Chapter 7

JUSTIN

Justin was proud of how well Lexi did on the ride. They went slowly down the back roads for about an hour before she was ready to be done.

Once they returned home, Justin called her over to have a talk with her.

“So, Princess, we need to talk a little about something,” Justin started, having her sit on his lap while they were outside.

“What, Daddy?”

“Well,” Justin started, “Auntie Kiki isn’t going to be around to take care of you much for a little while.”

“Why?” she demanded. She loved her aunt fiercely and wanted to spend all the time she could with her.

“Well, Auntie Kiki has some medical things that she needs to take care of and the things she needs to do will make her tired. So she will have to have lots of naps.

“And those things can also make her sick, so she might be throwing up,” Justin started, trying to figure out a balance on how to discuss this with her.

He totally understood his sister’s request and would do everything he could to help her and Mitch.

“I can’t go see her?” Lexi asked, her chin starting to quiver.

“Oh no, Princess, you can absolutely go see her and visit. She just can’t watch you and take you to and from school as much for a little while,” he explained.

“So does that mean that you are going to take me?” she asked, trying not to cry.

“Well, I will be taking you in the mornings, but I asked LouLou to pick you up and stay with you while I work,” he said, hoping that her usual babysitter would be a good substitute.

Lexi thought for a bit. “Okay. LouLou plays with me, so that’s good. Do I still have to do homework?”

“Absolutely. Nothing is going to change except that you will be here with LouLou,” Justin warned.

“Okay, Daddy.” She sighed, kissed him, then went off to play.

“Why can’t it be this easy forever?” he muttered to himself, knowing that the teenage years would be hell. Especially when he remembered his own teenage experiences.

He pulled out his phone, confirmed the schedule for the week with LouLou, then opened an app to order flowers for Avery.

Since Stevo had found her basic info, he had her address and phone number. Stevo was still looking into more of her background and would report back when he had some news.

Justin selected a large bouquet of colored roses and just had them print his phone number on the card with ‘call me.’ Satisfied, he put his phone away and went to his office after checking on Lex.

He got to work, still reviewing a new business start-up to help with the large influx of cash they needed to wash on a regular basis.

Business was good, very good, and he didn’t want to draw undue attention to them again. Not being careful is what got his father an eight-year prison sentence for money laundering.

The only consolation was that their attorney got it on federal charges and he was in a pretty swanky ‘country club’ blue-collar prison a few hours away.

At least Justin could go and visit every month and check in. The other members, especially the older ones, went too. After all, they were still a family, albeit an unconventional one.

He needed a quick start-up that could start making money fast to not raise suspicions. He was mentally running through the town trying to think of something, and then it hit him.

An old ice cream store closed about six months ago and was sitting for sale. It was right by a high school and the most-traveled roads in the city. And the best part was that it had a drive-thru window.

He was thinking of opening a coffee shop and that would be a perfect location.

Justin pulled up everything he could find on the building and the price was definitely right. He called the realtor that had it listed and set up an appointment for tomorrow morning.

He would start some research on startup costs and what equipment he would need when Lexi went to bed.

He grinned, thinking everything was falling into place—except for the redhead. But that too would be moving along soon, he just knew it.

AVERY

Avery was ironing some clothes for the week when there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find a delivery man with a huge bouquet of roses.

She was stunned. She had no idea who the hell it could be from!

Zach had made it clear well over a year ago that he didn’t want her with the scars on her body. Luca and Matty might do something like this, but the bouquet didn’t seem like their style.

She knew no one else in town.

She signed for them and brought them inside. She opened the card to just see the words ‘call me’ with a phone number. She was even more confused by who could have sent it.

She knew that Will wouldn’t have after Friday night when she bit his head off about bad-mouthing Alexis. He’d left by the time she had returned to the table.

Lily told her that he had stomped off muttering to himself. Avery hadn’t cared and tried to enjoy the rest of her evening, stealing glances at Justin and his group of cut-wearing, tattooed men.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, especially after her Aunt Tina raked her over the coals for not getting out more, she called the number on the card.

It rang a few times, and just when she thought the voicemail was going to pick up, a deep voice answered that warmed her to the core. She gasped, realizing who it was.

“Um, hi, Justin…,” she managed to get out.

“Avery, I see you got my delivery,” he purred.

“I did, thank you…”

“You are so welcome. How has your day been since I last saw you?”

“Laundry and reading. Did you enjoy your ride with Alexis?”

“Oh yeah, she did great. She is going to be one badass biker chick!” He laughed.

She smiled, hearing the love in his voice, then frowned. “Can I ask a question?”

“Absolutely!”

“Why, Justin?”

“Why what?” he asked, confused.

“Why did you send me flowers? Why did you want me to call you? Why me? I’m no one. And look nothing like the women that were all over you and your biker friends Friday night…”

“First, I sent you flowers because you said you are a romantic. Nothing more romantic than sending flowers.

“Second, I wanted you to call me because I wanted your number and for you to have mine, just in case you needed anything. What am I up to, three?

“Third, why you? Because I have this need to get to know you. I don’t know what it is, but since I saw you at the school last week, I can’t get you out of my mind.

“And after getting a small taste of you Friday night, I definitely need more,” he finished.

She listened and didn’t know what to think. “I can’t compete with those other women, Justin. They are outgoing and vibrant and—”

“Slutty,” he finished for her.

“What?” she asked, confused.

“For lack of a better term, they are sluts. They want a quick roll in the hay with a biker so they can brag to their friends that they got some biker cock.

“Or they would do anything to get an ‘old lady’ tag and to abuse the power that comes with that. You are the exact opposite of them, and I think that’s what intrigues me the most.

“They throw themselves at us and almost demand our attention. You are totally different, shy and quiet. It’s really nice to do the chasing instead of being chased. Does that make sense?”

Avery was shocked by his words and didn’t know how to respond with anything other than, “Oh…”

“Yeah, oh. So I feel like an idiot, but can I call you or come by sometime to see you?” Justin inquired, sounding nervous.

Avery bit her lip for a moment. “Um, sure. I guess that would be okay…”

“Perfect. I have to run and get Lex some dinner, then I have some more work to do, so I will see you soon, okay?”

“Okay, Justin. See you around.”

“Sleep well, Avery,” he purred again, and hung up.

Avery stood there, looking at the phone screen, and had no idea what to think or how this was going to play out.