Ruin’s Embattlement (Tenillo Guardians AIMC #19)

Ruin Chapter 12

Before Desi and I could talk more about our future, there was something I had to do. She said she wanted to tell Isaiah he’d been right about me and that she and Shane wouldn’t be moving in with him after all. I wouldn’t have minded going along for that chat, but I also had something to do. It involved apologizing to my friend and letting him know why I reacted the way I did. Desi told me she thought she should be there, but I convinced her she didn’t. The main reason was I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t be pissed off. If he had thoughts of them being more than friends, I needed to know, and I’d make sure he knew to give up all thoughts of Desi. He was my friend, but she was the love of my life. She didn’t need to be there if words or punches were exchanged.

At least she didn’t need to leave the compound to talk to Isaiah. He was coming to the house. She told me she’d asked him last night to hang out with her this weekend at the compound. That was why she was so late coming home from her date with Konrad. I was glad he would be here for a while. It would give me a chance to know him better, now that I wasn’t hating him for stealing my girl. However, I couldn’t understand why he only saw her as a friend.

It took me about fifteen minutes to track down Konrad. I found him washing bikes outside the garage attached to the clubhouse. It had been added after the clubhouse was first built to house everyone’s bikes. Since no one other than Sara had a house with a garage back then, this was the best solution. After they did the add-on, they also built two large garages for various other vehicles, trailers, and such. He was polishing Saint’s bike when I came upon him. He gave me a chin lift, but I saw the wariness in his eyes.

“Hey, you need your bike done, too? If so, just bring it over and line it up with the rest. I’ll get to it,” he said.

“Thanks, but no, that’s not why I’m here. Can we talk?”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, sure. Is here alright, or do we need to go somewhere else?”

“Would you mind coming to my place? I promise I’m not looking to fight, Kon. I just would rather not have the whole club hear what I have to say.”

He put down his polishing rag and followed me. When we got inside, I offered him a drink, which he accepted. Once we were seated in the living room, I didn’t waste time getting started.

“I owe you an apology for the way I acted last night. I should’ve never come at you the way I did. I lost my cool, but that’s no excuse. I’m sorry.”

“I get it. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably react the same way. I just wish you would’ve told me you had non-brotherly feelings for her. I asked, remember, if the two of you ever hooked up, and you said no. Why didn’t you tell me then you had a thing for her? This all could’ve been avoided. You know I wouldn’t have gone there if I knew you wanted her.”

“I didn’t hide it on purpose. I was lying to myself. I’ve been doing it for a long-ass time. The truth is, we never dated or anything else.”

“How long have you wanted her to be more than your foster sister?”

“Try over four years.”

He whistled. “Damn, really? Fuck. Well, where does that leave you and her? Are you gonna tell her? Do you think it’ll turn into anything more than dating and, you know, sex? What do you think your family will say, especially if it ends up being nothing more than a casual thing?”

“After what went down yesterday, I had to tell her. She and I talked last night after she got back to the compound.”

He sat forward. “And?”

“And it seems Desi feels the same way about me. We’ve been hiding it, and in my case, I’ve been denying the truth to myself. She at least knew her own mind.”

“And exactly where do you see this going?”

“You asked if we would date. The answer is not exactly. Sure, we’ll do that, but it’s not about sex and done. I love her. She loves me. We’re going to make a go of it.” I paused to let it sink in. His eyes went comically wide, and his mouth fell open. When he didn’t say anything, I kept talking.

“We told the immediate family this morning. It seems most of them suspected, so it wasn’t a big shock. We didn’t tell the kids. They might not understand the difference between real and foster siblings, so we’re working on how to explain it. However, we’re holding off on telling the rest of the club, even if some may suspect.”

“Why tell me? After yesterday, I knew to steer clear of her.”

“We thought you deserved to know. Listen, I don’t know how to say this other than just to say it. You going out with Desi tells me you find her attractive. She told me how the second date was as friends, but she wasn’t sure if you were happy about that. You’re a great friend, Kon, and I’d hate to lose our friendship, but she’s the woman I love. I can’t allow you to have the not-so- secret hots for her. Put yourself in my shoes. What would you do? I need you to be honest with me.”

“Ruin, I won’t lie. Desi is not only beyond pretty, but she’s also interesting. She makes me laugh, we have good conversations, and I have fun with her. Would I have been happy if there could’ve been something between us? Yes. I find her attractive, and honestly, I can’t say I’m not disappointed, even though I’m chuffed for you. It’s a hard spot to be in. I can’t say for sure that I won’t continue to be drawn to her. I wish I could. However, you should know me well enough that you know I won’t try anything with her, nor will I interfere in your relationship. I’m not that kind of guy. Can you live with that?”

I didn’t know what to say. I was thinking over what he said. While I did, he added more, “If you want me to leave now, I will. Or, if I find over time that I’m still into her, I’ll go. It’s your call. I don’t want it to be uneasy between you and me or her and me.”

He’d never given me cause to doubt his word or his integrity, which was what made my decision for me. I got up and went over to him. He watched me. I saw him stiffen just a smidge until I held out my hand.

“You’ve never stabbed me in the back. I don’t see you doing it now. Stay. We’ll see how it goes. I guess if I ran off every guy who thought she was pretty or interesting, I’d drive myself insane.”

He grasped and shook my hand as he smiled. Then, his smile began to morph into a frown. “What about Isaiah? She told me they’re only friends, and her moving in wasn’t because they had feelings for each other, but are you positive that’s the case for him? He might just be holding out for her to see him as more than a friend.”

I let go of him and sat next to him. “I thought the same thing, although she’s adamant he doesn’t. She’s telling him about us. In fact, he was coming tonight to hang out with her. I’m gonna take this opportunity to watch him and see if he gives me any vibes.”

“Why don’t you question him? You know, if you confront someone, most people have tells. God knows you of all people can recognize them and get the truth out of him.”

“Yeah, but I don’t see Desi being thrilled with me if I torture her friend.”

He chuckled. “I guess not. Does she know the details of what you did in the Marines?”

“Not all of it unless Dad or someone told her, which I doubt. The men know, I think. That was only a part of my overall job. It’s not like I did it all the time or loved it.”

“True, but you were really good at it. Alright, so are we good, or do I need to sleep with one eye open?” he teased.

“As long as you behave, probably not, but just cut me some slack. I’ve never been in love, and she’s always been the one who brings out my most protective side.”

“Hey, I gotta ask, and you can tell me it’s none of my business, but what about Shane’s dad? I assume he’s not in their lives. Is there a chance he could ever pop back up and try to cause issues?”

His question was innocent and appropriate. He had no idea of Desi’s history. However, I wasn’t able to hold back the growl it caused or my biting remark. “That fucker will never bother them.”

“Whoa, alright. Message received.”

“Sorry, but Desi’s past is hers to share. Just know, he’s not a worry anymore.”

“Good. Well, I’d better get back to work before I get my ass into trouble. I’m glad we cleared the air about this. Oh, and if you want your bike done, just bring it over. I guess it’s only fair that I offer since this is my payment for Saint letting me off for my first date with Desi. Repayment got postponed to this weekend,” he stated with a big grin.

“Fucker, for that, I expect it washed and polished weekly for the next year.”

This got him laughing, and we left the trailer minutes later, still chuckling. I was as content as I could be with how it turned out. Next was finding out if Isaiah would become a friend or be on my shit list.

???

I thought I’d get to spend time with Desi after my talk with Konrad, but I was wrong. Instead, Dad cornered me and said he needed my help to put up these bookcases he’d built. They were to cover one wall in the office that he’d created for Mom out of my old bedroom. She was excited to have a dedicated place to work from home rather than at the kitchen table. And since she was a reader, the bookcases would serve a dual purpose. It was the remainder of his Valentine’s gift to her.

I didn’t begrudge working on anything that was for my family, in particular my mom. She’d sacrificed so much to raise us. Skye had been older, and some of the brunt fell on her, but Mom had been our rock no matter what. Skye was thirteen, I was six, and Tyson was four when our bio-dad ran out on us. He was there one day and gone the next.

We thought he was dead until he turned up ten years later after Mom met Omen. It was discovered he was caught up in some of the illegal shit happening in Tenillo. Most people would think it was horrible that we hadn’t shed a tear when the club eliminated him like the rest. Only Tyson had been angry, and it was more because he didn’t recall Derrick and wanted a relationship that was never there to begin with. It wasn’t as if Derrick had had anything to do with us when he lived with us.

I was glad to have Tyson helping out, too, so the three of us spent the bulk of the afternoon securing the bookcases to the wall and setting up the rest of the office. Dad had already painted the walls a soft teal color Mom picked out. We talked, joked, and had a good time as we worked. Executioner was going to help, too, but he got caught up in something he had to do for Sin. Skye, Mom, and Desi entertained the kids, which was a full-time job. Chasing after them and making sure they stayed out of mischief was exhausting.

We kept the ladies out of the room until we were finished. Dad wanted to do a big reveal when we were done. Mom had picked out the desk and chair she liked, but Dad added more, which she had no clue about. When we were finished, and they saw it, all three gushed their praise, but the tears in our mom’s eyes and the way she kissed Omen and then hugged us told how touched she was.

She sat behind her desk, ran her hands over it, and then got up to touch the bookcases. They had ornate carvings on them, not just plain wood, and they were stained dark to match the desk. Several shelves had her collection of books on them, with plenty of room for more. I smiled when I saw Sara’s books, under her pen name, SK Tennison, had a dedicated shelf. They were all signed with very personal inscriptions, according to Mom.

With this job done, we were surprised with dinner. The women had been doing more than watching the kids. The whole family gathered again like we had at breakfast. I checked to see if Isaiah was back and joining us. He’d stopped by while I was with Konrad. He and Desi talked, and then he had to leave, but he promised her he’d be back this evening. I asked her how it went, and she said it was good, but I wanted to see for myself how he acted. Maybe his leaving was an excuse.

When dinner was over, and everything was cleaned and put away, Skye offered to have Shane stay all night with them. She said it would allow us a night to ourselves. The way she winked, I knew she was making it possible for Desi to stay the night with me if she chose, which I hoped like hell she did. Now that we’d opened up to each other, I wanted her with me. Shane was elated with the idea and pleaded with his mom to say yes, which she did.

After he packed a bag and went off with them, it left us to get ready for the night. While I returned to the trailer to shower and change, Desi said she would get ready. I had no clue what she had to do. She looked terrific to me. When I told her that, she smiled and said guys were clueless. I protested, but she only laughed and pushed me out the door. She promised she’d meet me at the clubhouse. I snagged a kiss before I left.

Since this would be our first time as a couple, even if the others didn’t know it, I took extra care with my clothes. I even put on a dab of cologne. I was ready long before Desi, so I went to the clubhouse to see who was there and to kick around with the others.

Since it was only seven o’clock, there were still families there. They’d soon leave, although some old ladies might stay late. There was no shortage of people willing to take the kids to give the parents a night off. The couples were good about taking turns, so everyone was able to do it on a regular basis.

Konrad was behind the bar, so I went there first. He smiled when he saw me. I had to give him grief. “Hey, Prospect, are you going to do some work today or just be a slug?”

He scanned the proximity, and I guess he saw no one looking because he gave me the middle finger and mouthed fuck you, asshole . Technically, as a prospect, he wasn’t supposed to do either, but I’d let it slide. I would’ve done the same.

He snickered and then held up a bottle of beer. I shook my head. “Nope, a Dew for now. How long did it take to wash and shine those bikes?”

“All damn day, and I still have a few to do. You didn’t bring yours.”

“Nah, I took pity on you, but don’t get used to it.”

We talked for a few minutes. I was about to tell him we’d talk more later when Niam came slamming in behind the bar. He had a thunderous look, which worsened when he spotted us. What was his malfunction?

“What’s crawled in your ass and died?” Konrad asked.

“Go fuck yourself. You gonna stand around and talk all night or work? Not all of us can skate,” Niam snapped.

I straightened from leaning on the bar and glared at him. “No one is skating. I bet you haven’t worked half as hard as he did today. Get rid of the attitude. I’m telling you for the last time.”

He didn’t say another word, but his scowl stayed the same. I was lying low, trying not to cause waves as a newbie, but if he kept it up, I’d ask the club if they thought he was Infidels’ material. What Phantom said at my first church told me it might not take much to get rid of him. He didn’t strike me that he was, but I didn’t know if I was holding our first interaction against him or not. He walked off.

“I swear, if he keeps it up, I’ll punch out his lights. He’s constantly got a bad attitude,” Konrad muttered.

“Is it just us he dislikes, do you think? I’m trying to give him a fair shake, but it’s hard.”

“I won’t cry if you don’t. Well, better get back to work before big boss Niam comes back,” he said with a wink. I laughed and took my Dew to a table. Desi should be here soon, I hoped.

I barely got seated before Hazard and Arrow came over and took seats on either side of me. They stared intently at me.

“Hi, guys, what’s up?”

“What’s up with that shithead, Niam? We saw him with you and Konrad. You know that you don’t need to put up with his crap, don’t you? You may be a new member, but you’re a patch,” Arrow stated.

“I do know it. I wanted to give him a chance since the three of us didn’t exactly hit it off, but he’s not growing on me. I’ll let him dig his own hole, though. So, I take it you’re not a fan?”

“Hell no. Niam does what he’s asked but never with a good attitude. There’s something I can’t put my finger on. No one knew him, unlike the rest of us, before he asked to prospect. Sin gave him a chance and sponsored him,” Hazard added. Fang had brought Hazard into the club, and Dragon had brought Arrow.

“I say let’s see what the next month brings. If he hasn’t improved, we officially ask the club what they want to do. As it stands, he won’t get my vote if he keeps it up,” I told them bluntly.

“Same,” Arrow said.

“For sure, and yeah, a month I can stand, maybe,” Hazard stated.

We’d sat there talking for a few minutes more when the door opened, and Desi and Isaiah strolled in. Those who saw them called out greetings, which they both returned. I saw that the club liked him and welcomed him easily.

“I don’t mean to run you off, fellas, but I’m supposed to join Desi and her friend. Talk later?”

They appeared surprised but readily agreed and moved off. I knew it was due to how strained everything usually was between Desi and me. Having chats wasn’t our thing for a long time. They’d been here long enough to know. Catching sight of me, Isaiah and Desi made their way over. It took everything I had not to kiss her. Shit, keeping us a secret might be way more complicated than I thought. I’d talk to her about us and then decide when to tell the others.

Desi sat on my left, and Isaiah was on her other side. He examined me closely. Before we got into anything, I asked if they wanted a drink. Desi asked for a Diet Coke. He said beer. Before I could call Konrad over, he was at the table taking their orders and then gone. That was a top-prospect move. Good job. I’d have to tell him that later. Anticipating needs went a long way with the club.

I checked her out as covertly as possible. She was in jeans, but they were paired with boots and a top that wasn’t skintight but it still showed off her body. Her hair was down, and she had put on a little makeup.

Leaning close, I whispered to her, “Babe, you look good enough to eat.”

She giggled, then whispered back, “So do you.”

“If you two are gonna be all gooey tonight, I’m leaving you. I’ll go into a sugar coma listening to all that sappy sweet shit,” Isaiah grumbled, but I noticed he was grinning as he said it, and he made sure to whisper it.

Desi elbowed him in the ribs. “Hush up. You’re just jealous. Try and leave and see what happens.”

He rubbed his ribs and raised his eyebrows. “You see how mean she is. Everyone thinks she’s adorable and cuddly, but she’s a viper.”

She made a hissing noise like a snake at him, and then they dissolved into laughter. I had to join them. By then, Konrad was back with their drinks, and he brought me a bottle of water. I reached to open her bottle at the same time Isaiah did. He pulled his hand back.

“Whoops, I guess she has you to do that for her. Gotta get used to that. Des says we need to get to know each other. So I’ve got to ask, will I have to kill you for hurting her?”

The noise in there and the low voice he used prevented anyone from hearing him. Unless they were close, they wouldn’t know what we were saying.

“No, you won’t because I don’t plan on hurting her. Will I have to kill you for lusting after my girl?”

“Ruin, stop. He doesn’t have feelings like that for me. I told you that,” she muttered darkly.

“So you say. I want to hear him say it and make me believe it.”

He peered over at me without saying a word. He was studying me the same way I was studying him. The silence stretched for a good minute or more before he answered me. “I have never been more than a good friend to Desi. I love her but as a friend and sister, not as a lover. Of course, I know how disappointed she is, that that’s all I feel. She cries in her pillow every night for me, but that’s life,” he deadpanned.

“You wish,” she said as she shoved him. He cracked a smirk.

Just like that, their teasing and my not seeing them through the eyes of someone suffering from unrequited love, I understood they were nothing more than great friends. I relaxed and held out my hand to him. “Nice to know. You’ll live.”

That broke the ice and led to us talking together for hours. We weren’t antisocial. We spoke to others and even played a game of darts and then a few games of pool. Time flew by. Family time ended. Tyson arrived and joined us. We were playing in pairs at the pool table. He paired up with Isaiah against Desi and me.

I should’ve been paying attention, but my excuse was that I was enjoying myself too much. If I had been alert, I would’ve probably asked them to go to the trailer to hang out longer rather than stay in the common room and run the risk of what happened. I wanted to hit myself in the head when I saw women begin to trickle in. There were only a couple, but more would follow. It was true there were only six, well, five, single guys in the club. However, low numbers wouldn’t deter women on the prowl. Adding Isaiah to the mix put possible targets back up to six. I wouldn’t deny any of them the chance for company, but I didn’t want the women near me. I was still so damn guilty over the way I betrayed Desi all these years. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get over it. There was no way I wanted her to see them and think about what I did.

I looked at my brother, panicked. He shrugged. He didn’t know what to do, but he seemed to understand me. “What do you think about going back to my trailer and hanging out longer? It’s getting too loud in here,” I said.

Tyson nodded. Isaiah shrugged, but Desi was focused across the room. When she glanced back at me, she moved closer, and I leaned down so she could whisper in my ear. I cringed on the inside, wondering what she’d say.

“Tanner, I know what you’re doing. It’s not necessary. I can’t run and hide every time a single woman is around. Even if she is someone you slept with. Let it go. I am.”

“Babe, I love you for that, but it eats at me. What I did was so wrong.”

“Stop—no more. You didn’t do it intentionally or out of spite. I know that. We can go to your place if you want, but don’t do it because of them.”

I needed to kiss her, and I couldn’t do it here, so I put my cue in the rack and took her hand. “I hate to bail, but we’re going. Are you coming?” I asked the other two.

They readily put their cues away, and the four of us headed for the back hall. It would take us outside and to my place. Several people hollered goodnight, and we returned them, but we didn’t slow down.