by Lilly Atlas
Striker and Hook already knew her flaws, secrets, fears. They had lived the unpleasantness with her, and cared for her anyway. But they’d coddled her for years, and she didn’t need that anymore. Didn’t need anyone to run her life. Somehow, she had to find a balance of relationships, both platonic and romantic, and independence so she could begin to develop a social life and find some contentment.
She cringed at the reflection, her eyes locking in on the three new finger-shaped bruises ringing her right upper arm.
It was no mystery to Marcie why Tanner had grabbed her in the same spot as Hook. He may have held her in the same location, but that’s where the similarities ended. Whereas Hook’s large, callused hand felt warm and arousing, Tanner dug his fingers into the delicate skin of her arm with a force that had nearly made her stumble. She’d barely been able to tolerate the pain long enough to leave the bar without a scene. No doubt, had Hook or Striker noticed, a brawl would have broken out, and that was the last thing she wanted to deal with after such an emotionally draining day.
Not to mention she didn’t need them to fight her battles. She’d shoved out of Tanner’s hold and gave him hell in the parking lot, at least until his friends emerged from the bar. He was quiet and contrite on the taxi ride to the motel. She’d been prepared to pick up where she left off and tear him a new one when they arrived at their room, but he’d been dead asleep after she made a quick trip to the bathroom.
Her boss had introduced her to Tanner at a company barbecue; the two men had been roommates in college and remained close friends. She chatted with him for a while at the party, found him mildly interesting and his GQ looks appealing. He was flirty and sweet and by the end of the party had asked her to dinner. At the time, she’d thought he could be a good place to start. Go on some dates, make some new connections. See where it led.
Marcie really didn’t date very much. The only example of man-woman relationships she’d been privy to growing up were beyond dysfunctional. Cash for sex and abusive drunks. Not exactly Disney movie love. Striker’s home life was pretty on par with hers, but he’d been older and better equipped to handle it, and she’d never spent much time around Hook’s family.
More than one john had beaten her mother, stolen from her, come on to Marcie, and generally treated her like shit. As a result, Marcie had a hard time trusting people, particularly men and tended to avoid close relationships with them. It was no mystery as to why she’d become so fiercely, and admittedly over the top, independent.
She’d only slept with two men in her twenty-six years, Tanner being the second. For a few weeks, she’d hoped Tanner could cure some of the solitude that seeped its way into her life, but that was turning out to be not the case at all.
He wouldn’t care beyond the ego-bruise associated with being dumped. Heartbreak wouldn’t be an issue since there wasn’t really any substantial emotional connection between them. After only a few weeks, the L-word hadn’t even crossed her mind, and she’d bet money on the fact that he wasn’t nervously awaiting the right time to profess his own love.
Tanner pounded on the paper-thin door, and Marcie jumped so hard she nearly dropped the abrasive towel. “Unlock the fucking door, Marcie.”
What the hell? His tone was one she’d never heard from him, nasty, almost violent. She twisted the flimsy lock and barely had time to draw her hand back before the door flew open, smacking against the wall with a crack. Bits of plaster flew into the small space. Tanner burst in, allowing Marcie no time to react.
He grabbed her face, his large hand gripping each side of her jaw in an unforgiving hold. Marcie winced as he squeezed, forcing her head up and her eyes to look into his. She tried not to let her fear show, but she was practically trembling with it. He must have only woken up within the last few minutes. What on earth could have happened to provoke this kind of behavior?
“Tanner, what the hell is wrong with you? Get your hands off me!”
“You fuck those guys?” he asked between clenched teeth.
That’s what this was about? Hook and Striker? He’d obviously lost his mind. Maybe some kind of alcohol-induced psychosis. “What? Tanner are you crazy? I talked to them for five minutes. When would I have done that?”
“I don’t mean last night, bitch, I mean when you lived here. You fuck one of them? Both of them? Maybe at the same time?” The staid lawyer was unrecognizable with his eyes hangover-bloodshot and his mouth twisted in an angry snarl. Around her jaw, his long fingers tightened with each question.
“No! God, Tanner, I was sixteen when I left here.” Marcie pulled her head back, trying to dislodge her jaw from his strong grasp.
“Do you have any idea how stupid you made me look?” Spittle landed on her cheeks.
“What do you mean? I was just talking to friends I haven’t seen in ten years.” Tears filled her eyes as his hold tightened to bruising.
“You were draped all over that one asshole like a slut. It makes me look like a pussy who can’t control his woman. I won’t tolerate it, Marcie.” His voice continued to rise and his dark eyes were full of threatening promises.
Who was this man? Yes, Tanner had proven to be self-centered, egotistical, and thoughtless over the past few days, but this enraged, jealous maniac was someone she hadn’t encountered before. How was she supposed to handle this belligerence?
“I grew up with them, Tanner, they were just friends. We were kids.” The expression lights on nobody’s home flashed through her mind as she watched him. It was like her words didn’t register in his rage-soaked brain.
Just as he opened his mouth, there was a sharp knock on the motel room door. Awareness finally filtered into Tanner’s gaze. He blinked and stared at his hand on her face as though it wasn’t under his control. “Oh my God, Marcie. I’m so sorry.” His fingers freed her sore face.
“Come on you lovebirds,” Billy shouted from the other side of the door. “Can you two stop going at it so we can grab some breakfast? We’re starved.” His we referred to Cameron, the other friend Tanner had invited along on the trip to bury her mother.
“We’ll uh, we’ll be out in a minute, dude,” Tanner called back. He kept his attention on her. “Marcie, I don’t know what happened. Please forgi—”
She held up a trembling hand. Forgiveness was great and all, but this was too much. “Look, Tanner. This seems very out of character for you, so let’s chalk it up to a momentary lapse of judgment.” Not that she really believed his personality would make a crazy shift just once. But she wanted out of this bathroom without another scene. “I was thinking it would be better to wait until we got home to do this, but now I think it’s just best to get it out of the way. I’m not sure we’re right for each other, and I think we should probably stop dating.” There, she said it. Easy, unemotional, and hopefully well received.
His hands dropped to his sides and he bowed his head in defeat. “I get it. I scared you.”
He sure as hell had. “It’s more than just that. The connection just isn’t there for me. I’m sorry, I hope you understand.”
“I do. And, again, I’m really sorry for this. Um…don’t waste your money on a plane ticket. Let’s just get some food and drive back home. I’ll respect your space and your decision.”
This was the calm, rational Tanner she’d known for the last two weeks. Not that it fooled her. Something darker lurked under the mild-mannered exterior. But a last-minute plane ticket was the last thing she wanted to pay for. “Okay. That sounds fair. I’ll meet you outside.”
He left and Marcie shut the bathroom door and threw on a pair of denim cutoffs with an eggplant ribbed tank top. She glanced in the mirror.
Damnit. Faint purple marks lined her jaw. Her hands trembled as she dug through her toiletry bag. They couldn’t get to Seattle fast enough. She wanted her apartment, and her bed, and the tub of fudge brownie ice cream waiting in her freezer.
Without much finesse, she slapped some cover-up on her face. She turned her head from side to side. Good
enough. It looked like she had a bit too much makeup on, but at least the bruises were hidden. Not so much for the ones on her arms, but anything with sleeves was already in the suitcase in the car.
After slipping her feet in jeweled flip-flops, she exited the bathroom and headed out after the guys in the parking lot.
When she reached Tanner’s black Audi Q7 SUV, his pride and joy, she was greeted by frustrated male cursing. Ugh, what now? Five seconds ago, he was fine. This new bout of anger better not have anything to do with her.
“I can’t fucking believe it! Fifty thousand dollars for this fucking car and the piece of shit won’t start. It’s five months old! Where the fuck is Marcie?”
She bit her lip to keep from smirking at Tanner’s dismay. He used that car as a status symbol and bragged about it endlessly. The car was unnecessary, especially since the one he traded in was only a year and a half old. Ninety percent of the time, he drove the two miles from his condo to his office. What the hell did he need a luxury vehicle for? She couldn’t help but take some smug pleasure in his predicament. “I’m right here, Tanner.”
“Where’s the closest Audi dealer?”
Without thinking, Marcie burst out laughing. “Out here? Probably two plus hours away.”
“Damnit, this is the shittiest town ever.” He wound up with his leg and threw a vicious kick at the rear tire. A loud curse broke through the morning silence as his foot collided with the tire.
Tanner’s friends both stared at fascinating spots on the asphalt. Of course, they wouldn’t get involved. Come to think of it, neither looked very surprised by his outburst. Was this his typical behavior? If so, he’d managed to hide it well for a few weeks. “We are a bit off the grid here. There won’t be a dealership for a few hundred miles, but there is a garage in town.”
“I’m supposed to let some backward desert hick work on my car?” He snorted. “I don’t think so.” He ran a hand through his impeccable hair, scattering the strands in multiple directions.
Marcie didn’t bother to let him know, again taking a bit of guilty pleasure in seeing him out of sorts. “I don’t see that you have any other options right now.”
“It’ll be fine, man.” Billy rubbed a hand over his buzz-cut and rolled his eyes. He’d been in the military and hadn’t lost the haircut or the muscles in the few years since he’d been discharged.
“Yeah, let’s just call a tow. You and Marcie can ride to the garage with them. Billy and I will grab a cab, get some grub, and meet up with you at the garage.” Cam looked between Tanner and Marcie. His fire-engine-red hair shone in the sun. The guy should probably find some shade before his freckled skin roasted.
Tanner grunted. “Fine. Marcie, make the call.”
Marcie bristled at the command in his tone, but all she wanted was to get the hell out of there. It would be all over as soon as they got to Seattle. Turning away, she fished her phone out of her purse. She dialed four-one-one and held the cellphone to her ear.
“Information, how may I assist you today?” A clear crisp voice greeted her.
“Good morning. I need a number for a tow truck in Crystal Rock, Arizona.”
“Certainly, please hold one moment while I retrieve that for you.”
As Marcie waited, Tanner trudged around the parking lot, one stomp away from a full-blown temper tantrum. Billy stood by trying to calm him while Cameron paced, off to the side, on his own phone, probably calling for a taxi.
“Okay, ma’am, the tow truck comes from the NP Garage and the number is…” As the operator rattled off the ten digits, Marcie had to force herself to pay attention. How could she have forgotten that the garage was adjacent to the No Prisoners’ clubhouse?
Shit.
Now she’d have to accompany Tanner onto their turf. Lifting her eyes heavenward, she sent up a little prayer asking that Hook and Striker not be there today. Though if she was honest, the thought of seeing Hook again sent a thrill zinging through her blood.
After she disconnected with information, she placed a call to the garage, and strolled back over to where the men were waiting. “They’ll be here in ten minutes.” No point in telling Tanner who owned the garage; it would be apparent soon enough.
Just a few minutes later a taxi rolled into the motel parking lot.
“Okay, we’ll go pick up some food from that diner we saw yesterday, then have the cab drop us off at the garage. Anything specific you guys want?” Cam asked.
“Um, you know what? I’ll get the food, you guys go to the garage.” Thank you, Cam, for giving her an out. She moved toward the cab but Cameron waved her off.
“No need, girl. Stay with your man.” He winked.
Ugh, this really wasn’t the time to announce their breakup to the guys, with an open taxi door and curious driver looking on. Looked like she’d be hanging with Tanner for a few minutes. Hopefully, she could refrain from slapping him if he opened his mouth again.
Cam and Billy filed into the classic-looking yellow taxi. The taillights receded and she was once again alone with Tanner. Her heart rate kicked up a notch. Would he go off on her again?
Thankfully, as the cab turned out onto the highway, a tow truck rumbled into the parking lot. Marcie waved, catching the attention of the driver as he slowed and rolled the truck into position behind Tanner’s SUV.
A thin man with shaggy blond hair that curled around his ears climbed out of the cab. He had to be at least six foot four, with long spindly arms and legs. Marcie bit back a chuckle as she had the thought that the man looked rubbery, as though someone had stretched him out and he hadn’t yet shrunk back.
Thick, dark, rectangular glasses sat on his face, reminding her more of a geeky college professor than an outlaw motorcycle club member. But he wore the identifying No Prisoners cut, confirming he was in fact a patched member of the club.
“Fancy ride.” The stretched-out man didn’t bother to introduce himself. “You called about a tow, right?” He looked at Marcie.
She opened her mouth, but Tanner beat her to it, holding out a hand to the newcomer. “Hey, buddy, I’m Tanner.” He pointed to the car. “She won’t start, won’t even turn over. Bitches, right?”
The lanky man ignored Tanner’s attempt at male posturing, and raised one brow, turning toward Marcie.
The heat of embarrassment rushed to her face, first because Tanner had only introduced himself, leaving her standing next to him like a statue. And secondly, because of his demeaning, sophomoric joke.
“Hey there, darlin’, the name’s Gumby. You the one who called?”
She never would have come up with it, but Gumby was a perfect nickname for the gangly man. Marcie was able to swallow the laugh that threatened, but she couldn’t keep the grin off her face.
“I know, girl, believe me I know.” He seemed to guess where her thoughts had taken her.
She reached out, placing her hand in his much larger one. “Marcie, and yes I called you.”
“Okay then.” He released her hand and walked with extra-long strides toward the tow truck. “You guys can hop on in. Air’s running. I’ll have this baby loaded up in no time. Garage is about ten minutes from here, and we should be able to check it out right away.”
When he reached the passenger side door, he wrenched it open. With an exaggerated flourish of his lengthy arm, he gestured into the vehicle. “Ladies first.”
Charmed, Marcie smiled and started for the truck, but the smile was short lived as she snuck a glance in Tanner’s direction. His face was a mask of anger, yet again. Why was he acting so jealous and possessive? She’d just broken up with him for crying out loud.
The interior of the truck was blessedly cool, as the day had already begun to significantly heat up. Marcie slid to the center and gazed through the windshield, not surprised to see Tanner hadn’t budged.
“Coming man? We’re letting all the lady’s cool air escape,” Gumby said.
“I’ll supervise you hooking up my car.”
Marcie rolled
her eyes. Tanner’s use of the word supervise was purposeful, as though Gumby couldn’t do his job and needed Tanner to oversee the process. He could barely find the gas tank; there was no way he’d know how to rig up a tow.
She enjoyed a few minutes of peace in the cool, quiet truck before the doors opened simultaneously and each man slid in. Sitting sandwiched between the two men was slightly awkward, but she didn’t really have another option.
Gumby put the truck in gear, checked the mirror, and drove toward the exit. “So darlin’, rumor has it you grew up around these parts.”
He had a bit of a southern twang, and Marcie took a second to wonder where he was from.
Tanner stiffened. “How the fuck do you know that?” Tanner’s voice snapped through the car.
Well, Tanner seemed to have given up on feeble his attempt to be chummy with Gumby, and was now resorting back to straight up jerk. Fantastic.
“Hey,” she whispered. “Tone it down.”
Gumby directed his attention toward Marcie. “Hook overheard you call in and gave me a heads up. Told me to give you the royal treatment.”
“Who the fuck is Hook?”
Okay, she’d had enough of his childish attitude. The look she gave him would have boiled water.
Gumby continued as though Tanner hadn’t uttered a word. “In fact, I think Hook’s exact words were something like, ‘Treat her like family. Hit on her and I’ll rip your nuts off.’” He mimicked Hook’s accent and laughed. “I thought that was interesting.” He winked.
Marcie let out a shaky chuckle.
“Oh, please.” Tanner rolled his eyes.
“Hey, man, relax. You don’t want to go in there swinging your dick around. I’m laid back and easy going. Some of these guys—” He snorted. “Just lose the attitude.”
Marcie had a feeling Gumby could be anything but calm and easygoing if the situation called for it. He may look like a lanky college professor, but he was still an outlaw biker. They weren’t known for laid back or easygoing.
