Betrayal of Cupids (10 page)

Ryan

“I said give me the damn phone.”

“Grace?”  She must not have realized she had answered my call.  “Grace?”

“Why the hell is he calling you?”

“How the hell would I know?  Let me answer it.”

“You got to be kidding me.”

“Hand it over!”

“Is that where you went, Grace?  Did you go to Philadelphia to fuck this guy when I was scouring the state for you?”

It was a deep voice, one I didn’t recognize, and he was not happy.  Who was with her?  This couldn’t be good.  If anyone in her club found out we were still talking, it could start another war.

“It’s none of your goddam business, now give me my phone.”

“It is my goddam business if you’re doing something stupid.”

There was a muffled sound, a clatter of sorts, and then her voice.

“What is it, Ryan?”  She seemed exasperated, not happy to hear from me.

“Grace, are you okay?  Did you get my letter?”

“Just get to the point and tell me what the fuck you want.”

That seemed a little much, even for her.  She wasn’t normally so crass.  “Is this for show?  For the guy with you?”

“Yes.”  Her tone was still harsh, but now I was keen to her intentions.

“I’m coming there.”

“No.”

“Grace, I know I should trust you, but if Sean isn’t already there, I think he’ll be there soon.”

“I can handle it,” She mumbled into the receiver.

I finally lost it.  “Fuck this Grace.  I don’t know what is going on or what game you are trying to play, but you can’t treat me like this.  We’re on the same team.  I can’t stand by and let you face him on your own.  I’ll keep my distance, but I need to make sure you’re safe, that we’re all safe.  This isn’t just about you anymore, so get off your high horse and let me take care of this once and for all.”

“Ryan, no.  I don’t want to see you ever again. Stop calling me.”

There was a click, signaling the end of our conversation.  Her words were deliberate, they were meant for whomever was standing beside her, but they still stung.  The fire inside of me raged at her tone.  I never wanted to hear her say those words again. 

“You sure you want to do this?”  Danny called, coming halfway down the stairs wrapped in a towel. 

“Without a doubt.  It’s just a feeling I have.”

“I can understand that, but I don’t think Sean is that stupid, man.”

“It wouldn’t be out of stupidity.  He’d have a plan.  When he wants something, he takes it.”

“All for this girl?  It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

“If you knew her, it would.”  Even with how she had been acting lately, that part still rang true for me.  All this shit was worth it if it meant I’d end the day with Grace.

He paused, knowing he had lost the battle.

“Touché, man.  Let me just throw on some clothes and we’ll ride.”

I stood, meeting him at the base of the staircase.  “I really appreciate this, Danny.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“But I need to.  You’ve been exactly the friend I needed these past few days.”

He clapped his hand on my shoulder.  “I’m happy I could be here for you.”

With that, he took off back upstairs.  I paced for a few minutes, attempting to battle back some of my nervous energy.  It didn’t help.  Scenarios kept playing in my mind.  Would I find Sean?  Would the Shadows get to me first?  Would this all be over soon?

Remembering I had left my keys in my bedroom, I made my way up the stairs, rounded the corner, and headed down the hall.  I heard Danny’s voice as I passed the bathroom.  I wasn’t one for eavesdropping, but a single word caught my attention: “Grace.”

Who was he talking to and why was Grace a part of the conversation?  I stopped in front of the door, trying desperately to keep silent.

“There’s no way to keep him here.  He’s downstairs waiting by the door.  We’re leaving now, but I’ll give you a heads up when we’re close.”

I stood there, frozen in shock.  There had to be another explanation.  Maybe I was taking it all out of context.  Maybe he was talking to someone in Boston.  As the endless possibilities spiraled through my mind, I felt my body go weak.  Had I made the wrong decision to trust him?  Had he been playing me the whole time?  Did Grace know?  Is that why she was trying to warn me?

I needed to get out of there; I couldn’t think straight.  Just as I went to take a step toward my room, I heard the confirming words.

“As promised, Sean, Ryan and Grace are all yours.”

I had been played.  I had opened up to someone and now I was facing the consequences.  Grace would have to face the consequences.  Grace.  That meant Sean was already there.  I couldn’t control my anger any longer.  As I kicked open the door, I saw a startled and confused Danny.  I watched as the realization hit him.  He had made a mistake.  Sean would never forgive him for this.

“Ryan.”

“Fuck you.”  With that, I punched him square in the nose, knocking him to the floor.

I turned on my heels, grabbed my keys, and shot down the stairs for the door.  He wouldn’t be down for long, and thanks to me, he knew where Grace lived.  I would have to beat him there. 

My bike sprang to life and propelled me forward.  Once again, I was off to Alexandria.  Once again, I was off to face Sean.  Unfortunately, this time Sean knew I was coming.

Grace

“I said give me the damn phone.”  Mr. Muscles was holding it over his head like we were a couple of flirting second graders.

“Why the hell is he calling you?”  There was no way he would understand the truth.  I couldn’t take the chance of having him run into the church meeting to tattle on me.

“How the hell would I know?  Let me answer it.”

“You got to be kidding me.”  It had stopped ringing, which meant that Ryan was most likely overhearing the conversation.  I needed to put an end to it.

“Hand it over!”  I stopped fussing and stood my ground.  It was my phone, my call; he would have to give it to me eventually.

“Is that where you went, Grace?”  I had never seen so much judgment from one person.  “Did you go to Philadelphia to fuck this guy when I was scouring the state for you?”

I guess my secret was out, but if I finagled it correctly, I could still work it in my favor.

I stayed perfectly still.  “It’s none of your goddam business, now give me my phone.”

“It is my goddam business if you’re doing something stupid.”

I tried it the nice way; it obviously didn’t work.  I shook my head, apologizing for my next move, as my knee jammed directly into his crotch.  The shock of pain made him drop the phone.  That was one way to get what I wanted.

Satisfied with myself, I put on the character I would need to play so Mr. Muscles wouldn’t get suspicious.

“What is it, Ryan?”

“Grace, are you okay?  Did you get my letter?”

I didn’t have time for small talk.  “Just get to the point and tell me what the fuck you want.”

I felt the tension through the phone as he processed what I had just said to him.  “Is this for show?  For the guy who is with you?”

“Yes.”  At least he was following me.  I really didn’t want to hurt him.

“I’m coming there.”

Oh God, he was never going to stop with this shit.  “No.”

“Grace, I know I should trust you, but if Sean isn’t already there, I think he’ll be there soon.”

“I can handle it.”  I said under my breath.

And then he lost it.  “Fuck this Grace.  I don’t know what is going on or what game you are trying to play, but you can’t treat me like this.  We’re on the same team.  I can’t stand by and let you face him on your own.  I’ll keep my distance, but I need to make sure you’re safe, that we’re all safe.  This isn’t just about you anymore, so get off your high horse and let me take care of this once and for all.”

One day, when this whole thing was over, I would tell him how turned on I was after that outburst.  Unfortunately, Mr. Muscles was regaining his composure, and I needed to put an end to the conversation.  “Ryan, no.  I don’t want to see you ever again. Stop calling me.”

I hated hanging up on Ryan like that, but I knew he was smart enough to know it was all a lie.  Bad as I might have felt, I couldn’t let my feelings for him cloud the mission I was preparing myself for.

“It’s over.” I shot a look at Mr. Muscles.

“Good.”

“Now take me to Sean.”

I didn’t wait for a reply, simply moved past him and into the club.  I gave the obligatory head nods and smiles to the girls.  They all knew what I was going through; no one wanted to breach the comfort of their non-awkward place in my life.  No one wanted to talk about my father.  They let me be, and for that I was grateful.

I stepped quickly through the hallway and pushed the door to the clubhouse open.  No one.  They must have all been meeting for church.  I could’ve taken the respectful route and waited on the couch for their dismissal, but I didn’t want to give myself the option of falling victim to fear.  I was not about to talk myself out of this little rendezvous.

“Hello boys,” I said, joyfully announcing my presence.

A number of expected reactions filled the air.  What was I doing there?  Was everything all right?  Was I supposed to meet with someone?

“I would actually like to speak to my buddy, Sean, here.”  I placed my hands on his shoulders, and his neck tensed at my touch.  I really did have the upper hand; I just needed to continue to keep it that way. 

Sean was seated off to the side, on the “waiting bench”, as anyone who was being considered for a spot in the club would be.

My father’s right hand man stood.  While I hadn’t made a point to follow the club business since the untimely death of their president, I could only assume he was acting as the interim president, at least for the time being.

He stepped around the table, coming close to me.  I stood tall, but dropped my left hand from Sean’s shoulder as I felt it begin to shake.

“It’s good to see you getting back to your normal self.”

“Thanks.”  Short answers would have to do it for me.  I couldn’t allow my voice to crack.

“We have normal business to attend to first, as we did just open church, but do you have time to hang out?  I think it would be good for you to see what’s going on in light of your father’s passing.”

“I would love to hang out.”

As he made his way back to the head of the table, I sat down with Sean on the bench.  I could tell he was worried.  I felt an overwhelming sense of calm come over me; I loved my new position of power.

Over the course of two and a half hours, the group talked about the business of the strip club, the new drugs they were pulling in and how they were planning on distributing them to a wider market, how the other chapters were getting along in the wake of recent events, how they could make sure the power was still theirs to keep, and what shining stars they might bring up from the other chapters to ride with the mother club.  I both agreed and disagreed with some of their suggestions and decisions, but I kept my mouth shut.  I was there for one purpose, and it was not to secure the growth of the Shadows: it was to get out of there.

“Next item on the docket…” the interim president read from his legal pad.  “Ah yes, the Cupids.”

I perked up.  It was my turn.  Sean and I both stood.

“So, Grace,” he addressed me, “as you know, we have Sean Cassidy here, and he’s promised a successful takeover of the Cupids if we patch him over.”

“Wonderful,” I answered playfully.

“We were a bit worried about where his loyalties lie, but Sean was telling us about the night you were shot.”

“Was he?”  I could feel my arm lock up.  Anytime I was reminded of that night, I felt it physically.  What did Sean have to say?  I laid my hand back on his shoulder and applied pressure with my thumb, letting him know that I was still in control of the situation.

He stepped forward, out of my grip.  His eyes shot daggers in my direction, and his lips pursed.  I simply smiled. 

“I was explaining to the group here that the night you were shot, I found you in the field.”

“He did,” I agreed.  Now was he about to tell them that he held a gun to my chest while I bounced in and out of consciousness?

“And then I rushed you to the hospital.”

His words were slow and steady.  He was leading me.  “I
was
rushed to the hospital.”  Of course if it were up to Sean, I would’ve died from blood loss that night, but they didn’t need to know that.  I was still playing the game.  “Of course, on the way, he was so overcome by my beauty that he kissed me.”

The crowd broke into an uproar of laughter.  Sean slowly shook his head at me.  He was getting riled up.  I loved every second of it.  “So then I slapped him across the face, with my good arm, of course; and told him that I was a Brennan and my father would literally kill him.”

Another roar spread through the crowd.  They were all on my side.  I was winning.

Sean nodded in understanding; he was ready for the match.  He tossed his arm around me and pulled me close.  “Of course any other man would have run away from that, but not I.”

“Not you,” I teased.  Where was he taking this?

“I thought to myself: how can I use this chance meeting to my benefit?  I have always yearned to be a Shadow.
 
Maybe it was time to prove my worth.”

Not bad, Sean.  He definitely twisted the story in his favor.  I knew I was up against a pro, but I needed to make sure I never underestimated him.  He was good, a bad kind of good: I only prayed he wasn’t too good.

Another man from the head table spoke up.  “We were worried about you the day of the funeral.  Do you still have these reservations about Sean?”

“You know,” I started, “there are still a few things I have to clear up before I give him my stamp of approval.  So how about giving two old love birds a few minutes alone?” 

A few more chuckles guided us out, and I closed the door behind us.  Leading him through the darkened hallway, I proceeded to the back entrance.  Unless one of the girls was sneaking a cigarette break after a set, the area was usually clear.  I opened the metal door, and the sun blinded me as I stepped outside.  Sean followed close behind, and as the door clicked closed, he let out a sigh of laughter.

“You can’t tell me that wasn’t fun.”

I responded only with a look of sarcastic contempt, shaking my head at him.

“Come on, Gracie, we could be a great team.”

“I don’t even know what you’re asking me right now, and believe me, I don’t want you to finish that thought.”

“Have it your way.”  He stepped closer to me.

“You don’t scare me anymore, Sean Cassidy.  I have something you need: my approval, my willingness to go along with all of this.  All you have against me are threats.”

“So the student—”

“Has become the teacher.  Yeah, I know that saying.”  My heart was racing.  I was standing up for myself.  It was invigorating, exciting.  I felt like a new person.  “But nothing you say is going to work, Sean.  You listen to me, and I will make your case for the Shadows.
”

“I’m listening.”

Damn right he was listening.  Everything was working according to plan.  I smiled, patted him on the cheek, and pulled open the heavy door.  “I didn’t say I’d do it today.”

I had him right in the palm of my hand.  He was putty.  I’d be able to squash him.  At least I believed all of that, but as I pulled my hand away from his face, his fingers wrapped around my still-bruised wrist.

“Or you could listen to me.”  He yanked me close, breathing into my ear.  “Ryan is on his way here right now.  And I’ll know when he’s close.  Danny isn’t the only one working with me.”  I couldn’t hide the look of shock that crossed over my face.  “You didn’t think I wouldn’t have a backup plan, did you?”  His tongue wet the outline of my ear.  “Would you like to rethink your place, my pretty little Gracie?”