Dare to Dance: The Maxwell Series (7 page)

The restaurant had more people in it now, at least around the bar. I wasn’t surprised, considering it was approaching happy hour. I glanced around for Alex but didn’t see her. We claimed the same booth in which we’d sat earlier.

My stomach cramped. “I need to use the restroom.” The ham I’d eaten wasn’t agreeing with me. I rushed down a long hallway, following the sign to the restrooms, and flew into the ladies’ room. When I was done, I headed back to Norma. I was just taking a left out of the restroom when Tommy’s voice reverberated from a room down the hall to my right.

“You will do as I say,” Tommy yelled.

“I’m not working for this jerk,” Alex retorted.

I only hesitated for a second. As I did, my stomach gurgled. I crept closer to the office door, which was slightly ajar, and smacked into Alex as she hurried out.

Her eyebrows went up. “Ruby?”

Tommy loomed behind Alex. “The girl from the fight?” He whistled as he shoved Alex out of the way. His dark eyes were dancing. “Are you here to fight again?”

“Not a chance.” Then again, it depended on the money. I shook off the thought. The social worker would definitely question me if I showed up to visit Raven with bruises and cuts all over my face. More importantly, I couldn’t scare my daughter.

Norma came up behind me. “What’s going on?”

Tommy smirked as he laid eyes on Norma. “What have you two done with yourselves? Did you find a sugar daddy? Or did Dillon and that dude, Kross, find you the other night and take you in? Dillon is like that. He finds girls and gives them a warm bed. Fucker is always on my ass.”

“If you didn’t try to screw Dillon out of money or stab him in the back with the cops, he might not want to chop off your head,” Alex spat.

“Shut the fuck up.” Tommy’s face turned red. “And stop drooling over the asshole.” He sounded jealous.

Alex threw him the finger.

Tommy ignored her and turned to us. “What are you ladies doing here?”

“They need a job,” Alex said. “Waitressing.”

Tommy waved his hand. “Come in, ladies.”

With Alex and Tommy arguing, it was probably best that Norma and I came back later. “It seems you’re in the middle of something,” I said.

“We were finished.” Tommy walked deeper into his office.

I followed with Norma and Alex on my heels.

Behind the door, a man lounged on a leather couch. He was dressed in an expensive business suit and had one leg crossed over the other. His large stature overpowered the piece of furniture he sat on, and the dim light from a table lamp enhanced his fat nose. The way he smirked, with one side of his mouth upturned as he scrutinized me from head to toe, reminded me of the men who stalked the street corners where the hookers worked.

“Norma and Ruby, I would like you to meet a business partner of mine, Trent.” Tommy raked his gaze over me. “You’re prettier than I remembered, and your face is healing nicely.” He sat on the edge of his desk.

“I told you once before that I’d kick you in the balls if you didn’t stick your tongue back in your mouth.” It didn’t matter if I wanted a job or not. I wasn’t about to be treated like a piece of meat.

Norma elbowed me.

“What should I do?” Tommy asked rhetorically. “I’m supposed to alert your boyfriend, Kross, if you show up here.”

I clenched my fists at my sides. “No!”

“Tommy,” Alex chimed in. “Hire them. We have that band this weekend. You’ve been looking to hire another waitress, anyway.” Alex kept glancing at Trent then Tommy, biting her lower lip.

Tommy scratched his neck. “I can’t.” Then he turned his attention to Trent. “What about you, man? You got an opening?”

“No!” Alex shouted.

Norma and I exchanged a what-the-hell-was-that-all-about look.

Tommy rubbed a hand down his nose and over his mouth. “Alex, leave us. You have customers to wait on.”

Alex didn’t move. She and Tommy glowered at one another as though they were speaking telepathically.

“If it’s experience you want, Norma’s held jobs waitressing,” I said. “As for me, I’m a quick learner, but I could work in the kitchen. I’m a good cook.”

“It’s not your experience,” Tommy said with an evil laugh. “I guess you don’t know Dillon Hart, the ponytail dude with your boyfriend.”

I barely remembered him. I’d been too riveted on Kross and his beautiful rendition of our nursery rhyme.

“He’ll fuck me up. Well, it’s not just Dillon, but his crazy brothers. And Kross is a beast. Have you seen him fight?” Tommy asked his business partner. “You should put money on the guy.”

Trent raised an eyebrow as he sat quietly.

Alex snapped her fingers at Tommy. “Focus.”

“I can hire Ruby,” Trent piped in as he looked at me and drooled.

My spidey sense was warning me to stay away from Trent. “Is it because of Kross you won’t hire me?” I asked Tommy. “If it is, you have nothing to worry about.” I had no idea what I was saying. I would have even said the sky was purple to get a job. “You don’t strike me as the type of guy who scares easily.”

“Until you know the Hart family, don’t judge me,” Tommy snapped. “You weren’t the one threatened by Kross either.”

I couldn’t catch a break. For four long years, I hadn’t heard a peep out of Kross. Now, I couldn’t get a job because of the man unless I considered whatever Trent’s job offer was.

“Come on,” Norma said. “We don’t need this shit.”

Normally, I would have walked away. But if I wanted to get my life back on track, I couldn’t give up. “Please, Tommy. We need this job,” I said sweetly.

“We beg all day long,” Norma bit out. “We don’t need to beg this asshole or anyone else.” She snarled at me.

“As much as I agree with you,” Alex said to Norma, “I really could use the help on Saturday.” She glared at Tommy. “Seriously, you’re not going to hire them because of Dillon and Kross? You’re not that much of a pansy ass.”

Tommy growled. “Watch your tongue.” The room fell silent for a second as Tommy scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “If I hire you, I’d have to alert your boyfriend.”

I shrugged. If it meant I would have a decent job, then I would suck up whatever consequences came my way.

He tapped a finger on his lips. “Okay. I’ll hire both of you on one condition.”

I rolled back my shoulders. “I’m listening.”

Tommy pressed the heels of his hands on his desk. “If Kross comes in here with his fists flying at me because of you, you’re fired.”

“I can’t control him or what he does. He’s not going to kick your ass because of me, anyway.” I wasn’t sure about that. Kross might’ve been sweet when he was reciting a nursery rhyme, but the way his muscles had tensed the other night meant that he’d been holding his emotions in check.

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” Tommy said.

I looked at Norma for approval even though I was taking the job no matter what. She blinked, albeit reluctantly.

“Fine,” I said, jutting my chin out. I would face Kross if it meant I could work there.

“If things don’t work out here, then come talk to me,” Trent said.

In your dreams.

“I’m glad that’s settled,” Tommy said. “Alex will show you the ropes. Now, Trent and I have business to discuss.”

We headed to the door.

“One more thing,” Tommy said.

I held my breath. There was always some last detail that was left out of the deal.

“Where are you two living?” Tommy swung his gaze between Norma and me. “I can’t have you living on the streets with no means of keeping up your hygiene.”

There went that opportunity.

“They’re staying with me,” Alex said.

Norma and I gaped at her. I wasn’t about to question her reasons for being super nice, but I couldn’t help but wonder why. Then again, the streets were harsh. The nights were harsher, and food was scarce. Tommy was giving us an opportunity. Alex was giving us shelter. Those two things equaled survival, and that alone erased any curiosity I had about Alex’s intentions. For the moment, I would do the best job possible and start rehearsing what I was going to say to Kross.

A
car sat
up on cement blocks, askew and devoid of tires on the somewhat deserted Boston street. As I wheeled by, I noticed the driver’s door looked as if someone had rammed into it with a tanker. I’d spent one long and tortuous week searching homeless camps and shelters for Ruby. The past few nights, I’d roamed the streets alone. I hadn’t been able to sleep, so I’d ventured out into places Dillon had told me about. He’d offered to tag along, but he was meeting with a real estate investor about a potential investment property for a home for runaway girls. A place I wished he already had. Then we could’ve offered a room to Ruby and her friend, Norma. Aside from all that, I checked in with Jay’s receptionist to see if I’d gotten any calls from Norma or Ruby.

“No date with Penelope?” Kody asked from the passenger seat.

“Nope.” Since I’d seen Ruby and learned that I could be a father, I couldn’t focus on anything. Penelope had been the furthest thing from my mind. “I’m calling it quits with her.” I had never planned to get serious with her in the first place.

I shot Kody a side glance. “So, Ms. Sharp, huh?” Kody had taken Ms. Sharp from Greenridge Academy on a dinner date last week.

“Dude, she’s fucking hot. She wore this pencil skirt that reached her knees, and when she sat down, it rode up a little, exposing the sexiest thighs I’ve ever seen.”

“Dare I ask if you explored more than her legs?” As brothers, we did share some details of our dates, but we kept the most intimate ones private.

“Let’s just say she’s a sweet lady.”

Flames flickered from a garbage can as we rolled by a group of homeless men trying to keep themselves warm. The neighborhood grew darker the farther down the street we got. A sinking feeling took root in my stomach. Every night, I envisioned Ruby and our child sleeping out in the cold temperatures that dropped into the twenties at night.

Broken windows poked holes in the dilapidated brick buildings along both sides of the street. Steam swirled from a manhole as I made a U-turn at the end of the road.

“We should’ve brought a handgun,” Kody said as he scanned the streets.

“We’re looking for a homeless girl, not a thug.” Still, he may have been right about the shadiness of the area.

“Do you want to get out and walk a bit?” Kody asked.

“Nah, I only saw that group around the fire. It doesn’t look like anyone else is out here. Besides, it’s Saturday. I want to check with Tommy at Firefly.” I hadn’t heard from Tommy since I’d almost used him as a punching bag.

“You know, Bro, don’t you think Ruby would’ve found you by now if there was a kid? It’s been four years.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing. But there are so many different scenarios. Maybe she had a miscarriage.” That was one possibility that stuck the brightest in my head.

“Well, when you do actually talk to her, don’t tear her head off. You’ll only scare her away. Remember what Dad always says: ‘Until you know their story, you shouldn’t judge or freak out.’”

I harrumphed. Easier said than done when I could be a father.

After ten minutes of navigating the streets, I parked alongside a curb outside of Firefly. Kody and I hopped out of my truck and crossed the street, blending in with a group of guys making their way into the place.

An earthy scent reached my nose as I stepped up on the curb. Rain was forecasted for that night—a cold rain that could turn into ice, sleet, or even snow. I shivered at the idea that Ruby would be somewhere on the streets in bad weather. My shoulder brushed someone as I trudged into Firefly.

“Watch out,” the stranger said rather tersely.

I honed in on the man, who was a few inches shorter than me. When our eyes locked, I growled. It was the businessman I remembered from the fight last week, the one with the bulbous nose, talking of pimps. The hair on the back of my neck rose. Kody slid his hand in between the man and me. The man’s phone rang as he gawked at me with disgust and anger in his bloodshot eyes. If the fucker wanted to go a round or two with me, I’d be game. It was too bad Dillon wasn’t there to get in on the fun.

The man’s phone continued to buzz.

“Come on, Kross,” Kody said. “Take it down a notch.”

The phone stopped ringing at the same time the man lost his fucked-up expression. “Kross? Kross Maxwell?” He held out his greasy paw.

“Who’s asking?” My voice was hard.

A couple came out of the club, forcing us to move out of the way.

He withdrew his hand. “I’m Trent Baker, a business partner of Tommy’s. He’s told me a lot about your boxing abilities. I wouldn’t mind discussing an opportunity with you for a potential fight.”

I wracked my brain, trying to figure out why his name sounded familiar. The man was dressed in an expensive tailored suit, complete with a handkerchief sticking out of his breast pocket. Rich Businessman Trent Baker and Thug Tommy didn’t match as business partners in my book. Then again, maybe Trent was mafia. The mafia entered into deals and partnerships with all kinds of people.

Dillon had mentioned Tommy was into all kinds of illegal stuff, from the underground fights to theft. Apparently, Tommy stole high-end cars for some dude who sold them on the black market for more than the cars were worth. Maybe Trent was the guy. Regardless of cars, I associated Trent with pimps, and that alone made my blood boil.

“I don’t deal with strangers. If you’re interested in setting up a match, then talk to my coach at Crandall’s Gym.” Jay wouldn’t go for his proposition. Jay was all about legal fights and keeping his business legitimate.

Trent whipped out a business card from his suit pocket. “If you change your mind, then give me a shout.” He handed me his card then strode off.

I briefly glanced at the card that read Trent Baker, Owner of Baker Shipping. Now I knew why his name was familiar. I’d read about Baker Shipping in the Herald when Penelope’s father’s shipping company was up for sale. Apparently, Trent’s company wanted to buy out Penelope’s old man. Not only that, Trent Baker had his hands in other businesses like car dealerships.

Kody snatched the card from my hand and read it before he said, “Scum.”

I agreed, but he was a scum who was richer than Donald Trump. I pocketed the card as we entered Firefly. Maybe I would have my buddy, Detective Rayburn, check out the man. I wasn’t into ratting on people, but Trent must be up to something bad.

People filled every table, chair, barstool, and corner in Firefly. Hard rock music pumped out of poor-quality speakers as the voices tried to talk above it. A round-faced waitress zipped around, plucking empty glasses off tables and serving drinks in the process. I was just about to step up to the bar when Kody tapped me on the arm.

“Hey, man.” He pointed to our right. “Isn’t that Penelope?”

I wasn’t sure I heard him. Penelope Harris came from a prestigious family. She would have never hung out in a dive bar. She was the type of girl who was pampered with spas, cars, a credit card with a thirty-thousand-dollar limit, and her daddy’s company jet at her disposal. She recently tried to get me to join her and her friends on a weekend getaway to Costa Rica. My old man certainly had money, but we didn’t flaunt it like her family did. Then again, Penelope and I had values that didn’t jive. I didn’t care about material things. She did. I was all about family. She was all about herself. The only connection we had was in the bedroom.

When I turned in her direction, her green eyes bugged out. We weren’t committed to each other. We weren’t in love, or at least I wasn’t with her.

She hopped out of her chair, said something to the girls she was with, then bounced over. “Kross? I’m so glad you came.” Her blond hair was piled on top of her head in some type of funky style.

I cocked my head to one side. “Come again?” I searched my brain for something I might’ve missed. I hadn’t seen her in two weeks. I hadn’t even called her, which wasn’t unusual with my boxing schedule.

“I told Kelton where I’d be. He told you. My friends and I are here to see Wyatt play tonight.”

I raised an eyebrow. I hadn’t talked to Kelton since yesterday morning. “No, he didn’t. You and your friends shouldn’t be here.” Her scantily dressed rich friends were being ogled by a table of men with beards and leather vests that sported the name of a motorcycle club on the back.

She reared back. “Why? Are you doing something behind my back?”

Fuck
. I didn’t have time for her, but I also wasn’t a complete jerk. “What I mean is this place isn’t exactly your style.”

She rubbed her breasts against my arm as she grabbed my hand. “It’s so nice to hear you’re worried about me.”

Kody tapped me on the arm then subtly flicked his head at the bar. “Is that her?”

I glanced in the direction of the bearded bartender. When I did, I about lost my breath. Standing on the other side of the bar was Ruby. A pendant light above her head shone down. Gone were the bruises, the swollen eyes, the ashen skin, and the greasy hair. I was looking at the girl I’d met back in the tenth grade. Her skin glowed. Her auburn hair was pulled into a side ponytail, and I swore she was the angel I remembered. She smiled at the bartender as though she was reacting to a compliment. Hell, she was beautiful.

“Who are you looking at?” Penelope asked.

My past. A girl who could be the mother of my child. A woman who was certainly a mystery. Tommy had thought she was homeless, yet she was working there. That meant he’d known her all along, and the fucker hadn’t called me like he was supposed to.

I ground my teeth, the fury burning through my veins. I was going to kill him.

“Kross, I’m talking to you,” Penelope whined.

“Bro, are you in there?” Kody asked. “That’s her, isn’t it?”

I was about to answer him when Ruby’s eyes met mine, erasing my rage for the moment. Instead, my heart sputtered because she smiled as if she was happy to see me. Then, in an instant, her lips turned downward, fear claiming her beautiful face. She scoured the room every which way as though she was searching for an escape route.

Not a chance in hell was she getting away from me tonight. I would lock us both in the bathroom until I got answers. I leaned into Kody. “Can you keep an eye on Penelope and her friends?” As much as I wanted answers, I also wanted to make sure the women were safe. Those biker dudes were chatting with Penelope’s friends.

“Don’t worry,” Kody said. “I’ll take care of them.”

“Kross,” Penelope said.

Her voice faded as I pushed through the crowd. The closer I got to Ruby, the more my pulse sped up. For an entire week, I hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d hardly eaten. I’d fucked up so bad during training that Jay threw up his hands and stalked off. I’d even knocked out poor Liam during a sparring session.

A large man blocked me. We danced around each other before he moved one way. Then I had a clear view of Ruby’s blue-green eyes, which were wide as saucers. Those same eyes held me prisoner where I stood. She blinked once then scanned the room again for a way out.

Fuck.
I wasn’t a bully. I wasn’t going to hurt her. I couldn’t imagine why she would be frightened, unless Tommy had something to do with her state of fear. I clenched a fist. He and I would have a chat as soon as I talked with Ruby.