Darkness Bound

by Stella Cameron

  Molly and Gabriel were close. They couldn’t get any closer. Leigh knew this because Molly had told her—several times.

  And now it looked as if Molly, who implied by her behavior that she was the joint owner and boss at Gabriel’s Place, had decided it was time to put Leigh in her place.

  “It’s best not to let Gabe know we’ve talked,” Molly said. “He gets upset easily and he doesn’t need it.” Her dark hair, pulled into a tail that cascaded from the top of her head, also fell in ringlets around her pretty face and neck.

  “You’re right,” Leigh said, walking behind Molly to a table in a far corner of the bar. By this time, early afternoon on a Sunday, the place was supposed to hit a quiet time but not today. Things were hopping.

  Molly sat, wriggled herself into a comfy position, and locked her hands behind her head. She took a very deep, flexing breath. My, oh, my was Leigh’s immediate thought.

  She was tall, even taller in very high-heeled, Christian Laboutin shoes, maneuvered to showcase their red undersides. If there had been anything but Molly under her stretchy white blouse and pants, Leigh would have seen it. Molly was, as someone had written somewhere: broad where a broad should be broad. But with a tiny waist and long, shapely legs.

  Molly snapped her fingers and Twin Cuss hurried to her side. “Yes, Molly.”

  The boy didn’t seem to know which bit of Molly to concentrate on and Leigh smiled.

  “Coffee,” Molly said. “A shot of Bookers in mine.”

  Waste of a good bourbon. “I’ll take my coffee straight,” Leigh said, but the boy was too diverted to acknowledge her.

  “Now,” Molly said when Cuss had left. “I was off when you started or we’d have had this talk earlier. You need to understand I make all the decisions when Gabriel’s not around. And he defers to me if he is.”

  “Mmm.” Leigh nodded and managed her best, wide-eyed look of respect. Gabriel needed protection from this one, not that it was Leigh’s responsibility.

  “Sunday’s fairly quiet so I thought this would be a good time for us to talk.”

  “Mmm.” Leigh looked pointedly around the rowdy room but Molly didn’t seem to notice.

  “I’ve been getting complaints,” she said.

  Leigh managed to brighten up a few more watts in her eyes. “Really? Gabriel’s not happy with my work? I’ve straightened a lot out already. You’ve only got to look at the office—”

  Music suddenly blared from the multiple speakers hidden in the rafters and within minutes people leaped to the small floor in the bar to dance.

  “I’m not talking about the office,” Molly said loudly, her full lips tight with annoyance. “It’s when you take over out here for a few minutes or deal with the vendors that’s the problem.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, really. We’re building a tight community here with Gabe and Molly at the center. That means we’re all friends. Friends don’t make friends feel like shit.”

  Leigh was really starting to enjoy her job. Offbeat situations suited her. But she wouldn’t be taking any crap from Ms. Molly.

  “Would you amplify that?” Leigh said.

  Molly screwed up her eyes. “Friends treat friends like friends,” she yelled.

  Wincing, Leigh shook a hand in front of her face. “Sorry, I should have said, clarify. I meant I need you to explain this in simpler terms.” She made an arc in the air. “Be more obvious. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

  “You’ve been demanding payment from some of our oldest customers. If they’re used to running a tab, that’s the way it’s going to be. Got it?”

  Leigh managed her best “I’m stupid” face.

  “You are not to make people feel bad if they don’t have the money to pay,” Molly said slowly, dragging out each word.

  “Oh! Oh, I never would. It’s only the ones with the money and who don’t want to pay,” she said. “Have you noticed some folks never want to pay and we’re a bit tight on funds around here?”

  Molly played with a ringlet. “I don’t have to worry myself with things like that. You know we do a good business. But we’ll lose it if you make people stay away.”

  “I’m rarely in the restaurant or bar,” Leigh said carefully. She was at war. On one hand she wanted to say she didn’t need this job, then walk out. On the other hand she struggled with a sense of loyalty to Gabriel, who had been so nice to her.

  Then there was Niles, who was pinning his hopes on Leigh changing things for Gabriel. Leigh liked the idea of Niles being happy—and of her being part of the reason.

  And she was making friends. After keeping to herself for so long, she was starting to live again.

  Leigh thought about Niles, not that he was being anything other than a good neighbor to her. But he had made her feel different, as if a little spark she never expected to know again had been struck.

  Her breath caught. There was more than a neighborly feeling. Maybe for him as well—she had seen it in the way he looked at her.

  “Then there’s the vendors,” Molly snapped. “Simon’s been providing wine and incidentals since we opened. He gives us good deals already—”

  “Simon seems like a very accommodating vendor, but as part of my job I checked the comps with other dealers and—”

  “You told him you want a better deal. We won’t get our supplies cheaper from anyone else. They’ll promise anything to get the business but when the bills come in there’ll be this and that added afterward.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Simon told me and I trust him.”

  Leigh nodded. She couldn’t figure out if Molly was an airhead or being deliberately obtuse because it made her life easier. This conversation would go nowhere. Twin Cuss had delivered the coffee and Leigh could smell the spirits in Molly’s mug.

  The music got suddenly ear-splitting and even more people poured onto the minuscule floor to squish into the crush. Whoops went up and Leigh smiled. It sounded as if they were holding an indoor rodeo.

  “You see what I mean?” Molly shouted. “We’ve got ways of doing things around here and people like to know what to expect.”

  “Oh, yes, they do. That works the best for everyone.” Leigh started to look around, somewhat desperately, for Gabriel.

  Molly took several long gulps from her mug.

  Leigh’s prayer was answered. Gabriel walked through the front doors with Niles—Niles and the gigantic blue-black dog.

  “Ugh,” Molly said. “Gabriel shouldn’t let that thing in here.”

  “Niles is a nice man,” Leigh said.

  “He’s a hunk. But I meant the dog. Nasty piece of work if you ask me. Just sits there and stares. Shouldn’t be allowed.”

  “Dogs always come into the bar,” Leigh pointed out. “My Jazzy’s in the back.”

  Molly looked as if she would like to say something unpleasant about poor little Jazzy. Instead she plastered on a prim smile. “Jazzy’s different. That’s the size a dog should be and he doesn’t come out here.”

  Leigh made no comment.

  Niles saw Leigh and came to her side with Blue at his heel. “Hi, lady,” he said. His Adam’s apple jerked when he spoke and Leigh had the extraordinary impression that he might be nervous around her. Or just very aware? He didn’t even glance at Molly, who gave off waves of petulance.

  “Hey,” Leigh said. “How’s everything going?”

  “Good,” he said. “Good. I thought it was time I introduced my dog properly since he likes to hang out around your place.” He went down on one knee with the dog between them.

  Niles had talked about looking out for Blue but not about the dog belonging to him, but she was glad. Any dog-friend of Niles could be a dog-friend of hers.

  “He’s a love,” Leigh said diplomatically and managed to scratch Blue between the ears without flinching. With her sitting down, the dog was as tall as she was.

  Blue turned his big head to look into her face. Then, without warning, he licked her from chin to
forehead and rested his head on her arm.

  “That’s enough,” Niles snapped, glaring into the dog’s face.

  “Leave him,” Leigh said. Dogs always had an inside track with her. “He’s a sweetheart.” She felt as if Niles was physically very close to her—which he was. “You’d better watch out or I’ll steal Blue from you.” Even kneeling the man was so much taller than she.

  That appealed to her.

  “He’d probably eat Jazzy,” Molly said, scowling at Niles, who still had not spoken to her.

  “Blue likes Jazzy,” Leigh said, goaded on by Molly’s obvious dislike of animals. “They hang out together.” She tightened the muscles in her jaw and draped an arm as far across Blue’s neck as it would go.

  That’s when she glanced up at Niles, who was giving his dog an interesting stare. He seemed annoyed, but she must be wrong.

  He caught Leigh’s eyes briefly and rested an arm on hers to tweak one of Blue’s ears.

  Awkwardness made her want to withdraw her arm. Niles’s weight and warmth kept her right where she was.

  Molly got up and plastered herself against Gabriel, who kissed her forehead and gave her an appreciative once over.

  “I made arrangements for you to go up into Langley about the sign, Leigh,” Gabriel said, pecking Molly on the lips but avoiding what promised to be a long, passionate smooch. “Do you think you could do that this afternoon? Niles said he’ll drive you.”

  “I’ll be able to find it myself,” she said at once and without thinking. “I mean, I don’t want to put Niles out like that.”

  “I’m going up that way on business,” Niles said, looking at her again. “We’re pretty green around here. We save resources where we can.”

  Short of telling him she was into gas guzzling and waste, there wasn’t much she could say. “When are you going?” she asked. “Jazzy’s due for an outing first.”

  “Bring him with us and he can play on the beach up there. Blue loves it, too.”

  Leigh couldn’t find an excuse to refuse. “Okay, give me a call when you’re ready,” she said. Confession was a good thing—she wanted to go with him.

  “We might as well head out now,” Niles said. “Get Jazzy and I’ll meet you outside.” He took Blue by the collar and led him to the door.

  Leigh didn’t miss the longing stare Molly aimed at Niles. That, at least, gave Leigh some wicked pleasure—even if it did make her worry more about Gabriel’s feelings.

  She let Jazzy out of the office. He leaped around like a lifer suddenly released from the pen and headed back to the bar, by which time Molly was nowhere in sight.

  Gabriel took Leigh aside to one end of the bar. “Cliff recommended this place for making signs,” he said, slipping a card into her hand. “Did Molly give you a hard time? From what she just said, I think she might have. The only one you have to take any notice of is me and I haven’t seen anything I needed to talk about. You’re a gem, my girl.”

  “Molly’s protective of you, is all.” Leigh thought about it. “But we do have to collect accounts from customers—something I’m good at—and after I finish finding out the going rates for the stuff we use, I’ll negotiate better prices where it’s appropriate. No one has to worry about things like that. People who make their living selling things are used to negotiation.”

  Gabriel gave her one of his charming smiles and nodded. “You will remember what we discussed about the sign?”

  “You bet.” She hesitated. “What would you think about holding a dance once a month?”

  “People already dance here.”

  “We could hire a live band. Have prizes and special theme food on the menu.”

  Gabriel thought about it. “You might have something there. We’d have to plan it with Cliff.”

  Smiling, Leigh headed for the door. “Niles will wonder where I am,” she said.

  chapter EIGHT

  LEIGH HAD NOT BEEN prepared for what she found outside. A gigantic black motorcycle stood there and Blue had just put himself into the largest sidecar Leigh had ever seen.

  Jazzy had to visit some of his favorite territory among the thick screen of firs that framed the gravel car park.

  Niles got tired of waiting and clapped his hands. “C’mon Jazzy, boy. Quit checking your pee-mail.” He swept up Leigh’s dog and stuffed him between Blue’s front feet.

  Blue gave Jazzy a lick and got an adoring stare in response.

  Niles closed down the sidecar and handed Leigh a crash helmet. When she didn’t seem to know what to do with it, he put it on her head and carefully fastened and checked it for fit.

  He lifted her from the ground and placed her on the pillion, then slid a leg over and sat in front of her.

  Her heart did jumping jacks and she thought her blood might have heated up several degrees. The leather-covered back in front of her was impossibly broad and black wavy hair escaped the bottom of Niles’s helmet. She couldn’t take in everything she’d like to from her current position but flexed thighs filling out his jeans would be hard to miss, and when he leaned forward to kick off the stand a quick downward glance gave a perfect view of hard buns.

  She looked at the sky. This was outrageous. What was she doing here with this man? On a motorcycle? Leigh had never been on a motorcycle before.

  He smiled at her over his shoulder. “Off we go. Feel free to hang on to anything that appeals to you. Everything about this bike is absolutely safe.”

  She nodded and thought, including you?

  The bike roared off, leaving Leigh’s stomach in Gabriel’s parking lot. A glance at the sidecar showed Jazzy standing between Blue’s front legs, body fully extended to reach the window rim, so he could look out with a doggy laugh at the passing scenery. So much for the dog who didn’t like riding in cars—evidently motorbikes were different.

  Wind grabbed at Leigh’s hair, lifting it on either side of the helmet. The air smelled good, of pine and the coldest part of the winter that was almost upon them.

  They leaned into a corner and Leigh’s tummy went the wrong way again. She filled her hands with the two pleats where Niles’s leather jacket expanded for movement. Her own coat, though down, was not thick enough to keep out the biting air.

  They shot past several cars and made another turn, in the opposite direction.

  Leigh closed her eyes, slid her arms as far as they would go around Niles, and pressed her visored face into his back. She clung on, letting herself go with the moves until she was almost lulled.

  From time to time she looked to see where they were but she was more comfortable with her eyes shut. Once Niles patted her hand against his side and the simple gesture made her smile.

  “Fun, huh?” he said loudly.

  She opened her eyes and realized they had stopped at a curb and there were a few buildings on either side of a gravel-strewn road on the outskirts of Langley. The ride had only taken about twenty minutes.

  With a jerk, she sat straight and pulled her arms back to rest her hands on her thighs.

  Niles kicked down the stand and looked back at her again. “You okay?”

  “Oh, yes. That was great.”

  “See those two,” he said, pointing at the sidecar. “They want more.”

  The dogs did look as if they were drunk on pleasure and panting for more of the same.

  When Leigh climbed off the cycle she had a shock. Her legs felt like water. They seemed to have no substance and she could scarcely stop herself from falling.

  “Hey,” Niles said, laughing. “Your first time? That can happen.” He put an arm around her waist and took off the helmet for her before removing his own. He hung one on each handlebar, keeping an eye on Leigh at the same time.

  Her apparent inability to walk shocked her. She tried to take a step and laughed nervously when Niles swung back and caught her by the shoulders.

  This time he didn’t laugh.

  She couldn’t look away from his face. He frowned a little, searching her eyes as if he thought
he could see inside her.

  “Just stay still for a few moments,” he said, his voice quietly, deeply penetrating. “We all need to get our sea legs sometimes.”

  His lips parted and he passed the tip of his tongue along the top of his teeth. And when she glanced up, his whole attention was on her mouth.

  He spread his fingers, holding her with the palms of his hands only, and there was a moment when he started to tip her toward him.

  Leigh let out the breath she had been holding. “I’m fine now,” she said, smiling brightly. “A ninny, but fine, thanks.”

  Niles’s hands fell to his sides and he gave her a lazy grin. “I guess I’ll let you get on, then. Just don’t fall and skin your knees.”

  In the cramped front yard beside them colored plastic and aluminum figures bloomed like the flowers that might have been there. Addams Family birdhouses topped rusty poles, animals made from castoff pieces of almost anything crowded together. A stream of water slithered down the body of a twelve-foot, aluminum and red glass snake.

  “Like it?” Niles said. There was tension in his voice.

  Shaken by her reaction to him, Leigh closed her mouth and listened. The water made a hissing sound. She glanced into his face and now he seemed to be struggling to stay serious, or at least not to crack up at what must be the very strange expression on her face.

  “This can’t be the right place,” she said, searching for the card Gabriel had given her. “I’m supposed to go to a sign shop.”

  Niles pointed to a board on one side of open double front doors. The board resembled a menu. Come And Get It If You Dare appeared to be the name of the establishment. The list of wares read: Costumes for any event. Wands to suit you. Hats to make you memorable. Masks to make you memorable but unrecognizable. Shoes to move you faster. Boots to keep you where you are. Robes and what-have-you. Signs guaranteed to be noticed. If it isn’t listed—we have it.

  Leigh found the card: Come And Get It, and in tiny letters beneath, If You Dare, followed by the address.

  “It’s got to be a joke,” she said.

  He nodded, “Of course it is, but apparently Cliff knows they make good signs and they’re fast. Some people really get off on this kind of wacky stuff.”