“Yeah, I’ll fill her in on everything else.” Leaving us alone, Nix takes the plate of steaks too, and follows his wife outside to grill.
“Fill me in? Do you have a secret code I need to live by?” I turn back to Beau and attempt to joke.
Seriously, Mackenzie?
“No secret code, but I do need to fill you in on some club rules. Make sure you know how we run things.”
“Are you sure me being here is okay?” I ask, before he breaks down the rules. Rules I can handle. If there are certain things I need to know while staying here, I’d rather learn them now.
“Already told you, you’re under my protection now. You’re staying.” I swallow hard at my unease and accept what he’s offering. I know the last thing I should be doing is bringing Beau and his club in on my mess, but it’s not like I have much choice. I need time to think this through and at this point, it’s my safest place to do it.
As long as the cops stay out of it.
“So what do you have to fill me in on?” I move the conversation along. I know the club has a family BBQ planned so I want to wrap this up so I can get back to my room.
“Not too much. You’re free to come and go around the club, but until we know more on Chad, it’s best you stay here.”
“I can’t leave?”
“Not until you give your statement.” He tries one last shot at getting me to make a statement.
“That’s not fair, Beau. I have nothing but the clothes on my back and what I was able to grab and throw into my bag, which is basically nothing. I need more clothes and bathroom toiletries.”
“I have it under control. Holly’s on the clothes and Kelly’s on your girly bath shit.”
“Beau—” I start to complain then realize how selfish that would make me so I stop.
“I got you this.” He ignores my reaction and places a plastic bag in my lap.
“What is it?” I reach in and pull out smallish box with a picture of an android phone on the side.
“Thought since you’re back, you might like to get in touch with your old friends now.”
“What friends?” I’m not sure if he’s confused me with someone or he doesn’t understand how by myself I really am. “When I left Redwick, I only had one friend left,” I admit, hating how low I was at that time in my life. My parents died when I was twelve, and I lost my nan five years earlier. Chad and Heidi were the extent of my family.
“The woman who arranged for you to leave?”
“Yeah, Heidi. Being married to a man like Chad made it difficult to keep friends,” I confess, knowing how hard Chad tried to push her out of my life. But Heidi wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“You talk to her since you left?”
“About a month after I left, I called her house from a pay phone. I just needed to check in, you know? See how she was. She said Chad had been giving her a hard time. We talked for a bit, filled her in on everything, and I told her I would call back on my next stop. She told me not to, said it wasn’t safe. When I called back a few weeks later, the number was disconnected.”
“You think Chad got to her?”
“I want to say no, but I don’t know. He was giving her a hard time.”
“I’ll put some feelers out, see what we can find out.”
“God, I don’t know, Beau.” The thought of knowing Chad has something to do with Heidi moving or worse, possibly hurting her, is too much to handle right now on top of what is already going on.
“She was your best friend, right?”
“She was.”
“My experience tells me no one puts themselves in that much danger to save their best friend only to cut them off, darlin’.” I know he’s right, which is why it scares me more. What if Chad hurt her because of me?
“Okay, thank you,” I concede, knowing he’s right. Heidi wouldn’t cut me off unless she had to.
“Now, as for clubhouse rules, what you see or hear stays inside the clubhouse. There are a few guys who come and go, regulars you’ll see around, some on the weekends. Not everything you see will be your cup of tea, but no one will bother you and if they do, you let me know. You understand?” I nod, still trying to keep up. I had no idea when I stepped foot in here how busy their lives are inside the club. Beau’s cell starts ringing in his pocket, interrupting him from telling me how things run around here.
“Yep?” he answers on the second ring, lifting his hand and signaling one minute with his finger. “Ahh, yeah I’ll have to check.” He stands and pulls the phone away from his ear. “I need to take this. You all right to hang out with the girls for the rest of the day?”
“I might just head back to my room and have a nap. I’m still beat.” I know Beau wants me to feel comfortable around everyone, but it’s only been a day. I’m sure he can understand that I’m still a little uneasy.
“Okay, darlin’. Whatever you want.” He offers me a quick smile, then turns and walks out, leaving me sitting alone. I don’t waste any time in standing and walking back to my room. The last thing I want is to hang out with everyone at a club BBQ. Especially with Beau not around.
I may not have seen him in eighteen months, but something about us clicked. Maybe it was because he saved me that night or maybe it was more. Whatever it is, I don’t want to question it.
He’s the only one I can trust. Until I know the threat is gone, I can’t get close to these people.
It’s for their own safety.
“Oh, hi. Didn’t realize anyone was still up.” I step into the kitchen later that night for a midnight snack.
“Yeah, couldn’t sleep.” Kelly looks up from the table at my voice.
“Coffee probably doesn’t help.” I point down at her mug, offering some sound advice.
“I know, but you know how it is.” She shrugs. “You hungry? You missed the BBQ.”
“Yeah, I’m starving. I went for a nap. Didn’t realize I’d sleep through,” I admit, still awkwardly standing on the threshold. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be up. To be honest, I prayed no one would be.
After Beau left to deal with some business, I went back to my room. I didn’t want to come out while the clubhouse was so busy, so I decided to try to get some sleep. Only problem is I slept right through dinner.
“That’s understandable, love. Help yourself. There’s plenty of food.” She points to the fridge and it only takes my stomach grumbling to take up her offer.
“Thanks.” I step up to the fridge and pull out a couple of containers. I haven’t eaten since Beau’s eggs, so anything would taste amazing right now.
Kelly is silent while I put together a small plate of salad, chicken and fresh bread rolls.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” I ask after I put the containers back in the fridge and take my plate over to the table. I’d much rather take my food to my room, but I can’t be rude and leave her here.
“Always fun at club BBQs. You should have stuck around.”
“Maybe next one,” I offer, not sure when the next one is happening or if I will still be around. Kelly nods, but doesn’t say anything.
The silence hanging between us lasts for a few minutes before Kelly speaks again.
“You know, Mackenzie, if you ever want to talk, I’m here. We all are.”
“Thanks, Kelly,” I say right before I place a mouthful of salad in my mouth. I know she means well, but I don’t really want to talk to anyone here about my past.
“About fifteen years ago I was in a situation not too different from yours.” I look up, intrigued she’s sharing this with me. “I was young, in love, and he had me like a fish––hook, line and sinker. A real charmer. We’d been dating through college and one night we went out with some of his friends. He’d been drinking all day, and then his ex-girlfriend arrived. I was upset because she sat on his knee and kissed him, and he didn’t do anything to stop her. I went to sit in the car and he came bellowing over, annoyed I left him there, so I locked the door. That was the first time I realized how strong he was. He put his fist through the passenger window then dragged me out. After punching me around for a bit, one of his friends drove me home. The next day when he arrived at the dorm, he was full of remorse. He promised me things would be different, he wouldn’t drink anymore, and he would never hurt me again. The whole sob story. I believed him. I loved him.” She lets out a sad laugh and instantly my insides twist in reaction. I know that laugh, understand where it comes from.