Page 112 of 12 Months of Mayhem

Summer Heat

by Hilary Storm

Chapter One

Charlise

All of these guys are going to be the death of me. “Feet off the table, Theo. You know I’m the one that rented this place and it’ll be my account they deduct for all of the damages you and your idiot friends create.

“You seriously think I would leave you hanging like that? We will fuck shit up here this weekend, Charli. And I will pay for every bit of it. Just tell me what I owe when it’s all over.” He stands from his sitting position and reaches for another beer out of the cooler. “You just need to stop being so uptight and relax or this weekend will be nothing but hell on you.”

“Give me your card.” I know he’s good for the money but I really can’t afford to have any surprises coming out of my bank account right now. I’m in the middle of trying to buy a shop and the last thing I need to have to do is explain to the bank why thousands of dollars came out of my account for a cabin at the lake.

“You know I deal in cash. You’ll have to tell me what the damage is after it’s all over.” He’s already half out of the room and answering his phone when he finishes his sentence. “What’s up?”

I’m sure it’s one of his buddies calling. Theo is always preoccupied with club business. He’s trying to become an officer of the club, so he’s always taking a call in the middle of conversations.

I really do need to stop worrying about it and trust that he will handle it all. He always has. It wouldn’t be so bad if Theo wasn’t already banned from renting the very cabin we are staying in for the same reason. He had me book it this summer to get around the owners declining him and his friends from their annual 4th of July party house. Last year they caught the back deck on fire and we barely stopped the fire from taking over the whole place.

“See you soon.” Theo walks back into the room and drops his phone on the couch beside me.

“Zayne is on his way.” Theo’s words sink my heart immediately. I haven’t seen Zayne since he left town about four years ago.

“Zayne is coming?” My response is meant to be an internal acknowledgement as I try to process the news but instead, I say it out loud, inviting a cynical look from my brother.

“He doesn’t need an invitation.” Theo downs the rest of his beer and my frustration with my brother grows even though he doesn’t have a clue why Zayne showing up this weekend would upset me. He doesn’t know about our past. In fact, if he did, there’s not a chance in hell he would have just announced it so nonchalant as if it’s just another one of the guys who is always around. Zayne has been gone for years and he left without any notice. Him coming back is big news for my brother and the club. It’s huge news for me because I have so many questions that have never been answered and I feel like I deserve at least one answer from a guy I used to spend almost every day around. Him and my brother have always been best friends. Our fathers run Crowder MC. Zayne’s dad is the President and our dad has been the Vice for years now. I guess Zayne always stayed at our house as kids because his mom has never been in the picture and our mom has always been a solid person in our lives.

My mind begins to race about seeing Zayne again. Will he act like I don’t exist? He would try to ignore me for years, making me feel like the bratty little sister… until the two nights he didn’t.

I was hoping for a little time to gather myself and decide if I want to be here when Zayne arrives, but fate had a different plan. The back door of the cabin swings open before I have the chance to truly reflect on the fact that the guy I have always wanted, but never truly had, will be invading my space soon.

My nerves erupt into chaos the second my eyes meet his.

“Fucker, it’s about time you show your ass around here.” Theo meets Zayne before he makes it the few steps inside. I watch him hug my brother with his eyes zeroed in on mine, sending that deep twist straight down to the pit of my stomach. My stomach churns harder with every second that passes.

I’m not sure if he’s surprised or disappointed to see me because of the intensity in his stare. “Yeah, yeah. I’m here now.” Theo fake punches Zayne in the gut and the two begin to mock the rough housing they did as kids for a few seconds before slapping each other on the back in one last guy hug. The sight almost brings a smile to my face before they stop and I’m reminded of other memories not so fond.

“I’m glad to have you back, Brother. The club is going to explode with the news. Do you really think your old man is going to ever stop?”

“Not til his last breath, just like yours.” Zayne glances back over to me for a brief second before they both sit down at the kitchen table.

“That’s what I figured. His health has been going downhill lately. It’s obvious he’s not one hundred percent his old asshole self.” Theo is oblivious to the awkwardness in the cabin, even though he should be able to read either his long-time best friend’s behavior or his only sister’s discomfort that’s blatantly apparent. His excitement to have Zayne back in his life is clouding his usual attention to detail.

“He wants me to run the club.” Zayne looks right at me as he says it. So many questions rush through my mind but I don’t ask a single one because it’s not my place to care what he does. It’s not my place to worry about his safety or what kind of life that position would create for him. It’s not my place to wonder if he’s ready for a job like that or if it’s him signing his own death sentence.

“Shit.” My brother exhales and looks down at his hands interlocked on the table, obviously contemplating how to respond to the huge news.

“Yeah. We’ll talk about it all later but you already know if I’m running shit, you’ll be right beside me. I wouldn’t have anyone else.” Zayne finally looks at Theo long enough for me to feel like I can slide out of the living room without a tight noose around my neck connecting me to Zayne’s every glance.

I make it to the room I have claimed as mine for the weekend and close the door behind me. I’m half freaked out and half numb to what just happened, not knowing how I feel about him being here for a weekend, let alone possibly being here for good now.

How does he think he can disappear for four years and then just show up and run the entire club. Isn’t there some sort of seniority rule? Why do I care about any of that? My delusional heart has always been hyper-focused on what Zayne Forest is doing and that clearly hasn’t changed even after he made it very clear where he stands with me.

I start packing my bags, knowing I have only one option. He wanted nothing to do with me and I need to remind myself of my worth by not being a distracted damsel waiting for his or any man’s attention. I’m better than that and I’m better than the broken girl he left behind.

I will not give him the opportunity to see through the cracks just in case I’m wrong about that.

Chapter Two

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