"My cellphone number isn't anywhere, I made sure only a few people had it specifically for something like this happening."
Luke ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated.
"I don't know Gwen, that's all the info I could get for now. Either one of these guys is a master hack, or someone has given up your number." He said the last part gently, but that still didn't mask his true meaning.
My stomach dropped as three pairs of male eyes focused on me.
"That's not possible, only the people I love have my phone number and they sure as shit wouldn't give me up." I told them all firmly.
"You sure about that sis?" My brother asked quietly.
I glared at him. "Well no Ian, I guess Ryan could have given me up, you know the guy who slept beside me for two weeks after I got out of hospital so I wouldn't be alone? Or maybe Alex, who followed me around the whole of New York whenever I went out so I would feel safe? Or fuck maybe Amy, my best friend who uprooted her whole life to move out here with me?" I paused, breathing heavily, about to list all of my new friends who I trusted just about as much, but a firm squeeze on the back of my neck stopped me. I glanced up to Cade and his expression was still unreadable.
"Give your brother a break baby, we just need to explore every option. Don't worry we will sort this, you will never be getting a phone call like that again."
His voice was firm, sure. I trusted him. I trusted all the men in this room, Ian looked slightly taken aback at Cade backing him up and I fought a smile.
Luke cleared his throat, standing "Okay Gwen I better be going, just wanted to come and fill you in face to face, make sure you were okay." He slipped his phone away.
I stood, feeling Cade's arms at my waist. "Don't you need a statement from me or something?" I asked Luke, surprised.
He locked eyes with Cade for a split second before his gaze came back to me.
"No sweetheart, we can see the phone records as proof of the call and we have Cade's statement. I'll call you when we have something new." He gave me a smile, shook my brothers hand yet again and nodded stiffly to Cade. The room was silent for a moment after he left.
"So Ian what's new with you?" I asked with only a hint of sarcasm.
I laid a plate of food in front of my brother, along with a beer.
"Thanks sis." He rubbed his hands together. "Looking forward to this, there ain't exactly five star restaurants where I am stationed."
I grabbed my own plate and sat across from him. "Well I don't think I'm a world renowned chef either Ian." I replied, amused.
"Pretty darned close." He took a bite and groaned. "Come on what do you marinate this steak in?"
I tapped my finger to my nose. "I'll never tell." I teased, before adding, "Oh and I made peanut butter cup torte for dessert."
My brother's eyes lit up. "No shit?" He all but yelled, mouth full.
"Eww, yes you ape, did Mum teach you nothing? Don't talk with your mouth full, I would rather not wear your dinner." I gingerly picked up piece of steak that had flown from his mouth onto my shirt and threw it back at him.
Ian just chuckled and continued to devour his dinner. I focused on my plate and smiled, happy that the mood had lightened. After Luke left earlier today, Cade also split, saying he had ‘shit to do'. That was probably a good idea, after a more than rocky introduction and that phone call, Ian and me had needed some time to talk. Although we hadn't actually talked about anything important all day, I showed him to his room, made him some lunch then showed him round Amber. He was very impressed and agreed that it reminded me of home. I showed him around my store, which he didn't say too much about, he was an alpha male, girly clothing shops didn't exactly excite him. Weirdly, it was only Rosie and Lily there, and they both had no idea where Amy was. Making up with Brock I hoped.
After that, we had laid by the pool drinking beers and Ian told me some funny stories about the boys from his unit. I knew a couple of them, and one of them Keltan, was my brother's best friends from back home. He was like a second brother to me so I was always happy to hear about him too. We seemed to have let the events of this morning be temporarily forgotten so we could spend some time together, which we hadn't done in a long while.
Which brought us to now, having my kick as steak (if I do say so myself) and joking together, like we always had. Still no word from Cade or Amy, which had me slightly concerned, but I'd hear from them both at some point, hopefully.
"So Gwen. You and this Cade guy, what the fuck?" Ian's tone brought me out of my thoughts.
I sighed, I knew this was coming. "I knew you wouldn't give him a chance. Please try not to judge him based on appearances, I did that when I first met him and I regret it. I really like him Ian."
I tried to give him my puppy dog eyes to soften him up, but he just scowled back.
"Jesus Gwen another biker? These guys are dangerous, I don't want you getting caught up in this again." He barked angrily.
I let out a frustrated noise, sounding like a petulant child.
"You don't even know him Ian, please just reserve judgment until you know him a little better. He does actually care about me."
Ian gave me a look. "Yeah I can see that, that's what I'm worried about." He muttered.
I rolled my eyes. "Seriously? You are angry because my boyfriend likes me?" I said unbelievingly.
Ian put down his knife and fork, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"It's just intense Ace, the way he looks at you, Christ you haven't even known each other for two months."
I kept looking at him, doing what I used to do when we were young and I wanted something. Stared at him looking sad refusing to speak until he gave in.
Ian knowing my game growled and picked his knife and fork again.
"Fuck it I'll try my best to be civil to the guy." He conceded before focusing on his food.
I beamed, and begun to talk about something else when the doors slammed and Amy stormed in glaring at me, not even glancing at Ian. She pointed her finger at me angrily.
"You!" She yelled before approaching the table and standing in front of me.
What now?
"I can't believe the prick who shall not be named called you and I had to find out from freaking Lucy! I mean I love the girl but I don't want to find this shit out second hand. You should have called me the moment you got off the phone with that maggot so I could call him back and reach down the phone and castrate the fucker." She finished, voiced raised to a near screech at the end.
I gave her a second, knowing that she was just upset for me and a teensy bit of a drama queen.
"Hello Amy, how's it going? Want to say hello to Ian who just got here from some unknown war zone?" I asked sarcastically narrowing my eyes.
Amy blanched a little as if she didn't realize Ian was even here, she glanced across to Ian and smiled tightly.
"Sorry Ian, I didn't mean to be rude was just a little preoccupied with the whole ‘Gwen getting a phone call from a murderous psychopath' situation." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
I was about to reply, when Ian pushed back from his chair, staring at Amy with a weird look on his face. He advanced on her in two strides and engulfed her in his arms. She looked surprised for a second then melted into his embrace. Ian released her, looking her up and down, eyes twinkling. "You look great Ames." He said softly.
She returned the favor, gaze scanning him until her eyes rested on the scar I spotted today. She nodded her head towards it.
"Just another one to add to the collection." She remarked dryly with a weird expression.
Before I could think too much of this strange display they both seemed to snap out of whatever that was and sat down, Ian back to where he was, Amy beside me. She took a pull of my beer and grabbed my fork which was halfway to my mouth, eating my last piece of steak. I glared at her.
"That was my last piece you bitch."
Amy said nothing just smirked. Her face suddenly got serious.
"So what happened with this phone call Gwennie? How did it even happen in the first place?"
I tell her about what Luke told us, leaving out the part about one of my friends possibly giving out my phone number because that was just bullshit.
Amy was fuming. "Right I am calling my father and he can talk to one of his buddies about sorting out the guards at that prison." She snapped, betraying her upper class breeding.
"Can we not worry about it right now?" I pleaded, standing to take our plates and serve dessert.