Page 5 of No Turning Back
I walk across the deck and down toward the chest-high fence.
“Hello, Troy, I’m Sydney.” I watch as his hand engulfs mine.
“Troy is Poseidon’s dad. He’s staying with us over the holiday.”
“Poseidon?” I look over at Wrenn.
“Oh, that’s right, you haven’t met him yet.” Wrenn explains that Poseidon is one of Beck’s biker brothers. “You’ll hear Beck referred to as Aries by his brothers and others.”
I finally met Aries last week when I was lugging in groceries and he offered to help. He did pause when he was giving me his name to introduce himself. I assumed Beck, like Wrenn calls him, but I know that MC guys prefer to be called by their club names, so I make a mental note to call him Aries from now on. It is interesting that both Beck and his friend Poseidon have Greek god names, but I don’t want to question it more.
“Hey, is there a party back here?” A deep voice comes from Wrenn’s deck, and we all look over. I know it’s the man from my first day even without seeing his eyes before. His golden blond hair is closely cropped to his scalp in a military cut. His piercing, light-colored eyes take me in, and everything in my body lights up.
“Well, I have to get dinner ready.” I pull my hand from Troy’s and then make my way to the house.
I lift Mari and carry her inside before the man can get to the fence. I know deep in my soul that if I met him, I’d want to know more, and I can’t do that. I can’t let myself go there. Everything is for Mari, and right now she needs me. Besides, most men would run when they find out I’m a single parent. I don’t want to deal with that right now.
I slide the door closed and take in the fact that both men are watching me. The similarity in both is not hard to see. Father and son. This must be the Poseidon that Wrenn was just talking about.
The ringing of the doorbell wakes me from a deep sleep. I roll over in bed and see that it’s almost one in the afternoon. I worked last night. As the newest on staff for the African exhibit, I took the night shift. Mari spent the night with my mom, and she should be home anytime now. I slip from my bed and grab my robe. When I get to the security panel, I check the camera and see that it’s Wrenn.
“Just a moment,” I say into the speaker as I disarm the system. My mom had a top-of-the-line security system installed to protect Mari and me. She still worries that there could be retaliation, even here in America. I tie my robe tighter across my body, covering my sleep shorts and night shirt. Pulling a hair tie out of my pocket, I put my hair up in a messy bun.
I open the front door to the bright sunlight, and Wrenn has her back to me as she looks out at the neighborhood. She’s so pretty, and sometimes I’m jealous. With my red hair and pale skin, I don’t tan like she probably does in the summer.
“Hello, Wrenn,” I say, and she swings around.
“Oh man, did I wake you?”
“It’s okay. I need to get showered before my mom gets here with Mari.” The words are barely out of my mouth when my mom’s Mercedes SUV pulls into my driveway. “Well, never mind.” I chuckle and let Wrenn in.
I walk over to the kitchen counter and click the coffee pot on.
“Would you like some?” I offer her a cup.
“I’m good. I was just stopping by to see if you’d like to go to a New Year’s Eve party at the clubhouse with me. Drea will be there too. You can ride with me.” She smiles, looking hopeful.
I chuckle. “I’m not sure.”
“Honey, we are home,” my mom says as she steps through the door with Mari. “Oh! Wrenn, is that you? It’s been years.” My mom walks over and gives Wrenn a kiss on the cheek.
When I told her my childhood best friend lived right next door, my mom was thrilled I’d have someone I know so nearby.
“Hello, Mrs. Parrish.”
“Call me Sharon, sweetie. Congratulations! Syd told me you’re expecting. What’s going on?” Mom looks back and forth between us.
“Nothing, Mom,” I say. If she knew why Wrenn was here, she’d push me to go.
“I invited Syd out for New Year’s Eve,” Wrenn says.
Well, shit.
“She’d love to go. I know she’s off, and I’ll take Mari for the night.”
“Mom, how do you know I’m off?” I pop my hip as I cock my head at her. “Besides, it’s Mari’s first New Year’s and I want to spend it with her.”
“Nope, you aren’t getting out of it. You won’t let me set you up with any of the young guys at the practice, so go have fun with Wrenn.”
