Ruining hattie, p.24
Ruining Hattie, page 24
I finish making breakfast while the women chat, and Ari joins us at the breakfast bar while Hattie and I eat. She pretty much carries the conversation, telling Hattie about her twins and Sid and his brothers and the mansion they live in. How I need to bring Hattie there to visit because she’d love it.
When we’re done, Hattie sets her napkin down beside the plate and shuffles out of her chair. “I’m going to go shower. It was really great meeting you, Ariana.”
I’m not surprised Hattie uses an excuse to give Ari and me time to chat by ourselves.
My sister smiles at her. “You too. I hope I can convince you to join Bast out at Midnight Manor sometime soon.”
Hattie glances at me as though she’s not sure how she should answer. How I want her to answer.
“That sounds wonderful. I want her to meet the twins,” I say.
The corners of Hattie’s lips lift before she turns and leaves the room.
Ari watches her go before her head whips around and she narrows her eyes at me. “You’ve been holding out on me, brother.”
She has no idea.
I take Hattie’s and my plates over to the sink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Yeah right. She’s a little young for you, though, isn’t she?”
“Are you, of all people, serious?” She and Obsidian have a ten-year age gap. Ours is thirteen, barely any different. Ari grins, and I can see now that she was baiting me. “Fuck off.”
“She’s really lovely, Bast. I like her.”
“Wonderful, now that she has your seal of approval, my life is officially full.”
She joins me at the sink and places her hand on my back. “I’m serious, I’m happy for you. I’ve always wanted you to have someone special to share your life with.”
I sigh and turn off the faucet, then open the dishwasher. “It’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated?” Her tone suggests she might know that I probably, most likely, have fucked up this whole thing. “You clearly care about each other. The way Hattie tells it, you risked your life and ran into a burning building to save her.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.” I glance toward the hallway to make sure Hattie’s not around.
“Then fill me in.”
Blowing out a breath, I load the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and close the door, then lean against the counter. “Let’s head into the living area.”
Ari follows me, and once we’re comfortable, I tell her all of it, including the part about how our dad kept the fact that Carla came looking for me a secret. By the time I’m done, her eyes are sad, her smile is gone, and she looks as if she’s six and woke up to see her tooth still under her pillow.
“You must be angry with him.”
“Fuck yeah, but… he raised me. It’s hard to stay angry when he’s the one who gave me shelter, food, and…” I can’t say it, but in his own way, Trent showed me love. Sure, he taught me his lifestyle, his career, and it wasn’t on the up and up, but he could have left me to fend for myself.
She takes my hand. “I’m sure he only did it because he thought he was protecting you.”
I nod, knowing she’s right. “Yeah, but it’s hard not to play the what-if game, you know?”
She does know. Her mom took off when she was young, and I’m sure at some point over the years, she’s imagined what it would be like if her mom had come back.
“So, what are you going to do? You have to tell her, Bast. You can’t keep this kind of thing a secret. It’s going to come out eventually.”
She’s speaking from past experience with her husband, I know. There were a lot of secrets between them when they first got together, but they came out together in the end. Hattie and I can too.
“I’m not going to tell her, but I am going to keep her. She can’t ever know who I am to Carla.”
“Aren’t you worried that Carla will recognize you if you and Hattie go the distance?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t used my birth name in more than two decades, and it’s been that long since she saw me.” I shrug. “She’s never going to recognize me.”
Ari frowns. “Bast, this isn’t the way to start something with someone. I don’t agree with you keeping this secret.”
“You don’t have to. It’s my life. Just trust that I know best how to handle it.”
She presses her lips together to stop herself from saying whatever she’s thinking.
“I do need to fill you in on what Dad told me while I was there.”
Her eyes flare with alarm. “I almost forgot, what with all the fire stuff. Is everything okay with him?”
As hard as it is to be the bearer of bad news, I tell her everything Dad told me about his illness. When I’m done, the unshed tears in her eyes have fully released.
“I knew something was going on. I can’t believe he lied to me.” She gets up off the couch, pacing.
“He just doesn’t want us to fawn all over him. You have to promise that you won’t be all over him about it and checking in all day every day. It sounded like he and Eleanor had things handled, and the prognosis is excellent.”
She chews her bottom lip for a minute. “God, that’s gonna be so hard, Bast. I want to know what’s happening on a daily basis.”
“I mean it, Ari. He won’t tell us anything if you don’t get it in check.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll act like I don’t give two shits. Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” I deadpan, knowing this will be a hard road for all of us. “Would it improve your mood to know that I need your help with something? Two things, actually.”
My sister loves to help anyone. It’s like her own little treat to herself.
“Duh.” She comes to sit back down on the couch.
“Can you drop Hattie and me off in Michigan when you leave here?”
Her forehead wrinkles. “Not exactly on my way, but why?”
“I don’t want anyone to be able to track where I’m headed. That’s impossible unless you’re flying private.”
She gives me a wary look. “Why? Who are you hiding out from?”
“I don’t think the fire at the club was an accident. I’m waiting on the official word, but I don’t want Hattie around here just in case she’s in danger.”
“Bast.” Her eyes widen. “You’re scaring me.”
I huff out a breath. “I just want us out of town until all of this settles.”
“All of what, Bast?”
I ignore her question. “I also need you to tell Obsidian that I need one of his contacts in the Vitale family.”
She stills and looks around, as if saying their name will somehow summon the northwest’s most notorious crime family. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
“Nothing. I just need their help with something.”
She knows enough not to ask any questions. So she nods. “I’ll pass the message along.”
“Thanks, sis.” I stand from the couch. “Now, I’m going to go get packed and tell Hattie that we’re going on a little getaway. Make yourself at home. We’ll be out and ready to go in a bit.”
I’m almost out of the room when my sister says my name. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I give her a small smile to calm her nerves, but I’m not sure I do when it comes to Hattie. “Uncharted territory for me, but I’m keeping my head above water.” I wink and turn back around.
If Sean started that fire, as I highly suspect he did, he’ll get what’s coming to him, as well as anyone who helped him.
I don’t give a shit about the building—that’s what insurance is for. But he almost took the life of the woman I love, and that can’t go unpunished.
41
HATTIE
“When are you going to tell me why we’re here?” I turn away from the railing of the ferry off Lake Michigan and face Bastion sitting behind me.
After I gave him and his sister some time to catch up on their own, he came into the bedroom, telling me to pack because we were going to his home in Lake Michigan on some island. When I asked why, he insisted he’d explain later.
The fire had definitely shaken both of us, and at first, I thought that maybe he just wanted to get away from it all, but I get the sense there’s more than that.
Bastion rises off the bench and cages me, his hands resting on the railing on either side of me. “Can’t a man whisk his woman away on a romantic rendezvous?”
I place my hand on his chest. “He can, but you and I both know it’s more than that.”
He kisses my temple. “We’ll discuss it when we’re alone.”
I frown but nod, seeing I’m going to get nowhere with him right now.
“We’re almost there.” He points back behind me. “Welcome to Avalon Pointe.”
When I spin in his arms, the dock comes into view. Farther off in the distance is a huge, regal-looking building that sits at the top of a hill.
“That’s the main building.” He bends, resting his cheek along mine, pointing at the building that demands to stand out. “It houses the rec center, a restaurant and bar, among other things. You won’t see much of it, though, because I’ll be keeping you in my bed all day, every day.” He pinches my side, and I yelp and laugh.
Once the ferry docks, Bastion links our fingers together, and we walk off. When I question why we’re not getting our bags, he says, “The staff will deliver them.”
He leads me to a deep blue convertible sports car in the parking lot. I have no idea what kind of car it is, but it’s clearly expensive.
“I called to say that I was coming, so the staff brought the car down for me.” He opens the passenger door, and I slip inside.
He pulls out of the parking lot and drives down a single-lane road. It’s hard to focus on one thing because this place has everything—tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, waterslides, pools, and shopping.
“What is this place?”
Bastion glances at me. “Think of it like a resort, only everyone on the island owns their own home on the water. The only way you can set foot on this island is if you live here or work here.”
“So, it’s like a playground for the rich.”
Bast shrugs. “Essentially.”
The fresh air whips through my hair as we drive to wherever Bast’s house is. After a few minutes, he slows and pulls into a long driveway. When the house comes into view, I have to hold back my gasp because it’s gorgeous.
It’s a two-story home with dormers on top and grayed cedar shake for the exterior, reminding me of something you might see on the East Coast. The gardens are immaculately kept, and the sprawling lawn leads down to the water. I’m not sure why we’re on this island, but I’m suddenly happy that we are.
Bast parks the car and comes around to let me out, taking my hand and leading me inside. “Let me give you the grand tour?”
“You don’t have to. I’m sure I’ll figure my way around.” I let go of his hand and walk farther into the house.
This space has a different feel than his condo in Seattle—homier and more relaxed, though I’m sure everything in this space is just as expensive.
Bastion walks past me toward the back of the house. “The fridge should be stocked.” I hear him open the fridge. “Yup, we’re good.”
I follow the sound of his voice.
He turns when he hears me enter the kitchen. “Do you want to go out on the boat?”
“There’s a boat?”
He motions to the large windows that line the breakfast area. Sure enough, at the end of the rolling lawn is a dock with a fast-looking boat. I can’t help but notice the jet ski. I’ve never been on a jet ski, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to try.
I whip around to face Bast. “Can we go out on the jet ski instead?”
He chuckles at my excitement. “Jet ski it is. Do you have a swimsuit?”
My shoulders sag. I don’t. I left mine in Wisconsin when I moved west, not thinking I would need one in Seattle. “I don’t, but maybe I can just go in my shorts and a T-shirt?”
Bast slides his phone from his pocket. “No worries. I’ll tell the staff to bring one with them when they bring our bags.”
A half an hour later, I step out onto the back patio wearing a yellow bikini with little blue flowers. It’s one of those triangle-styled ones I’ve always thought showed way too much. I do love the small ruffle along the bottom portion, though. I think it looks cute on me, but it has way less fabric than the one-piece or tankinis I usually wear. I feel practically naked, which shouldn’t matter given that Bast has seen me actually naked, but what about anyone else? I take a deep breath and push open the door.
Bast turns and whistles. “Fuck, babe, let’s ditch the jet ski idea.” His eyes soak me in, and I love watching the change in his eyes as he enjoys my body. “You look hot.”
I preen under his attention while admiring him as well. He’s wearing a pair of navy board shorts, and his tan skin glistens under the sun’s rays.
“You look pretty good yourself.”
He chuckles. “Do you want some sunscreen?” He motions to the bottle on the table beside him.
“Yes, that’d be great.” I hold out my hand for him to pass it to me.
“You think I’m not going to take this opportunity to rub it all over your body?” He shakes his head playfully, and I laugh.
“All right. Do your worst.” I turn my back to him and hear him squirt some of the lotion out of the bottle, then set it back down on the table.
His large palm comes down on the center of my back. I close my eyes when he reaches my shoulders and neck, squeezing. When he’s done the rest of my back, he gets down on his haunches and slides his hands along the backs of my legs.
His fingers are so close to the center of my thighs, and my breath hitches when he drags his hands all the way up. But he doesn’t give me the relief I need, chuckling as though he knows exactly what I’m thinking before he stands and turns me around by the shoulders. I face him, and when his gaze drags down my body, my nipples pebble in my bathing suit, something he doesn’t fail to notice.
He squirts more lotion onto his hands and begins with my stomach, spreading it around and coming mere millimeters from the bottom of my breasts. I suck in a breath and arch toward him.
Bast chuckles low in his throat, and I smack his arm. “You know exactly what you’re doing.”
His eyes twinkle and his lips curve into a smile, but he doesn’t say anything, continuing until my skin is glistening and smells like coconuts.
We head down to the dock, and Bast grabs two life jackets out of the small outbuilding. I slide mine on, and when we’re standing beside the jet ski, he looks at me. “You want to drive?”
My eyes widen. “Absolutely not.” I chuckle. “I’ll just hold on.”
He shrugs. “All right, well, let me know if you change your mind.”
Ten minutes later, I’m screaming and holding on for dear life as we whip over the waves. I feel as though I might be gripping Bast too hard, but he doesn’t say anything or ask me to loosen my hold.
The sun heats my skin, but the spray from the water cools it down immediately. I feel a world away from the events of yesterday. Beyond my raspy throat and the cough I still have, you wouldn’t know, looking at us right now, how traumatic yesterday was.
I’ve been trying to push it from my mind, but I keep getting flashes of the flames, the smoke, the feeling that it would soon all be over, and no one was coming to help me. But Bast did come, risked his life to get me out, and that’s something I can never repay.
By the time we finish up on the jet ski, I’m famished, so rather than take the time to make something, Bast orders for us from one of the restaurants on the island. We shower while we wait for it to arrive. Afterward, we relax and watch a movie until we can barely keep our eyes open.
Bast still hasn’t brought up why we’re here, but I get the impression that it’s more than just wanting to get away from it all. Shouldn’t he be handling things with insurance and stuff?
It isn’t until we’re lying in bed and I’m looking at the stars glistening in the night sky out the window that I work up the courage to ask him, hoping he’ll be straight with me.
“Will you tell me now why we’re really here?” I ask in a quiet voice. I roll onto my side and tuck my hands under my cheek.
I watch Bast’s profile. He closes his eyes in the dim light before he turns his head and looks at me.
“Because I want to keep you safe.”
The breath rushes from my lungs. “Safe from what?”
A pained expression crosses his face, but he tells me who Sean is and what he and his organization do in Bast’s clubs. It takes me a moment to wrap my brain around it all, and I’m silent for a long while after he finishes speaking.
Bast rolls over me and places a hand on my cheek. “Hattie, I’m so sorry you got caught up in my bullshit. If anything had happened to you…” Tears glisten in his eyes before he lowers his forehead to mine.
I don’t blame him for the fire, if it was indeed set intentionally. That was someone else’s action, not his own. But allowing drugs to be sold in his club and taking a portion of the profits…
It doesn’t match up with the man I know. I don’t understand his motivation. At all.
“I know that you’re going to look at me differently now, but you deserve to know. Believe me, if I had ever thought he was a threat to you, even indirectly, I would have told you sooner.”
“Why did you let him do that in the first place?”
He stares at me, studying my face in the dark. From the way he runs his fingers through my hair and the low huff, he’s hesitant to tell me. “Honestly? Money.”
But it’s more than that. I can tell by the stricken look on his face. “Tell me the truth. If you really want me to understand, you have to tell me all of it.”
