Estelle In Denver (In Denver Series Book 2) (10 page)

I call Doug at the dealership and ask him if he will take the cars in the garage. He says they don’t, but he gave the name and number of someone who would. I arrange to have all of Edwin’s cars taken and sold. When the locksmith knocks with his bill, I ask if he can crack a safe. He asks where it is and I tell him that I honestly have no idea, but I’m the owner of the house. As soon as I show him the mortgage paperwork he starts looking around. He finally tells me to move; he slides the desk forward and there it is, right under the desk, a large floor safe. He asked me to stay while he works so I know nothing comes up missing and he begins to try to unlock the safe. Once it's open, he leaves instructions for it so I can reset the combination. As soon as I pay his bill, I walk him to the door and wait until I see his truck leave before I open the safe. There is cash. A lot of cash in neat bundles, there is also a ledger and a flash drive. I see tons of pictures of me and mom and some other paperwork. I start looking through and there is a safety deposit key with a bank name and box number that is also in my name. I recode the safe and close it.

I look at the clock and see that it's four-fifteen I still have time to make it to the bank. I rush out, lock up, and head into town. I make it to the bank by four-thirty and am led back to the vault. I open the large box and inside are six journals and another large sum of cash along with a letter from my mother. I also find paperwork with my name on it, showing I have dual citizenship for France, and that yes, my grandmother was a drunk, but she was a stinking rich drunk. When she died, she left her entire estate to my mom, who has secretly left it all to me. I empty the box into my bag, hand the empty box and key to the banker, and make my way home.

As I sit on my bed in the living room, I’m about to read the letter I found in the safety deposit box.

Mon trésor,

I would first like to tell you how much I love you and I am sorry I was not able to be with you. If you are reading this letter, I am most likely dead, and Edwin has killed me. I have enclosed my journals. I started writing them when I met your real father—his name is Antonio DeLuca. The last I heard, he was in New Mexico. When you find your father, please tell him how very sorry I am, and that he was my one and only true love until the day I died. The blue journals are for you, but the gold journal is for your father and him alone. I have liquidated all of my assets and put them in a trust for you that no one knows about—the trust information is enclosed. Please, my heart, forgive me for my errors and weakness. When I realized the monster Edwin really was, it was too late—I was trapped. I will not make excuses, but I do have an explanation, which is enclosed in the journals. Please be well, my heart. I love you with all my heart and soul.

Your Mother,

Celine Roux

I open the blue journal with the number one in the corner. I fall asleep reading my mother's words of growing up in France and dancing. She goes on to describe meeting my father and how it was love at first sight. That night, I dream of my mother.

I wake up to knocking on the door. I must have forgotten to activate the gate out-front. When I make my way to the door, I see three large and scary bikers, causing me to refuse to open the door.

“I don’t know who you are, but I want you to leave.” I say through the door.

“We are friends of Kennedy,” the biggest biker says in a calm voice.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I say, stepping closer to the alarm pad.

“My daughter’s name was Trixie Falcone.” He replied in a calm voice. That makes him Seth “Renegade” Falcone, I know the name I’ve heard about his daughter from Kennedy, and so I open the door.

“What can I do for you fellas?”

“Well, your step-daddy used to manage our money for us, and he died owing a lot of money. I brought my guy here, Crash, because he said he might be able to find it, if you let him.”

“Crash, I’ve heard a lot about you.” I say with a smile. “Ride you like you ride your bike.” He instantly blushed and the other two bikers start ribbing him. “Kennedy told me all about it when I was in the hospital. You can look at anything you need in the office. I’m trying to figure out what the hell is going on in there myself.”

“I have an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Harvard. I would be happy to get your shit in order.” Crash said. I just stare at him dumbfounded for a moment.

“Well, Crash, you just became my new bestie. I need to know how much money I have or don’t have, and if Edwin lost your money I will get it to you. I promise, I’m good for it.”

Renegade sighed “Look sweet pea, it isn’t about the money. It's the principle, if you got it, great, if not, no hard feelings. That shit was out of your control.”

“If I wasn’t Kennedy’s friend, would I be getting a pass?” I look at him with a slight smirk on my face.

“Hell no, but you know how I feel about the Duchess,” he smiles.

My phone is ringing, when I see it's Tristan I grab it.

“Why the fuck is a delivery service here with your clothes, Estelle?” Tristan screams into the phone.

“Rhydian and I got into a fight yesterday. He told me to get the fuck out his house.” I reply feeling my heart crumble a little more since yesterday.

“Where are you, Estelle?” He asked calming down. “I’m at my house on Anderson Street.”

“Fuck, babe, that is not a good place to be,” he says in a clipped voice.

“It's okay, Coop. Can you just give the delivery guy my right address? I’m entertaining right now, so I need to call you back.”

“Who’s there, Estelle?” He sounds panicked. “Friends of Kennedy’s. I'm safe” is all I say and turn back to the bikers in my foyer.

“I don't have any furniture, but there are some stools in the kitchen if you guys would like some breakfast and coffee.” The three bikers looked at each other.

“Well, I’m sure Bison here is famished, and I never turn down a breakfast invitation from a beautiful woman,” Crash says with a boyish grin. Damn he is hot, like hotter than the sun hot. He has blonde shoulder length hair, the color of wheat, pulled back in a messy ponytail. He is tall and built, his T-shirt stretching across his chest, and you can see the outline of his abs it's so snug. His eyes are such a bright blue, they look unnatural, and he has a straight nose and a beautiful set of teeth.

The guys follow me to the kitchen. I start the coffee pot and pull out some stuff for some corned beef hash and home fries. I hear a knock on the door and Crash follows me to the entrance. It’s a delivery guy. “Ms. Roux, I have a delivery from Mr. Kerrigan, can you please sign here?” I nod and he proceeded to bring in a few boxes of my clothes and other things.

I sit on the stairs.

“Sweetness, any man that put that look on your face isn’t worth his weight in salt.” I’m too choked up to speak, so I put my arms over my knees to hide my face.

I have tried to be strong. I once read that the hardest to thing a woman could ever have to do is bury a child and leave the man she loves. I can honestly say the last 24 hours have proven to me that I’m not as strong as I thought I was.

“I don’t know what happened, Crash. We had that kind of fight that has itself, we were trying to not argue but the fight just seemed to take on a life of its own. It started out calm, we were just talking, trying to figure out where the bump in the road was, then we were yelling, and then we were breaking up. It’s not what I wanted. I have wanted to go to him fifty times during the night. It was awful. I’ve been here, and I realized that all I want is to be with him.”

“I’m gonna give you some privacy, sweetness.” I hear his boots walk away.

I go to the bathroom to wash my face and try gather myself. I look at my phone. I have no calls, no texts. I think about texting Rhydian, but I don’t know how to even begin to say sorry. Instead I text him the link to a song that has been playing in my mind since I walked out his door,

Rhydian, I'm sorry, please listen. I love you so much and I'm sorry
. When he clicks on the message, the song 'Wrong Side of a Love Song' by Melanie Fiona will play.

It’s going to be a waiting game now. I have to wait until he will listen to me. I take one more look in the mirror before attending to my guests. I walk out and Crash is putting food on plates. When he sees me, he motions towards the counter.

“Thanks Crash. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning, I’m starving.” He smiles and nods.

“I know it's none of my business, but where is all your shit?” Bison asks.

“It’s okay” I look around at the house, part of my therapy is openly talking about what I survived, what happened to me isn’t my shame. I look at Renegade who lost his only child, and at these giant bikers and I know they understand what judgment feels like, so I answer Bison’s question honestly   “I had the Salvation Army come get it. This was my prison. Edwin abused me until I was fourteen in this house. And when he figured that beating me wasn't enough, he took it further. He had me raped by his minions and he tortured me here for nine years.” It’s then I see the men have stopped eating. “I got rid of everything he ever touched, but I need to be here. This was the last place my mother was alive.”

“Why the fuck would you come back here, sweetness?” Crash asked me, shocked.

“Because it’s just a house and I remember my mom baking cookies in this kitchen. It’s been updated, but she stood in here.”

“Where was your momma when all this was happening?” Renegade ask dismayed.

“Edwin killed her when I was four—threw her down those stairs when she tried to leave him one night.”

“We could burn this place to the ground,” Bison chimes in methodically.

“No! I can't let this house beat me, I have to beat it.” I start getting frantic.

“So, you and a Kerrigan?” Crash asked, changing the subject.

“Nope.” I sip my coffee giving Cash a wink to show my thanks.

Renegade shakes his head.

“I tell ya, them Kerrigans, for all their money they sure are a dumb lot. Throwing good women away and think with a twinkle of their eyes and them dimples, y'all will just come running back” Renegade says. I smile. We all hear a loud ass knock on the front door.

“That would be the boys” Bison says

I walk to the entryway and there are about eight giant bikers standing there.

“Hi guys. Your friends are back in the kitchen.”

They all follow me back. I need to make some more coffee.

Renegade looks at me. “Estelle, these guys are a bunch of jacks of all trades. You need this house sorted and we got nothing going on so I called in some reinforcements. I owe Kennedy a lot.”

Bison and Crash nod their heads, agreeing. “Let us do this for you, sweet pea.” Renegade said with a warm smile.

“I have cash. I can pay for paint and floors and stuff. The house is mine, it's in my name. I’m keeping it and turning it into someplace happy.”

Renegade turned to Bison. ”Call the rest of the club, even the old ladies. I want everyone here in the next hour. Sweet pea, call our girl. We are past time for a reunion. And tell her to bring those babies.”

An hour later, my driveway is filled with work trucks and bikers. Tristan arrives first, he recognizes Renegade immediately and they shake hands.

Then Easton comes in and he looks upset. “Estelle, why did you come back here?” Easton ask.

“Oh, didn’t you know? Your brother kicked me out yesterday.” I answer him sardonically.

“You could have come to Kennedy and me.” He gives me a knowing look.

“No, according to your brother I always run to Kennedy or Tristan. I need to deal with this on my own.”

“Did you bring what I asked for, Tristan?” I yell across the room.

“Yeah, Easton help me get all this beer and the folding chairs out my car.” Tristan calls out.

“Everyone, I have made sandwiches, and I have some beer, if you guys want to come into the living room. I also have some folding chairs, so you guys don't have to sit on the floor.”

Just then, Kennedy, Stacy, and Rose walk in, each carrying a car seat with a baby, when Renegade sees her, he open his arms.

“Darlin’, it's been awhile.”

The entire club stands, a sign of respect I assume.

“I don’t know who you are, but if you want to keep those arms you better unwrap them from around my man.” We hear an acerbic female voice say as they enter the room.

The minute Renegade stands to the side, the women see Kennedy.

“Brenda, I would like you to meet Kennedy Brennan.” Renegade says with a wide smile.

Brenda starts crying, walks over and hugs her.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you,” Brenda says, sniffling.

The bikers all put their fists over their heart and bow their heads as a sign of respect for Kennedy.

I hear a prospect say to Bison, “Who's the bitch?” and then all I saw was the guy fly out of his seat.

“Damn prospects need to learn to keep their mouths shut,” said Renegade.

“For those of you that don’t know Kennedy Brennan, she is the only female member we have ever had as a Chosen One. She isn't an honorary member nor an old lady, she is a patched in member by unanimous vote and before any of you new guns think about getting stupid, I would advise against it.” Renegade concluded with authority in his voice.

He continues in an angry voice, I can tell his is really pissed off and a pissed off biker is never a good thing.

“I better never hear anyone refer to her in a disrespectful way again. Some of you members are new, so you don’t know her or her story, but you know I had a daughter and she was killed by a serial killer. Kennedy killed that son of a bitch. The club owes her the highest debt there is—we owe her a life debt. She shot Trixie’s killer in front of millions of people watching and never thought twice about it. Prospects, you show proper respect for the highest ranking members of any club and Kennedy is the Duchess, so you boys show her some fucking respect.” The five prospects put their fists over their hearts and bowed their heads.

“Estelle here is protected under Kennedy, so that means she is protected and taken care of by all of us. The Kerrigan’s and any of their kin fall under that protection as well.” He concluded.

When everyone started to go their own ways in the house, I heard a prospect mumble.

“I still don’t get why the fuck we got a bitch in our ranks.”

Both Kennedy and Renegade's heads whip around.

“Excuse me, did I just hear you, prospect?” Renegade asked, incredulous. Kennedy places her hands on Renegades chest.

“I got this.” She walks over slowly with a giant smile on her face. “Do you have something you want to say to my face like a real man would? Or are you going to continue to mumble shit under your breath?” she says to the mouthy prospect.

He goes to open his mouth, but in the blink of an eye Kennedy has her Glock 19 in his mouth and watches his eyes get huge.

“I would choose your next words very carefully, my friend. My trigger finger has been a little twitchy lately, so I can't be held accountable for what it chooses to do should you continue.”

The prospect chooses to shut his mouth and goes outside to sit on the porch, but not before hearing Renegade yell, “That’s where a good bitch belongs.”

Brenda finally broke the tension when she squeals for someone to give her a baby.

"Damn Kerrigan, how did you manage to catch our Duchess?" Renegade asks.

Easton looked at his wife. "I didn't catch her, she caught me," he laughed.

By now, everyone is laughing and you’ll never seen anything as funny as bikers trying to handle three wiggly one year old babies.

"Sweetness," I hear Crash call me into the foyer. "Someone’s here looking for you."  I head over to see who the hell is at my door.

“Rhydian, I’m glad you're here. Did you get my message?” I go to hug him, but he moves out of the way while pushing my hands away. He still looks angry.