Reed (Allen Securities) (17 page)

Olivia went to the bathroom door and knocked lightly.

“If you’ve got any effervescent antacid, I’ll get some ready for you.”

It was a few long seconds before she replied.

“Kitchen. On fridge.”

Waiting a few seconds more, Olivia guessed the worst of it was over. Meg didn’t seem to be getting sick anymore and that was a sign it was time for some aspirin.

Rummaging around, she found some stomach relief for Meg and tea packets for herself. She would have preferred coffee, but it would just be cruel to brew a pot with Meg like that.

Just as she sat at the table, Meg came in, hair all over the place, makeup smudged across her eyes, and about as white as a sheet.

“Oh, hun,” Olivia stood and steered her to a seat at the table. “Drink this and then off to bed with you.”

Meg shook her head. “I need to head to the office and then Mom’s for dinner.”

“Nope,” Olivia said firmly. “Off to bed. I’ll deal with the rest.”

Meg smiled weakly as she tried to swallow down the drink.

“He really is an idiot you know.”

“He knows.” Olivia smiled. “Now off to bed.”

She took the cup from Meg’s hand and ushered her into bed. Once there, Olivia sat on the side for a moment.

“I don’t know what happened…” Meg said, not really sure where she was going.

“I’m the kid sister. He has feelings for me, but I’m too young. I’m too naive.” She sighed loudly. “I just don’t know where I’m supposed to go with this.”

Olivia thought for a moment. “Maybe getting away from him will help.”

“I don’t know how I’ll do that. Working with him puts a cramp on things.”

“Well, let’s think on it.” Olivia got up and shut off the light. “Sleep well.”

Shea went into the living room and threw herself on the couch next to the snoozing Harley. She chuckled thinking he had also had a long night.

She stroked the fur on his head and stared out the window. The problem with Reed was that he thought he was protecting her from his life. She laughed, and it sounded hollow. He didn’t even know what it was like to live in that world. Being only partially in didn’t count for much.

She pulled out her phone and stared at the names she had listed. There was always Charlie, her mom’s new husband, but Charlie and her mom were the last people she wanted to call. She really didn’t have anyone to contact.

Her eyes kept going back to Jess’s name. She could always bypass them all and make a deal with Finn. She hit send.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest as it rang.

“Hey, Jess. I have a favor to ask,” she said into the phone. “Yes, I know what time it is. Listen. I need Finn Kelly’s number.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Jess said. “I don’t really think you know who you are dealing with. It’s different with me. I’m just working this club, but it’s not the same thing with you at all. You can just mess around with the Kellys.”

Olivia rolled her eyes as her friend ranted.

“You know you’re the one who introduced us.” She sighed. “Don’t be a bitch. Just give me the number, so you can go back to bed.”

Jess sighed. “Fine.” She rattled off the numbers.

Olivia quickly scribbled the numbers down.

“Thanks,” she said and clicked off the phone.

Before she lost her nerve, she dialed the number.

“Mr. Kelly, please,” she said to the woman on the phone

.

***

Sweat dripped from every part of Reed. Today’s workout hadn’t been hard. It had been brutal. Sunday wasn’t always a big work out day for him, but he was finding he needed an outlet for some of the pent-up energy.

He had walked in mid-day expecting to find Meg at her desk but instead found Liam, Kace and Ryder taking a few rounds in the ring. It had been some time since he had put on gloves, but he found it really helped. If he couldn’t work his energy out on Olivia, then beating the shit out of someone would work.

Glancing over at Liam, he grinned at the fat lip he’d managed to land. It was petty, but that was for his sister. Not that Liam wasn’t a good man. Actually, there wasn’t a person in the family that wouldn’t be thrilled to have him a legitimate part of the family, but Olivia was right, that was between Meg and Liam. If Reed happened to pop him in the ring from time to time, well that worked.

On the other side of him, Ryder sat, very solemn. He had been a little surprised at his attitude at the club. After dropping his gloves on the ground, he turned to Ryder.

“We good?” Reed asked.

Ryder was a difficult man to read. Most had found asking outright was the best option.

“I like her,” he said, his voice low.

“Olivia?” he choked out. This was a problem.

“No, her friend.” He turned and stared at Reed like he’d lost his mind. “I mean, Liv is great, and you’re an ass, but she’ll set you right.”

“You think so?” Reed leaned back to think about it. Maybe she would. “So you like Jess? She’s a firecracker.”

Kace stopped in front of the bench. “The one that runs that criminal’s club?”

“Irene,” he rumbled.

Reed’s eyebrows nearly shot through the roof. This was big.

“I scare the hell out of her,” Ryder said.

“Well,” Kace said, shrugging off the sweat soaked shirt. “Try not to be so damn scary.”

Ryder shot him the bird.

“Don’t listen to him,” Reed said. “She owns a bakery. Go there and have a coffee and pastry.”

“I hate sweet shit,” he mumbled.

“Well fake it,” Reed laughed.

Ryder stared at him surprised and then let out a laugh.

“Well I’m not so sure I should be taking advice about a woman from you,” Ryder said. He laughed even harder when Reed flipped him off.

The sound of Reed’s phone echoed through the great room. He jogged over to answer. A unknown number flashed on the screen.

“Hello?”

“You want to tell me why your woman was trying to negotiate a new deal?” Reed nearly fell over at Finn’s words.

“She what?” he barked.

“I’ve talked her down, but you’re creating a situation with all this,” Finn said firmly.

“And how is that?”

Finn sighed into the phone. “She’s open. She might decide to just take off with her brother. Are you ready to let her go? Not to mention, it would fuck up the whole plan.”

Reed took in deep breaths. He wasn’t ready for that.

“Besides,” Finn said. “I’m sick of seeing you two eye-fucking each other. Keep the fucking to the bedroom, so we can concentrate on this shit. The Russians are serious, and my protection only goes so far. If you want to keep her safe, you better keep her as close to you as you can.”

Reed felt his legs go weak at the thought of her being harmed. He gripped the bench in front of him and sank down.

“Get you shit together and be ready by tonight. When Ben docks, we need to be ready to go, or we need to be ready to fight.”

The click of the phone echoed in his ear. He was putting her in danger by not being with her. Everything in him screamed that couldn’t be true but not to look a gift horse in the mouth and run with it. If everyone around him said it was right, it must be, and he wanted it to be. Life without her was miserable, and he’d spent too much time being miserable.

***

Olivia hit the gas on Meg’s truck, loving the feel of the power as she surged forward. She’d called about her little four door, but they were still waiting on a part. She would have been more irritated, but with everything that had happened in the past week, it was just one thing she didn’t have to worry about dealing with.

When Meg had come out and tossed Olivia the keys to the truck, she’d been grateful. It was just one less thing she had to rely on Reed for. It had also given her the chance to go pick up a new outfit. After her unproductive call with Finn, she thought she was due. Not only was he all male macho bullshit but had the nerve to ask if Reed knew she was calling. Like she had to run it by him.

Olivia took in a deep breath to steady her emotions. Instead, she focused on the new outfit. The black pleated skirt came to just above her knee and offered just the right amount of twirl when she swished her hips. She had looked at several shirts but eventually settled on a tight-fitting sleeveless one. The look was sexy but still worked for a family function.

Her stomach flipped as she thought about what the afternoon would be like. She’d never had been to a function like this. A family function for her was one where she was in the same room with her mother and brother. The extended family had made it more than a little clear that she and Ben weren’t a part of their family.

She wondered what life would have been like for them if they had been taken in by one of her relatives. She shook her head. No sense in thinking about it since it wasn’t going to change anything.

Olivia looked at the directions on her phone again and knew the moment she saw the house. Cars lined the sidewalk on either side of the street.

The house was exactly what she had always pictured as a hopeful child. White picket fence with rosebushes and trellis outside the door. The large picture window showed the happy family, and she froze in her tracks. Maybe she couldn’t do this. She had no idea what a family dinner meant, and maybe it was too late to learn.

She jumped when Marilyn opened the front door wide. The swallowed hard. There was no running now.

“Oh, Olivia, I’m glad to see you. Is Meg not coming?” Marilyn glanced at the truck parked on the street.

“She’s not feeling so well, so I drove myself,” she said, following the older women into the warm home.

“Six shots of vodka will do that to you,” Cage said.

Marilyn whirled to face him.

“As if you boys didn’t have your moments.” She crossed her arms over her ample chest.

Cage ducked his head and turned back to the game on the television.

“James, come meet Olivia,” Marilyn said sweetly.

When he stood, she could immediately see the resemblance between him and all the children.

James whistled low.

“Which one of my boys is lucky enough to get you?” She looked to Marilyn who was rolling her eyes.

Olivia floundered with what to say.

Surprisingly, Ryder was the first to say something. “Don’t mess with her too much, Dad. You know how Reed is about what’s his.”

Olivia could have fainted when Ryder gave her a lopsided smile.

“Reed,” the older man barked. Looking her up and down, he seemed to be assessing her very character. Olivia squirmed under his stare.

James smiled widely at her. “I can see it.”

“What do you see?” Marilyn asked.

“She’s not going to take his shit,” James said plainly to his wife. Several of the men stifled laugher. Olivia had to cover her mouth with her hand.

“Well that’s good.” Marilyn turned to Olivia. “You’ve got to be firm with these men around here, or they’ll run you right over.”

She looked back to James and saw the same devilish twinkle in his eye she’d seen on several of his children.

“Or maybe I just let you think you have the upper hand.” James grabbed his wife by the waist and spun her in front of him. Marilyn giggled like a young girl.

“Ugh,” Cage groaned. “There they go again.”

Olivia had to admit this wasn’t what she thought most family gatherings were like, but it was nice they loved each other after so many years. Olivia looked around at the number of people who all looked very similar. Apparently, they had always had a good relationship if the number of children indicated anything.

Blushing like a new bride, Marilyn linked arms with her and waved off her husband.

“The girls and I are back in the kitchen.” She patted Olivia’s arm.

“Oh I’d love to help,” Olivia piped up. It wasn’t often she got to cook, but she loved it.

Marilyn smiled at her warmly. “Yes, you’ll fit in just fine.”

Two women sat at the table. One about to give birth any day was rolling dough into biscuits, her blonde hair falling out of a pony tail. The other woman was more than well-manicured. She was nearly movie perfect. Her black hair was curled in a 1940s fashion, framing her porcelain like face perfectly. A girl of about seven helped her mother place the biscuits on the pan.

Two very small children toddled on the floor near the bombshell, their jet black hair a dead giveaway of their parentage.

“This is Heather,” she said, pointing to the blonde. “She’s married to Jett. That is her daughter Candice.”

Candice and Heather looked up with wary eyes. Olivia was a little off-put.

“And this is Sarah Davis, Mason’s wife, and their twins, Tommy and Lucy.” The woman glanced up from the magazine she was looking at.

“Oh I don’t think I’ve met Mason,” Olivia said quietly.

Sarah looked up at her with disinterest. “He’s one of the cousins. We have to come over here because his parents died.”

Stunned by the frankness, Olivia turned to look at the other woman. It was clear this woman was not liked and with just reason.

Olivia jumped when little fingers touched her shoes. Little Lucy looked at her from the floor and then back at her feet.

“Princess shoes,” she cried.

Olivia couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up.

“They are like princess shoes.” She slipped them off. “Maybe a real princess should try them on.”

The little girl clapped and stood carefully. Grabbing on to the table, she stepped gingerly into the shoes. Holding the table, she made her way to her mother.

“Look.” She grinned at her mother and tugged on her dress.

The scene warmed Olivia.

“Lucy,” Sarah looked up from the magazine. “What did mommy say about touching her dress?”

“Bad girl,” she said and quickly moved her hands back to the table.

Horrified, Olivia moved her hands behind her to keep from reaching out and ripping the hair off her perfect head.

“Lucy, do you want to see something really neat?” Olivia asked standing next to the tray of biscuits.

“Me too!” Tommy charged ahead, unhindered by high heels.

“All right but first we need to wash hands.” She lifted the boy up with ease and propped him on her knee as they washed hands. Once he was clean and dry she pulled up Lucy, leaving the shoes on the floor.