CHAPTER EIGHT

 

AJ glanced up from the file on her desk as her office assistant came in.

“I just wanted to let you know I’m heading out. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’m right behind you, Coralee. Enjoy your evening.”

“I will. Goodnight.”

When the door closed, AJ began shoving files into her briefcase. She had some work to do once she got home tonight, but hopefully she could knock it out in an hour. She considered staying to finish it, but she’d had enough of being locked up in the office and needed to get out of there.

A change of scenery, even if it were only her house with a microwaved dinner in front of her favorite TV show about secret antique finds, sounded heavenly right now.

She clicked off her computer and shrugged into her suit jacket, then grabbed her red leather satchel and headed out.

She breathed in the fresh evening air. It was fall now, and a cool breeze blew through the trees. She rubbed a kink out of her neck and moved toward the street.

Her eyes flicked up to a motorcycle parked at the curb, and she came to a stop as she recognized the man leaning against it, his long legs crossed at his booted ankles.

The sun was sinking, but the last rays were bright, and he still had a pair of mirrored shades on. It didn’t matter; she still knew who he was. He smiled, revealing beautiful straight white teeth.

“Can we talk?”

She took a few tentative steps toward him, stopping six feet away. Her eyes swept over him. This was the second time she’d seen him in the black leather vest that bore his MC colors. Seeing him wearing them and resting against the big Harley struck her speechless. Those things changed him; surprisingly she found they suited him. How could that be possible? She shook herself from her thoughts. “Did you need an appointment?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of having a drink together.”

She arched a brow. “I don’t socialize with clients.”

The corner of his mouth pulled up. “I’m not a client.”

No, perhaps he wasn’t actually a client, but this felt like mixing business and pleasure, something she knew better than to do. It was swimming in dangerous waters, and standing before her was the shark. If anything spoke danger to her, it was this man. She bit her lip and glanced down the street. “I don’t think so.”

“Just one drink. I’d like to talk to you.” He nodded toward the office building behind her. “Outside of there. I think there are some things from the past I need to explain and apologize for.”

Her chin came up. Yes, he did owe her an apology, though at this point did it really even matter anymore? But curiosity got the best of her. She had to admit, she was damn curious, if only to hear how exactly a badass MC president apologized. She almost couldn’t wait to hear this.

“All right. I guess I could spare a few minutes.” She nodded to a pub across the street. “O’Malley’s?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Sure.” Straightening from the bike, he nodded down to the briefcase in her hand. “Did you want to stow that in your car first?”

Tightening her grip on the handle, she nodded. “I’m parked right over here.”

He followed her half a block down to where her car sat at the curb. She unlocked the passenger side door and tossed her bag inside, turning to find him right behind her, his eyes moving over the silver sports car.

“Nice ride. What is it?”

“Fiat Spider.”

He leaned down to look inside. “Six speed?”

“Yes.”

“Turbo?”

She fought a smile. The male species’ infatuation with cars never failed. “Mmhmm.”

He straightened. “Somehow I took you for more of the economy sedan type.” His gaze swept over her from head to toe and back. “But it suits you.”

She rolled her eyes at his arrogance, as if she needed his approval. What was that crack about her being the economy sedan type? He knew nothing about her. She turned on her heel, heading toward the pub. “Let’s get this over with.”

She heard him chuckle as he fell in next to her and they crossed the street.

The pub was dark but upscale with polished wood, black and white tiled floor, and red leather bar stools. She felt a hand at the small of her back, guiding her toward a booth. It had been a long time since a man had touched her, even that much. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d missed it.

She slid across the red vinyl seat on one side of the table, and he took the other side. A waitress came and asked for their order, and a minute later they each had a glass of beer in front of them.

AJ lifted hers for a sip and waited. He had wanted this meeting; he could start the conversation.

“You’ve changed.”

It wasn’t quite the opening she’d imagined, but she didn’t let that throw her. “So have you.”

“No, I mean, you’re different.”

“Of course I am. It’s been a long time. I was a naive twenty-one-year-old when we met. I’m thirty-six now. Older and much wiser.”

“Harder and tougher, too.”

“That’s right. I no longer have illusions of a Peace Corps world.” Her words surprised him a bit, she could tell, but he covered it well.

“You never let me finish my explanation when we first talked in your office.”

“What explanation was that?” she asked.

“About why I broke my promise to you, why I never returned for more sessions or—”

She cut him off with a huff. “Was there ever any truth to your story? Was there a woman and child you were looking for? Or was it all bullshit?”

“It was the truth.”

“And did it do any good? Releasing you from the sessions so you could get off parole and free from its restrictions? Did it free you to find them? Was all the hell it put me through worth it?”

He frowned. “What hell? What are you talking about?”

“He found out. Allen Gaines, my supervisor. He knew I’d signed off when you hadn’t finished with all the sessions. He covered for me legally, but he expected compensation.”

“What compensation?” His voice was low, the harsh words spoken with a thread of danger.

“He made sexual demands. Threatened me.”

Derek ran a hand down his face. “Shit. Tell me you didn’t—”

“No, I didn’t. Luckily, he would have been in just as much trouble for leaving me unsupervised. But I still quit, and all my time there was wasted. I had to start another internship all over. I was lucky my placement advisor gave me a second chance. It set me back a year, and I swore from that point on I would never let another man manipulate me the way you did. So, what I want to know is… Was it all worth it?”

His eyes bore into hers. “Goddamn, I’m sorry, Allison.”

“Don’t call me that. I go by AJ now.”

“AJ, I had no idea. I didn’t even consider the blow back on you.”

“Of course you didn’t. Why would you? It’s all about you, isn’t it? I imagine that’s the way you’ve lived your entire life, with no thought to anyone but yourself.”

His chin lifted slightly, and his jaw tightened at her analysis. “I’m responsible for a lot of guys, so no, that’s now how I live my life.”

“I’m still waiting for an answer to my question.”

“Christ, you’re a tough one.”

She stared him down. She hoped he wasn’t waiting for a reply, because the answer should be obvious. Yes, she was a “tough one.” She had to be. She’d had to learn that the hard way.

“I never found Angie or our child. It wasn’t until just a couple years ago that I found out what happened to them.”

“And what was that? Or is it none of my business?”

His jaw ticked at her sharp reply, and she wondered if she’d pushed him too far with her attitude. “It’s not your business, but you deserve to know. My daughter turned up not too long ago, and we were finally able to reconnect. How we ended up finding each other is a long story, and I won’t bore you with it. But her mother hadn’t taken her away as I’d thought. She died in Alabama, and I’d had no way of knowing. My daughter grew up in the foster care system.”

AJ swallowed, feeling terrible for the innocent child, and maybe—if she were being honest—feeling a little sympathy for him. “I’m sorry.”

He nodded and took a sip of his beer. They were both quiet for a moment, before he broke the silence. “So, no, your sacrifice didn’t get me my family back, but that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful and always will be for what you did for me.”

Her eyes dropped to his leather cut, and she lifted her chin to it. “And after everything, you went back to that MC. That’s how you repay the kindness?”

“It’s complicated.”

“I’m sure.” She said it dismissively, and he called her on it.

“Don’t pretend you understand or have it all figured out.”

She sipped her beer and murmured, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I lead a complicated life. I admit it, but that doesn’t mean I’m cold and heartless.” When she tried to ignore him, he insisted. “Hey, look at me.”

Her eyes came to him, almost as if they had a will of their own, as if that magic voice of his had power over her.

“I like you. I always have… from the very first day we met. And you’re right, you were a naive twenty-one-year-old, and yes, I took advantage of that. But I had no choice—”

“There’s always a choice.”

That tick in his jaw appeared again, but he took a deep breath, and she swore she could almost see him counting silently in his head.

“I wasn’t in a place where I wanted to hear a thing you had to say. There I was, a thirty-five year old felon. What the hell was a twenty-one-year-old girl gonna tell me about life, about anything? You were scared to death of me—I used that. You were easy to manipulate. I needed you to sign off on the sessions, and I did what I had to do to make sure that happened. And I’m sorry for that.

“I was under pressure from a lot of directions back then, and I regret that you took the fallout. I regret the effect it had on you. But there’s something you need to know about back then… about the effect you had on me.”

He had her interest now, and she studied him. If this was all bullshit, there was no trace on his face. “Go on.”

“I took notice of everything about you.”

“Is this more bullshit?”

“Why would I bullshit you about this? I have nothing to gain.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I don’t want a damn thing from you except to get to know you better.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Was he kidding?

He rubbed his jaw again, like he did when he seemed frustrated.

“Look, let me lay all my cards on the table. I’m very attracted to you. You’re a beautiful woman; you were always a pretty girl. Can I tell you something? Hell, the first time I met you, the first time I was alone with you, I noticed everything. How good you smelled, how soft your hair looked, and how much I longed to run my fingers through it. I even remember the sleeveless sweater you wore and how your bare arms looked like fine porcelain and how much I ached to touch them. I didn’t miss a detail. I wanted you. It wasn’t all an act.”

“You were a jerk in that first meeting—going out of your way to make me feel uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, I know. I think it was a defense mechanism. I had to put you on your guard or shit would’ve happened. And that’s no bullshit.”

“I allowed you to shatter my self-confidence.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to do that.” His eyes traveled over her hair and face. “You’re even more beautiful now, but it’s more than that. I like how smart you are. I like that you spar with me and aren’t afraid to tell me off or call me out.”

She huffed out a laugh. “Well, that’s good, because I don’t plan to change.”

He grinned. “Can we start over and just have a conversation, like two people who just met?”

It was an interesting proposition, and she didn’t see the harm in it. Since this wasn’t going anywhere, she shrugged. “Sure. How is your daughter?”

He leaned back, relaxing for the first time. His hand toyed with his glass, his eyes on it. “She grew up in a string of foster homes with no real stability. She blamed me for all of it. We had a rough patch, but we got past it.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Where is she now?”

“She’s married to one of the boys from the Birmingham, Alabama chapter. They just had a daughter not too long ago.”

“MC life runs in the family, I see.”

“Seems so.” He chuckled and looked down at the table, then tilted his head to the side and met her eyes. “It’s not such a bad life, you know. It’s not what you think. My brothers… They’re good people.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“I’d like to show you sometime.”

“Show me what?”

“We’re having a cookout weekend after next. Why don’t you come? I could pick you up.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Will you consider it? Holly will be there. You could see how she interacts.”

She studied him. “I’ll think about it.”

“So tell me, AJ, what do you do with your free time?”

She toyed with the cocktail napkin her glass sat on. “Well, recently I started a non-profit. It’s a charity for battered women. In the spring we obtained property for a safe house that can shelter up to twelve women and children.”

“How did you get involved with that?”

He seemed truly interested, so she told him. “There’s another safe house in town. Several of the women I’d counseled were turned away because it was at capacity. One of them chose to return home to her husband. That night he beat her to death.”

“Christ.”

“I always felt that if she’d only had somewhere to go, she’d be alive today. I’d take them all in if I could.”

“Men who beat women… They’re the lowest of the low. That’s not the definition of a man in my book.”

“I’m glad you feel that way.”

“How do you pay for all that? The house, I mean.”

“Donations. It’s gotten to the point where I just signed a lease on an office for the charity rather than running it out of my office. I’m remodeling the place now and hope to have it up and running soon.”

“Remodeling?”

“It’s an old building. I’m talking ancient. I’ve got some painting to do, some windows need replacing, and the lot needs to be cleaned up. It sat vacant for many years.”

“You need some help?”

“With which part?”

“With all of it. The boys and I could come over and knock it out in a day or two.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, AJ, I’m serious.” He grinned. “Now I’m not promising they’re pros, but I think they can handle cleaning up the lot, doing some painting, and replacing some glass. I can’t promise you won’t hear some cuss words, but if you’re willing to overlook the language, I’m sure they can get the job done.”

“All right. Then I’ll accept. I’ll even throw in a case of beer.”

“Oh, Lord. Best not get them drunk when you’re handing them a paintbrush.”

She laughed softly. “I see your point. No beer. Pizza?”

“How ‘bout I get the boys to bring over a grill, and we cookout? They smell that meat cookin’, they’ll be motivated to finish the job.” He winked.

She smiled. “Deal.”

“Good. This Saturday work for you?”

“That would be wonderful.”

He pulled out his cell phone. “What’s your number?”

She told him.

His fingers moved over his screen. A moment later, she heard her phone chime in her purse.

“Now you have my number. Text me the address and time when you figure one out.”

“All right. Thank you.” She glanced down at her watch. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got a lot of casework to go over tonight. I’m going to have to cut the evening short.”

He drained his beer and stood, tossing some bills on the table. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

When they arrived back at her Fiat, he waited while she unlocked the door and climbed inside. Then he squatted down in the space between the open car door, one hand on the roof of the low-slung sports car, the other on the door.

It put him at eye level with her as she sat in the leather seat.

“You’ve got my number now. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

She grinned, totally sure she’d never use it except to text him about Saturday. “Okay.”

He glanced around her car. “Maybe, if we do a good job painting this weekend, you’ll let me take this car for a spin.”

She chuckled. “If you can fit your tall body behind the wheel, it’s a deal.”

He grinned back, and she had to admit he had a beautiful smile. Then before she knew what he was planning, he leaned forward and kissed her. Just a soft brush of his mouth on hers, but it was enough to send sparks along every nerve ending in her body. He pulled back and winked. “Drive safe now.”

Then, as she sat there stunned, he stood, shut her door, and walked back to his motorcycle. She recovered and fumbled with the key in the ignition, hearing the engine roar to life beneath her. But she couldn’t stop herself from watching him in the rearview mirror. Holy crap, he’d kissed her! And damned if she didn’t like it.