Phoenix Bar: A Steel Demons MC Novel (16 page)

              “Shit, Grit, get your sexy ass out of here before she melts onto the floor.” McKenzie grumbled over my shoulder. I pushed off the wall behind her head when I heard Titan moving toward McKenzie.

              He pulled her up off the couch and pulled her flush against him, “So, Grit has a sexy ass, does he?”

              “Well, yeah. I’d have to be dead not to notice.”

             
Fuck, McKenzie not the thing to say right now, 
I said to myself.

              “You don’t fucking need to be checking out Grit’s ass. He’s your best friend’s man for God’s sake. Don’t you have some kind of girl code you follow or some shit like that?”

              McKenzie was crazy enough to laugh in Titan’s face. “Hey, Abs, do you care if I notice that your man is hot and has a nice ass?” She called out to Abby without looking away from Titan.

              “You can look, but don’t touch and we’re all good. Besides, he does have a nice ass.” Fuck, she wasn’t helping the situation.

              “See, she doesn’t care.” McKenzie gloated in his face.

              “I suggest you stop checking out Grit’s ass unless you want to leave your best friend without her man because I will kill him.” Titan wasn’t serious, but like McKenzie, his poker face was impeccable. He kissed her hard and let her collapse back onto the couch before heading back to the door.

              He was almost out when McKenzie got the last word in, “Fine, I’ll talk about Legend’s fine ass.” Legend laughed and I pushed them both out the door before Titan could turn around and paddle her ass.

Chapter 23

Abby

              As soon as the guys were out the door, Mac and I burst out laughing. “So, that was some kiss.” I treaded carefully to see if I could figure out what she was thinking.

              “Stop, Abby. I’m all wrong for him.”

              “Why?”

              “I just am.”

              “When are you going to stop running, Mac?”

              “I don’t know if I can.”

              I let the conversation drop. “So what are we really going to watch?” We laughed since we didn’t even own
Sleepless in Seattle.

              “The usual.” Mac grinned.

              We had watched
NCIS
over the phone for years. Mac had a crush on Tony where I was all about the silver fox Gibbs. It was our guilty pleasure to sit back and have a marathon watching it from the beginning.

              The home phone rang when we were halfway through our second episode. I debated answering thinking it would be Brice, but then that would cause him needless worry so I picked it up. “Hello.”

              “Bitch, he’s mine you need to back off before I make you back off.” The phone went dead just as quickly as she had gotten on the phone.

              “Who was it?”

              “Monica. She said I needed to back off of Brice before she made me back off.” I sat down beside Mac on the couch. “I don’t get it Mac, she cheated on him and left him. Why after all this time, has she come back to try and claim him? It doesn’t make any sense.”

              “Abby, she’s crazy. Trying to figure out crazy is like solving an unsolvable puzzle. It just doesn’t work.”

              “Should I tell Brice? I mean, he’s already protective. If he found out she got the home nu-“ I stopped. “How did she get the house number? It’s unlisted.”

              “I don’t know, but yeah, you should tell Brice. She was his wife at one point in time.” She shook her head at her own words. “He should know she is threatening you. You should also call Gavel and have him file a restraining order.”

              “Shit, as if we don’t have enough crap going on right now. Now I have to deal with Monica’s crazy ass too.” I grabbed my phone and dialed Jed.

              “Hey, baby girl,” he said as soon as he answered.

              “Hey, Jed, I’ve got a problem.”

              “What’s going on?” His voice was already on alert.

              “Did you know Monica is in town?”

              “Monica? Monica who?”

              “Your sons ex-wife Monica.”

              “Fuck, what the hell is she doing here?”

              “I don’t know, Jed, but she came into the bar and called me an ugly bitch and staked claim on Brice and she just called my house.” I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Jed, how did she get my home number? She threatened me saying I needed to back off before she made me back off.”

              I heard movement in the background and he grunted. Shit, I hope I didn’t catch him in the middle of something like I did Brice. What is it with these men, if they are in the middle of sex, they need to not answer the phone and call back, though with Brice technically he didn’t answer his dad did and walked in on him having sex. That had to be awkward.   

              “Where’s Brice?”

              “With Legend and Titan. I sent them out so we could have girl time. Is there any way to get a restraining order against her?”

              “No, not with what she has done so far.”

              “Abby, you need to take this more seriously. Somebody shot at you which means somebody wants you dead.”

              It really hadn’t sunk in, I guess. I just felt numb from the fact that it seemed my parents were willing to kill me for money. “Jed, I need you to come over. I’ve got something I need you to do.”

              “I’ll be there in fifteen. Since I’m coming, I won’t make you call Brice right away, but you need to tell him about Monica or I will.”

              “I’ll tell him, later.”
Much, much later, I said to myself.
Brice was already protective and this would just make him more so. I had a business I was supposed to be running and so did he. His business had already lost a client because of me.

              “If you don’t, I will.”

              Well fuck, there goes that. “I will, Jed. Please come over, bring your computer and a burner phone. This is business.” I hung up the phone and headed back into the living room. Mac was on the couch with a far off look in her eyes. She looked lost in another world.  “Mac?” I called to her, but she didn’t seem to hear me. I’d only seen this happen a couple times. That shit with Legend this morning must have really fucked with her. I wonder if she even noticed that she turned to Titan for comfort. “Mac?” I tried again this time shaking her shoulder.

              Mac jumped slightly, “Sorry, what?” She asked as she took a deep breath trying to regain her focus.

              “Jed is on his way over.”

              “Is there something he can do about Monica?”

              “No, he’s coming over for a different reason.”

              “Why?”

              I took a deep breath and turned on the couch until I was facing her. “To prepare my will.”

              She flinched at my words. “Fuck that.”

              “No,” I said quickly and went on, “it needs to be done. If my parents are the ones behind this, then I need to make sure that even if I’m dead they cannot get the money. So, I’m going to have Jed draw up the documents and then I’m going to call them and tell them that even if they do kill me, they won’t see a dime.”

              “Abby, that will just piss them off more.”

              “That’s what I’m hoping for Mac. I’m hoping that they either let it go or they make a big move that gets them caught and out of the picture.”

              She stood up quickly and started pacing. “You’re going to fucking use yourself as bait!”

              “Yes, I want this over. There’s that saying ‘when I burn bridges, I stand on the motherfucker to let them know how fucking crazy I really am’, well that’s me. I’m going to make sure that my parents understand that they are out and they need to move the hell on.”

              Mac wasn’t happy with my plan and she ranted at me and tried to change my mind, but I was set on doing this. Jed arrived after only ten minutes which means he must have flown here. I sat with him at the kitchen table and explained everything to him. He couldn’t tell Brice because of his oath and I felt a little bad exploiting that oath, but I got over it quickly enough.

              After the papers were drawn up and signed, I called the number I had not used in years. “Hello,” my father’s voice barked through the phone.

              “Hello, father.”

              “Abigail? What do you want, sweetheart?”

              So that’s how he was going to play it. The ever doting father whose prodigal daughter finally made contact. “Cut the crap. I just wanted to let you know. I’ve had my will prepared, Dad. If I die, you still get nothing. You might as well call off whomever you’ve sent to kill me.”

              His voice was hard with an edge, “Abigail, I could never kill you. You’re my daughter. As for the will, don’t you think you are being overdramatic?”

              Condescending ass. “No, I don’t and we are done. I’ve said what I needed to say. Goodbye Father, I truly hope I never hear from you again.” I hung up the phone, my hands were shaking, but it felt good to finally sever everything that had been.

              “I still don’t like this, baby girl, and when all this is over, I’m no longer your lawyer, you got me?” Jed grumbled at me. He was pissed, like McKenzie, about me basically expanding the target on my back. Jed looked at McKenzie. “I expect you to tell Brice about this since I can’t.”

              “I can’t either, Jed. I have my own skeletons to worry about keeping hidden.” Mac was pissed and rightfully so.

              “Neither of you have to worry. I will tell him myself when he gets back.”

              “I think I’ll stick around then. McKenzie, are you making dinner?”

              She laughed, “If I didn’t, we would all starve. Abs may be able to chop and stir, but you better be watching her because if it’s being heated, she burns it.”

              “Yeah, then I’ll stay. What are you making tonight?”

              She got up and went to the refrigerator and scanned all of what we had. After a quick trip to the pantry she looked to us, “It looks like I could make some steaks and potatoes, or chicken alfredo or I could make steak alfredo for something a little different.”

              “I vote steak,” I chimed in.

              “I second that.” Jed smiled. “You know, McKenzie, I heard that the owner of the diner isn’t too happy with you. On your first day of business, you took away a lot of his customers.” He paused and I could see the wheels in his head turning.

              “You don’t think-“

              “It’s a possibility.” He nodded. “I’ll look into it.”

              “Fuck, if that’s the case then, the bullet was meant for me and not Abby.” Mac looked over at Jed, “Jed, until you know one way or the other, would you please not mention it to Brice or Titan.”

              Jed was not any happier about McKenzie’s request then he was about my plan to draw my parents out if it was them after me. “Shit, you girls are never going to let me not be your lawyer are you? Fuck, I wouldn’t give y’all up as clients anyway. It’s better if I know what’s going on rather than everyone being in the dark. I can at least keep an eye open for you both.” He raked his hand through his hair and I smiled because I had seen Brice do the same thing, many times. Like father like son.

              Mac grinned at me, then looked back at Jed then started laughing. “OH. MY. GOD.” She was really laughing a full belly laugh.

              “What?” Jed looked just as confused as I felt.

              “I get it now.”

              “Get what?” She was crazy.

              “I see it… Jed, he resembles Gibbs; his behaviors, mannerisms and even some of his personality. No wonder you are attracted to Brice. You’ve been drooling over Mark Harmon for years.”

              It hadn’t occurred to me, but now that she mentioned it and I thought about it, she was right. I grinned. “I honestly didn’t see it until this moment. I knew Jed was a good looking guy, but you’re right.” I swear Jed was looking at us like we lost our minds. “Just face it, Jed, you are a silver fox.”

              “You girls are something else. Darlin’,” he looked at me, “I won’t take from my son, but McKenzie.” he winked at her. “You, my dear, are fair game.”

              “Jed, you know I love you, but I was always more into Tony than Gibbs.”

              “Who the fuck is Tony?”

              The voice spoke from behind us. Jed’s wicked grin told us he knew the guys were there and had done that on purpose. I shook my head and smiled at him. Titan and Mac were going to be pushed at each other from all directions until she figured out that she cared for the big man and he, too, figured out that she cared for him.

              “Tony is Tony.” She shrugged, deliberately dicking with him. “He’s the man of my dreams and maybe one day he will figure that out.”

              I laughed, but when I looked at Titan, I saw a flash of vulnerability and resignation. She was losing him, I knew it then. Just as quickly as it appeared on his face, it was gone. He didn’t say a word, he just turned and left. “Let’s get dinner started,” I suggested to Mac. She was upset with herself the other day when he said he was done. When she realized that this time it was true, I think she would be heartbroken. Not that she would ever admit it.

As Mac said, I was good for mixing and chopping, but I left everything else to her. The guys were in the living room watching sports. Legend, Jed, and Brice were all laughing and relaxed. Nobody mentioned Titan’s exit, but everybody had noticed.

I was setting the table when she finally said something, “He’s really done isn’t he?”

“Yeah, I think so.” She nodded. “Men are different than women, at least from my limited experience with men. They can only take so much rejection before they move on. Women hold on and don’t let go when they love someone. At least in most cases.”

She rested her palms on the counter and leaned her body weight on them. Her head was down and her eyes closed. “It’s for the best, “she finally, said though not at all confidently. It was more like she was trying to convince herself and not me. “It’s for the best.” She repeated a little stronger and more forcefully.

“Are you convinced yet?” I asked her letting her know that I saw through her words.

“No, but I will be.”

We changed the subject and finished dinner. When the guys came in the kitchen to eat, Mac excused herself and went upstairs. Her place sat empty all night, we all silently decided to let it go. We finished the meal, the guys ate several helpings. I was about to get up and do the dishes, but Jed stopped me. “Tell him everything that happened today.”