Club Ties (22 page)

Wincing, Eva slowed, ignoring the bodies jostling her. Bending down, she retrieved the soother and wiped it on her jeans before extending a hand to the frazzled young woman. She mouthed thank you over the din, and Eva smiled in return. Looking around for Tawny, she jumped at a hand on her shoulder.

She spun, heart skipping a beat. Intense hazel eyes bored into her.

“Where’re you going?”

Eva bit her lip, a bit taken back at Ginny’s clipped tone. “Tawny said there is a Harley store down here, and I was going to compare prices. I want to get Mox a new wallet for Christmas.”

Sharp gaze sweeping the crowd, Ginny wrapped an arm around Eva and nudged her back toward the leather store. “We’ll hit the Harley store next, but there are a few things I want you to try on first.”

Keeping her mouth shut, Eva allowed Ginny to lead her back into the leather store and modeled clothes on auto-pilot. Her mind whirled. Did Ginny disapprove of Tawny? Mox had described the statuesque blonde as a bike bunny, and Eva had heard more than one old lady hiss about the whores that hung around the club. Did Ginny know about Mox’s sixteenth birthday present? Or was this as simple as Ginny being protective with everything going on?

“What do you think?”

Eva looked in the mirror and blinked. The leather bustier was both beautiful and sexy. Teamed with her jeans and boots, she looked wicked hot.

“Wow. It’s like it’s not even me.”

Ginny laughed. “A woman should feel good about how she looks. The great thing about this piece is that it is so versatile. It looks killer with jeans. I’ve worn mine with anything from a short skirt and boots, leather pants, or with a long summer skirt and jean jacket for a fun flirty look.

“Think I can get away with calling it a Christmas present for Mox?” Eva asked with a giggle.

“It’s a Christmas present from Zeke and me.”

“You’ve been too generous already. I’ll never be able to thank your family for everything they’ve done, no matter what happens.”

“You stick close with us and nothing is going to happen. We look out for our own. Don’t forget that.”

“I’m sorry I pissed you off earlier,” Eva said, lowering her gaze from the mirror as she unlaced the garment.

Ginny’s fingers curved around her jaw and gently forced Eva’s eyes up to meet hers. “I wasn’t pissed, honey. I was scared. You’re like a daughter to me. I hope that one day you will be. When you’re a mother, you’ll get it. It’s all part of the overprotective gene.”  

Eva smiled and nodded, not trusting her voice. She blinked back a few tears as Ginny left the dressing room. They were too good to her. Pulling on her clothes, she couldn’t help wondering what a Lords of Mayhem wedding would look like. She giggled. It was a little premature for her mind to go there, but one thing was for sure; the reception would be one hell of a party.

The girls buzzed, admiring the luxurious Irish Pub as they settled into a horseshoe shaped booth.

“This is Kat’s and my favorite lunch destination when we go shopping and, I can’t deny, part of the inspiration for The Lantern’s remodel after the fire,” Ginny said, running her fingers over the lacquered Cherry table. “I love the combination of elegance and comfort. I really wanted to capture a bit of that.”

“I think you did a great job of incorporating some of this place’s feel, but making it your own with the pictures and little pieces of Trinity Falls’ history. As an outsider, I find the stories fascinating,” Eva said.

Ginny beamed. “Thank you. Of course, I have to thank a lot of people for sharing copies of their pictures and different pieces of memorabilia. The town really came together for The Lantern.”

“The restaurant is a big piece of the town’s history,” Tawny said. “I remember my grandparents taking me there every Sunday after church for dinner and spending the whole time studying the pie list up on the chalkboard, trying to decide what kind I wanted after I cleaned my plate.”

“I used to do that too,” Ginny said, smiling at Tawny and the shared memory. “The designer suggested one of those electronic message boards with the scrolling specials and desserts, but I had to keep the chalkboard.”

“The special paint so the whole wall behind the bar is chalkboard is so neat. I think it would be so much fun in a kid’s room,” Lee said, her dark eyes sparkling at the thought of babies.

“That’s a cute idea, Lee,” Ginny said, giving the girl’s hand a squeeze. “Anyway, lunch is on me. The food is fabulous. They have burgers, steaks, seafood, but their prime rib is legendary. Order up. This is why we told the guys not to expect supper.”

“I still can’t believe I said that to Reaper.”

Everyone laughed at the girl’s guilty giggle.

“Mox said some of them were getting together to play cards, so they’ll probably order pizza.” 

“It does the spoiled babies good to have to fend for their selves once in a while.”

“This beats the microwave magic I was going to perform tonight,” Tawny said with a grin.

“Amen, sister,” Rain agreed with a high-five.

Placing the last gift under their tree, Eva plugged in the lights and stepped back to admire the pretty Douglas-fir. The frosted blue bulbs and crystal snowflake ornaments were stunning, backlit by the white lights. It was the most beautiful tree she’d ever seen.

She wished her grandmother was here to see it. Gran loved Christmas. Her tree was always decorated with a mix-match of handmade ornaments and strings of popcorn and cranberries. Eva smiled, remembering the delicate angel in a gold embroidered gown that graced the tree top. Grandpa had brought it home from overseas, and it was one of Gran’s most treasured possessions. It would be hers someday.

Eva turned at the stomp of boots on the stairs. Mox’s voice was clear as he harassed Rhys, telling his brother that his handsome face wasn’t so helpful in poker. Giggling at Rhys’ obscenity laced response, she headed for the kitchen and was adding cinnamon sticks to the hot cider when Mox slid his hands under her shirt.

“Sweet Jesus!” she gasped as his cold fingers cupped her breasts.

“Glad I can get you in the spirit of the season,” he chuckled, nuzzling her ear.

“Someone’s in a good mood tonight. I take it poker went well?”

“Well, that depends on who you ask,” he said, his dancing gaze shifting to Rhys who just flipped him the bird. “I ended up a little over four hundred up, but I think most of it was Rhys’.”

Wincing in sympathy, Eva slipped from Mox’s arms to offer Rhys a mug and a plate of cookies.

“At least your woman isn’t rubbing it in. Thank-you.”

“Why would I do that? And I figured it was the least I could do for making my man four hundred dollars richer,” Eva giggled.

Both guys roared with laughter, and Rhys gave her a good-natured kick in the ass as she made her escape.

Chapter ~ 25

The smell of cocoa butter and dueling body sprays permeated the cramped dressing room. Tawny looked up from her nails as the din of voices fell quiet. Only the antiquated boom-box in the corner broke the silence. Her eyes met Chelios’ in the mirror. She held her breath, praying beyond hope that the stare was for someone else. It wasn’t meant to be. The room cleared at the barest nod of his head.

Her hands shook so hard she struggled to put the lid back on the nail polish. Teeth sinking into her bottom lip, Tawny searched her mind for something to say as she slowly turned to face him. Somehow, he was right behind her. She opened her mouth to apologize, to explain it wasn’t her fault, but he put a finger to her lips.  

“There’s nothing to explain. Either your hometown loyalty won out, or you are more afraid of a bunch of weekend warriors on Harley Davidsons than you are me.” She opened her mouth again, but his finger pressed harder, and he shook his head.

“Shut up.” He waited for her lips to press back together, and then continued. “It doesn’t matter. The outcome is the same. You fucked up. Funny thing is, the result is the same, too. In your line of work, I would have thought you’d better understand the importance of pleasing a man. Allow me to give you a refresher.”

Pain exploded behind her eye as a savage backhand whipped her head around. The second blow knocked her off the stool. Covering her head, she tried to protect her face. Fingers tightened around her bicep, hauling her upright. She came up fighting. Nails raking over his emotionless face, she struggled to break his hold. Her head bounced off the dressing table as he flung her across the room.

His face swam in and out of focus as she tried to get back to her feet. His flat features were no longer emotionless. Rage glittered in his eyes, and his lip curled in a snarl as he carefully wiped a drop of blood from his split lip. Licking the pad of his thumb off, he smiled at her. Tawny’s blood ran cold.

Abandoning standing, she scrambled for the door on her hands and knees. He caught her by the back of the neck, driving her head into the floor. Darkness beckoned. Shaking her head, she fought the pull. He flipped her onto her back. She tried to curl up, but he straddled her, knees digging deep into her biceps. Her mouth opened in a wail as his fist tightened in her hair, yanking her head back.

“Listen to me.”

Her lungs were burning, his weight making it difficult to breath. The escape of unconsciousness taunted her. It was so close. She reached for it, body going slack under him. He shook her head violently with the fist full of hair, giving her cheek a not so gentle pat with his free hand.

“I like you, so I’m going to give you another chance. Don’t fuck this up.”

Chapter ~ 26

Tiny beads of sleet skimmed over the ground in white swirls, the frigid air holding the promised snow at bay. Eva hunched her shoulders against the bitter wind and burrowed her nose into her scarf as she hurried across the street. Hearing the tears in Tawny’s voice on the phone, she hadn’t even waited to warm the truck up. Pulling her head up, she squinted at the store signs, judging the distance to the bakery. Spotting it, she broke into a trot.

A rush of warm air and the smell of fresh pastries met her as she stumbled in the door. Eva hesitated for the briefest moment between her need for something warm and her friend huddled miserably in a back booth. The woman behind the counter saw her indecision.

“Coffee?”

“Hot chocolate, please.”

“I’ll bring it right out to you, honey.”

“Thank you,” Eva said fervently, pulling off her gloves as she hurried back to Tawny. She froze. More than tears marked her friend’s cheeks. She dropped into a squat beside Tawny’s bench. Her hand shook as she pushed hair back from the blonde’s battered face. “What happened?” she whispered, though she didn’t really need to ask. She’d seen the damage a man’s fists left behind too many times, sometimes on others, and sometimes in the mirror.

Tawny flinched away, a low sob breaking the silence.

Urging the crying woman to slide over, Eva settled in the booth beside her and hugged her gently. There was no telling what pain lay hidden under the layers of clothing.

“Can I get you girls anything else?”

Eva smiled up at the older woman, Miriam by her name tag, and shook her head. “No. Thank you.”

Miriam’s eyes held understanding as she nodded and moved away. Eva wondered if all women felt a man’s fist at one point or another in their life. The thought reminded her again that it was a man’s world.

Taking a warming sip of her hot chocolate, she waited for the sobs to die down.

Tawny fumbled in her purse, checking her phone before pulling out a crumpled tissue. “I can’t believe it still surprises me,” she whispered.

Eva nodded with a grimace. As many times as she had felt pain at Rocco’s hand, the initial blow always caught her heart off guard. “How bad is it? Do you need to go to the emergency room?”

Tawny shook her head adamantly. “I’ll be fine.”

“Who did this?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t know why I called you.”

“Because you needed a friend,” Eva said softly. “Someone who would understand what you’re going through.”

“Why do you even give a fuck? I slept with your man.”

Eva smiled. “You slept with Mox before I came on the scene. I never assumed he was a virgin or a saint, and, besides, you might be the only woman in Trinity whose taste in men I don’t find highly questionable.”

Tawny snorted through fresh tears. “I never did get why he didn’t have an old lady. He’s a good looking kid and hung like a bull.”

“It worries me that you won’t tell me who did this to you,” Eva said, plucking at her bottom lip with her teeth. “Do I know him?”

Tawny wadded the soggy tissue in her hand. Sinister silence hung between them, an answer without words. When she looked up, the pity in Tawny’s eyes was like a sharp punch in the gut. Air left Eva’s lungs, and she felt her head shaking back and forth in pleading negativity. Not Mox. Her vision of Tawny’s battered features swam through a veil of tears. She wanted to scream that it wasn’t possible, but anything was possible in the right situation.

Fear flashed across Tawny’s face a moment before the jangling bell above the door announced another customer. Eva’s gaze locked on the familiar face, and she forgot to breathe. The bitch had set her up. Terror crawled up her spine. Her eyes darted past the dispassionate enforcer, searching for Rocco. There was no sign of the bastard. Beside her, Tawny shrank away from Chelios’ advance. Stopping at the table, he gave a dismissive jerk of his head.

“Get out of here.”

Tawny slid under the table, scrambling out the other side of the booth and all but running from the bakery. Eva wanted to follow her, but her legs wouldn’t obey. Knees shaking, she waited for the inevitable. She was going to die.

“You’re a difficult woman to find, Miss Taylor.”

“Obviously not difficult enough, Mr. Chelios.”

He gave her a tight smile. “I’ve missed your spark.”

“I don’t believe you came all the way to Trinity Falls for a battle of the wits,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm while her mind raced, looking for a way out.

“You always were a smart girl. I’m counting on that intelligence to persuade you to do the right thing.”