NOMADS The Box Set

by Erin Trejo

  “Yeah. As far as I can tell. Picked up a few calls too. There’s a location change. New pick up and drops off, which isn’t unusual but you said that prick Dawson isn’t local to you, yeah?”

  “Yeah. He’s supposedly got a place outside of town. Why?”

  “Directions are pointin’ to a place in Maple Creek brother.” How the hell is that possible?

  “No address on that?” I ask.

  “No, sorry. Just that it’s in Maple Creek.’

  “Fuck, brother. That’s not what I wanted to hear. This place is just a dot on the map. There aren’t that many people around here. I have no fuckin’ clue where he’d be storin’ product,” I grumble as the driveway to Xena’s comes into view. I start heading down it when Ryker responds.

  “Sorry, Ryder. Got our boys on it but we got a little situation we’re in right now. Once we get it handled, I’ll see what else I can get you, man.”

  “Appreciate it. Thanks, Ryker.”

  “No problem. Watch your ass,” he says before the line goes dead. I pull the phone away from my ear and look at it. Some place local. Where the fuck could be local? There isn’t much around here and just as that thought hits me, I look up. The house I spent so much time in with her stands there glaring back at me.

  “You okay?” Looking over, I see Jenny standing there with her hand on her stomach. I walk closer nodding toward it. She smiles and nods. I reach out, resting my hand on the baby my brother created.

  “Just a lot of things to think about,” I tell her.

  “She told me. Xena told me that she told you.” I nod and smirk when I feel the baby move before pulling my hand away and shoving them in my pockets.

  “It’s a lot to think about, yeah? I’ve been meanin’ to tell you this…I’m sorry, Jenny. I should have been around more. Maybe if I didn’t have my head so far up my own ass I would have been able to help here.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do this. I know she should have told you earlier but she was so scared, Ryder. I’d never seen her like that. This has been just as hard on her.”

  “I know. Can I ask you somethin’?”

  “Of course.”

  “That bastard Dawson. Did you ever see him movin’ shit in or out of this house?” She narrows her eyes, squinting against the sun as she shakes her head.

  “No. I always thought it was weird that he only brought a few pieces of clothing.” She shrugs and I nod.

  “I’m gonna figure this shit out, Jenny. Just need you to know that.”

  “I know you will,” she says before moving in and pulling me into a hug. I let her hold me as I hold her. She lays her head on my chest and I just let the moment stand still.

  44

  Xena

  Loud crashes in the backyard have me and Jenny sharing a strange look. I shove off the couch and walk to the window, peaking out.

  “What the hell is he doing?” I mumble under my breath. Pushing away from the window, I walk to the back door and head out. Ryder is in the shed, tossing anything and everything he can find out into the yard. I walk over and see him shirtless, sweat glistening on his skin. My eyes roam over his body, taking him in. Shit, that man is hot. The tattoos dance with each movement of his body.

  “You can stop starin’ at me.”

  “What are you doing making a mess in the yard?” I ask when I finally pull my eyes off him. He stands up and turns to face me, his hands resting on his hips, his breathing labored. Fuck.

  “Called in some favors. Heard a few things that didn’t seem right. You said Dawson has a place outside of town, right?” I nod unsure of what that has to do with the mess in my yard. “Intel says he has a place here too that he uses for storage.”

  “What? You think he’s hidden drugs here?” I ask almost squealing when I do. I can’t believe it. That low life piece of shit! He knew the kids were here!

  “I don’t know. That’s what I’m lookin’ for. If he did, I’m gonna find it,” he adds turning back to the shed.

  “It’s my fault.”

  “What?”

  “If you find something it’s my fault! I let that bastard in here,” I snap. Ryder turns to face me, coming closer to me.

  “You didn’t know he would hide shit here, Xena. Either way he’s a dead man. Speakin’ of, you think you can call a cab out here?” Okay, he’s officially lost his mind. He’s gone from looking for drugs, to killing Dawson and now he needs a cab? I shake my head, running my hand through my hair as he stares at me.

  “Yeah, I can call. What do you need a cab for? You have your bike,” I say pointing toward the driveway.

  “Can’t haul bodies on the bike, babe.” Is he serious? He can’t be serious. My eyes are narrowed as he chuckles grabbing my attention again. Looking back up at him, he smiles.

  “I’m so confused.”

  “I need a ride into the next town. I’m gettin’ a truck and I wanna check out his place.”

  “You are not breaking into his house, Ryder!” He laughs. Not just any laugh either, it’s a full blown laugh that has his eyes crinkling at the edges.

  “You’re against me breakin’ into your little boyfriend’s house? Really?”

  “He isn’t my boyfriend. Don’t you have drugs to look for?” I huff and turn on my heel. I start stomping toward the house but I can feel him behind me. That’s when something else hits me. I stop walking causing Ryder’s hard sweaty body to slam into mine. I stumble forward but there are too many thoughts swarming around my head right now to care if I fall on my face. Luckily I don’t since his large hands wrap around my waist, tugging me back into him.

  “What the hell, Xena?” I don’t move, just shake my head slowly.

  “Ryder, what if he hid them in the basement?”

  “What do you mean?” He asks spinning me to face him. I look up into his eyes.

  “I caught him a few nights down there. He said he just needed some space. Jack too,” I say covering my mouth with my hand.

  “You saw Jack down there with Dawson?” He asks me, concern lacing his voice. He knows something else, he just hasn’t told me yet.

  “What do you know?” He lets go of my waist and starts to walk past me when I step back in front of him. “What do you know, Ryder?” Ryder blows out a breath fluttering his long hair as it hangs around him.

  “My brother…fuck! Jack was a drug mule for your boyfriend.” My mouth falls open. No, he wouldn’t do that. If he did it was Dawson that made him. Anger seeps into my pores as a chill runs down my spine. Before Ryder can say anything further, I turn on my heel and head toward the house. I don’t listen to see if he follows me, I just go. Stomping through the front door, I head straight into the living room, grabbing the gun off the top of the shelf.

  “What are you gonna do with that?” His voice sounds amused but I’m not laughing. That son of a bitch didn’t just ruin Jack’s life, he ruined Jenny’s and their kids. He doesn’t deserve to breath for all I’m concerned.

  “Fixing things.”

  “And how are you gonna do that?” I turn to look at him as he casually leans against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest staring at me.

  “Well, first I’m going to go over there. Then when I find that piece of shit, I’m going to make him pay for what he’s put this family through,” I say with my teeth gritted so hard that my jaw starts to ache. I feel like shit for bringing him into our lives and the least I can do is fix that problem. The amused gleam in Ryder’s eyes pisses me off. Does he think I won’t do it? I will. I’ve talked myself up more than once since he’s been around but I always knew that I needed him to keep up with everything around here.

  “Just like that, huh?”

  “Just like that.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” Jenny always picks the worse time ever to show up. Like now.

  “Nothing.”

  “Your sister plans on killin’ her boyfriend,” Ryder says as if it’s nothing.

  “Xena!”

  �
�He’s not my boyfriend,” I snap.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Jenny asks as I look between her and Ryder. My anger is slowly rising. I don’t know why he had to tell her anything and I swear to God if he calls Dawson my boyfriend just one more time, I might shoot his ass too.

  “I found some things out. I wanted to check into but Xena the gunslinger over there is tryin’ to race me to it,” Ryder adds still looking amused.

  “I don’t think so. Put the gun away, Xena,” Jenny says moving to sit on the couch. My eyes stay fixed on Ryder. Him and his big damn mouth.

  “Yeah, we don’t want you hurtin’ your little boyfriend just yet,” Ryder adds. That’s it. Raising the gun, I aim it right at his chest. Jenny gasps, Ryder laughs. Of course, he laughs. He shoves off the wall and stalks toward me slowly. Each step he takes makes my heart pound a little harder in my chest. His big blue eyes narrow on me, his head cocking to the side. He steps into the gun, the barrel pressing into his chest. Looking down at me, his lips curl into a snarl.

  “You like pushin’ my buttons, darlin’?”

  “You like pushing mine?”

  “This ain’t your rodeo, sweetheart.” I smirk at him, pressing the gun harder into his chest.

  “It is when he rode in on my horse.” We both stare each other down as Jenny giggles on the couch. I don’t know what she thinks is so funny. I could blow his ass to hell and back right now. That’s not a laughing matter.

  “Put the gun down, desperado and let’s search the basement,” he says in a growling tone. He takes a step back and turns on his heel walking away from me. Slowly I lower my arm as Jenny bursts into hysterical laughter.

  “Oh my God. I needed that laugh so badly. The tension between you two is off the charts, Xena.”

  “This isn’t funny.”

  “You should just give him some pussy! I can’t stop…oh my God. I just peed a little,” she laughs harder shoving herself off the couch. I’m glad to see her laughing even if it is at my expense. She walks up the stairs still giggling as she goes and something about that makes me smile too. Instead of going after Dawson, I shove the gun into the back of my shorts and head to the basement. As soon as I step foot on the hard concrete floor I hear Ryder cursing under his breath.

  “What is it?” I ask moving closer to him.

  “I’m gonna say a few things here and I need you to stay calm, yeah?” I roll my eyes when he looks up at me. “I mean it.”

  “Okay, I’m calm.”

  “There isn’t just drugs here, Xena. There’s explosives.”

  Okay, I’m not calm. I’m so not calm.

  45

  Ryder

  Of all the bad shit I’ve done over the years, putting explosives in a house with children is nowhere near that list. Xena stands there shocked as I take into account how much is actually here. It’ll take me a little bit to get all this out but it will be gone.

  “Explosives?” She asks after a while of standing there.

  “Call my dad. Tell him to get his truck over here,” I tell her as I start to move things around. I won’t have this in the basement of where my niece and nephew sleep.

  “He’ll know if we move it, Ryder.”

  “I don’t give a fuck! You think I’d let you stay here with this shit?” Her eyes fly to mine and hold there. I know what I said. I said her and I wasn’t playing. Regardless of where my head is at the moment, she still means something to me. I can be man enough to admit that to myself. Xena pulls her phone out and calls my dad as I continue moving things. It doesn’t take long for him to show up and help me load it all up. We not only found the explosives but we also found the drugs. A shit ton of drugs.

  “Where are we going with this?” my dad asks after we have it all loaded.

  “You got good insurance, yeah?” He looks at me funny when I ask before a smirk crosses his face. He shakes his head but he’s still smiling even when Xena steps in between us.

  “What am I missing?”

  “The fact that your man is about to blow my truck up,” my Pop says. I laugh as I grab the keys that he’s holding out for me.

  “What the hell, Ryder?” Xena turns her eyes to me but I can’t help but smile.

  “Put the gun away. You’re comin’ with me.”

  “Oh, no. I will not be an accessory to this shit! Nope. No way in hell,” she says crossing her arms over her chest. My dad laughs and so do I but I walk toward her, leaning into her space.

  “And yet not even a few hours ago you were hell bent on killin’ a man. Now you’re scared to blow his shit up?” I ask tilting my head to study her. Those big brown eyes, those damn plump lips. I could take her right here on the pile of fucking explosives and not give two shits.

  “That’s exactly what will happen. He will kill me.” An amused laugh escapes me.

  “You think I’d let him near you?” My eyes burn through hers but she doesn’t say a word. Her mouth opens but whatever smartass comment she was about to make doesn’t come out.

  “We aren’t on the best terms,” she says softly.

  “Maybe not but that doesn’t mean I’d let that bastard near you.”

  “I’m going to sit with Jenny while you two handle this,” my dad says behind us. I don’t turn to look at him, just glare at Xena daring her to say something else.

  “Fine. Let’s go blow his shit up.” There’s my girl. I watch her walk off, heading inside to hopefully put the gun away. She’s back outside and jumping in the front seat before I know it.

  “Things aren’t the same as they used to be. If you want this fucker hidden for a while you’ll need to go over to Hide’s Park. There’s an old abandoned pond out there about thirty feet deep. No one will find it unless there’s a drought.” I want to ask her how the hell she knows that but I don’t. That spark of the old Xena is still there. I can see it in her and right now the only thing I want to do is hold onto it.

  “You could have told me the truth,” I say as we pull out and onto the road.

  “It was easier to lie. I told you I thought that you would hate me. There were so many things that I just didn’t think through. I regret it, Ryder. In case that means anything to you.” Does it? Does that mean anything to me? I want to believe her. I want to think she was just scared but to tell me such a lie knowing that all I wanted was a family with her kills a piece of me. I’m silent on the rest of the ride as Xena tells me where to turn. Once we’re back away from the road and near the pond, I jump out.

  “This it?” I ask her.

  “Yeah. How are we doing this?”

  “Gonna toss the explosives first. Set the drugs on fire. Burn that shit up so there is no recoverin’ it.”

  “Let’s do this,” she says pulling the tailgate down. I watch her pull the shit out without a care in the world and toss it into the pond. It amuses me but at the same time it concerns me. What has she had to deal with before I came back? What kind of man was Dawson to her? I saw how he treated her and I can only imagine it was ten times worse when I wasn’t here. I help Xena and when all the explosives are sinking to the bottom of the pond I reach for my cigarettes and pull one out. Lighting it up, I look over at her. She stares out into the darkness, the nothingness that is out there.

  “What haunts your dreams?” Xena doesn’t look at me but I can see something in the way she tenses.

  “There are so many things. I don’t know what I’m going to do now to take care Jenny and the kids now. It was hard enough as it was,” she says sadly. I stick the cigarette between my lips and move toward her.

  “How much?”

  “Don’t do that, Ryder,” she snaps.

  “How much, Xena? How much was he payin’?” Blowing smoke from my mouth, I flick the cigarette into the back of the truck. The paper the drugs are wrapped in quickly ignites in flames. Xena doesn’t even look concerned as she stares at me.

  “What’s the difference?” With a smirk, I step into her space. Cupping her face in my hands, I lean down closer to
her. My lips are inches from hers and fuck, do I love it.

  “The difference is, I’m here now. Whatever you think you needed him for, you don’t.”

  “Does that include cock?” She asks, wrapping her hand around my already hard length. I groan and try to shift my stance but she doesn’t let me.

  “That what you need?” I ask her huskily.

  “Right now? Yes.” That was it. Even though I tried to restrain myself, she’s broken it. She’s ripped all restraints away from me.

  “You want me? Fuck me, Xena.” Kissing her roughly, her hands move up to tangle in my hair. Her hungry mouth collides with mine. Her teeth bite into my bottom lip earning her a growl from me. One hand tugs at my hair the other slowly moves down until I feel her undoing the buckle on my jeans. I reach down to help her, pulling my jeans down as I go. She steps back, kicking off her shoes along with her jeans. I eye her as she pulls her clothes off. The shudder that races through her makes me laugh.

  “There’s a fire burnin’ right here,” I remind her.

  “I know but it’s your stare that burns me.”

  “Is that a good thing?”

  “Yes.” I step into her, pulling her into my arms. Leaning down, kissing her neck, the spot behind her ear and down her shoulder my cock strains against her.

  “Thought I was fucking you,” she purrs. I step back and watch her. She moves to grab my shirt, pulling it off before lying it on ground. The crackle of the fire sounds next to us and I know I need to get the truck in the water before it completely explodes but we have a little while before it gets near the gas tank. Xena motions for me to lie down and I do. I love watching her like this. So alive and in control. She was never like this before. This side of her, this new side is something I could get used to.

  “Can’t take too long, babe. That truck will blow and take us with it,” I warn her. She moves quickly, stepping over me before lowering herself and taking my length inside of her. It’s perfect. It feels perfect. Xena rides me hard and fast as her nails scrape along my chest. Her phone rings but she ignores it. My eyes roll back in my head as she fucks me harder. I’ve never liked having a woman on top of me as much as I do right now. Her damn phone rings again and I let out a growl. Reaching up, I pull at her nipples needing her to explode. I want her to come undone. I want her to tremble and come all over me.