I shove him against the side of the house. Arm to his throat. “You saying I can’t protect my woman?”
He grunts and I let him go.
“If she had been outside when this shit today started, you’d be planning a funeral. Don’t be stupid. You think of something here’s my card. Use it.”
He straightens his jacket after handing me his damn business card.
I don’t like the prick, but he has a point as much as I hate to admit it. Until these pieces of shit are dealt with Alexa isn’t safe and neither is our unborn child.
Chapter Seven
“Trouble is always following the two of you.”
I turn to see an old but dear friend. “Lily,” I say her name breathily. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s not every day my brother gets married.” She pulls me into a hug. “What happened?” She nods to the police working the crime scene.
“The usual. Someone wants one of us dead.”
“Any leads on who?”
“If you ask your brother, he’ll play it off or say club business. Hard to know really. We both have enemies.”
“Right. So what’s this I hear about a baby.”
“He told you?”
“Sure did.” She grins. “You’ve got the glow. I have years of practice. I can smell it.” She laughs, highlighting the scars that mark her face. They tell a story though. One of survival.
“I’m almost through my first trimester.”
“I’m damn happy for you. Both of you. You deserve to be loved, Alexa. I’m glad you finally see your worth.”
“Don’t make me cry. I’m already emotional.” Lily knows the history between her brother and me. Everything we’ve been through to get to where we are today. It was a hard road, but the destination is beautiful.
“Look what the cat dragged in. They’ll let anyone out.” James pulls his sister in for a bear hug. His eyes crinkle in the corners as he grins.
“Better shave before the big day.” She tugs on his whiskers.
“Good to see you.”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”
“Nope.”
“Wrong answer. There’s police tape and your front window is gone.”
“I got it handled. Don’t worry.”
“I’m your sister it’s my job. I get paid to worry about you.”
“You don’t need to worry. Wasn’t expectin’ you till Sunday.”
“I know. I was going to see if I could crash here but I don’t think that would be smart. I have some business. Locally.”
“You can stay at my place. Wylla Mae’s old room is still set up.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re always welcome.”
“Now that that is settled. Why don’t you update me on your progress tracking Hazel down?”
“Fuck,” James mutters.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing really. Just We’ll talk later on that, yeah? Holy’s in the field.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me. I can read you better than anyone.”
“Lils...”
“Let me guess. You’ve got it handled, huh?”
“Something like that,” he tells her.
What my man isn’t telling his sister is Holy has laid claim to Hazel, and we both know that she won’t like it. Holy has particular tastes in the bedroom. He’s rumored to be on the dominant side.
Lily held her daughter a total of three minutes before she signed her rights away in hopes of giving her a better life. Things didn’t go the way she planned. I don’t know much about Hazel other than catching bits and pieces of one-sided conversations when James is whispering on the phone and talking with his men.
I try not to eavesdrop but sometimes it can’t be helped.
**
“I’m calling off the party.” James knocks back his beer and scoots his chair back.
“Why?” I grab his plate, dump the scraps, and rinse.
“Not leaving your side till this shit is settled.
“You’re going.”
“Nope. It’s settled. C’mere.” He grabs my hand and tugs me into his lap. “All I need is this. You in my arms.”
“As sweet as that is your men want a party. You need to be there. I’ll come with you.”
A deep rumbling chuckle moves from his stomach, up his throat, and out his mouth. “You’re gonna come to my bachelor party? Watch them women rubbing up on your man and shit?”
“No, I’m gonna come to your party, and I’m gonna mean mug every female who looks your way.”
“That’s cute.”
“I’m not being cute.”
“Yeah. Fuckin’ adorable when you’re jealous.”
I shove off his lap. “I’m not jealous. But seriously go to your thing. I’m going to hang with the girls. Do our nails and shit for the wedding. Jules used to be a hairdresser and has all the tools.” I set to cleaning up after dinner.
“Not leaving you unprotected.”
“I’ll be with Pam and Lily said she wanted to go. She’s excited to see Wylla and Mila.”
“Pam your bodyguard now?”
“No but she’s damn proud of the effort she has put into making this weekend special, and if anyone tries to get in the way of it or ruin it, I think she’d slit their throat.”
“Fair assessment.” He pushes up from the chair and tosses his empty bottle in the trash. “I’ll drop you at Pam’s and Slick can bring you to the clubhouse later. We’ll spend the night there. I’ll give Lily a key and she can have the house to herself. Doubt she’ll want to party with the boys.”
“Aren’t the rooms reserved for our wedding guests arriving tomorrow?”
“Not mine and some have reservations elsewhere or will only be staying for the ceremony.”
“I’ll pack a bag.”
“Yeah, pack a bag, babe.” He grins. “Don’t wait too long to crash my party. I’m an old man in the family way. Can’t be up past my bedtime.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “I don’t know if I can marry such an old man. I need someone with a lot of stamina who can keep up with...,” I pause to lick my lips, “a baby waking up all night.”
“Got your stamina right here.” James grabs his crotch and I shake my head.
“I see my brother still thinks with his other head,” Lily muses, returning from the bathroom.
James clears his throat. “Least I’m honest about it. Here. Key to the house. Lex will be staying with me tonight at the clubhouse. Slick will give you a ride back from Pam’s when you want it. He’s gonna sleep on the couch. With the shit going on want everyone protected.”
Her cheeks redden at the mention of Slick. I know they had a thing after her split from Bronson. “You still haven’t said what that shit is.”
I turn my attention back to the dishes. No way am I getting in the middle of this.
“Club business.”