by Lilly Atlas
And then she was gone. Marching her way up to the darkened main house, muttering hateful words under her breath with each stomp of her foot.
Well, he’d wanted to hear a few four-letter words from her and he certainly got his wish. Only that wasn’t quite what he had in mind.
As usual, he watched until she was safely in the house, the upstairs light indicating she went straight to her bedroom.
Snake was the worst kind of asshole. A fact that he’d always known, and never once had it bothered him in any way.
Until tonight. For the first time in as far back as he could remember, his actions bothered him and something akin to regret stabbed into his stomach.
Chapter Fourteen
Amanda woke in a bad mood. She ate breakfast in a bad mood. She showered in a bad mood. She did her laundry in a bad mood and she caught up on some DVR shows in a bad mood. Around three in the afternoon, after hearing the rumble of the motorcycle leaving the property, she got sick of moping around the house and obsessing over the events of the previous night. It was Monday and she’d taken the day off since she worked the weekend, planning to spend the day helping Nick in the cabins. But the burn of humiliation and anger kept her away.
“Well, forget that. You’re not wasting this entire day off,” she muttered. She wasn’t quite prepared to face Nick yet, so she wouldn’t go down to the cabins, but there was plenty to do around the main house, starting with weeding the small garden she’d planted in the back.
Amanda headed outside and attacked the garden with a vigor fueled by frustration and irritation. If she was honest with herself, which wasn’t easy in this situation, she’d have to admit only about ninety percent of her anger was directed at Nick. The last ten percent was reserved for herself.
After a few hours in the sunshine, weeding and finishing a couple other busy projects, the anger ratio switched to about fifty-fifty.
“What the hell were you thinking?” she asked as she hacked at an overgrown bush with a pair of hedge clippers. Somehow, with all the Dr. Michaels drama, the cathartic release that accompanied knocking down the wall, and the lust-filled electricity in the cabin, she’d forgotten who she was dealing with.
Granted she didn’t really know who Nick was, but she had a strong suspicion he was engaged in some kind of criminal activity. He was so shrouded in mystery, hardly talked about himself, and of course there was the horrific beating and shooting. Not to mention his clear disdain for the police officers who’d visited. All signs pointed to some sort of shady business.
And last night, none of that had even entered her mind. She should be thanking him for putting a halt to something that could only spell trouble. For crying out loud, she didn’t have so much as an outstanding parking ticket and she’d almost slept with a man she suspected of being a criminal.
“He was right,” she muttered. “I pretty much threw myself at him. My hormones have clearly turned me into a needy lunatic.” As awkward and embarrassing as it was, it was better this way. He was a complication she did not need in her life. But, he could have been less of a jerk about it.
“Oh crap,” she said as she realized she’d pretty much mutilated the bush. Time to call it quits before she destroyed anything else. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast quite a few hours ago. Kat wouldn’t be back for a few more days so it’d be a quiet, lonely dinner.
Sickest part of the entire situation was how she still wanted him. The small taste of him wasn’t enough. He was in her system now, like a virus she couldn’t shake. BOB hadn’t been able to provide the antidote, so she was stuck suffering the sexual frustration.
“Ugh,” she groaned as she started for the house. “Why did he have to be such a good kisser?”
“Who the fuck are you talking about?”
Amanda screamed and spun around, her heart fluttering out of control. John Michaels stood about ten feet away, hands on his hips and fire shooting from his eyes. “What the hell are you doing at my house?”
She backed up a step then realized the mistake. With her back to the house and a small staircase leading to the deck next to her, she was cornered. Fear slid through her, turning her blood cold. “What do you want?”
There was a shotgun in the house—two single women living relatively isolated, a good distance away from the local police station, just seemed like a smart idea—but she’d never get to it if he attacked. The one thing she had going for her was the sharp hedge clippers still in her hand. Thoughts of stabbing them into his flesh sickened her, but she’d do it if she had to. She’d do it to save herself. No way in hell would Michaels get the better of her.
“You know what I want. I believe I made myself pretty clear yesterday.” He relaxed his stance looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Seriously? He came here for what? A date. Despite the warmth of the day, Amanda shivered. Tracking her down and showing up uninvited was not the sign of a sane man. And people who weren’t sane were dangerous. If only Nick was home. Not that he was in any shape to take on Michaels, but another male presence might be enough to keep this situation under control.
“Look, Dr. Michaels—”
He growled and she flinched.
“Call me John. We aren’t at work, Mandy.” Hands were back on his hips and a scowl returned to his face. “And who the hell were you talking about kissing? You fucking someone, Mandy? I don’t share, and I don’t want my woman acting like a slut.”
His woman? His woman? Her blood boiled, overshadowing the nerves and fear from a moment before. “Did you just call me a slut?” She stepped forward. “What I choose to do in my personal life and who I choose to do it with is absolutely none of your business. I haven’t been your anything in months. I made it clear we had no relationship beyond a professional one when we broke up and then again yesterday. You need to leave.”
The slap came so fast, she never had a chance at dodging it. But the speed sure did nothing to diminish the pain. Her head snapped back as the entire left side of her face erupted in a fiery sting. It was hard to know which was worse, the shock of being slapped by a man or the actual pain.
As she cradled her throbbing cheek and stared at him, mouth agape, she felt like she was in some kind of alternate reality. She was completely alone and defenseless.
The hedge clippers!
Geez, how had she forgotten? With a shaking hand, she held them out in front of her as though brandishing a knife. “Stay back. Do not touch me. And leave.”
John laughed like she’d said the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “What the hell are you going to do with those, Mandy? Give me a trim?” With a lightning quick move, he slapped the shears out of her hand.
Now she was defenseless.
“I’ve had about enough of your shit, Ma—” The low rumble of motorcycle pipes had him turning toward the sound. It grew louder with each passing second, until the roar of Nick’s bike grew ear-splitting.
Amanda closed her eyes and breathed out a giant breath. Nick was here. Thank God. Despite everything that happened the night before, she had no doubt he’d help if necessary.
“Who the fuck is that?” John asked, taking two steps back for a better look at the newcomer.
“Just someone I’m renting a cabin to. You should just go.” She didn’t have a clear view of Nick from her position behind the house, but the heavy clomp of his riding boots indicated he was headed in their direction.
When he came into view she was simultaneously relieved and worried. Nick was only a few months out of some major injuries. A fight between him and John would not end well for him.
Nick sauntered up, his slightly limping gait relaxed, hands in his pockets. He looked unassuming and non-threatening. But it was a ruse. Displeasure rolled off him in waves and his eyes promised lethal consequences. “Hey folks. Enjoying the evening?”
Amanda almost laughed out loud. Hey folks?
Nick’s sharp gaze scanned John before shifting to her
. When his focus encountered what had to be a very red cheek, his eyes narrowed and his jaw ticked.
“Hey, man,” John said. “Just talking to my girl. You’re renting one of the cabins?” He took a step toward Nick, arm outstretched for a handshake like that hand hadn’t just wreaked havoc on her face.
Amanda used the moment of inattention to move in front of the steps leading to the house.
Nick didn’t accept John’s hand. He stared him down while keeping his own hands in his pockets.
“Wait, I know you.” John laughed then turned and looked at her. “He was my patient. He was your patient. And now he’s living here?” He turned back to Nick. “You the one fucking her, man?”
A knot formed in Amanda’s stomach, twisting around itself until she had to fight the urge to double over in pain.
Nick tilted his head and looked at John with no more regard than he’d give a gnat. “So what if I am? You the one that put bruises on her?”
Amanda went statue-still as she waited for John’s reaction.
Seconds ticked by. The silence was almost suffocating. Then, instead of answering, John lunged forward in an all-out attack on Nick.
Shit!
Amanda raced up the steps and into the house. As mad as she might have been at Nick, there was no way she could let him get hurt coming to her defense.
Chapter Fifteen
There were a few reasons he’d been saddled with the handle Snake shortly after he prospected with the Grimm Brothers MC. One of the most important reasons was his ability to attack fast and hard, with lethal precision. He tended not to act rashly, but would take his time and anticipate the perfect opportunity to strike.
This asshole bothering Amanda on the other hand was nothing but a blustering hothead who felt the need to prove his dick was bigger by launching an awkward attack. John Michaels was a big guy with big muscles, he’d give him that, but Snake grew up rough and learned to fight dirty at an early age. Normally, a man like Michaels would be no challenge whatsoever, but just a few months out of a shattered femur and some bullet wounds and the playing field was a bit more even. Perhaps even tipped in Michaels’ direction.
Snake managed to dodge the first blow and landed one of his own to Michaels’ gut. The man’s breath whooshed out on a grunt, but he recovered quickly and attacked again. Snake wasn’t so lucky the second time. Michaels’ fist flew at him in a wild arc that clipped his shoulder and was strong enough to send him staggering.
He stepped down hard on his healing leg and pain knifed through his thigh. Snake ignored it best he could and swung on John. He connected with the doctor’s face. The satisfying crunch of the doc’s nose against his knuckles was short lived as John kicked out and landed his shoe against Snake’s leg.
“Fuck,” he cried as he went down hard. Disadvantage to fighting the physician who treated your broken bones? He knew just where to strike for maximum impact.
“Not so tough, now, are you, asshole?” Blood poured from Michaels’ nose, dripping off his chin, and coating his expensive shirt. Before he had a chance to take advantage of the fact that he was on his feet while Snake writhed on the grass in excruciating pain, the unmistakable click-click of a shotgun pump shattered the evening.
Both he and the doc froze, then looked toward the stairs. Amanda held the shotgun in both hands, trained on Michaels. Damn, she looked hot. Hair high on her head in a long pony tail, tight T-shirt, showcasing her rack, fury in her eyes, lethal weapon in her hands. Only problem was the swollen cheek.
“Move away,” she said as she walked down the steps, indicating with the gun where she wanted Michaels to step.
He raised both hands and took four steps backward, out of Snake’s reach.
“You need to leave, now.”
Michaels was obviously stupider than Snake had originally anticipated because he chuckled and lowered his arms. “What are you gonna do, Mandy? You gonna shoot—”
Boom.
The slug hit the ground inches in front of Michaels’ feet, spitting dirt and grass all over all three of them.
Damn, his girl was fierce. His girl? Christ, now he sounded as delusional as Michaels.
The doc’s mouth dropped open and he sprung back. “You crazy bitch!”
“Get. Off. My. Property.”
“This isn’t over,” he said as he walked backward, hands up, in the direction of his car. When he was about fifty feet from her, he turned and speed walked back to his vehicle.
As soon as the car door slammed, Amanda tossed the shotgun in the grass and dashed toward Snake. His leg hurt like a motherfucker and he gladly accepted the hand she offered. With a strong tug, she hefted him to his feet. It took a moment of tentative weight shifting, but pain seemed to be the only symptom. The leg took his weight and didn’t buckle. Nothing a few Advil wouldn’t cure.
He now had two options. Limp over to his bike and chase after Michaels, or stay with Amanda. Snake wanted to tear out of there and show Michaels just what happened when he fucked with something of Snake’s. He had weapons in his saddlebags. The diminished capacity to fight wouldn’t mean shit once he had his gun.
But Nick wanted to stay. Nick wanted to be near Amanda. To make sure she wasn’t hurt or scared. To comfort her. And to fuck her. God, did he want to fuck her. Though after the way he treated her last night, the chances of that were slim.
As soon as Amanda saw he wasn’t going to fall flat on his face, she let him have it. “What the hell were you thinking, Nick?” She paced about ten steps away then back again. “For crying out loud, you aren’t fully healed. What? One near-death beating wasn’t enough for you?”
She was gorgeous when outraged on his behalf. Who the hell was this woman? What kind of woman had a threatening run-in with a man and bore both fresh and old bruises from him but didn’t seem to have a care in the world for herself? Amanda was the definition of unselfish. Here she was with a man’s handprint on her face and there were no theatrics, no tears, no dramatic retelling of the story. Only an angry tirade at him for putting himself in harm’s way.
“You do realize you need to get that leg checked out, right?”
He hobbled over to her and cupped her face in his hands, turning her head to get a good look at her cheek. It was rosy, and warm to the touch, but didn’t appear to be much worse than that. She’d have an embarrassing mark for a few days, but no broken skin and it didn’t seem to be painful enough for any broken bones. He dropped a soft kiss against the abused cheek, then another, and one more.
“W-what are you doing?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, I—” She cleared her throat. “I’m all right. Just a bit rattled. It’s just, when I saw him go after you…and you’re not fully healed.” Her breath hitched and a tear spilled from each eye. She shook her head and buried her face against his chest. Strong, but slender arms came around his waist and gripped him in a tight embrace. “I didn’t want you getting hurt for me. I don’t want you hurt at all, but especially not for me.” Her words were slightly muffled in his shirt.
Snake stood rigid for a moment, his arms limp at his sides. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Not once in his life had he comforted a crying woman. Made a few cry, yeah that he’d done, but never had the sight of a woman’s tears gotten to him. And Amanda’s got to him. An unfamiliar ache settled in his chest.
All he wanted was to see her smile. Actually, he wanted to be the one to make her smile. He had to start somewhere, so he forced himself to relax and enfolded her in his arms, holding her tight while she wept. It felt…good. Damn good. She was so much smaller than him and she just sort of melted against him, fitting herself like she belonged there. He could have stood there for hours just holding her. What the hell was she doing to him?
A few minutes later, she calmed and pulled back. Her eyes were red rimmed and glassy and she sniffed as she stepped out of his embrace. “Sorry about losing it all over your shirt like that.” As she spo
ke, she swiped a hand over the wet spot she’d left on his T-shirt. He was such a horny bastard that the innocent touch had his cock surging to attention.
“Well, um…” She glanced at the obvious bulge in his pants then back up at his face. “Uh, we, uh, you should probably get you off that leg he kicked. Maybe get in the hot tub. The warm water will do wonders for any muscles that are seizing up. Has it been helpful?”
He tried really hard not to smirk but wasn’t entirely successful. She was damned cute when flustered. “Haven’t tried it.”
“What?” Her eyes widened and he chuckled.
“I haven’t used it.”
“You’re crazy. You need to get in there and let it work its magic on your leg. Therapist’s orders.” She waggled a finger in his direction like he was a disobedient student and she was his teacher.
“Only if you join me.”
“W-what?”
“Come in with me.” He wanted to order her to get her sexy ass in the hot tub with him, but that wasn’t how things worked in Amanda’s world. She wasn’t some club whore whose sole purpose was to cater to the member’s wishes. She was independent, made up her own mind, and made her own choices. It intrigued him. Not only was she hot as hell, but he could carry on an intelligent conversation with her and she could hold her own against his moodiness. “Please,” he added, shocked the word came out of his mouth. “I have a few things I’d like to tell you.”
He’d made the comment before he thought the better of it. What the hell was he going to say to her? Nothing about the club. He couldn’t or wouldn’t. Didn’t matter which. But guilt, another foreign emotion, had been eating at him since the previous night. Even hours of riding through the mountains hadn’t cured the gnawing grind of conscience.
