Chapter 38

Ijogged downstairs, anxious to get to the library to see Mary Ellen. I felt a little stalkerish hanging out at the library every day, but I liked being in her general orbit. And it wasn't like I was just watching her, although I did a lot of that. I read.

I had been reading a lot. And if I was at the library, I didn't have to be at the house.

Last night, Cole had really gotten on my nerves. He'd strutted around the house with that irritating smirk of his, bragging about some woman he hooked up with. He'd made it quite clear that he thought my interest in Mary Ellen was a joke. A "nice girl," he called her, as if that were some kind of insult. He asked when she was going to realize she was too good for me.

It pissed me off. I knew he was joking but I supposed it was something I was a little insecure about.

Mary Ellen was different. She was smart, pure, and honest in a way that nobody else in my life was. She deserved someone who could match her in all those things. Someone better than me. I hated Cole's comments, but they had stirred that nagging feeling inside me. The feeling that I was taking advantage of her innocence, using her for my own selfish needs.

But even though I knew she was too good for me, I wasn't ready to walk away from her. I was going to stick with her for as long as she would have me.

She had texted me earlier and let me know she had set aside a few books she thought I might be interested in. I couldn't just ignore her.

But it wasn't really the stories she was suggesting, which she made very clear. She had gotten some ideas about what she wanted to try in the bedroom. I was more than game. Whatever she wanted, I would make happen. If she wanted me to twist into a pretzel, I would do it. I loved that she trusted me to show her all the ways to have fun between the sheets.

Just thinking about it had me ready to go. If I could manage to steal her away for a few minutes, I was going to take full advantage. I probably only needed ninety seconds, two minutes tops. She had certainly mastered the art of teasing. My innocent little virgin was coming out of her shell. I felt like the luckiest man in the world that I was the one getting to see her emerge.

I grabbed my keys and wallet. When I stepped into the garage, ready to head to the library, I found Cole sitting there with a beer in hand, engaged in conversation with a man I didn't recognize. He was broad-shouldered and fit, with a clean-shaven face. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and looked very casual and right at home in my garage. Cole was leaning up against my car, which made me twitch just a little. It was fucking rude to leave your ass-prints on a man's car.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I replied, looking at the man drinking my beer.

"This is my older cousin, Vinny." He laughed. "But he's not a lawyer. Not even a little bit."

I offered a polite nod, but inwardly, I couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that washed over me. I didn't like the man. I couldn't explain it, but I could practically hear my inner voice telling me this was bad.

Danger, danger.

"He didn't know I was out," Cole explained, sensing my standoffishness. "He wanted to check in on me. See if I needed work."

The mention of work piqued my interest. It was the one thing I really wanted for Cole. I was going to have to buy a new couch. His ass-prints were there as well, except it was far more pronounced. I had taken to hiding beer in the minifridge I kept in my room. I was a little worried the guy was drinking too much.

"Work, huh?" I said with more enthusiasm. "What kind of work do you do?"

Vinny and Cole exchanged a strange look. I couldn't shake the sense that there was more to the story than met the eye. My instincts screamed caution.

Vinny shrugged, acting evasively. "Oh, you know, odds and ends," he replied vaguely.

Alarm bells began to ring loudly in my mind. It was clear that Vinny's line of work was anything but legitimate.

I turned my attention to Cole, who looked guilty. "I have no intention of getting caught up in anything illegal," I told him. Vinny snorted under his breath. I didn't care who he was. He could make veiled threats or call me what he wanted. "My life is finally on track, and I refuse to jeopardize it for anyone or anything, least of all you or your shady shit."

Cole smiled. "Relax, it's fine."

I leveled a firm gaze at Cole, making my intentions crystal clear. "If you intend to work under the table or engage in any illegal activities, you need to find somewhere else to stay," I stated bluntly. "I won't risk my future for anyone. You should be thinking about what it might mean to your future as well. You said you were ready to turn over a new leaf. You wanted to stay out this time."

Cole offered a half-smile. "I get it, Archer," he assured me. "We'll figure something out. I won't put you in that position."

"I'm not trying to be a dick," I said, feeling a little guilty. "I'm just saying, we both got a good thing going here."

He stood up straight. "You've got a great thing going. I don't have shit going. I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I'm not going to land on my feet like you did."

He was trying to make me feel guilty. It was working. "I'm trying to help," I reminded him.

"And I'm grateful for it," he said. "You've helped me a lot. Thank you. Now, I need to get out on my own. Vinny is going to hook me up with work. And I'm going to find somewhere to stay. I've been on your couch long enough."

Got that right.

"Fine," I said, my voice tense. "But I want you to promise me that whatever you're getting into with Vinny, it's not going to put you back where you just came from."

Cole and Vinny exchanged another look. This time, it was laced with something akin to amusement. Vinny raised his beer bottle in a way that made it feel like he was mocking me. "To new beginnings."

"For all our sakes," I muttered, finding little humor in the situation. It was then I decided that I didn't trust Vinny one bit.

"Relax." Cole laughed. "I'm not trying to get myself locked up again."

"I've got his back," Vinny said.

"Alright." I nodded.

I suddenly did not feel comfortable leaving them in my house. I dismissed the thought. Cole had been living in my house and nothing except beer and food had gone missing. I didn't want to judge a guy based on his past. I didn't like it when it happened to me.

"I'll see you later," I said with a small wave.

"Nice bike," Vinny said.

"Thanks."

"Isn't that one of those Arch bikes or some shit?" Vinny asked.

I was very protective of my bike. "It is."

"Those are rare," he said and came over to inspect the bike. He ran his hand gently over the handlebars and looked it over with an appreciative eye. "Beautiful craftsmanship."

"Thanks," I replied, my tone curt. His familiarity with the bike was doing little to ease my unease. "It's a favorite of mine."

Vinny continued to linger by the bike, his gaze bordering on intrusive. I found myself inching closer, my hold on my keys tightening.

"She's more than just a pretty face," he added then, a curious gleam in his eyes as he glanced back at me. "Isn't she?"

"I've got to get going." I hopped on the bike and revved the engine. "Later."

I left the house, hoping like hell Cole wasn't getting up to no good. I made my way to the library, eager to put the encounter behind me and lose myself in the world of books and my sweet little Mary Ellen. The thought of seeing her again filled me with joy. If there were no people in the library, we would occasionally sneak a few kisses.

I looked forward to Cole moving out so I could have some alone time with Mary Ellen. Real alone time. Right now, we were stuck sneaking a few moments alone in my bedroom or hers. There were always people around, which excluded any kind of wild sex that involved hanging from chandeliers or kitchen tables.

When I got to the library, I was happy to see it looked deserted. I cut the engine and noticed I had a missed call from Murray.

I called him back before I went inside. "What's up?"

"Where are you?" he asked. "Are you at home?"

"No, I just got to the library. Why? What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"I have good news," he said with a laugh.

"What?" I asked. "What's up?"

"You need to come to the house as soon as possible," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just get over here."

I looked at the library and sighed. "Want versus need."

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Fine, I'll be there within the hour."

"You know what? Let's make it four. You'll need time to get ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Dress presentably," Murray said. "And don't ride the bike."

"What the hell?" I growled. "Who am I trying to impress?"

"No one," he said. "Just dress like you're not going to a biker bar. Drive your car."

"I don't need you to tell me how to dress or what to drive," I said.

"I'll see you soon."

He hung up. I sighed and realized I wasn't going to get time with Mary Ellen, but whatever was going on with Murray, I needed to deal with it.