Cormier's Place

I didn't know my real dad very well; he'd died when I was almost six. After he'd died, my mom had moved back home to Louisiana to live with her mom. There, she married her high school sweetheart, Denny, and I called him dad most of my life.

It felt weird now, driving back to Illinois to go to my biological grandfather's funeral. I didn't know him at all, and I hadn't planned on going, but the man who'd called me said I was his only living relative and he was leaving me everything. I had to come sign for it and look over the properties.

It happened to be a time in my life when I needed a change. My boyfriend of four years had decided he couldn't see us going long term, and marriage wasn't in the cards for us. He broke up with me, and my coworker saw him out with a new woman the very next night. A woman he seemed very familiar with, holding her hand and kissing her fingertips like he used to kiss mine while we were out.

Apparently, they'd been dating for a while, and she got him to break up with me.

It was no great loss, I guessed, since I didn't feel like it was a huge loss. I was more pissed that he was cheating and I hadn't noticed.

The second blow came when the small internet site I was working for was suddenly sold and shut down out of nowhere. No one was told anything; we all showed up for work on Thursday and read the same sign on the door of the office we worked out of.

That had been almost two months ago now, and I was living in my old room at my mom's house, trying to find work. The best I could find was a part-time job as a waitress, the same place I worked when I was in high school. It sucked, but it was something while I looked.

This was a welcome diversion. Not just the drive to a place I'd always wanted to visit, but knowing I was going to find out about my family. I had always been curious, but had never wanted to hurt Denny's feelings. My mom had acted like Denny was my father and they'd dated since high school and there'd never been anyone else. She never talked about my real dad at all, even having my name changed when I was nine. No one was allowed to talk about my real dad, and she seemed pissed that I wouldn't just forget him completely. She wanted me to think Denny was my real dad, even trying to gaslight me like I couldn't remember living somewhere else and my real father. His voice, especially, though his face eluded me.

The small town outside of Chicago was old and quaint, and I pulled over when I got into downtown to call the lawyer.

"I'm here. You said you had two addresses for me?" I told him after he answered, watching a sort of scary-looking man walking a pitbull on the sidewalk nearby.

"Miss Cormier?"

"Yeah, it's actually Devonshire now. My step-dad adopted me."

"Yes, I knew that," he told me absently, and I could hear papers being moved around. "Here it is. The first one I'll show you is the business downtown. It's on the corner of 2nd and Main, 'Cormier's Place'. I'll head that way, my office is only a block down, so I'll walk. I'll meet you there with the keys for the business and the house, along with the will."

"Thanks," I told him, looking around for a street sign.

I had to put it into the GPS, but I was only four blocks from it, and I pulled up and looked over the shitty dive-bar at the end of a row of businesses downtown that all shared walls.

The man walking towards me with a briefcase and a cane was still almost half a block away, so I got out and looked over the building. It was old, and from what I could see inside, it hadn't been updated since the fifties. The space for the bar area didn't seem to mesh with the square footage of the building, and I wondered what was upstairs on the second and third stories.

"You Vessa?"

I turned and looked up at the old man in a 'Vietnam Vet' hat and a leather biker vest over a button-down plaid shirt.

"Who's asking?" I asked, confused.

"Vessa Cormier? Henry's granddaughter?"

"You served with him?" I guessed, glancing at the hat again.

"I did. A few of us did. Mighty O. Hear of it?"

"Was that your squadron or whatever?"

"Ship," he grunted, looking perturbed. "The Oriskany."

"Uhh... sorry."

"Hello, Mr Charles," the lawyer called, finally arriving. "Miss Cormier? I'm Mr Jackson, your grandfather's lawyer. This is Walter Charles. He and your grandfather served together in the Navy. They were best friends as well, and Mr Charles knows more about this bar than anyone else alive right now. Here. These are the keys. I'll open it up, then give them to you, and we can go in and sit down. Walt, I'll wave you over when I'm done reading the will to her."

"You said I was in the will, too."

"You are, but you're each to be read separately."

"He's fine," I told the old man, going into the old bar. It stank of cigarette smoke and alcohol, but it was otherwise clean, like it had been kept tidy. Moving to the closest booth, I sat down. The lawyer sat across from me and set the keys on the table, then opened his briefcase while Walter pulled over a chair from another table.

"It's very straightforward," Mr Jackson nodded, opening a file. "You're his only relative. The only daughter of his only son. He left you this business and his home in town, but there are some addenda in here. Let's see. Yes... the house isn't important to him. His burned a decade back, and he moved to a place in town. He says he didn't spend much time there. Here at the bar, there are four apartments upstairs, and he usually stayed in one of them. Two are currently under a lease agreement, and he asks that you leave them alone. He doesn't care if you sell the house, get what you can for it, but... let's see here... Yes! Yes, if you want to sell the bar, you have to sell it to either Walter Fitzpatrick Charles for $100 and no more, or Franklin James Westcott for $100 and no more. Both Navy buddies, you see. You can opt to sell the bar but not the apartments, but you cannot change the terms of the lease for the two tenants in residence until they either move out or pass on. One Walter Fitzpatrick Charles, and one Franklin James Westcott."

"We're all that's left from our platoon," Walter mumbled. "Frank is visitin' his son in St Charles just now, but he'll be back before Friday."

"If you opt to run the bar instead, which is what he's hoping for since his father started it and he wanted to pass it down to his own son, and then you when he couldn't, the income is yours. The bar is a registered historical landmark, though for a while it wasn't a bar during prohibition, but a breakfast and soda shop. Cormier's has been a staple in this little town for coming into the fourth generation. He was proud of it, and he has a letter in here for you as well on the mundane running of it, as well as a personal letter to you."

"He tried reaching out to ya," Walter scowled. "Your mom wouldn't let him. Told him to stay out of your life, and you didn't..."

"You'll have time for that later," Mr Jackson cut in impatiently. "This lays out the terms, here. This is the deed to the house and the bar. Here's the keys to the house, and those are to the bar. If you have any questions, call my office or step down and make an appointment. I'm the only lawyer in this town, and time is in short supply."

"Wouldn't be if you didn't close so fuckin' early," Walter huffed.

"Not as young as I used to be," Mr Jackson shook his head, closing his briefcase and handing Walter a folder. "That's for you. It's just instructions is all. Keep his granddaughter safe here. Keep watch over her and help her out if she needs it. If she sells to you, pass it down to Mike and not Walt Jr, he'd only sell it. He said... if you have to... and only as a last resort, to call Killian. I'm assuming you know what it means?"

"I know what it means," Walt told him darkly, looking upset.

Mr Jackson nodded, then stood up. "I'm late for a meeting, then. Miss Cormier, call if you have questions," he called, heading to the door.

I sat there, feeling a bit trapped. I had to either run this place or sell it for next to nothing?!?

Walter moved, sitting across from me on the bench seat, to open his letter.

I pulled both letters out, looking them over.

'Vessa Cormier/Devonshire' and 'Running Cormier's Place', both in blocky print.

I opened the one to me first and sat and read the six-page letter. By the end, I had tears in my eyes, and I wished I had known he'd been keeping track of me. School, high school, college, my job, dating, everything. He'd learned to use Facebook and Instagram so he could see me all the time, and that broke my heart. The whole time, he was following me, and I never knew it.

I read over the last paragraph again, feeling horrible.

'I ask that you give the bar one year, and if it don't suit you, give it to Walt and move on. He's good people and he'll watch out for you, him and Frank both, though Frank's doin' worse than me right now. I don't think he has long. Walt will know what to do. One year, Vessa. My apartment is upstairs, and it has more of me and your father in it than the house does. Don't know why I kept the house, just needed a place away from the bar, I guess. Maybe you will too. Never got to say in person how proud I am of you, but I'm telling you now, Vess. I'm damned proud, and you'll find it out soon enough. Everyone knows you in this town. Know that it's all from how fucking proud I am of you, I couldn't keep it to myself. One year ain't so much, just to see how life was here for me, how I hoped it would be for Billy and your whole family. I love you, always have. -William H Cormier'

Wiping away more tears, I looked up, and Walt was looking over my face. He said nothing about me bawling like a child; he just gave me a nod. "My guess is, he didn't know you was little as you are. You get that from your mom's side, is my guess. Henry and Billy was both real tall, Lisa was too. Your gramma. Might have to build you somethin' for the bar to step up on. You are stayin', aren't you? He was sure you would. Way he talked, we're all sure you would. You wanna see his apartment?"

"Sure," I agreed, then followed him to the back of the bar and up a set of narrow stairs.

"Henry and Frank's places are here on this floor," he told me, then pointed to the only door on the left. "This is his place, that's Frank's over there. Mine's upstairs, and the other is empty till he could get the plumbing fixed. It's that key there, the one with the red paint on it. He painted the tops so he knew them apart at a glance. Red for his apartment, green for the bar. Them truck keys there, they go to the Ford. It's yours too, you know. It's in the garage at the house. I can take you over there after here if you want. It's not much, but it's enough for us," he said as I opened the door and looked into the studio apartment that was packed full of shelves with pictures, awards, and photo albums among the hundreds of westerns. "Wanna look around and me to leave you to it, or wanna head to the house?"

"He said part of my dad was up here," I mumbled, stepping in and looking around.

"That's him there," he nodded, pointing to an urn and a shelf of pictures.

I'd never seen my father in a picture before, and I couldn't remember his face. Just a voice.

Moving closer, I looked at all the pictures, even one of him and my mother at their wedding.

"None with me?" I asked, feeling melancholy about that.

"You're in his house," he told me. "Every picture with you in it is at his house. When Thomson and Wilkey come to visit, they'd stay there and he'd show you off. They was in our Platoon as well, few others too. Most of us moved back here after the war... Few of us didn't, but they stayed in touch."

"All of you came back here? You weren't from here originally?"

"Nope, but we didn't have family we wanted to go back to, most of us. Henry had a plan. Fuckin' worked mostly, too. We came back here, built us up a bike club. Back in the day, we was wild and free, and it was all Henry. We did some odd jobs, had us a good run for a lot of years... then new blood started comin' around and tryin' to do things different. Not in a good way, mind you. That didn't sit well with Henry, and he cut 'm out. They took up their own name, and now that there's just two of us left... well, don't you worry on that. Cormier's is plenty safe, we'll be sure of it."

"How long has it been closed?" I asked, stepping back out to the hall.

"Hasn't. I been down there every night since he passed. We had a vigil, and I knew he wouldn't want them doors shut. That was the best way to pay respects."

"What time does it open?"

"He used ta open at 11."

"AM?!?"

"Yeah, served lunch and drinks with lunch. I been openin' at 5, and I ain't been cookin'. Just servin' beer on tap and that's it. Don't know more than beer."

"I've never tended bar before, but I guess I can learn," I sighed as we went back down the stairs. "Is it usually busy?"

"Naw. Not usually. Once in a while, a group will come in. Locals fixin' to get hitched, you know."

"Yeah," I agreed, booking around again. "That jukebox work?"

"Sure does, but not sure you'll love what's on it. Nothin' new. Mostly sixties and seventies."

"Is smoking allowed in here?" I asked, grimacing at the smell.

"Supposedly, no, not according to city ordinances, but Henry never stopped no one from doin' it. We all smoked till Frank got put on oxygen, then we all quit. I guess you aim to put a stop to it?"

"Well, if I stay, the smoke goes. I have asthma," I told him as I looked at the kitchen area.

"That's fine. You drivin' over to the house now? I can show you the way."

"Actually... I want to go there alone if you don't mind. You've been great, and I'm excited to hear about Henry... but I'd like to go and look around on my own for a bit. I have the address here."

"Sure, kid. Head back here when you're done, and I'll show you how he ran the bar. You should turn in that rental, too. The Ford runs great; he kept it in pristine condition."

"Thanks," I called, getting into the rental car and sitting there for a moment.

Was I really going to do this? Live here for a year? I had no reason to go back; this might be the fresh start I was looking for! Even if it was a shitty little dive bar in a tiny town that boasted less than five thousand people.

Maybe it was what I needed, and if it wasn't? It's not like I was locked in.

The house was larger than I imagined it would be, and newer as well.

The master bedroom was on the first story, but there were four more upstairs, and they were all obviously never used. Two had twin beds like guest rooms, one was an 'office' that looked like it had been set up and rarely used with an ancient desktop computer, and the other was just storage. The three-car garage held an old blue truck and a lot of woodworking equipment and tools.

The living room made me go still, and my heart broke all over again. Walt hadn't been joking; there were dozens of pictures of me, some recent that Henry had to have printed from online. I went to the older pictures of me with my real father and stared at them, going through all of them, then looking at the picture album full of my birthdays and holidays with my dad. Mom was in them too, but I kept staring at my real father, trying to set his face in my mind and remember him.

By three, I was back up at the bar, and Walt was waiting on me, sitting there with the ledger books and everything laid out like he was about to show me.

At five, he flipped the sign on the door, then went and sat down at the far booth, and it looked like he'd done it a thousand times. That was his booth. Their booth.

Lifetimes were relived in that booth, and I was sad that I'd missed it all as I stood up on one of the milk crates he'd put along the bar for me to stand on.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting as I stood there, but what I got was nothing.

No one walked through the doors.

Not one person, all night long.

"It'll pick up come the weekend," Walt promised, moving closer and sitting at the bar. "What's that you're watching?"

"Bartending videos."

"They have ones on cooking, too?"

"He didn't have a cook?"

"Naw. He just stepped back and made up whatever got ordered. Me or Frank would step back if anyone came in needin' a beer. He paid us back in free beer."

"I can cook a little, but it was never my favorite thing to do," I told him, picking up the menu to look it over. "Maybe I'll pare it down to some simple things and get an air fryer. Snack stuff like fries and tots, things like that."

"Lunch crowd likes their soups and sandwiches. Especially in the winter. Chili is popular year-round, but come winter, folks come here for it."

"Oh, I can actually do chili!"

"Yeah, I know. It was Henry's recipe! Your mom got it from him when she waitressed here a while, and she used it when she left, taught you. Henry showed us when you won that chili contest with his recipe, he was pretty fuckin' proud of that! Look. See there on the wall? He had that article shipped here from the town you lived in. That picture and clip of you."

I found myself grinning, my nose stinging as I looked at the picture of me holding up the chili-cookoff trophy and the article that went with it.

"Mom never said it was anyone's recipe but hers."

"I'll bet she didn't. She left this town behind as fast as she could when Billy died. As well she did, pissed as everyone was at her."

I went still, not looking at him.

What?

Why were people pissed at her?

I looked down, then shrugged like it didn't matter. "She never told me what happened. She just said there was an accident?" I prompted.

He snorted. "Accident, my ass. Billy was celebratin', drunk as hell. Him and his friends had just won that pool tournament, and he won almost $180 from it. He set back most of it, but took a twenty and bought rounds for all his friends here at the bar. She got pissed about it and was yellin' and makin' a fuss that she coulda used that money for something better. He said she didn't need another new dress, they were caught up on bills, and he won it. It was all in fun, and he wanted to celebrate. Leave off her harping on him for once. She took off, walked home, and sent the babysitter home. Left him here to drive home drunk after promising she would drive him. Henry called her, and she said she'd come get him when he was ready to go, but when Billy called, she never answered. He told Henry he would walk, but got in his car. She knew it was her fault, and she took off the same day as Billy's funeral, the second it was over. Everyone hated that bitch. Sorry. She was, though. A complete cunt. He was way too good for her; she never stopped complainin' and naggin' and just makin' his whole life hell. We all agreed it shoulda been her. He was good, good as there was, and she wasn't worth the air she breathed. Hated her even more when she wouldn't let Henry send you letters or presents or call you on the phone. He even drove down, and she turned him away. Said if he ever came back, she'd have him arrested for threatening her and saying he would kidnap you. He never did no such thing, it was just her being a cunt."

I looked away quickly, my nose stinging, because that sounded like her. I'd heard her use similar threats on Denny when she didn't get her way. She lied all the time, and she complained even more. Nothing was good enough, no one ever did right by her, and the world was out to get her.

"Sorry, kid. Henry said I needed to learn tact. I had the tact of a bulldozer. Maybe so, but it don't change the facts. Billy was a great man, and your mom shoulda been swallowed the night she was conceived. Maybe not... You're here because of her, and Henry said you're everything Billy ever was and more. You're his kid, not hers. I think you must be."

"Thanks, Mr Charles. It's ok, about my mom, I mean. I know she's... a lot. I got on with my stepdad more than I got on with her. Umm... what time does the bar close?"

"Two, but last call is a quarter till. Don't worry, things will pick up this weekend. I'll call the paper, too. Tell 'm it's under new ownership and management. Come meet THE Vessa Cormier. You can call me Walt."

I managed a smile, then curled up in a booth to watch some more videos on bartending, and then some on some easy recipes for quick bar snacks.

By the time two AM hit, I was yawning, and so was Walt, but he stayed until I had the place locked up.

It didn't take much to text Denny and ask him to pack and ship the rest of my clothes the next morning. I didn't want my mom to bitch me out, and I knew Denny would do it and not tell her. I cleaned out Henry's house of all of his personal things, turned in the rental car, and used the Ford to haul a load of Henry's memorabilia to the bar.

Walt was still asleep when I started unloading things into Henry's old apartment, but he stuck his head out in a tank top and boxers, looking half asleep. "You movin' his things out?" he asked, sounding hurt.

"No, in. Moving the things from his house here. Pictures and all that. I'm going to fix the upstairs apartment and probably stay there, but I think I'll rent the house out."

He nodded, yawned again, then went back up the stairs.

There was a lone man that evening, and he came in for two beers on tap, then left after scowling at me then Walt in the corner.

"That was John Wozekaksi. He comes in a few times a week when him and his old lady aren't getting along. Bucks himself up after work to go and face her. Never tips, never talks. Just goes over in his head what he wants to argue with her about."

I nodded and washed the glass.

"Called in the ad today. Should run in Thursday's paper. This weekend will be better," he promised again.

"I'm not super worried," I told Walt. "I'll give it the whole year, and I'll give it my best shot. I have a few plans for this place." Going to the jukebox, I plugged it in and perused the selection, then put on Herman's Hermits. I didn't want Walt to ask me my plans; I wasn't sure he'd like them.

When Friday came, I opened at 11 and set a sandwich board out front with the lunch special, and was actually surprised when people started streaming in. I'd thought I'd have to reheat the crock pot of chili all weekend, but it was gone before lunch was over, and I had to make more for dinner.

No one drank alcohol with their meal; they were all local and had to go back to work after lunch, but it was still better than I had imagined.

That evening, there were several patrons, and they all drank. Only tap beer, but I was pleased as I served them, and served more chili, chili fries, and chili tots. Walt had four helpings of chili tots, happily talking with one of the several older men who sat with him at his booth through the evening.

Franklin came back on Saturday while I was opening the bar for lunch, and he looked worse than I'd imagined. Tiny and frail to Walt's towering giant. The oxygen tank he carted in behind him looked too heavy for him as he slowly made his way back to the back corner booth. After he sat, Walt waited patiently for him to catch his breath, then they spoke in hushed tones to each other.

I discovered Franklin wasn't much of a talker; Walt spoke enough for both of them. The next week was filled with him harrumphing and talking about the changes I was making.

I ignored him, mostly, but promised him I wouldn't change too much. I made social media for the bar, created ladies' night, trivia night, and karaoke, as well as a Thursday night student special to cater to the college crowd in the next town over.

I also ran my own ad in the local paper, as well as the neighboring towns' papers.

The place got slightly busier, but it was still pretty dead.

I knew it would take time to get word out, though.

The next Saturday, I was thrilled when men started pouring in the door, more than a dozen of them, filling the bar.

I hurried up to step up on the little platform I had built, ready to take orders, but Walt quickly stood up.

"Brandt! Don't go causin' no trouble! I still carry, and I can still fuckin' use it! One phone call will wipe you and yours off the map!"

"Sit down, old man, before you give yourself a fucking heart attack!" one of the younger men laughed, his shoulder-length hair caught back with a leather cord. "Well, now. Who are you? Old Henry finally hire some eye candy for us?" he asked me with a grin.

"I'm his granddaughter," I told him professionally. "What can I get for you?"

"He and his pay up front in cash," Walt called. "Or he'll walk out without payin'!"

Brandt laughed and pulled a $100 bill out of his wallet, laying it down. "Buds all around, baby, keep the change. What's your name?"

"There are sixteen of you, at $7 per beer, that's $112 for all of you," I told him, smiling blankly.

He snorted and pulled another twenty out, dropping it next to the hundred. "Smart little thing, aren't you?"

"I'll have those right up for you. Did anyone want food, or is it just drinks tonight?" I asked, putting the cash away before starting the pours, feeling tense now.

Brandt and his crew, all with their biker vests and most with bandanas on their heads, were going to be trouble.

"No food, baby. So what's your name? You even old enough to be in a bar?"

"I'm 26," I told him, setting a beer in front of him. "Feel free to call me Miss Cormier."

"Is that how it is, then?" he asked teasingly, drinking half his beer in one go. "Don't let the old man paint us in a bad light, baby. They've been on our dicks for years for no reason. We'll be good to you if you're good to us. What's your name?"

"Miss Cormier really is fine. I don't mix business with my everyday life."

"Baby, don't start things off on a bad foot," he warned, his tone going angry. "You don't want us as enemies. Where's Henry? He finally retire?"

"Shit, man," one of his friends spoke up, looking at his phone. "The old fucker croaked! Look! He died a couple weeks ago! This is his granddaughter! Her name's Vess? What, like the fucking fake pop?"

"Vessa," I corrected quickly, feeling enraged that he was being so blasé about a man dying.

"Like those scooters?" another man laughed.

"That's a Vespa, dipwad," Brandt scolded. "Vessa, baby, how about I take you in back? Give you a little tongue action and help you loosen up?"

"If you're going to be vulgar, you can leave," I told him, setting a beer down too hard in front of one of them.

"Easy, baby, it was an offer. Relax. Another round, Vessa. Keep them coming," he told me, setting another $120 on the bar.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you and your crew to stay here and drink. I seen you all drunk and you get destructive," Franklin called, one hand holding his oxygen tank, the other resting on the grip of a pistol in the hip holster that I could now see under his leather vest.

Brandt snorted again, then stood up and stepped closer to look down at Franklin. "You gonna shoot us all, old man?"

"I'll get six of you ugly shits," Franklin shot right back.

"And I'll get six more," Walt agreed, moving his vest enough to show another holster.

"How about you all leave, or I call the police," I told them, pulling out my phone.

Brandt laughed at me, then looked back at Walt. "Maybe you should explain things to your girl. We don't call the fucking police here. Not unless you want to be paying protection money to some assholes. We police ourselves, or you get involved with real organized crime. They won't fucking help you, either. They might take turns fucking you every day from here on out, though. Tell you how much you have to make for them, and if you don't, they take it out in pussy. You don't ever fucking involve the cops here. Tell her, old man."

"Don't call the pigs," Walt agreed. "They don't serve and protect us. They run the money for people higher up the food chain than us, and you do not want on their radar. We got this, Vessa. Just stand back and get down if we need to make a few examples."

Brandt laughed again, then moved his vest so we could also see his double shoulder holsters. "We all have at least three guns and knives, too, old man. So I ask you again, you really wanna try alla us right now?"

"I'm about to die anyhow, I'd love to take you with me, shitstain," Franklin sneered, pointing the gun at Brandt's head.

"And you miss? Don't kill me? We kill both of you, then we get to have fun with the girl," he laughed, then let his vest drop. Turning to me, he smirked, his eyes lit up with malevolence. "I'll be back, baby. I think me and the boys would like to come party here. Make this our hangout. Liven the place up and kick those corpses out of the corner. Watch for me and think of me. I'm gonna get my mouth on you soon, and when I do? You'll be screamin' my name loud enough that even them old fucks will hear you."

I didn't answer as he motioned to the men, and they all filed out, whooping and laughing after finishing their beer.

He'd left cash on the bar, and I put it away, trying not to tremble.

"Don't mind them. They like to make waves and cause trouble, but they're cowards at heart. They posture until they're shown what a real man will do," Walt told me.

He was wrong. Brandt wasn't afraid of them; he'd been amused by them. He just wanted a place to celebrate something tonight and didn't want his high ruined. I didn't know what win, but I knew a man riding a high when I saw it. All of them. They wanted to party, and the two old men were buzzkills. I had been as well.

But now I was also a conquest.

I woke the next morning to a knock at my door at sunrise.

Walt looked grim, and I followed him down to Franklin's apartment, then had to call 911 for a dead body.

"How did you know?" I asked Walt sadly as the body was removed.

"Woke up feeling off. Didn't have to piss, just felt... like something was missing. Same way I felt when Henry died. Came down and he was gone."

"I'm sorry for your loss," I told him as gently as I could, then went down and started getting lunch ready. I didn't know what else to do.

"I need to make a call," Walt told me from his booth as I came out to open the doors at 11. "And remember, no booze on Sundays until after two."

"I remember," I told him as I flipped the sign and set the sandwich board out on the walk.

Walt sat and made phone calls, I was assuming to Franklin's family, but I stayed at the booth closest to the door so I wasn't imposing.

The few people who came in immediately waved me off and went back to sit with Walt to find out what happened. A few of them decided they wanted lunch when they smelled it, but I stayed silent as I served them, and Walt spoke quietly. I didn't interrupt at all, going back to my booth by the door to watch out the window.

Things did pick up at dinner; a lot of people who hadn't heard, and Walt had to move so that people could sit in the booths on both sides of him and pull up chairs as well. They were all older people, and none of them drank, though a few ordered dinner as they sat listening, and talking about Franklin and what a wonderful and full life he'd led.

Walt seemed upset when closing time came around, and I worried about him, knowing he wasn't going to sleep well.

He was the last of them.

That week, Franklin's family came and cleaned out his apartment, going on and on about how happy they were that he'd spent the prior week with them and they'd gotten to be with him almost to the end. They hadn't mentioned that he'd died alone, but I could see it in Walt's face.

He seemed quiet and subdued that week, then on Thursday, he came over while I was ordering supplies online at the other end of the bar.

"Kid... I had to make a choice. It was a hard fuckin' choice, but your grampa asked me to do it. I made a call to Killian. Him and his boys will be here by tomorrow night, and Brandt and his ilk won't fuck with you anymore. Killian... he's Don's nephew, and they ran a club closer to Chicago. Younger, wilder, louder... but they'll keep you safe. I invoked his promise to Henry, and he said he'd be here as soon as he tied up some loose ends."

"They're bikers? Like Brandt and his men?"

"A bit, but they have loyalty and blood ties to us, unlike Brandt and his crew. There's bad blood there, too, between their crews. He won't let Brandt fuck with you."

Great. I sighed, then nodded and went back to my orders.

Was this all going to be worth it? It seemed like it was already too complicated and little worth the time as far as the bar. What was worth the time was the albums full of my grandfather's pictures with my dad in them, and hearing and reading about their lives. Henry had kept everything, and it painted a lot of pictures for me about my real dad's life.

I was stressed the next day, waiting for these new people to show up.

When they finally did at almost eleven PM, I was stunned as over thirty men came piling into the bar in bikers' leathers, jeans, and boots. Three of the men were the largest men I'd ever seen in real life, and obviously related.

It was a smaller man who barely glanced at me before going straight back to Walt and clasping his hand, then half-hugging him.

"What's the good word, old man?" he asked jovially, his voice carrying since the bar had gone quiet when they all came in.

The others were finding seats around the bar as Walt nodded at the young man and pointed to the bench seat across from him at his table. "Good to see you well, Killian. How's the wife?"

"Old lady's fine! So tell me the situation," Killian demanded, sitting down.

"Natty Light," another man called to me, sitting across from me at the bar and grabbing my attention.

I began pouring for all the men lining up and calling their orders, wishing I could listen to the conversation in the back instead.

They all drank tap beer, save for two of the giants. One, I decided, was the father, and the other two were his sons. It was one of the sons who drank, the father and brother waving her off without speaking.

They did, at least, all seem polite as they paid, and most even tipped as well.

It was almost closing time when Killian and Walt finally stood up and came to the bar.

"Hey, kid. I'm Killian. I was a friend of Henry's. Kin of a sort, by way of military family. So here's how it's going to go. There are over sixty of us total, and we're going to sort of rotate out, about eight or nine at a time. That's enough to keep Brandt and his crew away. We'll be here every night that you're open, alright? Here's my ask. We get tap at your cost, but anything off the shelf, they can pay for if they want it. Cool?"

I nodded.

"Same with food, you make it for them, they're paying for your time as well as the food. Walt says you have apartments upstairs and a house you were fixing up to rent out... We will leave one man here overnight in the empty apartment, but I wanna ask that you let the others bunk up in that house. They can cook and clean and all that, they won't fuck it up, but that way we don't have to pay out of pocket for a hotel to be here. That an issue?"

"No, that works. I can do that."

"Cool. They may bring their old ladies with to cook and clean, but they won't usually come here. If they do, same applies. Your cost on tap, but they pay for anything else. We'll rotate every Tuesday, though you may see some stay more often. We all carry. That an issue?"

"No," I promised, feeling like all of this was a bit surreal.

"Cool, babe... how old are you?"

"Twenty-six? Twenty-seven soon."

"Henry was as big as Walt, didn't imagine his kin would be so... slight. Alright, so, here. This is my contact info, and here's my old lady's as well if you can't reach me, she can. This is Louis, he's my second, and Gary is my third. One of my lieutenants will always be here, someone in charge, and you'll always know who it is in case anyone is out of line. Alright, babe, now here's the flip side of this, alright? We provide you protection, and in return, we won't ask for much, alright? Sometimes we'll need storage or a place to lay low, and we'll bring it or whoever here, alright? That an issue?"

"No."

"Cool. You don't happen to have any special skills, do you?"

"I can make you a website, code, that sort of thing."

"Oh," he laughed, shaking his head. "Nah. I was hoping you were a nurse or some shit before you got the bar. Sometimes the boys get into some shit and need a hole sewn shut or a bullet removed. That might be a thing, too, babe. They might show up in the back and need to use it for medical or some shit. Whoever's in charge here is going to need a key to this place, front and back doors. That an issue?"

"No. Umm... you aren't going to, like... sell drugs out of here, are you?" I asked, a bit terrified.

He snorted and looked at Walt, amused. "You fill her head with that shit? Nah, babe. We don't deal or move that shit. Don't worry about what we do. Anything we do is going to be back in our location and not here. If we tuck something away here, it won't be drugs. Ever. We don't deal with that shit. We might smoke some weed, but that shit's legal now."

"Umm... not in here, though, or upstairs. I have asthma, I can't deal with any smoke."

"I'll let them know. The house cool, or you want it outside there too?"

"I prefer it outside, but in extreme weather, they can crack a window. I do eventually want to rent that house out, might be hard if it smells like pot."

"Babe... you realize this is long-term, right? Walt is setting us up here long term, and this is an incentive I'm offering my boys. A vacation. A week in a quiet little bar, relaxing and getting some rest from their old ladies or the other crew if they need it. If you're wanting an income from that house, you need to clean out the other apartments for all of us and let us use the kitchen here for meals."

"It's fine," I shrugged, pouring another beer for one of the men who lifted an empty glass at me.

"You're going to come to know the boys, I'm sure. If any of them fuck with you and you don't like it, be clear, alright? Say no thanks. If you decide you wanna fuck with them, and then it goes south, just let whoever know, and they won't be back. Don't run too many off, though, alright? Louis and Gary can let you know who to avoid. Walt said you were single. I don't know if you're looking or not, but just be very clear, alright? My boys will let it go if you're clear. So not, 'maybe next week' or some shit if what you really want to say is never. Cool?"

"Yeah."

"Good. She don't talk much, does she?" he asked Walt.

"No, she's been pretty quiet. She don't strike up conversation at all, even with the one's who try with her at the bar."

"Stare at her phone?" Killian asked, like I wasn't right there.

"Naw, usually has a little computer. That one there. It's usually open and she's tappin' away on it when she don't have people here."

"I'm freelancing jobs online," I told Walt grumpily. "I don't make much here, I'm supplementing."

"She has a temper," Killian noted with a smirk as he looked at Walt.

"She's shown it a few times," Walt agreed.

"I'm right here," I huffed.

Killian chuckled, but didn't acknowledge me. "Alright, old man. We're going to head home, then. I have nine staying till next Tuesday, including Gary this time. I probably won't be back, but you have my number if you need anything. You all good? I'm going to get the rest of us back. Hey, fuckers! Time to head out! Any of you drunk that wasn't supposed to stay can pass out where you're at! I'm not going to ask her to put you up for being stupid! You can head home in the morning. Anyone who didn't drink stupid, let's go! Hey, baby, remember what I said. You have my number. Hey... call me if Walt needs anything or... you know."

I nodded, knowing.

"Let's go!" he yelled again, heading to the door as most of the men followed him, several tossing cash on the bar as a final tip.

I looked up at Walt when the door swung shut, and he seemed upset about something. Whatever deal they had struck, he wasn't overly happy with it.

He turned to me and saw me looking at him, then leaned in close. "Gimme the keys to the house, kid. I'll take them over, and once they're in, you don't go back there, you hear me?"

I nodded, not questioning him this time.

Looking around at the remaining men left, I felt a bit uneasy.

An older man seemed to be waiting for me to look at him as he stepped up next to Walt and sat at the bar.

"So you're her, huh? Vessa. I'm Gary. I knew Henry pretty well, and he talked about you a lot. He gave you my number?" he asked, motioning to the paper I was holding.

"Yeah," I agreed, glancing down at the list of names and numbers.

"Cool. Might put it in your phone. Harder to lose that way, am I right? Lou and I sat in on the meeting, so we know the terms of everything. Once you get to know everyone, you can choose who you want to sleep in Franklin's old place, but till then, Duke is going to stay," he told me, motioning to the giant son who hadn't drank, who was sitting at the end of the bar next to the door, watching it like he was a bouncer. He looked like a bouncer. Gary leaned closer and spoke quietly, "He don't speak, so don't try and get him to talk. Won't until the man who killed his old lady is out of jail, and he kills him. He's got at least four more years unless we can get someone on the inside to do him."

"Oh," I mumbled, feeling a little sick. They talked casually about killing people? This was getting worse.

"Shoulda been done before the pigs got hands on him," Walt scowled, glancing down at Duke, who was still watching the door. "Shoulda been handed over to him the second he was caught."

"Brent tried, but the pigs were right behind him. Took him out of his custody and took him in just to fuck with Killian and Dane. Really, this is on Dane for fucking with them pigs in St Charles. His son has to pay for his fuckup. Duke is as pissed at him as he is at the man who did her. If they hadn't been tailing him like they was, they never woulda known about it."

"Enough in front of her," Walt mumbled, glancing at me.

Gary shrugged, then looked me over again before leaning closer. "So I hear it right? You're single and need a man?"

"No! No, I don't. Umm, sorry, I'm not interested."

Gary chuckled, shaking his head. "Not me, doll, I'm married," he told me, showing me his ring. "No. I was just going to tell you who to avoid and who would do you right. Shawn will ask, but he's just after pussy, not more. Mark is nice enough, and he wants an old lady, but he has a temper. Hayden is still pretty immature and likes to cause shit for no reason... everyone else is either married or has a girl. At least the ones here now. So if you just want some fun, Shawn is your only real option unless you're good with drama. Hayden is cute and gets a lot of girls; you're his type, but you have to like the drama."

I shook my head. "I'm really not interested. Still dealing with fallout from my ex, and I'm sort of over all men right now."

"You like chicks? We don't have any chicks in our crew, but I think Joe's daughter likes chicks. She's in college."

"No, I only like dudes, but just not right now. Maybe in a year or two."

"Fuck, doll," Gary laughed. "Years?!? I didn't wait weeks before I started dating a new woman after any of my divorces. I'm what they call codependent, though. That's what my old lady says. I couldn't wait years."

"My old lady's been dead a couple decades now," Walt frowned, "and even I've had a few girlfriends in ever so often. Never marry again, 'specially not now, but company is nice."

"Sex is fucking nice."

"Easy with the talk. She called Brandt vulgar when he talked at her that way. Got pissed."

Gary snorted, but looked away like that put him off.

"You need a drink?" I asked Gary, changing the subject.

"Nah, doll. I've had my limit. We'll do introductions tomorrow when everyone gets here. Eleven? We'll stay on the back wall, like Walt said, so we don't scare off customers, and we'll park around back. Alright, boys! Last call!" he yelled to the bar.

"Last call for them," I told the single table of men who weren't with the bikers. "Last call for you is still half an hour out."

"You need us to stay till close tonight?" Gary asked Walt.

"Nah, not tonight. They woulda showed already if they were gonna be here, just be ready to stay from now on."

"Sure thing. Alright, show us this house, Walt. We'll follow you over, and I'll get the boys settled in, and you can come back and show Duke his room."

"Yup," Walt agreed, getting up and taking the keys from me. "I'm takin' the Ford and not my bike," he informed me.

I nodded at him.

"Anyone who drank too much, pile in the back of that blue truck!" Gary yelled. "He's taking us home. Everyone else, follow him. You can pick up your bikes tomorrow."

I watched as they all piled out, tossing more cash on the bar as they went.

The only people left were me, the table of older men at a booth, and the giant at the end of the bar who was watching the door.

I gathered the cash as I cleaned up and washed the glasses, then watched as the men all left, leaving me alone with the giant.

He ignored me, so I pretended he wasn't there as well as I cleaned up and went through my closing procedure.

Walt came in and motioned to the giant. "I'll show you your room."

The giant pointed at the door.

"Kid, lock up. I'll show him to his room as soon as you lock up."

"K," I agreed quietly, locking the door, then going to the back and throwing the bolt back there as well. You had to have the key to get in, but the bolt ensured that even with the key, you couldn't get in. I didn't want Gary just coming in the back.

Staying back there, I cleaned up and thought about what had just happened. Had I gotten in bed with some crime gang or something? Was it better than the alternative?

Maybe I should just go home.

I wish I knew more about that sort of thing, but I never watched those shows or read those books. My life had been tame and boring, filled with ones and zeros and polite company. I felt so out of place now, in this world that my real dad came from. Had my mom known about all of this? Is that why she'd run? I felt a little less grumpy about how she'd taken off. If this was the world she'd come from, and Henry was the kind of man who would kill someone he thought was responsible for his son's death.

When I went down in the morning, Gary was waiting out front, along with the other men who'd gone to the house. They were all eating what looked like McDonald's breakfast, looking tired and grumpy as they ate quietly.

"Mornin'," Gary offered jovially.

I looked at my phone, confused. "It's not even nine yet?"

"Yeah, they were hungry, and we didn't have groceries yet. I was wondering if I could use your truck to get groceries and other things I need. I..."

"No. Sorry, it was Henry's truck. I will give you a ride, but no one else drives it."

"Sure, doll," he agreed, not put out at all. "Mikey! I'll text you a list. Here's the card. Go with her and..."

"I'll leave in about half an hour," I cut in. "I need to get things in the slow cooker, ready for lunch."

"I can be back by then," the next oldest man scowled at me. "We..."

"Mikey!" Gary barked. "Her truck, her rules. If you have an issue, call Tonya to come down with her Camry, and she can run anywhere you want," he told him as Walt came down, Duke behind him.

Walt sat down, and Duke didn't look at anyone as he left out the front door and got on his motorcycle.

No one looked at him or mentioned him, either, like he wasn't part of them.

I went to the back and started to get things prepped for lunch, and Gary came in.

"Don't mind them. Some of them, the older ones especially, they have feelings about a woman's place. They're the old school ones who come from other clubs, and we don't all hold with them. You good?"

"I'm fine, I can handle myself with guys like him," I told him, not turning to look at him as I worked.

"Cool. Alright, I'm here if you have any issues. Let me know when you're ready."

"About half an hour," I reiterated. "It has to be quick, I have to be back here before ten thirty."

"No problem. I'm going to go in his place. That an issue?"

"Nope."

He left, and I focused on what I was doing, hurrying.

I was stressed about time, but he was quick, and we were back before I had to open.

As soon as I flipped the sign and put the sandwich board on the walk, the giant settled himself in the same seat at the end of the bar and turned to the door.

My days began going like that. They were all already down there when I went down, usually eating breakfast.

On the third morning, they were installing a TV on the back wall, but I said nothing, not really caring. They all mostly left me alone, grouping together in the back and ignoring me and the customers.

In the evening, the people who came in that weren't regulars seemed to also think the giant was a bouncer, showing him IDs before sitting down. He looked at them and handed them back like he was. The rest of them all stayed in the back, watching whatever sport they could find on the TV.

I discovered baseball, which I'd known nothing about until they started watching games in front of me, was the most boring sport ever invented. The other games were confusing, but there was at least a lot going on and some excitement. Baseball just seemed like two announcers having a conversation and throwing in what was happening on the field sometimes.

Why did people watch that?

I started working on freelancing again when no one else was in the bar but them, and they all started helping themselves to drinks instead of bothering me, leaving a five next to the till every time they got themselves a beer.

The giant never really spoke to the others, and they never spoke to him. Sometimes they would set a bag of food in front of him, but usually he had his own door dashed.

The second week, I started setting bowls of chili or whatever else was left over from lunch next to him, and he ate them without a word before setting the empty bowl on the other side of the counter. I set glasses of ice water next to him as well since he seemed to only drink bottles of water, and he drank those without a word and without looking at me.

It was in the second week that Brandt and his crew returned. Friday night, just before nine, they came in, laughing about something as they crowded the bar. "Buds all around, baby!" Brandt called to me as the giant sat up, staring hard, and the others all went still to watch. Brandt set a $100 bill and a $50 bill on the bar, smiling down at me happily.

I started pouring, glancing at the others and wondering if they would instigate trouble if Brandt didn't.

They all stayed quiet, watching.

Brandt finally seemed to notice them, or at least pretended he did as he downed his beer and looked them all over. Brandt turned to me and leaned in. "Reinforcements? The old shit have you sign over the deed to this place to get them in here? Whatever the price, it's too fucking steep, baby. We never fucked with you."

"Did you need food?" I asked him, pretending he hadn't said anything else.

"Nah, baby. Unless this is you asking me what I'm up to tomorrow night? I take you to dinner and you let me eat that pussy for dessert?"

"I told you not to be vulgar."

"It's not vulgar, baby, you have no idea how bad I wanna taste you," he chuckled, then leaned in closer. "Wanna go to the back? I can show you? My boys'll behave. Will yours?"

Gary moved closer, sitting at the close end of the bar so he could hear.

Brandt glanced at him and chuckled, then winked at me. "Tomorrow night, baby? Me and you? I'll treat you right."

"No thanks, I'm working."

"I can come in and see you tomorrow, too, if you want. How late till you close up? Another round for the boys," he told me, laying two more $100 bills down. "You're open till two?"

"Leave her alone," Gary told Brandt. "Stop fucking with her."

"She can decide if she wants me here or not," Brandt shot back. "Can't you, baby?"

I said nothing, moving quickly to do refills on the men holding up glasses. I didn't want things to escalate, but I didn't know how to diffuse it.

"Two's the limit," Walt called. "You and yours aren't allowed to get drunk here."

"Let it go, old man! It was one time, and it was a single chair. Stop acting like we went on a rampage. He was just drunk and fell over on it. It was Henry who made a big deal about it and wouldn't let me pay to fix it, kicking us out."

"And you started stiffing him and not paying."

"He started overcharging us! I paid him what everyone else was paying and not the double he was demanding. Fuck you and him, you were just pissed that we didn't want to follow your lame ass rules, and we went our own way."

"Liar!" Walt snarled.

I held a hand up, waving Walt back. "I don't know what all of this is about, but I don't care about your dick measuring contest. Everyone, sit down and back off each other. Brandt, leave off, alright? I don't want... anything with you. You and your friends can have up to four rounds as long as you all behave and you pay in advance every time. That an issue for you?"

He smirked and laid down three more $100 bills and a $50 bill on top of it, smirking at Walt, who sat down with a sour expression.

I put the cash away and kept track of how many they all had, watching them as carefully as everyone else was. They messed with each other and laughed and joked, but they ignored everyone else.

When Brandt finished his final drink, he stood and leaned close again. "I think you should give it a shot, baby. I can take you places you've never been. Beats your vibrator, and it's worth a try, right?"

Gary stood up, setting his glass down too hard.

Brandt chuckled, then motioned to his men, and they all left.

That was it? They came in, dropped almost a grand in less than an hour, and left. Walt was worried about that?!? They seemed harmless.

Gary looked at me, then back at the others. "What the fuck is he planning?" he asked angrily.

"Dunno," Walt grumped, giving me a sour look. "Don't let him in, kid. Don't let him lull you. It's a fuckin' game to him."

I nodded, but didn't understand. What game?

The next week was quiet again, but the following week brought another new rotation, and this one had a young man in it named Royce.

He laid it on heavy, flirting and hovering, helping with the dishes and talking to me about everything he could think of.

I told him more than once that I wasn't up for dating, but it wasn't until I turned to him in front of Louis and told him to leave me alone, I wasn't ever going to date him that he let it go.

One of the things that didn't change every week was the giant. He never went back, and he never moved from his chair at the front of the bar. He took his bouncer job seriously, even turning away some fake IDs on college night, ripping the IDs in half with his hands.

Brandt came back with only four of his men in the sixth week, grinning at me as they sat down, setting a $50 bill on the bar.

I started pouring Buds before he asked, and he said nothing as everyone watched them like they wanted to start some shit.

After the third one, Brandt leaned in and ran a finger over my hand. "You given us any thought, babe? You think of my mouth when you get off at night? Let me know when you're ready, because I really wanna taste that pussy."

I pulled away and turned my back to him as I washed my hands. He chuckled and leaned back in his chair.

They ordered two more rounds, and Brandt seemed overly pleased, smirking at Walt and the others as he drank his fifth beer. Like he'd won something.

They left after, and I wondered what their game was.

Walt said nothing, but he and Gary were in a heated debate about something when I started taking things to the back.

As soon as I locked up the front, Walt went upstairs, the giant getting up to follow him. I didn't wait around, going to the kitchen to finish cleaning up and locking the back up.

A hand on my shoulder startled me, and I yipped as I spun around, then looked up at Brandt.

"Shhh, baby," he whispered, grinning. "I came to talk to you in private."

"If I scream, they'll come and kill you!"

"Listen to me, baby. Hear me out. What did you have to promise them? What are they making you do for them? I want you to consider something for me, babe, alright? Ask yourself if you're sure that you're on the right side of this. I'm not the bad guy here. We aren't the bad guys. We walked away for a reason. They didn't make us leave if that's what they said. We refused to get involved with the shit they were into. Have they told you?"

"I want you to leave!"

"I will, baby, promise. Did you hear what I said? You're..."

"I heard you! Now get out! We're closed!"

He chuckled, then leaned in closer, kissing me on the mouth before I could react. "You're fucking adorable, baby. I want you to think about things. Think about why they're so adamant that I don't talk to you. I also want you to think about what they're doing in the basement and why they don't let you down there. Think about me tonight, baby. Get yourself off and imagine it's me tearing that pussy up with my mouth. I can show you... take you up to your room right now and make you come so hard you pass out. Want me to..."

"Get out!" I demanded, but now I had more questions I wished I could ask.

What basement?

"I'm going," he told me, but pulled me close and kissed me again before letting me go and backing to the door. "Think on it, baby. I'll be back."

He left, and I slid the bolt before locking the back door.

Turning, I looked over the dishes, then left them sitting as I looked around the room.

What basement?!?

I searched the bar back to front three times, but never found a door or a place where the basement could be.

Was Brandt fucking with me?

Going up to bed, I curled up, but couldn't get it off my mind.

It was sunrise when it occurred to me that he could have been talking about the house and not the bar. Did the house have a basement? I didn't remember seeing one, but I hadn't really looked, either. I would have to go and find out... unless they wouldn't let me? I'd let them take over the house without even considering there might be a reason they wanted it.

Were they the bad guys?

I fell asleep for a couple of hours, and was dead on my feet when I went down to prep lunch.

I mentioned going to the house to double-check that Henry's room was untouched, but Walt quickly told me he would do it and that I needed to stay away from there. Gary mentioned there were two 'old ladies' there, and they would get pissy if I stuck my nose in what they considered their business of taking care of the boys.

That settled it in my mind.

"I'm going," I told Walt coldly. "And if there's anyone there who doesn't want me coming into my own house, they can get out and stay out," I told Gary. "You better call them and tell them to leave me the fuck alone because one wrong word to me today will clench it."

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the fucking bed," Walt snarled, getting up. "I'll go with you."

"No thanks. I'm going to my house and checking on my grandfather's room, which I forbade anyone from entering."

When I got there, no one was there. The house was messy, but only in that someone was obviously sleeping in the living room, and there were dishes and clothes piled everywhere, but it did look like someone had been working on it.

Someone had taken the lock off Henry's door and was using his room, sleeping in his bed, and I knew from the shirts on the floor that it was Gary. I threw all of his things in the trash and fixed the lock before going in search of the basement.

After two hours of looking and knowing I was late to open the bar, I finally gave up. Going out to my truck, I saw two women in a car in the driveway, waiting for me to leave. Glaring, like I had intruded on them.

I walked over to their car and waved the window down.

The blonde in the driver's seat rolled it down, her expression sour.

"If you two can't respect someone else's property and rules, then you can leave. I'm calling Killian on my way back and letting him know how trashed my place is and how you two seem to think you own it, and I don't have a right to even step foot in my own house if you're here. Seriously. Go back where you came from and don't come back if you think I don't have a right to my own property."

"We didn't say shit to you, we just waited."

"I was told that you both take exception to me coming to my own house. Get over it or get out. If you have a problem, take it up with Killian," I told them, then left.

On my way back, I called Killian, pissed.

"Hey, babe!" he answered cheerfully.

Telling him what happened, I let him know I was pissed about it and that I threw all of Gary's things in the garbage. Killian promised me that he'd get it sorted out, but I was still pissed off when I went into the bar, the sign out front and the open sign showing.

I went straight to Gary and lifted a finger to his face. "You ever touch that lock or Henry's room again, I will gut you, asshole! I told you that was off limits! I wanted one single room to remain untouched!"

"You moved all of his things here, and it's the only room with a queen bed! Nora and I..."

"You've been sleeping in his bed with a woman?!? You've had sex in my grandfather's bed? NO! No, you don't do that, asshole! I said you could use the whole house for free, just leave that room alone! The whole place is a mess, and you all act like I have no right to visit there, even though it's my place! That was my grandfather's home, and it's not too much to ask that you're all respectful with it and you stay out of his room! I put the lock back on it, and your shit's in the trash! Don't ever touch that room again! If you don't like it, you can find somewhere else to stay!" I told him, then stormed to the kitchen to try and hurry to get some food on.

Walt stepped back after about fifteen minutes. "You good, kid?"

"Leave me alone," I told him grumpily. "You're as bad as them, condescending to me and talking down to me, acting like I'm an annoyance you have to put up with because everything's in my name. Just leave me alone."

"Kid, you..."

"I have a name, Walt! I'm not a kid, stop calling me one. Stop condescending to me! All of you are so overbearing with your bullshit! The only one who hasn't been a dick to me is the one who doesn't speak, and he pretends I don't exist, along with everyone else! I'm tired of the bullshit and the lies! You all think you're fooling me, but I know you're all up to something. So go away, Walt. Now is not the time to push me."

He snorted, but left, and I finished meal prep.

It was still empty save for them out front, and I didn't feel like talking to them. Grabbing my laptop, I went to my far corner booth by the front window and curled up, meaning to try and look up the house plans as I booted up my laptop.

"Vessa!"

Jerking, I blinked up at Raoyce, then frowned as I looked around. I'd fallen asleep.

"That table wants lunch," Royce told me.

"And you can't fill some bowls?" I asked acidly.

He rolled his eyes and walked away, and I got up to see what the customers wanted.

Brandt returned on Wednesday, smiling at me as he came in with a few of his men. "Hello, baby," he cooed as he sat down.

I felt myself blushing and realized that Brandt was getting to me. He'd come in that door, and I'd been pleased to see him, and not just because he was so hot. There was something charming about him and the way he wouldn't give up and kept coming in despite a bar full of men who wanted to gut him.

That was dangerous, and I knew it.

I needed to head that off and make him leave me alone, but how?

I knew how, suddenly.

"Draws for them, but I need a whiskey, neat tonight," Brandt went on, his eyes roaming over me like he was loving what he was looking at.

I started the pours and considered what I needed to say.

"So, baby... surely you can get one of these boys to keep bar on Friday night?" Brandt asked when I set his whiskey in front of him. "You and I can go to dinner, have a night out. A night off."

I shook my head, then made myself speak the lie. "I'm seeing someone, Brandt. I have a boyfriend."

His eyebrows shot up as he looked back at the men in the back booths. Royce was giving me a smirk, and Brandt turned back to me in time to see me glaring at Royce.

"Who? Which one of them?" he asked, sounding like he knew I was lying.

Shit. I glanced back again and knew I had fucked up. Royce was the only one close to my age and not ugly as sin or married.

No. There was one other.

Holding my breath so I wouldn't shake, I moved to the top of the bar and stepped up, then put my hand on the bar near the giant, praying that he wouldn't ignore me and give Brandt the lie.

The giant laid his hand over mine without missing a beat, turning to face me. Lifting, he leaned in and pressed his head to mine, stroking my hair back a moment before sitting back down and turning back to the door as it opened.

I blinked at the police officer who came in, looking over my bar and all of the men in it.

"I got a call that there was an altercation in here," he called loudly.

Brandt stood, crossing his arms. "You follow me here, Joel? This really how you wanna play it?"

"I got a call," the officer reiterated, smirking at Brandt. "Who runs this place?"

Walt stood, and I spoke before he could. "I own this place. I'm Vessa Cormier."

The officer smirked down at me as he took me in. "These two groups... they're known enemies. They giving you trouble, miss?"

"No. Everyone is being polite. They're always well-mannered when they come in."

"I bet," he smirked at Brandt. "But I sense some coercion. I think you're afraid to speak to me in front of them. All of you sit down, I'm going to ask her some questions in the back."

"I don't have anything else to say, I already told you that everything's fine,' I told him as he motioned me to the kitchen door.

"Answer his questions, kid," Walt called. "He won't hurt you. He wouldn't dare."

The officer chuckled and motioned me back again. "I'm not asking," he told me darkly. "Do I need to call in backup for this?"

"Go, kid," Walt told me.

Huffing, I stormed to the back, then remembered what they had all told me about local police. They were not the good guys. Brandt and Walt had both agreed on that.

Turning, I looked up at the officer as he came in and shut the door, then looked me over in a way that made me feel sick.

"Last time I was in here, Henry and I had a conversation about... things," he smirked, going to the grill and turning it on, then holding his hand over it a moment as he felt it heating up. Turning, he grabbed my arm, then shoved me against the grill and gripped my hair, holding my face an inch from it.

"Next time I tell you to do something, bitch, you better fucking do it!"

"I will!" I whimpered, feeling the heat radiating up off the metal surface.

"You need to understand who you're dealing with!"

"I do!" I breathed, trying to push away from the hot surface, feeling sick.

He jerked me back suddenly and turned me, lifting me and shoving me off the edge of the counter nearby. "You're going to learn who I am real quick," he hissed in my ear, unfastening his pants, then picking up a knife and using it to cut my yoga pants off of me.

I whimpered, then opened my mouth to scream.

One fucking sound and I end you, bitch!" he hissed, then punched me in the temple, still gripping the knife. Tossing it away, he shoved the remains of my pants away and pressed his hips to mine as he leaned over me again.

"You fucking them turtles?"

What?

My brain seemed to be malfunctioning for a moment, then it hit me. Turtles. Leatherbacks. Bikers.

"N-no."

"Who are you fucking?"

"No one! I broke up with my ex a long time ago, and..."

"The fucking answer is me. You're fucking me. I come around and you open them legs for me, bitch. You hear me?"

"Please don't! I don't..."

His fist landed on my temple again, and I saw spots as I blinked and tried to push through the pain. His fingers on my bare pussy made me whimper again and cleared the fog. They were gone, and the coolness that was left made me realize he'd spread wetness on me.

"No," I whispered when I felt him press his hips to me again.

His stubby cock was meager, but I felt the head of it push into me as he held his hips to mine and started thrusting shallowly.

"Knew a little bitch like you would have a nice cunt," he grunted, then yelled as he fell back, yanking out of me.

I whimpered, scrabbling for a hold on the counter since he was no longer holding me up, trying not to slide off of it and fall.

A hand on my waist and arm made me flinch, then I was airborne a moment before being set on my feet.

The giant was there, and my eyes went to the officer, his pants around his knees, lying on the floor nearby. I realized as I looked at his open eyes that he was somehow looking over his shoulder at too far of an angle. I shouldn't be able to see his bare ass and his eyes...

The thought was fleeting as the giant turned my face up to his and thumbed my eyelid back to look at my pupils. He grunted, then pulled his shirt off and wrapped it around me, the hem pooling on my feet.

It made me remember I was naked from the waist down.

He led me back out front and pushed me to Walt, who immediately tilted my face to look over where the man had punched me.

Gary spoke up. "Shit! He's dead! You broke his fucking neck!"

"He was raping her," Walt told Gary darkly. "Don't care who he is, he deserves it."

"I can handle this," Brandt spoke up. "Kayden! Go out to his cruiser and radio back that everything was fine here. You, big guy, clean her DNA off him, get his clothes back on him, and get him back into his cruiser. Kayden, drive him over by the tracks, then call in that he's in pursuit of a man who fled on foot when he saw the patrol car. Leave it at that. Dump the body by the depot. Don't worry, he's got this. He was a cop for two years before he figured out he didn't want to work for them," Brandt told me gently. "None of this will come back on you."

I stared up at him a moment, trying to figure out what he was saying.

"She has a concussion," Brandt told Walt. "Don't let her sleep. Clean up that cut and get her in some normal clothes, and get her something for the headache she's about to have. Hurry!" he called impatiently. "Omar, follow Kaden on your bike, give him a ride back here."

His voice faded away as I was led up the stairs to my room.

I blinked at Gary as he helped me put on clothes, tossing the giant shirt on my bed as he put pants on me.

Walt was suddenly in my doorway a moment later. "She hurt bad?' he asked.

"He rang her bell pretty fucking hard. I don't like this. I don't want to fucking owe Brandt! Or for him to have this over Duke."

"It wasn't Duke, it was me. I did it. He just beat me to it is all, but if it ever blows back, it was fucking me. You hear me?" Walt demanded.

"Doesn't matter who, I don't want him to have this over our club!"

"He won't talk, he's got skin in it now too when he got rid of the body."

"This is so fucked! Al's going to lose his fucking shit! That was his kid!"

"His kid should have kept his tiny pecker in his pants! Little shit! I wished it was me that killed him."

"I need to turn off the grill," I told Walt.

He looked down at me, then shook his head. "She's messed up, Gary. She may need a doctor."

"Let's get her back downstairs," Gary sighed. "Maybe check on the grill. I know she never uses it, but why take a chance?"

A moment later, I was being sat down near Royce, who put a comforting hand on my arm. Jerking away from him, I cringed and tried to get Walt to help me to another seat.

"Leave her alone," Gary hissed at Royce. "Go out front and keep watch. Flip the sign so no one comes in."

Brandt was suddenly there, kneeling in front of me.

"I have someone coming," he told Walt. "Mike's old lady is an ER nurse. She'll look her over and make sure nothing's wrong."

"Grill was on," Gary called, coming out of the kitchen.

Hadn't he just been right next to me?

Brandt took my hand and forced my attention to him again. "Babe? Can you look at me?"

The giant was there suddenly, taking my hand from Brandt and scowling down at him. Where was his shirt?

Brandt mostly ignored him, even when he sat next to me on the bench seat behind me and kept hold of my hand so Brandt couldn't take it again.

"Babe, follow my finger?" Brandt prompted, lifting a finger in front of my face.

His eyes were a really nice blue that matched his shirt. I'd always had a thing for beautiful brown eyes, but Brandt's eyes were so brilliant.

"Babe? Can you look at my finger, please? Follow my finger?"

His lips were nice too. I'd relived those stolen kisses more than once and imagined them on my pussy as I used my wand to get off.

"She's pretty messed up," Brandt told Walt. "Lindsey will know how to help her. She'll be here in five."

"We can handle this. You and your crew need to leave," Gary told Brandt. "And stop sniffing around here."

"He can go after we make sure the kid is alright. She's Henry's grandkid. Remember why you're here, Gary."

"She's started to become a pain in the ass!"

"She's one of us!" Walt growled back. "And don't you fucking forget it!"

Turning away from them, I leaned on the giant arm lying over the back of my seat.

"Babe, don't go to sleep," Brandt chided. "Sit up for me and talk to me. What's your name?"

"Vessa," I yawned.

"What's my name?"

"Brandt."

"What's his name?" he asked, pointing to the giant.

The giant went stiff, his nostrils flaring, and I knew something was happening, but I didn't know what.

"Duke," I told Brandt.

The giant relaxed.

Brandt smirked, then leaned closer. "And you're dating him? Duke?"

"Why do you care?" I asked, yawning again and leaning on the giant arm.

"I think you made it up," he grinned. "I think you like me, but don't want to make waves, so you fibbed. He's not your type, you're not his type, and he's not over what happened to his wife."

"You have no idea what my type is."

"Pretty sure I do. I see how you look at me, baby. You and I can..."

"Where is she?" a woman asked, hurrying in.

Brandt sighed, then grinned at me before standing up and moving out of the way.

I sighed, my eyes tracking him as he moved. Why did he have to be so perfect? I knew it was a really bad idea.

In half an hour, the woman was gone, and I was sitting at my booth near the window, Gary and Mikey talking to me from the other side. They were really talking to each other, but they were facing me and talking at me like they were including me.

I had to stay awake, and I wasn't allowed screens or working. The others were closing down the bar for me.

"My head hurts," I interrupted, holding my head.

"I know, kid," Walt told me, setting a pill and a bottle of water down in front of me. "She said you could have one of these every four hours, but it will put you to sleep. I was supposed to wait, but it's fucking late and I'm sure it won't hurt you to sleep."

"Lindsey said..." Mikey began.

"Shut it. It's fine, she's fine," Walt told him, opening the water for me as I managed to take the pill.

"Where's Brandt?" I asked in confusion, looking around.

"Left with his boys when they all got back. He's fine," Walt promised, like he assumed I thought they had hurt him or something.

"Yeah," I mumbled, my eyes pausing on the giant.

He was looking at me, not the door. He looked upset.

Where was his shirt?

Rolling, I stared at my ceiling, my head aching and my body sore as I pulled my blanket up around me. I was in bed and I decided I wanted to stay there. I wasn't opening the bar today. Rolling, I sat up long enough to take one of the pills on my nightstand, then lay back down and faced the wall.

As I did, a memory of the night before came back to me in a wave.

That cop had raped me. Threatened me, then raped me.

The giant had stopped him. Killed him.

The panic ebbed away as the pill started working, and I passed out.

Nightmares woke me, writhing and whimpering. They were dark, and meaning fled as soon as I opened my eyes, panting and sweating.

I only got up long enough to pee, then got back into bed, shivering.

Walt woke me that evening, getting me to sit up and eat. It was something they had door dashed. I didn't ask if they had opened the bar. I didn't care just then.

"Heard you hollerin'," Walt told me as he set another bottle of water on the nightstand. "Bad dreams?"

"Let it go, or I'll ask you what has you up pacing every night," I grumped.

He didn't answer, just left me alone to eat.

I took another pill as soon as I was done and passed out again. Oblivion was better than pain.

My phone woke me the next morning, and I ached all over as I rolled to see who was calling.

Mom.

Groaning, I answered it.

"Yeah?"

"Vess? It's mom."

"I know, I still have caller ID," I told her, annoyed that she said it every time, even though I'd told her a million times that I could see who was calling before I picked up.

"When are you coming home?"

Sighing, I sat up, not feeling like having this talk with her right now.

"I found a job," I mumbled, looking at the time, then grimacing. "I need to get ready for work now, actually. I can't talk."

"Vess, you aren't going to stay up there, are you?!?"

Fuck it.

"Henry left me his bar and his house, as well as his truck and motorcycle. I'm giving the bar some time, seeing if I like it. I have to go, Mom."

"Vess! You have no idea what you're getting..."

"Talk to you later!" I called, then hung up.

Shit.

I stood in the shower, trying to pound out some of the aches, but I knew I was running out of time.

Hurrying down, I hesitated in the kitchen, watching Royce and Gary trying to get lunch prepped.

"Didn't know you would be up," Walt offered blandly. "Feeling better?"

"I feel like shit," I told him, silencing my ringing phone. My mom again. "You guys can go, I have this," I told Royce and Gary, shooing them from the kitchen.

Outside of feeling horrible, the day seemed to be normal, everyone watched me like they would watch a bomb about to go off. I ignored them and my phone.

The night was harder. It was hard to ignore nightmares, and it was harder to be alone with my own thoughts as I tossed and turned.

He wasn't coming back; he was dead.

What if more came? What if they came to look for him and questioned me? Decided the grill was the best way to get information from me...

Thoughts of the grill made me even more sick than the rape.

Brandt came back in the following Wednesday, his eyes taking me in with concern, which made me a little warm.

No. He was trouble, and it would cause trouble with the men here.

Moving quickly, I started serving drinks before Brandt spoke, but he just sat and watched me, waiting for me to serve him and be still a moment.

I set his drink down and fled down the bar, setting my hand near the giant.

He covered my hand with his without even looking at me, like it was a gesture he was not only used to, but expected.

Brandt gave me a wry smile, then lifted his glass to me and downed it.

"You need something?" Walt asked Brandt, moving to sit next to him at the bar.

"We came in for a drink."

"It's a bad idea, and you know why," Walt told him.

"I come in here all the time; it's not out of the ordinary. It would be more noted if I avoided a place I visit often. No one followed me here. Al's people watch me sometimes, but they think it was tweakers at the depot."

"One drink," Walt told him.

"You don't decide," I told Walt. "As long as they don't cause problems, they can drink here. It's fine."

Brandt smiled at me, then I turned when the giant squeezed my hand. He wasn't looking at me, but he looked upset. I was making the wrong choice, and I should tell them to leave. The problem was that Walt telling me what to do annoyed the piss out of me. I knew he wasn't looking out for me or my best interests either; they all had something else going on, and I was just in the way.

"Baby, why don't we go talk?" Brandt called to me, looking amused.

The giant stood up and turned to Brandt, staring him down as he gripped my hand.

Brandt chuckled and finished his beer, then held up his glass.

The giant looked over at the back tables, gripping my hand.

Louis got up and started getting them drinks, like he was the bartender and not me.

I said nothing, just stood there and turned to pick at a sticker on my laptop that was starting to peel off.

Brandt stayed. He stayed until the bar closed, drinking and paying as he went, laughing and joking with his friends as they played darts on the side wall. The giant held on to my hand, not letting me go, even when I opened my laptop and worked with my free hand.

He was making some sort of point, to me or Brandt, I didn't know.

As soon as the front door was locked behind Brandt and his crew, Walt started towards me, his face set like he was ready for a fight.

I ignored him, holding a hand up to forestall him as I stalked by him and went up to my room.

Let them clean up and lock the place down.

Assholes.

Walt knocked, but I told him to go away and let me sleep.

He didn't knock again.

My nightmares were worse that night and I woke up more than once, screaming and thrashing. I had to pull the bed away from the wall so I would stop bruising myself on it.

The next day, I left early after jerking awake just before sunrise. I sat in a coffee shop for an hour, then went to Henry's house and went in while they were all getting up. The first thing I did was check his bedroom, but it was locked. The second thing I did as they watched me grumpily was look for the attic. I found the small entrance and poked my head up, but it was an empty space with no floor, just insulation and very little space.

There was nothing there.

"Something wrong?" Louis asked me irritably as I headed back to the truck.

"No, just something Henry wrote about in something, made me wonder," I lied, leaving and going to the grocery store.

They were all grumpy when they showed up at the bar, but I ignored them as I set up.

It was a long day of Louis being irritable and crabbing at me every time he came up for a beer, like I had bothered him by showing up. To my own home. Where I didn't even go into any rooms or bother anyone.

After dinner, I was done with it.

"Do you have something to say, Lou?" I asked loudly, setting his glass down too hard.

"We don't need you checking up on us and babysitting us!"

"It wasn't about you. I was looking for something my grandfather mentioned in his house. I thought it might be there, but I think it must have been in his old house."

"We don't need you just showing up and..."

"It's my house, Lou. It's my house, and you've all already proved that you have no respect for my rules. You won't win this, Lou. You want complete privacy, get your own place, and don't live in my house."

"Landlords don't..."

"I'm not your landlord. There's no lease, there's no payment, I'm someone letting you live in my house for free so long as you follow my rules."

"It's a trade! We provide you protection in exchange for you providing a place to live. That makes you a landlord, and you can't..."

"No, Lou. No. I have a room there kept for me as part of my home. You aren't allowed in there because it's mine. I'm allowed into my house and my space any time I want. Why are you so nervous about me being there? Showing up? What is it you're trying to hide from me?"

"It's not about that! We aren't hiding anything! We should be allowed privacy, though!"

"There are HOW many of you living there from week to week, along with random women who show up? There's no privacy for any of you, so what's one more person?" I demanded heatedly.

He huffed and stormed back to his booth, pulling out his phone to text someone.

Ten minutes later, I got a text.

'Everything cool? - Killian'

'Besides Lou being a prick about me showing up to my house this morning to look for something of Henry's? It's great. - Me'

'I'll have a word - Killian'

I put my phone away and turned to flip Lou off.

Walt snorted an amused laugh, shaking his head. I was pretty sure I heard him mutter something about 'Billy'.

Brandt didn't come back for two weeks, and when he did, the giant stood and came around the bar to stand behind me, leaning against the back shelves with his arms crossed.

As soon as I was done with the pours, he pulled me close to lean on him, his hands around my shoulders, his fingers locked.

Brandt laughed out loud and winked at me, like he knew that I was using the giant as a prop to make him leave me alone.

It occurred to me suddenly that it would be easy for Brandt to have me watched. The front windows opened to the bar all day and night, and anyone could see in. He could easily know that the giant and I ignored each other completely unless and until Brandt came in the door.

Did he care that much?

If they had more going on than I knew about, then he probably watched everything.

That stressed me out, and I had more bad dreams than normal that night.

The fourth time I woke up screaming, I fell off the bed as I thrashed and lay there a long moment, just panting and trembling.

My door opened, and the giant stepped in, looking down at me.

"Sorry," I mumbled, knowing I probably woke him up since he was sleeping directly under me in Franklin's old apartment.

He didn't speak, bending down to pick me up, laying me back in my bed. Pushing the bed back to the wall, he pushed me over and lay down next to me, then pulled me close as he wiggled into the small space. Clutching me to his chest, he sighed, then passed out.

I lay there a moment, then decided it was fine. I felt less stressed, less alone, and a lot safer. No cop was going to break in and get me while the giant held me like a teddy bear.

I fell asleep with my face in his neck.

Surprisingly, I didn't wake up again until my alarm went off. I couldn't remember any dreams, either, as he let me go and I climbed out of bed to get in the shower.

He was gone when I came out, and he spent the day ignoring me like normal.

That night, after I got done locking up and doing the closing routine, he was already in my bed when I went up. I said nothing, but I did pause to appreciate the view of his enormous back. He was a huge man and thick as well. It looked like he had worked out when he was younger, but now he was just thick and huge, but not obese at all. He was stunning, even with his feet hanging off the end of my twin bed. His massive back spread across my bed was mouth-watering, and I imagined running fingers and my tongue over his enormous tattoo.

I wondered then how opposed he might be to friends with benefits.

I could use some benefits. I needed to take my aggression out somewhere.

The worst he could do is say no?

Going to my bed, I climbed up and straddled his back before he could move over, and he lifted his head to look back at me, but said nothing as I traced my fingers over the ink and looked at it. I'd seen it before.

Aces and Eights card hand splayed behind a skull, with some smaller things woven into the banner around and behind it.

I had no idea what it meant, but I didn't ask. He wouldn't answer. Maybe Walt would?

Leaning in closer, I kissed his shoulder, then left a trail of kisses down to the small of his back. As soon as I was down to straddling his knees, I tugged on him, urging him to roll over. He complied without a sound, his eyes on me. I moved back up, straddling his waist and looking down at him, then I pulled my shirt off and watched his eyes take me in.

He still didn't push me away or move like he wasn't interested as he looked me over, so I got up and pushed my pants and underwear off as he watched, then gripped his boxers. He lifted his hips, letting me pull them down, then watched my face as I looked over his fat cock lying on his right hip.

Holy shit, that thing was beautiful!

Climbing back into bed, I straddled him again, his thighs this time as I ran a hand over his thick dick. He watched, his eyes hooded as he looked over me and got hard in my hands.

Moving closer, I leaned in and kissed the tip of his cock, then licked it and pulled the head into my mouth, feeling him get fully erect as he groaned softly, a massive hand going to my shoulder.

I wasn't here for him, though; I just needed him hard. Moving up, I put my hands on his chest and rolled my hips, grinding my pussy on his dick, toggling my clit as I sighed.

His hands went to my hips, pulling and pushing like he was enjoying it as he watched, his lips parted, and his eyes lit up.

The man was attractive, more than a little easy to look at, and I did. I looked him over as I rolled my hips, enjoying the show as much as the feelings as I moved more quickly.

He growled slightly, moving my hips more quickly as he started sliding me up and down his cock with ease, as wet as I was now.

I knew he wanted me to fuck him; he wanted to bury that thing in me, but I was after something else as I kept rolling my clit over him again and again, chasing that need.

He let me chase it, growling loudly as he clenched his teeth and held on.

When I came, my body locked up and I dropped to his chest, barely able to wriggle my hips as I tried to ride it out.

He was panting, and the second I went still, he sat up and flipped me to my back, my legs still around him as he gripped his dick and shoved it into my wet cunt. Gasping, I clenched my teeth and gripped his wrists, not expecting the explosion of pain as he buried it to my wall.

He either didn't notice or didn't care as he began thrusting, chasing his own need now. The pain fled, a burst and then gone as he stretched me open and pounded into my wall savagely, growling with the effort as he watched my face.

A thought flickered that it was surprising... he was looking at me and not closing his eyes to imagine someone else. I hadn't been expecting that!

He shoved in and went still, then trembled as he came inside of me, filling me full of hot cum.

My eyes fluttered shut, loving the feeling of being filled so full.

Reality settled a moment later as he eased out of me, then rolled to his side with a sigh of satisfaction.

Getting up, I hopped in the shower, shaking my head at how stupid that had been. I should have told him to use a condom at least, I didn't know if he was clean or not!

When I climbed back into my bed, he rolled and moved over, pulling me close in the tiny bed.

I said nothing, sighing as I closed my eyes, my body relaxed and worn out now.

I slept through the night again, my alarm waking me, and I lay staring at his neck for a moment, thinking about that.

Apparently, I needed to tuck into a giant to keep nightmares at bay.

Getting up, he made a grumpy noise as I got out of bed, but stayed in bed as I got dressed, then left.

I didn't return until just before opening, pulling up to the doors instead of parking. Grabbing the bags, I stuck my head inside and looked around. "Can I get some help?" I asked the room.

I wasn't surprised that the giant was the first out the door; he was closest to it. The smirk that appeared on his face surprised me as he looked at the queen mattress in the back of the truck. I had thought it would take two of them to get it inside, but he gripped it and pulled it out, then carried it in alone as Mikey held the door for him.

He didn't ask where it went, and I didn't say anything as I followed him up to my room with the bags. He seemed overly pleased as he grinned at me, moving the twin bed and frame to plop the large queen mattress on the floor. I only smiled as I pulled out the new sheets and bedding from the bags and let him help me put the fitted sheet on.

"That can be loaded up, and I'll drop it off at the house later," I told him, motioning to the twin bed and frame against the wall as I headed to the door.

Hands caught me and lifted me, then I was flying. Laughing as I landed on the bed and he half fell on me, his whole face lit up.

A thrill shot through me, and I decided this was fine. I could use some benefits just now.

"Me first," I informed him, knowing he would do me no good if he got off first. Sitting up, I pushed him to his back, pulling my clothes off.

It was more than an hour before I went back downstairs, drying my hair from the shower.

The giant showed up half an hour later, also with wet hair, as he hauled the twin mattress out to my truck, then moved my truck without asking me. He seemed pleased when he took up his spot in his chair at the end of the bar, leaning back like all was well in his world.

I only smiled because I felt better, too.

Benefits were great.

Things stayed nice for four days, both of us enjoying those benefits, and I enjoyed sleeping through the night. I found that while the giant didn't last long, he was happy to help me get off before he did, letting me ride on him and grind on him until I did before flipping me to my back to fuck me and get his.

He also didn't push it or pressure me if I waved him off and said I just wanted sleep.

On the fourth evening, Brandt showed back up.

The giant came around behind the bar again, staying close to me as I poured and served, Brandt watching both of us with his sexy grin.

Why did he have to be so hot? Why was I so attracted to him?

"Offer stands, baby," he rumbled to me when I set his drink down. "Any time you want it. We should talk, me and you. Wanna step in back?"

I kind of did. I wanted to see if he was as good with his mouth as he seemed to think he was.

I also knew it wasn't a good idea. Dating someone that everyone here hated was the last thing I needed, even if I really wanted to. He was bad news, anyway. He and his crew were into bad things, and I needed to remember that.

Turning away, I leaned into the giant and waited to see who would need refills.

They stayed late again, drinking and over-tipping for some reason as Brandt watched me and gave me that smirk full of promises.

They left when I gave last call, Brandt setting a $50 bill on the bar before going.

Did he think money would make me change my mind and give him a chance, or was he just being nice? I wasn't sure. I put it away and started cleaning up, watching the other few patrons in the bar finish their drinks and filter out into the night.

As soon as I locked the front door, Walt and the others left, even the giant. I knew he was going up to get a shower before I came up; it was his routine now.

Going to the back, I locked the door after Louis and turned to start cleaning up.

"Least they could do is help you with some of the work, the way they're taking advantage of you."

Spinning, I looked up at Brandt as he came out of the pantry. "You shouldn't be here."

"I should," he told me, moving closer and picking me up, setting me up on the counter. "I see the way you look at me, baby. I know you want me as bad as I want you, and it fucking kills me. I don't know why you're making yourself hold back. I don't know what they have on you, but I can protect you. I can get them out of here. Say the word, baby."

"I don't need any help."

"What do you need, baby? Look at me. I know what you need," he chuckled, pulling my legs wide and pushing my skirt up. "Lie back for me and relax. Let me take care of you," he rumbled, leaning in and pulling my panties off before kissing my clit.

Closing my eyes, I sighed as I let him lay me back, wrapping my legs around his shoulders as he leaned in and kissed and licked, sucking on my clit as he fingered me.

"If you can't stay quiet, bite on this," he commanded, grabbing a dish towel and tossing it at my face. "I'm about to give you a new religion, baby."

I didn't answer, gripping the towel in one hand and his hair in the other as he started actually trying to get me off. His tongue toggled as his lips sucked gently, and his finger curled and rubbed inside me.

I moaned, whispering his name and tightening my thighs around his face, letting him do whatever he wanted to me. He was enjoying it, relishing every second of it, and that thrilled me as much as how good it felt. He'd been wanting this as badly as I did!

When I came, whimpering and clenching my teeth, he groaned euphorically as I squirted all over him.

"Mmmmm," he purred happily when my thighs finally relaxed and released him, moving up to look over my face. "Everything I hoped for and more. The day is going to come, very soon, when I get to do that as I please and not hide away. You're going to give in and say yes to me, baby."

I couldn't answer, my body limp and languid as I tried to catch my breath.

He chuckled, then leaned in and kissed me gently.

It flitted through my mind that he was about to fuck me now, but he pulled back, slipped my underwear back on me, then helped me stand on my feet before leaning in to kiss me again. Turning, he slipped out the back door, and I watched him go, surprised and a little let down. I'd sort of wanted him to fuck me.

Sighing, I considered that I had a benefits partner upstairs if I really wanted to be fucked...

Going up, I climbed into the shower, then was too tired to do anything but climb into bed and roll to my side sleepily. The giant pulled me close, not trying for more.

When I woke in the morning, an hour before my alarm, it was from a good dream I was having, and I was incredibly horny! Enough that I rolled the giant to his back, sucked his fat cock to wakefulness, then climbed on him and eased him into me before riding him with my hands on his chest.

He groaned, helping me, and seemed confused since I wasn't getting myself off first. I was close enough that I didn't need to, coming around his fat dick as he let out a cry of shock, gripping me to his chest as I clenched down on his cock. He came as I was squeezing him, grunting and gritting his teeth, filling me full. I could only groan in euphoria, loving the feel of it.

I immediately passed back out, splayed over his chest with his softening dick still inside me.

When my alarm went off, he smacked it irritably, like he didn't want to move or get up.

Sighing, I moved and pulled off of his cock that was quickly getting hard again and went to shower.

He surprised me by joining me, his expression pleased as he watched me lather up. I only smiled as I washed up, then kissed his hip as I stepped out, getting out of his way.

He surprised me again when he joined me at my booth, moving me to sit behind me on the wall, then pulling me to sit between his legs and lay back against his chest. I worked there until people came in for lunch, then went back after they left. Letting him hold me was nice, and I just enjoyed it until Walt sat down across from us.

"So, you two, huh? Dane know?" he asked the giant.

He looked away out the window, ignoring Walt.

I looked Walt over, then shrugged. "What we do is no one's business. There's no 'us two'. We're just two people who have to share a living space and getting some benefits from it, that's all. We both needed an outlet," I told him as the giant went tense behind me.

Walt snorted, then looked back to the giant, looking him over. "You sure about that, kid? Duke has never fucked casually in his life, doubt he's starting now."

I felt a little sick, realizing that I'd never made that clear with the giant. I'd just assumed. It didn't matter.

"I'm sure," I told Walt. "I know what I'm up for and what I'm not up for. Sex and fun are fine; nothing else is on the table. Stop trying to cause issues."

Walt leaned back, glowering. "Ain't me causing shit, kid. Maybe you shoulda asked around before you picked him to be your toy. He sees it different," he told me, then got up and limped back to his booth.

The giant was very tense behind me, but I pretended to go back to working as I sat considering what to say.

His arms moved, encircling me, and I wondered if he was about to move me and get up. Instead, he just hugged me to his chest and held me, his grip a little too tight.

Fuck.

He was invested, and he wasn't going to let it go.

We were still sitting there when Brandt and his whole crew came in the doors, and Brandt stopped just inside to look me over in the booth in the giant's arms. His smile faltered slightly as I looked up at him, shocked he'd come two days in a row.

"Friday," I told him calmly. "I'll leave here at six. One of them can handle the bar."

"I'll be here," Brandt promised as the giant went still. It was a dangerous sort of stillness, though, and it scared me.

"I'll get your drinks," I announced, shrugging off the giant's arms and getting up.

The giant followed me around the bar, and when I glanced at him, he looked furious.

"You should go," Gary told Brandt, a wary eye on the giant. "Now's a bad time."

"So I see... Baby? I'll pick you up on Friday. You good? Say the word and I'll stay and take you out of here right now."

"Friday," I told him, glancing at the giant, who looked more hostile now. He was about to go over the bar.

"I'll see you Friday at six," Brandt told me, smiling down at me for a moment.

"You come here Friday or any other day and I'll rip your fucking head off with my bare hands!"

Turning, I stared up at the giant in disbelief. "You finally speak and THAT'S the first thing you say?" I asked incredulously. "You don't get to decide who I..."

"She's MINE!" he screamed at Brandt, leaning across the bar and making it creak slightly.

Brandt's eyebrows lifted, and he glanced at me, then motioned for everyone to leave.

"I'll be in touch," Brandt told me as he left.

I didn't answer, staring up at the giant, along with everyone else in the bar.

"Told you," Walt called, sounding amused. "Mikey, put your fucking phone down!"

"Anyone tells Dane and I'll bounce your face off a wall!" the giant told everyone on the back wall before turning to look down at me.

"I don't belong to you," I told him angrily.

His face went red, and he clenched his teeth as he looked away. "Far as he's concerned, you do," he insisted. "You stay away from him and his kind! No fucking date. And I'm not some fucking toy!"

"Alright, I'll give you that I shouldn't have assumed we could just have some fun with no expectations... but I went into it with no expectations. I see that I was wrong, and don't worry. It won't happen again. You sleep in your bed from now on, and I'll..."

"No."

"No?"

"NO! I said no! We sleep like we been sleepin'! Nothing's changin'!"

"I'm not your girlfriend or your... old lady or however you and your friends think of women. I am not tying myself to you just because I used you to get off. I won't..."

"Let it go! Nothing changes!" he yelled, then stormed to his chair and sat down, crossing his arms as he glared out the window.

What the hell had I done?

Sighing, I threw up my hands and went to the back to clean up, not wanting to deal with them.

My phone dinged a text alert, and I looked down at it.

'I can meet you at Senneca's in St Charles at 6:30 on Friday - Brandt'

'I'll get back to you - me'

'I don't know what just happened - me'

'I'll be waiting - Brandt'

Putting my phone away, I went back out front and looked over everyone staring at me like they were as lost as I was. Turning, I grabbed my laptop, then went up to my room to work.

They could deal with the bar tonight, along with the giant and his tantrum.

When it got late, I locked my door and lay down, turning on a movie on my laptop to watch.

At 2, my doorknob rattled, then there was a loud knock, but I ignored it. The doorknob rattled again, then popped, and the giant pushed the door open, walking in.

"You broke my door!" I cried, sitting up.

"You locked me out," he snarled right back, setting a shelf in front of it to keep it from swinging open. "I told you, nothing's changing!"

"You don't..."

"Nothing!" he snarled, kicking his boots off, and shucking his pants.

Panic took over as I scrambled across the bed, shaking my head. "Please don't! Please!"

He paused, looking down at me in concern. "I'm getting ready for bed. That's all."

I didn't answer, watching him as I pressed against the wall.

Moving my computer to the side, he lay down slowly, watching me and holding up a hand to try and calm me.

"I don't hurt you. I've never hurt you. I won't."

"I want to be alone tonight," I whispered, tears welling up. "Please? I can't sleep next to you. Not tonight."

"I'm not going to hurt you. You need me. The nightmares?"

I shook my head, but he ignored it as he lay down and eased closer, settling a hand on my shoulder.

"Please?" I whispered as he turned off the light.

He either didn't hear or he ignored it, moving closer and blocking me in against the wall. His hand gripped my shoulder, pulling me closer, then hugging me to his chest as he curled around me.

Trembling, I silently cried, feeling angry at myself for thinking it would be alright to try and have anything casual with any of them, let alone the giant needy one. What was I thinking?

His grip never eased up as he held me, even after I was sure he was asleep. I couldn't go to sleep, feeling sick and angry.

When light hit the window, I shoved him hard and got up, shrugging out of his arms as I mumbled about getting a shower.

He didn't answer, rolling to his back to go back to sleep.

I showered, then went down and left, taking my laptop with me.

When I finally came back after ten that night, the giant was in his chair, glowering at me sulkily. I said nothing, not to him or Rick, who was behind the bar.

When the giant came up at two, I pulled out the taser I had bought and pointed it at him. "Get the fuck out. Next step is me calling Killian and Dane to get you the fuck out of here for good."

"As if they fucking could," he shot back, eyeing the taser like he intended to risk it. "Just bed. Just sleep. Nothing else."

"No."

"How long?"

"Forever. You read into it."

"I won't."

"You already have."

"I won't. You need it."

"I don't need you. Get out."

"No. Shoot me then. Won't stop me," he told me, coming all the way in and shutting the door. "Fixed the lock."

"I will shoot you," I promised as he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his shirt.

"I won't stop you, and it won't stop me."

Shoving his pants off, he stepped closer, then dodged hard right when I lifted the stun gun and pulled the trigger. The nodes hit nothing, and he jerked the gun out of my hand, tossing it to the floor before lying down on the bed.

"Go to sleep," he commanded, pulling me close.

"I'm calling tomorrow. They'll take you out of here."

"You won't get what you think."

Sighing, I scowled at his chest, but I was exhausted.

I slept.

When my alarm went off in the morning, he flexed, not letting me go as he hugged me close to him.

After a moment, I spoke up. "I need the restroom."

He didn't answer or let go, lifting up enough to roll me to my back, then very gently kissed my lips. He did it again, then again before I got over the shock of him deciding we were kissing now, and turned away from his next kiss.

"I need the restroom," I repeated.

"Come right back?"

"No," I grumped as he let me go, hurrying and getting in the shower.

He came in, leaning on the door and watching me.

"We could leave. I'll take you back to..." he began.

"No. I know you're only pulling this because it's Friday and you don't want me going out with Brandt."

"You aren't going out with him. He doesn't care about you anyway, just about fucking with us."

"You're wrong."

"I'm not. Fuck him. Let's go back to bed."

"No," I huffed, getting out and drying off. "Leave me alone."

"Never."

That word stung.

The anguish and heartache in it...

Looking down, I sighed, then shook my head and went and got dressed.

He pulled his clothes on while I was dressing, then he stopped me at the door, pulling me close and kissing me again. I let him kiss me for a moment, then pulled away and went downstairs to make myself breakfast before starting up some more freelance work in my booth.

Just as it was time for me to prep lunch, the giant sat across from me, looking me over sadly.

I patted his giant hand before closing my computer and getting up, going to the kitchen.

Mikey and Kyle were back there already, joking around while they prepped food. The giant filled the doorway near me, and I stepped to the side, feeling a bit trapped. Noticing the full garbage can, I pulled the bag and tied it, then went out back to the dumpster. Throwing it in, I stood out there a moment and sighed, trying to decide what to do. My eyes went to Henry's bike, and Walt's next to it. The others ran in a line down the alley, parked off the alley itself to make room for cars passing through.

As I looked, I was confused.

Stepping out further, I started counting, since it seemed like there were too many.

Fourteen.

Why were there fourteen bikes in my alley and only nine men in my bar? Not counting Henry's and Walt's. Walking down to the next building, I planned to look at their back door, but my eyes went instead to the storm cellar doors that were hidden on the other side of the dumpster.

The unlocked doors that led under my building.

Going to them, I pulled them open and went down into the lit-up space, then stared at the men in there who were staring back in surprise.

"Shit," the giant's brother huffed. I didn't know his name; he'd never come into the bar after that first day. I knew the rest of them, though.

The whole side wall held inventory that I had written off because I couldn't find it. All kinds of alcohol. The other half of the large room held some sort of machines, as well as tables, chairs, a large TV, and a lot more. What drew me was a table full of large sheets of money.

Five-dollar bills.

They were counterfeiting money down here, all of them, and they had been since they got here. Not only that, they'd been paying me with it.

Gary was suddenly running down the stairs, his face pale, and I knew someone had texted him as I looked around.

"You shouldn't be down here!" he told me as more people began appearing down the stairs, including the giant.

I looked up at Walt, pissed. "So this was your scam? The whole time? And you've all been scamming me? Paying with fake money this whole time? And I've been depositing it! You've made me an accessory!"

"Calm down, kid, you didn't know, and you can say that under oath, can't you? Calm the fuck down. You never..."

"NO! No, I won't! This shouldn't be here! I could go to jail for this, we all can! What the hell, Walt? You..."

"It's not dangerous and it's small time! It was small time... I told all you pricks no more than $500 a week! What the hell, this is thousands!"

"No one checks fives, man," Gerid sneered. "We got the go-ahead from Killian."

"The fakes are good, no one can tell them from the real ones! And no one checks fives, he's right," Gary assured me. "You'll never be in trouble, we'll all swear you didn't know. Just use as many of the fives as you can for change and disperse them more, alright? Keep them and use them to pay for things. Stop depositing them and start using them to pay cash for everything you get."

"I'm not doing that! You all need to stop paying me in fake money! And all this alcohol that's down here is mine! It belongs to the bar, not you!" I told him angrily, going and closing a box of high-end whiskey they had opened. You hid all this from me and made me think it was a loss!"

"That wasn't them, it was me," Walt told me angrily. "I made a choice. If I'd showed you the basement, you would have seen the press, and you would have pitched a fit like you are now."

"Most of it doesn't stay here," Gary promised. "Just what we use to pay you. We take the rest back with us when we go and spread it out away from here."

I turned away, then thought about Brandt and what he'd said about the basement. He knew. He could have blown it up any time, but he wanted in on it instead. I was sure that was why he was chasing me.

Something else occurred to me then. All the $100's and $50's he was giving me... were they real? Was he trying to get me caught?

Shit!

"I want the alcohol brought up to the store room! Today!" I told them angrily. "All of it! No more drinking it and no more paying me with fake money! So this was why you were so pissy with me coming to my house! You thought I would see that more of you were there than were coming into the bar!"

"And why we needed the extra bed," Gary grumped.

"It ends. You all do this? You can put beds down here. No one sees you all going in and out every day! And no more door-dashing food here!"

"We dash it to the corner and meet them," the giant's brother told me, eyeing his brother. "It true you and Duke are fucking?"

"Shut up, Dax," Duke snarled. "My life is no business of yours!"

"Shit," Dax laughed. "He is fucking you, and he's fucking speaking now, too. Good. Glad you're finally over that..."

"Don't," Duke hissed.

Dax grinned at him, but it wasn't pleasant. It was an invitation for violence.

It seemed the two giant brothers didn't get along.

"I mean it," I interjected, drawing attention back to me. "No more coming and going every day. You sleep down here and don't go in and out constantly. None of this stays here! None of it. It all goes back with you, and you all pay me in REAL money from now on. My alcohol gets brought up today! Get it done!" I demanded, then turned to leave, grabbing Duke's hand as I went, pulling him behind me.

He followed without comment, all the way into the bar, even after I let his hand go. Pulling out my phone, I called Kilian.

"Hey, babe," he answered cheerfully.

"You LIED to me! And you've been stealing from me!"

"Slow down, babe. Gary said you might call, that you went down to the basement. Ease up some. How the fuck did you think we were making money? Would you have been happier if it was drugs? Guns? People? What the fuck. This is harmless; it hurts no one. Henry got the plates from a Navy friend, and they ran a small little operation, hosting card games locally and made a few extra bucks. I'm taking it bigger, that's all. Instead of running it a couple hours a month, we're running it every day, and we're making a lot more. Once it's done and anyone is on our scent, we're done, alright? We lock it away and destroy it forever. Now that you know, we can change it up, alright? How's this? They pay full price for everything, and I pay you rent on the house and apartment. Real cash. That cool? Twenty-five hundred a month on the house and a grand on the apartment."

"Five grand a month on the house, apartment, and basement," I countered. "Real cash, or a cashier's check.

He laughed, then rumbled into the phone. "Mmm... you're kinda hot when you're feisty. Alright, babe. Five grand on the first of every month. I'll bring you this month's tomorrow, alright? I'm coming down myself to check on things."

I hung up without answering him, then turned and glared up at the giant, noticing the others had come back and filled in the back booths.

"You knew! The whole time you knew! And you didn't warn me!"

"We were told to keep you out of it, and it's not like you asked. Anyone. You never asked anyone anything."

"Your brother has been here the whole time, too? Both of you?"

"Yes."

"Why doesn't your dad come on rotation?"

"Whole reason I left was to get away from him. He knew if he came, I'd kill him. He left Dax to keep an eye on me."

"That's why you took the apartment. So you didn't have to live with your brother."

His eyes lifted to look past me as the door opened behind me and someone came in.

"We'll talk about this later."

I huffed, turning to go to my booth, letting Gary help the couple who came in for lunch.

The giant went to his chair, crossing his arms and watching me.

I had planned on cancelling my date with Brandt, but now I had questions.

A lot of them.

At four, I went upstairs and got ready, then slipped out the back door when I came down and went around the alley to get in my truck and leave.

The place he'd asked to meet at was fancier than I had imagined, and I stood there in jeans and a blouse, feeling underdressed as I waited by my truck.

When Brandt pulled up next to me, he grinned at me as he looked me over and turned his car off.

"I guess I should have told you it was a nice place," he told me, rolling his window down. He had on a suit and tie. "Hop in, we'll go down the street to the pizza place," he chuckled.

I went around and got in as he took off his tie and jacket, tossing them in the back of his car.

"You look great," he told me, leaning close and kissing me.

"Thanks," I managed, pulling back after a peck. "Can we just do a drive-through or something and talk?"

"Sure, baby, whatever you want. Something wrong? How about some chicken that sound good?"

"It's fine I don't care. Why did you ask me about the basement?"

"One, so you would know that I knew about it. Two, so that you wouldn't let it go and let them do whatever they wanted. Three, so you would know I wasn't telling anyone about it. Why? They causing problems for you, baby?"

"My name is Vessa."

"It is, sorry. Old habits. So what happened?" he asked, pulling into the parking lot and not up to the drive-through. "They giving you trouble?"

"You said you walked away? You left because of everything? Why?"

"Well... honestly? My dad did the walking. I was there, but he made the choice. He was killed two years ago by someone who said they didn't see him on the road... no one who knew my dad believes that. His bike was loud as fuck and he was a careful driver. It was on purpose. Doesn't matter now, but still. My old man told me to keep the crew clear of them old men and don't get involved with their shit."

"So you aren't involved?"

"Not at all."

"So you aren't giving me fake money when you hand me those $100's and $50's?"

"What? No fucking way! No, baby... Vessa. No. I wouldn't do that. Is that what their side hustle is now? Counterfeiting? I knew they used to do it small time, but they're doing it big time now? Large bills?"

"Their side hussle? What's their big hussle?"

"They switch it up, but when my dad walked away? It was kiddie porn. When he first got in it was pump and dump schemes, ponzi shit, illegal gambling, shit like that. When they were bigger, they used to shake local places down for protection, went to war with the local cops over it. When they started dying off after we split off, they stopped shaking people down and stuck with their big gambling operation and they small time counterfeiting. My dad threatened them over the kiddie porn thing, especially when they started talking human trafficking. They stopped, but we split off regardless. They tell people they ran us off and we come back to remind them who the shitbags are. It's why they can't do shit to us, all we have to do is open our mouths. Sorry, baby... for what it's worth, Henry never agreed with a lot of it. He argued with my dad to stay away from it, but Franklin had a huge in and wanted the big payday that came with it. No one knows who did it, but when they didn't move fast enough to get out of the kiddie porn business, someone burned all their houses down. That was a good decade back now. They all had to move into the bar. Henry bought another house, but it was a front, really. His business associates would stay there. So what happened, Vess? They back in human trafficking now? Drugs? What is it?"

I sighed, leaning back. "I don't know. I know I saw something, but I don't think I saw all of it and now I think they're all mocking me. I don't know what to do."

"What did you see?"

"Probably shouldn't tell you."

"Vess, I already know. I just need to know which of the things you saw."

"Will you tell me everything you know they're involved in?"

"You sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

"Alright," he agreed, looking over my face sadly. "One of the things your grandfather and his boys were known for... well known for... was their ability to make people disappear. Killian and his crew? They started working with them about six years ago. Killian is the grandson of of the Navy guys who served with them, but wasn't in their group, but they worked with him after since he was close. Killian and his boys? Aces over eights? They're all a bunch of scavengers. They don't have original ideas, they feed off dying clubs like Henry's. Pick up the scraps and run with them. Didn't start that way, but it's what they've turned into... but they're holding on at your place longer than they've held on anywhere else. They usually clean out, cut and run. Something is keeping them there. So what is it?"

"Why Aces and eights?" I asked, curious about that.

"Something about winning a bike in a card game and the winning hand, I don't know the full story. You don't want to talk about what you saw?"

"Maybe... but not yet."

"You wanna eat?"

"No, I want to know more about Henry and Walt and his crew. Were they really the bad guys?"

"Vess... I'm sorry, but yes. Henry especially was a ruthless man. More than once he said the only reason he didn't kill your mom for what she did to Billy was because of you. You needed a mother. He still almost killed her when she called the cops on him in Louisianna. Walt talked him down, told him he could reach out to you when you were an adult. It would be easier. Henry was the one... he was the brains. He was cold and calculated, but loved his family. His blood and his brothers in arms and leathers. He was the one who did all the executions and hits. Franklin was the mean one who was more interested in the torture and... things like I mentioned. Human trafficking, mostly for his own gratification. Wasn't sorry to see him go."

"And Walt?"

"Walt... Walt was the man who always let others get their hands dirty. He never had an original thought, he just followed along. My dad called him Henry's 'yes man'. Walt wasn't as mean as Franklin, or Dorsey who you never met, but he had no issues doing what he was told, no matter what it was. Old man always said Walt didn't have a conscience and he never grew out of taking orders like a mindless animal. War fucked up his head. They came back feeling like the world owed them something, and they took it back in blood. So... you caught them at something is my guess. They have people locked up down there?"

"Not that I saw. You said they were small time counterfeiters... even back then?"

"Yeah. They had a press and plates, but they didn't do much with it. It was too hard to get the right paper for it. They used it a little, but not a lot. Henry said it was cowards money and they used it for small time things like paying out on gambling losses. They rarely lost, house never lost, you know? But when they did have to pay out, it was fake money. That what you found? The old press?"

"I guess it's easier to get hands on better paper now," I sighed, laying back.

"Imagine so. Internet is great. So that's all? Just that old press?" he asked, and it occurred to me that he was pushing for answers pretty hard.

"Yeah," I agreed, sitting back up. "It just stressed me out. So if those plates are that old... won't they print old money? Out of print money?"

"Yeah, but there's still enough in circulation that it would go unnoticed and unremarked. What are they running? Twenties? Fifties? How much do you think they had?"

"The plates I saw were for fives. They said they didn't use them anymore, but... why have them?" I asked, playing it off like I hadn't seen giant sheets of printed money.

"Fives... that's a lot of effort for a small payoff," he shrugged. "It was just sitting there? They weren't using it?"

"Mostly I was pissed that they had all my alcohol down there. It was stored down there and I thought it was all missing. Someone stole it when Henry died or something, it wasn't in the storeroom. They'd been down there drinking it. They had a TV and gaming station down there, stuff like that. Not the cheap stuff either, the top shelf stuff."

"I'm sure they weren't just hanging out for fun, having a few drinks. They had to have more going on down there. You didn't see anything else?"

"Not when I went down."

"Maybe you should sneak a camera down there. See what they're up to. Microphone, camera, all of it. See what they're up to. I can probably get some for you if you want."

I looked at him then and decided it was time to change the subject. "Let's just forget about them for a while. I snuck away to get away from their bullshit so I could relax and not stress about it."

"Than lets do that," he smiled, then leaned in and kissed me again.

I let him this time, then let him hold my hand as he ordered food. We ate at a park, watching an older man out fishing while we sat at a picnic table and enjoyed the fresh air.

"Tell me about you," I prompted between bites.

"Not much to tell. I grew up nearby. My old man was a biker, I got into it as well. Dropped out of school to start running with the club. When we split off, I stepped up. When my old man died, I stepped up again."

"What kind of kid were you? In school?"

"The kind who rarely showed up," he chuckled. "I wasn't in a clique or whatever... maybe I was like, a grease monkey or in the group, you know? A gearhead. But I wasn't friends with the others like me. I was club. They were all muscle cars and monster trucks, I was motorcycle. It wasn't a big enough place to have more people my age like me, you know? My friends were all older, in the club. It's how I grew up. My old man and I fought for a while and I went on a year long road trip, but I came back. We made up. I took up my place again. What about you, Vess? What kind of kid were you?"

"Computer nerd. Robotics club. Programming, coding, all of that fun stuff."

"You don't look like a nerd!"

"I was! I am. I used to look more like a nerd than I do now. My ex sort of gave me a glow up, he called it. Took me and had my hair done, showed me how to fix it for my face. Make-up, clothes, all of it. He gave me a full make-over from head to toe and groomed me into fixing myself up every day and dressing for him. Even after we broke up, I never stopped. It became habit. I guess I liked the compliments I got and feeling noticed, you know?"

"I get it."

"How could you? You look like you've always been hot and you've always known it!"

He flashed me a dimpled grin, his eyes shining. "Nah. Not really. I was a pimply, skinny dork for years. Braces had me looking like a monkey. It wasn't until I grew my hair out and got my leather that girls started noticing me. Even then, it wasn't me they noticed, it was the leather and the club, you know? Then I filled out. The braces came off, the pimples cleared up... suddenly girls were hitting on me hardcore. I was told I was pretty. Even guys from the club started calling me prettyboy. I get the glow-up thing. So, Vess... all done eating, now what? Ladies choice. We can go back to my place and I can make you squirt all over me again, or we can go to old downtown and go bowling, or we can go back to my place and just watch a movie and talk. Nothing else."

"Alright... how about we go get my truck and I follow you to your place. On the way, we pick up some wine and we watch a movie and see where the night takes us?"

"Perfect," he grinned, hopping up and offering me a hand.

His house was nice. I'd imagined something very different, not the huge, newly built place in the HOA neighborhood. How did he manage his bike here?

The inside was nice as well, the decor looked expensive and tasteful. There were no cheesy motorcycle tchotchke's or signs or memorabilia. You wouldn't even know a biker lived here. It looked more like a lawyer did. A married lawyer.

"Do you have a wife?" I asked, looking over the curtains that matched the living room furniture perfectly.

He laughed, throwing himself on the couch and turning on the TV. "No, Vess. No old lady, no girlfriend, nothing like that."

"Boyfriend?" I asked skeptically as I looked over the nice fabrics and matching paintings.

He chuckled again and held out a hand to me. "Not into boys, Vess. Come sit down."

I sat down, but kept looking around, all of it not meshing. "This is your house?"

"All mine. My plan is to someday have an old lady, move her in here, all ready to go. You like it?"

"I guess... It's kind of fancy."

"Yeah... I hired someone to come in. Told her I wanted to really impress a lady. My personality sucked, so I needed to impress her with a really great house."

I laughed at that, rolling my eyes. "As charming as you are?"

"Not everyone falls for my lines, Vess."

"You mean asking to go down on a girl doesn't get her to fall right into your arms?"

"I mean, yeah. That usually works well, but not on the ones I want to bring back here."

"So how many girls have you brought back here and does it work? Are they overawed by your fancy house?"

"So far she seems unimpressed and even a bit uncomfortable."

"I'm the only woman you've brought back here?"

"First, and if things go like I hope, the last."

"Oh, that's a nice line! I bet that's worked on all of them!"

He laughed again and moved closer, putting his arm around my shoulders. "it 's not a line, Vess. It's true. I have a small place near the trailer park I bring most girls to, where I park my bike. I only come here about once a week in my car. Keep the place up, mow the lawn. I don't keep much here, but I have glasses," he promised, pulling the wine out.

He poured us wine and turned on a movie, but I didn't watch it as I curled up with him and thought about everything.

If I were smart, I would go back home to Louisiana... but I didn't think they would let me walk away now.

Whatever Brandt's plan was, I was pretty sure he was angling to take over everything that Killian was in charge of now. He wanted to run them out and be the man in charge.

He was just using me to get to it. If I was smart, I would tell him that I wasn't the person for that, they worked around me and not with me. I wasn't part of them, I just happened to own the buildings they were using.

"You aren't even watching," Brandt accused, rolling me to my back and laying me down, then kissing me. "You also aren't drinking your wine you wanted to stop and get. You can drink as much as you like, I don't mind if you stay the night," he grinned.

I turned, rolling to my stomach and lying on my arms as he kissed my shoulders.

"This your way of asking for a back rub?" he asked, digging his fingers into my back to rub.

"No. Hey, Brandt?"

"Yeah, Vess?"

"What color are my eyes?"

"What?" he asked, sounding amused. "This is you feeling like I'm passing time or using you? No, baby. No, I fell for you as soon as I saw you, despite who you were. Your eyes are dark brown and stunning, laced with long black lashes that don't look real, but are. Your lips are full and kissable, a dark pink that doesn't match your very pale complexion. Your skin is virtually flawless, though I bet you've heard jokes about how pale you are. You do have about a dozen freckles on your nose and cheeks, but you can hardly see them unless you're under the right light, and they're adorable. Your little snub button nose makes you look younger than you are and it looks like you had it pierced when you were younger, but it healed over. Your ears are pierced, but you only ever wear the little silver studs and nothing else. You hide your face when you smile, trying to hid the double dimple you have on your left cheek, but you don't have one on the other side. You have a really bad poker face and it's easy to tell if you like or don't like something... or someone. Like how you look at me, for example. I knew from day one you were as into me as I was you."

"You're so cocky."

"Confident. Like I said, I saw how you looked at me, and I felt it, because it was a mirror. Killian is way hotter than me and you didn't look at him like that. I wouldn't have kept coming around if you hadn't kept looking at me like you do."

"Sure you would have, you like messing with Killian's people."

"I do like fucking with them, but I wouldn't risk myself and my boys without a better reason than that."

"Do you just want to date me to mess with them?"

"No. No, Vess... you make things complicated. I would have walked away if I hadn't laid eyes on you. We'd be busy doing other things, not bothering with Killian and Walter at all."

I sighed happily, not knowing I needed to hear that.

"Mmm," he purred, leaning in close and kissing my shoulder, then my neck. "We should head to bed, don't you think? I'll get you home in the morning."

I didn't answer, but when Brandt stood and held out his hand, I took it.

He pulled me gently to my feet, the wine still half full and forgotten. The warm weight of his hand around mine grounded me as he led me through his quiet, perfectly kept house. The air was still, intimate. The soft glow of recessed lights lit the hallway just enough to cast his profile in gold.

His bedroom door opened with a hush, and he flicked on a lamp with a low amber bulb. The room was understated, warm, and, like the rest of his house, surprisingly elegant. Dark wood, clean linens, not a single sock on the floor. The kind of bed that looked like it was barely touched, with a duvet folded at the end and not a wrinkle on the pillows.

"This okay?" he asked, rubbing my hand with his thumb.

I nodded, heart thudding. "Yeah."

He stepped closer. "I'm not in a rush. We don't have to do anything tonight, Vess."

"You already kissed me," I said quietly. "And I don't want you to stop."

The corners of his mouth lifted. That same grin that usually teased now softened with sincerity. "Come here."

His arms slipped around me, one hand cupping the back of my neck, the other settling on my lower back. He kissed me again, this time deeper, slower, like a man savoring something rare. I melted into him, one hand gripping the back of his shirt, the other on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

When his tongue parted my lips, I welcomed it, and he groaned softly into the kiss. He tasted faintly of wine and something warmer, uniquely him. My back arched instinctively, pressing against him, and I felt the evidence of his arousal through his jeans. Not overwhelming, just enough to thrill me with the knowledge that he wanted me.

Brandt broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. "You make me feel like I'm not pretending."

That did something to me. "Then don't pretend. Just be here. With me."

He kissed me again, then bent to lift the hem of my shirt, giving me every chance to stop him. I raised my arms, and he pulled it over my head, tossing it gently onto the chair. His hands brushed the line of my bra, then slid down to my waist. He didn't rush, didn't fumble. His touch was patient, and exploring.

"Can I?" he asked, fingers on the button of my jeans.

"Yes," I breathed, already reaching for his.

He undressed me like he was unwrapping something precious, and I returned the favor. Peeling his shirt off, revealing lean, toned muscle. Not chiseled, but strong, real. His jeans followed, then mine, until we stood in only underwear, breath mingling, hands lingering.

I reached behind and unhooked my bra. His eyes followed every movement, not with hunger, but reverence.

"You're beautiful, Vess."

I blushed, looking down. He caught my chin and lifted it. "Don't look away. Let me show you what I mean."

His mouth touched my collarbone, then moved lower, lips warm against my skin. I felt worshiped, not devoured.

When he finally eased me back onto the bed, his touch never left me. He lay beside me first, brushing my hair back, kissing my temple, my cheek, the corner of my mouth. Then, slowly, he let his hand drift over my stomach, fingers skimming the edge of my panties.

I shifted, inviting. "Don't make me wait."

He grinned and slid them down, watching my face the whole time. When I reached for his, he let out a breath like he'd been holding it, and together we shed the last barrier between us.

His body settled gently over mine, not crushing but close; warm skin against warm skin. He kissed me again, rolling his hips until I felt him press at my entrance. He wasn't thick or long, just right. Enough to fill, not to stretch or overwhelm.

"I'll go slow," he whispered. "You tell me if you need anything, ok?"

I nodded, already lifting my hips to meet him.

The first inch made me gasp, not from pain, but from the intimacy of it. The weight of him. The way he moved so carefully, like he was trying to memorize the way I fit around him.

When he was all the way in, he stilled. One hand gripped the sheet, the other braced beside my head.

"Ok?" he asked, voice strained.

"Perfect," I whispered, wrapping my legs around him.

He started to move. Slow, rhythmic, nothing rushed. Every thrust was measured, timed to my breath. I felt each drag of his body like a wave, each glide setting me alight.

And still, he watched my face.

"You feel... incredible," he murmured, kissing my jaw.

His hands roamed down my waist, along my thigh, across my ribs. Learning me, loving me.

I came first, arching with a cry, and I tried to bite back. He kissed it from my mouth, slowing his rhythm until I finished trembling. Then he started again, this time faster, tension rising in his shoulders.

"I'm close," he groaned, burying his face in my neck.

I ran my fingers through his hair and whispered, "Let go, fill me."

He did with a soft sound against my skin, his hips stuttering before stilling. For a long moment, we just breathed together, his body warm and heavy on mine, his heart hammering in time with mine.

When he finally rolled to the side, he pulled me with him, arms wrapping around me like I might vanish.

"You staying?" he asked, voice soft.

"For tonight," I murmured. "And maybe tomorrow morning."

He laughed into my hair, then kissed the top of my head. "I'll take it."

Sighing happily again, I burrowed against him and pressed my face to his neck, then let myself pass out.

My thoughts flitted, for a moment, to the giant. Was he worried? Waiting up for me? Was he angry, knowing where I'd gone? Would he be mad when I came back in the morning?

Maybe he would be gone.

That thought made me a little sad, but I pushed it away. It was Brandt I wanted.

Wasn't it?

My alarm woke me, and Brandt grumbled as he flexed and pulled me closer. "So early?" he asked, sounding like he thought that idea was obscene and wrong on every level.

I laughed and got up, stumbling to his bathroom sleepily.

When I opened the door, he was right there, looking perfect in absolutely nothing.

"Need a shower?" he asked, that dimple flashing as he smirked down at me. "I have everything here for showers."

His phone rang and he glanced back, frowning.

"I told them not to call me unless it was an emergency," he told me as he crossed the room to get it.

I watched, going to my phone and picking it up. Four texts and eleven missed calls. Eight from Killian, three from Walt. All the texts were from Killian.

'Where you at, babe? - Killian'

'Hey, I need you to call me ASAP - Killian'

'Please answer your phone - important - Killian'

'Babe, call as soon as you get this. Duke is off the rails, and you need to sort your shit out. Get back here now. -Killian'

The last one was sent at 4:48 AM.

Shit.

I looked up, and Brandt was looking at me, alarmed as he listened to whoever was on the phone.

"Yeah, man, I'll be there in half an hour. Don't call the cops, just leave things as they are. I'll send the piece of shit a bill. You seen him or his around since then?... Alright, man, thanks. Give me half an hour," he told the phone, then hung up, still watching me.

I swallowed hard and looked down. "Duke?" I asked softly.

"Trashed my place, took a hammer to my bike. Hayden was there, he shot him when he wouldn't stop. He drove off on his bike with a bullet graze on his shoulder. They just finished talking a neighbor down from calling the cops."

"Sorry."

"Not your fault, Vessa. So... I'm guessing you fucked him?"

"I thought we could be friends with benefits."

"Yeah... he's not really the benefits type. Sex translates to ownership to him and his. Kind of why he lost his shit when his wife was killed and why his wife was killed to begin with. Him and his family... nothing really means more to them than the women they own. It's a thing."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry!"

"No! No, baby, don't sweat it! I'm not mad at you," he promised, coming to hug me close. "Just letting you know, alright? There's going to be some fallout from this. It's alright. He doesn't know about this place; only a few people do. We have to decide what to do now, though. If you go back there, he's going to..."

"He won't hurt me!"

"No, probably not... but Vess? He won't let you go, either. If you try to walk away... he won't let you. He may not hurt you, but he would snap your neck quickly before letting you leave him behind. You know that, right?"

I felt sick, thinking about it. "He wouldn't hurt me," I repeated, feeling a little dizzy. "He saved me."

"He protected what was his. If you were no longer his, or tried to remove yourself from him, he wouldn't let it happen. It's who they are."

"I need to go back and sort this out," I said, shaking my head. "He's not going to hurt me, and I won't tell them what happened. Just that I stayed at a hotel or something."

"If you want to go, Vess, I won't stop you... But I want you to reconsider. I can keep you safe. Hide you from him. From all of them. I can make sure they never lay eyes on you again. Are you sure nothing more happened yesterday? There was nothing else in the basement that spooked you? Or upset them? I need to know if there was."

"No... I yelled at all of them a lot for stealing from me and keeping things hidden from me. I yelled at Duke, too, but acted like I was fine before I left. I sort of slipped out the back because I didn't want to cause problems. I need to go back. He won't hurt me, Brandt."

He sighed and hugged me tighter, then let me go after kissing the top of my head. "I can't force you to stay, but I really do wish you'd think about it. I see no reason for you to go back."

"It's my bar. My home. I won't let them just have it. I have a plan."

"Please be careful? Can you tell me your plan?" he asked, following me as I quickly found my clothes.

"I'm going to close the bar for remodeling, the apartments too. Get them all out and leave it shut down for a while. Let Walt stay at the house and tell the others to come back when it's done. I'll clean it all out, remodel a little, redo the apartments, and never tell them when I'm ready to reopen. Tell Walt I don't want them here."

"He'll call them anyway."

"So maybe I know someone who'll already be there," I laughed, looking up at him and standing after tying my shoe.

"Duke won't leave. You know that, right?"

"He will if I make him think I'm getting things ready for us. I can play it off like I'm renovating the top floor of our apartment, and I want it to be a surprise. Get him to go, and then make it so they can't come back. Maybe even go back to Louisiana for a month or two while some work gets done and stay away a while until he gets over it."

Brandt laughed, shaking his head. "I don't think you're going to understand it until you see it. He'll follow you."

"I think you're giving him too much credit. I'm just a rebound thing, and he can move on."

"And what about me, Vess? You're gonna leave me behind, too?"

"No. I'll stay in touch, and when I come back? We can pick up where we left off."

He only smiled and shook his head. "Alright, babe. Keep your phone on, alright? Text me? I'll do a few fly-bys to check on you as well. Make sure he thinks things are cool between you and don't piss him off, alright?"

"Got it," I agreed as my phone went off again. "Killian," I sighed, then let him kiss me again before answering my phone and heading to the door. "Yeah?"

"Babe! There you are! Where the fuck have you been? You need to get back to the bar, right now! Right now! Where are you?"

"Just woke up. I stayed at a hotel."

"With Brandt?" he demanded as I started the truck.

"Alone. I had work to do, and I wanted some peace. I want you to ask the giant to back off a little. He's kind of scaring the crap out of me. I like him and he makes me feel safe, but he's also super intimidating, and I need him to tone it down a few notches. I need him to do that. Can you tell him?"

"As soon as he gets back. He's been out looking for you. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Left it in the truck. I'm serious, I wanted some peace, and I needed to get some work done. Drew up some plans for the bar and the remodel I want to do."

"What? What the fuck? What fucking remodel?"

"The one I've been doing mock-ups of. I finalized what I wanted last night, and I'm going to start calling in bids. Gonna go for a 20s style Gatsby kind of theme, a lot of art deco, you know? It's gonna be awesome."

"No. No, not cool. You can't go changing shit, we're in the middle of a lot of things right now. You can't change anything up on me; it's going to have to wait. Maybe next year."

"What? No, I'm getting bids for next month. It's my place, I can give it a facelift if I want to! You don't get to tell me no!"

"Fuck!" he swore angrily. "Just fucking get here! I'm going to call Duke and tell him you're on your way and ask him to ease up. Hurry up and get back, and we'll talk when you get here."

"Alright. Tell him I'm going to need a nap. I slept like shit last night, too many nightmares. Ask him if he'd mind letting me have a nap. He'll understand."

"We all understand. We know you don't sleep unless he's next to you. Gary told me everything about your nightmares and screaming and shit. How far?"

"Ten minutes?" I estimated, looking at the road signs.

"Straight here. I'm calling him."

He hung up, and I sighed, thinking about what I needed to do to get them out.

What were they doing that they couldn't leave? What had I not seen?

When I pulled up to the bar, the giant was right there waiting for me. He came around and yanked the door open, then pulled me out and shoved me against the side.

"You fuck that little bitch?" he demanded, enraged.

"What? Who?" I feigned ignorance. "I spent the night at the Starlight Inn and worked on bar layouts! Let me go! Get off me!"

Killian came out, several others following him, including the giant's brother.

"Duke, I told you where she was and what she was doing. Come inside and we'll talk about it in there," Killian told him.

Duke growled, clenching his teeth, then picked me up and carried me inside like a toddler.

"I need my things!" I told him, trying to push out of his grip.

He didn't let me go, taking me inside and setting me on the bar, but keeping a tight hold on me as Killian followed closely.

"That bitch wasn't home," the giant told me angrily. "He was with you!"

"I was alone! You can call the hotel and ask! Stop being an asshole! I left because you were being too much, and I needed a break! I need you to back off, or this can't ever work between us. I can't be with someone who wants to suffocate me!"

"You made plans with him! Then you were gone, and so was he!"

"I told him never mind! Check my texts! I went to that motel alone and worked on my plans for the bar, then tried to sleep! And I couldn't... I had nightmares," I muttered, leaning into him and putting my head on his chest. "I need sleep."

"You snuck out!"

"Because you were being a lot. You're smothering me and scaring me! I'm used to doing everything alone, and... not needing anyone. I don't know how to... not be alone. I like my space. I really need a nap," I sighed, acting sleepy. "Can we just... go up to my room and you stay close so I can sleep for an hour?"

"He hasn't slept either," Killian told me, his tone soothing for the giant's sake. "Why don't you both go have a nap. You can keep her safe and hold her as close as you want," he told the giant.

"Just an hour," I reiterated as he picked me up. "I need to sleep tonight. I can't get off schedule."

He didn't answer, just glared down at me as he carried me up to my room, then dropped me on my bed. Kicking his boots off, he threw himself down next to me and yanked me in tight against his chest.

"Swear you didn't fuck that bitch," he demanded, sounding hurt.

"I stayed up late designing mock-ups for the bar and rendering different layouts and designs. When I tried to sleep, I had nightmares. Alone. I decided I liked the 20's design best... the Great Gatsby themed one with all the art deco designs."

"If he wasn't with you, then where was he?"

"I don't know, probably with another girl. He seems like a player, the type to have a dozen girls on the hook. I don't really care what he was doing. I do care that you're being an asshole and manhandling me so much. I wanted to come home and snuggle and nap, not be thrown around and yelled at."

"You don't leave! You don't leave me here, and you don't lock me out."

"If you want me... if you want me to like you and care for you, you have to give me space. I can't be smothered."

He huffed, then hugged me closer and lay his head down.

"I can't sleep with you choking me out!"

He made a disgruntled noise and loosened his grip slightly, then started stroking my back. After a moment, he spoke up again. "I want to fuck you."

"No thanks. I want to sleep, please."

"I like feeling you get off on me. You could..."

"I haven't slept! All I want is a nap. Please?"

He went quiet again, but stayed tense, his hand still stroking my back. After another moment, he spoke in a whisper. "I want to make love to you. I want to show you I can..."

"If you won't let me sleep, then I need to go get lunch prepped and get things ready for..."

"No! They'll do it! I just want to show you! I can be softer."

"I know you can," I told him softly, reaching up to stroke his face. "It's not about that, alright? Will you please hold me to sleep? Just for a while?"

"I will. Later... I want to go into town. Downtown to the courthouse. Get the papers and file for a marriage license."

Shit.

"We can talk about that later, after you prove you can give me some space when I need it," I mumbled, snuggling into him.

"I can show you that I love you."

"But can you show me that you respect me? Can you listen to what I need and do it?"

"You can listen to what I need, too. I need you."

I sighed, because I knew he did. He needed me, and it was my own fault for not seeing that he wasn't capable of casual.

Instead of answering, I pretended to fall asleep, curled into him, and holding him.

He let me stay like that for over an hour, until there was a knock on the door.

"Duke," Killian whispered, opening the door even though no one answered him. "We need you downstairs."

"Later," he whispered back. "I'm busy."

"We need you now. Wake her up if you can't leave her here to sleep! Dane is here, and he's demanding you and Dax. We don't need him getting riled up."

Duke huffed and got up, being gentle with me but rolling me to my back. "I have to go," he whispered to me, then kissed me softly. "It's past how long you wanted to sleep for anyway."

"She needs to stay up here," Killian told him.

"I have work to do downstairs," I told him with a scowl, starting to get up.

"Stay here until I get back," the giant demanded, getting up and going to the door. They left, shutting the door behind them.

I heard a click and something metal on metal slide into place, and I went cold all over.

Getting up, I hurried to the door and tried it, but it was locked from the outside.

What the HELL?

"Open this door, NOW!" I screamed, kicking it.

"Stay put till I say you can come out, then we're going to the courthouse!" the giant yelled back.

"It's Saturday, it's closed," Killian told him, their voices retreating.

"Stay there till Monday!" the giant called. "I'll be back in a minute!"

I went cold to my toes, feeling sick. He was locking me down until Monday? He wasn't going to ease off or give me a chance to get rid of him easily. None of them were. Who had installed the lock?

Well, I had news for them! The first thing I had done when I moved in was buy a fire ladder since I was on the third floor.

Pulling it out, I opened my window and unfurled it, then rolled it down the back of the building after making sure no one was in the alley.

Climbing down, I went straight to my truck and slipped around the side to ease into the driver's side.

The keys were gone, but my phone and laptop were still right there.

Grabbing my bag and phone, I slipped back out of sight from the front of the bar and hurried down the street and around the corner before quickly texting Brandt.

'I have a problem - me'

'They locked me in my room, but I escaped - me'

'Shit! I can be there in 20! - Brandt'

'Not there, down the street now, and still going. Want to be gone before he knows I'm missing. - me'

'I will be there ASAP. Text me when you get somewhere safe. - Brandt'

'Did he hurt you? - Brandt'

'No, locked me in my apartment. I climbed out with fire ladder. - me'

'He's going to lose his shit when he finds you gone. - Brandt.'

'He said he was taking me Monday for a marriage license. Did not ask. I was going to try and be nice about all of this, but I'm not feeling that anymore. They installed a lock on the outside of my apartment door. They can all burn. - me.'

'Which way are you headed? Can you get to the Dry Cleaners? They're closed right now, but I know the owner, and he'll let you hide there and wait for me. - Brandt'

'I'm headed towards residential, not back into town. - me'

'Go to 1256 N Ash. If you're on 2nd St, you'll run into Ash, turn right, and you'll hit N 12th. Knock and she'll let you in. I'll call her now. - Brandt.'

I looked up and hurried faster now that I had a destination.

'She's expecting you. Georgia. Older lady. Don't listen to her stories. - Brandt'

I didn't answer, hurrying as I watched behind me and listened for a bike.

I made it to the house and hurried to the door, but didn't have to knock. An older woman opened it, smiling down at me as she held the door open.

"Hi! You're my Brandt's friend? He said you would be coming! Come in and sit down! He'll be here soon! Oh, you're adorable!" she chattered, guiding me to an old sofa with a granny square afghan that looked like it was from the 70s.

"Thanks, I appreciate you letting me duck in here. How do you know Brandt?"

"My great nephew! I'm his father's auntie! He didn't tell me your name!"

"Vessa," I told her, feeling relieved at how joyful and sweet she was as she sat near me.

"You're not from here, I would have heard about you!"

"No," I began as my phone rang.

Shit.

I sent Killian to voicemail, and he immediately called back, then texted.

'Now is not the time for games, babe. Get back here and hurry up. Duke is ready to murder someone. Him and his brother took off after you, and you better hope they don't find you before you make your way back here. - Killian'

"Everything alright?" Georgia asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah," I managed as my phone rang again. This time, I answered it. "Brandt? What's wrong?"

"I have Dax on me, Vess. He saw me and turned to follow me. I can't stop just now, I'm going to pretend to be going somewhere else. Stay put, alright? I'll have someone come get you."

"He won't hurt you, will he?!?"

"Nah, babe," he chuckled. "I'll be fine. There's some shit going down, though. I don't know what, I just know some major players are suddenly in town, and I just now found out about it on the way here. Things are going to get a little sticky, but I want you to understand one thing, alright?"

"What's that?"

"I'm serious about you. I've been waiting for you, and I want us to give it a shot. I like you, and no matter what happens, that's not gonna change. Alright?"

I tried to suppress a smile as I turned to the wall. "I guess you're alright," I mumbled.

He chuckled, and I could hear the happiness in it. "Alright, Vess, I'll call you when I can and see you soon. The person I send for you will tell you something personal, and you'll know they're with me, alright?"

"What will they say?"

"You'll know," he promised. "Be thinking about what I'm going to do to you tonight when I get you back home," he teased, then hung up.

I grinned, then turned back to Georgia, who was watching me expectantly.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"I don't know. He said he was being followed and someone else was going to pick me up as soon as they could."

"Oh! Well, come in here, then, and let me make you something to eat!"

"I'm alright, I just..."

"Nonsense! Let me feed you! I rarely get to cook for anyone but myself anymore, and I enjoy doing it!" she told me, sitting me at the kitchen island.

I let it go, sitting and listening to her talk as she cooked.

It was almost two hours before her doorbell rang, and I felt tense as she went to the door and opened it.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"I'm looking for Vessa Cormier," a woman told her.

I peeked around the door, then stared at the woman in the suit, holding up an ATF badge, a man in a suit behind her.

She looked at me and gave me a tight smile. "Miss Cormier? I'm Agent Winslow, and this is my partner, Agent Hartford. Could I speak to you a moment?"

"About what?" I asked fearfully, wondering if I could run out the back and get away.

"Your mother's maiden name is Kadaski, you're allergic to shellfish, and you found that out when you almost died from it after eating gumbo in Louisiana. A man from the kitchen who had an EPIPen with him because he was allergic to bees saved your life. You named the squirrel you tamed after him."

What?

Something personal.

She was with Brandt.

It hit me, then, that Brandt was with her. Her organization.

The questions and pushing for info all made sense now.

So did his comment about liking me no matter what I found out.

Shit.

"Miss Cormier? We would like you to come with us for now. We will keep you safe," the man spoke up, looking back at the street, as if checking for people.

I swallowed hard. "When will I see Brandt?" I asked, feeling lightheaded.

"Agent Lowry will get in touch with you as soon as he can."

I nodded, then let Georgia hug me, her smile still pleased.

The two agents hurried me to the sedan with the tinted windows and put me in the back before getting in the front.

Brandt was a cop? Or, at least, like a cop? A Fed, or whatever they were called.

A memory flashed in my mind of him telling me he left for over a year and then came back.

Was that where he'd gone?

Part of me knew that he'd done it for a reason, and that reason was Henry Cormier and his friends. Walt, Franklin, the others.

How long had he been after him, and what did he know already? What did he have proof of?

Would he tell me?

Did I want to know?

I was already sick, knowing what little I did know.

"We have a safe house ready for you," the man spoke up when he turned.

I watched a bike speed past going the other way, Mikey driving. His head was on a swivel; he was looking for someone. At the next intersection, it was Royse, also looking everywhere. He even tried to see into the car, but kept going like he hadn't seen me.

"Will they kill me if they find me?" I asked, seeing Killian parked a block down the street we passed, talking to someone with their back to me.

"We don't know. We had to go in early, but it turned out to work in our favor. How much do you know?" Agent Winslow asked me.

"I don't know. Brandt told me a few things yesterday, but they never did. Where are we going?" I asked as we pulled onto the highway.

"The safe house is actually an apartment in Chicago. Don't worry, it's very safe. The whole floor can't be accessed by anyone but us, alright?"

I didn't answer, picking up my phone and waking it.

I started to type, then thought better of texting Brandt and maybe outing him somehow. I thought a moment, then started the text over.

'I'm alright. Heading out of town now. - me'

'I hope to see you soon. I'd like to talk. - me'

'Be there when I can, Vess, promise.