Lauren
How could I study knowing Michael was at my apartment confronting Asya about her part in all this mess? I closed my laptop, giving up on getting anything done, and moved out to the TV room in the clubhouse.
Johnny sat on the couch with his wife snuggled up against him, watching a home makeover show. I smiled over the absurdity. The mammoth sized biker watched, with interest, as a back room of a house was converted into a home office for a middle-aged accountant.
“We should do that with the spare bedroom. Jimmy’s never gonna move back now that he’s got his own place,” I heard his wife say.
“No.” He shook his head.
“Maybe we could turn it into a sewing room.”
“You don’t sew.”
“I could start if I had a sewing room.”
He let out an exasperated sigh that sounded all too familiar. Michael made the same noise when I pushed an issue he considered closed. “I’ll think about it.” The gruff voice was more for show than it was sincere. He’d cave, that was easy to see by the smile on his wife’s face. She’d won, and she knew it.
“Hey, Lauren.” Johnny moved his arm from around his wife and stood up to greet me when he noticed I’d entered the room.
“Hey. I was stretching my legs for a few minutes. I’m gonna walk in the courtyard for a bit. Get some fresh air.” I slid my hands in the back pockets of my jean shorts, trying to look casual.
Johnny’s eyes narrowed. “It’s ninety-five degrees out there. Just stay in here where it’s cool.”
“I love the heat,” I lied. “Just for a few minutes. I’ll be back in five minutes.”
He didn’t look convinced but he gave in anyway. “Fine. Five minutes. If you’re not back in here, I’m coming out there to drag you back in.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second.” I patted his arm as I walked past him, giving his wife a wink. She laughed, but didn’t tell Johnny what she found so funny.
Once I was outside with the sun beating down on me, I found spot to sit. I needed to call Asya. I needed to hear from her what was going on, but if I did that and she really was betraying me I could have been putting Michael in danger. As I pulled my phone out it buzzed a few times.
A message from Tanner.
We need to talk. Can you get away from your babysitter long enough?
I got up and looked through the window at Johnny in the TV room. He was back to watching the show. He’d never let me go if I asked him to take me. Tanner was safe. If he needed to tell me something, it was important.
Remember the warehouse on Ogden? Half hour.
My pickups were done from that warehouse most of the time. Tanner owned a small office inside that he used to conduct his business. I shot him a quick text and looked around the courtyard for a ride. I’d never driven a motorcycle before, and I didn’t think it should try on my own just then. Bikers were a little touchy about that sort of thing.
My car had to be ready by now. I called the garage to confirm it was done, and decided to head over there. It would be faster than trying to catch a cab, and no way was I gonna ask Johnny to help me. Casually as I could, with my heart beating hard against my ribcage, I walked out of the courtyard. Once outside the gates, I took off in a run. Michael’s garage was a few miles away. If I were lucky, I’d catch the bus.
As soon as I took my seat on the CTA bus my phone started ringing. I didn’t recognize the number, so I let it go to voicemail. But it rang again and again. Each time I declined the call, but finally decided to listen to the message left.
“Sweetheart, your ass better have just gone for a walk around the block. Get back here now.”
“Lauren, get your ass back to the clubhouse. Now.”
“I’m calling Michael.”
Tattletale. I looked at the time on my phone. By the time Johnny got a hold of Michael, he’d be busy at my apartment.
Luckily, the guy working the desk at Michael’s shop hadn’t met me yet and didn’t know my relationship with his boss. He handed over my keys with no trouble and even brought the car around for me. They had replaced the entire body of the car, rebuilt the engine, and put in new brakes. Even the air conditioner worked. It would have been easier to buy a new car, why did Michael put so much man hours into it?
I thanked the guy again, then peeled out of the garage, heading to the warehouse. When I got there, Tanner’s beat up pickup was parked in the usual spot. Taking my keys with me, I headed into the warehouse.
His office light was one, but nothing else was lit up. The other offices in the place must actually close on Sundays. “Tanner?” I called out to him as I walked toward his office.
“Here, baby girl,” he called back. The door didn’t open; he usually met me outside the office, always with a grin and a hug.
“Tanner, you okay?” I asked when I got to the door. It was closed.
“Yeah. Come on in,” he called from behind the door.
I turned the knob, ignoring the thumping in my chest, the loud pounding in my ears, and the little voice that told me to leave the door alone and run back to my car.