar back from me and screwed on the lid. “Ham is expensive if you don’t buy the crap loaded with antibodies and preservatives.” Her answer didn’t sit well with me. She was a fucking nurse, but had to eat PB&J sandwiches because she gave the good stuff to her daughter.

“Her dad doesn’t send you any cash to help out?”

“No. I have to hurry up, I need to grab Brittany and I’m starting to run late.” She tossed the peanut butter back in the cabinet and shoved the jelly in the fridge before she jogged out of the room. I heard the bathroom door shut and leaded against the countertop. These two deserved so much better than stale bread and generic peanut butter. If I could get my hands on that fucker who walked out on them, I’d rip his throat out.

“Mommy makes good ham sandwiches.” Maddie smiled at me over her bowl of chocolate cereal. “She gives me mustard.”

“You like mustard, huh?”

“Uh-huh.” She took the last bite of her cereal and climbed down from her chair. Carrying the bowl still half full of milk to the sink, she dumped it out and put the plastic bowl on the counter. “Rafe. Are you sleeping over again tonight?”

“You bet, baby girl. Is that okay with you?” I gave her a serious look and tucked my hands into my front pockets. Her hair bounced when she nodded and her chocolate mouth spread wide as she smiled.

“You make mommy smile. She doesn’t do that a lot.” She ran over to me and wrapped her little hands around my waist, hugging me tight. Not knowing exactly what to do, I patted her head.

“She should do it more. She’s pretty when she smiles,” I said down to her.

Still holding onto me, she craned her neck back to look up at me. “Am I pretty too?” She gave me a wide smile and I had to laugh. I reached down and plucked her from the ground, tossing her in the air before catching her.

“You are the prettiest little girl in the world, baby girl. And don’t you let anyone tell you different. You got me?” I pushed her hair out of her eyes. Such wide green eyes just like her mother.

“Got you, Rafe.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed. “Your lip is fat.” She pressed on it, reminding me that I had split it open the night before. “And you’re purple.” She pressed on my jaw where a bruise had already begun to form.

“Just a few owies. I’m fine,” I assured her.

When I put her back on the ground I noticed Beth standing in the living room watching us. A concerned look on her face. As soon as Madison saw her and ran over to her, she smiled brightly and picked up the little girl. “Let’s finish getting your shoes on, we have to get going.” She disappeared with her into her room, leaving me to stand there staring after them.

Never in my mind had I thought about having a family of my own. I figured maybe one day I’d hook up with a woman and make her my old lady, but even that didn’t really appeal to me. But then Beth and that little girl of hers walked into my life and turned everything upside down. I couldn’t stand the idea of Beth sweating over a pile of bills she couldn’t pay, or Madison having to grow up as the poor kid in class.

“Hey.” Beth walked back into the kitchen, alone. “She’s getting attached to you.” She walked around me, gathering up the sparse pieces of her lunch and pilling them into a paper lunch bag.

I took her arm and turned her to face me, cupping her face with both of my hands. “I meant what I said, Beth. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I can’t be your old lady.” The way she said the term made me want to laugh. It sounded so foreign coming from her lips.

“I don’t want you to be. I want you to be my girl. For now, let’s just say that. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

“Maddie doesn’t remember Jeremy walking out on us, but she will remember you disappearing. What happens if you get killed? Your club isn’t exactly a charitable organization, you know.”

“Nothing will happen to you. I won’t let it. You and Madison, you’re under my protection now. You’ll have the club’s protection as well.” I pulled her into my arms and lifted her chin with my finger.

“Last night. You came home all banged up. You got into a fight, right? Trying to find out who killed your friend? How can you protect us when you’re out looking for a killer?” She yanked her face out of my hands and took a step back. “I’m late. Lock the door when you leave, okay?”

She called for Madison, who came running out of her room with a small pink princess backpack bouncing behind her. “Bye, Rafe!” She waved at me and reached out for Beth’s hand.

With her purse slung over her shoulder and brown lunch in hand, she walked out of the house. I watched them through the front windows while she buckled Madison into the backseat and then slid into the front of the car. She paused a moment by my bike, looking it over as though it were going to bite her or something.

I heard the choke start of the car and shook my head. After I found out what I could about Tristan’s death, I was going get a car from the compound and bring it over for her. That death trap she called a car was going to the dump.

***

Gray sat at the head of the table when I walked into the meeting room. Solemn faces greeted me when I pulled into the courtyard. JC had texted me about Tristan on my way over. News was out. Another of our club murdered.

When Gray noticed me, he jumped up to greet me. A sincere handshake and a slap to my back. “I know you heard already, brother. I know you and Tristan were close.”

“Jason patched him in, wanted him to sit at the table one day.” I nodded. Tristan had been closer to Jason. He reminded Jason of my little brother, without all the smarts he told me. Tristan had started getting caught up in drugs and trying to find a place among a few crews in town when Jason plucked his drunk ass out of the gutter and threw a prospect kutte on his back. He said the boy needed focus and the club would give him that, just like it did for us.

“We’ll find the fucker who did this,” he promised me, and if I hadn’t known him for the arrogant prick that he was, I might have believed him.

“Yeah. We will.”

“I heard you made a stop at Dunkin’s Divebar last night. Had a chat with Damien.” He released my hand and motioned for me to take a seat at the table beside him. The chatter in the room died down, but no one interrupted us.

“Yeah. Was looking for my girl, he was there.”

“That chick from the bar? Things getting serious?” His tone remained casual, like he was just making small talk, but his looked at me with more intent than before. He was digging.

“Serious enough.” I nodded. “Thought I saw her car, but I was wrong.”

“It would be easy if the Hell’s Spawn had a hand in Jason’s murder, and don’t think I’m not looking at that angle. I am, but we can’t start a fucking war until we know for sure.”
“What about Tristan? You don’t think those two have a connection, Tristan and him? Jason was priming him; you don’t think that maybe that had something to do with is death?” I clenched my teeth, trying to keep my anger in. I wanted to explode. Grab the fucker by the jacket and toss his ass against the wall. He knew something and he didn’t want me knowing it.

“Stay away from Hell’s Spawn until we have proof.” The warning rang clear in his voice. My jaw tightened.

“What’s being done for Tristan? He didn’t have any family.”

“The girls are handling the arrangements. Club is gonna foot the bill. The viewing will be tomorrow night, funeral the day after. Club’s gonna have a picnic this weekend. You should bring your new girl with.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

“Club’s got some healing to do, but we’ll get through it.” He nodded and slapped my shoulder. “I know you wanted this seat, and I have to say you’re taking it better than I thought you would. I know I can count on you to help rebuild our strength.”

I looked around the room, at the eyes watching us and the hopeful expressions on the younger members. They just wanted their club put back together. It angered me to know that I was alone in my search for Jason’s killer, but I understood those men. Without the club, most of them would be lost, straggling around for work, getting arrested. With the club they had a focus, they had a family. I wouldn’t take that from them. But damned if I would let Gray keep his fucking seat once I found out what happened to Jason.

“Whatever the club needs.” I nodded. “I’m taking one of the Ultimas from the back inventory. Beth needs something that runs better than the piece of crap she’s driving now.”

“Sure thing. No problem. That rust bucket wouldn’t last another month, better to get her in something safe.”

I looked at him for a long minute, letting his comment sink in, then got up from the table. “Thanks. Tell the girls if they need anything for Tristan’s funeral, to let me know.”

“You got it, man.” He turned away then, starting up a new conversation.

Several of the guys clapped me on the back as I made my way out. I stopped to talk to a few of them, gathered some more information about Tristan’s death. One of the girls found him around two in the morning. He was supposed to pick her up from a friend’s house and never showed, which wasn’t like him, so she went over to check on him.

There was a connection between Jason and Tristan’s murder and I needed to find out what that was. I remembered something Jason had said that night about the drug runs.

First I would get a car set up for Beth, then I’d be heading over to Javier’s side of town for some answers.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
 

BETH

I could feel Dr. Wilkins’s glare burning my skin when Brittany and I walked through the ER together. Maybe it was the purple highlights in her hair that offended him. Maybe it was just my existence that seemed to piss the guy off. Who knew with him. The only thing I knew for sure was that I would have a full shift of him coming my way, and if he was already in a mood, the next eight hours would crawl by.

“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” I asked Brittany as we reached the elevators that would take her up to the professional offices. We’d already dropped Maddie off at the day care, I only needed to get Brittany to her appointment then I could get to work.

“Yeah. I’m fine, Beth. I’m sure it’s nothing, I’ll tell you about it later, okay?”

I wrapped my arms around her to give her a hug, and noticed her wince as she pulled away. Upon further study, I noticed a light blue bruise, nearly faded away already, on her jaw. “What the fuck is that?” I asked, grabbing her chin and jerking it to the side.

She peeled my hand away from her face and gave me a wary smile. “It’s okay. Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Where are you headed anyway? X-ray?” I demanded to know, blocking her from pressing the elevator call button.

“Why would I—”
“Your ribs. When I just hugged you it hurt. I should have noticed it more last night. You moved real slow, but I just figured you were tired. And then Rafe showed up and everything went to hell.” I knew Dr. Wilkins was still watching us, but it didn’t matter. When he moved to a nurses’ station closer to us, I lowered my voice to keep him from over hearing. “Did Tommy do this?” I pointed to her ribs.

“No. I haven’t seen him in weeks.” She pushed her hair back behind her ear and sighed. “Please, can we just leave it alone? I’m not going to see the guy again, I swear. I broke it off with him after this.” She pointed to her jaw.

“The ribs are new.” I pointed out.

“He didn’t like being broken up with.” She shrugged with a weak smile. “Please. I don’t want you to do anything, or say anything to Chrissy. She thinks I’m just having a pap today, okay.”

“You didn’t tell her?” My eyes widened. They were twins. More than that, they were best friends. “Brittany.”
“Please just leave it alone. My appointment is in five minutes; I have to go.” She reached around me and pushed the call button. I didn’t have much of a choice but to let her go.

“You swear he’s gone?”

“I swear.” She nodded.

“Tell me who.” I folded my arms across my chest, nearly squishing my lunch.

“No. I just want to forget it and him.”

The elevator rang its arrival and the doors slid open. She jumped in and hit the buttons, looking very much like a guilty woman trying to get away. “Okay.” I dropped my hands to my side.

“I meant what I said last night about Rafe. You don’t need that garbage, okay? You need to hook up with one of these doctors, not some biker asshat.” Before I could respond, the doors shut, ending the conversation. Since when was Brittany so against the Anarchy’s Reign? She dated one a little while back and didn’t seem to have any diversion to the club after that.

“Considering you are already in the facility, Beth, I wondered if you might actually start working your shift.” Dr. Wilkins arrogant voice rang out from behind me. I turned, trying not shoot daggers at him with my eyes. “The employee locker room is that way.” He pointed to the hall off to the right of where I stood.

Without saying another word, I headed down the hall toward the lockers. I managed to make it all the way to the lounge before calling him a few names.

***

Another long shift behind me, I carried Madison out to the parking lot. The daycare in the hospital saved my ass more times than I could count. Mrs. Olsen couldn’t always take care of Maddie and having the daycare center was a great back up. Costly, but still better than leaving her with someone I didn’t know or at some of the trashy centers in town.

My feet burned from the ten hours I stood on them. I wanted a hot bath and an extra-large glass of wine. I assisted with two small procedures in the trauma room, and had to deal with more than two dozen drunk college kids who couldn’t hold their damn beer. Who thought of a kegger in the morning?

I walked up to the spot I had parked my car and found it empty. Thinking my fried brain must have remembered wrong, I turned one way then the other looking for it. It couldn’t’ have been stolen. Who would want to rip off that piece of junk?

Madison stirred in my arms. “Mama?” She rubbed her eyes and climbed down from my arms. “I wanna go home,” she whined.

“I do too, baby.” I gripped her hand to keep her from wandering off through the half-filled lot and looked around more. “Where the hell is the car?”

“You ladies need a ride?” Rafe’s voice surprised me from behind and I spun around to see him sitting behind the wheel of a black Ultima.

“Mama lost the car,” Madison yelled over at him.

“I did not lose the car, Madison.” I laughed. “It’s…well…misplaced.” I looked back at where I would have sworn I parked it.

I moved us to the side as he pulled the car into the spot and got out of the car. His muscles were even more evident with the black t-shirt he wore. The sleeves were shorter than he usually wore, and he looked more dangerous in the black color. As usual, his kutte was perfectly in place.

“Your mama didn’t lose the car.” He picked Madison up and tossed her in the air before catching her and putting her on his hip. It was nice to see her cling to him with so much trust, but a part of me worried about her attachment to him. “I stole it.” He gave her a toothy grin.

“You stole my car?”

“Well, replaced. I replaced that death trap with this car.” He nodded toward the Ultima in front of us.

“You got me a car?” I couldn’t do anything other than stare blankly at him. Most guys brought flowers when they were trying to impress a girl. Rafe brought a fucking car.

“Not really. The garage has older cars we fixed up to sell but haven’t moved. This is one of those, so I guess the club got you a car.”

“I don’t want it.” I crossed my arms over my chest. It was bad enough that he had practically moved into my house. My daughter was starting to fall for him, and now he got rid of my car. My car! The one thing I owned outright after scraping together the money from nearly six months of double shifts.

“What?” He slid Madison down his body and held her hand as she stood next to him.

“I don’t want some stolen car from the club. Take it back.” Close enough to the truth. I didn’t need the drama his club brought with him. He could pretend Anarchy’s Reign was just a good group of misfits that hung out fixing up old cars all day, but I knew better. The whole town knew better.

“It’s not stolen.”

“If it’s from your club, I don’t know that.”

“I’m telling you, it’s legit. The garage is a legit business. We bought the car as a trade in. I rebuilt the engine myself. It’s a solid car, and completely legal.” His voice sounded forced, and the wide smile he had a moment ago was in danger of slipping into a scowl. “This is your car now. That piece of shit you had before is gone.”

“Can you watch your mouth?” I shot at him. That car, as crappy as it was, was mine. I bought it, with my money. Now he took it away and replaced it without even asking me.

“Maybe we should talk about this at home, after Madison’s in bed.” His eyes narrowed, and the threat wasn’t lost on me. The only talking he’d want to do with Madison in bed would probably involve his hand and my bare ass.

“Mama, it’s a nice car.” Madison smiled up at. “I bet the cool air works in this one.” She let go of his hand and ran over to the car, jumping up and down to see in the window.

“I don’t need you to do things like this.” I dropped my hands to my side. Knowing the battle was good and lost. “It’s legal?”

“If you ask me that again, I’m going to feel offended, and if I feel offended, we are going to have an issue.” He stepped closer to me. The man smelled of power, and looked like sex. Not exactly an easy trait to go up against. “Do we have an issue, Beth?” The question wasn’t posed in such a way that any answer I gave other than the one he wanted would be acceptable.

“So…totally legal, then. Got it.” I took a step to the side and made my way to Madison before he could reach out and grab me. The grin on his lips countered the low growl he let out when he didn’t get his hands on me in time. “Let’s get in and go home.” I opened the back door and was only partially surprised to find a brand new booster seat for Madison already installed. “What was wrong with the old one?” I asked while I helped her get situated.

“I liked this one better.” He popped my ass while I was bent over buckling Madison and then opened the front passenger door. “Come on, get in.”

“I don’t even get to drive?” I made a face as I tossed my purse onto the floor of the front seat. I had to admit the cushions on the seats felt good. My car really had been on its last legs. The car even had the new car smell I’d heard so much about, but never truly experienced.

“Not when I’m in the car.” He laughed and shut my door. I watched him round the front of the car. When he sat down, I noticed his gun tucked under his kutte. A reminder of the sort of life he led, and the sort of life I needed to be better about protecting Maddie and me from.

“I’m tired anyway. I just want to sleep forever.” I leaned my head back against the headrest and took a deep breath.

“I’ll grab us a pizza on the way home, then.” He started up the car, and I had to admit it was nice to hear a soft hum as opposed to the sputtering cough my old engine produced.

“You don’t have to do that,” I found myself saying again.

“Madison, you want cheese pizza?”

“Yeah!” She clapped her hands. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. He laughed and put the car in gear.

“Rough day?” he asked after a few minutes of driving in silence. The sun had already begun to set and a light drizzle started to fall. It would make the perfect night to veg out on the couch and watch a movie. Maybe a bowl of popcorn. I wondered if Rafe was a chick flick tolerant kind of guy, or would he insist on some violent crap that would keep me up all night worrying.

“Yeah. A bunch of college kids decided to have a kegger this morning. Twelve of them ended up in the ER with alcohol poisoning. Apparently it’s best to chase down a shot of tequila with a full mug of beer.”

“Stupid kids.” He laughed. “Like they would even have the tolerance to get through one round of that crap.”

“Yeah, and it’s stupid for adults, too.” I gave him a pointed look.

His grin showed his playful side, and the little creases around his mouth when he smiled only made him look more boyish than devil. “I don’t do tequila. And getting shit faced lost its appeal years ago.” I supposed that was a good thing. Jeremy loved his beer, and he never passed up an opportunity to hang with his friends at the bar all night long. One too many times I had to explain to Maddie why Daddy was sleeping on the front lawn instead of inside the house. Apparently, his friends were kind enough to take him home, but not bring him inside.

“Mouth.” I nodded toward Madison in the back seat. She’d already fallen asleep. “The daycare said she didn’t nap well today, she’s probably exhausted. I don’t like keeping her at the center this late, but Mrs. Olsen couldn’t take her today.”

“You could have asked me,” he pointed out.

“Yeah. Uh. No. Besides, weren’t busy today?”

“Sort of. I worked a little at the garage.” He cleared his throat and readjusted himself in the seat, like he couldn’t get comfortable. How could he, the man was a mammoth and the seat in the Ulitma looked almost puny in comparison to his build.