His End Game (MMG #1) (33 page)

I glanced over at a frowning Joss. “She does have a point.”

“Yes, but she wants to download a bunch of Country music. I
hate
Country music.”

This was coming from someone whose favorite love song was from the movie Titanic. “I say let her. It beats hearing Dillon’s crap over and over again.”

She huffed at Polly. “Fine, you win but you better make it good.”

Polly gave us a victorious smile, clapped her hands in glee and flipped Joss the finger.

Rolling her eyes, Jos said “Bring me your iPods and I’ll load your playlists while you prep your tables.”

The bar opened on a high note with a live version of U2’s
Bad
and sailed into an even higher one with Alicia Key’s
Girl on Fire
.

I was mixing a batch of margaritas while dancing to a song about pontoons when something caught my eye. I glanced up to see what it was and almost dropped the pitcher. Coming through the door was Gage from last weekend. Better yet, he was followed by five incredibly hot men. The amount of beauty that was heading my way was life-affirming.

I was pulled out of my stupor when they landed on the stools in front of me and Gage said, “Ellie from the other night. You okay after all that shit that went down?”

It took me a minute to get up to speed. “That shit?” I asked. With all the shit in my life at the moment, I was not sure which particular shit he was referring to.

Dillon rudely butted in. “What can I get you boys?”

“Ellie’s got it,” Gage said, ignoring the scowl on Dillon’s face. “The shit that went down with you,” he nodded toward Dillon, “him and that other guy.”

Not wanting to share I simply answered, “It’s all good.”

He arched a brow in disbelief. “You sure?”

“Yep, I’m sure. Uh…did you…uh… happen to be outside with everyone else that night?” I hoped that he hadn’t seen me puking in the bushes. How embarrassing!

“Nope, just heard about it. Listen, I’ll give you my cell number before we leave tonight. Call if you need anything.”

Not wanting to offend I said, “Okay.” Then, remembering where I was and what I was supposed to be doing, I asked, “What can I get you boys to drink?”

I set down their beers as Joss and Kurt appeared. Beyonce was singing her song about putting a ring on it and, as Lena and
Polly were both wildly shaking their goods, I wasn’t positive whose song it was.

Joss shot me a knowing smile when she saw the guys sitting in front of me. “I see you’ve made some new friends.”

I nodded my head toward gage and said, “Joss, this is
Gage
and…. sorry boys but I don’t know your names.”

“Sorry, Ellie,” Gage said, and made introductions down the line. “This is Sledge, Ax, Zippo, Rider and Buck.”

Joss shot me a got-it look and laughed. “There have to be stories behind those names. Care to share?”

The one named Zippo started. “Sledge likes to beat shit, including himself.”

Sledge scowled at him. “Fuck you, man. At least I didn’t get my name from collecting stupid trinkets.”

“Zippo collects Zippo lighters,” Gage clarified. “He has like…how many now Zip?”

“Over five thousand,” mumbled Zippo.

“Five thousand?” I asked. He nodded shyly.

Wow. That’s a lot of lighters
.

“Do you have a story behind your name, Gage?” Joss asked.

“Gage got his name because of the way that he looks at things,” Rider explained. “He can’t just be normal like the rest of us. He has to analyze everything…gauge it.”

These guys were interesting, entertaining and good looking. I looked up from the bar and Gage was staring at me. “What’s your real name?” I asked him.

“No one knows,” Sledge mumbled.

Joss and I found this highly amusing.

“Shania, do you think we’re funny?” Gage teased.

“Shania?” I laughed. “Who’s Shania?”

Zippo snapped his fingers. “That’s who she looks like, a blonde Shania Twain! I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of who she reminded me of. Thanks man. I mean, I’m not
really a fan of country music but if Shania Twain is singing, then you can definitely count me in. That girl is gorgeous.

Awww, how sweet
.

“Thanks, I think?”

Note to self – Google Shania Twain after tonight’s shift
.

“Ax is really Alex,” Buck said, continuing the conversation. “When we were in high-school, he got in a fight and had to have his mouth wired shut. When he said his name, all he could get out was Ax and it stuck. He’s been Ax ever since.”

“How did you get a name like Buck?” Joss asked.

“He’s a wild ride in bed, likes to try and
buck
‘em off,” laughed Zippo. He was apparently the joker of the group.

“My parents,” Buck glared at Zippo. “Why? You don’t like it?” he challenged.

“Easy Killer,” Joss laughed, “I was just asking.”

“Rider here hated his name so he changed it sometime before he met up with us,” Ax added.

Joss smirked. “What is your real name? George?”

“Melvin,” he mumbled.

“Well, with a name like Melvin, I would have done the same,” she agreed.

I slapped my hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe you just said that.” Then, changing the subject before she got her butt kicked by some huge biker-looking dude named Melvin, I asked, “Are you all members of a motorcycle club or something?”

They found this amusing. After the laughter calmed down, Gage answered, “Naw, we’re just visiting from Texas and like to ride and rally when we’re not working.”

Joss elbowed me as if I wasn’t standing right there listening. “So, you guys are visiting from Texas? Well, we have a friend who is on her way here from Texas right now. You would like her. She apparently has a thing for motorcycles.”

“Yeah? This friend have a name?” Gage asked.

“Piper O’Connell. Do you know her?”

Ax’s eyes bugged. “Gage, isn’t that….?”

I watched Gage’s not so subtle hand motion that told Ax to shut it.

I narrowed my eyes at Gage. “
Do
you know Piper?”

Conveniently, Rider interrupted before he could answer. “We’re heading tomorrow to a rally in Myrtle Beach. You ladies want to come?”

“Can’t, sorry.” I replied.

“Sorry boys,” Joss said, holding up her finger to display her engagement ring. “My fiancé might get upset if I take off on the back of some guy’s motorcycle.”

Buck grinned, “We won’t tell, promise.”

I was about to ask where in Texas they were from when I heard someone shout my name.

“Dillon’s summoning you. Go see what it is. I’ll cover for you here,” Joss said.

“Thanks,” I muttered under my breath. Then, smiling at Gage and his friends, I said, “Be right back boys. Don’t get into any trouble while I’m away.”

Zippo shouted, “Sure thing Shania!”

I made my way down the bar to Dillon. “Whatcha need?”

He glared over my shoulder at Gage’s group. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Kurt, Ellie and I are taking a break for a minute,” Dillon yelled at Kurt who had just entered the bar area. “You and Joss good without us for a few?”

Kurt beckoned me with his finger. “El, can I have a minute?”

I started toward him but was cut short when Dillon pulled me back. As soon as he did this, Kurt’s face tensed and Gage stood up.

“It’s fine,” I told them. “I need to talk to him anyway.”

Dillon grabbed my hand and pulled me to the break room. When we got there, he yanked me in, locked the door and immediately started in. “If some girl walked out of my life and five years later came waltzing back in, I sure as hell would have some serious reservations about her. From where I am standing, it looks like you didn’t even blink before jumping back in the saddle. I gotta say Ellie, I don’t get it.”

I didn’t know what to say. He was right in some respects. I wanted to tell him what I was feeling but didn’t want to hurt him.

He moved closer. “You were into me Ellie Belly. I felt it.” His thumb brushed across my cheek.

I stepped back. “You’re right,” I nodded, swallowing hard. I was so not good at this. However, I knew it was time to deal with Dillon once and for all. Delicately choosing my words I said, “After Max disappeared my life was complete hell. I couldn’t eat or sleep, much less date. I’m not saying that I didn’t try because I did. I just felt….nothing, really. Then I met you and for the first time in five years, I found someone who I wanted to take a chance with. You kept throwing up red flags, though. Dana is a bitter pill for anyone to swallow, but especially for someone with commitment issues, like me.”

“You don’t have commitment issues, sugar…abandonment issues maybe, but definitely not commitment issues. And, for the record, just because Max is back doesn’t mean that you have to be with him.”

“Look, I’m not trying to hurt you, Dillon. You are truly an awesome guy. That’s why the thing with Dana didn’t make me run from square one. I need you to understand that I have to see this thing through with Max and, even if you don’t see it, you have stuff to deal with, too. We can be friends and work here together. I don’t want to lose all of this. But, after five years, I owe it to myself to see where this... whatever….with Max goes.
I am sorry. In a million years, I never expected any of this to happen.”

He studied me for a minute as if trying to find some loophole in my argument. “Let me explain about Dana.”

“You do not have to explain Dana to me. The girl is not stable. I worry about what she is capable of doing to you or any girl that you might end up with in the future.”

He sighed as if the weight of the world was sitting on his shoulders. “I’ve been trying to shake her off for a while now, but until you I wasn’t really serious about it. And, as far as who I end up with, well….I really hoped that was going to be you.” He held up his hand. “Before you spout some bullshit about Max and years and chances, I need you to know that
you
are everything that
I
have ever wanted. You’re funny, sweet, cool as shit and so unbelievably gorgeous.”

Why am I feeling guilty? He’s the one that had the girlfriend the whole time he was hitting on me, yet here I stand feeling like crap
.

I groaned in frustration and he pulled me into his arms. “I don’t want to make this easy for you Ellie. In fact, if you are going for Max, I want to make it as hard as possible. Max is not good enough and he sure as hell doesn’t deserve someone as special as you.” Hugging me tight, he kissed my forehead.

Feeling uncomfortable and a little unsure, I pulled back. “Look, maybe you’re right and maybe you’re wrong, but I have waited
five years
for this, Dillon. The love of my life disappeared and not one day has gone by that I haven’t wondered where he was, how he was doing or whether he was even alive. Not… One…Day. I owe it to myself to follow this to the end. I have to get closure one way or another or all of this will have been for nothing and I simply cannot live with that. Do you understand? I need to make you understand. I want your friendship because you mean something to me.”

He released me and stepped back. “Just not enough to drop him and take a chance on me.”

“This is not just about you and me. This is about me and my past. This is so much bigger than the two of us. I saw you in the bar and then again outside with Dana and I realized that you two have history together. We,” I motioned between the two of us, “were only at the beginning, where we didn’t even know each other. Max and I were…” I threw up my hands. “There really are no words for what we were, Dillon. I can’t even begin to explain it to you. I wish I could, but I can’t. All I can say is that it was so much more than history between us.” I was getting worked up trying to find the words to explain my feelings.

He pulled me back into his arms. “Shhh, say no more. I get it but I don’t like it. I will, however, say this,” he tilted my chin with his finger, “and I want you to hear me loud and clear. If he fucks up and, I won’t lie, I hope he does. I will be here. Do you get me?” Before I could answer, he kissed me. It was gentle and sweet and made me feel….sad. If I wasn’t sure before, I knew now that I had made the right decision and, by the look on his face, he finally understood that he had no chance. “Let’s get back out there.” He turned and started toward the door. I followed behind and felt relieved. When he got to the door, he turned back to me. “Are you sure that this is what you want?”

I gave his hand a squeeze and nodded, “I’m sure.”

Turning back around, he opened the door and stopped short. “Figures,” he muttered.

I stepped up beside him and tried not to wince. There, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, stood a very angry looking Max.

Triple Crap!

He glared at Dillon. “You two done here?”

“What are you doing here?” I whispered, my eyes widening in surprise.

He blasted us with a cold stare. “I
asked
if you two were done….
here
?”

Frowning, Dillon snapped, “For now.”

Max shot off the wall. “What the hell?”

“Guys, stop,” I said, and pushed them apart.

In a chilling tone that I had never heard him use before, Dillon said, “I cannot wait until you fuck this all up. When you do, which you will, I will be here and nothing on this earth will ever make me leave her.”

Max growled at him, turned to me and held out his hand. “Get your purse, babe, we’re out of here.”

“But I’m not done with my shift yet.”

“You are now.” And, before I could give him my hand, he reached out and snagged it. He walked me over to the bar and silently watched me retrieve my purse and say goodbye to everyone. Then lacing his fingers back through mine, he led me out to my car.

“Meet you at your place?” he asked, as he opened my car door for me.

“That depends, are you going to yell at me?”

He scowled. “Why would I do that?”

“Uh…because you look really mad at me, right now,” I dryly replied.

“Ellison, why would I yell at you for cutting him loose?”

“I don’t know. You just seemed really angry back there, Max.”

“Was I happy that my girl was alone in a room with some guy that had less than good intentions? Hell no. Was I happy that my girl was having to do something that made her sad? Again, hell no. Now, do you want me to meet you at your place?”