Concealed Affliction (15 page)

Cabe moves to get out of the booth.

“Black suburban, brother. Parked out front.”

That’s all the answer Denny needs before shuffling us out of the booth.

“Try to keep your head out of the toilet fella’s,” I say with a small wave over my shoulder.

I get a few waves back and make my way toward the exit. Tonight was good, and in all honesty I could’ve drunk more. But I’m thinking it’s better to leave it where it is and get home. That was technically my first night out drinking, socially, with someone who’s an almost friend.

Denny opens the back door and I get in. He closes it for me and climbs into the front seat with Cabe, all of us buckling up before hitting the road.

“I can bring you back to get your truck tomorrow morning if you want, Elle.”

I pull my eyes away from the gadgets adorning the dash of the suburban and look at Denny.

“Thanks, just shoot me a text. If I’m not awake yet I’ll just get a taxi to bring me back in.”

I move my eyes back to the dash and all its buttons, which aren’t standard in most vehicles.

“Do you have all this fancy gadgetry in your suburban too, Denny?”

He turns his head to look at me in the back seat.

“Nah, just Cabe and Finn. He’s the tech guru of the group, and Finn helps when he’s not buried in whiskey and women.”

I gathered that, noting immediately that Finn and Hunter seemed like the younger, wilder of the bunch tonight. Cabe and Denny seem to be about Ryder’s age, in their late thirties. The other two? I’m guessing late twenties.

I roll all this over in my mind and lean forward between the two front seats to speak, mostly addressing Cabe.

“None of you asked who I was tonight, or looked surprised to meet me. Seeing as Denny didn’t have a lot of time to talk about me before I got back from the washroom, that tells me you must have been the tech man who not only located my SUV in Indianapolis, but also continued to send my location to Ryder?”

Cabe visibly stiffens and curls his hands around the steering wheel. I understand what position I just put him in; Ryder is his boss. His loyalty is to him, not me.

I didn’t mean to ask him to be rude; perhaps the beer has made me a little more brazen. But I’d like to think I’d ask him regardless. I like to know who has their nose in my business and how much they know about me.

Cabe makes eye contact with me in the rear view mirror, and I dare him with my own to lie about it. He remains silent.

“Your lack of response is all the answer I need.”

I sit back in my seat and look out the window.

“Ms. Davidson I-”

“Don’t Cabe. And don’t ‘Ms. Davidson’ me please. It’s Elle, and you were following orders from your boss. Not your fault, and also not your problem. Forget I asked.”

Cabe solemnly nods his head.

“The GPS notifications were deactivated, Elle.”

“I know, he told me.”

The rest of the drive is silent. I could feel guilty for ruining the moment but I don’t, mostly because I rarely feel much of anything at all. Before long, we pull onto my lane. I don’t bother asking how he knew where I lived, seeing as I already know the answer. I look to the west and notice Ryder’s truck in his driveway. The lights are still on in his house. I look at the clock on the dash and see it’s almost one in the morning.

Not forgetting my manners, I thank Cabe for the ride and unbuckle my seatbelt when he puts the suburban in park.

“Anytime, Elle.”

Denny opens his door and hops out of the truck.

“I’ll walk you to your door, darlin’.”

I give a small wave over my shoulder at Cabe, and make my way toward the front steps of my house. I do a quick sweep of the perimeter and ascend the steps to my porch. I’m not two steps up before I notice the shadow of a man sitting on my deck.

“Jesus!”

I put my hand to my chest and feel Denny rush past me, taking the four steps two at a time until he comes face to face with Ryder. He throws his hands in the air and angrily runs them through his hair.

“What the fuck boss, you scared the woman half to death.”

I take in two deep breaths and quickly realize that in my panic I’d reached in my purse for my gun. It’s not pointed at anyone, but is mostly pulled out of my purse and in my hand. I know they both saw it, but I really don’t give a shit right now. I shake off the fear, that stiffness that enters your body when you’re scared to shit that someone was about to kill you.

“Ryder, I told you once, and I shouldn’t have to tell you again. Unless you want a goddamn bullet in your body, don’t fucking surprise me like that!”

I hear Norma barking and don’t waste another minute before climbing the rest of the steps, crossing the small front porch and storming into my house.

I left most of the lights on; a habit to make people think someone was still home. The stereo is still on, playing some old rock music. I give Norm a quick scratch and head toward the fridge in the kitchen.

I grab a bottle of vino and rocks glass, because I’m classy like that. I hear Ryder yelling at Denny though the front screen door, not that the old main door would’ve blocked the noise. He’s arguing with him about priorities, and women, and a small speech about ‘his woman’. I just had my first what most would consider a ‘normal’ night out. I didn’t have a panic attack, I didn’t freak the fuck out, and most importantly it’s Denny who I have to thank for that.

I don’t walk toward the door, I don’t yell. But I speak firm and loud enough they can both hear me. 

“Ryder, is he on the job right now?”

Angry eyes stare back at mine through the screen.

“No, he’s not.”

I top up my rocks glass with wine at the island, not taking my eyes from his.

“Then what that man does or who he has drinks with is not your business right now. So instead of scolding him, thank him, and Cabe too, for making sure I got home safely.”

I grab my wine off the bar, and head out the back door to my lounge. My girl comes with me, happy that I’m home and eager for some attention.

* * *

I’ve settled in and enjoyed the silence for about ten minutes now. I’m lighting up a smoke when three male bodies come out my back door.

“Elle, we need to talk.”

Not the words any woman wants to hear. I take in the abundance of testosterone invading my space. They’re all like Rambo in street clothes (minus the bandana). On another day I might have a fantasy about this but right now I can sense the mood is going to become even more serious than it was when I almost shot my neighbor.

“If you want to argue Ryder, go home. If you want to talk, then just speak. I’m tired and was planning on heading straight to bed when I got home. Not nearly killing someone.”

Ryder shows his telltale sign he’s frustrated and scrubs his hands over his face before sitting down at the foot of the lounge. Cabe moves to lean against the railing and Denny moves toward the table on the other side of the deck.

“It might not be a good talk, Elle.”

I look up from my drink at Ryder’s solemn eyes.

“Then you better grab the rest of my wine, and if they’re staying for this conversation then get the boys a beer.”

Ryder reaches out and squeezes my leg gently before heading into the house, coming out seconds later with refreshments. He sits back down and reaches for my pack of smokes, lighting one up before he starts to speak.

“They both know, Elle.”

I contemplate his words for a moment. Not sure exactly what it is he is talking about.

“They both know we spent some time together? They both know we fucked? What exactly do they know Ryder?”

He takes a long pull of his beer. I notice he brought two out for himself.

“No beautiful, they
know.
Not everything, but some shit. I needed help when you took off, these two were my help.”

I look up at Ryder’s face and realize he’s not joking. He told my life to some guys, who may be good guys, but none the less guys I don’t know. I’m sure he can tell I’m prepared to lose my shit because he quickly tries to calm my raging thoughts.

“Hear me out babe. I was fucking lost for clues when you left. I couldn’t find you on my own, which is not something I’m proud of considering what I do for a living. The bottom line is I needed help, Elle. These are my men and they helped me find you.”

I glance over at Denny and Cabe, and notice they both look uncomfortable. I’m not concerned about Cabe, I want to know how much Denny knows. We’ve only worked out together a few times, but for him to know anything about me and not let me know, for him to continue on like we were strangers would piss me the fuck off. I need to know so I waste no time in asking.

“How much Denny? How much did he tell you about me? How much did you know?”

Denny straightens up from leaning against the table and looks to Ryder.

“Ryder, don’t do that man.”

He shakes his head slightly at him before looking at me.

“All I know darlin’ is that Ryder was trying to find a woman named ‘Elle Davidson’. I couldn’t find shit; tech crap is not my gig. So when Cabe returned from a job, Ryder got him to tap your bank records and locate your truck. When Brock called me, I put two and two together after he mentioned Callaghan. Long story short I said I’d train with you and pick up where Brock left off. Aside from that I was only given the information that you might be in trouble, and to look out for you. I don’t know shit about you Elle, and I haven’t asked. That’s your business darlin’, and not anyone else’s unless you choose to share it with them.”

His last comment is directed toward Cabe and Ryder. Cabe visibly flinches and Ryder picks up where Denny left off.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not Elle. I told you I’d help you, and in order for me to do that I needed help. Cabe is my best tech guy, and Denny is good muscle. I knew you were training with him, I just didn’t expect you to show up at home so late with the two of them.”

I take a long hard look at the men around me. I hate secrets. I have a lot of them, but they are mine to share. I didn’t like when Ryder spoke for me at Brock’s gym, and I don’t like that he kept from me exactly how much he knew and who he chose to share it with.

“Enlighten me Ryder, how much have you shared with Cabe? And how much has he figured out on his own? Because if he’s avidly typing my goddamn name into a search engine, you could be putting my life at more risk than it already was to begin with. Do you realize that?”

I move to stand, but a firm hand to my thigh stops me.

“Dammit, Elle! I’m not a fucking idiot. You remember me telling you I do this kind of shit for a living? Cabe covers his tracks.”

I swat his hand away from my leg, and look to Cabe.

“How much do you know?”

Cabe sets his beer on the railing, crossing his arms.

“I told Ryder what he needed to know to find you, but I didn’t tell him everything I found.”

He looks to Ryder, apologizing with his eyes. I make a motion for him to carry on, thinking he can’t know any more than what I’ve told Ryder.

“Elle Davidson, thirty years old. Spent time waitressing. Never went to College. Never did anything. But you drive a BMW. You live in a nice cottage and you have enough money to pay for most things in cash. You have no living relatives.”