Page 94 of Lips On My Heart

Chapter Fifteen

Josephine

There are no words to describe the terror I’m feeling. I run out of the trailer and rush to the main house, sick to my stomach about what else might be damaged. I run and examine everything. Maceo runs after me.

“Pixie, stop! What are you doing?” he asks, clearly panicked.

“My fucking job, that’s what. I need to make sure this fucker didn’t damage anything else on the property,” I spit, checking all the windows, doors, and siding. All looks to be intact. Thank fuck for that. I sprint to the garages and do the same. Everything is fine.

I run to the mechanic shop and see the side door is wide open. Of course, the one fucking place on the property which was complete would be the spot this fucker chose to wreak havoc.

Maceo reaches me and stops me from advancing. He doesn’t say anything but gives me a look which I’m quickly learning means to give him the lead. I watch him go inside, cursing up a storm.

“Sonofabitch. I’m going to fucking kill whoever did this!” he roars from inside. I feel queasy, but I go in to assess the damage.

Maceo had every right to scream his head off, but unlike him, I want to weep. Looks like the asshole took a sledgehammer and went to town on the hydraulic lift. It’s bent in impossible ways. All the built in cabinets took a hit too.

Oddly enough, the prick left the painted walls untouched as well as the concrete floors. Small thanks for that. But between the lift and the cabinetry, the budget took a ten thousand dollar hit. I had been dropping the majority of what was left of the budget into the high tech intel room for Chase, and now I have no way of making this up. I’m going to have to come up with the money from somewhere.

Everything is going topsy-turvy. First, was the fiasco with Jacob being kicked off the project and throwing Maceo over the edge. Second, was the panty-snatcher and being forced out of my condo. Third, was the Esteban encounter that freaked the hell out of everyone. Fourth, was the phone call from dad where he showed he and my mom still side with Jacob—I’m still angry as hell about it and frustrated knowing Maceo isn’t going to let me stew over it for long. I love my parents, even after everything, but I will not tolerate them talking negatively about Maceo when they haven’t even met him.

And now this shit with the MC build being vandalized is one too many things on my shoulders. Moisture starts to build in my eyes.

Maceo grabs me and holds me to him as my tears spill over. “It’s okay, baby. We’re going to catch the fucker and I will take care of him,” he says, running his hands over me comfortingly.

“What the hell?” Jared says, walking into the shop. “W-what, why?” he stutters with anger.

“If you think this is bad, don’t go in the trailer,” I mumble.

Jared looks ashen and he sinks to the floor, surveying the damage. “I saw it. Who did this?”

“We don’t know,” I say, choking on a sob.

Jared is suddenly jumping to his feet. “Your men installed the outdoor security cameras after that man approached in the car. The bastard has to be on video!”

Maceo releases me and pulls out his phone. “Chase. Bring up the footage of the build site. Start with Saturday morning around one.” Maceo walks out of the garage to the thunder of motorcycles coming on the property.

Jared comes up to me and pulls me into a hug. I lean into his chest and he lets me go ahead and ruin his flannel button-down with my tears. “It’s okay, Jo. We’re not going to let anything happen to you. Between Maceo’s crew and ours, you’re safe. The Ravens are going to find who did this and they’ll make him pay.”

“This is going to set us back a lot of time and money. Fuck!” I cry.

Punk comes into the shop with Gauge, and spots me falling apart on Jared. Punk’s eyebrows rise up and he gives Gauge a look. He then marches up to Jared and pulls me gently, but firmly, from his arms before swinging me up and cradling me to his chest. Without a word, Punk carries me out of the shop.

I hear Gauge speak to Jared in a low voice. “Don’t let Atlas catch you comforting his woman.”

“Josephine’s my best friend and business partner. Atlas can deal with it,” Jared grumbles.

“I’m Atlas’s best friend and that shit wouldn’t fly if I tried it,” Gauge retorts.

I want to chastise Gauge and apologize to Jared, but I don’t need to. Gauge wasn’t threatening Jared but warning him. With the mood Maceo’s in, having something as blasé as Jared giving me a hug would throw him over the edge.

Maceo is going to have to get over his jealousy of other men especially since my best friend is a man, I work with men, and Maceo’s family is made up of all men. It’s not acceptable, and Jared is right—Maceo will need to learn to ‘deal with it.’ However, today is not a day to test him.

“Jesus, Jo. You need to eat a sandwich or something. Do you even weigh a full Benjamin?” Punk teases. I know he’s trying to lighten my mood, but it can’t be salvaged.

“Send me the feed,” Maceo barks into the phone. He turns to see Punk bringing me to him. His eyes narrow at Punk, but he trusts his brother and he trusts me. The courtesy would not be extended to anyone outside of the club, regardless of how close of a brother Jared is to me.

Maceo gives a chin nod at my computer strapped to my back in its backpack. Punk sets me down and helps me get it out. Maceo takes the computer and pulls up the surveillance video.

---