by Kylie Scott
“Keep your hands out in front of you. Don’t move. Where have you lot come from?” Santa motioned and his juniors came into play. Two young white males crept out and gathered up the weapons, placing them in a plastic laundry basket. They kept sneaking looks at Al, but it was more curiosity than covet, for now.
“The coast,” Finn said.
Santa grunted. “We had some people come through last week from the east, sent them on their way. They didn’t give me the warm fuzzies. Know what I’m saying?”
“These are dangerous days,” Finn agreed. “I was a cop. I have my badge and ID in my back pocket if you want to check it out.”
A black-haired junior, the one not holding the laundry basket, stepped forward and slipped the leather wallet from the back of Finn’s jeans. Inspected it with care. “Could be legit, Sam.”
Santa canted his head, grimaced. “Maybe. When did you three arrive in our beautiful area?”
“Just now,” said Finn. “We saw smoke earlier, came to investigate.”
“Sure about that? My scouts have seen some movement just outside of town the last few days. The truth would be best, son.”
Finn shook his head. “Not us. We were almost an hour south this morning. First time we’ve been out here.”
Another grunt from Santa. “Pretty girl you’ve got there.”
“Our girl.” Daniel stared the fat, round, not so jolly fellow dead in the eye.
“Known each other long?” Santa enquired.
“Long enough,” said Finn.
“That so, sweetheart?” Santa’s beady blues narrowed on Al. “You with them by choice or should I send these two assholes on their way? Don’t be afraid. You can answer me honestly. Those bruises on your face are a concern. No one here will hurt you.”
Al’s chin rose as she gave Santa a faint smile. “I go where they go, by choice. But thank you for asking.”
The old man nodded, as if he had expected the answer. “Which one is your man?”
There was a beat before she answered, a long, slow one, stopping his heart. Finn waited for her to deny him. Fully expected it and braced himself for the rejection. They’d slept together once. One night didn’t make a relationship by anyone’s standards. God knows, he’d walked away often enough without looking back.
“Both.” Her tone was firm though her face pinked.
Finn couldn’t hide the look of relief.
“Busy girl. That should raise a few eyebrows.” Santa barked out a laugh, the sort only lifetime smokers were capable of. His belly shook beneath the stretch of his shirt. “Good. Women are scarce, local boys wouldn’t like the competition.”
The man pursed his lips and lowered his gun. “Let’s talk inside. I wanna get the hell outta the sun. I’m Sam Cotter, that’s Andy. The one with the basket’s Owen.”
Al made introductions as Santa waddled away, acknowledging one and all with a wave of the back of his chubby hand.
The skeleton-thin kid decked out in all black, Andy, handed the badge back to Finn. Owen gave a wary nod and gave back nothing.
“So, what use are you people to us?” Santa enquired. He proceeded to push himself through the gap between dump truck and wall, testing the laws of physics and muttering all the way.
“Ali worked in an office, and as Finn said, he was a cop. I was a mechanic,” Dan said.
Finn concentrated on details. The weapons being carried, the vehicles being used and the good organization of these people. Pretty much everything he saw impressed.
“I’m liking you more already. Of course, I would have outright loved you if you’d been a doctor, but a mechanic I can use,” Sam said.
“You’re in charge?” asked Finn.
“There’s a board, a council of sorts. I’m mayor for the time being.”
Dan smiled, rubbed at his chin. “And how are things going, Mr. Mayor?”
“We’re getting there,” Sam hedged. “It’s not going to be easy, lot of work to go around.”
Inside the wall was a graceful old country town in the grip of fierce change. Half of Main Street was being ripped up by a bulldozer. A flock of children watched the machinery in awe from beneath the shade of one of the grand old jacarandas occupying the median strip. Many of the trees stretched up to two stories high, their boughs covered in clumps of small purple flowers. The sweet scent filled the air.
“We’ll use the space cleared for planting wheat and corn. People are growing the basics in their yards but some things we need to make certain of.” Santa waved to a couple chatting out in front of a petrol station. They eyed their group curiously. “We’re making daily supply runs to the outlying areas, gathering up anything useful. You three’ll be expected to pull your weight one way or another, same as everyone else.”
The fat guy never slowed, hustling them down Main Street as people emerged from every nook and cranny to gawk at the newcomers. On the whole they looked clean and well-fed. “All the domestic residences are at capacity, the motel’s pretty much full as well. If you lot are staying, then we’ll put you up above the real estate agent’s old office. There’s a small kitchen and bathroom, plenty of room to move in a bed and whatever you need.”
“Sounds fine,” Dan answered.
Finn tagged along behind with Al beside him, her arm brushing against his. Blackstone was perfect. She could be safe here. He smiled and nodded to one and all as they passed. These were ordinary people inside the walls, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. It was everything he had been hoping for. A way to start over with his woman beside him.
On the other side of the street, beyond the noise and commotion of the bulldozer, was an old motel. There was an antique shop beside it, then a big hardware store stretching back the width of the block. The interior of the building was packed to the rafters.
“You’re stockpiling like you’re preparing for a siege,” Finn said.
Santa rounded on him, face grim. “You never know, Finn. You never do know. There’s been infected gathering along the fence line at nighttime. Pays to be prepared for anything. Now, why don’t we discuss the checking you over physically requirement? Wouldn’t do for anyone to be hiding a bite, would it?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Santa had a daughter named Erin. She showed them to their designated lodgings above the real estate office. Ali tagged along behind as Erin and Finn did the getting to know you thing. Already Blackstone gave her a bad feeling. Though that might have just been due to the company she was keeping.
Erin was a pretty, sporty sort, around Finn’s age, with shoulder-length brown hair. Womanly wise, Erin was on the smallish side and didn’t require a bra. This fact was made glaringly obvious by the thin tank top she wore.
And if Erin didn’t get her tea-cup tits out of Finn’s face, then Ali was going to start scratching shit up.
The lust on the girl’s face when Finn had stripped off his shirt for the physical had made Ali want to pull hair. She had never gotten into a catfight in her life, but apparently, there really was a first time for everything.
There was only one small problem. Finn was flirting back.
She had never seen him so happy. He was lapping up Erin’s tales of daring deeds done on supply runs. How she must pale in comparison, sleeping with a gun under her pillow and fear in her heart.
Bleh.
Ali turned her back on their shenanigans and kept busy checking the place out. The kitchen was a small corner unit consisting of a sink and a two-ring gas stove, the bathroom every bit as elaborate and dating back to the 1960s. Otherwise, the large expanse of what had once been storage space was perfectly vacant, completed by two rickety sets of French doors leading to a veranda overlooking Main Street. It would do them fine. Whoever “them” wound up being.
Santa had taken Dan off to organize a king-sized mattress sufficient for the three of them, which had prompted much guffawing from the old man. Sam was getting great mileage out of the ménage thing.
“Al, Erin’s leavi
ng now,” Finn announced.
What a shame.
“Bye,” she called back over her shoulder, saving her “fuck you very much” for a quieter moment.
“What do you think? This’ll be okay, won’t it?” Finn wandered up behind her and leant an arm on her shoulder like she was part of the non-existent furniture.
Her skin felt paper thin and ready to rip, doubtless already worn at the edges. The scene brought her ex-fiancé to mind, horribly enough. The uncomfortable but haughty glances as he packed his shit and took off with her sister sat front and center in her head. There’d been enough hurt and betrayal to last a lifetime. She couldn’t do this again. The need to tear Finn a new one boiled beneath the surface. But he didn’t belong to her. There was no commitment made. She had slept with him, end of story. It was just sex.
With Daniel she knew where she stood, that ground was rock solid. But with Finn …
She heard voices drift up the stairwell.
“Finn, get your ass down here and help,” Dan hollered from below. Even his raised voice calmed her down some. Her shoulders sunk back to a more normal level and left her earlobes alone.
“Duty calls.” Finn brushed her cheek with a finger and headed for the stairs, leaving her to wonder if he filed her under the same heading. Duty.
The weight of her pity party would grind her down to rubble at this rate.
Bed installed and guests gotten rid of, they spread out on the end of the mattress for dinner. Each awkward second passed slowly with her tummy pitching like she was at sea. The need to do something with the mess of emotions inside her drove her nuts. What had ever made her think she could deal with two men? The blame sat squarely at Dan’s pushy feet, except it didn’t. She’d stumbled straight on into the mess with eyes wide open.
“We need to talk,” she announced. Her voice sounded way more confident than her quivering rabbit was making her feel. Two sets of eyes rose from their canned dinners and focused on her. The desire to scurry off into a corner reigned supreme.
“About?” asked Daniel.
“This place.”
“You don’t like it?” Dan gave the room the once over and shrugged. “Babe, I know it’s not much, but—”
“No, not this room. This town. About being here.” She turned her attention to Finn. His blonde hair fell into his eyes, brushed the tops of his shoulders. Maybe he would cut it now they were back amongst society. Maybe he would put on his uniform, become someone else entirely. “Finn, I know Sam said they weren’t keen on single guys coming in, but I’m sure they wouldn’t evict you if that was what you wanted.”
Finn gave her cop eyes. “What exactly does that mean, Al?”
“You really hit it off with Erin.”
“I’m with you.”
“You don’t have to be. You’re free to choose, I won’t…” She paused, flustered. “It’s up to you.”
Finn set aside his food, moving like his shoulder pained him. “What won’t you do?”
“There are going to be other women here too, not only her,” Ali said. “You’re free to make your own choices. I won’t get in your way. That’s all I wanted to say.”
Finn blinked furiously. He sucked in his cheeks and his lips pressed tight together like it was taking a lot out of him not to lose it. “Fuck!”
“Easy,” Dan cautioned.
“Easy? She’s trying to set me up with someone else. How the fuck do I take that, Dan? Tell me.”
“Finn—” she started.
“Don’t.” Finn stood, brushed off his hands against his jeans legs. “Thank you for your permission, Al. Can’t say what it means to me. I’m gonna go check out their cop shop.”
She heard the thump, thump, thump of him jogging down the stairs, followed by the God almighty slam of the door at the back of the shop.
“Finn has left the building,” Dan said mildly, watching her over the top of his can of Irish stew. “Wanna tell me what that was about, babe?”
She shook her head. The rabbit was well riled up. Even meeting his eyes again was right out of the question.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
She had no answer.
“Come here.” Daniel set aside his dinner and she all but scurried into his lap, taking refuge. His big hands cupped the back of her head as he fed her a steady stream of kisses, long and deep and lovely. They almost took away the pain. “Talk to me.”
Ali slipped her hands beneath his shirt, held her palm over his heart and huddled in against him. The scent of him was so warm and familiar, a balm to her jagged edges. “I need you.”
“I’m yours. But I don’t think sex is going to solve this one. God help me. Why don’t you talk to me for a minute instead?”
“Dan…”
He made a sharp, exasperated noise and pushed his nose into hers.
“Please, Daniel.” Her hands slid up to his shoulders, over his hard, hot skin. Ali climbed up and straddled his lap, covered his mouth in kisses. “I need to know you still want me.”
“Of course I want you.”
“Show me. Please.”
“Babe,” he groaned. His hands shredded her clothing while she worked at his. She needed him now, had to have that connection. The heat and strength of him could comfort her no end. They’d be okay. Nobody’s heart was broken.
Daniel got her naked faster than she’d imagined humanly possible. Her fingers clawed at him as she rubbed herself against him. Close enough wasn’t good enough. She needed him inside of her. Desperation rode her hard and he seemed to understand. Arms wrapped around her, squeezing her bones breakingly tight. He held her together and kept her in one piece. Then took her down to the mattress. His hands and mouth were all over her. They lay skin to skin with his cock nudging at her opening.
“Yes. In me. Hurry,” she moaned. He swore as the hard length of his cock surged into her, healing every ill.
He drove her hard and fast toward climax. Her legs clenched tight around his hips. Her arms locked around his neck. She moaned and mumbled words of love as she came. Ali didn’t even realize she was crying until he kissed her face, brushed away her tears.
“I love you,” he said, his panting breaths hot against her ear. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”
She balled her hands and held onto him tighter, ignoring the stupid tears. The muscles in her legs and arms burned from gripping him so tight. But no way was she letting go.
“Everything will be okay,” he said, smoothing back her hair. “Just wait and see.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Daniel had seen some pathetic sights in his life. At two o’clock in the morning, Finn was right up there. He lay sprawled out on the bunk in the Blackstone police station’s sole holding cell, wide awake and humming sad old songs by the Man in Black.
“I brought supplies.” Dan held up the bottle of scotch Santa had handed over earlier in lieu of a welcome mat and dumped the kid’s pack by the cell door.
Finn arched a brow at the luggage. “Throwing me out?”
“No. You idiot.” He twisted the cap on the scotch and took a mouthful of the fifteen-year-old malt, letting it sit on his tongue before swallowing it down. “Man, that’s good. We should have cut crystal for this but we’re gonna make do with the bottle. I figured you’d want some of your things seeing as you’re obviously not planning on returning tonight. I have every faith you two morons will sort this out, eventually.”
“Then you have more faith than me.” The kid swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, holding a hand out for the liquor.
“What happened with Erin?”
Finn’s brows shot up high while he downed a healthy amount of the superb single malt, thus proving it was wasted on his immature twenty-six year old taste buds. Both the scotch and quite possibly Al, but what exactly could Dan do? He’d kickstarted the situation between them. It was his own damn fault if his girl had feelings for the fool. Finn hadn’t gone to find Erin, however, and he sure as hell wasn
’t happy. Which answered the most pressing questions regarding whether the situation was salvageable.
“Nothing happened with Erin,” said Finn.
Daniel settled himself down the other end of the bunk with his back to the wall. Happily, his first time inside a jail cell. “Try again.”
“It was harmless.”
“So harmless that you’re crashing here and Ali’s asleep curled up in a ball like she’s waiting for someone to come along and kick her,” Dan scowled. “Harmless enough that she was crying. Not over something I did. Over something you did.”
The kid scowled back at him, sampled further from the bottle before shoving it back in his face. “It was harmless. She overreacted.”
“You kids, I swear.”
“Don’t expect me to call you daddy.”
Daniel choked down the scotch, laughing and drinking at the same time. “You really are an idiot.”
The kid just grunted.
“You know, I don’t have to be here trying to smooth things over between you two. This would be the perfect time for me to phase you out.”
“That so.” Finn tensed his shoulders, ready for a fight.
“This is my chance to have her all to myself again. I think we’ll be safe enough here, even if she isn’t thrilled with the idea of rejoining society just yet. You’ll find someone else. Maybe you already have…” Dan passed the bottle back, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his veins, despite the kid’s icy stare. “So, that’s about where I’m at.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out. Why are you here, then?”
“Because I love her, and I want her to be happy. But her idea of happy now includes you too. Therefore…”
Finn winced, rubbed at his chin with the palm of his hand. “And why are you okay with sharing her, anyway?”
“Because, she comes first with me. And … because I’m partly responsible for getting you two together.” Daniel took his turn at the bottle, unable to raise any remorse for the way they were burning up the liquor between them. “A long time ago, I had one messy-ass marriage and made some mistakes I won’t ever be repeating. Hopefully. You want it to work then you have to work at it. Whoever said this sort of thing is easy?”
