Chapter 20
Nolan
I walk down the stairs, into the living room and a bunch of heads shift in my direction. I swallow hard when I see a pair of blue eyes narrow in my direction and a scowl crosses Xavier’s face. He stands up from the couch and stalks towards me. I nod my head to the kitchen and Xavier returns the gesture.
I haven’t had time to really take in Ashley’s place when we arrived, but I do now as Xavier and I walk. It’s an open space set up with floor to ceiling windows surrounding the house. I can look into the living room and dining room from the kitchen. The kitchen itself has dark hardwood flooring, black cabinets wrapping around the small room, black and white marble counter tops and stainless-steel appliances. There’s a small island separating the kitchen and dining room with sleek black bar stools pushed in on the other side. I start a pot of coffee and lean up against the counter. Xavier takes a seat at the island and folds his hands on the counter. He’s watching me, waiting for me to say something. My coffee is done, and I fill up the mug. I add some sugar and take a sip. The bitter sweet taste coats my mouth and sends a shot of caffeine into my system.
I turn back around, ready to face this head on. I look around to make sure nobody else is in earshot and take a deep breath. “It’s really bad. I found Ashley beaten and bruised. The guy who did it is her ex, Shaun Reiser.” I tell Xavier.
“How’s she doing now?” he asks.
I shrug my shoulders. “She’s doing better physically, but emotionally she’s struggling. Ashley is dealing with a lot right now and she’s worried you or Izzy might end up hurt. These people after her are not who you’ve dealt with back home.”
“How did she get into this mess?” Xavier questions.
I peer around again to make sure no one is listening. This information is something Ashton dug up and no one realizes I have it. I don’t even think Ashley knows the real truth and I want to protect her from it for as long as possible. I pick up my coffee mug and open the sliding glass door leading toward the back deck. Xavier follows, and we don’t stop walking until we’re far away from the house, leaning up against a black wire railing, separating the beach from her deck.
Ashley has a big kidney-shaped pool in the middle of her dark wooden deck. There are lounge chairs around the pool and a small room off to the left to change and store supplies in. The beach house is behind us and I look over the horizon, watching the wave crash against the white sand. There’s a light salty breeze coming off the ocean, cooling my skin down a little from the humidity.
“I had Ashton do some digging when I arrived. He didn’t find anything good. Ashley is involved in a number of illegal shit, but she’s been trying to get her crew, as she calls them, to go legit. There’s a lot of talk, some of the other bosses aren’t liking it and trying to get Ashley out. There’s only one way to leave this world, and it’s not walking away,” I confess gripping my coffee mug so tight I’m surprised it doesn’t shatter.
“How are you handling it?” Xavier’s question surprises me.
“What do you mean?” I inquire. I want to see what he knows or what he thinks he knows.
“Just like I said. How are you handling it? I realize you haven’t told me a whole lot from your past before you came to live in Michigan, but I can tell it wasn’t good.” Xavier's deep voice is quiet.
“I’m dealing with it the best I can. Some things are tough, but I can handle it.” I answer, my voice cracking a little and I draw a deep breath, inhaling the salty air. I watch Xavier out of the corner of my eye and see him breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe he knows more than he’s letting on.
I don’t want to divulge into my past right now. That’s a road I don’t want to travel down, especially with these other things we have to handle. Once I reach that dark place, it takes me days to come back and Ashley is my number one priority. I need to keep it together to make sure she stays safe. I need to keep the memories away, locked up tight.
“Good, that’s good to hear,” Xavier says, blowing out a breath.
“X, I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about how serious it is between Ashley and me. Izzy is pissed at me right now, but I didn’t want to admit anything until I knew it was the real thing. She hasn’t left my mind since I met her."
“I know. I could tell the way you constantly knew where she was when we were home. The way you didn’t leave her side until you felt she was safe with Christian and Mia after they were captured.” His eye glaze over, remembering that night.
“That was rough. I never wanted you or Izzy to see that side of me, but I snapped that night. I’ve done things in my past I’m not proud of X, but I wouldn’t take my actions that night back for anything. This secret I’ve kept from you has been killing me and when Izzy was in danger, it felt like a big relief for you to know about it.”
“I know Nolan. You don’t have to say anything else,” Xavier says resting a hand on my shoulder. I hear a commotion coming from the side of the house near the driveway and my hand instinctively moves to my side arm. I look at Xavier, straight in the eyes, and motion for him to remain quiet.
We slowly walk around the pool towards the voices. I hear a string of Spanish and then a deep male voice. We reach the side of the house and I see Natalia and Rush standing near Rush’s car. He’s pacing back and forth clearly agitated by the little Latina spewing Spanish at him. I listen to what they’re saying, only getting every couple of words from Natalia.
“Hotflash, rein it in. Nolan can be trusted,” Rush growls.
“How do you know? This is bullshit, hermano. We know nada, nothing, about him.” Natalia hisses.
“I know Ashley trusts him and if Ashley trusts him, then so do I. That’s good enough for me." Rush says, running a hand through his black hair with blonde streaks. “Hotflash, you didn’t see him when he first arrived. He was torn up and was battling his own demons when he showed up on my doorstep. Once we found Ashley, the look that crossed his face, it’s something someone can’t fake. He’s honest and real and you need to remember that. You need to remember Ashley has the final say.”
“Dios Mio! This isn’t right, Rush. We’ve never let in an outsider. Now we have to let in seven? Mierda, Rush, I don’t agree." Hotflash says tears are glistening in her eyes.
Xavier and I are still leaning against the side of the glass windows listening to them. Rush walks up to Natalia and puts an arm around her, trying to soothe her.
“Hotflash, we need the help. It’s worse than what anyone thinks. The other bosses want her out and they’re using the 38th Street Gang to do that and you know what that means. Out means no coming back, just like they did with her family and I’ll be damned if I let that happen. If that means asking for help, then I’ll beg if I have too. Nolan is good people.”
My eyes widen in surprise from Rush’s comment. He knows about the bosses and he didn’t say anything. I need to have a chat with him now. I turn to Xavier and he nods his head. We make our presence known and Rush’s black eyes grow wide. Hotflash’s body stiffens under Rush’s arms and her head swivels in my direction.
“It appears we need to talk,” I suggest cutting my eyes in Rush’s direction.
Rush swallows hard and bows his head. We all walk back to the spot Xavier and I were at overlooking the ocean. I lean up against the railing and cross my arms over my chest giving Rush and Natalia a menacing stare.
“I ask for honesty. I realize you don’t trust me,” I say pinning Hotflash with a glare. “But Ashley does and that should be enough for you. I’m a stranger I get it, but she’s my main concern. Keeping her safe is my only concern. What do you know?”
Rush nods his head in agreement. His black hair blowing in the light breeze. I wait as Rush looks Xavier over before answering. “I heard the bosses are trying to throw Ashley out. They don’t want us to go legit and it’s been causing tension between the families."
I’m surprised he’s being honest. Maybe he really trusts me but if I were him, I wouldn’t trust me just because someone else does. I’ve been burned in the past for that shit and it won’t happen again. “What about Redline? What’s his story?” I demand.
Rush and Hotflash pass a look between each before Rush answers. I don’t think Hotflash knows what’s going on. “He’s dealing with his own personal issues,” Rush answers.
“Do these personal issues have to deal with a beautiful blonde with tanned skin and toned legs?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Rush answers hesitantly. Hotflash’s eyes widen with understanding.
“What?” she asks.
“Look, it’s not my place to say anything, Redline is dealing with it on his own. He’s had a thing for Ashley for years, but she’s always told him it will never happen.” Rush is growing angry. He’s clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides, pacing back and forth.
“He won’t turn on us and do to her what Reiser did, will he?” Hotflash asks the question that’s whirling around in my head.
“No, he loves Ashley too much to do that. He'll figure it all out and realize he doesn’t love her that way,” Rush answers confidently.
I clench my fists at my sides from the mention of Redline loving Ashley. A spasm of jealousy flows into my stomach and I wonder if she feels the same way about him. It’s ridiculous, I know, but now the seed has been planted I can’t help but think it.
I turn my back on them and keep my eyes focused on the beautiful white sandy beach in front of me. Black clouds are rolling across the blue ocean at a rapid pace. A storm is developing and a sense of foreboding crackles in the air. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach, something evil is going to happen and I'm powerless to stop it.