Christine (Heaven Hill Shorts Book 2) Read online

  Christine

  Heaven Hill Shorts #2

  Laramie Briscoe

  Thank you to everyone who has read a Heaven Hill book, who has been patient and always wanted more. This is for you!

  Thank you to Louise who helps me keep it all together, I’m so thankful you said yes when I asked if you would help me!

  Laramie

  Contents

  Also By Laramie Briscoe

  New Release Alerts

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Reviews

  Connect With Laramie

  Sneak Peak: Room 143

  Copyright © 2019 Laramie Briscoe

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and storylines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.

  Cover: Laramie Briscoe

  Cover Photography: Carian Cole

  Formatting: Laramie Briscoe

  Also By Laramie Briscoe

  Heaven Hill Series

  Meant To Be

  Out of Darkness

  Losing Control

  Worth The Battle

  Dirty Little Secret

  Second Chance Love

  Rough Patch

  Beginning of Forever

  Home Free

  Shield My Heart

  A Heaven Hill Christmas

  Heaven Hill Next Generation

  Hurricane

  Wild

  Heaven Hill Shorts

  Caelin

  Christine

  Justice

  Harley

  Jagger

  Charity

  Liam

  Drew

  Dalton

  Mandy

  Rockin’ Country Series

  Only The Beginning

  One Day at A Time

  The Price of Love

  Full Circle

  Hard To Love

  Reaper’s Girl

  The Moonshine Task Force Series

  Renegade

  Tank

  Havoc

  Ace

  Menace

  Cruise

  Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team

  Ransom

  Suppression

  The MVP Duet

  On the DL

  MVP

  Stand Alones

  Sketch

  Sass

  Trick

  Room 143

  New Release Alerts

  JOIN MY MAILING LIST

  http://sitel.ink/LBList

  JOIN MY READERS GROUP

  fbl.ink/LaramiesLounge

  Author’s Note

  Thank you so much for reading my books!

  Thank you so much for following this family from Meant To Be until now, and thank you for being such a support in my life!

  - Laramie

  Blurb

  It is recommended that you read “Heaven Hill Generations” before starting this series, or you will be spoiled and lost!

  Christine Steele

  I stood by as my husband become a person I didn’t recognize any longer. I watched as he betrayed his club.

  Now I’m trying to figure out how to move on, how to live my life, still love myself, and allow my family to love me.

  I’ve been broken before, but this time I’m not sure anyone can put those pieces back together.

  Chapter One

  The gazes follow me as I walk into the clubhouse. If I ever ask, everyone tells me they aren’t, but I can feel them. They're laced with both judgment and compassion. I hear a 'bless her heart' every single time people think I'm not listening, but I can hear it just the same. I do my best not to make eye contact with anyone, especially Drew. Drew - fuck I could have saved him a lot of heartache if I had just come forward with my suspicions. I ask myself every day why I didn't. Why I chose to believe a husband who had turned his back on his family, and why I kept holding out for love. Love didn't hold out for me, and I'm pretty damn sure it never will.

  The next person I see is Caelin - another person I don't want to talk to - not because he killed my husband, but because he had to. He's avoided me just like I've avoided him. Neither one of us are ready to face the reality of the situation, and I'm not sure when we'll ever be. Finally, I see someone not connected. Layne, my saving grace today. Making myself as small as I can, I walk over to him. It kills me how small my voice is.

  "Is Jagger here?"

  He looks up from his phone, and I appreciate the fact he doesn't have sympathy in his eyes. I can't take it, today of all days. I'm too emotionally vulnerable and pissed off, to be honest.

  "Yeah, he's in the back grilling some steaks for the cookout later."

  "Thank you."

  It doesn't escape my attention that I've started to only say the words I absolutely have to. I don't expand on my feelings, or my intentions, ever. I'm almost afraid someone will find fault with it, so in the ten months since Travis was killed, I've become my own brand of mute. My head is held high as I walk to the sliding glass door that leads out to the huge backyard area the club has. It's expanded since my first days here. There are more children, a few more members, and so many happy couples.

  I always wanted kids, but it never happened. More than anything I think its damage from what happened to me earlier in life. At this point I'm glad Travis and I didn't have them. How do you explain to a child that a parent is a monster, even if they didn't start out that way? Justice and Harley are over in one of the corners, talking with Carter. There's a smile on her face, and it lifts the weight on my chest slightly.

  Spotting Jagger, I make a beeline for him. "Hey."

  He turns with a genuine smile on his face. He's always got one for me. If I ever had to name the best brother in the world, it's him. Quickly he puts his tongs down, enveloping me in a hug meant to break my ribs. I endure it though, because this is some of the only human interaction and touch I'm given these days. Part of it is my fault, the other part is Travis'. No doubt about it, I've shut myself off since the events of ten months ago. I haven't attended many functions, haven't returned the texts or the phone calls, not because I haven't wanted to, but because I feel really damn guilty.

  Anyone would in my situation.

  "Hey Sis, what are you doing here?"

  It's a fair question, but it still hurts. It's my damage that hears accusation instead of surprise.

  "I came to talk to you about something," I start, pushing my hair back out of my face.

  "I can get someone to watch this and we can go to my dorm if you want."

  More than anything that's what I want. Enough of my embarrassment has been played out for people to see. I don't want anymore, don't know that I can stand anymore. "Please," the word is on this side of a plea.

  Turning my eyes back to the ground, I wait as he calls Wild over, ask
ing him to watch the food while he talks with me. Again, I feel the eyes on me, wish for them to go the fuck away, but know in my heart it's human nature to stare. Fuck human nature though, I just want my quiet life back, want to live it and not have to worry about my livelihood being taken from me. Jagger motions for me to follow him as we walk back into the clubhouse and down the long hallway leading to the dorms. He's had the same one since I've been here, and as we walk in, I feel like I'm coming home. This feels more like home than my own house does these days.

  "You want something to drink? B's on this health kick and has started stocking my fridge in here with these smoothies that she swears is life-changing."

  He rolls his eyes with a smirk on his face, but even with that, I can tell how much he absolutely adores her. They never had kids either, but they've adopted all of the kids she works with at the school and the members kids. Their house usually has someone coming or going as she helps them with their homework, or he helps someone with their bike. Last I heard he'd even started giving voice and guitar lessons. They're doing what they were called to do, and it makes my heart happy.

  "No thanks," I have a seat on the couch in his room, running my damp hands over the denim covering my thighs.

  "What did you need to talk to me about?" He lights a cigarette, smoking as he stares at me.

  I hate coming to him with this, but I don't know where else to go, and I do need help. "It's my shop," I start.

  "Is the rent too much for you now that Travis is gone?" He asks softly, obviously not wanting to hurt my feelings.

  A hollow laugh comes out of my mouth. "No, it's not the issue of me paying for the space. The last ten years I've been making more money than Travis. It was something he was upset about toward the end. My issue is that the property owner wants to boot me out. He says there's a morality clause in the lease agreement I signed, and since all this shit with Travis and the club, I'm basically bad juju and he wants me out. I offered to buy it outright. I have savings and the house as collateral, but he won't hear of it."

  Jagger's lips are pressed in a fine line. "Are you shitting me?"

  "No, and I've done everything I can think to do. But he's got me. The lease is very straightforward. I don't know what to do."

  Jagger stands, a grin on his face, ever the hero when I've needed him to be. As he opens the door, he says something that makes me laugh for the first time in months.

  "Never fear, Heaven Hill is here."

  Chapter Two

  "Jagger," I do my best to stop him, even though I'm laughing. "I don't want to get them involved. You know I feel awkward about my place here now."

  "I do," he nods, coming over to give me a hug. "But it's time you realize these people are as much your family as they are mine. No one blames you for what happened."

  "But I blame myself," I argue.

  "Any of us shoulda coulda picked up on what was happening, but we didn't. You've got to learn to let it go."

  That's easier said than done. Every time I'm alone, I try to think about what I could have done differently. How could I have prevented Justice from getting taken? How could I have prevented Caelin from having to make such an adult decision? How could Travis still be alive and get the help he needed? All of those questions lead back to one thing. Me. I should have done the smart thing and told someone my suspicions. But I didn't, and now I live with that regret every day. "It's hard," I whisper.

  "Nothing in this life is easy. If our parents taught me anything, it was that."

  I know what he means. Our parents had made our lives a living hell. He'd left and I was put into a situation that no young girl should have been put in, but both of us made it out. We'd somehow risen above the ashes of that fucked up childhood and become productive adults, thanks to the Heaven Hill MC. "I know."

  "Then you know the best people to help you with this problem are in this clubhouse. Let me go get them."

  He's gone before I can say anything. I didn't really want to bring anyone else into this, but it looks as if I've been outvoted. A few minutes later, Drew and Charity come into the room, she's holding their brand-new baby in her arms. Badly I want to reach over and ask to hold Mac, but I don't.

  "Hey," she smiles. "Jagger said maybe we could help you. Do you have the contract with you? I'd like to take a look at it."

  Even though I hadn't been prepared to ask the members of the club for help, I still have what she's asking for. Maybe in the back of my mind I was hoping he'd force me to take the help? Either way I reach into my bag, pulling it out and handing it to her. She gives the baby over to Drew, who grins when a tiny hand comes up and grabs his finger. "The grip on this one is strong," he laughs, looking at me.

  I smile back, because I can't help it. The pride in his eyes is apparent, as is the love for the baby in his arms. He reaches forward. "Do you wanna..."

  "No," I cut him off quickly. "I shouldn't. I'm not going to be here for long. Just came to talk to Jagger."

  "We're cooking out and there's a slip n slide the kids have set up," he argues. "You're welcome here at any time, you know that right?"

  I nod my head, but in my mind, I know I'm not. He's saying all these things out of a sense of gratitude because Jagger's in the room with us.

  "I tell her that all the time," Jagger reaches over, putting his arm around my neck. "But she keeps denying my invitations."

  "We'd like to see you," Drew continues. "The girls ask about you."

  Before the incident I had been close with Justice and Harley. I'd pick them up and they'd get their hair done, but now I just can't face them knowing what Travis did. "I miss them too," I admit, my throat tightening. "They're better off without me being a reminder though."

  "A reminder of what?"

  "What happened to them. They have to see Travis when they look at me."

  Drew shifts the baby in his arms. "I don't look at Travis when I see you, and I don't think they do either. You and Travis weren't and aren't interchangeable. You're your own person, Chris."

  I don't know what to say, so I keep my mouth shut. Beside him Charity, who hasn't been paying attention is talking.

  "How many years have you rented this space?" She takes off her glasses, looking at me.

  "At least fifteen. I opened it right before I got married."

  She puts her glasses back on, using her finger to find the spot she had been reading. "Right here it says if you have possession of said property for over eleven years you have an option to buy. Has the owner asked you to buy?"

  "No, in fact I asked him if I could purchase the space, there are things I'd like to do it, but can't because I don't own it. He told me I broke the morality clause, after everything that's happened."

  "There is a morality clause," she confirms. "But he was in breach first when he didn't inform you of your right to purchase. We can take him to court if you want, I would love to see him squirm."

  And I know she would. Charity loves to prove people wrong. I'm one thousand percent sure that's why she became an attorney. Just because she wants to win an argument. "I'd rather not, I don't want any more publicity than I've already had."

  "It's settled then," Drew nods at Jagger. "We'll go have a talk with him. If you don't want to take him to court and he's being a dick about a contract he's breached, then we'll have a talk with him."

  This isn't what I wanted, I don't want to owe them anything else, but I know as I look at Drew and my brother already making plans, this is completely out of my hands. "Are you sure?"

  "Damn straight I'm sure. You're family and we take care of family."

  The only thing is, I don't feel like family and I'm not sure when that feeling will come back. I don't know what's going to have to click for me to feel better again.

  "Thank you for your help. I have a few appointments tonight," I get up from the couch, stuffing the contract back in my purse.

  "At seven at night? I thought you closed at five-thirty," Jagger's eyes pierce mine. He's looking for the lie, wa
nting to call me out on it, but I know he's not going to do it in front of our audience.

  "There's a party tonight at one of the bars downtown, some girls wanted to get all fixed up for it. The extra money is nice, especially if I can buy the space," I play it off. "I'll see you all around."

  When I drive out of the driveway and turn toward home, I hope no one sees me at the fast food drive-thru getting my dinner to go. This night is just like every other. Home to eat alone and think about how everything has gone wrong.

  Chapter Three

  Every day I wake up hoping this will be the day I can move past everything that's happened, but so far that day hasn't come. At least I don't think it has. I keep waiting on a sign, and maybe I'm just not open to the sign yet. I haven't spoken with Doc Jones in over a month, probably time for a new appointment if we're being honest.

  As I pull into the parking lot behind my shop, my heart does a little pump, I recognize the truck pulled into the spot next to mine. Stephen has been a friend for a few years. Most everyone knows him as Smoky, but he never introduced himself that way to me. Since Travis has been gone, Stephen has been hanging around more often, especially these last few months.

  I can't say I'm sorry, it's nice to start my day talking to a friend, and I can say without a doubt he's a friend.