Sal (The Ride Series)

by Megan O'Brien

  “Scarlet wanted to come,” he told me quietly, his voice low and tense. “But I couldn’t let her until I knew the state of play,” he explained, sounding apologetic.

  I immediately felt panicked for my friend. “Is someone with her and the baby?” I demanded.

  The tension in the room grew thicker at the implication of my words.

  “Wes and Connie are over there,” Cole answered me tersely. “What happened?” he growled.

  I eyed the three of them hesitantly. All of the guys in the club were alphas with a capital “A” and they wouldn’t take kindly to this kind of threat.

  I took a deep breath, ready to begin. “My mom called me a few weeks ago. I hadn’t heard from her in over a decade. She wanted money,” I winced at the vulnerability in my voice. “She said her boyfriend knew people; that’s how they’d found me. I didn’t ask more about where they got their information. I just wanted off the phone so badly,” I admitted, feeling like shit about it now.

  “It’s okay, babe, keep going,” Sal coaxed quietly as he sat down next to me. I had to admit his closeness was comforting.

  “I’d been feeling like I was being followed,” I admitted. “For the last few months, actually. But it was always just a feeling.” I continued to twist my fingers under the pressure of their stares. “But then there was an incident with a truck. It seemed like it was trying to run me off the road.”

  “Why didn’t you come to us?” Cole asked. His tone wasn’t accusatory, more affronted because I hadn’t reached out for help.

  I shrugged sheepishly. “Honestly, part of me hoped it was a coincidence. I know it sounds stupid now. But I didn’t want you all to worry.”

  “And last night?” Sal pressed, his tone low and laced with barely controlled fury.

  I nodded, knowing I needed to continue. “I was coming home from work. He attacked me from behind,” I began, fidgeting with the lining of my hoodie. “He told me my ma owes him money. That he knew the Knights could pay it back. He asked if I was Sal’s girl. I said not anymore,” I forged on, ignoring the static which had started zapping throughout the room as they all got a feel for where this was going. “He said it didn’t matter, that he had a message.” I risked a glance and cringed as the three sets of eyes were so narrowed they were now just slits glaring out at me. “He said there were new players in town, that no one was safe, not your women or…children,” I gulped out the last bit as Cole turned so red I thought he’d explode. I figured it best to get it all out of the way. “Then he said he was looking forward to seeing me again,” I finished, absolutely exhausted at the replay of last night’s events.

  “Motherfucker,” Mack growled.

  Sal stood abruptly and began to pace. “You’re tellin’ me when I followed you home, you were being attacked as I drove away?” he demanded, his voice so low I could barely make out the words.

  “You couldn’t have known,” I shook my head.

  “Fuck,” Sal swore before his eyes narrowed. “You’re leaving something out,” he accused. I didn’t know how he knew, but I looked to the side guiltily. “Kat?” he prompted, his patience thin.

  “He made some comments about my body,” I said, feeling beyond embarrassed. “Said you wouldn’t know what to do with me anyway, insinuating he would,” I answered him.

  He continued to pace the small space, looking as though he was ready to hurl the nearest object across the room. Cole was staring at the ceiling, and I knew he was desperately trying to collect himself so he didn’t completely lose it.

  “Um, could you guys try to tone down the aggression a bit?” I hedged. “I know this is all hard to take in, but I nearly had the life choked out of me,” I pointed out. “Maybe you need a walk around the block,” I suggested helpfully.

  “More like a loaded gun,” Mack muttered.

  Sal shot him a look and took a deep breath, trying to do as I asked.

  Cole seemed to pull himself out of his rage and got right to business, his steely blue-eyed gaze locking with mine. “Right, you’re with Sal for the foreseeable future. Mack, we’re rolling out,” he directed.

  Um, what?

  “No way,” I said firmly, shooting daggers at Sal. “I’m not his responsibility,” I added swiftly.

  “You’re mine,” Sal interrupted calmly.

  Was he insane? My blood boiled at his casual claim after what he’d put me through.

  “You made a decision to break it off and leave town. I’m sure you had your reasons, whatever the fuck those were, and I’ve moved on,” I lied. “You’re off the hook.” I glared at him.

  “There was never a fucking hook,” he growled. “And if there was, I was never off the damn thing to begin with.”

  I mentally slapped the part of me that was thrilled with those words.

  “Not your decision to make anymore.” I shook my head adamantly and turned back to Cole who appeared a bit frustrated.

  Cole cleared his throat, “Clearly you two have some shit to sort out.”

  I made a scoffing noise at his understatement of the century.

  “But, Kat, I need you to be reasonable here. Until we figure out what the fuck is going on, you can’t stay here. And you know I’d let you stay with us, but with the baby and Scarlet, I can’t risk their safety,” he said as he shook his head.

  “I’d never ask you to,” I replied softly.

  “So, that leaves Sal,” he pointed out with a lifted brow. Mack was looking anywhere but at me, and I knew he didn’t want to be in the middle of this.

  “How about Wes and Connie’s?” I suggested.

  Cole simply shook his head.

  Dammit, that was my best chance.

  “Axel?” I asked hopefully.

  “You are not fuckin’ staying with Axel,” Sal interjected harshly.

  “Tag? Xander?” I asked hopefully.

  “You gonna go through the whole club?” Sal demanded with his hands on his hips.

  I threw my hands up in exasperation. “What the fuck, Sal! You wanted to be free, you are f-r-e-e,” I emphasized.

  “I’ll never be free of you. Don’t want to be,” he stated simply, effectively flooring me into silence. He turned to Cole and Mack. “You guys take off. I’ve got her. I’ll call you later.”

  Cole and Mack nodded as though this was perfectly acceptable.

  “What?” I demanded, feeling like I was on another planet. What the hell just happened?

  “I’ll have Scarlet call you,” Cole said, his tone clipped. He was seriously pissed and not in the mood to be held up further. His anxiety to get back to Scarlet and the baby was palpable. I grumbled a “fine,” and didn’t argue further.

  Then they were gone, leaving me alone with Sal. I didn’t have the energy to deal with Sal drama now. I only wanted to sleep.

  “If you’re determined to stay, you can sleep on the sofa,” I grumbled as I stood up and headed toward my bed.

  “No, you don’t. First, we’re going to clean you up,” he said as he nodded toward my scraped hands. “Then, we can stay here tonight, but in the morning, I want you at my place. It’s more secure,” he said decisively.

  “I can clean myself up,” I argued as he started to make his way toward the bathroom.

  “First aid kit?” he asked as though I hadn’t spoken.

  “Under the sink,” I sighed, resigned. I knew when to give up fighting Sal. This was one of those times.

  He’d taken care of me after the frightening incident when I’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time with Scarlet and had been thrown from an SUV. Yes, thrown. Her ex-boyfriend had been a bad dude, to say the least. I’d always worried Sal had felt obligated to take care of me, to stick around to make sure I was okay. I’d be damned if that happened again.

  As I sat on the bathroom counter, I looked everywhere but up at him and instead focused on the motorcycle symbol on his black T-shirt as he dabbed at my cuts. I refused to wince, though it stung, and I kept my face devoid of emotion. Maybe if I con
vinced him I was okay, he’d just go.

  He was so close, mere inches away, and I couldn’t resist breathing him in or studying the beautiful contours of his mouth. His mouth had done amazing things to me. Shit, I needed to keep my eyes elsewhere. It was so easy to lose my willpower around him.

  “That should do it,” his voice rumbled, and I hopped off the counter and left the enclosed space as quickly as possible.

  “Thanks,” I murmured as I headed straight for bed.

  “Been seeing a lot of your back lately, babe. Good thing I like the view,” he chuckled quietly.

  I couldn’t fight the blush which covered my cheeks; I rolled my eyes to try to hide my reaction.

  I climbed into bed and tried not to think too much about the night to come. The idea of Sal sleeping ten feet away was daunting at best, but I was a bit relieved as well. I certainly wasn’t eager to be alone. I heard him get settled on the couch; I hadn’t even offered him a throw blanket.

  “Night, Birdie,” his deep voice rumbled through the dark. I resisted the urge to tell him he had no right to call me that now, but I didn’t have the energy.

  “Night,” I answered shortly.

  I woke up to the oddest whimpering sound, and it took a few minutes to realize it was coming from me. I must have been dreaming. In seconds, I felt Sal’s warm body slide in behind mine. He’d taken his shirt off at some point in the night, and I shuddered at the intimacy of the contact.

  “No.” I shook my head, my voice hoarse with emotion as I tried to get out of his embrace.

  “Sssh, let me hold on to you. I’ve got you,” he whispered in my ear, his deep voice so familiar and soothing despite how much he’d hurt me. His arms wrapped tighter around my middle, pulling my body back against his. In the past, this position would have almost always led to sex, but there was nothing sexual about it now. He was simply trying to comfort me, and I was in such a raw, emotional state that I was going to let him.

  But I could only allow it for a short time. “I’m okay now. You can go back to the couch,” I said quietly after a few minutes of soaking in the hardness of his body and breath on my neck. I couldn’t get used to this. I wouldn’t let myself get used to this.

  I felt him looking at me for several moments through the dark before he moved away and got off the bed. I could see his beautiful body out of the corner of my eye as he stood in his black jeans. I remembered the first time I’d ever seen his body, I swear I’d had a mini-orgasm at the sight. He was all glorious muscle and beautiful brown skin. His gorgeous chest piece stood out against his chiseled pecs, which led down into a defined six-pack and sculpted V below. I’d wanted to lick every inch of him from that moment on and in the months we’d been together I pretty much had.

  I laid back down and curled back into my self-protective ball. After a few minutes, I heard him sigh in resignation and resituate himself on the couch. The bed felt much colder without him in it, but I couldn’t let him be close to me, not anymore.

  I woke up several more times before morning. Now that the pain pills had worn off, my mind couldn’t rest. I kept reliving what happened and jerking back awake every time I was close to sleep. Finally, Sal climbed back into bed with me as the first hint of dawn was hitting the window.

  “You’re having a rough night,” he commented as he curved his front to my back, holding me securely.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, instantly relaxing into him. I was too tired to fight it.

  “You can sleep now. I won’t let go,” he whispered.

  “You already did,” I replied hoarsely.

  Chapter 7

  When I woke up later that morning, the first thing I was aware of was the strong, all too familiar body pressed behind me. I shifted slightly, trying to get out from under his arm, but he pulled me tighter against him.

  “Morning,” he greeted, his voice raspy with sleep. That voice of his in the morning, God, I’d missed it. Hearing it had my thighs pressing together in a futile effort to curb the immediate ache that emerged.

  “Morning,” I managed, trying to get a handle on my lust.

  “Feeling okay?” he asked, and I thought I detected a note of amusement in his tone. No doubt he hadn’t missed my restless shifting.

  “Yeah, I’m less sore than yesterday,” I told him honestly.

  “That’s good,” he murmured, his hand moving to squeeze my waist. I felt the unmistakable press of his erection against my lower back and my ache intensified.

  “I need to get up,” I said, somewhat desperate to get away from him before my body completely mutinied and jumped him.

  “Not yet,” he replied, pulling me closer.

  “If you think for one second you’re getting any, you’re out of your damn mind,” I huffed while still trying to pull away. He chuckled, the sound low and annoyingly sexy. “I don’t think that. My cock hasn’t gotten the message, though,” he replied. “I haven’t been close to you in a long time; it has a mind of its own,” he added.

  My phone started ringing then from its place on my nightstand, providing me with a welcomed escape. Sal rolled to the side and grabbed it, his eyes narrowing on the screen.

  “Who’s Gavin?” he demanded.

  “None of your business,” I snapped, grabbing the phone and silencing it. There was no way I was talking to Gavin in front of Sal. And why was he calling anyway?

  He sat up and I tried to ignore the play of muscles against his stomach at the motion. It was so easy to get distracted when he was shirtless. The beautiful tattoos which spanned across his chest and down both arms were enough to make my mouth water. And his skin was a beautiful color. I didn’t know many details about his family, he didn’t talk about them much. But, I knew his father was Spanish and his mother Caucasian, resulting in a beautiful light brown skin tone that looked good enough to eat.

  “Who is he?” he asked again, his dark eyes watching my movements as I got up off the bed and stood glaring at him.

  “That guy you went all caveman on,” I retorted with an eye roll.

  Sal’s face turned hard and his anger pissed me right the hell off.

  “In case you’ve somehow forgotten, I’m sin-gle.” I emphasized the syllables with my hands on my hips. “I can go out on dates if I want to. Maybe it’s lost on you, but the opposite sex does tend to find me attractive,” I snapped.

  “It’s not lost on me,” he replied steadily.

  I sighed, searching for patience and trying to ignore the throbbing in my neck and face. It was time to end whatever was going on between us. I didn’t want to be angry and bitter with him, yet I couldn’t help but lash out when his being here brought everything to the forefront. It was too hard.

  I took a deep breath. “Look,” I began, my voice and stance deliberately calmer than before. “I don’t want to be angry with you. I’m sure you had your reasons for breaking up with me. It’s not like you made me any promises. But, I can’t deal with this,” I said, gesturing to my injuries, “while dealing with being around you.” I tried to explain, horrified when a lump formed in my throat. I was making myself more vulnerable to him than I’d intended. “Having you around is making it harder, and I’m not saying that to hurt you. I just can’t deal with it,” I said as I gulped, a sheen of tears filling my eyes. “Dammit,” I muttered to myself, forging ahead as though the tears weren’t happening, “so if you feel bad for leaving or you feel obligated because of what happened to me, please don’t. I’m fine,” I tried to assure him. “Or, I will be,” I added.

  He continued to watch me with his dark eyes from the edge of the bed.

  “The guys can watch out for me. They’ve been doing it for the past six months anyway,” I stammered, eyeing him wearily as he moved to stand up and started to advance toward me. I backed up, trying to ward him off. “I need you to go, Sal,” I said, my voice harder. “This isn’t a situation you can force your way through.”

  He did the opposite of what I asked and pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms a
round me.

  Yep, he was going to force his way through.

  “Let me go!” I protested, pressing hard against his chest.

  “Can’t,” he replied simply, his chin resting on the crown of my head. We’d always fit so well together, like two puzzle pieces. My face snuggled perfectly into his neck when he held me like this. But I wasn’t in a snuggling type of mood.

  “You did it fine before,” I snapped, outright shoving now, my anger palpable.

  “Trust me, I was far from fine,” he assured me.

  My body stilled. He’d been upset, too? Then why hadn’t he checked in once in six months? Now he had the audacity to come plundering back into my life as though he had every right to take over again? Nuh uh, no way.

  I made a strangled sound of frustration and continued to try to shove at him. He held me tighter, and I started to punch his chest; my anger and grief pouring out in a way I could barely control. He took what I gave him, barely grunting at my ministrations, letting me work it out. Finally, I exhausted myself and sagged against him in defeat. And to my severe horror, I started to sob against his chest.

  He held me, patiently stroking my hair.

  Finally, I pulled it together and pushed away from him. “This is my strategy to convince you that you don’t want to have anything to do with me,” I quipped, wiping my eyes.

  He gave me a sad looking smile but didn’t reply. Sal had never been much of a talker. After another minute of silence, he reached out to stroke my hair back from my face. “There are so many things I want to say to you, but I don’t feel like you’re in the state of mind to hear them or to believe them,” he explained quietly. “But you’re my woman, have been since the moment I laid eyes on you. And I’m never leavin’ you again.” He shook his head.

  I sucked in a breath at those words. He’d never made any sort of grand statements like that when we’d been together before.

  “I know you’re angry and hurt and I fucked things up, but I’m gonna fight my way back in there,” he murmured, his palm splaying briefly on my chest. “It kills me that this happened to you because of your relationship with me,” he said hoarsely, tracing the bruise on my neck with the utmost tenderness. “It kills me that I was a few blocks away when it started,” he rasped. His eyes were so pained that I nearly reached out to console him, but I found my resolve and restrained myself.