He scraped a hand down his beard and her eyes followed it. She wasn’t much into facial hair but his fit him. The piercings not so much. Most bad boy personas didn’t have their nipples and nose pierced. She found that curious, but not enough to ask him why he had them done.
He might mistakenly think she was interested.
Right now, she needed to hear a solid plan. Her sister’s safety was much more important than Reese’s likes and dislikes when it came to men. So, she waited.
“Need to get your sister outta here. Somewhere safe. Somewhere not linked with you or any of your family.”
“It’s just us. Some distant cousins live in Florida.”
“I probably got a place she can go. Where he’d never find her.”
“Where?”
He shook his head. “Gotta work out those details first. Once she’s there, I can set up here.”
“In my house.”
“Well, I can’t sit outside your fuckin’ house unless I sit in a goddamn tree stand. And I’m not some special ops guy on a covert mission, I’m just a fuckin’ bounty hunter. I see my target, nab my target and deliver the asshole. Then collect my payment. You won’t see me out in the woods with camo and war toys. You want that, you pay for it yourself.”
He was kind of cute when he was annoyed. “Okay. We get my sister out and you in. What else?”
“You go, too.”
“What?” She was not leaving a stranger alone in her house. “I’m not leaving. If I did, I couldn’t go far, anyway. I have my practice—”
“Said you needed to listen.”
Oh, yes, that was right, that was what he said. “And I said I’d have opinions. One of them is this: I’m not leaving my home to go into hiding. I have cases I put off already that I need to deal with. Clients to meet with. I’m already behind enough due to all the nonsense this asshole caused.”
“You go, too.”
She pinned her eyebrows together. Did he not hear her? “No, if I go, and no one is coming and going from this house, that will look suspicious. I need to continue with my regular routine. And, anyway, if he was going to break into the house to get to Reilly, he’d wait until I left for the day, right?”
He didn’t say anything. Because he knew she was right. Maybe that bothered him and, honestly, she just didn’t care if it did.
“When I leave for the day, you can come in and sit on the house.”
“No, I’m not comin’ and goin’. If he ends up watchin’ the house he’ll see me and not approach. Once I’m settled in, I’m stayin’ put and keepin’ watch.”
Shit. The man wanted to be in her house twenty-four seven. Even when she was home. She’d have no privacy at all. She didn’t like that. Not one bit. But she also wanted Warren caught.
A little suffering on her part could be worth the satisfaction of catching that bastard in the end. “How long do you think this will take?”
“Have no fuckin’ clue.”
“Could it be months?”
“Hope to fuck not. He skipped less than a week ago. Thinkin’ he went underground to regroup. Probably already figured out she gave up her job and apartment. Probably assumed she ran to family to hide. Also, since he was bonin’ her, they most likely talked besides just fuckin’ and he knew about you. At least knew your first name. Maybe even had an idea of where you lived.”
Reilly did say in the beginning, her and Billy talked a lot. About her life mostly, not his. Always asking questions, trying to get in good with her. He drew her in by appearing to care about her life.
Not talking about himself, or his past, should’ve been a sign.
Reese sneered at the thought Reilly had been so gullible, causing Deacon to frown. “What’s with your face?”
“The more I think about that asshole, the more I realize prison isn’t good enough,” she admitted.
“Probably won’t get a lot of time inside, anyhow. Skippin’ will add some time, but not enough.”
“You didn’t see my sister in that hospital.”
“Saw the pics. Saw it was brutal. She didn’t take him stealin’ from her lyin’ down. Don’t know her yet, but if she’s anything like you, she’s got balls.”
“You don’t need balls to be strong.”
Why did people, especially men, use the term “pussy” for someone weak and say someone strong “had balls?” Most women she knew were not weak and she assumed they all had vaginas. Like her.
Men who thought women were the “weaker sex” needed a lesson on how wrong they were.
Billy Warren had balls and he was just a weak little man who stole from women and then beat them up. Reese would love to remove those balls and hang them from the rearview mirror of her BMW. Or, hell, put them on a string and make clackers out of them.
She closed her eyes and blew out a breath. Getting pissed off right now wouldn’t help. She needed to keep calm and collected and work out a plan with the man standing before her.
They had a common goal, she reminded herself. She needed to concentrate on that.
“I agree with moving my sister. If you have a place for her to go that’s safe, I’ll pay for her room and expenses. But I’m going to continue to stay here and work in my practice. Then, whatever we need to do to draw that bastard out, we’ll do it. You capture him and deliver him to wherever you need to deliver him to, and I’ll try not to kill him first. But no promises.”
“Gonna keep your deadly tendencies in mind. Just so you know, him turnin’ up dead will cause a whole new issue. For you and your sister. He deserves to be in prison, not you. Remember that.”
“And my sister did not deserve what he did.”
“Not sayin’ the fucker’s gonna be delivered without a scratch.”
Deacon grinned.
Reese grinned.
That admission warmed her up to his plan a little more.
“Now... Need a place to hide my truck. Need a place to lay down my head. Tomorrow mornin’, gonna meet your sister. Also gonna make some calls about where she can go. And you call a tow truck.”
He didn’t need to tell her to call a tow truck. She bit back the response she wanted to give him and instead said, “I’ll need to get a rental until my car is fixed.”
“How ‘bout you take my truck to and from your office? This way I don’t gotta hide it and if I need to go somewhere in it, he might think it’s you drivin’. Windows are tinted dark enough he won’t know who’s behind the wheel. It’s no Beamer, but I’m sure you can suffer through usin’ it ‘til your cage is repaired.”
Her what? “Cage?”
“Car,” he corrected. “What time do you leave for the office?”
“I’m usually out of here by seven.” Depended on how well she slept. If she was tossing and turning, she ended up getting up and going in early. Staring at her bedroom ceiling was not productive.
“Fuck,” he groaned. “Okay, gonna head back to the motel and stay there for the night. At the ass crack of dawn, gonna grab my shit, check out and head over here. Need the code for your gate.”
“And my alarm system.”
“Yeah, and your alarm system. Gonna check that out tomorrow, too.”
“You know something about alarm systems?” Was he a jack of all trades? Bounty hunter, bail bondsman, security guard, lady’s man, and alarm system specialist? Maybe he could fix the leaky faucet in the downstairs bathroom, too, while he was squatting in her house.
“Nope. But you’re gonna show me how yours works. It’ll either help me or hinder me, we’ll see. Wanna set a trap for the motherfucker but need to give that some thought. In the meantime, I’ll settle in, just in case he shows up. Sooner I catch him, the sooner I’m outta your hair and the sooner your sister will be able to return home.”
“In one piece.”
“Yeah, in one piece.” He grinned. “Figured that would be the most important part.”
He moved past her, his arm close to brushing against hers. The room was plenty big enough, he could
have easily given himself some space, but chose not to.
She assumed the interest he had for her back at the bar still remained. If he hadn’t known her last name when he bought her a drink, he hadn’t been making contact with her to find Warren. That meant he intended to pick her up, instead. Or try to, anyway.
He paused just past her, facing the opposite direction.
Reese held her breath, waiting for him to say whatever he was about to say.
But he said nothing.
A few seconds later he continued on toward the side door, where they had entered the house, the one that led to a stairway down to her driveway and his truck.
She remained facing the windows and as soon as she heard his hand turning the knob, she called out, “Deacon.”
Without looking, she knew he hesitated when the door remained closed.
“Thanks.”
“Thank me once that fucker’s caught. Set your alarm system and get some sleep. And, Reese...”
“Yes?”
“You can call me Deke.”
Deke. “You prefer that over dick?”
She smiled as she heard him open the door. Then it closed behind him, a low chuckle left in his wake.
Billy Warren might not be the only man in this plan who could end up being dangerous. But not for the same reason.
Chapter Five
Deacon sat out on the deck with his feet kicked up on another nearby chair, balancing his steaming mug of black coffee on his denim-clad thigh. He could imagine having his coffee out here every morning. Or toking on a blunt while he contemplated life.
Now he was contemplating a stranger’s life. At a quarter to fucking seven in the morning.
“Once the fog lifts, you can fully appreciate the view.”
Deacon was already appreciating the view.
Just not of the valley. Of the blonde who stood at the deck railing, a travel coffee mug in her hand. She was once again professionally dressed, this time in another dark pantsuit, wearing another pair of crazy-assed high heels. Blood red, which were sexy as fuck.
Her makeup wasn’t heavy. She had the skill to make it look natural for the most part. If it wasn’t for the lipstick and mascara, he’d be wondering if she wore any at all.
The green blouse she wore this morning matched her eyes. However, even with makeup on, he could see the shadow of half-moons under them.
She’d gotten shit sleep.
He could understand that with the situation she and her sister were in. “She know I’m here?”
“Yes. She’s in the shower now.”
“She needs to pack. Soon as I make arrangements, want her moved.”
Reese nodded and turned to look out over the deck, giving Deacon another great view. This time of her ass.
Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and he was drawn to the movement when she fisted a thick handful and held it to the top of her head, blowing out a loud, most likely frustrated, breath.
She was a woman who liked to be in control of her life and Billy Warren was fucking that up for her.
A few seconds later, she dropped her hair and turned to face him. “Where’s she going? I want all the details.”
Of course she did. He didn’t expect anything less. “I’ll give ‘em once I got ‘em.”
She didn’t like that answer but it was the only one she’d get right now. He didn’t want to give her the exact details and probably wouldn’t, just in case Warren got to her. If Reese didn’t know them, she couldn’t spill them, even if she was threatened.
He’d tell her that later. Once Reilly was settled somewhere safe. Then he could deal with Reese’s wrath of not knowing where her sister was and avoid having her pull the plug on the plan before it even began.
Because he was pretty damn sure that was what she’d do.
She held out her hand and he stared at it for a moment before taking his time to raise his gaze. That blouse emphasized the dip of her waist and the curves of her tits, and revealed just a hint of cleavage. A delicate gold chain with a small green pendant—maybe an emerald—just kissed that cleavage. He wanted to plant his lips where the pendant rested and suck that spot.
He paused on her throat, where he could barely see the pulse under her smooth skin. When he lifted his eyes to her face, she had one eyebrow cocked and her lips pressed together.
Busted. He grinned because he really didn’t care. He wanted her to know he was interested and didn’t plan on hiding it. Just in case she decided she wanted to do something about her interest in him.
He would not say no if she wanted to take him down to the floor, sit on his face until it was soaked and then ride his dick until his balls were dry.
Fuck yeah, he’d be okay with that.
He wanted to see the flame in her green eyes burning so hot they were like her emerald pendant. Instead of the perfectly veiled expression she was giving him right now.
“Starting to wonder if my sister is safe here with you.” She jiggled her outstretched hand. “I’ll need your truck keys.”
He dug into his jeans pocket. “Prefer a more seasoned woman who knows what she wants and ain’t afraid to ask for it.” He dangled the key fob off one finger, just out of reach.
“How about a woman who knows what she doesn’t want and isn’t afraid to make that clear?” She snagged the fob off his finger and clutched it tightly within her fist.
It sucked that the woman turned him the fuck on. Even if she was interested in him, she was the type of woman who wouldn’t allow herself that. She’d only want a man who’d fit neatly into her life. One who she could control.
Deacon did not fit neatly anywhere.
And no woman had ever controlled his life.
Not one.
Even so, he’d love to smudge that perfectly applied lipstick and feel that long hair wound around his own fingers. He’d like to watch her let go of her tight-assed way, even for a few hours. He was pretty damn sure when Reese let loose... She. Let. Loose.
“My sister’s only twenty-four and has proven she doesn’t make good decisions, so please don’t look at her like you’re looking at me right now. I don’t need her falling for another bad boy. She only got her cast off recently from what the last one did to her.”
He’d never gotten to the point where he had beaten a woman. If one was pushing his temper, he simply walked the fuck away. If he got to where he needed to break a woman’s face and bones, then there had to be a good reason.
Not because he was angry, but because he was trying to save his own life or someone else’s. Kill or be killed.
That was the only reason he’d ever hurt a woman.
“Not lookin’ for young and foolish. Would rather have someone who’s aware she’s making a bad decision and jumps in anyway, knowing the consequences.”
As his words sunk in, her delicate nostrils flared, and a flush worked its way up her throat.
Oh yeah, he finally got a response. One she couldn’t control. She probably hated that.
When he surged to his feet, she started and took a step back, pinning her ass to the deck railing. “Well, that person sounds foolish, too.”
He stepped up to the rail and set his coffee mug on it, making sure he was close enough for their shoulders to brush. He turned his head just slightly since they were facing in opposite directions. “No more foolish than the person who denies what they want.”
“Do you know what you want, Deke?” Her question came out huskily, which did all kinds of shit to him below the belt.
His blood was beginning to rush, and it wasn’t from the caffeine. “Always.”
“I’m not sure if that’s true,” she murmured. She moved away, giving herself space and breaking the moment. She switched back to her all-business, no-nonsense Reese mode. “I need to get to the office. Make yourself at home. Reilly has my number. Make sure she keeps me updated.”
“Reese...”
She hesitated with her hand on the handle of the French door.
&n
bsp; “Warren comes to your office, you call the cops. No hesitation. Bianchi put them on notice that he may be landin’ in their town. They have his info. So, don’t do anything rash.”
“Like what?”
She knew exactly what. She wasn’t stupid. She had the delusion that being difficult allowed her to keep the power. It didn’t. “Like stun gun him. ‘Cause the second you release that trigger, he’s gonna get up on his feet and teach you a lesson you don’t wanna learn. Promise you that.” His jaw got tight with the possibility of her putting herself at risk because she was stubborn.
“I’m aware of what he’s capable of. I saw it firsthand.”
“Seein’ it and havin’ it done to you are two different things. You hear me?”
Her pretty mouth went tight. “I hear you.” She went inside and closed the door behind her.
“Yeah, right.” Deacon shook his head and turned to stare down through the woods. “Hearin’ and listenin’ are two different things, too.”
Judge released a long, low whistle after Deacon punched the code into the alarm, unlocked the side door and let his cousin into Reese’s house.
The bearded giant was there to pick up someone and at the same time drop off someone.
Deacon would’ve delivered Reilly to Manning Grove himself, but since Reese had his truck, he had no wheels. Instead, he asked Judge to do the swap. And bring him more clothes.
Judge had made it known he didn’t like any of what was going on and Deacon didn’t blame him.
Holing up in a house and hoping that some asshole fugitive showed up wasn’t a normal job or a typical plan for either of them. It kept Deacon away from the office longer than Judge liked, putting more pressure on him to keep the office running.
But Deacon had his laptop and, thank fuck, the house had strong Wi-Fi and enough bars on his cell phone to make or take any necessary calls. He’d do what he could for their business from the house while he waited for Warren to show his face.
He had called Trip early that morning and asked him to arrange an exec committee meeting. When the Fury prez got everyone gathered around the table upstairs in The Barn, they called Deacon and put him on speaker phone so he could explain the current situation and ask the club for help.
Blood & Bones: Deacon (Blood Fury MC Book 4) Page 7
