by Stark, Cindy
“Thanks,” Christian said to Eliana who continued to hold his gaze. After the way she’d treated him, he shouldn’t waste another word on her. But fuck if he could help himself.
“No problem.” A hint of a smile crossed her luscious lips, resurrecting memories of the red lipstick ring he’d discovered on his cock the next morning after making love with her. In a crazed moment, he’d considered having the mark tattooed as a reminder of their incredible night, but then had thought better of it.
He cursed under his breath as he walked away. He needed to get his head on straight. Like right fucking now. He grabbed a bottle of beer from behind the counter before he pushed through the door that led into the back area of the bar.
Several of Gideon’s guys divvied out bags of heroin like a girl scout leader preparing her troop to sell cookies door-to-door. Christian raked his gaze over the piles, quickly estimating the street value. Fifty thousand dollars…at least.
“Quit fucking staring at my goods and start talking,” Gideon said. “Did you see that sweet pussy out there? She’s already wet between her legs for me, and you’re wasting my fucking time.” He paused and then laughed. “Get it? You’re wasting my fucking time. Like the time I could be fucking her instead of talking to you. Never mind. Tell me what you need and then get the fuck out of here.”
Heated blood thudded in Christian’s head, making him wonder how the hell he and his brother could have come from the same mother. Check that. Gideon obviously spawned from the asshole and bitch who’d created him. Christian was the odd man out, the only one in their family with a conscience.
He twisted the cap off his beer. “You know what? Fuck it. I didn’t come to ask for shit from you.” He rotated and made it halfway to the door before Gideon called him back.
“Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to get my shit all up in your grill.” He motioned him back. “I got a lot on my mind with Hardy demanding more from my guys. The situation is tense, and if I don’t keep up, he’ll find someone who will, you know?”
Christian swallowed his surprise. This was the first time Gideon had ever vocalized his connection to Hardy, though Christian had suspected it for some time. It was crucial to get the answers they needed to bring down Hardy and Donati. “Sorry, bro. Don’t let the pressure get to you.”
“How the fuck am I supposed to do that? I’m on my last leg with Hardy. If I don’t get this stuff on the street and sell it quick, I’m out.”
Shit. He couldn’t believe he’d finally found a viable connection and now he might lose it again with the blink of an eye. “He won’t get rid of you. He needs you to move product.”
“Yeah, I fucking wish.” He turned to his guys. “That shit should have been ready to go. Let Reggie log what you take and then get the fuck out there. I want cash by morning.”
His minions shuffled faster and soon they began to file out the back door with their pockets loaded.
When they were alone except Reggie, Gideon sighed and then looked at him. This time, instead of a cocky smirk, serious consternation weighted his gaze. “I got a mortgage to pay, you know? A couple of kids on child support. I don’t make shit from this bar, and I can’t lose the income I get from this. Fuck. Not to mention Hardy has never let anyone leave his organization alive.”
Gideon’s worries tugged at him, despite Christian’s loathing of his brother’s life choices. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.” He couldn’t let him continue his illegal activities, but he didn’t exactly want him dead, either.
“If they sell that all tonight, I might survive another day. But they won’t. It’ll take a week to unload that much. Four days if God grants me a miracle.”
Christian snorted. Gideon had never believed in God. Still, if his brother was opening up like this, he had to be desperate. Maybe as desperate as Christian was to get information on Hardy’s activities. He took a long pull from his beer, weighing his options.
Fuck it. He and his vigilante brothers had been stuck for too long. Something had to give. Better that they stay in control than someone else. This might be a good opportunity to gain his brother’s confidence.
“I know something that might prove useful. It won’t help get your stuff on the streets, but Hardy might cut you some slack.” Christian glanced at Reggie who remained in the room pretending he wasn’t listening to their conversation. Christian wasn’t saying shit in front of anyone who might repeat it. His brother might trust his lackeys, but he sure as hell didn’t.
Gideon cleared his throat. When Reggie glanced up, Gideon motioned for him to leave the room. Reggie eyed Christian with a hefty amount of suspicion before he skulked away. When the door closed behind him, Christian focused on his brother.
“That’s why I came tonight. I don’t want anything from you, but I heard something that might help you. A couple of cops come into my pub every now and then.”
“Who?” Gideon asked, interrupting.
“I’m not going to say. I don’t need any trouble knocking at my door. But I wanted to do you a solid ‘cause you’re my brother.” He hadn’t walked in shit this deep in a long time. “They mentioned a planned drug bust along the coast, near Rockaway. At first, I wasn’t worried because I was pretty sure your operation was centered here in town.”
Gideon nodded, confirming what Christian had suspected.
“Still, it’s good to know what’s going down around you. And, after what you told me, I’m guessing info that helps Hardy will help you.”
“Fuck, yeah.” Gideon pulled out his phone. “What time did you say?”
Christian gave him the details of Ryan and Hunter’s planned drug bust, and Gideon texted the information to Hardy. Christian would be sure to call Hunter later and give him a heads up on what he’d told Gideon. It was important they still have guys on the road looking for the illegal cargo, just in case Hardy didn’t listen.
Gideon waited a few moments, constantly checking his screen, and then grinned. “Hardy is appreciative of the information.”
Christian lifted his beer close to his lips. “Good.” Then he drank, acting as though he was pleased with the outcome as well.
“This is fucking great. Thanks, brother.” Gideon stood and clapped him on the shoulder. “Want to take a couple of hits in celebration?” He nodded toward a few bags of cocaine that rested on a nearby desk.
Christian shook his head. “Nah, I gotta get back to my own bar. Just only wanted to pass along that information.” It was a win for now that Gideon considered him a trusted agent. If he appeared too eager to hang around, Christian would lose all the trust he’d earned.
“Well then, I’m going to get me some sweet, sweet pussy. My dick is already hard thinking about it.”
Goddammit. It would cost him more than he could stand to watch Eliana leave with Gideon. So, he’d leave first, because punching his brother in the face wasn’t an option at the moment.
Blood thick with jealousy curdled inside him as he returned to the front with Gideon hot on his heels. Eliana still sat at the bar, her mug of beer barely touched. He wanted to grab her and whisk her away, but he remained stoic instead.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Gideon sidled up next to her, placing a casual hand on her back.
She glanced between both men. “Did you finish conducting your business?”
Christian wanted to reassure her he did not do business with his fucked up brother, but he had to hold his tongue.
“Business conducted.” Gideon gave her a once over. “Time for pleasure.”
She shook her head. “We didn’t agree on our business arrangement. Do we have a deal?”
“We do. On to more important things now.”
Disgust mixed with anger creating a dangerous cocktail in Christian’s gut. He had to get the hell out of there. “Later,” he said to his brother and strode toward the front door. He couldn’t stomach any more of what tonight would bring.
He pushed through the black-tinted glass door and into the fresh Portland evening air. Moisture
clung on a breeze, letting him know it had rained while he’d been inside. The fresh shower brought forth scents of earth and blossoms that drifted from the trees downtown. He inhaled deeply, and then turned and punched the wooden trim alongside the front door.
“Fuck!”
Eliana would open her legs to his fuckup brother, and he’d know that sweetness that should belong to Christian. He knew she had the right and the will to make her own choices, but… “Goddammit.”
Pain throbbed in his hand, and he shook it out before examining his knuckles in the light that hung over the bar’s entrance. Abrasions in his skin leaked blood, but the aching in his hand was preferable to the agony in his heart.
The door opened next to him, catching him off guard. Eliana seemed as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
“Oh.” She stopped before fully exiting. “It’s you.”
Pure freaking bliss exploded inside him. She wasn’t going to sleep with his brother. So, she had some class after all.
“Hi, love.” He took a step back, giving her room to come out. “You leaving?”
“I’m sure as hell not staying. Your brother seems to think my agreement to be his lawyer also means he has a right to my body. What did you say to him?”
Christian had been so happy to see her that he hadn’t clued into the fact she seemed pissed. But it was hard to miss the sparks shooting from her eyes now. “I didn’t say anything about you to him. Damn. Is that what you think?” Was she implying he’d suggested to his brother that she was an easy lay?
“He seemed pretty certain he’d get me into bed.”
Christian snorted. “He seems pretty certain he can get anyone he wants into bed.”
That seemed to stop her. By degrees, he could sense her level of agitation dissipating. “You didn’t tell him we’d…”
He caught and held her gaze. “No. Despite what you might think, I don’t treat women as objects to be used and discarded.” Although, that’s exactly what she’d done to him.
A spark flashed in her eyes. “If you tell me you never use sex as a recreational activity, I’m going to call you a liar.”
He smiled then. “I didn’t say that. But let me clarify. I never have reckless sex. When I’m with a woman, it’s because I want to be with her. She’s not a placeholder, and I’m selective who I’m intimate with. Even if we’re only together for one night, I honor that time we spend, and I make damn sure the lady I’m with receives as much pleasure as I get. Would you care to argue that point, counselor?”
Even with only dim lighting, he could swear a sexy blush highlighted her cheeks.
She blinked a few times, and he took great satisfaction in knowing he’d robbed her of her words. Not an easy thing to do with someone who used words as tools of her trade.
“Can I buy you a cup of coffee, love?” he asked when the silence grew too long. From the look on her face, he was certain she’d decline, which would be a damn shame.
“Okay.”
Now it was his turn to be momentarily stunned.
He didn’t stay that way for long, though. “I’ll drive.”
She didn’t argue that, either, and she didn’t insist on driving herself so she could make a quick escape if she needed to.
He didn’t ask, but took her hand as he led her to his Mustang. It might not be as new or sleek as her Challenger, but he’d restored it to mint condition, and the beast could haul some serious ass.
He opened the passenger door for her and was helpless to keep from caressing her long, sexy legs with his gaze. The woman was a knockout. But beyond that, he couldn’t ignore the strange, yet comfortable connection he sensed between them, and he prayed their one night together wouldn’t be the only time he’d get to hold her in his arms.
Chapter Eight
Christian pulled into the parking lot of a cozy, all night diner. He took her hand as they crossed the pavement to the building, releasing subtle shivers throughout Eliana’s body. A moment later, they sat in a booth across from each other, and she pretended she didn’t feel a million shades of excited and awkward as she glanced from her menu to Christian and back again. His dark hair, accentuated by the white t-shirt he wore, fell into his eyes as he, too, glanced down at the menu. He shook his hair out of the way as he lifted his gaze.
Each time he caught her staring, interest twisted tighter in her gut. Physically, he was her perfect guy. Still, she’d never intended to see the man again after their one night together, because…well, because. But here they were. She could justify her acceptance of Christian’s request to take her for coffee as a way to infiltrate his brother’s organization. No explanation needed beyond that.
As much as she wanted him, she wouldn’t sleep with him again. Couldn’t. Circumstances required her to harden her heart, because, when the time came, she would turn him in and make him, along with all the rest, pay for what they’d done to society all in the name of Howard’s honor. It didn’t matter how cute he was or how delicious his kisses were.
“You’re working for my brother now?” he asked after they’d both ordered coffee.
She nodded and did her best to appear happy with the prospect. “Extra income. I still have to pay off those student loan debts. Besides, it doesn’t sound like he’ll ask for much.”
“Except to sleep with him,” Christian said with a touch of dark humor.
She laughed. “Except that.” How could two brothers give off such different vibes? Where Gideon left her feeling like she needed a shower to clean off the slime, Christian made her want to jump in the shower with him.
Strike that last comment, she thought to herself.
“Why was he in the market for a new lawyer?” she asked. “Sounds like he had one in the past. Why didn’t he keep him or her?”
Christian frowned. “I don’t know. I’m kind of surprised he didn’t keep Phillip. The man seemed happy to do my brother’s bidding.”
His answer left Eliana uneasy. “You make it sound like something nefarious might have happened to him.” She laughed to lighten her comment, but darkness hovered in her question.
He met her gaze. “I’m sure Mr. Desmond is fine.”
Right… “How long have you been in business with your brother?” She changed the subject, hoping to garner more clues to the organization. After all, she was a part of it now. It wouldn’t seem terribly suspicious if she asked questions.
“We’re not in business together. He does his thing. I do mine.”
“I see.” But Gideon had said they’d concluded their business. So they had to be doing something together. Maybe that was the illegal part Christian didn’t want to admit.
“My brother and I don’t have a lot in common. During the years, we’ve grown apart, both of us going our separate ways. I’m trying to rectify that situation now.”
She lifted her brows, surprised at Christian’s confession. “That seems rather big of you. How’s it going?”
“I think I’ve earned his trust.”
“You must have if you’re doing backroom deals.” She laughed as though she’d said it in jest, but she wanted to gaze his reaction.
He laughed with her. “If you say so.”
“When are you going to let me drive your car?” he asked, and she recognized his intent to change the subject.
She grinned. “I don’t know. Are you sure you can handle it?”
His cheeks creased as he smiled, sending a hot spark into her core. “I can handle anything you’ve got. Under your hood.” His grin grew wider. “In your car, that is.”
Or anywhere else, she was sure. Dammit. The attraction between them was strong. When he’d talked about ensuring that the women he’d made love to had received as much pleasure as he did, he hadn’t been kidding. Even now, she could still feel the burn of his touch on her skin. She swallowed, growing uncomfortable as her core heated.
“May I have some ice water, too?” she asked the waitress when she delivered their coffee.
Christia
n chuckled, but said nothing.
“What?” she asked, wondering if he’d guessed at the intent behind her question.
“Just thinking.” He sipped his coffee. “Mmm… Best damn coffee in Portland.”
She added sugar and cream, stirring the concoction into a lovely shade of mocha. Then she tasted. Rich flavor crested on her tongue. “It reminds me of the coffee shop in the town where I grew up. The woman who ran it would give me coffee and a cookie every day if I stopped after school.”
He narrowed his gaze. “How old were you?”
She thought back. “I’d guess seven or eight when I first started going to visit her. A girl in my class brought cookies from the coffee shop for her birthday. Best damn thing I’d ever tasted. So, I decided I needed more. I stopped there and offered to clean for her if she’d give me two cookies, one for me and one for my brother. I’m sure I made more of a mess than I actually cleaned, but she was a good woman.”
“She gave a seven year old coffee,” he pointed out.
“It’s not like she ruined me.” She made a face at him. “You already know the circumstances of my youth. We didn’t have milk at my house. It was coffee or water, so I learned to like the stuff.”
He shook his head and snorted. “Can you imagine what your teacher thought, you coming in all jacked up on caffeine. I’m sure you were a handful.”
She laughed with him. “Not me. That was my brother. I think he might have been sent to the principal’s office every day.”
Then she sobered. “In hindsight, I wonder if the community did what they could to help us, you know? Our teacher always brought too much food in her lunch. She usually had an extra sandwich that she couldn’t possibly eat. I see that now. I mean, who accidently brings an extra sandwich to work? And the principal, he never really yelled at Eric. Instead, his punishment was that he’d have to do his homework in the principal’s office. My brother absolutely hated it, but that man was more of a father to him than our own sperm donor was.”
“Sounds like a good town. Was that here in Oregon?”
She shook her head. “Wyoming. A small town called Cody. At least it was smaller back then. I haven’t been there in years.”
