Strike (9 page)

“Not a good idea, Jones,” Stone says in a gruff voice from behind me. Even though he’s taken me by surprise, I still can’t pull my eyes from April as she works her camera.

“What?” I snap.

He points in April’s direction. “You don’t know who that is?” he says, his dark eyebrows darting up.

Of course I do.
All too well. And I’m going to get to know her a hell of a lot more.

Stone laughs, and the hairs on the back of my neck prick up. He’d better watch his mouth where April is concerned. Staring back at him, I keep my mouth shut. I’d rather he just spat out whatever the hell it is he thinks is so amusing.

“I knew it. You don’t know who she is. This is funny as shit.”

“You gonna tell me?”

“Nah, you’re a big boy … You’ll work it out, and when you do,
please
let me be around to witness it.”

Stone walks off, leaving me to stare at April’s perfect arse in those spray-on jeans. And the motorbike boots. Damn it if they don’t do crazy things to my imagination. Maybe one day she can wear a short little skirt and leave her boots on, and I can take her from behind. Fuck yeah. That’d be the ticket.

I’d better head into the trailer and get changed out of my filthy gear. Then I’ll go talk to April and find out what she’s doing here.

I need to explain why I’m here too.

****

My hand is on the trailer door when Mac wolf-whistles to get everyone’s attention. Stone and Billy walk over to him, and I put down my helmet and gloves. I guess Mac wants to chat about next round. I hope he’s noticed the effort I’ve put in this weekend. I’m fucking wiped.

“Well, boys, I gotta say I’m really impressed with how you’ve handled the track this weekend. The strength training we re-jigged seems to be making a difference to your fitness. I’m proud of you lot,” Mac says.

I step closer to the guys when April breezes in under the marquee. She’s all smiles. My whole body freezes and I forget how to walk.

She throws her arms around Mac.

Why is she doing that?

He kisses her loudly on the cheek and squeezes her tight, lifting her off the ground. “Hey Peaches, how’s my girl?” he says, in the happiest tone I’ve ever heard from him.

“Great, Daddy. It’s so good to be home.
And
I haven’t been Peaches in a long time.”

Daddy?

Peaches?

No fucking way.

April is … Mac’s daughter?

Heat prickles in my cheeks and the urge to vomit becomes pretty fucking real. I lean down and start unclipping my boots. My brain starts back-pedalling.

“You’ll always be Peaches to me, girl.” He chuckles and nudges her with his elbow. “Come on. Let me introduce you to the team.”

I dare to glance up. Mac puts his arm around her small waist and leads her closer to Stone. “I think you already met Aidan Stone a year or so ago. Aidan this is—”

“April,” she interrupts, offering her hand to him. Stone smiles like he’s on drugs as they shake. “Nice to see you again, Aidan. Daddy tells me you’ve gotten married and had babies. Congratulations.”

“Yeah, two beautiful boys, Josh and Grady. My wife, Eevie, is arriving here today. I’d love you to meet her. I think you’d get along real well.”

“Sounds great. You’ll have to show me some pictures of the kids later.”

“Will do.”

“This is Billy,” Mac says, moving down the line. Billy runs his hand over his short black hair, his eyes feasting on her as he takes his sweet fucking time shaking her hand. My skin crawls. I wish he’d stop touching her.

I give up fiddling with my boots and decide to secure them back on.

“Hey,” Billy mutters. I think he’s too cock-struck to spit out more than one syllable.

“Hi Billy, good to meet you,” she says and I catch her winking at him as I stand. I’m instantly jealous.

When her beautiful grey eyes meet mine, that gorgeous smile slips straight from her face.

“And last of all, this is Jones,” Mac says, the tone in his voice almost a warning.

She blinks a few times, and stares right through me. “Good to meet you,
Jones
,” she says, her cheerful voice faltering.

I extend my arm. Reluctantly, she places her hand in mine. I squeeze it, not wanting to let go, but she fights me and pulls back sooner than I’d like.

Stone does his best to hide his blinding smile behind his hand. The fucker knew I was checking out Mac’s daughter, and now he’s enjoying watching me squirm. I should have beaten it outta him while I had the chance. I would’ve been more prepared.

April’s eyes flit around nervously, and she turns to Mac.
Her ‘daddy’
.

“If you’ll excuse me, boys, I need to get some coffee. Anyone want one?”

The others reply with something, but I’m too busy focusing on what to do next.

“Can I borrow your truck, Daddy?” she asks. Mac scrounges in his pockets, and then hands her a bunch of keys. April is out of camp before I can blink. I hope I haven’t fucked this up. I knew it was wrong keeping it from her, but I have no fucking clue how to build something, a relationship I guess, with a girl that I like. Not. One. Clue.

I storm off in the direction she left. I have to talk to her and sort this shit out.

Stone grabs my upper arm, drawing his mouth close to my ear. “Where you goin’, mate?” he says, low enough for only me to hear.

“I need coffee,” I bark, pulling out of his grip.

“I really don’t think you do. If you’re smart, you’ll switch to drinkin’ somethin’ else.”

I glare at him and walk past him like a man on a mission. Stone isn’t gonna tell me what to do. I barely catch her before she gets to Mac’s Ute. She must have run once she was out of sight.

“April, wait.”

She turns, hands on hips. “Sorry,
Jones
, is it?” she accuses.

Yeah. She’s pissed.

“I was going to tell you about the riding. It’s … it’s just the one thing that seems to get me into strife.”

I don’t want to ruin what we have, because it’s going somewhere I can’t turn back from. That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. I want someone to want me for being Spencer, not Jones. Not the money or the hype. Just me.

“But riding is who you are,
Jones
. A big fucking part. I knew there was something you were holding back, but I don’t get the
why
. If anything, I see how this is more you than anything you’ve told me. I watched Jones rip around that track this morning at practice. Of course I didn’t know it was you. All I saw was a man hell-bent on pushing the limit. You love it like crazy. I can see that.”

“All I can do is say I’m sorry. What we’re doing,” I motion my hand between us, “it’s all new to me.”

Her eyes soften, and she huffs her fringe from her face. “I just wished you’d said something.”

I slide my hands around her waist and wiggle my fingers into the back pockets of her jeans. “Are we okay then?”

She groans, and pushes her hips towards me. “On one condition. Tell me stuff. And trust in me that you can. If what we’re doing is gonna be anything then talk to me. Be real, Spencer. All I ask is that you be real.”

She’s right. I need to grow some balls and talk. “I will. Sorry, I’m a dick.”

“Yeah, you are. But we can’t talk about this now. Let’s do this later.” She looks around, and I know exactly who she’s looking for.

Mac.

Now we have a big fucking problem.

****

* APRIL *

How the fuck do I waltz back in there, deliver everyone’s coffee and pretend that the ground hasn’t just crumbled beneath me? Spencer and I were going somewhere. To a place that I was really looking forward to, and now Papa Bear’s on the scene, it could all turn to shit. History always has a way of repeating itself.

Daddy has always been overprotective, no matter how many times I’ve told him to back off. I’m a big girl. He can let me run with the fucking bulls of Pamplona, but when it comes to boys and me, he’s a different beast entirely. I know for a fact he would have read these boys the riot act before I got here. Combining his usual overbearing self with what happened with Todd, he’d become a crazed animal on steroids
and
speed if he knew how close Spencer and I are to Fuck Central.

Daddy’s talking on the phone, so I decide to chat to Aidan.
The only safe option
. If I sidle up next to Jones and start talking like we know each other, like I
thought
I knew him, Daddy would blow a fucking gasket. He wouldn’t approve. I already know that, so there’s no point in coming out and upsetting everyone with this thing Spencer and I have going on, when it’s still growing. Into what, I don’t know.

“Hey, Aidan. Here’s your coffee,” I say, smiling as I approach.

“Thanks, April. Did you get some good shots today?”

“Yeah, I got some of you getting some serious air. I’ll send a couple of them through and you can take a look.”

“Sweet. Hey, have you got any plans tonight?”

“No. I don’t actually.” It was going to be a quiet night in because Spencer was busy, although now I just want to abduct him, tie him to my bedposts and torture him until I get the whole story.

“Eevie and the kids are here, and we’re gonna cook something up in the apartment we’re staying in. I’m sure she’d love to have another girl around. I think sometimes she misses a bit of adult conversation, and once the twins are in bed she can relax.”

“That’d be perfect. I’ll bring something for dessert.”

I walk over to Billy to pass him his coffee. His hazel eyes don’t know where to look. I can’t tell if he’s shy or not. “Here you go, Billy,” I say and hand it over.

“Um, thanks,” he says, his voice wavering. I can’t say he’s not good looking, with his olive skin and baby face; he’s got to be the youngest on the team by a good five years.

I look over to Daddy and he’s still ranting on the phone, so I walk over to Spencer. With my back to Daddy, I hand him a coffee.
Just act normal
.

“Thanks,” he says, giving me a weary smile. “Can we talk tonight?” he asks under his breath, his eyes and his tone both begging me.

“I can’t. I’m having dinner with Aidan and Eevie,” I say softly.

“Tomorrow then? After I finish work?”

“You mean the job you told me about? Sure. Just as long as you’re prepared to do some talking.”

He nods. “I am.”

“You get me a coffee too, Peaches? Your old man’s dyin’ here.”

The blood rushes to my cheeks as the thud of his heavy steps approach. I turn to him, and hand him a coffee from the cardboard tray.

“Here you go,” I say, and fake a grin.

“Come on. Let’s see some of these pics,” Daddy says, and gives me a proud smile. He puts his arm around my shoulders. As much as it hurts, I ignore Spencer, and walk away. He must know we can’t talk in front of Daddy. Not like I know him. It stings deep in my chest.

It hurts.

****

“Hey, April. Welcome to the zoo,” Aidan says, ushering me inside.

I walk further into the apartment. Two little boys are running around in the nude, squealing, their blond hair wet and spiky. A tall slim girl with long wavy chocolate hair is chasing one of them with a towel. She’s giggling too. Doesn’t look too much like a zoo to me.

“Come on, boys. Let’s get you dressed,” Aidan says with a hint of authority, but it’s closer to a teddy bear barking orders.

“I’ll put dessert in the fridge, shall I?”

“What’d ya bring?” Aidan asks, and then diverts his attention, crooking his finger at the remaining runaway child.

“A chocolate brownie-cake thingy.” I’ve made it a couple of times before, so I know it tastes good.

He smiles wickedly. “Eevie’s gonna
love
you.”

Eevie wraps one of the boys tight in a white towel and lifts him up. She pushes her dark glasses back on her nose and walks over to me, smiling brightly.

“Hi, Eevie, it’s good to meet you,” I say extending my hand, and she shakes it.

“Hi, April. You too. Sorry about the nudie show.”

“No worries.”

“These boys take a little too much after their father.”

Ah, a little too much information … Don’t need to be imagining your husband naked right now.
Kinda already did that when I met him a few years back.

“Which one are you, buddy?” I ask, ruffling my fingers through the small child’s wet hair. He gives me a cheeky grin before shyly burying his head into Eevie’s neck.

“This is Joshua,” she says. “Grady is the one playing hard to get.”

The sweet sound of high-pitched giggles comes from the next room, and Aidan walks through carrying Grady over his shoulder, tickling his ribs. What an adorable little family.

After wrestling with the boys and setting each of them into a high chair, we start on a feast of spaghetti and Italian bread. Carb central. Just what I’ll need with this wine.

“This is delicious, Eevie, but are we expecting anybody else? There’s loads of food here.” Surely someone else is coming. This is way too much for the three of us.

Eevie quirks her lips to the side. “I’ve got three younger brothers,” Eevie says, “so I was used to cooking for an army. I’m still having trouble with the quantities.”

Why was she cooking for her brothers? She smiles softly at Aidan, and he rubs her back in a comforting gesture. There must be more to that story.

Little Josh and Grady eat more spaghetti than meat sauce, but it doesn’t stop the splashes of red from marking their little faces. At least they looked like they enjoyed it.

“I don’t know why we bothered to shower them before dinner,” Eevie says and laughs.

“I wish I’d brought my camera. Even looking like that, they’re beautiful,” I say, and I mean it. They’re cute boys. Their pale blue eyes and long lashes, so much like their father, have had me wanting to squeeze their little round cheeks from the moment I walked in. And it felt weird. I’d barely spent any time around young kids. I don’t have any girlfriends who are at that stage in life, and travelling overseas, it was party central.

“Come on, boys. Let’s get you cleaned up so we can have a snuggle and read a book before bed,” Aidan says as he stands, filling up our wine glasses. He winks at Eevie before wrestling the boys and taking them from the room.