“Yes, very good.” I thought back to our day, and even though it had a rocky start, it ended up being wonderful. I loved fishing with Jared. He was so much fun to be with, and just like the times before, the sex was incredible. I was thinking about how we’d christened almost every room in Billy’s house when I remembered us being momentarily interrupted by an unexpected phone call. I tilted my head back as I looked up at him and said, “I heard you on the phone earlier. Was everything okay?”
“Yeah, it was just Viper calling to check in.”
“Viper’s the president of the club, right?”
“He is.”
I’d seen Viper several times, but I’d never actually spoken to him—mainly because I never got close enough for him to speak to me. I reached for the washcloth and asked him, “Is it just me, or is he scary?”
“What?”
“He scares me a little. Actually, he scares me a lot.”
“I won’t lie. I felt that way when I first met him, but now he’s more like a father to me than a president.”
“Hmph, that’s all well and good for you, but as far as I’m concerned, he’s still pretty scary. And he’s not the only one.” Jared didn’t respond, so I continued, “Widow seems pretty scary, and Hawk does, too, but Delilah’s pretty cool, and Frankie is, too, so they can’t be that bad, right?”
“Right. So, who else do you find ‘scary’?”
“Well, I’m still trying to figure out Rafe.” Since the day I’d started at Stilettos, Rafe had been watching me like a hawk, like he was waiting for me to mess up or something. I’d tried to be polite and talk to him, but he never had much to say in return. I gave Jared a slight shrug as I told him, “He’s not exactly scary, but I’m pretty sure he hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you, Parker. He was and is concerned about everything going on with you. Now he knows, and like the rest of the brothers, he wants to do what he can to help you get through all this.”
I glanced back up at him. “And what about Lynch?”
“What about him?”
“I saw pictures in Peter and Sally’s house. I know he was their grandson. What is he going to think when he finds out I was responsible for their deaths?”
“You weren’t responsible for their deaths, babe. That was all Rossi.” Jared placed his hand on my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again...You’re not to blame for any of this, Parker. Anyone can see that, including Lynch.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am,” he answered confidently. “Lynch and I have been brothers for a long time. He’s a good man. It might take some time, but he’ll understand.” He lowered his mouth to my ear and chuckled. “And if he doesn’t, I’ll kick his ass.”
“Well, hopefully, it won’t come to that.”
“It won’t.”
He ran the warm cloth across my shoulders, letting the hot water cascade down my back. “I think Shotgun seems pretty cool.”
“You think Shotgun is cool?” he scoffed with a chuckle. “Of all the guys, Shotgun is the one you should— Never mind.”
“No, what were you going to say?” I pushed.
“Nothing... Seriously.” Jared leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Now, I have a very important question for you.”
“Okay?”
“What do you want to eat?” He dropped the washcloth into the water, then got out of the tub and grabbed a towel. “I’m starving.”
“I’m starving too.” I watched him dry off and wrap the towel around his waist. “I’m good with whatever.”
“Okay. You finish up here, and I’ll go see what I can come up with.”
“Sounds good to me.” When he turned and started towards the door, I called out to him, “Jared?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for today. I really enjoyed it.”
“It’s not over yet.”
He winked, then slipped out of the bathroom, leaving me alone in the tub. I leaned back and took a moment to just reflect on things. I had no idea how Billy’s plan would play out, but for the first time in a very long while, I had hope. It was the one thing that gave me the strength to face the present, and I had a feeling I’d need all the strength I could muster to face what was to come. Thankfully, Jared would be at my side, and with him, I could do just about anything.
Menace
“I know you both are eager to get home, but I think it’s best for you to stay here... at least for a few more days.”
“Any particular reason why?”
“Many reasons.” Billy walked over to the kitchen counter and poured himself some coffee. He was wearing his usual khakis and button-down shirt, but they were wrinkled to shit like he’d slept in them, although I knew otherwise due to his red eyes, which he could barely keep open. “We just need time to let the dust settle a bit.”