Willow by Erin Osborne
Chapter Five
Trinity ‘Willow’ Walsh
TONYA DOESN’T SAY a word on the short trip from Legacies to my house. Her music is blaring as old rock fills the cab of the truck. I’m thankful she doesn’t need to fill the silence with a conversation when there’s good music playin. Giving her directions to my house, I realize it’s the first time someone is going to find out where I live. Not since high school has anyone ever been to our home. I’m not embarrassed about where I live. My only concern is my gram and making sure she’s taken care of. I do the yard work on top of cleaning and taking care of her, and make sure the grass is cut when I can. Right now it’s not too long for me to worry about it. She pulls into my driveway just as the first tear slips from my eye and courses down my cheek. Just in time for my new boss to watch it. She places her hand on my shoulder before speaking.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but you can talk to us. Anyone in the club or me. Heaven is available to talk once you get to know her too. You don’t have to fight whatever battle you are on your own. No one deserves to feel as if they’re all alone in the world. Take some time and make sure this is what you want to do. I’ll be by in the morning to get you. If you’re not out here, I’ll know you changed your mind about dancing,” she tells me, her voice full of concern.
“I’ll be out here. I don’t have any other choice,” I respond, my voice filled with emotion. “What’s one more thing added to the pile of shit I already have going on?”
“Like I said, you’re not alone.”
“Tonya, can I tell you something that stays between the two of us?” I ask as she nods her head without removing her hand from my shoulder. “I’m pregnant. The father isn’t in my life, but I want you to know now before I start dancing. I’m hoping this doesn’t mean you’re going to fire me.”
“Okay. I’m not going to pretend to know how you’re feeling right now. All I’m going to say is I’m not going to fire you. You can dance until you’re showing and then we figure out something else for you to do. Maybe work the floor as a waitress or help behind the bar when it gets really busy. We’ll make things work.”
“Thank you,” I tell her, opening the door to get out of her truck.
With a sad, barely there smile, I get out of her truck after thanking her for the ride. Shutting the door behind me, I make my way to the porch while listening for her truck to back out of the driveway. This really sucks ass not having my car here with me. If something happens to my gram or I need to go out and get something, there’s nothing I can do until my car is fixed and ready to go. This sucks!
Stepping through the door, I find my gram in her chair watching a program on TV. It’s some game show she likes watching. It makes her laugh when the contestants and host get into it. Walking in the living room, I place a kiss on her head before standing next to her.
“I got a job gram. For now while I train it will be during the day. First thing in the morning for a few hours. Then, when I’m done training, I’ll be working nights. Are you okay with that?” I ask her because if she’s not comfortable with me doing this than I won’t.
“I’ll be okay honey. If you let Greta know next door, she can make sure I’m okay and get to bed alright,” my gram answers, looking up at me with a smile on her face. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you, Gram,” she says, my voice once again wavering as I take in my gram’s words.
I highly doubt my gram would be proud of me if she knew everything I have going on right now. I’m pregnant and won’t be with the baby’s dad. He’ll know and that’s about all I can guarantee. With him being growly and not really saying anything while I was at Legacies today, I know all I need to know. Now, I’m going to be working as a stripper. If my grandma knew, she would be cursing me every way she knows possible. My gram is old school and won’t approve of anything I have going on in my life these days.
“Can you make dinner a little early today? I’m tired and want to head to bed a little early tonight?” she asks me as I begin walking into the kitchen.
“Of course. I’ll get your lunch now so I can begin cleaning. Then I’ll make your dinner early. What time would you like it? And what would you like?”
“I’d like grilled cheese I believe. Can we eat around four today? I’d like to be in bed by five thirty or so.”
“Are you okay Gram? There’s nothing wrong with you?” I question, placing my hand against her forehead and then cheeks.
“I feel fine sweetheart. I’m just tired and want to go to bed. I can just as easily watch TV from my bed as I can from my chair. I love you Trin, but you don’t need to worry about me the way you do. You’ll age before your time and not do anything but be miserable. You need to get out and live your life. I’m okay Trin,” she tells me, her voice soft and full of sincerity.
“I know gram. I’m fine. I have no problem taking care of you and helping do things around the house. All I know is we’ll get through this together,” I respond, my voice filling with emotion because she has no clue how miserable I am.
I’m miserable because of the baby and knowing I’ll be a single mom. However, I have the best role model because my gram raised me by herself, and I think I turned out pretty damn good. There isn’t enough money to go around because of the increase cost of gram’s medicine. Her disability checks cover most of the bills, but there is no way they can cover the cost of the things she needs to remain living. With me having money coming in again, it will help things and most of my money will be put up so I can have a nest egg until the baby gets here. Then, I’m sure I’ll lose a large portion of it when I have to buy everything my son or daughter will need. The last thing I’m miserable about is dancing while taking my clothes off on stage for a bunch of drunk men. It’s not the way I want to live my life or how I thought things would go. Unfortunately, I’m going to do what I have to do in order to make sure the three of us have what we want and need.
Making some sandwiches for us to eat for lunch, I add a few apple slices to my gram’s plate. I don’t need to have anything other than my sandwich right now. There is too much to do around the house for me to sit down for a long time eating. I have to eat because of the baby, and I will never intentionally do anything to harm my unborn child. With our plates in hand, I hand over my grandma’s before sitting down on the couch next to her. For a few minutes I watch my gram’s program with her before getting up and making my way to the kitchen to begin cleaning. Today is going to be a long day and every day after this is going to be long. On top of everything here, I have to go to work each morning and then come home to play catch up on the housework. Plus I’ll have to figure out something if my gram has any appointments. I’m the one who takes her and listens to the doctors because she doesn’t always understand what’s being said to her.
I wouldn’t change anything in the world though. Being here with my grandma is the best thing in my life. My hope is my child will feel the same way with us. Even if I have a son, I hope he’s as happy here as I am. He might not have a strong male figure in his life, but my gram and I will do everything in our power to make sure he has a good life.
My grandma has been in bed for an hour and a half already. I’m still working on finishing the cleaning of the house. Other than washing the dishes from dinner and vacuuming the living room really quick, I have to finish my laundry and clean my room. As I pull out the vacuum so I can get it done before gram falls asleep, there’s a pounding on the front door. Being in the back of the house where the laundry room is means I don’t hear cars pulling up. Not exactly the best thing, but there is nothing I can do to change it.
“I’m coming,” I call out, my voice not too loud while gram rests.
Walking to the door, I pull it open and am faced with the last two men I ever thought I’d find standing on my doorstep. Crave and Breaker are standing on the porch, and I want to slam the door shut in their faces. There is no reason for these men to be standing here right now. I’m not in the mood to see them or deal with them. My mind is spinning with why they’d be here at all. It’s not a secret as to how they found my address because Crave had my license.
“Can I help you?” I ask, keeping my voice frigid and aloof.
“We’re here for a few reasons. Can we come in?” Breaker asks, his voice washing over me making me tremble with how deep and husky it is.
Standing back, I keep my body behind the door as I quickly take in what I’m wearing. After changing out of my sweats and large tee-shirt, I put on a pair of shorts that are shorter than what would be considered decent with other people in the house and a tight tank top with no bra on under it. Not exactly what I should be wearing as I frantically look around the room for something to cover myself up. There is nothing down here. It’s the first time my gram hasn’t left a sweater or something on the back of her chair. Honestly, it’s more than likely in the wash because I grabbed it with the rest of the clothes.
“You can grab a seat on the couch,” I say, shutting the door behind them and walking into the living room off to the left of the door.
“Thank you,” Breaker says as Crave stares at me.
The men sit down on the couch as I continue standing in front of them. Folding my arms over my chest, I know it’s the last thing I should be doing right now. I feel as if I need to protect myself though and there is nothing I can use other than my own arms. They’ll be my shield against the two sex Gods sitting in front of me.
“So, um, why are you here?” I ask again, my voice wavering in front of them.
“Well, we brought over one of the club SUVs for you. It’s going to be a few days before you can get your car back. They have to order some parts and it’s going to take two or three days before they come in,” Crave says, his gravelly voice making me shiver.
“You didn’t have to do that. I’m not a part of your club,” I say, not sure what else to say to the men in front of me.
“Yeah, you are. You work at Legacies and that makes you family. We’ll do what we can to help you,” Breaker informs me, leaning forward from his seat on the couch.
“I’m just working there temporarily. My family is upstairs in bed already,” I tell him, not looking at Crave as I realize how much of a bitch I sound right now.
“You got a man?” Crave accuses me, not hiding the bitterness in his voice.
“Just because I said my family is upstairs doesn’t mean I have a man. Family comes in all forms.”
“I realize that. You bein’ a bitch and cold tells me you have a man. How long have you had this man?”
“Don’t have a man,” I repeat, still not looking at Crave.
“Crave, what’s your problem?” Breaker asks him, settling back and looking at the man sitting next to him.
“Don’t got a problem. Seems to me you’re hidin’ somethin’ and we should know about it now before it comes back to bite us in the ass. Not into savin’ damsels in distress,” Crave snarks back.
“I appreciate the SUV. I’ll make sure to leave it at the club tomorrow when I show up. You two can show yourself out,” I tell them, turning and leaving the living room.
Heading for the laundry room, I open the door of the dryer and begin to fold the clothes sitting there waiting for me. Part of me is listening for the front door to close because I can hear that from back here. The other part is trying to calm my racing heart down. These two men in my space are doing weird things to my body. I have no clue what it is about them but Crave and Breaker get to me in ways no other man has ever managed to do. They make me want to dream of a future with them and settle down. However, I know it’s not going to work because I’m about to become a single mom and these men can have any woman they want. That’s not a woman who will have a child attached to their hip.
As I’m folding laundry, a pair of strong arms wrap around my middle and pull me back against an equally hard chest. Based on the smell alone, leather, oil, wind, and a subtle cologne, I know it’s Crave. The tattoos filling his arms also let me know. This is the first time he’s touched me since the night we spent together, and it feels right. This is where I’m meant to be. Even if he doesn’t see it. Or want it.
“Trinity, why are you bein’ so bitchy?” he asks, his breath fanning over my neck and ear as he leans in closer to me.
“Look, I appreciate what you’ve done by bringing me a vehicle from the club you belong to. My dancing is just temporary to help me get out of a situation I’m in. I’m not going into details because it’s my problem to deal with. There is no reason for you to be here with me. You only need to do what you were tasked to do. You’ve done it and now you can leave,” I tell him, my voice wavering because I really do want to lean on this man and let him help me carry the burdens.
Not just him though. Turning my head, I notice Breaker standing in the doorway to the laundry room. He makes me feel the same things Crave does. It’s not right to want two men. Especially when one of them is going to be my child’s father. Even if he doesn’t know it yet. There is no way I can tell him just yet either. It’s not the right time for me to drop a bombshell on him like that.
“Baby girl, we’re tryin’ to help you out. You got shadows fillin’ your eyes and I can see you tryin’ to take on everythin’ goin’ on in your life by yourself. There is no way you can do it alone. We want to help you out and make sure you know you can count on the members of the club and the girls who work at Legacies,” Breaker tells me, stepping in, closing the three of us in the laundry because his body is that big.
I normally feel freakishly tall among men. Not with Crave and Breaker though. They’re both taller than me by several inches and have large, muscled bodies make me feel even smaller. These men can cause me a world of pain and will break me when they get what they want and leave me alone. The last thing I can do right now is worry about a man, or men in this case, because crushing me isn’t in the cards. I have too much going on and not enough time for them to fuck me and move on to the next woman on their radar.
“I’ve got a lot to do before I can head to bed. Can you two please leave so I can get it done? I have to be up earlier than normal to get things done before heading to the club,” I ask them, pulling from Crave’s embrace as he breathes a sigh of relief.
“We’ll go,” Breaker says, pulling my hand out and setting keys in it before he turns and leaves the laundry room.
“This isn’t the last time you’ll see Breaker. I’m walkin’ away. Just wanted to feel you in my arms one more time before I leave you alone for good,” Crave states, walking out without looking back.
Slumping down against the wall, I listen to the door close behind the two men and wonder what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. There is no way I can make it through this. Maybe I need to look for another job and let Tonya know I won’t be there for very long so she can keep the ad in the paper for auditions. I let one lone tear slide down my cheek and vow it’s the last one I’ll cry over the biker now known as Crave.
