A Place to Rest My Heart (6 page)

“Look, I … ” The seat to my other side rattled as Mike Taylor sat down and handed me a yellow rose.

“I’m so sorry I was late. Somehow the distributor cap came off my truck.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “I tried calling Muldoon’s but I didn’t get any answer. Can you give a guy another chance?”

Sean’s hand had tightened on my shoulder.

“Sure, I guess so,” I said. “Thanks for the rose.”

Mike leaned forward and looked around me to Sean. “Thanks buddy,” he said with great emphasis. “Thanks for taking Laney out. I think I’ve got it from here.”

Sean smiled at Mike. “No problem. Oh look, the movie is starting.” Sean settled back in his seat with a grin.

Something was going on here. I was having difficulty reading Mike and Sean, but I could definitely feel a tension between the two men. It was forgotten once the movie started. I mean, come on, James Bond was on the screen and I only had eyes for him. Well, okay, maybe him and the whole adventure of the movie. I have a keen sense of imagination and have often wondered what it would be like to have a grand adventure of daring, life on the edge, and all. Of course, some people might have considered my life in the streets living on the edge. I just considered it living on the fringes of society. True, I had been arrested for B&E but it was never prosecuted. I hadn’t done it, but I knew who had. Wrong though it may have been, I wouldn’t give them up. Thankfully there had not been enough evidence to convict me. Sure, I’d pandered. Hell, I was fifteen, cold, and hungry. California isn’t always palm trees and sunshine. Thankfully, the cop who busted me got me into a shelter. I had a place to stay for a while and I was able to get my diploma. I had refused to give out any information to him about my family so getting me enrolled in a school hadn’t been easy. Somehow, he pulled some strings and I graduated among the top ten in my class.

He also taught me to defend myself. He was the closest thing to a parent I had ever known. I wasn’t the only kid he helped out with food, shelter, or some basic self-defense lessons. He was realistic enough to know that his help was only for the short term and that most of those living on the streets would return to the streets: if one of us got ahead in the game, then so much the better. It was one less kid heading for the morgue.

I dragged my thoughts back to the movie at hand and realized that Sean’s hand was still on my shoulder and still absently playing with my hair. I say absently, since I glanced over at him and he seemed to be intent on the movie.

Mike leaned in close to my ear and whispered. “I love this part.”

I had not realized he had already seen the movie and I was curious as to how he knew which movie theater I was at. I turned my head to ask him only to find his lips a hairsbreadth from mine. His eyes looked into mine and he smiled and looked at my mouth and then back to my eyes. I would have to be as dead as a doornail to not know what he was thinking.

Sean’s hand moved from my shoulder to my neck and all at once I felt like I was in the middle of a tennis match and I was the ball. Love thirty anyone? I set my drink down and placing my hands on their knees I pinched hard causing them to both yelp. “Enough!”

I stood up, grabbed my drink, and climbed over into the seat in front of me. I decided a bit more distance was necessary and climbed over one more row before settling down to finish watching the movie. I’d paid for the damn thing and I was going to watch it. I was not going to be bounced back and forth between their egos. They could both sit and spin for all I cared.

“Asshole,” Mike loudly whispered to Sean.

“Bite me,” Sean whispered back and both of them received shushing noises from the few people in the theater. I didn’t even bother to stifle a laugh.

I managed to ignore them throughout the remainder of the movie and the credits. I always sat through the credits. Those makers, gaffers, and stunt people were the unsung heroes of the movie industry so I figured they deserved some recognition. I stood up then looked back behind me.

“You two still here?” I didn’t wait for an answer, but put on my jacket on and headed out, both of them following me. “Well thanks for the movie, Sean. Mike, thanks for the rose,” and I walked over to the curb to hail a cab.

“Come on, Laney. I can give you a ride home,” Mike said.

“Yeah sure, in what? Your magic carpet?” Sean said to Mike. I watched Mike turn on Sean with barely restrained violence. “If you’re the one who messed with my truck then you’re the one I’ll kick the crap out of.” Sean cocked his head as if to say, go for it. Mike moved forward to take that dare and security stepped in between them.

Good grief, this was ridiculous. I was not going to hang around and wait for the children to play nice, so I started walking home. There were no cabs to be seen but I was pretty sure I’d find a bus stop before long. The streets became less business and residential and more run-down as I walked along. Before too long, I realized I was lost and turned around to backtrack to the theatre. Two dark shapes moved from the shadows down the street and started toward me. I didn’t wait to find out if they were friend or foe; I did an about face, ran up the street a couple of blocks, then quickly ducked down an alleyway.

I stepped back into the shadows and waited to catch my breath and see if they had managed to follow me. Probably not one of the smartest things I could have done. I soon realized this, when a grimy hand covered my mouth from behind and a strong arm slid across my throat. Fear shot through me as I was pulled backward, deeper down the alley. All the self-defense training I had done raced through my head. Unfortunately, it was all at once and combined with the fear, I couldn’t get my muscles to do squat. A fat lot of good all those bruises and cracked ribs did when I had been training.

The arm across my throat moved to my waist and I heard the audible click of a knife being flicked open. “Scream and I will cut you.” My attacker had the voice of a rat and the stench of a garbage can. Funny what runs through your head when the sharp point of a knife sticks into your ribcage.

I nodded my head to indicate I wouldn’t scream. My muscles were already lax and I was shaking like a leaf. No need to fake it, I was scared. He moved in front of me removing his hand from my mouth and shoving me hard, back against a wall. His hand moved to my throat and he waved a knife in front of me. “Let’s see what you got for me? Give me your money, sweetheart and I promise not to hurt you.” His voice moved along my spine like a cheese grater.

I knew he was lying. I was finally able to get my brain to get over this scared crap and get in gear. I nodded and slowly unzipped my jacket to reach inside. “Easy now, girl. No tricks.” The knife hovered near my face, as he moved closer to me.

I shook my head as his hand tightened on my throat. My heart was going a mile a minute and so was my breathing. It was now, or never. My attacker heard a noise behind him and turned his head away for one second. I brought my knee up into his balls, raised my arm up to block the descending knife arm and with my other hand grabbed his hand at my throat and twisted it. His knees gave out but he didn’t fall to the ground as he grunted in pain and doubled over some. It figures. I get an attacker that has balls of steel. I had his left wrist in a lock but the knife arm was coming around again. As I used his own arm to turn him away, he kicked out with his foot at my knee.

I quickly let go of him, dodging the kick. Moving away from the wall, he came at me again, swinging the knife at my face. I let it go by and kicked him in the gut. This had some effect as he doubled over. Finally, I thought; but I was wrong. He was only faking it. He rose up quickly and backhanded me, ass over teakettle, into a trash can. Somehow I still managed to get back up before he got too close. Tasting blood in my mouth, I smiled at him, now I was pissed. The man and I squared off, a little more leery about the other’s abilities.

“Come on, asshole. I ain’t got all night to wait for you.” I hoped that if I goaded him enough he would do something stupid. But he just smiled, licked his lips, and shifted the knife to his other hand.

Over the man’s shoulder, Mike and Sean came into the alley. Sean started to run forward but Mike stopped him.

“Hey, Laney, you done yet?” Mike casually asked. Thankfully this was the diversion I needed for “asshole” to turn away to see who was talking. I grabbed the metal lid off a trash can and hit him in the knife arm and then in the head. Finally, he dropped like a rock, as did I. I fell to my knees and started trying to breathe normally again. Sean ran over and hauled me up, his hands moving firmly over my arms and then up to my face. “You okay?” His hands were gentle as his thumb wiped blood from my lip. All I could do was nod. I’m not sure what had me more speechless, the look of fear in his eyes or the whole past ten minutes. Mike kicked the guy on the ground for good measure and took out his cell phone and called the cops. Sean handed me over to Mike. “I am going to run back to the theater and get my car.” Sean gently touched my face again. “You’ll be okay.” I wanted to tell him of course I’d be okay, as he ran off, but my brain had not reengaged yet.

“Nice job,” Mike said. “I think you might need some more practice. But not bad.” I muttered “thanks,” and leaned back against the wall, my knees still shaking.

The cops showed up and chaos ensued for a few minutes as they got my attacker off the ground and took my statement. Eventually we were all allowed to leave and we got in Sean’s car. Sean dropped Mike off at his house first. Mike stopped by the passenger side and looked at me. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” He leaned in and lightly kissed me, his eyes watching me. Straightening up, he flipped Sean off and sauntered away. Lovely. The war was still on. Sean pulled away and we drove in silence for a few minutes.

“Go ahead,” I say to Sean.

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to scold me? Chastise me for running off?”

“Nope.”

“No?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Good.”

“I’m just going to let Tommy do it.” He began whistling.

“Don’t you dare tell Tommy! Damn it, Sean, I handled it fine.” Sean abruptly swerved to the curb, ignoring the honking horns behind him, threw the car into park and turned to look at me. Fury had now replaced the fear in his eyes. “Damn it, Laney! You could have been hurt. Maybe killed.”

“Piss off, Sean.” I grabbed the door handle to get out, but that was as far as I got. Sean reached over, grabbed the front of my jacket, and hauled me across the center console.

“Damn you, I don’t want this!” he growled, as his lips descended on mine.

Okay, whatever he just said about not wanting this was a lie. His kiss, a mix of passion and ferocity, said he wanted it; and the molten heat that was now pouring through my veins said I wanted it, too. Even though there was this small weak voice yelling in my brain to resist, I ignored it. I had never had heat move through me like this. His lips plundered mine with strength and skill. When I tried to draw in a breath his tongue touched mine and I moaned in spite of myself.

With an oath he let go of my jacket and shoved me back into my seat, threw the car back into gear, and left a strip of rubber as he pulled away from the curb. I don’t know what hurt worse, my pride or my mouth. It hurt from the slap I had received from “asshole” and now felt bruised from Sean’s kiss.

We said nothing to each other for the remaining ten minutes it took to get back to Muldoon’s. As soon as he pulled up to the house I got out and slammed the door.

“Laney. Wait.” Sean quickly came around the car and grabbed my arm. I swung out and my fist solidly connected with his jaw. He staggered back a full two feet and then his ass hit the ground.

“If it’s any consolation, Ace, I don’t want this either!” I knew I was lying through my throbbing teeth but he didn’t have to know that. I shook my now sore hand. “Damn you, I hate hitting people!”

A noise behind me had me whirling around, arm drawn back ready to clock the next bastard in line. Chase stepped back, hands up. “Easy slugger,” he chuckled.

Tommy and Molly came down the steps from the house, concern on both their faces. I looked at Sean who was still sitting on the ground rubbing his jaw, at Chase who was smiling and at Tommy and Molly.

“To hell with it!” I threw up my hands and stalked inside, to the kitchen and made an ice pack and went to my room. I was done. I take back everything I said about wanting adventure.

Chapter Six

The next morning I awoke with my cheek throbbing from where I had been backhanded and my hand hurt from hitting Sean. Lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, I went over the previous night’s events. I hate hitting people. Doesn’t mean I’m above doing it. I just don’t like it. I really don’t have a fondness for violence, although at times my attitude says otherwise. But that’s just it, it’s an attitude that has usually kept me somewhat protected. Isolated, too. Not many people will take the time to break down the walls I’ve built up over the years.

I finally got up and went across the back yard to the kitchen. Molly pulled out a chair for me as soon as I walked in and set a bottle of aspirin down in front of me with a glass of juice. She then poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down.

I poured out four aspirin. “Thanks.”

“You want to tell me about what happened last night?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

I looked at her. This wasn’t quite what I expected her to say.

“Huh?”

“Why don’t you want to tell me what happened?”

“There isn’t much to tell.” I was already starting to feel like I was on the hot seat. “I got stood up. Went to the movies anyway. Men are stupid. Got smacked by an asshole in the alley and kissed by … ” I could hear this small voice in my head saying, “Please engage edit control before you start talking.” I looked at the table; I looked at the bottle of aspirin, and finally I looked at Molly, who sat there with a smile on her face, patiently waiting for me to continue.

“Look it was an accident. An aberration.”

“What was? The getting attacked in an alley, or getting kissed by Sean, or was it Mike?”