They stayed around for a while, but the snow started falling thicker and thicker, and James finally insisted they get back to the bed and breakfast while they could. He was the most practical of the three and rarely wrong, so they said their goodbyes and headed back down the hill. James held her hand as they labored against the blowing snow. Henry strode ahead of them, his tall form breaking trail, and sometimes the snow flurries made him vanish from sight even though he was just out of reach. The sight gave Anna a lump in her throat, and she clung closer to James than she needed to as they pushed along.
When they got to the bed and breakfast lobby, they tried to get more mochas and were told the cafe was now out of milk. Still, if black coffee was the degree to which they had to rough it, they were still ahead of the game. Before they left Tony’s house, they overheard conversations on the scanner about the blackouts stretching west over the county line. It was starting to get bad out there; it just hadn’t touched them too much since their return to town.
Chapter 3: Before the Storm
Henry insisted on tackling his next round of phone calls and paperwork alone, adamant about his need for a few hours of privacy. Anna started to wonder what he was up to that had him being so secretive. She felt torn between giving him the space he asked for and invading it just so he wouldn’t be alone so damned much. She compromised by asking if he was sure, and he gave her a brief hug and then shooed her off with James, promising to meet them for dinner.
They went back to her room, Anna feeling sad and clingy, sticking close to James as they came through the door. He watched her as she shucked her coat and kicked off her boots, shivering from the slush that had gotten in around her pant cuffs. “You okay?” he finally asked as she rubbed the chill from her feet.
“I um...I...no. No, I’m really not.” She glanced up at him but her vision was blurring, and she quickly looked away and wiped the tears from her eyes. “No, James, I-I...um….”
“Aw Hell. c’mere.” He shouldered out of his own jacket and reached for her, dropping it aside. He pulled her against him, pillowing her head on his shoulder, and rocked her.
She sobbed helplessly for a while, dampening his blue flannel workshirt. Finally, she calmed down enough to lift her head, using her sleeve to dry her tears. “S-sorry.”
“Nah, don’t be.” He kissed her forehead. “It’ll be okay, baby. I know it doesn’t seem so now. This thing with the Boss is damn unfair, but we’ll get through this.”
“I’ll do my best, but right now I just don’t want to think about it for a while.” She tilted her face up to his, and he stroked her stray hairs off her cheek with rough-skinned fingertips as he kissed her.
They looked at each other mutely, and he reached over and turned off the light before pulling her in for another kiss. The two windows offered cold, dim light filtered by the blowing snow, throwing them half in shadow as he started tugging off her clothes. He broke the kiss only long enough to pull her sweater and camisole over her head. His hands roamed over her bared skin hungrily while she reached over to unbutton his shirt and tug it back off his shoulders.
She moved toward the bed, hearing the rustle of him ridding himself of his shirt and the sharp click of his belt buckle. She was just turning to pull back the comforters when he caught her by the hips from behind.
He bent over her, brushing her hair aside with his hand and kissing her neck roughly. She shivered, feeling him unfastening her bra with a little impatient fumbling, as if he needed distraction in pleasure just as much as she. He slid it down off, and the fabric slipped down over her arms. She shifted to get rid of it--and then moaned and braced herself again as he took both her breasts in hand.
James was always gentle until he couldn’t stand to be any more. His breath shivered in her ear as he kneaded and caressed her, and then circled his fingertips against the sides of her nipples until they tightened almost painfully. She panted and squirmed under him, feeling his chest press warm and firm against her back while his heart pounded.
Finally, impatiently, she unfastened her skirt and slid it and her half-slip down over her hips. He reached down with one hand to help her, and the fabric fell to a pile at her feet. That just left her panties, and from the throbbing hardness she felt against her bottom, he was already completely bare again.
He backed off to grasp the panties in one fist. “You like this pair?” he growled, with a moment’s consideration.
“Not that much.” Do it.
He ripped the fabric from her in one brief savage yank and tossed it aside, then took hold of her hips and pushed her forward against the bed a little. She felt his fingers slide up her inner thigh and then start to rub her mound, kneading her gently and sensually while she whimpered and rocked slightly against his hand. He teased her open, sliding two fingers into her slowly and caressing her with them. She let out a low moan, and braced herself as he removed his fingers and replaced it with the head of his erection.
He settled over her, holding himself up with one hand as he sank into her body. She arched and squirmed, feeling him move inside her from a new angle as he reached around with his free hand to knead the top of her mound.
She knew the doors and walls of this place were thin, and did her best to keep her voice down, but as he thrust into her and stimulated her at the same time, as he groaned in her ear and shuddered against her back, it got harder and harder to avoid crying out. She could feel her muscles tightening and trembling as she strained back against him in time with his movements, panting, biting her lip, whimpering through her closed mouth.
“That’s good, baby. Come on, now, don’t hold off. Don’t be shy.” His voice was a low purr in her ear as he thrust into her, his hand tireless between her legs as he kept the same rhythm.
He moved more roughly, their flesh slapping together audibly as she tried to answer and instead only moaned feverishly. Her need for satisfaction intensified until it hurt. She ground back against him, and he shuddered and let out a little shout of enthusiasm as his thrusts sped up.
“Come on,” he purred softly in her ear while his body ravaged hers. “Come on….”
It took everything she had not to scream, and that left her with no outlet. Pleasure roared through her body as she sobbed and writhed under him, pushing against him with everything she had while his murmurs rose suddenly into groans he muffled against her shoulder. She felt him release inside of her, hips grinding against her a last few times, before they both went limp.
She barely caught herself on the edge of the bed, and got her feet under her, feeling him slip out of her as he straightened. She heard him stagger slightly behind her, and groan. He was panting hard for breath as she climbed into the bed and he snuggled in beside her.
“Damn. Didn’t even make it under the covers.”
She giggled as she nestled in under his arm, running a hand over his sweat-damp chest. “That was really good, except I couldn’t see you.” She loved watching how pleasure and then ecstasy transformed his face. His near constant tension dissolved completely, and his eyes lit up with an almost furious joy. Now, after, he was at peace, the set gone from his jaw and the hardness from his gaze. It made him look years younger and showed something in his face of the gentleness with which he always treated her.
“Hmm, she likes to watch.” His eyebrows wiggled, and she blushed and laughed a little. “We could get a mirror…”
More blushing, and he chuckled and kissed the top of her head before settling in. “I’ll get you again when we wake up, make sure you’re not face down this time.”
He was, as usual, as good as his word, and she woke in his arms again, feeling him caress her gently into slow arousal and then roll over to slide into her when she started to shake. They rocked together this time, and in the dimming afternoon light from the window, she saw his blissful expression. They muffled each other’s cries with their mouths, and held each other sleepily afterward.
She was just dozing off again when James’s phone buzzed. �
�Nngf. Crap.” He rolled over and grabbed his jeans off the floor, yanking the smart phone out of his pocket. He peered at it as he settled back down. “It’s the Boss.” He picked up while she blinked sleep from her eyes. “Yeah.” He listened to whatever Henry was saying and his eyes widened. “...what?”
“Beth says she has the snowcat thieves’ frequency and has been listening in on them for about half an hour now. They weren’t actively using the radios before. Her guess was that they weren’t on the move.” Henry had changed to a brown wool sweater over his button-down, and paced the length of his front room. “We can’t get over there to talk directly but she held the phone up to her speakers and we got a few good recordings.” He rubbed his face tiredly.
Across the room, James was brewing a pot of hotel-room instant coffee and yawning into his fist. They had changed as well, he into plaid flannel and jeans over thermals, and she into a deep purple wool dress. Awkwardly, she simply hadn’t been able to find some bits of her outfit after their afternoon romp. But now, she simply hazily waited for caffeine as she tried to sort out the reason for the urgency in Henry’s tone.
“So how bad is it?” she asked finally.
He sighed. “Crime of opportunity. Excuse me. Crime spree of opportunity.” What he said next woke her up with a jolt of adrenaline. “They’ve stolen snowcats so they can rob banks up and down the highway. And they’ll be hitting Phoenicia tonight.”
Chapter 4: Siege Preparations
“Okay, so, we have five people in town with firearms, including the one cop from Shandaken PD. Beth is still listening in on their radio channel, and we have people around town acting as lookouts.” Henry seemed strangely energized as he brushed snowflakes from his hair. The three of them had just spent an hour shuffling through the snow, banging on doors and getting people to spread the word that Phoenicia’s two banks and any open businesses were going to be hit tonight. Now a small crowd was gathering in the bed and breakfast lobby, and Henry was trying to organize them and brief everyone as new information came in. His phone kept ringing, and he juggled calls and questions like a master. In spite of the danger, he seemed completely in his element.
James, meanwhile, was scowling and watchful, his eyes narrow. He played the recordings on Henry’s phone again, and listened to the voices talking about the two banks on Main Street, the tools they would need to get through the front door and what kind of resistance they could expect. She noticed his hard, thoughtful look, and crossed to him, concerned.
“Hey, what is it?” she asked softly. He shook his head and then tilted it, listening.
“Not sure. Hang on.”
The robbers had a decent plan. Anna had to give them that. Steal the only vehicles capable of getting around in this mess of snow, coordinate over radio, and rob banks, getting well away before anyone could hope to follow them. Half the places they hit were having blackouts. Security systems wouldn’t work, and apparently, they had the gear to get through bank security doors.
She shivered. The broadcasts revealed a gang of at least a dozen people. That outnumbered their armed members over two to one, and half the firearms in town were old hunting rifles. Those were not good odds. “James...maybe it’s better not to try and defend the banks. That money is insured and besides, they outgun us.”
“I agree.” He was still listening. “The banks aren’t the problem. They want to knock them over and roll on down the road, that’s one thing. But there are a dozen armed guys, and they know that nobody’s coming to help us for days. That’s a long time for them to do whatever they want. Even thieves that aren’t normally violent might get tempted.”
Anna felt cold. “James...what is it?”
“Two of those voices are familiar. These guys, they’re local ex-jailbirds, like me. Clever, but no goddamn sense between them. Sons of bitches must have seen an opportunity and pulled together some friends.” His fists clenched at his sides. “If they’re local they know about Henry. If they’re looking for ways to take advantage up here, he’s worth more than all of us.”
Henry came over to them, having noticed James’s expression. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Some of these guys are local. I can recognize their voices from these recordings. None of them are super bright, but now and again, they get a creative idea or two. If they’re local they’ll know about the work you do around here, and that you’re loaded.”
Henry leaned against the lobby wall and glanced outside at the moonlit mounds of snow. Black poked up through the white in spidery clusters, framing his background as he brooded. Finally, he spoke up. “If they target me, fine. It’s not like they can threaten my life very effectively.”
Anna looked at him in shock. “Hey--”
He turned a tight smile on her. “Sorry, but it’s true. Maybe I could distract them with enough money to get their minds off hurting anyone else in town.” He looked very thoughtful. Frowned. Nodded. Then looked between them. “Okay, guys, here’s the deal. I have about five or six documents I need you to sign so I can fax them to my lawyer and get the originals into the mail.”
“Wait, we’re back to paperwork?” James lifted an eyebrow.
“This batch of paperwork protects everyone working for me if something happens when these guys hit town. They need to get signed and out now. Just trust me.” Henry looked back at James firmly.
James looked skeptical but finally nodded.
Anna looked up at the rest of the crowd: Toby, carrying an oblong box and looking worried; a gaggle of angry-looking mountain men and their older kids; the five hunters who had brought four rifles and a crossbow between them; and Greg, a redheaded, rookie cop who had a pistol but mostly looked more terrified than anyone else. Greg had radioed in a distress call to Shandaken, the State Police and the Highway Patrol, but the cavalry had no way of getting out there until the plows came through again.
Henry raised his voice to address the group. “Okay guys, you all know me, I was the maniac at your door an hour ago.” A chuckle went through the crowd. “You’ve all heard the recordings, and you’ve heard the volunteer fire department distress call from up in Pine Hill. These guys are coming here as soon as they’re done stashing their money from robbing the ski resort. If we’re lucky, we have an hour to prepare.
“The idea is that since Greg here has no backup except us,” Greg nodded ruefully and a grizzled hunter patted him on the shoulder, “ee hide out here and inside the firehouse. Let them hit the bank because that money is insured, and just sit tight. At least some of these guys are local. If they start going after us, chances are they know who I am. If I offer them a big bribe, they’ll know I’m good for it. So yeah, I’m going to need you to let me handle them if it comes to a standoff, okay?” Henry took a deep breath and went quiet, his face a little pale, as mutters rose within the crowd.
“Hey, um, James?” Toby came up quietly behind them and James turned to look at him. He stepped to the side away from Henry to talk to the woodcarver, who quickly pressed the box into his hands. “This was my Dad’s. I can’t use it but it might help you.” He stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I...I just, well...I can’t do much directly, my Mom needs me.” He swallowed and looked down shamefacedly. “Please bring it back when you beat the bad guys, okay?”
“Don’t you worry about any of that. I will. And thanks for this.” James hefted it, but didn’t open it for now.
Henry spoke up again. “So uh, if you have a firearm, check in with Greg and he’ll split you up between one of the two buildings. We have one snowcat available if things go really bad, but it can only seat six with no cargo. We were planning on a supply run with it before this happened, but if we have to use it to ferry vulnerable people out of town, we’ll manage.”
Toby shook hands with all of them before he went back up the hill to his mother’s house. He looked grim behind his slightly-fogged glasses, and Anna could tell he was scared underneath. But that was all of them.
As things got organized
, James ducked back upstairs to open Toby’s gift. “Thought so.” It was a shotgun, antique looking but in good repair, with a box of rounds. “This should even the odds a little. Good on Toby.” He stuffed the shells into his pockets and loaded the weapon with the last five.
Anna stared at him with a shotgun in his hands, and felt a surge of apprehension go through her. They shouldn’t have to deal with situations where James had to steal vehicles or worry about fighting off robbers with shotguns. It was as insane in its own way as Henry facing cancer. She shook her head slowly, tears in her eyes.
He nodded, expression tired and resigned. “Don’t much like this either, sweetheart. This sort of Wild West shit got old a century ago.” But he still held the shotgun like he knew how to use it, and she worried it wasn’t just from practice hunting. He was so honest, forthright and tender with her that she sometimes completely forgot he had been to prison.
BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE: The Unforgettable Southern Billionaires: The Complete Collection Boxed Set (Young Adult Rich Alpha Male Billionaire Romance) Page 64
