Broken dove, p.8
Broken Dove, page 8
“What if the house sells for less than the bail?” My question is direct, with a hint of a challenge in my voice. “What, then?”
Josh nods. “Fair point.” The looks he’s giving me sizzle with heat. But he’s not angry that I’m up in his face, challenging him about what he does for a living. What he’s doing to Leo. To me. “You’re getting into the weeds on the details, Lia. That’s the right thing to do.” He leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest.
I try again to make out the wall of dark images he has inked on his skin.
“And you’re right about the timing,” he admits. “Realistically, the court will allow a grace period for me to find him and even for Tim to show up. And when that sort of second chance expires, then, yes, to really go through the process of taking possession of the house, putting it up for sale, resolving the outstanding bail… Yeah, it could take some time.”
I tilt my head at him. I hope, especially after all this, he doesn’t think I’m stupid. “Come on, Josh, not just some time. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen in two weeks.”
He nods once, a curt agreement. “You’ve done your homework, Lia.”
“If it takes you even six months to get the money that you need to cover what Tim owes you,” I press, “that sounds like plenty of time for Leo to find a way to get the money he needs to cover that bail. If he can do that somehow—I don’t know the financial ins and outs—but I’m only saying, it sounds to me like you’re the one in trouble, not us.”
Josh curls his lips, and even a face that was probably meant to be a sneer looks seductive. I need to look away, just look away, think about Leo. My sweet roommate. My best friend. My secret lover, sure, but that’s not what this is about. This is about the fact that he has nobody to stand up for him. Nobody to do the research and challenge the wrongs that have been done to him.
If my going toe-to-toe with this tattooed Adonis is going to help save Leo’s house, or at least show him that someone cares enough to step up and step in, I can fight my hormones and my traitorous body and try.
“Everything about this deal has been aboveboard, Lia,” Josh says. “I haven’t done anything to manipulate Leo, to lie to him, to misrepresent the facts. I’m sorry that you guys are in this shitty situation. I’m sorry Tim up and refused to honor his obligations. But I’m in the clear here. In fact, Tim has fucked me too.”
His words do nothing to make me feel sorry for him.
“Being in the clear and being on the hook for that kind of money seem like two separate things from where I sit,” I say coldly. “Is Leo’s name on that house? Couldn’t we fight you taking it if we hired a lawyer? Because we will.”
I immediately think of the money Tiny offered to give me for school. It’s not enough to cover Tim’s bail, but it should be enough to help us get some answers from someone who knows our rights.
The fact is that I’d give up my plans, my education, to save Leo’s house. Oddly, it doesn’t surprise me. Even while standing beside this stupidly sexy bounty hunter, or whatever the hell he is, Leo has a piece of my heart. Now’s not the time to overthink it. I hope the threat of hiring a lawyer cools Josh off.
“You have every right to hire a lawyer,” Josh says. He leans close to me, but it’s not creepy, not suggestive. I feel like he’s trying to be kind. “I can’t say I disagree with you. I wouldn’t be very comfortable right now if I were in your shoes. Or Leo’s shoes. And you’re right, I’m the one on the hook for Tim’s bail. The issue of collateral and actually claiming it—it’s not easy, not simple, not fast. I know that, and you do too. So now, what do you want to do about this?” He studies my face. “Because I don’t think you would have called me here if you didn’t have some kind of plan.”
This is where my plan gets a little bit uncomfortable.
“Lia?” he presses. “What are you thinking?”
I play a little coy, stalling for time. I’m not sure that I trust Josh not to use any information I give him against us. But I’m sure that the best and fastest way to make things right is to find Tim. I close the laptop and look away from Josh. I want my head clear as I explain what I have in mind.
“We went to Checkers last night. That was a total bust. Part of me thinks that if Tim or this woman, this Juliette, this wife person, whoever she is—if she is hanging around, having Leo be anywhere near would be a red flag. If they saw him or his truck, they’d run for the hills. If they haven’t already. But they don’t know me from Adam. I’ve never met them, and I wouldn’t know them if I saw them.”
“Right,” Josh says.
“Why don’t you take me to Checkers tonight?” I ask.
I know even as I ask him that spending any time alone with the enemy like this should make me feel like shit. I’m doing this for Leo, though. For the good of the house. For the good of the two of us, one roommate to another.
I shove thoughts of Leo away, of the night we spent on the couch. I’m doing this for him, for Leo. Even if the idea of spending time alone with Josh feels like I’m doing something wrong.
“Let me get this straight.” Josh’s eyes sparkle, and his tone lightens. “Are you asking me out a date?”
I give him a playful wink and shrug, making sure I toss my hair a little bit so my cleavage is fully on display. I might toy with Josh, but right now, my focus has to be on the goal. Saving Leo’s house.
“I’m focused on helping my friend,” I clarify. “I just want to find Juliette or, even better, Tim.”
Josh tilts his head and grins. “Whatever you say, Lia,” he says. “I’m in.”
There’s a slight twist in my stomach as he agrees. I guess part of me hoped he might refuse. Say it was too dangerous or not my place or something. But Josh may be as desperate as I am, as Leo and I are. We may be able to buy some time, but unless Leo’s got money hidden under a mattress, which I know he doesn’t, I don’t see what other choice we have. I can at least try. Even if that means it feels weird, almost wrong.
“Okay,” I say. “It’s a plan.” I stress the word plan.
“Should I pick you up?” Josh asks. “Seven o’clock? Your place?”
“Make it eight,” I say.
“Eight, it is,” he says. “And then what? Straight to Checkers? We doin’ dinner first, dinner after, what are we talking?”
I shake my head. He’s definitely trying to date me. I sigh and put a hand against his chest and flutter my eyes at him. “You are something else, Josh Arrow.”
“Aronowicz,” he says, pronouncing his last name for me. “But I love to hear Arrow coming from your sweet lips.”
I run my tongue over my lower lip and meet his gorgeous gray-green eyes. “Eight o’clock,” I tell him, giving his chest a tiny shove. “Now, go. I have work to do.”
Josh chuckles. “See you tonight, sweetheart.”
After Josh takes off, I check the time on my phone. I’m surprised Leo’s not back yet. He hasn’t texted me back yet either, which makes me nervous.
But since I haven’t heard from him this morning, I start to worry. Maybe he’s mad. Maybe he doesn’t know what to do after last night. We crossed a line.
But now I have to wonder…
“Excuse me?” A woman’s voice startles me from my thinking.
“Hi, can I help you?” I ask.
She’s a teeny tiny thing, and she immediately bends down to pet my dogs. “I’m wondering if you do boarding here?” she asks. “Like overnight or longer stays? Can you tell me a little bit about your place?”
A customer. Finally.
“Yeah, absolutely.” I come around and greet her warmly. “How did you hear about us? I’m still fairly new in business, but I’m thrilled you stopped by.” My dogs are wagging their tails and snuggling up to her for attention. “Sorry about them,” I say. “Tell me about your dog—or dogs?”
We chat a few minutes about how she found us—just driving by—and she has a large breed dog, which is why she’s looking for a place big enough to give her black Lab room to run when she travels for work.
“Many places keep the dogs in kennels the whole time,” she says.
I offer to give her a tour of the place, especially the outdoor area. “The back is fully enclosed, and any pets that stay with me for exercise or playtime have plenty of outside breaks during the day.” I turn around to lead her on the start of my tour.
“What about overnight?” she asks. “Do you have any techs who watch the animals overnight? Or would they be locked up all alone here overnight?”
She looks like any dog mama would—not too happy about her baby being left alone overnight.
“I don’t have overnight staff yet,” I explain, “but I have security cameras, so I monitor the dogs both on camera and with audio. If any of the dogs are sick or in distress, we would make arrangements with you beforehand to make sure they are taken care of with a specialized care plan. We do charge extra for that, but we can be flexible.”
I show the woman the backyard and take her all the way around the property to show her that the back is fully secure. None of the dogs could get off the property while they are playing or taking potty breaks. We walk back around Leo’s shop, and I notice he’s still not in. As we pass by Alice’s office, Alice lifts a hand to wave, and I wave back.
I can’t wait to tell her I may have a new customer.
A new client and a plan to save Leo’s house.
It’s going to be a great day.
8
Leo
I slip my phone into my pocket, and before I leave the compound, I head over to Dog’s room. His door is open, and he’s sitting on his bed, cup of coffee in hand.
I knock. “Hey, man. You got a minute?”
Dog looks up at me and pushes a pair of reading glasses off his face. I have to laugh…these bikers. The old-timers are eighty-percent badass and twenty-percent old man.
If I’m lucky, that’ll be me someday.
“Whatcha reading there,” I ask. “Wall Street Journal? New York Times?”
“Fuck you,” Dog says, holding up his cell phone. “I’m reading a romance novel.”
I shake my head, cracking up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was. Dog’s got one of the biggest, most loyal hearts I’ve seen. What I wouldn’t do to have a dad or an uncle like this guy. It’s part of the reason why prospecting means so much to me. These guys are good men. Family men—both inside the compound and out there in the world.
“What you got for me, Prospect?” Dog asks. “Tiny riding your ass again? Need me to put some ointment on your cheeks?”
I laugh. That’s a new one. “No, man. This is an electric question.”
“What kind of electric?” he asks.
Everybody knows that Dog is the one to go to for any electrical problems on our bikes, cars, boats. He was a long-haul trucker for years until he was in a pretty bad accident. He doesn’t work in the business anymore, but he’s probably forgotten more about electrical systems than I’ll ever know.
I explain the situation with the Cadillac. “When I opened the hood, it was clear that some kind of homemade shit was going on in there. Teddy bears, duct tape.”
“What kinda dumb-ass shit you talkin’ about, kid?”
“I’m kidding,” I say quickly, “but not by much.”
“How’s it running if it’s that bad?”
“It’s not. Customer had it towed in, but I honestly don’t know that I even have the skills to get it running again. I’m supposed to give her an estimate next week. I told her I’d need a couple days to run some diagnostics, price out some parts. But what’s going on in there is nuts. I’d love a second opinion.”
“You want me to come down to the shop, take a look at it?” Dog asks.
“When you can,” I say.
He nods at me, and I return the gesture before getting ready to head in to work. My mind races as I get in the truck and drive over to the shop.
Lia’s got news, but unless she’s found my brother, I’m not in the mood for it. She’s a sweet girl. She tries hard. I know she cares, but I’m not in the mood for sunshine and positive thinking.
As I pull into the parking lot of the building, I have to fight a sudden rush of feelings. I can’t believe everything I’ve ever worked for I’m going to lose. A year ago, I went through the same damn thing when this building got taken away because Tim was a year behind on the mortgage. Gramps left everything in Tim’s name because he was the oldest, and he trusted my brother to take care of me.
I always trusted Tim. Until now.
I’m only glad my granddad never lived long enough to see my brother turn to drugs. Never lived long enough to see my own brother let the only things we had slip through our fingers. I never thought I’d see the day when Tim would not only let me down, but that he’d screw me.
I’m so worked up over the fact that all of this is going away, that I’m getting fucked over again by Tim, I don’t have time to think about how I’m going to feel seeing Lia this morning.
But when she rushes up to me, bouncing on her toes before I even get out of the truck, it all comes back to me. “Leo.” She’s flushed and looks so happy to see me.
It’s hard not to feel a little better, but I’m not in the mood for light today. I don’t know how to handle everything I’m feeling. The business, the building. The house. Now her. This.
“Hey.” I nod at her and lock the truck. I walk past her and head toward the shop. She hasn’t unlocked it for me today, and that immediately sets me off. “Why is the shop closed? Have you been covering the phones?”
Her smile fades. “No—I… I—”
I hold up a hand and shake my head. I unlock the door and yank it open, walking away from her fading sunshine.
“Leo?” She follows me into the shop. “Are you angry at me?”
I don’t know what I am.
Yes, I’m angry.
I’m fucking furious.
There’s too much going on, and none of it is shit I can solve quickly or easily. I’m about to be homeless and make Lia homeless too.
My business—or what there is of it—is about to be the only thing I have to my name, and she let the store sit idle while she did God only knows what. She’s a flake, yes, but she’s normally more responsible than this.
“I got to get to work.” I avoid looking at her and start flipping on lights. I turn on my old-ass computer and run some music through the tiny speakers I have set up on the counter. “Let’s talk tonight at home.”
“Leo…” She comes close to me, puts a hand on my shoulder. “Did you get my text? I did some digging, and…”
I shrug away from her touch. “Not now, Lia.”
If I’m not gonna give her a chance to explain, I sure as hell don’t want her touching me. Not now. I have enough confusing shit swirling in my head. I don’t need my body and all the goddamn emotions Lia brings up making this even harder.
The look on her face about fuckin’ guts me.
“Lia,” I say, but my heart’s not in an apology. I have the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I can’t share this.
Not with her.
It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.
She turns and leaves the shop without another word, and somehow that makes me feel even worse.
That night, I whip up the chicken I had planned to make for us last night. Around seven, I head upstairs with two cold beers. A peace offering.
I knock on Lia’s bedroom door.
She opens it and walks away, the invitation to come in implied.
I drop onto the foot of the bed and crack open the beer. “Peace offering,” I say and hand it to her.
She takes it.
“We still doing this?” I ask.
“What?” She’s never been the game-playing type. “Doing what? Losing our house and treating each other like shit for the last few weeks we have it?” She crosses her arms and glares at me. “You tell me, Leo. Is this how you want this to go down?”
“Fuck.” I pop the tab on my beer and down it before I say anything more. “I’m not trying to treat you like shit, Lia.”
“An apology would go a long way for giving me the cold shoulder this morning,” she says.
“Are you gonna eat?” I ask. “Made dinner.”
“Will you be serving apologies? Or should I swallow my chicken down with a helping of fuck you very much?”
“Jesus Christ, woman.” I stand and try to pull her close, but she pulls away. “You want to hear me say I’m sorry? I am. I am sorry, Lia. Sorry that I wasn’t excited to listen to you earlier. Sorry that I’m so obsessed with finding my brother that I can’t do anything but stress out about this house. Keeping us both from becoming homeless.”
My words don’t sound even remotely apologetic or sorry. And Lia seems to close off more the more I say. I decide to shut the fuck up and leave it be. I can’t fix this for her. I can’t fix this for myself. We’re literally living on borrowed time.
“So, you can’t listen to the research I did? What if I found out something that can help?”
“It won’t help, Lia.” I surprise myself by blurting it out. I run a hand through my hair, trying not to punch a wall, slam a door.
It would be so, so easy to drag this place down to the ground. Make sure both Tim and Arrow get fucked the same way they are trying to fuck me.
“How do you know?” Her voice is quiet. “You won’t listen.”
“Maybe I can’t.” I take the now-empty beer can in my hand and toss it against the wall.
It clatters weakly and falls to the ground, but the noise freaks out the dogs, and they start barking and shaking. Pixie hides under the bed.
“Feel like a man now?” Lia taunts.
“You know what? Fuck this. Fuck all of it,” I say.
“Fuck me too?” she demands, her hands on her hips. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“Been there, sweetheart,” I say. “Did and done.”
She looks horrified, offended. “Right. Bang buddies for the win. This feels like a real winning situation right here.”
“Congratulations on shacking up with a loser,” I tell her. “But don’t worry about it. You’re about to be done with all of it. This house, the secrets. Me. You’re about to be free, Lia. Just the way you like it.”
