Page 44 of The Tempted

Chapter Fifteen

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of pellets of rain beating against the window. I laid there for a moment listening to the tranquil sound before I realized I had no idea where I was. I bolted upright from the bed I was laying on and glanced around the tiny bedroom. The walls were covered in wood paneling giving it an older look, but there was no clutter and the room was kept clean. I threw my legs over the bed, glancing back towards the window taking in the gray sky and how heavy the rain was coming down.

Looking down at myself, I noticed I was in the same clothes from the night before reminding me of the shootout. Then it dawned on me that this was probably the safe house Jack had brought us to or at least I hoped so. I didn’t remember falling asleep much less how I made my way to bed. I ran my hands down my hair, hoping to tame the horrid case of bed head I was sure I had as I made my way to the door following the sounds of the muffled voices.

The door opened with a squeak and the voices grew hushed as I entered what I guessed was the living room of this tiny cabin. It ran straight into the kitchen that was small, to begin with, but with the two broad bikers fighting over the coffee pot, it managed to look incredibly tiny. I looked back towards the couch and Jack lifted his head from the newspaper he was reading.

“Morning sweetness,” he said, nodding towards one of his brothers. “Make the girl a cup of coffee will you.”

My eyes did another quick scan of the small space before nervously meeting Jack’s again. “Where’s Mikey?”

As if on cue, the door next to the one I had emerged from opened and Mikey stepped out holding a towel around his waist with one hand and towel drying his hair with the other. I looked him over my gaze pausing at his chest appreciating the slight sheen of water that made his skin glisten. My eyes slowly found him, and he gave me a crooked smile.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were up,” he said bringing the towel he was using to dry his hair down to rest at his side.

“How would you since you were taking an hour long shower?” snipped the biker— the nice one that handed me a cup of coffee.

“Thank you...,” I said looking down at the patch on his leather cut. “… Bones,” was that his name?

Mikey rolled his eyes before taking a step towards me. “I’m going to throw my clothes on,” I responded with a nod and watched as he studied me for a moment. I didn’t know why he was looking at me as if I was about to have a breakdown did he really think I was that unstable? He murmured something I couldn’t hear and stepped around me to enter the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“You hungry? Bones makes a mean omelet,” Jack offered, folding the newspaper in half and shoving it underneath one of the worn cushions of the sofa.

“Not really,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee, I peered at him over the rim of the mug. “Did you hear from my father?”

“No,” he said standing up and crossing his arms against his chest. “Last I heard his lawyer was working on getting him out.”

“He was arrested?” I asked. It wouldn’t have been the first time my father was arrested and I’m certain that if he makes it through this ordeal it wouldn’t be the last either. Luckily, his lawyer is a shark and keeps him out of jail. Well, most of the time when I was thirteen he had to do eighteen months in prison, but good behavior had him out in a little over a year.

“All I know is that they cuffed him and made him spend the night in lock up my guess is that they are just busting balls looking for info. What are they going to charge him with? Shooting up his own nightclub?” Jack shook his head. “Just hang tight. He’ll be here as soon as he can.”

I ran my fingertip around the rim of the mug I was clutching in my hands lifting my head to look at him. “What about the rest of my family?”

“I don’t have all the details sweetness. I didn’t hear anything about them and if something was wrong, I’m sure I would’ve,” he said and slapped Bones on the back. “Come on,” he looked back at me. “I’m running out to get a pack of smokes,” he winked. “Some girl robbed mine last night. You need anything?”

I shook my head my lips curving slightly as I remembered the stash of Marlboros that were nestled in between my boobs. Jack “Bulldog” Parrish was all right in my book.

I’m good thanks.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I thought so. I’m leaving the prospect. He’ll be right outside in case you guys need anything.” The prospect waved his hand as he held the door for Jack and Bones he was the least intimidating out of the three.

“Tell pretty boy we’ll be right back,” Bones said, chuckling before they walked out the door closing it behind him.

I looked around the cabin suddenly feeling as if I was the leading lady in a bad horror flick and any minute some asshole was going to break down the door wearing a mask, wielding an ax and I’d scream in terror. The door behind me opened causing me to jump slightly seriously I needed to calm down.

Mikey stood in front of me wearing his suit pants and shirt from last night untucked and half buttoned.

“You scared me…,” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Sorry,” he said reaching out he tipped my chin up with his forefinger. “You still shook up?”

“You’re not?” I asked. He looked at me for a moment before he dropped his hand from under my chin using it to comb his fingers through his still damp hair.

“I don’t know what I am,” he admitted honestly.

I understood that while I had always known my father’s lifestyle was ugly, it had never actually touched me before. What happened last night was different than the usual shit we dealt with like visiting daddy in jail or having the feds outside your junior high school graduation. It was more of a nuisance than a physical threat which in the end resulted in me never having been bothered by what my dad actually did.

Until last night.

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