Meant To Be (Heaven Hill Series) (18 page)

“You doth protest too much.”

Roni knew that Denise was worried. She’d heard it in her voice when Denise had called to ask her to come over. What better way to distract her than to talk about sex?

Never having what one would call a gossipy girlfriend before, Denise was out of her element. Was it okay to talk to other women about this stuff?

“So we had a ‘moment’, but it was
not
sex. Trust me.” Her face burned a bright red, giving her completely away.

“Oh do tell.” Roni clapped her hands together, excited for her brother and her friend.

“It was just a couple of kisses.”

“
Just
a couple of kisses? The way you’re blushing, that must have been some kiss.”

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “To be honest, even though I am a mother I don’t have a lot of experience. He just makes me nervous. I mean I’m sure he has women all over the place.”

“I could lie and tell you that my brother is a saint, but he’s not. Just give him time, he’ll bring you over to the dark side,” she giggled, eyebrows raised.

Denise wasn’t sure exactly where the dark side was, but it went without saying that she wanted to experience it.

“Post club members at every exit of this hospital, nobody gets in or leaves that we don’t know about,” Liam instructed as the MC went about damage control.

One of the policemen on their payroll had already conceded the police presence that was supposed to be posted outside of Meredith’s door. Tyler now stood there, daring anyone who walked by to say a word to him. The nurses openly flirted, the doctors just put their heads down and continued on about their business. It was very evident that he would be okaying anyone who went through that door.

“Liam, I need to have a word with you.”

He groaned. He knew that voice and he didn’t want to have to deal with this right now. “What Rooster?”

“Where were you and your club tonight?” he asked, casually resting his hand on his gun belt, and looking the other man in the eyes.

Liam hated when he rested his hand on his gun belt. It straight up pissed him off. “Not that I have to tell you. If you really had something, you’d be arresting me so fast my head would spin, but I’ll do you a favor since we go so far back. We were at the clubhouse, watching the news like everyone else in this town.”

“And you know nothing about the explosion that did heavy damage to the news station?”

Liam grinned sarcastically. “You’ve known me for years. Have I ever been a goddamn explosives expert? Has anybody in my club ever been?”

“Cut the bullshit, this is serious. I’m asking you a serious question. This is huge. The FBI has been called in on it. You and I both know that you don’t want the FBI or ATF sniffing around. And Layne’s ex Special Forces. Be honest with me, for once in your life.”

That pissed Liam off. “You know what Rooster? I’ve always been honest. I’ve always been me. You’re the liar wearing a goddamn badge. You wanna ask me anymore questions, you contact my attorney. Oh and by the way, Layne’s a Prospect. If we did this our names would be all over it, motherfucker.”

Office Hancock glared at his one-time friend. “You stay available.”

Glaring right back, Liam got his word in. “You stay the fuck outta my way.”

Muffled voices sounded like they were miles away. This was the third or fourth time Meredith had heard them. Each time, she tried with super human strength to acknowledge them. Each time, she failed. This time though, her resolve strong, she fought against the pain she felt. It was as if she was coming up for air to keep from drowning. As she broke the surface she gasped, sitting straight up.

“Calm down,” hands pushed her shoulders, pinning her against the bed. Those same voices took on soothing tones as they began speaking to her.

“Meredith, you’ve been in an accident. Can you remember anything?”

She shook her head as she opened her eyes. The light was bright and a group of people stood above her. Recognizing doctors and nurses, she began shaking.
What the hell happened to me?

“You’re going into shock Meredith, keep looking at me,” one of the doctors said, keeping eye contact with her, trying to soothe her.

“What kind of accident?” she managed to stutter out, her body shaking so much her teeth chattered.

“There was an explosion at the news station. Do you remember anything?”

Just like that, she was out again.

It had been a long night. Liam yawned as he stood with a group of members that were manning one entrance. They had seen neither hide nor hair of any Vojnik members, which just reinforced the feeling that Heaven Hill had been set up.

“VP, why don’t you head home?”

Liam glanced up at his dad. He looked just as tired as Liam felt, but he knew the old man was waiting for something, anything to happen. He expected Richard Joyce to show up, and he would be there when he did.

“If you’re not goin’ home Dad, I’m not goin’ home.”

Placing an arm around his son, William brought him close. “It’s an order, go home. You’re dead on your feet, and you need to check on things there. If that ass has targeted the reporter, he may have targeted the other women as well. I mean let’s think about how Denise came onto our radar.”

Liam had to admit the old man had a point. It could have been coincidence, but it also could have been orchestrated by the former member. He knew without a doubt that Denise wasn’t involved, but knew it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that she be a pawn in whatever sick game he appeared to be playing.

“I’ll have my pre-pay on. Call me if you need me.”

The sun was beginning to rise on the horizon as he pulled into the driveway of his home. Even summer mornings were a little chilly as the morning dew gathered on the surface of the earth. He felt raw; Richard Joyce had been an important member of the club. His brother, just like the rest of them. Liam worried now about Denise and her children. If Meredith had been set up so badly, what could Joyce do to children if he got it in his mind to do so?

His thoughts were dark and heavy as he parked his bike and made his way into the house. It was quiet at this time of morning, eerily quiet for him now. It was funny how quickly he’d become accustomed to having two teenage children living there. If he was being honest, it hadn’t been a home until he had people to share it with.

Walking up the stairs, he checked on both kids before walking to his bedroom. He rolled his shoulders. They were tight with the tension and stress the night before had placed on him. It hurt him that women had been targeted in an all-out war against his club. Against him. It pissed him off, and when he got ahold of Richard Joyce he would kill him with his bare hands.

Moments later he was in the shower, letting the scalding hot water wash away his anger, his disappointment. He felt like all of this had been laid at his feet, and it was expected that he would scoop it up and put it on his shoulders. Liam knew that he could take it, but first he had to come to grips with it. First he had to admit he’d brought this to his own front door.

“How could one of my own brothers have been this bad?” he whispered, pushing his hair back from his face.

This was his responsibility as VP, and he knew it. Therefore, he would take care of it. It would take him to a place he didn’t relish going. A place he didn’t want to go to with Denise living in this house with him. This though was for his club, and he couldn’t back down. Hell, he wouldn’t back down. Richard Joyce had fucked with the wrong man, the wrong club.

Getting out of the shower, he dried off, securing a towel around his waist. Exhaustion washed over him, and he looked forward to the bed that was awaiting him. Running a hand over his cheek, he contemplated shaving, but the bed sounded much better.

Walking out of the bathroom, he scrubbed his head vigorously with another towel. When he decided it was as dry as it would get without a hairdryer, he dropped the towel into his hamper and turned towards the bed. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice complete gravel with lack of sleep.

She stood in the middle of the room, a short t-shirt barely covering her panties. Her hair lay haphazard against her shoulders, and she had the lazy look of sleep in her eyes. Running her tongue along her bottom lip, she smiled softly at him.

“I talked to your sister tonight. I’m ready to take a walk on the dark side.”

Chapter Twenty