Chapter 13

I woke up with facial hair tickling my nose. Rebel had a grip on me and I was nestled against his chest. I leaned my head back a little and smiled at his sleeping face. I moved his beard a little and his eyes opened slowly. He kissed my forehead and nuzzled my nose.

“Hey. How long have you been awake?”

“Oh, hours. I’ve been staring at you.” I winked.

“I don’t doubt it.” Rebel chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah. Make fun of my crush on you.”

“Just how long have you had a crush on me?”

“Since the first day I saw you.”

“Really? Why?”

I rose up on my elbow and touched his cheek with my finger. Many people wanted Rebel because he was famous. I didn’t care that he was famous, not even when I was introduced to him. What struck me immediately was his love for the guys in the band. The fact that he would do anything for anyone who asked it of him. The way he was with Grandpa and with Harley. I watched Harley spiral out of control and the guys came together to try to help him. When Achilles was hired, Axel and I agreed he should look out for Harley. Both of them had suffered a loss, and Axel and I felt that the two of them could heal each other — which they did. They got so much more than either of them had bargained for.

“I’ve watched you all from the moment I was hired. I’ve watched you come together to protect Gareth; I’ve watched you push Jinx to be the man he was truly meant to be; and I’ve watched you be there for Harley when he needed you all the most. I’ve watched you take care of Paul even after he almost killed Gareth. You guys are family. You watch out for each other, no matter what. The way you are with Auggie — Rebel, it would melt any man’s hardened heart.”

Rebel leaned over and kissed me. It was just a soft kiss but my body tingled from it.

“Thank you, Stan. You’re quite the guy too. Why don’t we get eat, see what the guys are up to, and check on Grandpa?”

“Sounds good.”

We got up and I went about making some breakfast. Rebel stopped by my front table and picked up a handful of mail. He brought it to me and grinned.

“Do you even look at it?”

“Not really. All my bills are on auto-pay so I know I don’t have bills. Why? What’s in there?”

“Um, the magazine that came out with Sal’s new show on the cover?” Rebel handed it to me. “It’s like a week old, you know.”

“Seriously? I thought it was one of those rental magazines. I don’t know why they keep sending them to me.” I flipped through the magazine and stopped on one page. My mouth dropped open. There I was in all my glory — full facial shot with me standing between Sal and Sebastian Lowery. I felt the urge to puke and I placed the magazine down on the counter.

“What is it?” Rebel took my hand.

I tried to remain calm. I didn’t need to drag Rebel into my mess, but now I had to go see Mac.

“Is it okay if I bail this morning? I actually have some work to catch up on at the office.”

Rebel searched my eyes, nodding slowly. “Sure.”

“Okay, sorry about this. I’ll make it up to you.”

“It really is okay, Stan. No worries.”

Oh, but I was worried. In fact, I was scared shitless.

When I got to the office, Axel’s car was there along with Achilles’ truck. I parked and practically ran inside. Just as I walked in, Axel was accompanying a man to the door. He was taller than me, had blond hair and the most captivating brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He looked like an angel. Axel introduced him, but for some reason nothing would come out of my mouth.

“Right about now you’re thinking, ‘This guy looks like an angel. How could he possibly be the head of the Italian mob’.” He smiled at me.

“I was actually just thinking that,” I admitted.

“It happens a lot.” He waved a hand. “It was good to meet you, Jax. I’ll let the guys fill you in on what we discussed. I heard you met a couple of my guys.”

“I did.” I nodded.

“I hope they didn’t scare you too badly. They seem to have that effect on people.”

I nodded and shook his hand when he offered it. He glanced at Axel. “I’ll be in touch.”

He left and I slumped into the nearest chair. Axel crouched down in front of me and tried to smile.

“He knows where I am,” I whispered.

“We are pretty sure he does. He had four days off and when he was supposed to return to work, he called in sick. We found a guy up in Canada who picked him up hitchhiking. He told him he had no money and nothing to his name because an ex-girlfriend had robbed him and left him with nothing at a hotel.”

“And this guy is sure it was Neil?”

“One of the guys who works for the man you just met has been all over that route showing Cambridge’s picture. We’re pulling up traffic cams and anything else we can think of. We’re watching all routes of travel. We will find him, Jax.”

“He knows how to cover his tracks. He’s a cop!” I shouted. “Why do you think he’s hitchhiking? He’s not going to use his own vehicle and he won’t rent a car because he knows you can track him. He’s going to find me and he’ll hurt anyone around me!”

“Not if we snap his neck first.” Achilles cracked his knuckles.

“Oh, God.” I put my head between my knees and tried to breathe normally. “W-w-what if h-he hurts R-R-Rebel or G-G-Grandpa?”

“Jax, calm down.” Axel placed a huge hand on my back. “Things have changed this time around, okay? You’re not alone in this. You’ve got all of us watching your back against this one guy. No one is going to help him. No. One. That guy you just met? He made sure of it.”

I glanced up and sniffled. “He did?”

“He may look like an angel, but that man is dangerous as fuck,” Achilles added. “You are never alone anymore, Jax. You may not see us, but we’re there.”

“Why can’t he just leave me alone?” I rubbed my temples.

“Because he’s a narcissistic piece of shit?” Axel offered.

“True.” I nodded.

“You don’t need to change your routine. Act like you normally would, okay? We don’t want this guy to know we’re on to him.” Axel helped me up. “What are your plans today?”

“Hanging out with Rebel.”

“Then get to it.” Achilles grinned.

I texted Rebel to let him know I was joining him. He texted back to let me know he was at the doctor’s office. I drove there, trying not to act like I was about to lose my shit — which I seriously was. I parked in the parking lot and dropped my head on the steering wheel. I was scared for everyone around me. I’d already lost my best friend, Deo, to Neil. I couldn’t lose anyone else. Tears slipped from my eyes and I wiped them away angrily. A tap at my window scared the ever-loving shit out of me and I actually man-screamed.

“Stan!” Rebel yanked the door open and crouched at my side immediately. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

I slumped into his arms and he held me while I cried. I don’t know how long it lasted; time seemed to crawl by but I finally lifted my head and wiped my nose.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just emotional right now.”

“Well, I was going to ask if you could take Grandpa shopping for yogurt and stuff —”

“I can do that.” I nodded. “You need a bunch of stuff actually.”

“Okay, here’s my card.” Rebel handed it to me. He lifted my face to his and kissed my nose.

“I thought was going to stay forty-eight hours?”

“That’s what he wanted, but doc says he’s good to go. You were right — the sleeping aid didn’t interact well with his other meds and caused more confusion. I’m going to finish up some stuff here and we can meet back at my place?”

“Sure.” I nodded. I glanced up and searched his eyes. “What else does the doc have to say?”

“That’s what I’m staying to find out.”

“Where is Grandpa?”

We heard hollering and whoops, and Rebel grinned and took my hand. I got out of the car to find Grandpa waggling his brows.

“Did you two take ol’ one-eye to the optometrist?”

“Grandpa!” we both shouted in unison.

“Storm the cotton gin?” he grinned. “Get to fifth base?”

“Oh for the love of…” Rebel sighed.

“Come on, Grandpa.” I laughed.

I swear Grandpa was giggling the whole way to the store. We pulled into the supermarket and I grabbed the list Rebel had made along with his credit card. It occurred to me that we actually took turns buying groceries for the house. It was like we were a non-couple couple and Grandpa was our child. Grandpa opened the door as I got the keys out of the ignition. I stopped and held the keychain in my hand. It had been a gift from Deo back in the day. A four-leaf clover embedded in a sterling silver guitar. I squeezed it and stuffed it in my pocket as I got out of the car.

I locked the doors on the car and turned around to see Grandpa gone. I panicked immediately. I’d never lost the man, not one time since I’d been watching over him. I began looking up and down the parking lot aisles.

“Grandpa!” I shouted.

I caught sight of him standing in the middle of the parking lot. He was looking around as if he didn’t remember where he was. I shouted again as he began walking to the front of the store and then he bent down. My head turned to the right and that’s when I saw it, a huge truck with a lift kit rounding the corner. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Axel and Achilles running toward us. They weren’t going to reach him in time — but I was. I felt as though I was running in slow motion. Grandpa was still bent over, picking something up off the ground.

I screamed, waving my arms around wildly. I reached him seconds before the truck did and pushed him out of the way. The penny he’d picked up went flying through the air as he flew backwards. The truck slammed into my mid-section and I flew back, landing with a thud on the asphalt. Screams sounded from everywhere and the truck roared out of the parking lot. People were shouting to call 911 and someone was saying something about the truck’s license plate. My head hurt and my vision was blurry.

“Stan?!”

I cracked open one eye to see Grandpa hovered above me.

“I’m so sorry!” he wiped at his eyes.

He sounded…muted? My ears felt like they were plugged, or full of water.

“It’s okay,” I croaked. “You’re safe.”

The muffled sounds of sirens met my ringing ears and I closed my eyes again, trying to breathe without wincing. My chest hurt and I couldn’t drag air into my lungs. I could vaguely hear Axel talking and Achilles’ face entered my line of sight.

“Stan!” Grandpa shouted. “Don’t you give up on me!”

“Hurts to breathe.”

“The EMTs are here. Hang on!” Axel shouted.

And then I heard nothing. Their lips were moving but I heard nothing. I tried to keep my eyes open, I really did, but when the black veil came down, I welcomed it.