Bad Boy Heroes Boxed Set

by Patricia Ryan

  Beth cocked her head. “It feels good, doesn’t it?”

  “Real good.” They linked arms. “Watch out, Crocodile’s. The female Outlaws are a-comin’.”

  *

  “OH MY GOD, look at that blouse.”

  “I haven’t seen leather like that since Doc took me to my first…Never mind!”

  “What the hell does she have on under that suede shirt?”

  Like twelve-year-old boys discovering girls, Joe, Tucker and Linc stared at the door where Annie, Beth and Margo had just appeared; the girls hadn’t noticed them and pranced through it.

  Linc started to stand but Joe restrained him. “Not a good move,” Joe said. “They look like they’re out for blood.”

  “They look like they’re out to get laid.”

  Tucker moaned and turned aside, shifting his position.

  Joe rubbed his eyes with this thumb and forefinger and moaned, too.

  Feeling his own body harden at the sight of Margo dressed like…like the star of Debbie Does Dallas, Linc recognized the reaction of the other two males at his table. And since camaraderie had been established early on as they’d shared ribs and cornbread, and he and Tucker downed a few beers, Linc smiled. “We’re pathetic.”

  Joe grunted. He angled his head toward Tucker. “Hey, it’s your sister he’s ogling.”

  Tucker reddened.

  “Yeah, well, she deserves to be ogled in that outfit.” Linc stared at Tucker. “But I can’t believe I missed the signs.”

  Still speechless, Tucker scrubbed a hand over his face. The Menace was a private man. Finally he was able to look Linc in the eye. “It’s complicated.”

  “It’s always complicated.” Joe continued to stare at Annie. Tucker checked him out. “Still got the hots for your ex, Murphy?”

  “Not until about five minutes ago.” He shrugged. “Or at least I wouldn’t let myself admit it.”

  “Join the club.” Tucker watched Linc. “What’s with you and Margo?”

  “Irreconcilable differences.”

  The women finally took a booth. It was then that they noticed the guys. Margo’s brows arched in arrogant acknowledgment as she shimmied into the seat. Linc swallowed hard.

  Beth’s head snapped up, catching Tucker devouring her outfit. She gave him a soft smile full of promise.

  Annie peeked around Beth and scowled.

  “Maybe if we turn our backs, it won’t be so bad.” This from Tucker.

  “Maybe.” Joe said.

  The three men continued to stare.

  *

  A HALF HOUR after they arrived, and after they’d blisteringly cursed the occupants of a certain table on the far side of the bar, a hulk of a guy asked Margo to dance. She got up with as much sass as she could muster. “All right, big guy.”

  On the floor they did a mean two-step. Hulk’s eyes lingered on her shirt and she rolled her eyes. Damn, this wasn’t turning out as she’d planned. She’d just wanted a fun night out with the girls. She never expected to see the good Reverend here, looking sexy as hell in plain jeans and a red shirt. When the song ended and the bruiser tugged her toward him for dance to Midnight Train to Georgia, Margo drew back. “Ah, I…”

  She felt a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry, this dance is mine.”

  Hulk puffed out his pecs. “Yeah, who says?”

  “I do.”

  “Who’re you?”

  “Her brother.”

  “Oh.” He scanned Margo’s top and skirt. “You let your sister come out lookin’ like this? What are you, nuts?”

  “Yeah, I’m nuts.” He tugged Margo to him. They were equal height when she wore four-inch boots.

  Margo didn’t even think about resisting. It felt so good to be close to him, smell him, feel his hands on her. As the song began, she melted into him. His hand clenched hers, and his arm banded around her waist.

  She remembered seeing him with Jane at the diner, then at the movies, then in the PK’s car. She nestled in closer. Two slow songs later, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I should have told you I was coming home.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Just because of this.” Her body had been aligned too close to his for her not to notice. She bumped his middle with hers.

  He laughed, low and sexy. “I’m in pain, baby.”

  “So am I.” She grinned against his chest. “We could always go out and screw in the backseat of your car, like we used to.”

  Lifting his hand to her hair, he caressed it tenderly. “If only it were that easy.”

  She sighed. “It hurts, Linc. To be with you.”

  “It hurts me, too.” He kissed her forehead. “But it hurts more when you don’t return my calls and when you won’t see me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Why’d you come home?”

  “To be with Beth and Annie. To help out at the diner, and with Annie’s kids.” She found his ear, and admitted, “To see you.”

  “Beth said you were going to Cancun.”

  “It lost its appeal.”

  He drew lazy circles on her back. “What are we gonna do, honey?”

  “Nothing. Let’s just not fight.”

  “I’ve been miserable.”

  “Me, too. And jealous.”

  “I’m not sure we can keep going on like this.”

  “We’ve done it for years.” She hated the pleading tone in her voice.

  “It’s getting too hard.”

  She rubbed against him. “It is.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “I know.”

  “I love you, Mary Margaret.”

  She drew back, looked into his face. “I love you, too, Rev.”

  *

  BETH DETOURED TO the jukebox when Tucker rose and headed to the men’s room. He’d gotten up as she did, so she went to play some music instead of going to the ladies’ room. In a few minutes, she felt him come up behind her.

  “Hi,” he said as she pressed Black Magic Woman.

  Slowly lifting her eyes from the song listings, she smiled.

  She wanted to jump his bones he looked so good in tight jeans and a long-sleeved green shirt with a racing logo on it.

  The song began to play. He raked her outfit with a hundred-watt gaze. “Appropriate tune,” he said.

  She blushed.

  Shaking his head, he took her hand. “It’s beyond me how any woman can blush wearin’ something like that.” Without her consent he drew her to the dance floor. For a minute she stood a little away from him, but then stepped right into his arms.

  His touch was electric. The feel of his arms around her made her nerve endings tingle. Beth sank into him; her skin heated at his nearness. He smelled of the same cologne as at the diner—woodsy and very male. “Hmm.”

  She felt him smile against her hair. “Do you have any idea how good you feel?”

  Inching closer, she shut her eyes. “As good as you do?”

  He chuckled.

  They swayed to the music. His hand came up and snared a few strands of her hair. He drew back. “What’d you do to it?”

  “It’s Margo’s handiwork.” She shrugged. “So’s the outfit.”

  He let his hand wander lower. Caress the leather. Flirt with her hips. “It’ll haunt my dreams, Mary Elizabeth, but I’m damned grateful to your friend.” His green eyes sparkled with appreciation. His body hummed with arousal.

  So did hers. “I thought you liked your women natural.”

  “I like you,” he said honestly. “Much more than I should.”

  A lump formed in her throat. “Oh, Tucker, I…”

  He abandoned her hand and placed his fingers on her mouth. “Hush. I know.”

  She stared up at him.

  “Don’t say anything more. For tonight, just let me hold you.” He kissed her hair and brought her face back to his chest.

  She burrowed into him. Shutting out the world, she let him hold her.

&nbs
p; *

  IT WASN’T BECAUSE she was suddenly alone that Annie stood and made her way to Joe’s table. Several men had asked her to dance. It wasn’t that Joe sat by himself sipping a coke, angling his body to the wall so he didn’t look at her. It was because all week she’d been making some decisions. When she reached him, she said simply, “Joe?”

  He whirled around. And the look of surprise on his face, combined with the pleasure there, gave her courage.

  “Can I sit down?”

  “Sure.” He cleared his throat. “You want something to drink?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve had my limit.”

  His eyes smiled. “Still two glasses?”

  He’d always coaxed her not to drink much because she got sick if she had more than a couple of glasses of wine. In some ways, he’d taken good care of her. She tried to summon those memories.

  “Yeah. I wanted to talk to you.” She scanned the bar. “I guess this isn’t the best place.” She tugged self-consciously on the front of her shirt.

  He grinned. “Not your usual style.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s Margo’s. I’m bigger than she is and…”

  He gave her a wry grin. “Yes, I remember. You still look good, Mary Ann.”

  For a moment she startled. But she’d worn the damn shirt of her own free will. She couldn’t condemn him for noticing. “I’ve been thinking, Joe.”

  His gray eyes lit up, matching the silvery cotton sweater he wore. “About?”

  She bit her lip. “I think you’re right about Matt. I’ve decided you can coach his team. Be alone with him.”

  Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes. “Thank you.”

  Her heart turned over in her chest at his honest reaction. “Let’s see how it goes for a while. Then maybe you can start coming over to the house to see them alone, too.” She glanced out at the dance floor where Margo and Linc were locked in a deep embrace. No surprise there. But seeing Tucker and Beth wrapped up in each other was a shock. Bonnie was in for some explaining tonight. “Linc already has too much to do. He shouldn’t have to take care of us.”

  Joe said, “I won’t hurt them, Annie. I give you my word.”

  “I want to believe that.”

  “I won’t hurt you, either.”

  She angled her chin. “No, you won’t, Joe. I’m not the girl you left here six years ago. I wouldn’t allow it, even if you wanted to.”

  “I’d cut off my right arm before I touched you in anger again.” His voice was heated, passionate.

  She noticed the phrasing. He didn’t say before I touched you again.

  Are you attracted to him, Annie? Sara had asked.

  Against her will, she studied his face. He had such sculpted features, perfect, really; and his hair only made him handsomer, especially with his gray eyes. No wonder they’d chosen him for modeling. To lighten the atmosphere, she said, “You’d lose your second job if you cut off your arm, Joey baby.”

  He actually blushed. “Please, don’t remind me.”

  “I’m sorry for what I said about the modeling a few weeks ago. I’ve given it some thought. I want you to have changed. And if you have, you must’ve gone through hell to get where you are.”

  He started to say something; she held up her palm. “I’m not there yet. But I’ll give you the space to prove it. For the kids’ sake.”

  “I will, Annie. I promise. You can trust me.”

  Suddenly she felt drawn into the silver heat of his eyes, which shone like liquid mercury. And it scared her, because that feeling had once made her do whatever he asked, made her allow unspeakable things. She stood abruptly. “We can discuss this more tomorrow.” Nodding, she started across the dance floor. As she passed by Linc and Margo holding each other, and Tucker and Beth cuddling like kids hiding out from the world, she felt a wave of loneliness and regret so great she was physically shaken by it.

  She refused to wonder if Joe was feeling the same thing.

  *

  NEITHER LINC, TUCKER or Joe, nor Annie, Margo or Beth saw the two boys behind the pillar at the bar.

  “Fuckin’ A,” the one with the spiked blond hair said. “That fox in the black leather is Ronny boy’s mother.”

  The ponytailed guy with him chugged the last of his beer and focused hazy eyes on the dance floor. “The one draped all over the racing dude?”

  Maze began to laugh. It was an evil sound. “The racing dude who killed his father, Loose, my man.”

  “Holy shit. I wonder if Ronny knows.”

  Maze hooted, looking like he was about to pull the wings off a fly. “He will, buddy. He will. As soon as he gets back from the pen.” Maze shrugged into his jacket. “Man I wish I could be around for the fireworks.”

  “I dunno, Maze. He’s in a shit load a trouble already.”

  “Hey, I’m just bein’ a good buddy. Wouldn’t you wanna know if your old lady was screwin’ your worst enemy?”

  Loose smiled. “You’re such a Good Samaritan, Maze. Sometimes you just make me wanna cry.”

  Chapter 16

  *

  YOU NEED TO trust the adults in your life, Ron. They care about you. A lot more than any adults cared about them.

  Remembering the counselor’s words from the day before at the jail made Ron feel good as he headed to the bathroom before Mr. Johnson’s class. Finally, something had sunk in.

  He saw his Mom’s face in the diner that night. There’s nothing going on with us, Ronny.

  He felt Margo hug him hard, tell him she loved him.

  He heard Uncle Linc say, We know you can do this, buddy.

  And, last, he heard Doc Holt grumble, Quit callin’ me Mr. Holt, boy. You make me feel like an old man.

  Tucker had grinned. Tucker, who’d been so nice to him, it made Ronny feel bad that he’d been so rotten in return. Yeah, I guess I’d prefer Tucker to “that bastard.”

  Maybe he’d jumped the gun about Quaid and his mother, maybe this jail thing was going to help him to—

  Suddenly, he was attacked from behind, almost knocked off balance and dragged into an alcove. Fear rose in his throat and he tried to think about the self-defense classes he’d taken with his mother and Annie and Matt.

  “Hey, man, we been lookin’ for ya all day.”

  Ron’s whole body sagged. After a second, he yanked away and whirled around. “Christ, Maze, you scared the shit outta me.”

  “Just jivin’, buddy.”

  Loose stood behind Maze. Both were grimy in dirty jeans and wrinkled hooded sweatshirts.

  “Don’t do it again,” Ron warned. He studied their faces and saw signs of booze and pot. “You guys have a rough weekend?”

  The trio headed down the hall as they talked. “Nah,” Maze said shooting a sharp glance at Loose.

  Loose smiled. “We had our usual weekend pussy.”

  Maze mumbled under his breath, “And we ain’t the only ones.” Louder, he said, “Along with a pile a pills. Man, sex, speed and Scotch are a great combo.”

  Ronny didn’t comment.

  “And we spent Saturday at Crocodile’s.”

  “How you get in there?” Ron noticed, for the first time, that he started talking like them when they were around.

  “Fake ID. And the new chick bartender’s on my list.”

  “What list?”

  “Jesus, buddy, you blind? My supplier list.”

  They reached the lav and went inside.

  “You dealing?” Ron asked.

  Maze’s face darkened. “Shut the fuck up.” He went to the stalls and checked for occupants. Satisfied there weren’t any, he took a seat on the sink while Loose leaned against the wall.

  “You young as hell, Ronny boy. I been dealin’ since I was twelve.”

  Ronny scowled. “I’m not young. But you’re pretty stupid to be doin’ that. You gonna end up in the real pen, not just some weekend jail like me.”

  Maze’s skinny body stiffened. His eyes bulged. But his voice was calm when he said, “They gonna have
to kill me before I’d let ’em lock me up.”

  Ron shrugged. Maze was acting even more crazy than usual.

  “And you ain’t just stupid. You an innocent, man.”

  “Whatdaya mean?”

  “We got an eyeful Saturday night.”

  “Of?”

  “Your Mama.”

  Ron’s throat clogged. “My mother?”

  “Yeah, at Crocodile’s. She was cozyin’ up to your arch enemy.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Maze came off the sink fast. He grabbed the front of the sweatshirt Ron wore and fisted it in his hands. “I know, sissy boy. I saw them bumpin’ and grindin’ on the dance floor with my own eyes.”

  Maze let him go and Ron sagged against the sink.

  “Your old lady’s fuckin’ the dude who killed your father. It ain’t my fault.”

  Ron went numb. He grasped the sink for balance.

  Loose said, “Hey, Ronny boy. We your buddies. We wouldn’t lie to ya.” The bell sounded. Loose chucked him playfully on the arm. “Remember that, man.”

  As they left, Ron heard Maze say, “He’s an asshole. We gotta reassess our connection with him. We don’t wanna ruin…”

  The last words trailed off. But it didn’t matter. Ron had heard the ones that counted.

  Your old lady’s fuckin’ the dude who killed your father.

  *

  SIPPING HIS COFFEE, Tucker stared at the partially assembled car in Doc’s garage. He could feel the mild mid-April breeze off the lake and languished in the smell of the grass and earth as it sneaked in through the half-open door. Although all wasn’t right with the world, things sure felt a might better.

  He could still summon the feel of Beth in his arms as they’d danced at Crocodile’s. She’d fit into every nook and cranny of his body and had felt like heaven against him. Lately he’d begun to think he’d deserved a piece of that paradise.

  I want to kiss you , she’d whispered out by his car in the parking lot of Crocodile’s. He could still smell the leather she wore and the sexy perfume that also belonged to Margo.

  I want that, too , Tucker had told her, wrapping a hand around her neck. He’d settled for a hug, because of where they were. No telling what would’ve happened if they’d been alone.

  “Even the kid likes me a little,” Tucker told the car. “You can see that, can’t you, when we work on you?”