The Ties That Bind 1 Page 19

  “I didn’t hide it. It just wasn’t that important, fancypants.” Ransom hedged, trying to downplay his achievement. But Billy wasn’t having it.

  “I call bullshit! You should have told me, Ransom,” she insisted. “I like the fact that we can be open with each other. What’d you major in?”

  “Anthropology, and I messed around a little in photography. It’s a degree I’ll never use; that’s why I didn’t mention it, Billy,” he said truthfully, an acute edge in his voice. There was no use for it with the club or even fooling himself that it could happen.

  Puzzled, she asked, “Then why did you select that major if you had no plans to utilize the degree?”

  “Because I’ve always wanted to see and explore the world. The way things stand around here, it’ll never happen. I was born into the life chosen for me. I don’t hate it, but there are times when I do wish it was more,” Ransom admitted, stunning Billy into silence.

  “Why can’t it be?” she challenged, ignoring the flicker of darkness in his eyes. “You’re only twenty-two! Couldn’t you take a break? Everyone’s entitled to one…”

  He smiled fleetingly at her sweet innocence. “You don’t take a break from this shit, Billy. That’s not how it works. Even if I could swing it, I wouldn’t be able to stay away too long.”

  Keeping Harley in check was a full-time job. The only reason Ransom was able to spend time with his beautiful distraction was because Shakes was on babysitting duty. She wore her disappointment in his answer as prettily as the dress she’d insisted on wearing.

  “Don’t sell yourself short by jumping in a box and limiting your options, babe. You could totally have a different life of your own design. I can’t think of anyone more deserving,” Billy encouraged, her mind racing with possibilities. “You’ll never know if you don’t at least try. You have a responsibility to yourself to attempt to, Ransom.”

  What if she could persuade him to see things her way? He never spoke of them and the future in the same sentence. He possessed so many layers, and Billy was looking forward to unveiling each one. Firstly, she had to make sure they were on the same page.

  There was no point in explaining his blood family or MC dynamics to Billy. No matter how seamlessly she’d woven her way into his life, she was still an outsider and he was partly to blame for that. The last thing Ransom wanted was for Billy to get the wrong idea about them. That his life could be hers as well. She deserved so much more than someone stuck in permanent limbo. It was the tug-of-war his conscience played with his heart daily as he kept her at bay while craving what Billy truly represented.

  Possibilities.

  Ransom draped his arm over Billy’s bare shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead. “Having a good time, fancypants?”

  They’d started the date with a trip to Albuquerque Biological Park and visited the four facilities it housed—the aquarium, ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach before lunching at a diner. Billy learned that Frito Pie was a favorite of Ransom’s, and he felt compelled to sample it wherever he went. She opted for chicken tacos on freshly fried Navajo-bread and refused the day’s dessert special of green-Chile-apple pie. Ransom didn’t and ate two generous slices of it.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder. Billy smiled when she felt his lips brush the top of her head. Irked by his change of subject, she decided to keep mum for now and not ruin their date. Especially considering that she hadn’t told him about Claudia’s request yet.

  “Yeah, this is pretty cool. I didn’t know what to expect of New Mexico except for desert and hideous reptiles. Aside from the encounter with our scaly friend, I love it here. This was a great idea, but I feel bad that you won’t let me pay for anything.”

  He dropped a kiss on her pouting mouth, and it turned into a lingering one that had people maneuvering around them as they came to a complete standstill on the sidewalk, entirely wrapped up in one another. A group of priests passed them, clearing their throats reproachfully as they brushed their long black robes clear of the amorous couple. Reluctantly, they broke apart.

  Ransom nodded respectfully at them and treated her to a lazy smile, the carnal heat flaring in his mossy gaze as tangible as an embrace. “You try to pay for anything and I’m tearing that ass up, babe. I won’t take your money, but to show you I believe in equality, I’ll accept sexual forms of reimbursement.”

  “There’s nothing equal about that, buster!” Billy bumped him with her hip, prompting him to lightly swat her booty.

  “Well, then how about we just call it even for agreeing to ride with me even though you won with that little stunt in bed you pulled this morning?”

  Ransom wound her braid around his fist and tilted her head to the side, affording him access to nip at her exposed earlobe, causing her to squirm against him, her body humming with excitement. His cool breath caressed her ear when he seductively whispered, “You still haven’t told me where you learned that trick, wildthing. Not that I minded because I’m really looking forward to an encore performance later on tonight.”

  “I learned it from the girls at Petal Soft.” Billy laughed at his stunned expression. “What? Come on, Ransom! I could only talk about myself, L.A., makeup, and celebrities for so long. Sooner or later, the conversation was bound to run out and turn to more interesting topics. When it was finally my turn to ask questions, they were cool enough to return the favor.”

  “You solicited advice from whores?” Ransom’s voice was strangled, loaded with disbelief and his normally tan complexion, tomato-red.

  “Stop calling them that!” Billy smacked his six-pack hard enough that he winced. “They’re human and trying to make a living like everyone else.”

  “FYI, You’ll be kissing that better later,” he growled. With a bemused grin, he added, “Man, to think that’s what I was missing every time I rejected them! You’re right, wildthing. Next time, I’ll be more considerate of their feelings and won’t turn them down when they offer me sex.”

  “They what?!”

  Ransom nodded solemnly, his green eyes twinkling with humor when his baby’s face settled into a ferocious scowl. “No paying for me. Thanks for making me see the errors of my selfish and judgmental ways—”

  “I’m drop kicking bitches on sight,” Billy promised. She viciously pinched his side when he doubled over with laughter at her expense.

  She tried stomping ahead of him, but Ransom caught her around the waist. He led her reticent form over to an empty park bench. He was still laughing as he pulled Billy onto his lap and looped his arms around her waist. She was jealous, and it made his day that she cared enough to be. However, it was also a foolish waste of her time to think Ransom could be interested in another female the way she had him tightly wrapped around her little finger.

  “That’s not even necessary. When would I have time to think about anyone else? It’s all about you.”

  “It better be,” Billy direly warned him. Yet, soon, she would be gone and it wasn’t like she had mind control over him.

  Reading her mind, Ransom grabbed a hold of her hand and laced their fingers together. “There’ll never be a time when I’m not thinking about you, Billy. But that’s my deal not yours. All you need to do is focus on chasing those dreams and turning them into a reality. My place is here. The last thing I’d ever want to do is stand in your way. You have to see this thing all the way through, babe.”

  “I plan to.” Billy pushed his hair back from his face and planted a soft, teasing kiss on his lips. Cuddling into him, and running her nose along his bearded jaw, she breathed in Ransom’s unique scent of leather and crisp cotton. Billy wished she could bottle up his essence and take it with her when the time came to leave. The looming deadline was a direct punch to her fragile heart.

  “I’m going to miss you terribly, Ransom Lawson. You turned what could have been a potentially shitty summer into something pretty amazing, so thank yo
u,” Billy said wistfully. Her turbulent emotions plucked at her heartstrings as she drank in his raw masculinity—the blade sharp planes of his face, those intense green eyes, his brown waves, tussling with the breeze. She traced his lips with her fingernail, the pad of the digit brushing across their supple texture, a sharp contrast to his scruff-coated jaw.

  Billy had memorized his rugged features with their first encounter yet took the time to examine them and his tattoos every chance she got, just in case she missed something. By his intoxicating scent alone, she’d know his presence in a crowded room

  “I hope that if I cross your mind, your thoughts will always be happy ones.”

  Ransom averted his face. “I feel like you’re about to burst into a rendition of “I Will Always Love You”.”

  His chest felt like it would implode at the thought of her not being in his life on a daily basis. Ransom didn’t want to have this fucking discussion because he wasn’t sure he could let her go. He had nothing to offer her except more disruption. Not even loyalty. It came first and foremost to his club and was by blood not choice. The last thing Billy needed after everything she’d been through was his shit.

  “Drop it, Billy. Let’s just make the most of the time we’ve got left together.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

  Stung by his harsh words, Billy pushed away from him and stood up, too proud to say what she really wanted from him, especially in the face of his abrupt turnabout. She was so used to his attentiveness that Ransom’s sudden indifference hurt like hell.

  “We should probably start heading back now. Your mother wanted me to stop by this evening, and I’d like to drive myself.”

  “You met my mother? What the fuck?! How???” he hissed

  Straight up offended by his reaction, Billy stiffly, she explained, “She paid me a visit this morning at Marcus’s place and extended an invite to me. I didn’t want to refuse and be rude, so I’m going.”

  “You should have discussed this with me first,” Ransom said brusquely. He was frustrated at this turn of events as he explained to her with a thunderous expression, “I have plans for us tonight, and they didn’t involve you getting to know my family!”

  “If your plans involved getting me naked, I’d much rather spend an evening out socializing than another night on my back,” Billy retorted.

  With an impervious toss of her hair, she headed toward his motorcycle. “Don’t worry; I won’t embarrass you.”

  Did Ransom think she wasn’t good enough to meet his family? That she was only good enough to fuck but not take home? Parents loved her! Kenton’s mother sang Billy’s praises every chance she got. Day and night, Tricia Medina expressed her desire for their relationship to progress past the platonic stage. Yet, this motherfucker was pissed that she’d met his mother without his permission! It made her feel foolish for defending their relationship to everyone.

  “That wasn’t going to happen anyway. I already told you that I was hoping for a repeat of this morning’s performance,” Ransom responded shortly. “But that was for much later after we checked out the Rio Grande from the Sandia Pueblo and a dance ceremony performed by a couple of tribes at the amphitheater.”

  Despite a budding interest in his plans, Billy forced herself to keep walking, feeling his eyes drilling into her back. “Sorry, but I made a commitment and intend to honor it. You go ahead and keep your plans. I’ll just catch a cab back to Chatham.”

  “No, you’re not. We’re going to keep the plans I made. My mother will understand.” Ransom’s jaw ached from clenching his teeth so hard.

  “That’s not your call to make. I’m not some little kid for you to order around. You would do well to remember that.” Billy accelerated her speed, anxious to put space between them so she could have a moment to regroup.

  “I swear to God that if you take another step, I’m going to make you regret it, Willamina.”

  Ransom’s voice was deadly quiet, promising the direst of consequences if she didn’t obey. He couldn’t help being pissed at having his hand forced. That his own mother went behind his back to do something like this. This was his goddamn life and what he had with Billy was special and theirs. Ransom did not take kindly to this interference and had a few choice words for Claudia when he saw her this evening. When Billy saw his family, she would surely run not walk away from him.

  His threat almost made Billy stop walking. Almost, because this wasn’t the way he talked to her. This was the way he talked to people he beefed with, like Pitch or maybe his brother, with whom he’d shared a womb but beat the shit out of. It was for that reason alone that she did keep walking.

  “Trust me, Ransom, I’m already regretting things,” she informed him enigmatically before veering left and escaping into the womens’ restroom, an obvious cue for him to fuck off.

  Once inside, she grabbed a paper towel and wet it, cooling her overheated face. The wounded expression reflected in the mirror reminded Billy of a kicked puppy’s, and it infuriated her. This wasn’t supposed to be happening and especially not to her. She was far too good for this nonsense and wouldn’t be the girl who cried over some guy. Especially one she’d only known for a short period of time. She was surviving her mother’s, the love of her life, death. Getting over a heartless jackass should be a walk in the park.

  Feeling better, Billy splashed cold water on her face and unbraided her hair. She bent over and shook it out then ran her fingers through the disheveled waves. Then she pulled out her cosmetics bag and went to work, fixing her appearance.

  “It looks like you’re having woman problems, amigo! I’d be more than happy to help you out in that department.”

  The mirthful voice belonged to Frankie Montoya, the Aztecs VP. He plopped down on the bench next to Ransom whose fulminating stare never wavered from the women’s restroom.

  “She’s a good-looking girl. Not the usual type you gringos go for, but that ain’t never been a problem for me. Brown and brown or brown and black is always a good look together.”

  “So is black and blue, motherfucker,” Ransom reminded the fat, bald headed asshole as two more Aztec members came to stand sentry next to the bench. They nodded respectfully, and Ransom returned the gesture. “Keep your eyes off my woman, Montoya.”

  Frankie and his men laughed good-naturedly as he shook Ransom’s hand. “You know I’m just fucking with you. Lupita would have my cojones if I sneezed in another woman’s direction.”

  “Let your old lady know she’ll be able to find them at the back of your throat because that’s where I’m gonna shove them if you look at my woman again.”

  Unlike the Aztecs, Ransom was one hundred percent serious.

  The other men tensed, modifying their stance nervously, and Frankie whistled softly. “Damn, ese! Be chill. It’s like that? You know I’m just fucking with you!”

  “Well, I’m not, because you’re right. It’s exactly like that.” Ransom didn’t think the Aztecs being this far from home and so close to the Immortals was a coincidence. “What brings you out this way?”

  Frankie’s dropped the jovial attitude and got right down to business. “Raymundo’s family lives here. Tomorrow, they’re holding a memorial service for Garcella and Caesar over there.”

  He pointed at San Felipe de Neri Church on the north side of the plaza. The bodies of the deceased Aztecs were discovered by a hiking group a week ago. The Immortals, as well as the Death Lords, had shown up at the Latinos compound to pay their respects already. Slade had even gone so far as to deliver a touching, albeit hypocritical, speech about the Immortals being brothers the Aztecs could rely on. Ransom was barely able to stomach sitting through the bullshit facade.

  Guilt assailed him, and again, he felt like a fucking impostor. Somberly, he offered, “My respective condolences to the Aztec and Vargas families.”

  “Thanks, brother.” Frankie’s voice was steeped in sorrow over a situation he couldn’t change. “Raymundo is going ballistic with grief. We all are
. Whoever did this is terminado. It’s just a matter of time before they fuck up and reveal themselves.”

  He gestured to his prospects, and they respectfully backed away. Frankie’s voice dipped. “Between you and me? Raymundo don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but he thinks Caesar was trying to double-cross him or something. Why else would he have had muchos miembros with him at the time?”

  Ransom kept his face impassive. “Any truth to that? ‘Cause, real talk? That shit don’t sound like Caesar at all, Frankie.”

  “I don’t think that shit either, but Prez is damn near psychic when it comes to his intuition. Sooner or later, he’ll get to the bottom of this shit. Then, we’ll go to war and be annihilating putas left and right!” Frankie vowed. “Hopefully, we can count on your club’s support.”

  Billy emerged from the restroom looking beautiful and composed; her bronze off-the-shoulder dress ruffled, blowing in the breeze, revealing hints of the tempting body beneath it. Her large gold hoop earrings played peek-a-boo through the curtain of her hair as she looked around, searching for him. Ransom noticed she’d applied more makeup than she normally wore. A mask to shut him out. His earlier anger intensified, and he stood, making his presence known.

  “The Immortals and the Aztecs go way back. You know that, brother.” It was the truth and the only thing Ransom could offer in some form of assurance without triggering suspicion.

  “That’s good to know, hermano, because we got a major deal in play. An hour ago, Raymundo requested a meeting with Slade and Thrasher for noon tomorrow at Inferno. I think this could be a very profitable deal between our clubs.”

  Frankie used his knees for support as he pulled his heavy body up. “It will be beneficial for all involved if it happens. You got plenty of influence with your old man. Once you have all the information, I think you’ll see it’s a lucrative deal. Hopefully, Slade will, too.”