Forbidden Protector

by Natasha L. Black

  “Yeahh, well you can tell him that the Devil Kings and their Uzis specialize in I-Shoot-You-And-Make-You-Go-Bye-Bye.”

  Mom was already on her way to the door already, calling over her shoulder, “Won’t work. You know how stubborn he is. I’ll have to get him myself.”

  “But Mom,” Hayes called after her.

  “Don’t worry about me,” she called. She patted her pocket. “Abe gave me a present for the next time things go crazy.”

  As she disappeared from view, Hayes shook his head. “Abe doesn’t get it. Giving Mom a gun is like giving cookies to the Cookie Monster. It just shouldn’t be done.”

  “What’s the not-completely bad news?” I asked.

  My brother scowled. “Didn’t even get to tell Mom it. That the supplies are on their way and slightly delayed.”

  “You had a new guy do it, didn’t you?”

  “You hate all the new guys.”

  “All the new guys are sketchy.”

  “That’s just because we haven’t brought them into the flock yet.”

  I snorted. “Well if there’s nothing else, let’s get the kids out of here for a bit.”

  “Aha!” Hayes grabbed Chance, who had apparently been lingering nearby. “Good news - I’m letting the kids and whoever else wants to, to enjoy some fresh air. Which means I want you glued to my sister and niece. If so much as a chipmunk gives you the heebie-jeebies, smash its face in.”

  “Please don’t,” I said. “Devil Kings aren’t recruiting chipmunks, as far as I know.”

  Chance chuckled and my stomach dropped.

  “We’re going now?” he asked.

  Hayes was smiling away. “Now.”

  Funny, how I’d got what I’d wanted and didn’t feel good about it at all.

  How was I supposed to keep my head if I was close enough to touch Chance?

  Close enough to do so much more…

  21

  Chance

  There were no chipmunks there, that was for sure.

  There was a hill that was good for surveying the surrounding landscape and a funky hot dog smell from the BBQ that still made my stomach growl.

  There were also more Twisted Souls than I could count, let alone keep track of. Although I did scan the horizon every so often, to make sure that no one was coming.

  There was Abe carting a plastic hulk of frozen hash browns over to the BBQ. Big Bonzo and Charlie playing chess (Big Bonzo actually looked to be winning when he wasn’t checking on Hayes). There was Abe, grudgingly smiling as Malory twirled a long pink swirly popsicle in her mouth.

  And, of course, standing awkwardly beside me, clearly the last place she wanted to be, was Connie.

  She was drumming her fingers into her thigh. The one that had been wrapped around me not three hours earlier.

  Stay on task, Chance.

  Task was easy or should be. Unless the Devil Kings had somehow wire-taped the compound, I didn’t see any way they’d know about todays’ impromptu outdoor trip. Which meant that all I probably had to do was stand there.

  And somehow stop myself from saying anything to Connie.

  Not that I’d have anything much to say. Sure, I wanted to continue what we’d started, but that didn’t require words.

  Our bodies could do the talking.

  Stay on task, Chance.

  I dug my heels into the dirt, inhaling long and deep.

  It wasn’t like I could say anything about what had happened anyway. I could see it now, what would happen as soon as I breathed one single word about what we’d done…

  Hayes would most likely impale me with the nearest object and the rest of the Souls would finish the job out of loyalty. Yeah, not the way I wanted to go.

  The sky was the kind of blue that made me suspicious. Even the air seemed too still, as if waiting for something to…

  BANG!

  BANG!

  Gunshots.

  I grabbed Connie and threw her to the ground, so my body was on tops of hers.

  Where were the shots coming from? How had we not seen anyone closing in?

  I heard the yelling, smelled the metallic tang of something burnt, felt the scratchy grass below me.

  “ANNIE!” Connie screamed.

  She was struggling under my body, as if she could get away.

  BANG!

  “MOMMY!” Annie raced over and flung herself to the ground beside us. I shifted to cover her with my body too.

  My senses were going haywire. Too much was happening all at once.

  A kid was wailing. Connie was breathing deeply.

  I saw smoke, then heard another bang that almost sounded like…

  Firecrackers. Some idiot was actually setting off firecrackers.

  It wasn’t gunfire. It was fucking firecrackers.

  “It’s ok,” I told Connie.

  I helped her and Annie up, then threw a look around.

  A teenaged kid with a backward ballcap stood with his arms crossed, laughing his ass off at the chaos he’d created.

  I stormed over there, grabbed him by his Hurley t-shirt, and shook him until his teeth rattled. “You think this is funny?”

  And just like that, all the laughter was gone.

  “N-no,” he sputtered.

  I released him but held him with my glare. “Good. Because that was really fucking dumb thing to do with everyone stressed about what’s going on. Not to mention that could alert people that we’re here.”

  The kid scowled at the ground, shuffled his skinny-jeaned legs. His mom stomped over and grabbed him by the arm. “You hear that, Francis, you shit? We’re going inside.”

  She tugged him along as he pissed and moaned behind her.

  “Going back inside is not a bad idea,” I told the others in a raised voice.

  Dozens of disappointed faces met my words.

  Too bad. Keeping Connie and Annie safe was my top priority. My only priority.

  My gaze went behind the compound, where Hayes was waving. That was our cue anyway. “Reinforcements are here, and we have a movie anyway. And popcorn.”

  That got people smiling.

  Everyone trekked back haphazardly, and I stuck by Connie and Annie like Gorilla Glue.

  “Thank you,” Connie said, careful to keep her distance. She still wasn’t able to look me in the eye either. “For looking out for us. Especially Annie.”

  “Of course,” I said.

  She smiled thinly and continued inside.

  It only took five minutes or so to coax the kids and adults into the back low-ceilinged room we had the projector set up in. Popcorn was distributed amongst them, and everyone’s attention was occupied. Connie and Annie were sitting in the front row. I stayed in the back row, waiting.

  “Heya.” Hayes pulled me aside.

  He shoveled popcorn in his mouth and said, “I heard.”

  Oh shit.

  His face revealed nothing. How could he have found out?

  He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You shielded Connie and Annie within seconds of that dipshit shooting off the firecrackers. Seriously, man, you’re just what they need. What I need. I’m making you their personal bodyguard while we’re in here.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. Connie wouldn’t like it. Not one bit.

  Would I?

  “One more thing,” Hayes paused, shoving another handful of popcorn in his mouth before continuing. “Have you ever considered joining?”

  “The Twisted Souls?”

  Dumb, repeating it. But still.

  I knew how MCs worked. They didn’t invite you to join within weeks of knowing them. Certainly not without some uncommon stunts to warrant it.

  “Nah, the cops.” Hayes laughed. “Course the Souls. I know it’s a far cry from the police, but you’re smart, loyal, have good instincts.”

  Big Bonzo walked into a wall behind us while trying to navigate his way to the oddly placed door. Hayes sighed. “Lord knows we need people like that.”

  Hayes was still studying
me as he emptied a popcorn handful back into the bag, keeping one kernel to twirl between his two fingers.

  “I haven’t given it much thought,” I admitted.

  Hayes tossed the kernel in his mouth, bit down. “You should.”

  I stood there, unable decide whether this new position was a good or bad thing.

  My whole body was primed for being near Connie. I was already headed back to where I’d been standing before, searching for that familiar copper hair in the front row.

  Problem was, that being close to her, I’d want to get even closer.

  Repeat what we’d done.

  What we couldn’t do again.

  22

  Connie

  Annie was grinning ear to pigtailed ear as she chowed down on the hash brown-macaroni and cheese concoction that one of the women had brought us.

  What was more surprising was that she was actually devouring the thick concoction as she babbled on about the movie we’d just watched. “And the genie was SO funny! I wish I had a magic carpet.”

  Suddenly, mid-bite, she paused and gave me a sideways glance I knew well.

  “What is it, pumpkin?”

  “Why was everyone so scared when we were outside? And why did Mr. Chance jump on us?”

  I put my own mac-filled spoon down in my bowl. I’d been wondering when this was coming.

  The movie had distracted Annie for some time, but she’d need what had happened explained to her. I’d hoped to get some more sleep in me before I embarked on doing that. But it looked like now was the time.

  Time to cut the balance between not scaring Annie and yet keeping her informed of what was going on in case something bad happened again.

  I took her little hand, squeezed it. “Everyone was scared outside because someone set off firecrackers and it made a lot of people nervous because it was so loud. And Mr. Chance was just protecting us. We have to stay a little longer because there are some not so nice people that are trying to do bad things in town. Uncle Hayes and his friends are trying to make sure that those not nice people go to jail and leave us alone.”

  Annie chewed on her cheesy-hash browns, her face going solemn. “Will it come to fisticuffs?”

  I threw my head back and laughed. I could hug her.

  And I did, smoothing her head down too. “Yes, it could. Which is why we have to be careful to stay out of the way or hide when we can. We don’t want to get hurt.”

  “Okay.” Annie was already reaching for her spoon, questions answered, and nerves assuaged.

  Already, it was bedtime, although when Annie finally finished her bowl, she refused to budge off the couch.

  “You know you’ll just fall asleep here if I read you the story now,” I said.

  “I don’t want to go to bed now!”

  I sighed.

  I’d had enough drama today to last me a week. Plus, Annie had to deal with enough things out of her control lately. Reading her bedtime story on the couch wouldn’t hurt anybody.

  “The birdy one?” Annie asked, when I was halfway to the bag where her books were stashed.

  “Are You My Mother,” I agreed.

  It wasn’t just Annie’s favorite; it was mine too. Admittedly, I was slightly biased, since it was the one Mom used to read to me practically every week when I was a kid.

  Sure enough, three pages into ‘Are You My Mother’, Annie was snoring on my side. I let the book fall closed, wrapped my arms around her and-

  Knock, knock.

  I froze. Who was knocking now?

  I gingerly slid away from Annie so that she was still propped up on the couch, then got the door.

  “Hey,” Chance greeted.

  The person I least wanted or needed to see right then, stood there looking hot as all hell.

  “Just wanted to check up on you two.” He said it like it was an apology.

  “We’re fine. Thank you. And for before.” I had the door halfway closed, when his hand stopped it and he tossed a hard look at me.

  “Also, your brother assigned me your personal bodyguard. So, I’ll probably be sleeping outside the door. If you hear someone out there, it’s me.”

  Hayes did what?

  Different versions of the same thing I couldn’t say slammed through my head – No, under no circumstances do I want that.

  Explaining it to Hayes would be impossible. Plus, maybe Chance looking out for us wouldn’t be so bad. I didn’t just have myself to think of.

  It would be the best for Annie too. Without a doubt I’d take a bullet for her, but Chance had training and strength I didn’t.

  As much as I hated it, it made sense.

  “Goodnight,” Chance finally said.

  He turned away fast. But not so fast that I didn’t catch the wounded look on his face.

  “Wait.” I grabbed him.

  Our gazes met and my hand fell away.

  Touching him brought me back to a few hours before.

  Careful, Connie.

  “I’m sorry,” I told him. “This whole situation just has me freaked. My brother would flip if he found out, and even without that, I’m not sure if it’s for the best. I’ve got a lot going on in my life.”

  Chance’s profile was to me, his look impossible to place. “It’s fine. I’ll just be going. Have a good night.”

  “No.” I made to grab him again but stopped myself just in time. “Stay. Honestly, I mean it. None of this is your fault. If anything, I have a lot to thank you for. Please. Stay.”

  He swung a look my way. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure. We’ll have to talk quietly since Annie’s sleeping, but yeah. I wouldn’t mind some company right about now.

  “Alright,” he finally said. “I’ll come in for a bit. You should get some sleep too, though.”

  “It’s eight pm. The only way I’ll be sleeping now is if I pop some pills.”

  I pushed the door open further with my back. As Chance passed, his scent wrapped i around me and I couldn’t help but notice how nice and tight his ass was. I immediately face-palmed mentally at the random thought in my head.

  The door swung closed as I stepped away.

  On the couch, Annie was still as fast asleep and couldn’t help but smile. “Read her all of three pages of the book and she conked right out.”

  I leaned over to pick her up, but Chance’s arms were already there. “I’ve got it.”

  Before I could even think of what to say, he scooped her up carefully and carried her away to the bed, as gently as though she were a precious china doll.

  He tucked Annie under the covers with a tenderness I could only gape at. That big pack of muscles, capable of such gentleness.

  I wouldn’t have thought it possible.

  I turned away and exhaled.

  23

  Chance

  Funny, how much the daughter looked like her mother. The same heart shaped face, same copper red hair. Adorable, too. She weighed as much as my toaster. Maybe a little more.

  “Thank you.”

  Connie said the words softly, almost apologetically.

  “Just doing my job,” I said.

  “Not just that. About everything –being so understanding with how I’ve been.”

  “You’ve got priorities. I get it.”

  “You don’t, though.”

  “Meaning?”

  I swung around to see her pale brow creased with irritation.

  “Meaning that it wasn’t fair of me to act like that. Don’t pretend that it was.”

  A grin tugged at the side of my mouth. “Alright.”

  “It’s just that learning to live without Ace was hard even if he wasn’t my dream husband.”

  I didn’t say anything.

  Connie went over to the couch and sat down. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. I am tired. I’m not making any sense.”

  I went over to sit on the couch next to her but not as close as I wanted. “That your way of saying you want me to leave so you can get some sleep?” />
  “That’s my way of saying I’m sorry. And that it’s not your fault that…” She paused, winced as though the next words were being twisted out of her. “That I’m not even sure what this is with you. Whether it’s just crazy passion, lust or…” She exhaled, a small chuckle coming out too. “I guess what it comes down to, is that I’m scared.”

  Her hand was on the couch, so alone. I covered it with mine. “It’s okay.”

  Only it wasn’t. Of course it wasn’t.

  All I could say was, “It’s hard losing someone.”

  More trite bullshit.

  Her bright blue eyes fixed on me, startled open. “Your partner…”

  My jaw clenched. “She wasn’t just my partner.” The words were out before I could stop them. “She was my Lucy. She was polka dot boots in the winter, red lipstick on a night out. Freckles on her nose that crinkled when she laughed. She was my wife.”

  Connie’s mouth fell open. “God, Chance I had no idea, I…”

  “And she died right in front of me. Shot in the back. We didn’t see anything, didn’t hear anything. A bust gone stupidly wrong. We hadn’t expected the drug dealing scum anywhere near us, were laughing at some joke she’d made.”

  Connie’s mouth was stuck in a horrified ‘o’. Didn’t blame her.

  Who knew why I’d said it out loud, why I’d told her at all. It’d been a long time since I’d told anyone.

  I spoke so she didn’t have to. “It’s fine. You don’t have to say anything. It still hurts, but what can you do?”

  Connie cleared her throat. “You’re right. It’s like, you get to a point when you realize there’s no strategy, no cure-all to get past the hurt. Nothing you can really do. Nothing but wait. Let time give balm to the wound. Make it hurt a little less.”

  It was in her eyes. She really got it.

  At some point we’d inched closer, now were side by side, our legs touching.

  I knew what came next, just how I knew that stopping it would be like trying to stop a landslide.

  Her mouth twisted on mine with something more than want, more than hunger.

  I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her deeply, my tongue stroking hers. It took me a few good seconds to realize she’d pulled back. Her eyes were glassy. “Not here.”