Page 44 of It's Going to Be a Chrome Christmas
Mr. Wynn paused. “Yes. What has she told you about him?”
“Nothing. Frankly, I guessed that he was her brother. She told me about Lee and Marco, but she’s been tightlipped about her last brother.”
“For good reason,” was the curt response. “Look, I’ll be by at eight-thirty to pick you up. She’ll need to sign a special pass form. That’s supposed to be for four hours, but you still have to be back for the nine o’clock midweek curfew so eight-thirty is the best I can do.”
Cayden let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“I won’t break the house rules, not even for her,” Mr. Wynn warned. “You can’t stay overnight and she can’t come here. I’ll be there at eight-thirty.”
“I understand.” It sucked, but at least he’d gained an extra three hours. “Thank you.”
“Do you need me to send the missus over?”
Cayden shook his head. “No. I think she needs rest and privacy.” Then he added because he knew how concerned Mr. Wynn likely was, “I’ll call you if she does.”
“I’d appreciate it. See you at eight-thirty.”
Cayden ended the call. He hesitated and then called Jeff to ask the head mechanic to lock up on his way out. All Cayden said was that Trixie wasn’t feeling well, which wasn’t a total lie. Jeff said he’d take care of the shop and leave Cayden to take care of her.
He turned towards her apartment door, mentally bracing himself for what he might face within. Mr. Wynn had confirmed that AJ was her brother. Present tense, which meant he was still alive. Or as far as Mr. Wynn knew. What if something bad had happened to AJ? God, he hoped she didn’t have to go to another funeral for another brother.
Whatever it was, though, whatever had happened, he would be at her side for it. He only had five weeks left on parole. He’d make it work, fill out whatever forms and give whatever excuses he had to so he could remain with her as long as possible. It would have to be enough. At least for another five weeks.
Trixie looked over at him when he opened the door. He rushed to her side, kneeling by the bed. Cayden took her hand. “I’m sorry, I stepped out to make a phone call, so I didn’t disturb you.” She shrugged. He frowned, not liking the defeated look in her eyes. “Baby, will you tell me what happened? Is AJ okay?”
Her gasp told him she had not been expecting him to say her brother’s name. The trembling of her jaw gave him his answer.
“I’m not sure I should tell you.”
Cayden frowned. What the hell did that mean? “Why not?”
She looked away, turning her face into her pillow. “I don’t want it to bring up bad memories for you.”
Bad memories? He didn’t know anything about AJ to know how their lives related. Was he in a gang, a rival MC? “Tell me anyway.”
Trixie burrowed further into the pillow, like she wanted to crawl her way inside for protection. “AJ’s serving a life sentence.”
Cayden’s eyes widened. Her brother was injail? Suddenly the conversation he’d overheard between Trixie and Mrs. Wynn made a lot more sense, as well as what bad memories Trixie was trying to protect him from.
Trixie rolled so she was lying on her back. She stared at the ceiling as she said, “Lee’s too unreliable so I’m listed as AJ’s next of kin. There was a riot. AJ was stabbed.”
Oh God. Thankfully Cayden had been in solitary during the only riot that had occurred during his term, not that he would have participated had he not been. Solitary, though, had been guaranteed protection from the chaos, as well as the punishment.
“How bad?” She’d said he’d been stabbed, not that he’d been killed.
Trixie made a noncommittal shrug. “They say he’ll be fine. They have to keep him in the infirmary for a day or so.”
Cayden nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Her jaw tightened. “Not your fault.”
He scowled. He hadn’t said sorry because he thought it was. He’d said it because she was hurting and he didn’t know how to help her. “Do you want me to stay? Jeff’s going to close up downstairs for you. I’ve already called Mr. Wynn, and he said you just need to sign a special event form that’ll give me a fewextra hours here tonight. He’s picking me up at eight-thirty.” It killed him to offer, but he didn’t want to force his company on her. “Would you rather be alone? Or I can call Mrs. Wynn? Mr. Wynn had said she was willing to come by.”
Trixie was shaking her head the entire time he was talking. She squeezed her hand still gripped in his. “I don’t want to talk.” She paused. “Can you just hold me?”
Hell yeah, he could do that. He removed his boots and then hers before stripping out of his coveralls. Then he climbed up onto the bed, pulled her to his chest, and wrapped the throw around them.
All too soon his phone beeped that Mr. Wynn was downstairs. Cayden replied so Mr. Wynn didn’t think anything suspicious. Trixie was passed out on his chest. She’d been dead to the world for the past three hours. Cayden hated to have to leave, but he couldn’t risk the consequences of staying.
