by Sara Hazel
Rebel
Mountain Man in the City Book 1
by
Sara Hazel
Copyright 2020 Sara Hazel
Cover designed by Sara Hazel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Sara Hazel
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Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Rebel
Olivia
Rebel
Olivia
Rebel
Olivia
Rebel
Olivia
Epilogue — Olivia
Epilogue - Rebel
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Rebel
*
It’s two in the morning, and I hear a woman’s scream as I’m walking down the street in Andersonville. Suddenly, every one of my senses kicks into war mode and it’s like I’m back in Afghanistan ready to fight. I’ve been back home for a long time now, but every so often, something will trigger the fight response.
She screams again, and I follow the sound further up the street, and dash down an alley until I see it:
Two guys have pinned a woman up against the brick wall. She screams and whimpers as one of the guys digs through her purse. No one has noticed me yet.
I pull out my flashlight and shine it on the guy going through her purse.
“Hey, tell your friend to put her down, or I’ll put you both down,” I say in my calmest voice.
“We’re just seeing what she’s got, mister, and I suggest you get out of here before we put a bullet in you.”
“Is that so?” I ask.
He tosses her purse to the side and rushes towards me while his friend continues to hold the girl down.
One swift elbow to the head of the guy who rushed at me, and he’s down with a very loud thud, followed by a groan. The other guy sets the girl down and comes at me.
“Run!” I shout at her. She takes my advice and dashes past me as the other thug and I engage. He pulls out a knife, but I quickly grab his hand and crash it against my leg. His knife clatters to the ground.
He takes a swing at me, and I dodge it before delivering a roundhouse kick to his face. He collapses to the ground and wails beside his partner.
“Leave women alone, because if I see either of you again, I’m not going to be so kind. Got it?”
“Yeah, yeah, we got it...we got it...,” they whimper.
I don’t carry a cellphone, or I’d call the cops. But I think these two learned their lesson for today.
I leave the alley and find the girl panting against the door of a shoe store.
I shine my light on her, and she looks away.
“I bet you’ve come for your payment now, right? For saving me?”
“Not at all,” I reply. “I just want to make sure you’re ok. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
She’s much shorter than me, probably around five foot three. And her thick curvy body causes something to spring up and stiffen...
But I’ve got to focus on getting her somewhere safe now. I’ll be her protector for the rest of the night if she’ll let me. At least until she gets home safe.
“Do you live near here?” I ask her.
“No, I live in Uptown.”
“I’ll give you some money and we’ll get you a cab.”
“Look, mister, I don’t need your help,” she says. “Thank you for saving me from those guys, but that’s all I need from you. Please leave. You’re scaring me.”
“I’m not gonna hurt you — ever. It’s not in my nature, sweetheart. Now, would you like some money to get home?”
“I’ll just walk,” She whispers.
I take out my wallet and hold out to her the only thing I’ve got — a crisp fifty-dollar bill.
“A fifty?” She asks. “I can’t take that. My ride will only be around eight dollars.”
“It’s all I’ve got on me, so you’re gonna have to take it. I have plenty of money, so I don’t care. But one thing I won’t allow to happen is for you to be out here alone for another minute.”
“You are something else,” she replies. “But I can call a car and pay for it through the app.”
“Through the what?” I reply.
“App. What are you? Some kind of crazy person who doesn’t even know what an app is?”
“It’s a long story,” I say as I put my fifty back in my wallet.
She looks right into my eyes and for the first time I see how bright green hers are. Her long dark hair falls in curls over her shoulders. She has a few freckles here and there. She’s beautiful, but she also looks tough — like she’s seen a few things in her short life.
“There’s a Golden Nugget up the street. It’s twenty-four hours,” she says. “I need to calm down and get some pancakes or something before I go home. And now I have to listen to your story about why you seem totally oblivious to technology.”
“Golden Nugget, huh? Yeah, I saw that a few blocks south. What are you doing out this late, anyway?”
“I was running an errand for my father,” she says. “Don’t worry about that. Let’s just get out of here, ok?”
“Fine by me, sweetheart.”
We walk side by side in silence as we head towards the restaurant. When we arrive, I open the door for her, and she smiles at me for the first time.
“Wow, you saved my life and you’re a gentleman. I don’t know how I got so lucky tonight.”
“Oh, it’s me who’s lucky. Trust me.”
“You’re so weird,” she says softly.
As we sit down across from each other in a booth, I can’t take my eyes off her.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Olivia,” she says as she brushes a strand of curly hair out of her eye.
“Do you run errands for your father every night?”
“I don’t want to, ok? But my dad, he’s sort of—” She stops and takes a deep breath. “He’s a mob boss, ok? He had me dropping some money off to another boss. The two guys you beat up were some of that other boss’ thugs. I guess they just decided they liked what they saw and didn’t care what the consequences will be when my father finds out. I guess they don’t have to worry now, because I’m satisfied with how you took care of them, even though I didn’t see what you did to the other guy. What did you do to him?”
Olivia talks a mile a minute. Her olive skin is flushed, and I can tell she must be pretty scared still. She’s trying to hide it from me, but she’s not being very successful at it.
“Relax, beautiful. I took care of them. And your dad really has a problem sending you out to do his dirty work.”
“It’s a family, and in his eyes, everyone has to contribute to show their loyalty. Even his princess. Maybe especially his princess, since I’m not the kind of daughter he wanted.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She lays her elbows on the table and rests her head on her hands. She stares at me as if I’ve completely lost my mind.
“Look at me, mister. I’m not exactly the girl of any man’s dreams, right? I’m too thick in all the wrong places.”
I stare back at her with a level of intensity that outshines her own.
“I don�
�t get it.”
“I just need some pancakes,” she says with a sigh.
The waitress arrives to take our order. Olivia orders a stack of pancakes. I get a cup of coffee. Once the waitress is gone, Olivia turns away from me.
“You’re looking at me so hard,” she whispers. “Do I have something on my face or what?”
“I just think you’re beautiful,” I reply. I haven’t talked to a woman like this in a long time, to be honest. I’ve been living alone on a mountain in Idaho for the last eight years, and before that I was in Afghanistan. This is my first week back to civilization. Ironically, I decided to leave the mountain because I was hoping to find a wife.
One week in, and I’m pretty sure I’ve found her.
Olivia
*
“You have a hardcore staring problem,” I say as I turn back to him. “And if you think I’m beautiful, then I think you are nuts.”
“Ok, I must be nuts then. That’s fine by me, beautiful,” he says.
“My story is really kinda boring. I want to hear yours. You really didn’t know that you can call a car with an app from your phone?”
“I don’t have a phone. I just came down from a mountain that I spent eight very lonely years on. I hardly ever saw anyone, and for most of it that was how I wanted it. Before the mountain, I was in Afghanistan, and I never bothered to have a phone. Didn’t have anyone to talk to.”
“No family or friends?” I ask. He shakes his head.
“Wow.” I dig into my pancakes when they arrive. As I chew, I ask him if he wants any, and he just shakes his head “no”. He takes another sip of his coffee and continues to stare me down.
I haven’t even asked him his name yet. Part of me wonders if I even want to know. This guy saved my life tonight, and then he seems to have decided that he likes me. That seems like too much good fortune for me in one night. A guy like this has never been interested in me before. I only get thugs who are trying to get my father’s approval.
But this man is tall and seems carved out of stone. His short-sleeved t-shirt shows off his humongous muscles. These are the largest muscles I’ve ever seen on a man. And despite being the image of macho perfection, he has a handsome and kind face. He looks like a strong midwestern farmer who acts tough, but secretly kisses all his animals at night. I bet this guy likes animals.
“You like animals, don’t you?” I decide to ask.
He laughs. “That was pretty random, sweetie. But yeah, of course. I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t.”
“Yeah, I just had a feeling about you. Thank you for confirming it.”
I feel like such a weirdo, but anything I do that might be weird is not half as strange as the man before me. He seems like he’s stepped right out of another time — like the 1950s or something.
“I’m glad that you guessed I would like animals.”
“I’m an excellent judge of character. You’re a good guy.”
“And you’re a good girl,” he says with a smile.
I throw my head back and laugh. “Hardly! I mean, in one respect, I guess I am. But in other ways, not at all. I’m a virgin who stays up all night doing favors for her mafia boss daddy.”
“We’ll find a way to fix both of those problems for you.”
My jaw drops.
“What did you just say? Was that a pickup line? That sounded like a pickup line, mister.”
“It was,” he replies. His unwavering gaze makes me nervous, and I have to look down and focus on my pancakes again. I’m feeling a surge of warmth and wetness between my legs, and it’s all this mystery man’s fault. But I can’t let myself get too excited about this guy. He’ll be gone soon, and I won’t ever see him again. That’s how it has to be too. I wasn’t made for love.
“What’s your name?” I ask, even though I want to bang my head against the table for asking. I shouldn’t know...I shouldn’t know...
“It’s Rebel,” he replies. “Rebel Jackson.”
“Where you from originally, Rebel?”
“Oh, I’m from Idaho. Born and raised. I raised myself mostly. I lived with my aunt and uncle, and they couldn’t really be bothered much with me. So, I stayed out of their way and focused on building my muscles.”
“I asked where you were from. I didn’t ask for your whole life story!” I laugh and then catch myself looking up and leaning forward to get a little closer to him.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I just figured you seemed interested.”
“I’m just teasing you. I’m totally interested. Don’t take me so seriously, Rebel.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t think there’s any other way to take you.”
It feels like my heart just stopped. Swoon. Oh my God. Swoon.
“Ok, point for you, Rebel. Just one though.”
“Oh, so this is a game?”
“That’s what interactions between two people always are, right? A game,” I reply.
He chuckles. “Well, where are you going after this? Do you have your own apartment in uptown or are you going back to your Dad’s place? Because if it’s the latter, I can’t let you go back there. I don’t want you in danger ever again.”
“Well, aren’t you my knight in shining denim,” I reply. “Yes, I’m going back to my dad’s place. He won’t let me live on my own, because he thinks it will make me an easier target. He’s concerned about me that much, but not enough that he’ll stop having me do favors for him.”
“Then it’s settled. You’re coming home with me. My bed just arrived, and you can have that. I also got a couch. No television though. I hope you won’t mind.”
I set my fork down and shake my head. “No, sir. I’m not coming home with you, but mostly for your own good. Maybe for mine too, since I don’t really know you. But trust me — it’s better for you if we don’t see each other after tonight. I’d like to know that you’re still alive out there somewhere in Chicago, living like a mountain man even though you’re now a city dweller. Pro tip: Get a cellphone and download Uber.”
“That’s cute. You think I’m worried about your dad.”
Rebel lays his hand on top of mine. A shiver wracks my body just from his touch.
“You’d better be worried about my dad, big boy.”
Rebel grins and entwines our fingers together. I just stretch mine open for him with no resistance at all. It feels so nice to have someone who seems this good want to touch me like this.
Our feet brush against each other. He’s so damn cute — playing footsie with me.
“Ok, suppose I do come home with you tonight. I guess I’ll take the bed, and you the couch. Since you’re such a gentleman. But you have to respect my boundaries. No more touching. I’ll leave in the morning and say goodbye to you in a letter before you even wake up. How does that sound?”
“You’re a very funny girl, Olivia. But yes, I respect all your boundaries. Until then though, I’m not taking my hand off yours.”
“Oh, I don’t want you to,” I reply.
It’s the whole damn truth right there. I don’t ever want him to take his hand off mine. Not ever again. Not for one second.
He leans in now, and whispers: “Finish your pancakes and call us a car with your fancy cell phone. I can walk just fine from here to Rogers Park, but I’m betting that you’re not up for a long late-night walk.”
He pulls back and we both erupt in laughter.
“Yeah, I’ll call us a car.”
“I’ll pay for it,” he says.
When I’m finished with my pancakes, the check arrives and I’m too slow to grab it. He pays it before I even know what’s happening.
“You’re such a gentleman for a guy who’s been on a mountain for so long. Thank you for dinner.”
“It’s my pleasure, beautiful,” he says.
I could get lost in his brown eyes forever, and I would never get tired of hearing him call me beautiful...
Rebel
*
“I’m surprised you’re not mor
e shaken up by what happened to you tonight,” I say to Olivia on our ride over to my place. “You’re even going home with a stranger.”
“I’m shaken up on the inside, Rebel, trust me. But this is just how life goes for someone like me. I’ve been pretty lucky all things considered.”
“I’ll protect you from now on. I got all this military training, and I might as well use it for something good these days.”
“You’re so chivalrous,” she says. She lets out a soft giggle. And it’s a sound that makes me stiffen in an instant. All my instincts say to take this girl upstairs to my bed and claim her as soon as possible. Thick curvy girls have always got me going. They’ve always been my personal preference. But Olivia’s curves excite me even more than normal. So much about this girl fascinates me, and I worry that I can’t control myself around her. I know that I can, but it’s just going to be very difficult.
Olivia keeps her distance from me. I haven’t fully won her trust yet.
Our car drops us off at my building, and we go upstairs. I have hardly any furnishings yet in my studio apartment. Just my couch and my bed, like I told her. But still—her eyes are wide, and her jaw drops as she looks around the place.
“Wow, Rebel. Wow. You need to decorate.”
“I just moved in a week ago.”
“That’s no excuse. But hey, at least your couch and your bed look nice. It’s so cute how you’ve made the bed. All tucked in nice and tight.”
She walks over to the bed and presses her hand into the mattress.
“Oh my gosh, that is the perfect mixture of soft and firm.”
Olivia lays down on the bed without even taking her shoes off. She crosses her legs and sighs contentedly.
“You’re not even going to take your shoes off on my expensive bed, huh?”
“You care about that? You? You lived on a mountain for crying out loud!”
“I’m used to discipline and keeping things a certain way.”
“Oh yeah, military boy,” she says. “How could I forget?”
Her phone goes off. The ringer is some pop song I’ve never heard, obviously since I’m over a full decade behind on music.
