Twisted Desire (The Twisted Series) (19 page)

Shit!

To take his mind from his own issues, he focuses on
hers.  Why are people following her, and why the hell do they have
guns?  He thinks about it for a long time, rolling all of the
possibilities through his brain.  He still can’t get over how sexy Aliah
looked maneuvering his bike through those city streets.  She was hunched
down like she was on a mission and he’d crowded over her like her protector.

She is so hot.

Aliah would make one dangerously sexy sidekick.  He
doubts Jillian would share the same enthusiasm, but they could make a good team
together.  Not that Aliah would ever do such mediocre work.  She has
a friggin’ law degree.

What the hell was he thinking, calling her lowly?

Sometimes he wonders if he has any access to the other half
of his brain.  Harley shakes his head, trying to refocus on the
facts.  The people following her were male.  There were at least two
of them.  They appeared rather mediocre, being far from stealthy. 
He’d noticed them rather easily the other night, and he was drunk.  Clearly
they weren’t trained very well.  Either that or they were just plain
stupid.

Most likely, they were hired muscle, so to speak.  It
was difficult to call them
muscle
, when one of them looked like a lazy
slab of flab and the other long and lean and gangly.  The two of them reminded
him of the Jack Sprat rhyme.  They make the perfect pair.  But who
would hire such a clan of morons?

Every question he poses has him running back to the same
name.  The very person he’s been avoiding these past few days.  He’s
actually quite surprised that she hasn’t been harassing him for more
information.  He circles the name on the pad of paper sitting on his desk
and pulls out his phone.

His call goes straight to voicemail.  “Ms.
Hawkins.  David H. Gates here.  I have some information for
you.”  He hangs up abruptly.

That ought to get a response.

In a matter of minutes his phone is dinging.  He swipes
his finger across the screen of his cell phone and checks the text message.

Meet
me at the river, across from Riley’s.  I’ll be there in ten. – Brandee
Hawkins

He slips his phone back into his pocket.  He could be
walking into a trap.  But the river is a rather public location, and it’s
not far from the business district.  In all likelihood, she’s going to
come unarmed.  She’s only looking for information.  He’ll give her
some.

Harley rolls up to the river on his motorcycle, passing
Aliah’s car in the parking lot.  He sees that Brandee Hawkins is already
fidgeting by the water, and he wonders if she’s even noticed Aliah’s car parked
nearby.  Brandee looks awfully anxious, and scowls toward him when he stops
his bike at the curb.  He kicks out the stand and leans the heavy bike
against it.

When he approaches his client, his boots sink into the soft
grass with each step.  “Ms. Hawkins,” he greets her.

“Let’s skip the pleasantries and get down to business, shall
we?”

Her ignorance doesn’t surprise him.  “Right.”

“The information.  Do you have it, or what?”

“About that.”  He sighs, preparing himself for a
battle.  “I’ve done the digging.  I’ve talked to the suspect. 
I’ve seen the inside of her office.”

Brandee gives him a pointed glare and makes a sexual
inference.  “I’ve never heard it called that before.”

He smiles, but it turns into a disgusted snarl against his
best efforts to keep his lips curled upwards.  “I mean literally, Ms.
Hawkins.  Please try to keep your mind out of the gutter for the next five
seconds.”

“I didn’t think I was paying you to fuck the girl.”

“About that.”  Harley hands her an envelope full of
cash.

She peeks inside the flap at the money and smiles.  “At
least you got her off of Mitchell’s back for a change.”

He clears his throat to regain her attention.  “As I
was saying.  I’ve done the research.  I have the facts.  I’m
ready to give you the results of my investigation.”

“Please do,” she insists, waving a hand at him.

“She’s innocent.”

“Unbelievable!  She’s clearly worked her wiles on you
too.”

“I’ve found nothing to support your theory that she wants
Cavanagh romantically.  Their relationship appears to be purely platonic.”

“Appears to be?” she screeches, like a maniac.  “I
could have told you what
appears to be
.  What actually is, is
another thing.  You just don’t want to admit that your girlfriend is
fucking my man.  You are one messed up fellow.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.”  Their conversation is
going nowhere fast.

“You’re a sucker, is what you are.”

“That’s enough,” Harley snaps, and it has Brandee blinking
erratically, as if he has struck her with his hand.  “I’m done with
this.  You have your money.  The investigation is closed.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.  You haven’t delivered a shred
of evidence.”  She hands him the wad of cash, but he doesn’t take
it.  “Take it back,” she screeches, like it’s an order.

Harley lifts a hand.  “Keep your money.  And just
leave the girl alone.  She hasn’t done anything wrong here.”

Brandee spins away and stomps toward her car.  “This
investigation is not over,” she shouts, kicking his bike as she passes. 
“If you won’t help me get some answers, then I’ll have to find someone else who
will.”

Harley sees red, at the sight of her foot touching his
chrome muffler.  As she squeals away, he stomps toward his machine with
adrenaline coursing through his veins.  After a quick glance at his bike,
he turns and watches her peel into traffic.  When she’s out of sight, he
instantly notices his daughter emerging from the café next to Riley’s. 
She’s alone.

Ms. Hawkins is lucky.  Harley’s temper is not his most
attractive quality, and she manages to bring it on full force.  He takes two
deep breaths and steps closer to his motorcycle, fully preparing himself to
chase down that chick to break her neck.

After checking for damage, he buffs the exhaust pipe with
his shirt until there’s not a mark to be seen.  Satisfied that he doesn’t
have to murder Brandee Hawkins anymore, he swiftly moves across the parking lot
to cut off his daughter.  It’s not until he’s two cars away that Hannah
notices him.  She freezes in place, but she looks surprisingly
happy.  He hasn’t seen that smile in quite a while.

He’s kind of missed it and it doesn’t last long.  As he
walks closer, the smile falls off her face.

“What are you doing?” he asks.  But his voice sounds
more concerned than overbearing.

The smile returns to his daughter’s face when she dangles
out a single key in front of his eyes.

He doesn’t get it at first until he recognizes the BMW key
fob.  “No,” he says.

“But, dad!”

“How did you get her key?  Haven’t I taught you that
you shouldn’t steal?”

“I didn’t steal it.”  She sounds angered by his insinuation. 
“I was heading over to Karen’s house and Aliah offered me her car.  As if
I could say no to that.”

“She offered you her mint new car to visit a friend?”

“Yes.  I’m not kidding you, dad.  Isn’t she
great?”

“Yeah.  Great.”

“So I can take it?”  She pulls out her trademark pouty
lip.

“What are you going to do with her car when you’re done
there?  Do you even know where Aliah lives?”

“No.  But she said I could just drive it to our house,
as long as I’m home by ten.  It’s a work night,” she informs him, and it
sounds like it’s come straight out of Aliah’s mouth.

He gazes at her, considering his options.

“Please, dad?” she begs.  Hannah appears to be really
happy about this.

“Fine.”  He sighs, giving in to his only
daughter.  “I’ll see you at ten.”

“Yes!”  She wraps her arms around her father’s neck and
dangles from him like an air freshener.  “Love you, dad.  I promise
to get your girlfriend’s car home in one piece.”

He gives his daughter a squeeze.  “Go on.  Be
safe,” he insists, as she lets herself in the flashy yellow car.

As he heads for the main street, he hears his daughter’s
squeal.  He shakes his head as he crosses the road to pay a visit to his
girlfriend
.

Thirty minutes earlier.

The Thorncliffe Café is packed with people and Aliah and
Hannah don’t look the slightest bit out of place.  They could have passed for
a couple of girlfriends.  Aliah grabs them each a coffee and takes a seat
across from her.

“I’m glad you decided to join me.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Hannah blurts, rolling her eyes.

“Can you quit with the attitude?  I get it.  You
don’t like me.”

“I really doubt that you get it, but whatever.”

Aliah manages to keep her cool.  “Trust me when I say
that I get it.  I grew up without a mother too.”

“What did yours die from?”

“Oh, she’s alive and well.  Sometimes I wish she were
dead.  At least then I’d have an good excuse for why she’s not
around.  She never wanted a daughter.  She treats my four brothers
like gold.  I’m an outcast in her eyes.”

“That blows.”

“It really does.”  Aliah feels like her mini-confession
has actually brought them a little bit closer.  “I know what it’s like to
be a teen without a woman in the house.  I just want you to know that I’m
here to answer any questions you might have.  I know you don’t know
me.  I’m sure this feels super weird.  But I want to help you. 
I know there’s things you can’t tell your dad.  I refused to talk about
sex with mine.”

“It’s just too weird,” Hannah admits.

“Right?”

Hannah nods and takes a sip from her mug.

“So, you’re having sex I take it.”

Hannah instantly shies away.

That’s a big fat no.

“Hannah,” she says.  “If you haven’t, that’s not
something to be ashamed of.  If you can believe it, I saved myself for the
longest time.”

“What happened?”

“You first.”

Hannah huffs, but she can’t deny that it’s a fair
trade.  “I’ve been seeing this guy for the past couple of months. 
He’s cool, I guess.  He’s a really good athlete and totally hot.”

“So, what’s the problem?”  Aliah can see that her whole
heart isn’t in it.

“He’s been bugging for sex lately, trying to coax me to do
it with him.”

“But you don’t want to?”

“I don’t know.  Kind of.  I’m really
nervous.  I guess I’m mostly scared of getting pregnant.  I’m not
ready to be a mother.  And I don’t really have anyone to talk to about
it.  My friends have big mouths and I refuse to talk to my dad about it.”

Aliah holds her hands up in surrender.  “I’m with you
there, girlfriend.  I get it.”

Hannah laughs anxiously.  “I don’t know if he’s the
one, you know?  He’s a lot more experienced than me, and I’ve always
pictured losing my virginity to a virgin.  It’s corny, I know.  You
probably think I’m a total loser.”

“Do you love him?” Aliah asks bluntly.

“No.”

“Then don’t it.  I can guarantee you’ll regret it if
you do.  Can I give you my honest advice?”

“Yeah,” Hannah says, with a smile.  She leans over the
table, like Aliah has some magical wand that will give her all the answers
she’s been waiting to hear.

“You can only lose your virginity once.  You’ve saved
yourself this long.  I’m sure you can hang on a little longer. 
You’re young.  I’d bet love is out there for you, just around the corner.”

Hannah smiles.  “You really think so?”

“I do.  And anything that needs rushed isn’t
right.  You should get yourself on birth control first anyways.”

“But I’m not even having sex.”

“It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.  You shouldn’t wait
until you’re having sex to start birth control.  Then it’s too late,
wouldn’t you agree?  If you’re not comfortable asking your father to go
with you, I could take you.”  Aliah rushes to insist that she doesn’t have
to agree.  “I mean, I understand if you don’t want me to.”