“Yep. And her parents stood right there, pair of bobbleheads claiming she needed the cash. I’m on the hook for a shitload of money every month, and when I don’t send the check ’cause I’ve got no cash in the bank, they garnish my wages and leave me nothing to live on.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah,” Finn grumbled. “Every time I work for the man, he gets his taxes and she gets the remainder. Makes it hard to keep on going when people insist on filing the paperwork. I keep asking them, pay me under the table. Slip me the cash, and no one’s the wiser, especially the government.”
“Damned government.” Jake shook his head. “Always interfering in our lives.”
Finn grunted his agreement.
Jake took a sip of beer. “What was her name?”
“Annabelle. Belle for short.” Finn studied his beer, hoping Jake would take the bait.
The older man drained the last of his glass. “Well, I’ll keep my ear to the ground. If I hear something, I’ll let you know.” He studied Finn for a second. “You got any qualms about what you do for the extra cash?”
Finn shook his head. “I’ve hauled garbage, I’ve shoveled crap… As long as it’s not outright murder I’m good with it.” He looked at Jake, putting as much emotion as he dared into his words. “From one ex-military man to another—you know I’ll follow orders. I’ve been to jail. Rather not go back unless it pays damned well.”
Jake nodded and pushed his empty glass away. “Right. See you later.” He let out a loud burp and tapped his chest. “I’m out for the night.” He cocked his finger like a gun and fired at the bartender. “On my tab.”
The woman scowled. Finn held back a smile. He hadn’t seen Jake pay for a single drink in weeks, which meant his tab had to be in the triple digits.
He paid in full every single night.
Jake slapped him on the back as he stumbled toward the door.
Finn stayed at the bar for another hour until the bartender declared last call, waiting out the rest of the bikers and most of the customers.
He made a scene of regretfully digging in his wallet to pay his bill, grousing loudly about not having the cash to spare for anything except the cheapest of beers.
Inside, he was pacing back and forth, hoping the gamble had paid off.
Finn hadn’t wanted to say anything to Skye, but Dylan had set a hard limit of a month for the operation. The Watleys were over halfway through their vacation, and he was beginning to run short on time.
As he opened the door and stepped out into the dry, hot air, Finn checked his watch, finding it well after two o’clock. He rolled his shoulders back, feeling the familiar pang of need for Skye. For the smell of her, the taste of her…
The woman had gotten so far under his skin, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to get her out.
And yet…
His shoes crunched on the gravel as he made his way to the truck at the back of the lot, knowing when the job was up he’d have to let her go.
Men like him didn’t find soulmates while in the field.
A tiny voice at the back of his mind reminded him of Dylan and Jessie, of their discovery of each other in the middle of dealing with Jessie’s kidnapping and run-in with the Molodavi crime family.
They’re different, he snapped back silently.
They’re different.
Finn wondered if he was trying to talk himself into or out of a future with Skye.
Enjoy the ride, he reminded himself, thinking of the agreement they’d made.
He frowned as he pulled into the apartment building, not seeing Skye’s Jeep. It was almost three o’clock, and she should have been back long ago from the Rest ‘n’ Relax.
Robby.
Finn pulled out his phone and called the hospital first, dialing straight through to Wyatt and Ace. It only took a few seconds to check on Robby—no change either way. And Skye wasn’t there. She hadn’t come in since breakfast.
The hairs on the back of his neck started to tingle, and not in a good way.
He dialed her number, feeling overwhelming relief when she picked up.
“Damn it, woman.” Finn chuckled. “You had me worried sick. I thought…”
“He was here.” The whispered reply sent ice through his veins. “The son of a bitch was right here.”
“Skye. Listen to me. Where are you?” Finn fought to keep his voice calm while every muscle in his body called for action.
“I’m still here at the truck stop. I can’t…” A sob came across the line. “God, I don’t know if he saw me or not. I’m afraid to move. He might be outside, waiting for me to make a break for it.”
“I’m on my way.” Finn jammed the truck into drive and spun it around, cursing as the tires burned against the asphalt. “I’m coming.”
…
It was a horrible flashback to when her parents died—the fear, the terrifying knowledge that the world was out of her control, completely and utterly at the whim of Fate. At the time, she’d given up on God, only returning to her faith years later when she’d come to terms with their deaths.
Now she sat on the floor, unable to see anything other than the Wolf’s eyes as he peered through the glass, searching, waiting for her to come out so he could finish her off.
A part of her still clung to logic, understanding she’d be fine if she got up and walked out. The bikers were gone, long gone. She’d been lucky, and now they had recorded evidence of the gang’s crimes, ammunition for the future.
It was a good thing.
Get up.
So simple.
She couldn’t do it.
The second she moved outside the station, Smith would be there to take her like the animal he was.
When her phone vibrated against her side, she’d swallowed a scream. She’d fumbled with it, terrified someone would hear her speaking and come crashing through the front door.
“I’m coming.” Finn’s deep voice came through.
Light-headed with relief, she almost fainted.
…
The squeal of tires in the parking lot put her nerves on edge. She pulled her knees up, curling into as tight a ball as she could.
They’re back.
She didn’t dare look over the counter.
“Skye!” The yell matched the man running along the side of the building, slapping the glass with his outstretched hand. “Skye!”
She forced herself to move, her numb legs unwilling to obey.
“Skye.” Finn pounded on the back door. “Let me in.”
She stumbled out from behind the counter, shaking as she tried to turn the simple deadbolt.
It opened with a thunderous click.
He pulled the door open and snatched her up, pulled her to his chest in a tight embrace.
“Finn,” she said, the only word in her vocabulary at present.
“I’m here. Don’t worry. You’re safe.”
…
Finn stroked Skye’s hair, looking her over for any sign of physical injury. She trembled in his arms, so much he could barely keep hold of her.
This happened. People paralyzed with terror, their emotions locking them in their own mind prisons.
He cleared his throat. “You didn’t tell me before—is he really that short?”
She frowned, her cheeks streaked with tears. “What?”
“When he came into the store and you thought about clocking him with the shovel. I saw him on the interior tape. He’s what, five feet? Maybe?” Finn smiled. “Might be why he’s always angry. Insecurity over having to stretch to reach the top shelf. And you know what they say about short men who carry riding crops.” He raised an eyebrow. “Got to have something long in his hand because…”
The snort turned into a giggle turned into a light laugh, her system rebooting after the shock.
She disentangled herself from him, still chuckling, and poked him in the chest, hard. “You’re bad.”
“Always.” Finn reached out and stroked her cheek.
“Feel better?”
“Yes.” She swiped at her face with the sleeve of her blouse. “Feel stupid.”
“Don’t. That’s how the man became a gang leader. He knows how to scare people and screw with their minds.” He forced himself to smile. “But we got the footage.”
“We sure did. Damn it.” Skye scrubbed her eyes, her hands waving in the dim light. “I shouldn’t have let him get to me. Hell, I saw the son of a bitch here in plain daylight only a week or so ago. I shouldn’t have reacted to him at all.”
“This time was different,” Finn said, running his hands over her arms. “Then he was coming in for some soda and a chocolate fix. Tonight he was doing what he does best, being a bad guy.” He didn’t want to let her go, his need to touch her overwhelming all else. “Terrorizing is second nature to him.”
She nodded. “I just…” She drew a staggered breath. “I can see why no one challenges him. He’s pure evil.”
“That’s why you came to see us. And why I’m here.” He pulled her in for a fast kiss. “Let’s get back to your place. You’ll have to leave soon to go to the hospital for your morning visit.”
Skye looked at the clock, squinting as she did the math. “It’s after three o’clock. We have to open here at eight, and you need some sleep.” She paused. “I need some sleep. Oh, God.”
Finn moved behind her and rubbed her shoulders. “It’s totally doable. But not if we stand here and chat about it for long.”
Skye hesitated for a second before going back to the counter and snatching up the dark blue canvas bag. She waved it in the air as they went out the back door, making sure to lock up.
“Forgot the damned deposit—the whole reason why I ended up here late.” She took his hand as they walked out to where the cars sat. “I’ll meet you back at my place.”
“Of course you will. Because I’m following you to the bank first.” He kissed her forehead before letting go. “I’ll be with you the whole way.”
He kept his word, tailing her as she went by the night deposit window in town then back to the apartment building. He wanted to call Trey and view the footage, except right now he had a bigger priority on his mind.
It was selfish, but he thought they’d earned themselves a bit of that right now.
Skye shook her head as she fumbled with the key at the front door, cursing under her breath.
“Here.” Finn took it from her and let them both in. “Go to the bedroom, but don’t get undressed. I need a shower and so do you.” He gave her a light pat on the ass, pushing her down the hall before making sure the front door was locked.
Finn entered the bedroom to see Skye standing there. She crossed her arms in front of her, lower lip jutting out in shame and embarrassment.
“Don’t.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t get upset with yourself.”
She gave light resistance as he pulled her closer, her eyes downcast.
“I’ve seen trained military men freeze the first time they enter combat. They do all the testing, do all the scenarios, and can’t handle the real thing. The only way you find out how strong you are is to get into the thick of it.”
He reached up and flicked open the first button on her blouse. “I would have been scared, too.”
She cocked her head doubtfully, eyebrows raised.
“No kidding.” The other buttons followed. “I know this might come as a surprise to you, but I’m not a big fan of overwhelming odds. I like them in my favor as much as possible. You did the right thing. You assessed the situation and laid low. If you had done anything else, it could have gone badly.”
He pushed the possibilities out of his mind before they could fully form, burying them in imaginary graves.
He wasn’t going to let them taint the moment.
Finn reached up and drew a finger under her left breast, moving to the clip holding the center of her bra secure.
“For example. This situation here. I like the odds. Definitely in our favor.”
Skye let out a sigh as he undid her bra with a flick of his fingers.
His hands moved in to cup both breasts, his thumbs caressing her nipples.
“I was afraid for the entire drive,” he admitted as she leaned in, her hands resting on his shoulders. “I was afraid I wouldn’t get to you in time.”
“But you did,” she whispered.
“If I can, I always will.” Finn pressed his face between her breasts. “I always will.” He kissed his way up her neck and pulled her down into his lap. “Now let’s get into the shower and get cleaned up before I run out of patience.”
This wasn’t just for her. It was for him, too. Finn hadn’t felt that cold fear gripping his heart for years, that horrible sense of potential loss ripping him apart. It had chilled him to the core, and only one thing would banish that icy embrace.
She moved away and slipped her jeans off, discarding the rest of her clothing as Finn watched and kept pace, shucking his own clothes.
He took her hand and led her to the shower.
“You do sort of reek,” she said. “Isn’t every place supposed to be non-smoking by now?”
Finn laughed. “I somehow doubt any inspector’s been inside the Broken Spoke for years.” He turned the water on, setting the temperature and making sure the shower gel was close at hand.
Along with other supplies.
Chapter Twenty-One
All her bravado, all her tough talk, and she’d folded at the mere sight of Mick Smith standing a few feet from her.
Okay, maybe not the mere sight, she corrected herself as Finn led her into the small shower stall. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen Mick around before this entire business had started, seen him drive by with his biker buddies. Hell, she’d seen him not so long ago in the same damned store, stuffing his face and belching like a drunken fool.
This was different. The way he waved at the driver, dismissing him as easily as he’d swat a fly. The angry swipes in the air with the riding crop, his loud cursing.
Tonight, it had been easy to imagine him ordering someone to be killed, or beating a man within an inch of his life then sending him to be dumped in an alley. She wouldn’t be surprised if there were plenty of dead bodies between here and Los Angeles, drug overdoses and beatings that could be laid at Mick Smith’s feet.
She wasn’t going to be one of them.
Not tonight. Not ever. And neither would her brother.
Or Finn.
Finn drew her into the shower stall, holding her close. He stroked her sides, drawing his naked hands up and down her body.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I should have called…”
Finn nodded, sending water flying over them. “You should have. Or texted me. Something.”
“I didn’t want to call you because I knew you’d be working your cover at the bar,” she said. “You would have done exactly what you did just now—come to save me. It could have destroyed the image you’ve worked so hard to create. And we wouldn’t have gotten the tape, gotten evidence of how they get the drivers and the cars set up.”
“I’d have given it all up it in a second,” Finn said, “to come save you.”
“I know.” She rose onto her toes and brushed her lips against his. “The mission comes first.”
He smiled. “Since when did you get all military?”
“Since I’m technically your boss.” She poked him in the chest. “I contacted you in Vegas, so I figure I’m in charge of this assignment.”
His eyebrows rose. “I see. Let me point out that I’m much better at giving orders than taking them.” The edges of his mouth curled up, igniting the desire inside her. “As you’ll find out soon enough.”
She fought back a shiver. She’d pay for that comment at some point in the future.
But not right now.
Right now, it was about celebrating life.
“So, how did the evening’s drinking go? Jake pay for any of your beers yet?”
“No. And he’s not l
ikely to.” He smiled. “I might have a job offer soon.”
“They just sent out a driver tonight.”
He nodded. “But they’re not going to keep him. Because I’m nasty and mean and Jake’s going to vouch for me.” He tipped her head back and stared at her. “It’s all going to work out. Believe me.”
“I do.” And she did, the power of his belief holding her firm.
Skye ran her hands along his chest as the water streamed down on them. “You’re wonderful.”
“No.” His voice went a little darker, a little more feral. “This is wonderful.”
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up. Her legs went around his waist instinctively as he pressed her against the tiles, the cool ceramic a startling shift from the hot water.
The kiss was hard and hungry, unlike the previous gentle touches. He pulled back and locked eyes with her, panting slightly.
“I thought I’d lost you,” Finn growled. “I thought I wouldn’t get there in time.” His fingers dug into her hips, and his cock pressed against her center, eager and waiting. “I thought…”
The rest of his words were lost in a passionate kiss that swamped her senses, drowning out the last of the fear from encountering the gang.
“Hold on.” Finn reached outside the shower and brought in a condom. He ripped the packet open with his teeth, his one hand now holding her up. “This isn’t going to be long, but I need this. We need this.”
Skye kept her hands on his shoulders as he sheathed himself, trying hard not to move.
His hand went back under her ass, squeezing tight as he lifted her again, her back rubbing against the tiles.
“Yes.” It was all she could get out as he lowered her down on him, her passion surging as he bucked against her, the intimate contact already pushing him to the edge.
…
It was fast, and it sure as hell wasn’t pretty. The fear had built up with every mile he drove, and he channeled it all into loving her.
The world around them narrowed.
Nothing else mattered.
Finn grunted as he thrust up into her, his desire only increasing as she arched back with a low, drawn-out scream, giving him total control.
The blaze gathered at the base of his spine, curling around his balls and waiting to be set free. He had no way to catch it, direct it. It was liquid fire, devouring his self-control like an inferno in dry brush.
Hard Run (Delta Force Brotherhood) Page 14
