Safe With You: Winter's Rose #1 Read online

  “When Addie told me about”—he pointed at my stomach—“that,” he continued. “I watched the way that she spoke to him and she… I don’t know. They looked kind of familiar with each other.”

  “Well, they are friends,” I interjected. “Maybe that’s all there is.”

  “Maybe.” I reached down for another kiss. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Okay.” She gave me a beaming smile before she turned away and walked next door.

  I stood there at the door for a little longer, chuckling when I saw she already had a few customers waiting outside, even though the shop didn’t open for another half hour.

  Walking inside, I sent a text message to James asking him to keep Addie busy tonight. As I waited for the reply, I thought over what I was going to cook for Charlie. I wanted to make it special as she had been under more than enough stress and drama lately.

  My phone beeped, alerting me to a response. That was quick.

  Got plans? ;)

  Nosey fucker.

  I’ll ask Scott and a couple of the boys to mind the bar tonight. Have Addie stay at yours.

  Stepping behind the bar, I groaned when I saw we were getting low on the fruity gins again. There were a few boxes in the storeroom but they were getting popular with the customers.

  Fine. Have a good night. Thought you should know… David was hanging around outside the bar last night

  Fucking great.

  After a shower—spent mostly trying not to think about how good Charlie would look up against the tiles—and a change of clothes, I went back downstairs with my tablet and headed to the storeroom and began the stock check.

  Several hours passed, and after getting the boys caught up with the night’s reservations, I was leaving. “I have my phone on me so if there are any problems, call me.” I waved it at them, waiting for a head nod from each of them. “I’m only down the block, so if the place catches fire…” I joked.

  I walked down the street, heading for one of the supermarkets, needing to pick up a few items for tonight’s meal. I needed it to be perfect. I needed us to have just one night away from all the stresses and dramas—from the craziness that had become our lives lately.

  After grabbing the supplies and a bottle of Charlie’s favourite palma violet flavoured purple gin, I was at her apartment building, pressing the buzzer and waiting for Addie to answer. The sound of the buzzer interrupted my thoughts before Addie’s voice came through the speaker.

  “Come on up, Casanova.”

  I rolled my eyes at the nickname she had dubbed me with and ran up the steps. I chuckled when she already had the door open for me.

  “Thanks for tonight, Addie.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She leaned up and kissed me on the cheek before stepping back and reaching for her jacket. She slid her arms through the sleeves. “So, what’re the plans for tonight? I’m guessing tonight is a special night or something.”

  “Not really.” I huffed when I saw her cocking her eyebrow at me. “It’s nothing! I just wanted Charlie and me to have a night drama-free. Just her, me and nothing else.”

  “Aw! Look at you.” She grabbed her handbag off the worktop before applying a coat of lipstick. Checking her reflection in the mirror, she did a little twirl, giving herself a once over. “Who would have ever guessed that Mr. Tough Bartender would become so whipped?”

  “I’m not whipped.” I rolled my eyes at her before walking past her. “Will you be back tonight?” I asked.

  “I think I’ll pass.” She untucked her hair from beneath her jacket. “I’ll stay at a friend’s.”

  “Like James?” I mocked. “I think something is going on there.”

  She made a dismissive noise before she waved at me and walked to the door. “He wishes.”

  I rolled my eyes at her, laying all the items out, and began planning the meal. I wasn’t a fan of cooking, but Addie wasn’t wrong when she said I was becoming whipped.

  I was man enough to admit it.

  16

  David

  Watching her coming out of Alex’s bar, I had never felt so angry. Her hair was rumpled and she had a stupid smile on her face. She thought that she was happy with him but she didn’t know. She didn’t know how much of a fool she was being.

  He was a beast. He didn’t deserve an angel like her. I knew that I didn’t either anymore. I had fucked up, and I knew that there was nothing that I could do to take it back. I’d screwed another woman behind her back, and she had every right toss me to the kerb. However, if she thought that I was going to accept being replaced by that monster, she was so fucking wrong.

  Walking into The Dark Room—not a lot of thought put into the title of that club—I walked up to the bar and ordered a scotch on the rocks. I had always been a drinker, but since Charlie had quit her job and opened her little café shop, it had gotten worse.

  When we’d broken up, I had been a cocky prick. I thought she’d be back to me in a week, but then her interfering supposed best friend stuck her nose in and she never came back. She collected her stuff, cut contact and changed her telephone numbers. Fuck, even her email address was closed down.

  I had begun going to her place of work. It was the only place that I knew I would see her. First, it had started as just once a week—sitting outside on my lunch break having a sandwich—but then it had slowly morphed into a few times a week and before I knew it, it had progressed to following her home and hanging around outside her apartment complex.

  I looked at my reflection in the mirror behind the bar, disgusted with myself. I’d always been a well-respected businessman, and I had now been reduced to an idiot who had to be warned by the police to stay away.

  Before I could get sucked back down memory lane, a hand clamped down on my shoulder from behind.

  “Mr. Smith,” a deep, male voice sounded from behind me. “The boss would like to see you.”

  I nodded, downing my glass and turned around, slipping off my stool and followed the big man to the back of the club. I looked around, noticing that the club was full of bikers and big guys that appeared a little thuggish. I didn’t belong here with these low-lives and it was pathetic that this was what I had been reduced to: sneaking around in dark clubs, meeting with assholes that I would usually cross over the street to avoid.

  We walked through a closed door that was marked ‘STAFF ONLY’. It had a keypad on the side by the frame, and after the big guy in the suit typed in a pin code, he pushed the door open and we walked down a corridor. It was lined with doors on each side but we didn’t stop until we got to the one at the end. I waited for a sign to indicate what sort of room it was we were walking into but there wasn’t any.

  “Come on in,” another male voice said.

  Big guy stood to the side and indicated for me to take a chair in front of the desk. He walked away when I took a seat and shut the door loudly behind him.

  “So, Mr. Smith. What can I do for you?”

  He was a young man, dressed in a dark suit with a matching shirt and tie. Just like Johnny Cash, he looked like he was going to a funeral. He had dark hair and a bit of stubble on his face.

  “I want some information,” I said, blunt and straight to the point. “I have been told that you are a friend of Alex Winters.”

  The young man smirked at me before leaning forwards and placing his arms on the desk. “Alex Winters.” He rubbed his fingers across his chin. “I haven’t heard that name in a while. Why do you want to know about Alex Winters? He owe you money?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “We have a mutual friend in common and I… I know that he’s a bad guy. I was told you knew him.”

  He stared at me coldly before answering. “I know him. He’s got your girl, right? Charlotte Chase?”

  My blood ran cold. I didn’t like that he knew her name, and judging by the glint in his eye, I assumed that he knew a lot of other things about her that he shouldn’t really fucking know.

  “I make it my business to keep up to date o
n all my clients, Mr. Smith.”

  “Is that what he is?” I asked. “A client?”

  “A friend.” He shrugged his shoulders. “We served time together.”

  “Prison?” I asked, surprised. “What did he do?”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” He glared at me, resting his chin in his hand. “Now, why don’t you tell me the real reason you came here?”

  I stared at him, agitated. I knew this arsehole had the answer I needed. I knew he could give me the key to demolishing the little world that Charlie had created with Alex, and I really didn’t want to leave here without it.

  “I need a gun,” I answered. “I know I can get one here.”

  “And what makes you think that?” he asked. He had a terrific poker face.

  “Because I’m not stupid!” I snapped. “I need to protect myself, and I can’t rely on the police to do fuck all for me. Plus, I can pay you.”

  He nodded his head before standing up and walking past me. “Come with me.” I followed him back through the door and down the corridor before we stopped halfway and he led me in through another door.

  I took a step back in surprise, shocked as fuck at what I was seeing. The room was full of glass display cabinets with all sorts of weaponry on show. He walked over to a cabinet, pulling a small black case out. He opened it and moved it closer to me. Inside was a black handgun.

  Before I could reach for it, he pulled it away from me, shaking his head at the man who was standing behind me. I assumed he was telling him to put his gun away: a place like that didn’t get this stocked without some security.

  “We’re not a charity here, Mr. Smith. Payment upfront.”

  I nodded my head, producing a brown envelope from inside my suit pocket with five grand of cash.

  “Do I need to count it?” he mocked. “By the way, Mr. Smith, how did you come to know of my little business?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. The fucker was trying to act all business-like and professional when he was just a fucking criminal. “We have a mutual friend.” I stared at him. “I know your man, William, and he said that you were trustworthy and wouldn’t ask too many questions.”

  He smirked at me. “Fair enough.”

  I shook my head and grabbed the box with the gun and bullets before marching towards the door.

  “A word of advice, Mr. Smith,” he called after me, making me stop at the door. “I wouldn’t go waving that around near our dear friend, Alex.”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  Who the fuck did he think he was talking to?! I could handle myself.

  “Because he won’t hesitate to use that gun on you.”

  I stared at him, shocked at the threat. I nodded my head slowly and continued my walk out of the door. I took his advice for what it was. It was a warning—a warning to not turn my back on Alex and to get Charlie out.

  17

  Charlie

  Walking, I dumped my bag by the door and walked quietly around the corner. Leaning against the wall, I smiled as I watched him standing at the stove. He was mixing what looked like a sauce and had a pot of boiling pasta. It looked like he was making me my favourite meal: spaghetti and meatballs.

  I walked further into the room, sliding my arms around his waist.

  “Hey.” He placed his hand over mine where it was resting on his stomach. “How was the café?”

  I groaned, shuffling backward and hopped up on the worktop behind me. “It was a long day.” I swung my legs from side to side, giggling when he stared over his shoulder at my legs peeking out from beneath my skirt. I toed my ballet flats off, letting them drop to the floor. “Am I distracting you?”

  He turned the sauce down before he turned to me, not stopping until he was standing between my parted legs.

  “You know you are.” He grabbed my thighs and lifted them against his hips, tugging my arse to the edge of the worktop. “You torment me.”

  I moaned when I felt his lips against my neck.

  “Where’s Addie?” I asked.

  He pulled back, looking down at me with his eyebrows raised. “I can’t be doing this right if you’re thinking about Addie.”

  I laughed before placing my hand on his chest and pushed him back a little. “I’m going to go and wash up, if that’s okay.”

  “Sure.” He went back to the stove. “I’d offer my assistance, but I think if I did that, you’d be in there a lot longer.”

  “Then I guess you had better stay there and cook my food,” I called over my shoulder as I left the kitchen.

  “You’re sexy when you boss me around,” he said before grating the cheese at the worktop.

  I quickly stripped in my room and wrapped a towel around myself and escaped to the bathroom. Climbing into the shower, I sighed as I felt the hot warmth from the spray soothe the tense muscles in my shoulders.

  I had underestimated how physically draining it would be working at the café. I had naively once imagined that if I had the dream job and found the dream guy that everything else would fall into place. I slowly realised that the dream job didn’t exist and neither did the dream guy.

  The guy in my kitchen though... I think he was as close as I was going to get.

  I quickly rinsed my hair and climbed from the shower cubicle. Wrapping a towel around my body, I patted myself dry before cursing at not bringing clothes in with me. Reaching for the door handle, I swung the door open and froze when I saw Alex standing at the door, checking the locks.

  As much as he tried to hide his paranoia, I was sure he was still worried the door wasn’t fully secure, even though he had been the one to fit new locks. I didn’t think the apartment could get any safer.

  He turned around, finding me behind him. He froze when he saw me, his eyes immediately going down to my chest. Water droplets dripped from my face before trailing down my chest where they disappeared beneath the towel that was wrapped snugly around my chest. His eyes followed the movement before he reached for me. He grasped my hips and pulled me towards him. He leaned up and pressed his pointer finger against my collar bone gently before trailing it down and drawing random patterns over my upper chest.

  I loved it when he touched me. When he was near me, he made me feel things that I had never once felt with David. Alex made me come alive.

  His throat bobbed before he took a step back. “You had better go in your bedroom,” he gritted out. “Otherwise you’re not going to have dinner.” He walked past me, going back to the kitchen before stopping. “Ten minutes?”

  “No problem.” I escaped to my bedroom, drying myself off and changing into a new pair of pyjamas, a t-shirt and three-quarter length bottoms. I took a deep breath, trying to stop the way my thoughts were going. Right now, I just wanted to pull him in here with me and not come out till tomorrow. Shaking my head, I quickly dried my hair. I checked my reflection, sliding a comb through it and plaiting it, pinning it back out of my face before I joined him back in the kitchen.

  “It smells very yummy in here.”

  “Take a seat at the table.” He pointed his head to my small, round kitchen table.

  I did as he asked, smiling when he placed a plate of meatballs in front of me with a heaping mound of spaghetti bolognaise in tomato sauce.

  “How did you know this was my favourite meal?” I asked.

  He winked at me as he took a seat next to me. “I do not disclose my sources.” He forked some spaghetti into his mouth before standing back up and going to the fridge.

  “Do you want a wine or beer?” he asked.

  “Surprise me.” I speared a piece of meatball before soaking it in some of the sauce and bringing it to my mouth.

  He re-joined me, placing a couple of bottles of Budweiser on the table. We ate our meals in silence for a few moments before he reached over and placed his hand on mine. He gave it a gentle squeeze before he spoke.

  “This is nice.”

  “It is.” I moved my hand over his, smiling at him when he lifted it an
d pressed a kiss to the back of it. “It’s nice that we can do this after everything that’s happened lately.”

  “Come on!” he mocked. “I thought our trip to the police station was pretty memorable.”

  I rolled my eyes at his teasing, secretly thankful that it appeared he was no longer angry or hurt about what had happened that day. I couldn’t deny that it hadn’t gone without its fallout but it appeared that we had both come through it.

  “I still can’t believe David tried to have you arrested.” I was mortified that it had happened. “I mean, what if he had been successful?”

  “Then I would have gone back to a cell.” He grinned at me.

  “That’s not funny, Alex.” I pushed my plate away a little before standing and walking away. Taking a seat on the sofa, I sighed when I thought back to my time with David. I wished that I had seen how much of a monster he was before all of this.

  Alex walked into the lounge after a few moments, holding both of our drinks. He handed my bottle to me and took a seat beside me, leaving a space in between us. He took a swig of his bottle before he patted his lap.

  I lifted my legs and slid my feet into his lap, moaning when he began massaging the underside of my feet before focusing on my heels.

  “That feel good?” he rasped.

  “So good.” I took a sip of my drink before relaxing back further. “I didn’t realise how exhausting baking all day could be.”

  “I think you underestimated it all.” He looked over at me, frowning. “I think you’re overdoing it.”

  I stared at him for a few moments, feeling oddly touched when I realised what I could see reflected back at me in his irises: worry, concern… I didn’t think that I had ever had either from David. “Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you for thinking of me.” I twisted my ankle and trailed my toes over his wrist. “I’m slowly realising that you do that a lot.”