by Alexa Riley
I check the address three times as I look up and down the street. Someone who makes a couple of grand a dance should not be living in a place like this. There’s trash everywhere, gang markings all over the building, and a homeless camp in the alley with at least half a dozen people sleeping in it. The building itself has a huge crack on one side and some of the windows are busted out. Could someone have given Rogue the wrong information?
I put my SUV in park and get out. I lock it twice and scan the street as I walk up to the building and see if there’s a buzzer or anything. The door to get inside is a joke, because not only is there no lock, there’s no handle. It looks like it was broken off a long time ago, and a brick props it open.
I walk up the rickety stairs to the third floor. Sirens sound nearby, and that’s not the first time I’ve heard them in the past fifteen minutes. I shake my head and hope I’m wrong as I enter a dingy hallway that smells like mildew.
There are a ton of doors and half of them don’t have numbers listed as I scan for the one I’m after. As I walk, I hear televisions and people talking, but then I hear something that sounds like a woman screaming. All the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I walk back from where I came to one of the numberless doors.
I stand there for half a second, making sure this is where I heard the noise, and press my ear to the door. Something breaks within and I hear a strangled cry. Even if this isn’t Bambi, I know something is wrong.
With one movement I lean back, raise my foot, and kick the flimsy door so hard it comes off its hinges and bangs to the ground.
In front of me is what nightmares are made of. Bambi is on the ground with her eyes half closed, and the big bouncer from last night is on top of her with his hands around her throat. He looks at me, his eyes widen, and I’m like a bull seeing red.
I lower my shoulder and run straight toward him, knocking him back so hard he hits the wall on the far side of the apartment. The contact rattles my whole body, but I don't feel a thing. It’s probably the adrenaline mixed with the rage, but I see Bambi out of the corner of my eye, coughing as she rolls to her side, and I’m so goddamn thankful she’s okay.
I hear Bouncer groan as he struggles to get to his feet. Oh fuck, no, he’s not making it out of this room using his legs. I climb over all the mess in the room and stomp on his knee. There’s a loud crunch before he screams, and I punch him in the mouth to shut him up. A few more hits and he’s nearly out cold, but I grab his face and lean in close.
“Your biggest mistake was putting your hands on my girl.” I hold his wrist up and with one twist, it snaps back and he cries out again.
“Angus.” I hear her whispered voice from behind me, and I turn around to see Bambi is a mess as she watches me with wide eyes.
“Do you want to kick him in the balls?” I ask, and she takes a second to think it over.
She nods and then changes her mind and shakes her head. “I don’t want to hurt my foot.”
I stand up and do it for her, because fuck this asshole. He whimpers quietly and then I see he’s passed out from the pain. That’s too bad, but he’ll probably be feeling that for a few days no matter what.
“How—?” She looks around like she’s not sure where to begin or what question to ask first.
“Grab a bag. We need to be out of here when he wakes up.” I glance into a bedroom next to me and motion for her to come.
“I don’t even know you.” There are tears in her eyes as she looks at the unconscious bouncer.
I try to think of a way for her to trust me and pull out my cell phone. “Here, you can take this. It’s not locked and the favorites in there are my parents and my brother. You can call them and tell them you’re coming with me, or call anyone you want, and I’ll take you to a safe place. But we can’t be here in case he told people where he was going.”
I hold out the phone, and she stares at it like she’s never seen one before. Then she rubs her neck and decides to take it.
“I’ll just hold it for now.” She tucks it close and I nod as I go into her room.
“Is this yours?”
She nods. I see a black bag on the floor, and I scoop it up. “Do you have anything of value you want to take?”
She looks around the room and sighs, then shakes her head. “There’s nothing of value left. If there was, he would have sold it already.”
I wonder if she means the guy passed out on the floor, and god, I hope not. She grabs some clothes, and I hold the bag out for her as she fills it quickly. Once she’s finished, I zip it up and throw it over my shoulder. “Let’s go.”
I grab her coat by the door and help her put it on. Then I take her hand without thinking, and we walk out of the building. My car is out front, and thankfully nobody has messed with it in the time it took me to get her out of there. It’s then I notice the all-black car at the end of the block and realize that’s probably Bouncer’s ride.
“Is there someplace safe I can take you?” I ask as I help her into the passenger seat and buckle her up. She’s still a little too shaken to do it herself.
“N-no,” she stumbles, and now I’m worried about her going into shock.
“Don’t worry, okay? I’ve got a place.” I snap the buckle, and for a moment I just stand there and we look at one another. “I’m going to keep you safe.”
She takes a deep breath, and the words must give her strength, because she nods, and I see the trust there. The connection we had last night is still just as strong, and although I want to hug her, I don’t. I close the passenger door and get in the driver’s side.
“I hope you like road trips.”
Chapter Five
Bambi
I jerk awake, gasping for air as my neck tightens. “It’s okay, Bambi, you’re safe.” A light comes on, and it floods the inside of the car. I hold my throat, trying to catch my breath. “Shit.”
Angus pulls the car to the side of the road and stops.
“Look at me.” His hands cup my face and his dark eyes stare into mine. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Tell me you’re with me.”
“I’m with you.” I sniff and his warm hand lets go of me.
I want to pull him back, but then I hear the sound of the seatbelt releasing and Angus pulls me across the SUV and into his lap. I melt into him as he wraps his big arms around me so I feel safe. I shouldn't because I don’t know this man. I know that he saved me, and that has to mean something. Not to mention this pull I’ve felt to him from the very first moment I saw him.
I breathe deep, feeling a lot better. “I’m sorry. I think it was a bad dream.”
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
I take another deep breath and lift my head from his chest. He smells so good that I wish I could stay here until we get to wherever we’re going.
“You okay to buckle back up?” he asks, and I nod.
He helps me back in my seat and buckles me up. After that, he turns off the light and pulls back onto the highway. I look out the window, but it’s so dark that I can’t see anything.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“You crashed. That happens sometimes after an adrenaline spike, but you must have needed the rest.”
I nod again, sinking back into my seat. “Where are we?”
“California.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“A little over six hours. Are you hungry?”
“I’m okay.”
“That's not what I asked, babe.”
“I’m fine. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“The last thing you are is a bother. I can promise you that.” I feel myself smile and look out the window to hide my blush. I’m not sure he could even see it in the dark car. “We’ll stop and get food before we get to the cabin. Are you allergic to anything? Anything I need to know so I can keep you safe?”
“Strawberries. They make my whole face swell up.”
“No strawberries then.” He steals a glance over at me. “A
nything else?”
“My brother will probably try to find me.” I feel like I should mention that.
“What do you mean ‘probably’?”
I shrug, not sure if Jero will put in the effort or not. “He might have to get out of town himself.” I wrap my arms around my middle and feel a chill. Angus must notice because he turns on the heat.
“If you’re cold, you tell me. If you’re hungry, you tell me. If you have to go to the bathroom…”
“I tell you,” I finish, and he nods.
“Yes, and don’t say you don’t want to be a bother.” I bite the inside of my lip so I don’t say it. “Are you going to tell me about your brother?”
“Are you going to tell me about your fiancée?” I put my hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry. You’ve done a lot for me, and that was rude.”
“No fiancée,” he says, staring at the road ahead.
“Did you break up?”
“I’ve never been engaged.” His hands grip the steering wheel tighter.
“But—”
“There was a mix-up. I wasn't the bachelor you were booked for, but I took the dance once I saw you standing there.” I look away from him and smile down at my hands.
“I always thought it was weird that men went to strip clubs before they got married.” I shrug. “I know people say it’s not cheating, but it feels a little like it is.”
“What we did the other night would have been cheating. That said, you were my first and only stripper.” My stomach flutters as he says these sweet things to me.
“You were my first client. I was so nervous.” I’m still shocked I went through with it. I guess you do what you have to do when you don’t have any other choice.
“You were perfect, I can tell you that much. I wanted to keep you all to myself.” He says it with a teasing tone, but that’s kind of what he did.
“Why were you at my apartment?”
“I’ve been wondering when you were going to ask that.” The car starts to slow down as he takes an exit ramp. “I had to see you again, so I pulled some strings and found you. I gotta say, babe, that place doesn't look safe. You’re fresh meat to the wolves roaming around that building.”
“Most of them leave me alone because of my brother. They’re scared of him or something.”
“But he might be going on the run?” he asks, and I nod.
“I took the job with the agency because he needed the money. He’s in deep with some loan shark, so I didn't have much of a choice. Jero is really the only person I have.”
“Your brother sent you into an agency for call girls and strippers? Less than twenty-four hours and you’re already attacked.” I flinch because he’s right. Angus pulls into the parking lot of a grocery store. “I shouldn’t have fucking said that.” He runs a hand down his face. “I keep seeing you in my mind after I kicked in that door and it’s got me on edge.”
“It’s okay.”
He shakes his head. “It’s not okay, and I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I feel shy when he looks at me, and I have to look away.
“Lock the door when I get out. I’m going to grab us some food since we’re almost there.”
He leans down and grabs his phone off the floor. He gave it to me earlier, and it must have fallen out of my hand when I was asleep. He gives it back to me, and I hold it tight in my grip.
“I’ll be right back. Stay put.” He brings his hand up and rubs his thumb on my jaw. I tilt my head into his touch, but then he’s gone.
I hit the locks after he closes his door, and I watch him jog inside. Then I stare at his phone, debating calling my brother. Angus was right. It’s my brother who got me in this situation, and I don’t want to think what might have happened if Angus hadn’t shown up. Really, that’s twice he’s saved me in the same amount of days. I decided not to call him and put the phone in my lap. Even if I do, I should talk to Angus first.
I jump and let out a small scream of surprise when the phone starts to ring. “It’s just a phone, Bambi,” I tell myself.
When I turn it over to see who it is, my thumb accidentally slides across the screen and I answer it by mistake. The name Mom is on the screen, and I don’t know what to do. I can’t hang up on his mom, but I also can’t talk to her.
“Angus, I can hear you breathing.”
I lift the phone to my ear. “Hi,” is all I can manage to say.
“A girl just answered Angus’s phone,” his mom says in a really loud whisper.
“I’m sure she can hear you, honey.”
“Oh, right. Hello, sweetheart, I’m Ruby. What’s your name?” I sit there. “Hello? Sweetheart?”
I pull the phone from my ear and hang up. Why did I do that? I drop my head back and groan as the phone starts to ring again.
I watch Angus come out of the store with a bunch of bags. I unlock the door so he can put them in the back before he hops into the driver’s seat. The phone starts ringing again, and I hold it up.
“It’s your mom. I kinda hung up on her. I got scared.”
“You got scared of my mom?” He laughs and takes it from me. “What, did she try to get you to agree to five grandkids or something?”
“What!”
Angus laughs and answers while I bury my face in my hands.
Are we there yet?
Chapter Six
Angus
“I love you,” I say, glancing up at Bambi, and then hang up the phone. “Sorry about that. My mom can get a little…” I try to think of a good word to describe her demand for grandchildren. “Excited.”
“She seemed really nice. I’m sorry I hung up on her. I panicked.”
“No worries, babe.” I turn off the road and down a path that might be hidden if I didn’t know it by heart. I pull up to the little metal box and ahead I see the gate that blends in with the surroundings even during the middle of the day. I key in the code and it swings open as I smile over at her. “We’re here.”
“You really are in the middle of nowhere.” She nibbles on her bottom lip, and I nod.
“Yeah, I love the peace and quiet out here. But we’re close enough to town if you need anything, and I’ve got a post office box in town if you want me to order you something online.”
“I’m surprised you have Wi-Fi.” She laughs as the SUV bumps a little on the way to the cabin.
“That’s kind of a necessity since I work from home. I know I keep calling it a cabin, but I swear there’s running water and electricity.”
“I keep thinking it’s going to be this little shack that you’re going to keep me locked up in.” She laughs nervously, but I can tell she is maybe slightly worried it might be true.
“Nah, you’ve still got my phone, and clearly my mom would love to talk to you.” When she smiles this time, it touches her eyes. “I promise no chains or ropes, just my incredible personality to keep you tied to me.”
“You forgot good looks.” She blushes, and it’s so damn cute.
“I’m glad you noticed.” I wink at her before I get out of the SUV and go around to help her down. Her legs are a little shaky, so I hold on to her until she’s steady on her feet. “You want me to carry you?” I hold out my arms and she laughs, but I just stand and wait. “I’m serious.”
“No, I’m good. I think I just need to, um, use the restroom.” Again with that blush that drives me wild.
“On it,” I say, quickly grabbing our bags and the perishable items I got back at the store. I’m well stocked otherwise, but I knew I’d need a few essentials before we got here.
I tell her to hold on to my arm as I lead us up the wraparound porch and to the front door. When I’ve got the door unlocked, I turn on the light and point down the hall. “Last door on the left.”
She doesn’t waste time and beelines for the bathroom, and I kick myself for not stopping more on the way here. Of course, she slept for almost all of it, but I should have thought. I’m not used to thinking about what a woman might need or how to ta
ke care of one. Normally when I’m on a guided expedition, I point to a tree and tell whoever I’m with to hurry up. I’ve never been in a relationship before, and granted, this might not be one yet, but I plan on being really good at it with Bambi.
I unload the groceries and set out some of the snacks I got for her while I cook dinner. It’s only spaghetti, but it’s easy and quick, and I know I won’t fuck it up. I’m not a great cook, but I’ve learned how to feed myself, and suddenly I’m wondering if those skills are good enough for her. I know how to hunt and fish, and I can survive in the woods indefinitely. I never questioned what I’d be able to give my wife until I’m standing here in the kitchen wondering if what I can offer is what she wants.
“Mmm, something smells heavenly,” she says, coming around the corner with her nose in the air. “Oh, my favorite.”
Her smile could light up a starless night, and it melts something inside of me I didn’t know was there.
“Find your way in here okay?” I ask while she hops up on the seat at the bar and watches me cook.
“You didn’t mention how big this cabin is. It’s more like a lodge.” She looks around and I realize how much I like her being here around my things. “How long has it been here?”
“Well, that’s tough to say. My family’s had the land for longer than I can remember. But I built this place about five years ago.”
“You built this? Or you mean you had it built?”
“Right down to that seat your cute ass is sitting on, babe.” I wink at her, and her mouth falls open.
“You’re not serious.”
“Well, I’d show you the scar, but I’m not sure I should strip down with this sauce bubbling.” Her cheeks flush, and I wonder if they’d be warm against my lips.
“You live in this big place all alone?”
I nod. “My parents come to visit a good bit. They like the outdoors too. My brother Rogue comes when he’s sick of the city, which isn’t often enough if you ask me.”
