by Blue, Jayne
It was Harlow, she’d become more important than any club concern right now. How had that happened?
I listened as her breathing came in even rhythms. She’d curled up next to me in this cab, her shaking had stopped, my body heat had done the job.
I had figured she’d start with a panicked list of questions about what the hell was happening. Instead, her body shut her down. I’d seen this before. Your head couldn’t take reality, so your body took over to protect you.
She wasn’t asleep, I saw that. But she was somewhere else, not in the cab with me. She was processing it all, I suspected. I didn’t know what her story was but the shit that happened today was taking its toll on her. Again, I cursed Bear. I cursed the fucking Hawks. How in the hell was it right letting this woman be in the middle of this?
I did know that it felt right having her lean on me. She fit next to me in a way I’d never known with another human. Whatever she needed to pull it back together I wanted to get for her.
Because, whether we meant to or not, my club had put this woman in the line of fire of the Devil’s Hawks. We’d stolen the guns they meant to sell and stashed them under her nose. Our goal was to get them away from the streets of Port Az and out of the Hawks control. But that didn’t mean shit to me right now if Harlow was in danger because of our plans.
I really hoped Bear and E.Z. had no idea what they’d done here. I was sure Benz and Axle didn’t. They’d be the first to tell me what I was getting into. I was sure of that.
They’d have stopped it if they’d known the shipment I was tracking would be driven by the most gorgeous and innocent woman I’d ever laid eyes on. They both had old ladies now but they weren’t fucking blind.
I was going to have to check in. The MC needed to know that there were some giant fucking kinks in the plan to quietly usher this shipment to Mexico. Giant fucking kinks.
But I didn’t reach for my phone just yet. I wanted this moment, this bubble really, to last. Harlow needed this time and I suddenly was selfish when it came to this woman. I realized I wanted her to lean on me. To look only at me with her kind eyes. To curl the corners of her mouth up in that flirty way. I wanted every part of her, fucked up as some of it might be.
And I hadn’t so much as kissed her.
This was the bullshit that got Benz and Axle in a world of trouble, woman bullshit.
“Kade.” She was back in the land of the present. I felt her stiffen next to me. That gave me a little pang in my chest.
“You feeling better?”
“Yes. Thank you. I’m sorry I fell apart.” Harlow sat up and slid back to the passenger side of the cab.
“No need to be sorry. Those guys were serious.”
“I have to call Rudy.”
“Rudy?”
“My boss at Ruff Life. And the police.”
“Ah, yeah.” Shit. I was damn sure I didn’t want her to call the police. I was going to have to put a stop to that. I didn’t know how, but the cops needed to stay out of this shit.
Well, one call at a time. She could call her boss and I’d come up with a way to stop her from calling the cops, one way or another.
She found her phone and dialed. I listened closely.
“Rudy. Yeah, I know. But I’ve had a fucking problem or three.” She explained how the Devil’s Hawk’s seemed to be targeting her. I heard her end of the conversation.
“That seems wrong,” she said. “They clearly have my shipment confused with someone else’s. I am going to head to the next Highway Patrol office I see and report everything.”
Harlow had keyed into the fact that the Hawks weren’t after tail. They were after something stored in this truck.
“What?” She listened and I saw her eyes get wider.
“That’s really great. When did it expire?” She was agitated at something he was saying.
She listened again and I had no idea what her boss was telling her.
“Don’t call me baby,” she said and I made a mental note, don’t call her baby. And come to think of it what kind of boss was this guy? I had the urge to kick his ass through the phone line.
“Yeah, I am okay. But that guy. I hit him good,” she told Rudy on the phone.
“Fine. Yes. I swear. Yes. No. Okay. I’ll call you after the dogs are delivered. But I’m officially letting you know I don’t think you’re making the right decision.”
She hung up her phone and put her thumb in her mouth. She began to gnaw on it and there was that look of panic returning.
“What was that about?”
“Well, Rudy has fucked shit up.” Her eyes were darting out the window and I didn’t think she saw the road. She had gotten some news that had riled her up again.
“What?”
“He says if I go to the police we could lose our operator’s license. Or worse.”
“Why?” I asked the question but was starting to suspect some shit. I had no reason to mistrust her boss. Except, well. I put that thought in the back of my mind and I’d unpack it later.
“He’s in debt. He says fees and licensing for our business has lapsed and he thinks, as long as I’m safe, I need to handle businesses as usual.”
“So, don’t say a word and drop off the dogs?”
Her boss had advised her exactly what I was hoping. It was too good to be true. I should have been following without her knowing. This easy job was getting more complicated by the mile but at least her boss didn’t want her to call the police. For now, the cops were a complication I could avoid if she was on the same page.
“Right. He said trouble with the police or with those bikers could mean the business could go under.”
“And you’re going to listen to him?” I glanced at Harlow and then back at the road. I had no idea what her regular life was like. I sensed she was vulnerable in some way; there was something that made her scared, other than just today. But she was also strong. I saw that too. I really had no basis to know what she’d do next or how she’d react to all that had happened. I had to trust her in this moment.
She ran a hand through her thick hair and brushed it over to the other side. I had a flash of doing that for her, touching her hair. Shit, focus Kade. Harlow set her jaw and looked at me.
The shaken, unsure, and vulnerable Harlow receded. She’d made a decision and the resolve took over her body.
“I have to. These animals mean the most. All Rudy’s dogs were in kill shelters. If Rudy goes under they all die. And I just damn near caved a man’s skull in because he threatened Tookie?”
“That’s true.”
“I need to get them to San Nonnus and with their new families.”
“You know those fuckers aren’t going to quit?”
I admired her commitment to the mission she was on but I was also afraid for her. The picture of who she was became clearer. She was someone who would risk herself to save animals. Commendable yeah, but stupid. I didn’t want her risking herself. I had my own internal struggle to deal with. The safest thing for her would be to call the police and then to run. But I had her with me and that seemed the only thing I wanted right now. More even than completing my job for The Saints.
“I supposed not. I’ll just be way more careful. Oh, and I do have a not-so-secret weapon.”
“Yeah? What the hell is that?” I asked. She didn’t seem to be hiding blackbelt training or even a can of mace in her purse.
“You.”
“Ah, not-so-secret.”
I winced a little. If Bear found out how I’d come out of hiding on this job he might give me a ton of shit. Then again, he was the one who hooked us up with this scenario. I would probably still be in the shadows if the driver of the Ruff Life truck was an old fat dude.
“I guess I’m assuming too much. Can you ride with me until I get them dropped off?”
Her eyes scanned my face. I kept it hard. Of course, I was headed wherever she was. Of course, I’d knock the shit out of anyone who tried to hurt her. And Rudy may be on that list.
I wondered again what he’d called her.
Of course, I was totally and completely into this woman.
“I’ve told you. I’m going your way.”
Harlow smiled and sank back into her seat.
“Thank you, Kade. It means everything to me.”
And that was all I needed to hear. Harlow wanted me, at least to ride with her, I absolutely knew I’d never be able to resist anything she asked of me.
I also knew it wouldn’t be long before the urge to kiss her was unstoppable.
We’d stay off main highways, we’d avoid any rest stops or hotels for that matter. I was going to have to work overtime to be sure the Devil’s Hawks didn’t get the guns or the girl.
And I wondered how long I’d be able to keep the fact that there were guns in this truck away from the girl.
Shit, we were driving a powder keg in more ways than one. And I wasn’t about to let Harlow do it alone. Fuck what Bear wanted. The situation had changed.
I was running these guns and interference. Harlow didn’t deserve the situation, so I was going to be damn sure it didn’t blow up in her face. It had already blown up in mine.
“We’re going to have to stop soon, for gas.”
Harlow looked over the gauge.
“Any ideas where?”
“Yep, hole in the walls are going to be our best friends for the next couple hundred miles.”
“Gotcha.” We’d stop for gas, and I’d figure out a way to update the MC. They needed to know that the Hawks were on to us.
I looked in the rearview. No one was following us, yet.
The sooner we got the dogs off the truck the sooner I could get this rig to Mexico.
I turned off the highway. Backroads and country routes were the ticket, for now.
It was a little haul just to get to a gas station but there was no question this was off the beaten path. I helped Harlow with the dogs. I needed to call Chase, but I didn’t want to do it within her earshot. The more she knew, the more dangerous this got.
I helped Tookie, Buster and Elaine, finish their business. They were still totally ignoring me as their alpha, but at least they didn’t piss on my boots. I was grateful for small favors. Tookie had decided she was the boss of me for sure. I looked at her and she took her sweet time trotting back up to the truck.
I helped Harlow put all the dogs back in their crates. Harlow issued a few commands and soothed a few whimpers. She had a way with these animals there was no question. I took that second to scan the truck and was now completely sure where the guns were hidden.
The truck could handle at least three times the number of animals. It also had ample space for supplies. The guns were hidden in plain sight under the tarps in the empty dog crates and in a supply tub.
If Harlow looked in the empty crates or the stacked extra supply tubs, she’d find them. I eyeballed her food stores and hoped she didn’t need to dig deeper before we were done.
Shit. This was a balancing act I didn’t expect to have to do. As much as I was pissed at the club right now, I needed instruction. I needed to know how they’d want this shit to go down now that we were off plan. Harlow finished handling the dogs.
“I’m going up to pay, need anything?” she asked me.
“I wouldn’t turn down a black coffee.”
“Got it.” She went into the service station and I kept on eye on her. If anything happened here it was because we were fucking cursed. There was no way the Hawks would know about this Podunk gas station.
I dialed Chase’s number. No answer, so I’d have to leave a message.
“Chase, change of plans. I’m fine. Cargo is fine. But we’re going to be taking a few detours. Also keep an eye out for ruffled feathers. I’ll call you later.” I couldn’t be more specific.
One thing the MC had drilled into me was to be careful anywhere you could be wiretapped or a message could get intercepted. No details. No evidence. The message was vague but at least the ruffled feathers line would give Chase an idea that I’d pissed off some Hawks. And he could give the club a heads up.
Harlow came out with coffee. I watched her walk toward me. I felt something in my chest tighten. Shit. I loved watching her. I realized how much in that second as she sent a smile in my direction.
This girl was some mixed-up combination of grit and vulnerability. And she cared more about the animals in the back than anything else in her life that I’d yet to hear about.
I was leaning on the driver’s side door and Harlow cocked her head.
“What’s that look?” she asked me and handed me one of the coffees.
“Just looking at you. Can’t seem to help it.” I had been pretty low key with how much I’d wanted to kiss her. She’d been spooked enough. We’d had so much happen in the space of a short time. I wanted her to trust me but it was getting harder not kissing those pretty lips.
I tried to put money in her hand and she waved it off.
“I owe you for letting me get my shit together during this last stretch.”
“You don’t. Believe me, you don’t.” I didn’t say more. If anything, we owed her, the whole MC, for the line of danger we’d put her in.
Harlow followed my lead and leaned up against the rig next to me. We stayed like that for a moment. It was good to be out of the vehicle. We had the last stretch to go to get to San Nonnus.
I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she blew on the top of the coffee and then took a sip. She closed her eyes and made the sexiest little sigh as the Java slid down.
“You do like your coffee. I’ll have to remember that.” I’d made her laugh and blush, and she looked down.
“Yeah, my coffeegasms are pretty intense.” She was so fucking saucy. I shouldn’t have, but I did it. Without much thinking – I’d been doing too much thinking actually since I started this assignment for the club – I leaned in.
I looked into her whiskey-colored eyes and I didn’t see fear. She also didn’t pull away. I wasn’t going to be one of those assholes.
She tilted her head up just a fraction, but I saw it. I didn’t touch her anywhere but her sweet mouth. My lips were on hers and I heard a sound even more amazing than her coffeegasm sound. She was soft and something more. The kiss deepened and I felt her body get closer, she was kissing me as much as I was kissing her.
But I kept my hands to myself. I wanted her trust. I wanted her to know if I touched her it would be because she wanted it. Maybe even begged for it.
I swirled my tongue around hers. I could feel her temperature go up. I knew my blood was boiling. I could see ripping that t-shirt off her and sliding those jeans down. I knew I wanted to kiss every part of her.
But later. Soon.
I leaned away a little. Her eyes opened and she swayed forward toward me.
She opened her eyes. She was surprised.
“What?”
“I wanted to be sure. Now I know,” I said to her. She blinked, and I could see her working it out like I was. It would only take one more second of kissing to be at a point of no return. I was in awe of how her actual lips lived up to what I’d imagined.
“Now, you know what?” She put the coffee up to her mouth and swallowed. But she didn’t break eye contact.
“You look like you might taste sweet. And you do.”
“Kade, I…” her cheeks were flushed but she held my stare. I was fucking serious with her and now she knew it.
“Very sweet, Harlow.”
A curl had escaped the riot on her head and had caught on her luscious eyelashes. I brushed it away.
“I’m not sure what that was,” she said and that mouth started to curl. I had come to love that unconscious way her lips moved.
“It was just the beginning.”
Harlow blinked and I handed her the keys to her truck.
I walked away. I was one-hundred percent sure that the next time I kissed her, I wouldn’t stop at her lips.
6
Harlow
I was glad
to be back behind the wheel. My body was a riot of raging hormones after Kade kissed me. I focused on the last stretch of road to get to San Nonnus. I had to.
I had a job to do and the craziness of the last few hours was more than I had signed up for. And Kade? I knew he was sexy. I knew he’d saved my ass. Hell, I even knew he liked Tookie more than he let on. But I wasn’t planning on what it felt like to have him kiss me.
I wasn’t ready for what Kade’s mouth on mine had sparked. I’d always been able to keep men around on my terms. I’d never lost my head over a boyfriend. I’d been in the driver’s seat and that’s the way I liked it. In all honesty, I didn’t really know what the fuss was about; losing your mind over a guy seemed stupid as hell. I had my animals to protect and that was always my priority, my life. I’d thought for a moment I could get into something more with Rudy, but that had turned weird fast. And I was as unattached as always. Which was fine. Perfectly fine.
But Kade had turned me inside out with one kiss. I wanted him to reach out and take me closer to his body. I wanted to sink into his arms. His kiss opened me up to something I didn’t know I was missing in my life: my life was missing him.
Shit. I had to stop letting the kiss go further in my mind and focus.
It was only 100 more miles but there was a rest stop ahead. The last one to stop at to be sure the dogs were looking good, watered, and happy for the handoff.
Kade had been watching the rearview and I had been in my own head. I wasn’t sure I could handle an escalation in his flirting. I knew he wasn’t playing. And I wasn’t sure if I could handle what that meant. Kade wasn’t a boy, he was a man: raw, dominant, and most likely someone who wasn’t long-term material.
But something about all of that had my insides in a frenzy after we finished walking and watering the dogs again. We had a system, now, and we worked in sync. I wondered how a man I’d just met could have me comfortable and on edge in the same moment.
Then I caught Kade watching me. He winked. The wink made me weak in the knees. I pretended I didn’t see it and hyper-focused on the dogs. Everything was in order with them.
