Burn Me Anthology

by Shantel Tessier

  She’d come to accept the inevitable. This wasn’t the first time she had ended up beaten, battered, and covered with bruises from Bowie. She felt positive it sure as hell wouldn’t be the last if she didn’t get the hell out soon. Their old man was a member of the Brothers of Cain MC. Two years ago, he was convicted of murder on a run gone bad down in Mexico. He should rot in jail before they would ever see his face again. Thank God for small favors.

  But that started the domino effect. Bowie had wanted Elise for himself. Up until then, she had been protected somewhat from his unwanted advances. Shortly after her dad’s incarceration, while Arrow was on a run, the jerk had decided Elise would be his, and that was that. Nothing could stop him from claiming her. There was no protection. No one to shield her.

  “You don’t have a choice.”

  “Not this again. I always have a choice, shithead.” Not really, but saying she did gave Elise a sense of power over her fucked-up out-of-control life.

  “Don’t be so damn bossy, Lucky. We’ve talked about it. This ain’t up for debate. You’ve gotta get the hell outta here before he returns from his errand Cannon has him on, or your luck just might run the fuck out.”

  “Like I give a shit. I’m not running. Can’t, because if I do, I will be running for the rest of my life. He won’t leave me alone. You know that, Arrow. Bowie won’t stop. It doesn’t matter how far away I go. He’ll find me.”

  “And if you stay, you’ll be dead. I’m not willing to risk it anymore. Besides, I’ll cover ya. I’ve got something in the works. A buddy of mine I served with owes me a favor. He’ll keep you covered long enough for Bowie to find another bitch to salivate over.”

  “No fucking way.”

  “Doesn’t matter. You’ll be safe. And I don’t give a fuck. You’re leaving here today. Get your shit together.”

  “Arrow, please, I can’t leave.” This was the only home she had ever known.

  “I’m not gonna fucking watch him hurt you anymore. I’ll kill him the next time he touches you. Bad things could happen. It wouldn’t end right.”

  Arrow crossed his arms and jutted out his chin to look down at his little sister and the fucked-up mess of a woman she’d become. His stubborn stance told her there wasn’t a choice. His mind was made up. Elise was leaving whether she wanted to or not.

  Why prolong the inevitable?

  “How long?” Might as well find out where she was headed.

  “You won’t be coming back for a while, sis.” She started to interrupt him, but he lifted his palm for her silence. “Quit your poutin’. You know as well as I do this is your chance to start fresh. New. Somewhere other than this shit hole place. Maybe even open that little coffee shop you have always dreamed about. I’ll float ya. Got some cash stashed away.”

  “Your rainy-day fund, huh?” Elise made an effort to smile for his sake. The hurt wasn’t only on the outside.

  Arrow sat down beside her on the shabby old chair, and tucked a stray lock of her unruly hair behind one ear. There were mounds of worry and concern in his eyes.

  “Yeah, something like that. C’mon, Lucky, quit your stalling. You’ve got a long bus ride ahead of ya. Let’s wrap those ribs up and pack your bags.”

  Elise looked away. The tears forming in her eyes wouldn’t help the shit storm called her life, and it would just hurt Arrow more. She had to be strong for him. It’d always been the two of them against the world. The lot they were given hadn’t been easy, but they'd had each other. Who was gonna be there to watch his back? Who was gonna keep him out of trouble?

  “Can you at least tell me where I’m going?”

  “I have a brother from the Marines. I served with him overseas. He’s got a nice setup in Lakeview, Florida. Plenty of extra space for you, pipsqueak. He’s gonna let you stay with him until you can get on your feet. Find a job.”

  “Why would he do something like that? Gah. I’m a fucking stranger. He doesn’t know me from Joe Blow. For all I know, he could be even worse than Bowie. I could be jumping outta the fire right into the frying pan.”

  “Don’t get yourself riled up. He owes me one. I helped him get out of an impossible situation. He told me to call him if I ever needed help.” He absently shrugged and looked away. “So I did. I promise ya, Elise, there’s nobody in this world better to protect you than Caden Weldon. He’s been trained by the best, and failure isn’t an option for him. He’s a man of his word, and he told me you would be safe with him. He won’t let anything happen to ya. Okay?”

  Slowly nodding, she allowed Arrow to help her make her way to her bedroom to pack. Elise would toss out the old garbage in her life; frankly Bowie, if it made Arrow happy. Anything was better than being Bowie’s bitch slash punching bag.

  Chapter 3

  Life debt repayment.

  The soft knock on the front door roused Caden from his reclined position. Smoky dashed from the kitchen, alert and ready, her German Shepherd ears standing at attention, but she didn’t make a sound as she waited patiently for his instructions. He signaled her to stay with a slight raise of his palm.

  Caden was still leery of unexpected visitors dropping by to chat, especially with his past profession. Who was to say someone wasn’t out there seeking revenge for one of his previous kills? He would always be looking over his shoulder. It came with the job description.

  Smoky was well-trained for combat as well as arson. She was not only the resident firehouse dog but the only partner a man like Caden would relent to have after so many years of solitary assignments. She had worked alongside him many times to investigate the scene of a fire after the blaze had been extinguished.

  Caden had resided in Lakeview for over a year now. After his last assignment, he’d put in for a transfer from Atlanta to be in a smaller city. The large city didn’t welcome him back like he had hoped. The constant growing population wasn’t for Caden. He needed space. Peace and quiet to breathe when he wasn’t on the job.

  Grayson Blackwood had contacted Caden shortly after his request had posted and had asked him to consider Lakeview’s fire department. They had been in need of a fire chief. He was very persuasive and wouldn’t accept no for an answer. The private security firm he worked for also needed his specific set of skills on occasion and would pay him well as a contractor.

  Caden had met Grayson briefly when he’d been on a top-secret mission in the Persian Gulf. His team was Caden’s backup and ended up his retrieval. There was a chance he wouldn’t be here today if Grayson hadn’t interceded and got him out of a bad situation that was headed south. He had told him later he wouldn’t have left him behind, no matter what Caden had ordered him to do. It didn’t take long for him to realize Grayson was the real thing.

  After the initial meeting with the soon-to-be retired fire chief, he’d been hooked on the small town. Lakeview was exactly the place Caden had been looking for. The quaint coastal town was the last place anyone would suspect a retired assassin to live. He’d met the Trident team and felt settled for the first time in years.

  Knock. Knock. Clicking the remote, Caden turned the football game he was watching off. The team he’d bet on was losing the fucking game; so much for it being the year for the Texans. They’d lost so many players to injury it was a joke, and they probably wouldn’t even make the damn playoffs. There was no chance he would be collecting any cash from the station football pool this week.

  Caden laid the remote down on the couch and walked over to the door to answer. He looked through the peep hole and was surprised by what he saw. He signaled for Smoky to lie down. There wasn’t a threat to him on the other side of the door.

  The tiny slip of a woman stood there with a severely battered and bruised face, shifting from left to right on the heels of her well-worn sneakers. Nervous or antsy, he couldn’t be sure. His gaze lingered on her upper lip that was split. The cut scabbing at the corner to match the swollen eye. She must have been in a hell of a fight. The question was, what was his name? And why did he have a need
to know more about her?

  In Caden’s world, no woman should be a punching bag. Five minutes with the scumbag asshole who did this, and he wouldn’t have hands that worked to do it again. His fists clenched and his fingers stiffened seeking release. A deep need to punish someone for the atrocities inflicted on her rushed through him.

  Another time. Another place. It wouldn’t solve her problems today. He continued to watch as she kept pulling down a tattered, worn-out baseball cap in an attempt to hide her black eye. Even with the temporary imperfections, her natural beauty shone through. He was drawn to her with a need to protect. What the fuck?

  Caden hadn’t heard from Arrow since he’d left the Persian Gulf with his team the night they had been injured. So, when he’d called Caden up, he’d been completely caught off-guard. One, because he had his cell number; and two, he’d never expected Arrow to call in the life debt Caden owed him. True, he’d given his word to repay, and he knew there was no chance he could turn away from this one request—keep Elise safe—because he couldn’t.

  Arrow had explained enough about her situation to keep him on his toes. She was in a bad relationship that ended, and he needed help hiding her until things blew over back in Texas. Caden couldn’t turn him down. He was the one on Grayson’s team who had pulled him out of the hell hole prison he had found himself in. It’s only temporary, he told himself as he peered at her through the peephole. She’d be here a few months, and then she’d move on. No strings attached.

  Thank you, Grayson for this mess I’m in now, Caden quietly thought.

  Babysitting Arrow’s little sister. Perfect. His house was large enough for two people; as long as she stayed in her space, they wouldn’t have any problems and should get along just fine. He’d completely ignore her presence and be in the wind most of the time. He was barely here with the heavy schedule he pulled at the station. It should be copacetic to live together until she could get on her feet, find a job, and move out. Why was he second-guessing himself?

  She knocked again for the third time in less than sixty seconds. Impatient.

  As he opened the rustic door, Caden raised an eyebrow to mask his feelings. “Can I help you?” He towered over her. His best guess, she was pushing five and quarter feet and approximately a hundred twenty on the scales, wet. The mess of brown curls she had tied up hit below her shoulders, but it was her green eyes that captured his attention. They spoke to him of a vulnerable, tired, and untrusting person.

  Her nervous movement ceased as her mouth opened and immediately slammed shut. A variety of emotions swept across her pitiful, messed-up face—nervous, unsure, relieved, and hurt. Caden was about to intervene when she straightened her shoulders and thrusted her hand in his direction with more gusto than he would have thought she owned.

  “Hi, I’m Elise Morrow, but everybody calls me Lucky. My brother, Arrow, sent me your way. He said you would help me, or that you had a room I could crash in until I’m able to find my own space,” she rambled with her introduction.

  He looked down at her small outstretched hands. Her milky white skin was marred with purple defensive bruises. Her eyes followed him, but she didn’t move away. He’d suffered the same from hand to hand combat, but had lived to walk away.

  The baggy button-down top she wore didn’t reveal much as it hung loosely on her frame. Her stance was stiff, and the longer her hand remained extended forward, the more rigid her muscles became. Caden would guess her midsection was wrapped tight from bruised or broken ribs. He was instantly disgusted at the thought, and bile churned in his gut.

  “Excuse me. You are Caden Weldon, right? This was the address my brother gave me.” Her pert little chin raised as she cocked her head. She had spunk. “Look, I’ve been on a damn Greyhound bus for the last four days crossing the U fucking S of A. I’m beat and in really bad need of a hot shower.”

  Caden continued to stare at her, slightly amused by her bold reaction. Both of her fists were balled up on her sides, hanging loosely, and there was fire in her hazel eyes. She was holding back her anger.

  He saw a slight resemblance to her brother in their similar coloring, but that’s where it ended. Arrow was almost Caden’s size, whereas his sister’s head did not even reach his shoulder. She didn’t even come up to his chest. She was a tiny one and now his new charge. There was something about her that unsettled him.

  Caden owed Arrow, and he always repaid his debts. The words continued to replay in his head.

  According to Arrow, she was in a bad situation and needed to get out of Texas fast before her trouble returned to finish the job he had started. He had not given Caden a name, but if he were a betting man, it was one of the cunts from his MC. Those brothers were bad news. Caden still didn’t understand why Arrow remained wrapped up in all that shit. He had had his out when he went into the service. He should have stayed far away from them when he was discharged.

  Then again, maybe Caden was staring at the reason Arrow went back and why he was stuck. He had exchanged one hell for another one. Who knew? He shouldn’t give a fuck either way. What was a few months of his time?

  Waving her forward, Caden opened the door wider, but she remained rooted in place, shaking her head. Stubborn woman.

  “No way. I don’t trust that easily. I’m not stepping one foot inside that door until I know who you are, big guy. And you haven’t said the magic words.” She paused in her rant. “I’m waiting.”

  Placing a left hand on top of the door, he leaned in as a grin slowly formed on his lips. She had a hell of a lot of gumption making a demand like that when she didn’t even know who he was. He would give the little spitfire that.

  Smoothly, he replied, “Shadow box.” Again, Caden prompted her forward with a slight wave. “Happy now? Come on inside. Let’s get you settled into your new space.”

  She released a heavy sigh and gingerly walked inside, favoring her right side and tugging an overstuffed duffle bag. She was in pain but acted the opposite, hiding her weakness. Caden admired her strength of character and determination.

  “You’re a sweet talker, aren’t ya? I’m sure we’re just gonna be the best of friends, Caden. Promise you, I won’t leave the toilet seat up. Can you say the same?”

  He almost grinned at her comeback. Instead, he took the heavy duffle bag she struggled to carry, then shut and bolted the door. Caden turned toward the stairs and purposely went slower than normal when he heard her breath hitch. Her injuries were more significant than he’d realized. Caden didn’t glance back at her, but focused on the sound of the soles of her tennis shoes dragging on the carpet to ensure she followed.

  He pointed to the right. “Kitchen is that way.”

  “Whoa. Shut the fucking door. You have a dog? Shit. A very big, scary-looking dog.” Her tone radiated uneasiness, which for some unknown reason troubled him.

  “Smoky is harmless. You’ll get use to her being around. She won’t mess with you as long as you don’t mess with me,” he informed her and continued toward the stairs. Reaching the landing, he turned right toward the extra bedroom suite.

  Opening the door, Caden walked in and placed her bag on the bed.

  “This is your space. There’s an adjourning bathroom for your personal use. The kitchen is stocked. If there’s something you want, add it to the list on the fridge. You have free reign of the house. Just stay out of the basement and my bedroom. Got it?”

  “Whatever works for you, works for me. Don’t worry. I’ll be moving as soon I can. Hold up. Why can’t I go into the basement? Stashed a few dead bodies there, or better yet, are you worried what I’ll find?”

  She stared, daring him to answer. The woman had grit. Silence stretched between them as Caden patiently waited for their contest of wills to end. She didn’t keep him waiting long.

  “Fine. Whatever. I don’t give a rat’s ass. I’ll stay clear of your stuff. Right now, I really just want a shower and some zzz’s.”

  Caden started for the door as she softly muttered, “Than
k you.”

  He remained with his back turned, nodded, and left. As he shut the bedroom door, he listened. For what, he wasn’t sure. Just curious. The sound of the locking mechanism caused him to smile. Didn’t she know? Locks only made a person feel safe. It would not keep Caden out, only deter him for a split second.

  Barely-there moans seeped into the hall. He put his hand on the knob and started to twist it, but stopped when the water from the shower turned on. He was left wondering if she needed medical attention. She had mentioned riding a bus for four days. Caden was positive that Arrow would have taken her to the hospital before sending her here if she had needed it.

  Fuck.

  He could already judge from the small amount of time he had spent with Elise Morrow… She was going to be trouble. He shook his head and grinned mischievously.

  Lucky him.

  Chapter 4

  Time to pay the Pied Piper, Lucky.

  Elise was tender all over. Every muscle in her body ached, even her little pinky toe. Damn. A rough groan pinged off the vaulted ceiling as she rolled onto her right side and almost screamed from the sharp jolt of pain the simple movement caused. Her eyes popped wide open as she looked around the dimly-lit room.

  Elise was wide awake and hurt in unfamiliar places. It took a few minutes for the fog from sleep to lift and events from the last week to come crashing back.

  Bowie.

  He would have killed her; and given the chance, he still would.

  She shivered, a reminder to herself that he was over a thousand miles away in Texas, and he didn’t have a clue as to where she was. Arrow would never tell him. He would die from torture before he gave up Elise’s location. Bowie damn sure wouldn’t think of Florida. Arrow knew exactly what he was doing when he’d sent her here. He was right. Bowie wouldn’t find her as long as she stayed hidden with Caden. At least she hoped so.