49. Tying Up Loose Ends

Chapter 49

Tying Up Loose Ends

Hunter

T he Blue Whiskey always feels different to me during daylight hours versus in the evening. Maybe because the city feels differently at night, too, it’s dark and dangerous and unforgiving. Something I learned quickly growing up on the streets of Los Angeles.

My sister approaches my table in simple black pants and a t-shirt with an apron tied around her waist. She’s holding a large plastic platter of assorted hors d’oeuvres that look damn good.

“I thought you all could try some of these. I’m thinking about adding some of them to the menu.”

Lena’s smile is wider than normal and the reason why doesn’t escape me. The fucker to my left is the reason why.

“It all looks really great, Lena. Thank you,” Christian says.

I give him a side eye which silently communicates to him to shut the fuck up.

“Thanks, Lena,” I say. “Add whatever you think is good to the menu.”

“Ooh, stuffed mushrooms are my fav’,” Vaughn says as he grabs a cocktail napkin and helps himself.

“I thought you’d decide,” she says carefully to me. “Maybe pick your favorites?”

Of course.

I’m an idiot.

She wants my approval.

“Right,” I agree. “Then why don’t you just leave the platter on the table so I can sample it while we finish our meeting.”

“Okay, then.” She offers me a slight smile, avoiding Christian’s eyes. “Just don’t let your friends eat everything.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” she says to the three of us, walking confidently away, and I swear if he weren’t my best friend, I’d jab a knife into one of Christian’s eye sockets — he’s clearly watching her ass.

“She’s getting comfortable with you,” Vaughn notices. “That’s good.”

I nod quietly, waiting to hear what Christian is going to add, but he doesn’t say a thing, only making me feel more uneasy about his obvious growing feelings for my sister. I’ve been trying to lean into Megan’s advice for me to not obsess about something that hasn’t even happened between them yet but it’s hard as hell.

“Damn, this mushroom is good,” Vaughn comments looking between the two of us with newfound curiosity. “What the fuck is wrong with you two now?”

“Nothing,” Christian says.

“This isn’t what we do,” Vaughn says. “The three of us have never lied to each other, and that sounded like a big one.”

“I didn’t ask you here to talk about whatever issues Christian and I may or may not have,” I say in a steely voice. “I brought you here to help me tie up loose ends so we can all move forward. I’ve got a business to run, and you two have lives you need to get back to. You can’t babysit me forever.”

“And so I’m just supposed to ignore that there is tension among us?” Vaughn asks, chewing his food obnoxiously.

“Not between us,” I correct him. “It’s between me and Christian, and for once in your life, it’s none of your concern.”

“Chris?” Vaughn looks over at Christian, who gives me a once-over before answering.

“Hunter’s right. It’s between me and him. Let’s drop it.”

“Well, you two better work it out fast. This uncertainty doesn’t sit right with me. We work better when we’re a tight unit.”

“We are a tight unit,” Christian says resolutely. “There’s nothing to worry about, Vaughn,” he says, grabbing a chicken wing covered in some sort of sticky honey-colored sauce. “Besides, why are you pretending like you don’t already know what’s going on?”

“Like Hunt said, it’s none of my business, right?” he scoffs. “Well, all right then, gentlemen. Let’s talk about tightening up loose ends.”

By the time we’ve finished our platter of appetizers and a round of drinks, the three of us have figured out a plan to assure my business associates that the Blue Whiskey is safe and that I’m in complete control of all of my business affairs. While we still haven’t figured everything out regarding who may have had a hand in Jonathan’s ill-fated plan to destroy me, it doesn’t matter. Whoever it is knows now that I’ll crush anyone who comes for me, and more than likely, they have made the smart decision to rethink their position.

We agree that while the club will always remain my central hub, I should consider moving myself and Megan to another location. The one thing I always hoped was to keep private where I lived, but now that they have violated my home, we’re fair game for any random Tom, Dick, and Harry who doesn’t know any better. And since I know Megan will protest raising a baby under the protection of armed guards, my only alternative is to relocate us.

“What will you do about the friend?” Vaughn asks about Naomi.

“She can stay at the apartment if she chooses, but I’m sure her family will have a few things to say about that.”

“Not sure Megan is going to like that,” Christian says.

“You’re right. She won’t. But I can stand a little heat at home as long as I’m protecting it.”

Christian’s eyes harden, knowing that my comment was partly for his benefit.

“How’s everything over here?” Lena approaches again.

“Great,” Vaughn answers. “The food was delicious, Lena. Where’d you learn to cook like that?”

Her lips straighten into a line as if the question has made her suddenly uncomfortable.

“In the shelter.”

Shit.

I hadn’t asked Lena much about her life before she came back into mine, partly because there hasn’t been time for heart-to-heart conversations, and I guess the other reason is that I didn’t want to really know.

“Well, they taught you well, girl. I’m sure Hunt is going to have a tough time picking what items to put on the menu.”

“Yep,” Christian agrees. “It was all really good.”

“I think there’s room for them all to go on the menu,” I say.

“We’re not a restaurant, Hunter,” Lena says as if she’s reminding me about what I already know. “We only have the capability of serving a few items a night.”

“Why?” I ask her, pulling another chair to the table for her to sit down.

“Well, it’s a kitchen designed for just a few people to work in. You don’t have the room for a full kitchen staff. Plus, it’s expensive. Keeping your menu streamlined to a few bestselling items is the best approach for a place like this.”

I raise an eyebrow, delighted that Lena has an opinion about how the kitchen should be run. It means that she’s starting to feel a part of it. Sometimes, the Blue Whiskey has that effect on people.

“Just my opinion, of course,” she adds.

“You’re allowed to have an opinion at this table,” Christian says, and I give both him and Vaughn a look that tells them that I want them to leave. I need to talk to Lena alone. I can’t put this off any longer.

Without another word, the two of them rise from their seats.

“I have to call my divorce lawyer,” Vaughn says.

“And I’m going to make sure he asks all the right questions,” Christian says. “Or she’ll take his ass to the cleaners.”

Now, it’s just the two of us at Table 21, staring at each other with a bit of reserve. Lena blinks a few times with a quiet unease that I’m learning is part of her personality. In time, I hope that will change, at least when she’s around me.

“Lena–”

“Yes?”

“Can you tell me what you remember about your childhood?”

“You mean how I came to be in the foster care system?”

“Yes, do you remember any of that, or do you know from some other way?”

“I was told by a social worker that my parents were deceased. I wasn’t told how they died. Based on the records that were shared with me, I was placed into the system at two years old. I lived in several decent foster homes over my elementary school years until I ended up in a group home at twelve.”

I stop her there.

“Why were you placed in a group home?”

“Most families don’t want to bother with a teenager, and my foster mother at that time was older and having health issues.”

“So she just gave you up?”

“It was never a permanent situation. I knew that.”

She makes the statements as if they’re just simple facts about her past, but I can hear the pain in them even if she can’t.

“And the group home?”

“Was…hard.”

My stomach hardens as her eyes sink to the floor.

“Why?”

“It wasn’t a living situation that I was used to.”

“Did someone hurt you there?” My jaw tenses.

“There was a hierarchy, and I wasn’t at the top of it.”

Her body shifts in her seat. This is making her wildly uncomfortable, but I’ve been avoiding asking the questions for so long that I have to move forward.

“How long were you there?”

“I managed to stay for three years, and then I left.”

“And went where?”

“I was on the streets for four months when I met Kurt.”

My stomach twists in a tight knot.

My kid sister was homeless?

“Who is he?”

“Kurt was a friend and an advocate for the homeless. He spotted me in a coffee shop and approached me with a hot tea, a breakfast sandwich, and information about a local shelter.”

“You’ve never mentioned him before.”

“He passed away when he had a fatal asthma attack.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, I was lucky. You hear about shelters being very dangerous places, especially for women, and they can be, but Kurt and a few other people at the shelter looked out for me. I ended up staying there and getting a job in the kitchen as my way of giving back to the kindness of so many people who I met there. That’s where I met Billy.”

“And he told you about the possibility of working here.”

“Yep.”

“You know, we could go on a talk show with this story.” I smile. “What are the chances that the little sister I’ve been looking for half of my life walks through my front door on her own?”

“Yeah, it is a wild coincidence.”

“Hey, maybe it’s Mom pulling strings up there.”

“Maybe.”

“I know you don’t remember her, and she definitely had her issues, but she loved the hell out of you. She just could never catch a break, you know?”

“Yeah.”

I want to touch Lena’s hand, maybe to comfort her in some way, but that may be a little strange for both of us. I don’t really do comfort, and I don’t think she does either.

“I know I’ve said this, and maybe Megan has to, but I need you to know that I looked hard for you once I realized that you didn’t die in the fire.”

“I know you did.”

“I hate that you had such a hard life.”

“You’re not responsible for any of it, Hunter. You have to realize that.”

“But it was–”

I’m startled when Lena places a hand on mine, but I make sure to keep mine still and benefit from her touch.

“I know it was bad people who set our house on fire, Hunter, but you were just a kid yourself. You had no idea what they’d do. And don’t worry about me holding any of it against you because up until a few months ago, I didn’t even know you existed. I’m just grateful to have you in my life. That’s the truth.”

My head hangs for a moment, shielding my sweet sister from the emotion welling up inside of me. Then, I quickly realize that she deserves to see my emotions. I at least owe her that.

And so I lift my head.

“Thank you, baby sis’. I think I really needed to hear that.”

She stands, leans over, and gives me a chaste kiss on the cheek.

“Not any more than I really needed to say it.”

In this moment I feel the connection between us shift. This was a long overdue conversation we needed to have without the interference of anyone else, and damn, it feels good. It feels so great that I consider leaning in for a hug when I notice Parker approaching with a look of dread that I know all too well.

"What now?"