Invasion

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AFTER THAT BIG BLOW up with Razor, I stayed up all night trying to figure out how to avoid the man at all costs. The only thing that needed to happen was the rest of the week with Will being in town. Shay would cover the carnival and Lori would cover the game on Saturday. Hell would freeze over before I would voluntarily be in the same room as that son of a bitch.

The next morning, before Shay could even go to work at the doctor’s office across town, I went in to ask how the evening went. She was my girl, so I told her every sordid detail and fuck if I didn’t feel like a stupid whore.

The more I thought about what happened, the worse I felt. Around eleven, my father texted me that he got us lunch at my favorite restaurant. That was one way to do it, since I hadn’t seen him yet.

When I arrived, my dad was already there.

“Hey baby, how are you?” he asked.

“I’m good Dad. How are you these days?”

“Better when my daughter acknowledges that she has more than one parent?”

Ah, he was in one of those moods.

“Sorry, Dad. I got caught up. How’s the office and everything going with the re-election?”

“That takes care of itself. I want to talk about you. Why did you end the tour?”

“There were some complications and...”

“Are you pregnant?” he interrupted me. “Sick, or did you quit because of some guy?”

“No, Dad.” I was laughing at his assumptions. “Nothing like that. I just had to take care of some personal things.”

“Does this have anything to do with your mother?” he asked.

I had mastered the art of lying since I was a teenager, but that question caught me off guard. It was almost like he knew something and was testing me to see if I would lie. As I formed my mouth to answer, a waitress came to take our order. My dad told the lady what we wanted because I always had the same thing. The beef tip salad with a side of fries. Then she took our drink orders and left.

“Are you on a diet?” I asked after she left with his order of a diet coke.

“No, just watching my intake. The doctor told me I was on the verge of diabetes, so I’m trying to be conscious.”

What?

This was not happening again. I was only thirty-fucking-two and my parents were sick and having major shit happening to them. I couldn’t take it.

“Kylie, what’s wrong?” My dad’s face went pale. “What’s wrong?”

“I just....” I hiccupped as I felt the hot tears running down my face. “I just can’t deal, Dad.”

“What?” He was up and on his feet before I knew it.

“You’re sick. Mom’s sick. What the fuck is going on? How am I supposed to deal with all of these things? I just can’t.” I was shaking my head and picking up my purse.

“Your mother is sick?” he exclaimed.

“Yes, Dad. Breast cancer. She swore me to secrecy, but I can’t keep something like that. It’s not good and it’s not getting better. That’s why I stopped touring. She needs help, Dad.” I was full-on crying in the restaurant with my dad standing over me.

My dad did not get angry often, but when he did, it was not pretty. I was also not in a place to argue with him, so I stood to leave.

“I’m s-sorry, Dad. We can do this another time.” I raised my hand as he looked at me backing out of the restaurant.

“Kylie,” he growled but I shook my head and left with tears streaming down my face.

It felt like my entire world was crashing down around me. The rocks and solid foundations in my life were no longer stable. My dad, the big strong mayor and my mom, the fierce lady to be reckoned with, were both at fragile places in their lives. Their health was causing two seemingly invincible people to be taken down. My mom was deteriorating right before my eyes and now my dad.

I could not deal.

My car drove and drove. I don’t even know where I was driving to, but I drove until I couldn’t see anymore and had to pull over. My heart was broken, my head hurt and I felt helpless. All the money in the world would not fix this situation. It did not matter who we knew or who we helped. When your body failed you, that was it.

My fist started to bang on the steering wheel. It wasn’t fair. They were good people and didn’t deserve this shit. People like me, who gave assholes blowjobs in the back of a motherfucking movie theater, deserved this shit.

“Fuck,” I screamed to no one in particular.

After more screaming and banging on my steering wheel, I tired myself out and finally decided to head back home. It took a lot longer to get home than it did to get to wherever I was, but when I pulled up, Razor’s truck was in the driveway along with Shay’s car.

Just great.

When I walked in, I saw that my mom’s walker and some other things were missing. Shay emerged from the kitchen and said, “Hey girl, everything alright?”

“Yeah,” I said and looked around.

“Your dad was here and took your mom with him. He said she would be staying with him from now on. He says he expects to hear from you as well.”

“Oh my God,” I gasped.

Wow!

“Where’s Will? Did you go to the carnival and why is Razor’s truck here?”

“Will is upstairs playing with Mace and Razor. We all went to the carnival and they loved it.”

“Good.” I tried to think.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

Shit. Anytime Shay called me honey, that meant she was serious and she knew there was something that was equally as serious. I must have looked a mess.

Tears started rolling down my cheeks, and Shay was on the move. Neither of us were sentimental people. We were tough, but really we weren’t.

“Oh honey, what’s going on?” she asked.

“They’re s-sick,” I stuttered. “They’re both sick and I...I...can’t d-deal.”

“Oh, yes you can.” She pulled me towards her and we embraced as she rubbed my hair and my back. “You can deal. You’re one of the strongest women I know.”

“No, Shay. These are m-my parents.”

“I know. I know.” She let me cry on her shoulder some more until we heard a creak in the floor.

We both turned to see Razor standing on the bottom stair with a sleeping Mace in his arms. I wiped the tears from my eyes and said, “Thanks for letting Will tag along.”

He didn’t respond, just laid Mace down on the couch in the living room and walked toward me. His face was wiped clear of emotion, but his walk was deliberate.

“Uh, okay. I’m going to uh, go now.” Shay patted me on the back and tried to back away.

“No, Shay. I gotta talk to you.” I held on to her and looked her way.

Hoping that she would see the plea in my eyes that I didn’t want to be left alone with him.

“Okay, I’ll be in the kitchen, then.” She nodded and I let her go.

When she passed the threshold, I turned to him and said, “Thanks again.”

“We need to talk,” he said with a measured and deliberate tone.

“Razor, I cannot talk right now. Okay?” I shook my head. “I thought about what you said and you’re right. Too fast, too soon.”

“I never said that,” he interrupted me.

“No. No, you didn’t.” I leveled my eyes on him. “I’m saying that. I’m agreeing with you about the differences between us. I’m young and I have a lot going on. Especially right now and this...” I pointed between the two of us. “I can’t deal with this. Okay? So, I’m saying all that to say, I agree.”

“Kylie, I was frustrated and I didn’t mean that shit.” My head reared back as I started to shake it back and forth.

“No, no. Razor. You meant what you said. You might not have wanted it to come out quite like that, but it’s true. Come on. Let’s be real. You were right. Fuck, I’m saying you’re right.” I sighed. “Look, I’m really tired and I need to catch Shay up on some shit.”

“You’re making a mistake,” he growled. “Don’t do this.”

“I’m not doing anything, but handling my shit. I’ve known you for what, a week? We shared some times, but please don’t make it seem like...”

His quick strides put him right in my space with his head lowered. He growled, “Don’t you dare try to stand here and make our time together like it was nothing to you. I call bullshit and you’re a goddamn lie if you do.”

That made me nervous.

What?

He’s admitting that he had feelings for me?

Shit. I couldn’t handle this right now.

More tears started coming to my eyes and then I said, “Razor, I can’t handle this right now. Okay?”

He leaned up and said, “Fine. Don’t handle it now, but it will be handled. You let me know the day and time and I’ll be there. If you show up, Kylie, then so will I. What I won’t do is play these little games, like there was never an ‘us’. No matter what that bitch said it was your name I called out. That was even before we got together, so that should tell you something. You know where to find me.”

He turned around, picked his son back up and left.

“Uh, he called out your name when he was cuming with Bonnie?” I heard Shay whisper.

I shook my head.

“Girl, now that’s some funny shit.”

That’s Shay. Ear to the ground about everything except her own shit.

“It wasn’t funny at the time. I mean, what does he want, a goddamn cookie because he was fucking another woman and thinking about me?” I lifted my hands and quickly dropped them. “I don’t have time to be running after no biker and wondering who he’s fucking and be happy because he said my fucking name. Fuck him.”

“Damn, girl.” Shay walked into the living room and sat with me. “It’s true what he said? It was more than what you are trying to make it?”

“I don’t know.” I sighed. “I think I got caught up. You know. Like it was just me alone.”

“It sounds like it wasn’t just you. So, if that’s true, then maybe, just maybe, this may be it,” Shay tried to reason.

“Shay, I love you. I do. But this one....” I shook my head. “Leave it alone. Like you want me to leave your mystery lover alone and whatever the hell happened between you and the Guardian’s VP. Leave this one alone.”

She raised an eyebrow and then said, “Okay, chica. Okay. I just don’t want you to miss out on a great opportunity.”

I scoffed, “Yeah, the opportunity to get my heart broken.”

“No, the opportunity to have something you’ve never had. A man who would mend your broken heart."

Shay raised her hands up like she was surrendering and said, “Okay, tell me about your parents.”

I let it go. She was wrong. Razor Willis wouldn’t mend my broken heart. He just broke it further.

We stayed up until the wee hours of the morning. Shay let me cry, hug and even fall asleep on her. She even called out of work, which was what best friends did for each other.

Will woke us up and asked if we had been playing with makeup all night. We barely had our eyes open, but we laughed at him.

“No, Will. You hungry?”

“Well, why is makeup all over the mirrors? Every mirror in the house.”

“What?” I rose up from the bed.

“Uh,” Shay looked up as she was still half asleep. “What?”

I didn’t know if the boy was still dreaming or had a nightmare, but like any good auntie, I rose out of my bed to see what the issue was. When I walked into my bathroom on the second floor, there was writing on each mirror that read words ranging from whore, slut, double-crosser and biker dick.

“Auntie?” Will jerked me out of re-reading the words over and over again.

“Will, go back to your room?”

“Okay, but it’s on all the mirrors,” he said and then left.

Oh my!

“Shay!” I yelled. “Get down here.”

She came running down the hall, yelling, “What’s up?”

“Look.” I moved out of the way, so she could see everything.

“Holy shit,” she gasped. “What the fuck?”

“Right. Will says this is on every mirror in the house.” I looked at her.

“We need to call the police.” She left to go grab her phone. “I’m going to take pictures.”

Fifteen minutes later, the police arrived and we explained our night and what we woke up to this morning. I also called my dad, who said he was on the way. When he arrived, he was beyond livid and concerned.

“You can’t stay here?” he barked.

“Dad, I’m not leaving. We just need to get a better security system or something. Come on,” I pleaded with him.

“Kylie, with all the things going on around here, the last thing I need is to have to watch over you as well. I got your mother and it would be best if we were all under one roof. I can take care of you all, and I will.”

“There hasn’t been much. A few phone calls, some letters when I was still in the band, but nothing recently. Just breathing on the phone.”

“There were phone calls?” the sheriff asked.

“Yes, sir. That was it.” He jotted it down and then said, “Let me say this. If this guy is following you like that, you might want to take your father up on his offer.”

The problem was not that my dad couldn’t take care of me, but I was thirty-two years of age. This was beyond ridiculous. It could have been some kid playing a prank, but I knew better. Those words would haunt me. Slut, whore, biker dick. What the fuck? I didn’t want to leave or escape. Shit, I wanted to stay and live my life. I was thinking of searching for jobs and now that Dad had Mom, I could work full-time. It was a relief to have help. I just wanted to ride this out. I didn’t want to be holed up at my dad’s place. I wanted to be free to move around if needed. Being a prisoner would not work for me. 

“Dad, I’m not running from this. Okay?” I tried to project my voice so he knew I wasn’t playing. “It’s not okay to leave. I’m not. So, we’ll have to figure something else out.”

He looked at me with a contemplating gaze and then he said, “Fine.”

Honestly, if I would have known that he would do what he did, I might have reconsidered staying with him.

Seriously.

Phillip Mills pressed a few buttons on his phone and then said, “Guardians?”

What?

He looked at me and then walked outside still talking on the phone. I had half a mind to follow him, but the sheriff was still asking me questions about the dates of the phone calls. By the time I finished telling him, my dad was back. He looked at the sheriff and said, “Thanks for your help. Are you done with her?”

“Yes, we are Mayor Mills. If we have any further questions, we’ll be in touch.” He nodded and rounded up his guys.

When they left, my dad said, “Since you won’t leave. I’ve hired the Guardians to serve as your protectors. You’re familiar with them, right?  They are heavy in this region and are quite good. I’ve worked with them before. As long as you’re here, they’ll be with you and they will search for the guys that are stalking you.”

“What?” I exclaimed. “You’re about to put me under the protection of a bunch of bikers?”

The man had lost his mind.

“No!” He raised his voice. “The Legion of Guardians is a multi-state organization that provides help when it’s needed. When the law is unable to give justice, they do. They offer protection, search and rescue, and bounty services, plus many other things. They are good at what they do and the fact that I trust them enough should give you some reassurance.” His voice lowered, “You’re my baby girl.”

I hated when he did that, when he used the ‘my little girl’ bid.

“Dad, look. I get what you are saying and all, but I’m not sure that’s the best solution. Can you imagine me going on an interview with bikers two feet behind me? Nobody will hire me.” I scoffed at the thought.

“Kylie, you underestimate them. Some of these men have been in the army and worked for the police force. Shit, some still do. They are everywhere. This is why they are called Legion. Anyone could be a Guardian. They are finishers and that’s who I want on your case. And that’s who I want watching over you. That’s really the end of it. They are on their way now.”

The roar of bikes could be heard from a distance. They were already here.

Damn, these guys did not play around.

When my father opened the door for them, four guys stepped in, all being led by Razor.

“Mayor,” he nodded.

“Razor. We meet again.” He shook his hand firmly. “Both not on good terms.”

“I’m hoping they’ll get better,” Razor said.

There were three guys behind him. They were all pretty tall as well, over six feet at least. One was a black guy, who I knew was the Guardian’s Vice-President. He was very handsome, like body-builder meets Denzel Washington or Tyrese Gibson handsome. Lori told me there used to be something between him and Shay, but she never said. His skin was smooth and he was bald. He had on jeans, boots, a white t-shirt and his cut.

The guy to Razor’s left was a really tanned hottie. He could have been Hispanic or Indian. He had sharp facial features with piercing dark eyes. He had long black hair that was not in a ponytail like Razors. It was free and flowing. He also looked like he worked out a lot and he had the markings of ink on his left arm. His short sleeve t-shirt only left a little to see but he was equally as hot! I wondered if this was the guy Lori was in love with.

The guy to Razor’s right was a blond-hair pale one. A bit younger than the rest of them, but equally sexy. He was tall and he looked like he worked out too. Those eyes were sea blue and his lips were full. These men could stop traffic and not a woman would mind.

“Bronx, my VP. He’ll be heading up the search and the detail for Ms. Mills.” He pointed to the black guy.

Ms. Mills?

“Apollo, my Associate VP. He’ll run point in the search and capture.” He pointed to the long-haired guy.

“Dash, my treasurer. He’ll secure all the financial details.” His thumb jabbed in the last guy’s direction.

“Sounds good,” my dad said. “As I explained over the phone, there have been a few incidents. My wife is sick, so I’m taking care of her. My baby girl, Kylie, refuses to come and stay with me as she would like to tend to her life, etc. I get it, but I want her to be safe. So, I’d like to find the bastard who’s stalking her and I want her to be protected.”

Razor was staring at me and I could feel his intense vibe from ten feet away. He finally tore his eyes from mine and asked, “What incidents?”

“Some crazy calling her and hanging up. When she was on tour, she received a few letters and now last night, some guy was in here and wrote horrible things on the mirrors in her lipstick. It’s sick.” My dad shook his head.

I hated that he had to see those things written about me. Not that he would know if any of them were true, but it was still equally embarrassing.

Razor nodded his head and then said, “Okay. I think we have what we need from you. If you go and talk with Dash, he’ll get you set up, while we get an idea about Ms. Mills’ schedule.”

My dad nodded and went to the back with the guy, Dash. Bronx came over to me and said, “You have any idea who this might be? Any angry ex-boyfriends or crazy fans?”

“Well, now that you say that. My ex-boyfriend was Jaz, but he broke up with me. So I doubt it would be him,” I answered. “I also can’t remember any fans.”

“Jaz? Where does he live and who are his affiliations?” Bronx asked.

“Uh, he last lived in Mount Joy and he was a member of the Nine Snakes MC club.”

Apollo whistled loudly and said, “Damn, girl. You sure know how to pick them.”

Really.

“He’s an ex for a reason,” I snapped at him.

“He ever lay a hand on you?” Razor said as he looked up from his pad.

“No, not physically. But me walking in on him fucking my backup singer and he kept fucking her when he saw that he was caught, was pretty much beat down enough.”

Apollo whistled again, but didn’t say anything. Razor’s eyes stayed on me. He looked like he was about to comment but instead, he put his head back down and continued to write on the pad. A minute later, he left and Bronx and Apollo kept asking me questions about anybody that could have caused a problem in the past. Even about the guys from a few weeks ago at Wiley’s.

They explained how they operated in regards to who my bodyguards would be and how they rotated. All of them would not wear cuts, each of them had been highly trained, even if they weren’t full-time bikers. Not only did they know how to use a weapon, computers, and other necessary tools for their arsenal, they were well versed in hand-to-hand combat. Some of them were doctors, lawyers, accountants, and simply bikers. The Guardians did not discriminate on the account of blue or white collar jobs, color or creed; but elected officers were held by men only. It seemed like a well-oiled machine. They had shifts, protocols for each person and I, the subject, would need to keep Bronx abreast of all of my whereabouts.

Apollo was the Sergeant of Arms and his skills included search and rescue and his role would be protection, as well as leading the search. He was going to assemble a team that would execute the mission.

It became clear why my father seemed to admire these guys and entrust them with my safety. What they were doing was beyond admirable, but they were also professional about it.

And Razor was their president.