Underground Secrets (The Underground #1) (25 page)

D
OING MY HAIR AND
makeup in my bathroom, I can’t help but keep looking through the mirror and stealing looks at Wes lying sprawled out on my bed. Every time I look at him he’s looking at me too. Heat filled to the brim in his eyes and for the first time, I hate the fact that I have to go and be an adult. Just imagine me on the inside stomping my feet like a three old yelling, “
I don’t want to
!”

He gets up, walks over and leans against the door frame, “I think it’s about time you come over and see my place.”

I smile at him because I have been dying to see where he lives. Not that I haven’t or he hasn’t wanted me too, but the timing has never worked out. Since we both work in the city, it’s always been easier to hang here or do something in town.

“Yes, I do believe it is. When are you thinking?”

“How about I pick you tonight about seven-ish? I have a late meeting and probably won’t be out til’ about six-thirty.”

On the inside I am jumping up and down with excitement. On the outside, I shrug my shoulders casually and reply, “Works for me.”

I
STEP OUT OF
my backroom looking for Gem but don’t see her. Maybe she did end up going home like she said she was going to do. I think that until I see her outside yelling at someone parked across the street. I quickly grab my purse and lock up. I walk over to where Gemma is screaming at this man who has now gotten out of his very nice classic Camaro and is leaning against the door frame.

“Who do you think you are? You think I haven’t noticed you parked here all day long? You either tell me why you are here or I’m going to call the police!” Gemma is all worked up and this guy just gives her an all too familiar smirk.

I get a better look at him noting he is extremely attractive, with dark blonde hair and green eyes. As I am looking at him, I can’t help but think we have met or I have seen him before. I know he isn’t some guy from the warehouse. I would definitely have remembered him. I remember every face from that awful place I regret spending so much of my time at. And If there is any way I can go back and tell Carter to fuck off the first day, I would one hundred times over, and then some.

“What’s going on?” I ask, not really directing the question at either one of them specifically, just to whoever answers first.

Gemma whips around and I can practically see steam coming from her ears. “This
creep
has been parked out here all day long! He has been watching our shop and refuses to tell me why! If I wasn’t in heels, I would’ve kicked his ass already!”

“I would like to see you try, sweetheart. I like my woman fiery,” the man says to Gemma.

“Sweetheart? I am not your fucking sweetheart, asshole!” Gemma spits back at him.

“You could be. One night is all it’ll take and you’ll never want to leave,” he says with a smile never leaving his face.

I know this guy, I know I do. I just don’t know from where or when. I can’t help but laugh at what is happening right in front of me because Gemma has come a long way from where she was when she was in high school. She used to hate confrontation and never wanted to do anything that could get her in trouble. But now, now she could care less and has grown some balls.

I should be freaking out about some strange man parked outside my shop and home but today nothing seems to be able to bring me down.

I watch, in what seems like in slow motion, as Gemma’s facial expression goes from fuming mad to murderous and then slaps him across the face. His face flies to one side.
Ouch
. Even I felt that blow.

He laughs and reaches up to rub his left cheek. “I did not expect that from you.” He points to me, “
You
, I was kind of expecting it from.”

Now I am just completely confused. “Me?” I ask “You don’t even know me.” I tell him kind of offended. He definitely looks familiar but I do know for sure that I don’t know him or he doesn’t know me well enough to know what to expect of me.

“You’re right, I don’t know you, but I’ve heard you can be a little… hot headed.”

Now I’m pissed. “Alright, you need to tell me who you are and what the hell you’re doing here or I will show you how ‘
hot headed’
I can be.”

He smiles a little brighter and extends his hand to me. “I’m Jesse, Wes’ cousin and I can’t tell you why I’m here. You’ll have to ask Wes about that.”

“Really?” I ask sarcastically.

At least I now know why he looks so familiar, he looks just like Wes’, besides his hair and a few details. Their eyes are exactly the same, though. He also wears the same smartass smile as Wes does.

“Really. Look, I didn’t want to meet you like this, but Wes has mentioned you and well…” his hand is still extended waiting for me to accept. I do, but not without glaring at him.

“Marlie. But I guess you already knew that.” I dig out my phone and dial Wes. It only rings twice before he picks up.

“Hey you,” he says sweetly. For a second I melt a little, but I recover. I’m on a mission to find out what’s going on.

“Why has your cousin been parked outside all day?” I ask getting straight to it.

He sighs through the phone and I know he’s either not going to tell me or I’m not going to like what he says. “Look, Marlie, I will tell you but not over the phone. I was going to explain tonight at my place.”

“No, I want to you tell me over the phone. Now.”

“It’s not something to discuss over the phone,” he tells me in a regretful tone.

I walk away from Gemma and Jesse and lower my voice. “Does this have anything to with what I told you about my ex getting out of prison? If so, I’m fine, he can go home now.” I spit out.

I know his cousin runs the Holden Security Company with him and after what I told Wes, I’m sure he knows how freaked out I am that Carter is out. But that gives him no right to go and tell my shit to his cousin or anyone else, then sending him over to keep an eye on me.

I. Am. Pissed.

I can hear the frustration in his voice when he avoids my question. “Marlie, I can’t talk about it right now. I am getting ready to head into that meeting. I will tell you everything when I pick you up tonight, okay?”

“No. Not okay, Wes. Good luck with your meeting and don’t bother picking me up, because I won’t be home. If I see your cousin or whoever else outside my shop and home again, everyone involved will regret it.”

I hang up before he can respond and shut my phone off. I turn towards Jesse and Gemma. “You.” I point at Jesse. “You can go home and don’t come back,” I tell him in my best,
I’m not someone to be messed with
voice.

I look at Gemma, “Change of plans. You coming with me or you going to stay here?”

“Oh, I am definitely coming with you.”

“Good,” I say and I walk away from Wes’ cousin and head into our apartment to change my clothes and call a cab. I put on shorts, a fringed crop top, and a pair of laced up, black boots.

I walk out of my room after finishing dressing and calling the cab, head towards the living room where I find Gemma is sitting on the couch waiting for me, having already changed herself.

“You going to tell me where we’re going or what we’re doing?”

I hold up a set of keys. Theses keys are different from the ones I use every day. These keys hold all of my car keys and my garage key. Most importantly, my LFA keys. “I need to let out some frustration.”

She smiles at me and nods. “Right. Sounds good to me. Want me to call and make hotel reservations? Or are we going to drive back?”

“Yes, that would be awesome.”

I’m pissed as hell that Wes had his cousin come and sit and watch all day like a creeper, for whatever reason. I am pissed he wouldn’t tell me about it over the phone. I am pissed that he may or may not have told his cousin what took me a long time to tell Wes himself. So I am going to do what I do best when I am pissed. I’m going to drive and scream at the tops of my lungs.

NINETEEN

I
GET TO MY GARAGE AND
feel better the minute I set my eyes on my car. As much as I despise and regret my past, there is one thing I don’t. I love the way I feel in control and powerful when I’m behind the wheel. Kind of ironic though, being as I hate that I have to, but love to do it.

On the way over I got to thinking, maybe I overreacted with Wes on the phone. Maybe I should’ve waited and listened to him. It’s just that this is all so new to me. My last and only relationship was built on secrets. One’s that were okay to keep, if it meant protecting the warehouse and the people in it. After that disaster had ended I had conditioned myself to keep everything to myself and not depend on anyone but me. I’m not used to this. I’m not used to being patient. I’m used fleeing at every opportunity I got, as long as it meant not having to deal with anything that could hurt me or piss me off.

It’s too late for that now, I’m here and already dead set on taking out any frustration I have behind the wheel. Besides, practicing is something I should be doing if the worst happens and I’m forced to race the car and for my life in the next few weeks.

Gemma and I get into the car and pull up to garage door. I hit the door opener and watch as it rises. As the door starts to rise, I make out a pair of shoes standing right beyond the other side. Then slowly the pants of a suit and once it opens fully, I’m floored by who I see.

“What the fuck?” I whisper more to myself than to anyone. I stare into the eyes of someone who I didn’t expect to see here. Wes. So many thoughts are running ramped throughout my head. I keep coming up with two conclusions. He’s known of this, my secret, or he followed me. I’m not sure which one would piss me off the most. Either way, I am pissed.

I throw the car in park, fling the door open and get out. “What the hell are you doing here Wes?”

He saunters slowly towards me. “You hung up on me,” he says as if it explains everything.

I roll my eyes at him, “And?”

“And… I skipped the meeting and found you.”

“How? I never told you about-”

“You didn’t have to Marlie.”

I just stand in front of him soaking in what he just said.
You didn’t have to Marlie
.

“How?” I ask again.

He sighs and moves around me running his fingers along the side of the car. “It’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. Face to Face.”

“What, that you’re a stalker? I already knew that. This just confirms it.”

“And this…” he gestures towards the car, “is not what I expected to find.”

“What did you expect to find, Wes?”

He looks away from the car and brings his eyes to mine. “Not you pulling out of this place in a couple hundred thousand dollar car that’s for damn sure.”

I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. Luckily, I get a moment to gather something to tell him because Gemma decides to finally get out of the car.

“Hey Wes,” she says to him quickly. She looks at me and the look on her face kind of scares me. She’s smiling. Why the hell is she smiling? She should be freaking out along with me.

“Look,” she directs at both of us, “obviously no one here is being honest and I think that if you two want to be…” she pauses for a moment, “whatever it is that you two are trying to be, then I suggest we start with this car.” She turns towards Wes, “Get in,” she demands and gets back in the car.

Yeah, she’s definitely a bit scary right now. I stay still while looking at Wes to see if he’s going to get in. I know what Gemma is doing. She knows I am not the best with words when I feel pressured or scared. Right now, I am feeling both. What if he doesn’t get in? What if he does? Most importantly, what is he going to think? All I know is I need some answers from him. Right now, I need to show him what I am hiding. “Well…” I say gesturing to my car.

He looks at me cautiously for a moment, but then moves towards the car door. I move the driver’s seat forward and he gets in. I take a deep, shaky breath and then get in myself. I look over at Gemma and silently ask her if this is the right way. She nods her head and then turns back to Wes wearing a devious grin. “Buckle up,” she tells him and then turns back around waiting for me to move.

I guess this is happening. I am going to show Wes part of my life that I so badly want out of and I am going to show him the same way Carter showed me. We all sit in silence as I pull out of the garage out onto the deserted street. After passing a few streets where the traffic starts to pick up, Wes leans forward and addresses me. “So are you going to tell me what you’re doing or are we going to keep playing the quiet game?”

I look back in my review mirror and make eye contact with him. For a moment, I lose my thought. How can I be so mad at him and still want to feel his touch?
Because he is the only man that has made you feel something towards men besides hatred. You have developed feelings for him. Strong ones. You better get used to it
.

I look down for a moment trying to make my face more passive. The last thing I need to be is readable. I look back up at him through the mirror. “No. I’m going to show you.”