Magni

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  Chairs were flying, tables flipped over, and at least one guy took a foot to the jaw before Magni was even out of his seat. By the time he fought his way through the fleeing crowd there were only two men left standing. One was significantly bigger than the other, which would have given him an advantage if the little guy didn’t have a knife and a point to make.

  “I told you not to fuck with me Howard.” The little guy’s eyes were wild as he started bouncing around, swinging the knife in front of him and making all sorts of strange noises.

  Jerrik came to an abrupt stop at his side, staring at the two men who were now contorting into all sorts of strange positions. “What in the hell is happening?”

  Kari stopped on his other side, crossing her arms over her chest as she shook her head, looking unimpressed with the whole scene. “Drunk ninjas.”

  Magni glanced her way but found it difficult to look at anything besides the two twats in front of him. “What?”

  She shrugged, not nearly as upset as he expected her to be by the sight of a man with a knife. “The guys who took a year of martial arts in junior high and think it makes them a badass.” She looked at Magni and Jerrik. “Are you gonna just stand there?”

  Magni tipped his head toward Jerrik. “I guess I’ll grab the little one.” He watched the man jump up and down a few times. “He looks like he’ll be the most fun.”

  Jerrik nodded and both men jumped in.

  Magni grabbed at the significantly smaller man’s wrists, catching the one with the knife. He latched on, expecting that would be the end of it. Most men backed down from someone like him. Someone bigger. Stronger.

  Crazier.

  Not this guy. He was like a fucking jackrabbit. One minute Magni had him and the next he was free, spinning around like he was caught in a fucking tornado.

  Magni tried to time the erratic jumping and spinning, hoping to have another chance to snag the little bastard before he hurt himself. “Hold still you little fucker.”

  The man froze. He stared up at Magni, his eyes wild. “What did you call me?”

  Magni smirked down at the man a full head and shoulders shorter than he was. “I called you a little fucker.”

  “I’ll kill you.” The smaller man came at him, bearing down as he ran into Magni at full speed.

  “Ompf.” The top of the guy’s skull caught Magni right in the gut, knocking him back a few steps. He barely regained his footing when the man started swinging around the knife still clutched in his hand, managing to catch Magni across the bicep with the serrated edge, cutting a deep gash across his flesh.

  The man pulled back for another swing. He didn’t get it in.

  Magni caught him in the jaw with a hook that would rattle the teeth out of a man’s head, knocking him to the ground, the knife skittering across the bar’s floor as he fell. Jerrik stood a few feet away with the other man cuffed and complacent. Magni grinned up at him. “Told you this one would be more fun.”

  Jerrik’s detainee stared at Magni, wide-eyed. “He’s fucking crazy.”

  Jerrik pulled out another set of cuffs. “Yup.” He leaned down and pulled the smaller man up by the back of his shirt, yanking his arms behind him. “You’re friend here gave him a run for his money though.” He looked Magni’s way. “I got this.” He nodded to the gash across his arm. “You should probably go do something about that.”

  Magni glanced down. “It’s fine.” He reached for the man Jerrik was cuffing. He was a little impressed by the guy. There weren’t too many people who’d managed to get a leg up on him.

  The guy jumped back as his eyes landed on the blood running down Magni’s arm. “I can’t be around blood.” He went white as a sheet as he struggled to step back, not getting anywhere. “I can’t handle it.” His eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to the ground.

  “Hell.” Jerrik stared down at the unconscious man.

  Magni swiped at the trickle of blood before it started to drip on the ground then wiped his bloody hand across the front of his shirt. “I was just starting to like him too.”

  Kari shoved a bar towel over his wound. “I called Hagen. He’s on his way.”

  “He’s here.” Hagen frowned down at the pasty guy still passed out on the floor at Magni’s feet. “What did you do to him?”

  Magni held up his hands. “I didn’t do that.”

  Hagen’s eyes widened when he saw the blood on Magni’s hand and shirt. “Who the hell is bleeding?”

  “It’s him.” Kari pressed the towel tighter against his arm. “He deserved it too.”

  “What in the hell did I do?” Magni shrugged away from his niece, taking the towel with him.

  “I’m sure you did something.” Kari pointed at his arm. “Don’t you dare get blood on my bar.”

  Magni peeked under the rag. “It’s fine.” He nodded to the unconscious man. “Want me to carry him to the station?”

  “I got him.” Hagen stepped in and hefted the limp body onto one shoulder. “You should go let Rhea check that out.” He stepped over an overturned stool on his way to the door. “She’s at the B&B.”

  “Whatever.” Magni kicked a table out of his way, pissed the fun was over and he was being shut out.

  “If you don’t go there I’ll catch hell.” Hagen turned to face him, the man over his shoulder groaning as he shifted his grip. “And I’ll bring it to you.”

  Magni glared at his nephews as they left with the wannabe bar brawlers. He walked behind the bar and used his free hand to open the cooler and pull out another beer, popping the top off on the opener mounted on the back wall. “I’m taking one for the road.”

  He ignored Kari’s lecture as he shoved his way out the door and headed to his truck. His arm would be fine. He’d had worse. It might hurt like hell tomorrow but maybe that was a good thing. Give him something to think about besides the fact that he now knew how perfectly Christine’s body fit against his.

  Magni made it to the side of his truck and stood there for a second, debating how to open the door. One hand held the towel keeping his arm from bleeding everywhere and the other held the beer he snagged on his way out of the bar.

  Beer was more important. He tossed the towel over his shoulder and the warm trickle of fresh blood crept down his arm almost immediately. Magni held the injured arm out and peered down at what might be a worse cut than he thought it was.

  “Jesus Magni.”

  “Damn it.” Magni blew out a breath. He couldn’t handle this right now. Not when he was hurting and more than a few beers into his evening. He was weak and there wasn’t a doubt in his mind he would rely on that fact to explain any bad decision he chose to make.

  The towel snapped off his shoulder and shoved back against his arm. Christine’s eyes fixed on the injury as she covered it, the press of her hand gentle but firm. “What happened?”

  “It’s fine. I was just headed home to bandage it up.” He used the free hand her care afforded him to open the door to his truck. Standing here, letting her touch him like that wasn’t going to help anything. “I’ll see you later.”

  She held tight to his arm as he tried to pull away. “This isn’t something you can just put a band-aid on Magni.”

  Why did she always have to say his name like that? “It’s not a big deal. I’ll handle it.” He pulled harder, trying to free himself of the sweet torture of her hands on his skin, branding him with their soft heat.

  “No.” Her voice was sharp. Sharp enough to catch his attention. It was a tone he’d only heard her use a few times. All in the past week. All directed at him. “Come on.” She gave his arm a yank in the direction of the B&B.

  His feet stayed put. “I’m not going there.”

  Christine looked up at him. “Why not?”

  Because he didn’t deserve it. Not after how he treated Christine when she confessed her abilities to him. Putting her secret out for God and everybody to see, hoping to spare him the pain of losing his wife. And he crushed her. Told her he didn’t b
elieve what she said. Didn’t believe her.

  That she was jealous.

  A child.

  He’d spat in the face of what she was. What she could do. Even though he believed every word she said before he cut her off.

  Because he believed what she saw.

  He didn’t deserve to benefit from a gift like hers. Like Rhea’s. He had his chance and he fucked it all up.

  In more ways than one.

  Magni looked Christine in the eye, hoping to mask the lie he was about to tell her. Hoping she stuck by the promise he forced her to make to him all those years ago. “Because I don’t want to.”

  She wasn’t deterred. Christine’s hand on his arm didn’t budge. “Come back with me to the B&B. Rhea’s there. She will fix this.”

  “I don’t need her to fix it.” He tried to pull free again, this time only half-heartedly. It was unsettling how quickly she got under his skin. How easy it was for him to try to forget everything. To pretend she would have a man like him.

  Christine’s eyes were fogged in confusion as she continued to look up at him. “I don’t understand why.” Then the clouds in her eyes cleared. She let him go, her jaw set. “Fine.” She spun on her heel and walked toward the bed and breakfast. “Have a nice night.”

  More voices carried down the street. He looked toward the B&B. A small group was gathered on the porch. Gail and Rhea stood glaring out at him. The suit who interrupted his time with Christine earlier today sipped at a glass of wine, watching him with interest.

  “Fuck.” Magni slammed the door to the truck closed and stalked after Christine, his eyes on the man on the porch. He caught up to her in a few steps. She looked over her shoulder at him.

  “What are you doing?”

  He aligned his steps with hers making it easier to keep his body close to her. He wanted to send a message to captain charming on the porch. This one was off limits to him.

  To everyone.

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Why?” Christine followed his line of sight to the porch. “Oh for the love.” She stopped dead in her tracks, nearly ending up with seventy-seven inches of pissed off mountain man on top of her because of it. Magni tried to grab her as his big body nearly collided with hers but she beat him to the punch.

  Christine reached up and fisted her hand in the front of his shirt, dragging his face down close to hers. “You and I are going to have a talk after this. Understand?”

  She was pissed and damned if it didn’t turn him on. To be fair though, most of what she did turned him on and all of it made him stupid. That, the blood loss, and knowing a younger, better looking, better dressed option was waiting for her in the wings made Magni forget what in the hell he was doing. More importantly, what in the hell he shouldn’t be doing.

  Magni wrapped his good arm around the woman in front of him and did what he’d been wanting to do for years. He pulled her soft body tight against his chest and covered her mouth with his. She came too willingly. Her lips met his too easily. Christine fit against him too well.

  It was too much for Magni to be able to keep control the way he should have. One simple kiss to prove a point. That was all he intended.

  But it started something he wasn’t sure how to stop. A freight train with no brakes racing down the tracks. He wanted to let her go. Let Christine go back to the life where she looked the other way when he entered a room. Where she pretended they didn’t have a past.

  The beast inside him growled in protest and pulled her in tighter. He’d given the beast an inch and the bastard was going to take a mile. And Magni was going to let him.

  Christine’s hands tightened in his shirt. He froze. Expecting her to push him away. Scream at him for what he did. Hell she should probably slap him for grabbing her in the middle of the street in front of everyone they knew.

  She didn’t.

  She pulled him closer.

  That was all the motivation he needed to drive the train over the edge, dragging her down with him. His mouth opened into hers so he could taste her. Make her taste him. Her sweet honeysuckle scent soothed the beast prowling beneath his skin. Calming the anger and discontent always brewing inside him.

  She sank into him, her breath soft against his face as she met his kiss with a ferocity he would never expect from someone as sweet and gentle as he knew Christine was. Her lips were demanding, rough, needy. It made his blood race, pounding in his ears.

  Loud enough he didn’t hear Gail until she was practically on top of them. “What in the hell are you doing?”

  Christine gasped, pulling out of his grasp. Her hand went to her lips, covering the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at him. “I don’t know what just happened.”

  Magni resisted the urge to refresh her memory, instead letting Gail shove him toward his truck. “Go home.”

  He climbed in the driver’s side and fired up the engine, taking his time to pull away. He could still smell her on him. Like her body was still on his.

  It should be. It would be.

  He just had to figure out how to make that happen. He’d had a taste and it wasn’t going to be enough. Not for his beast. Not for him. He wanted her. Had for years.

  And now that he’d had a taste of what they could be there was no going back to what they were.

  But admitting he wanted Christine was only half the battle Magni faced if she was going to be his. And she was.

  The other half was figuring out how to fix what he’d done. If he even could.

  If not...

  The realization sat like too much whiskey in his gut. No matter what he did it might never be enough for her to look at him the way he wanted. As a man. As a lover. As a protector.

  He’d done nothing to show her he could be any of those things.

  And that included what just happened.

  “Fuck.” Magni threw the truck into drive and took one last look at the woman who was turning everything in his life sideways. Again.

  Christine waved Gail off as the women walked back toward the B&B where the suit was still on the porch, watching. He wasn’t watching the women though.

  He was watching him.

  6

  Christine wheeled her hand cart through the door to the post office a half-hour from Greenlea and out into the warm spring air, taking a long slow breath. Holy hell she’d had a rough few days and even the air at home felt like it was out to get her. Pressing in, smothering Christine as she waited for the next batch of shit to hit the fan and complicate her life even more.

  Thank God she had valid reasons to get out of town today. Coming up with excuses to escape would have felt like hiding. Not that she was above that right now. Christine was in over her head and sinking fast and it was her own damn fault.

  All she wanted was a distraction.

  It sure as hell worked. Magni was as big as distractions could get and he’d taken it to a level she never would have anticipated.

  Maybe in her wildest dreams she would have.

  Christine tucked the empty carrier into the trunk before climbing into her car and resting her skull back against the headrest. It was barely lunch time and she’d already finished all her errands for the day. The list of things to do seemed longer this morning when she left town. Then again maybe it was just the optimistic side of her that thought she could stretch this out to a day long event that would keep her away from the problem she started. She’d been naive to think any sort of scenario that involved her being close to Magni would be easy.

  He wasn’t that kind of man and damn it if that wasn’t why she felt drawn to him. Magni was a force to be reckoned with. When he decided how something would be, that’s how it would be. It was as simple as that.

  She knew that when she went to his house, half-thinking he would throw her out on her ass and that would be the end of it between them. Again.

  But that wasn’t what happened and now she had to deal with the fallout.

  But not today. T
oday she needed a break from all of it. The diner. The necklaces. The B&B. The mammogram. She just wanted to have a day to be. To get her head back on straight and figure out how to put the moving parts of her life back where they belonged before she got anymore stupid ideas.

  Like trying to read more into that kiss in the street yesterday. Or into the table. Or into the way Magni put his body between her and Craig, holding her against him.

  Christine groaned and let her head fall to the steering wheel. What had she done?

  More importantly, how in the hell was she going to fix it?

  The only answer she had to that was, not today. Today she was going to avoid everything like the plague. She looked at the clock on her dash. The drive back to town was thirty minutes. Max. That left the entire afternoon to either hide in her house thinking about the looming mammogram or spend it with Gail or Rhea and pray they didn’t figure out she wasn’t as upset about the kiss as they thought.

  Damn him.

  Christine backed out of her spot at the post office and onto the main drag of Norton. She had to come here at least twice a week now, three times around the holidays when her business went into overdrive. It wasn’t a big city by any means but the small town was a bustling metropolis compared to Greenlea. It had a hardware store, a giant grocery store and three restaurants.

  And one of those was where she would start her afternoon of time killing.

  The American grill’s parking lot was packed as she drove by. That was a big fat nope on that one. Christine wanted to use the time to get a little extra work done and didn’t want to feel pressured to rush. This was going to be a long lunch.

  As long as she could make it.

  The Mexican place looked quiet. A few cars dotted the lot but there were plenty of free spaces outside which hopefully translated to plenty of space inside.

  Christine parked, grabbing her laptop case and her purse as she slid out of her seat. As she hoped the place was pretty quiet. The hostess smiled at her.

  “How many?”

  A familiar voice came from just behind her. “Three.”