Lena's Fall & Colt's Magic (Black Hills Series)

by A. C. Wilson

That familiar voice had Declan shaking his head and smiling as he turned. He nodded. “I am now.” He shook hands with Blake Phails. His buddy certainly hadn’t left him alone.

  “Good. I thought you could use a cover story.” Blake grinned, his blue eyes twinkling and his friendship became more valuable than it ever was to Declan.

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” Declan grinned.

  “Happens when you are too close to the situation.” Blake reached for the door and pulled it open. It’s now or never. Declan took a deep breath and followed Blake through the doors.

  The Well always seemed so dark inside no matter the time of day. The lingering smell of smoke touched his nose and he wrinkled it. Blake stood before him and Declan was grateful for the cover. His eyes slowly adjusted as he scanned the bar room for Lena. His gaze swept the bar, but didn’t find her behind it. Blake moved toward an empty table by one of the windows. Declan followed him as he continued his recon.

  “Good evening, gentlemen.” Tricia came up to their table and Declan mentally sighed. She was a huge flirt and she loved to talk. Now was not the time for that.

  “Hi, Tricia. Is Lena working tonight?” Blake asked, setting his hat on the table.

  Their waitress pouted slightly and then nodded like a petulant child. “She’s on break. I rather think she has her hands full with her section.” Tricia began as she set her order pad on the tray she was carrying.

  “We understand. Declan came to see Lena and I came to have a steak.” Blake smiled at their waitress and Tricia brightened.

  “I’ll get you a menu. Can I bring you a drink while you wait?” Suddenly she was all smiles. Declan fought not to roll his eyes.

  “I’d take a beer.” Blake indicated Declan. “Bring him one too.”

  “Great. Be right back.” Tricia sauntered off toward the bar. Both men looked at each other, but didn’t say what they were thinking.

  Declan leaned back in his chair to wait for Lena. It wasn’t easy. He wanted to find her and find out what was going on. It didn’t stretch the imagination that she would be angry with him for coming here. Even the company of a friend under the guise for dinner wouldn’t fool her.

  “Relax. You’re making me fidget.” Blake said under his breath as Tricia came back with their drinks. Declan hated that the woman blocked his view of the rest of the room. She bowed her back so that her breasts rose. Declan worried about them spilling out and one look at Tricia said she hoped that they would. Blake accepted their beers gratefully and put in his order for a steak and mashed potatoes. Declan tried to opt out of dinner, but one kick from Blake had him ordering a burger with fries.

  “I’m not hungry.” Declan said when Tricia had gone away again. Blake put the glass bottle to his lips and took a drink. Declan brought his own bottle closer.

  “I don’t like to eat alone and it will keep Tricia from hounding us all night. At least if it looks legitimate that you are here for dinner, Lena won’t yell at you…much.” Blake shrugged when Declan huffed.

  “I don’t understand what is going on. We have a great time together and she’s so much fun. She’s beautiful and funny, and smart.” His heart swelled with pride. He was totally in love with Lena McCoy.

  “You haven’t told her, have you?” Blake asked, taking another drink of his beer and looking him over shrewdly. Declan couldn’t fool a fellow soldier.

  “I was trying to, but she’s shut me out for even mentioning marriage.” Declan ran a hand over his face.

  “You mean you asked her to marry you without telling her that you loved her first?” Blake stared in surprise at his friend. Declan wanted to deny it, but it was almost true.

  “I didn’t propose exactly.” Declan closed his eyes. “I was telling her how much it would mean to me to have a marriage where love, faith, and honesty were present. I told her that I thought we had a shot at something like that.”

  “Hmm…Bailey and I talk about that sometimes. I haven’t chased her off yet, so I guess that’s a good sign.” Blake shook his head and wiped the condensation from his bottle.

  Declan shook his head sadly. “I thought women liked stuff like that. I thought they wanted men who wanted to get married, settle down and have a family. I don’t get what I did wrong.”

  “Well I think you are going to get your chance to find out.” Blake’s voice held enough weight in warning for him to start sweating again. A bead of sweat trickled from his neck, down his back and soaked into his shirt. Declan looked up and met the hard gaze from Lena. She held her body stiff and rigid as she watched them. Suddenly coming to her work was seeming a worse idea than it had when he walked inside.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The look from those deep brown eyes could have melted flesh from his bones. A paranormal fan would have been mesmerized by the anger and Declan hesitated to add this, but sadness was there too. He knew anger bore the brunt of the emotions, but the sadness was worse than the sting of heat from her eyes. They pinned him where he sat at the table next to Blake. His buddy looked equally alarmed and the tension in Blake’s cheek told Declan that the soldier was ready for battle. Too bad it was a battle Declan didn’t wish to have right here in the middle of The Well.

  No one else seemed to notice the standoff going on in the bar. There were some patrons walking inside, laughing and joking with each other. Lena greeted them with a tight smile. The group veered toward Tricia’s section and it delighted the other waitress. Tricia was quite at home with the attention.

  “What are you doing here?” Lena’s sharp, hushed voice reached Declan’s ears. He held her gaze as she took a couple of steps toward him and stopped again. She almost looked afraid that he might bite. Funny thought considering she was the one who looked fit to commit murder.

  “We came for dinner.” Blake’s voice only added to the fray. She swung her gaze to him and indicated that she didn’t quite believe that cover story. She looked back to Declan.

  “I’ll let your waitress know you’re ready for your ticket.” She ground out, half turning from them and colliding against the chest of a tall, well-built man. At first Declan thought it had been an accident, but the look on Lena’s face and the fact that the man still held onto her upper arms had Declan standing up from his chair. Blake followed him up.

  “Let me go, Chance.” Lena was angry now, as if she hadn’t been before. The man only chuckled as he leaned in to sniff her neck. Lena tried to jerk away, but he held fast.

  “I believe the lady asked you to let her go.” Declan felt his temper riding high now. He fought to harness it. It had been a long time since it had gotten away from him. He didn’t want that. The man looked at both Declan and Blake with a smirk.

  “Get in line. She’s mine first and then you can have her.” The man named Chance punctuated his words by grinding his hip into her as he licked his lips suggestively. Declan’s stomach soured. Lena squeaked as she tried to escape him.

  “Tricia, call the cops.” Blake shouted over to the other waitress, who was watching this all with unveiled interest. Sadly so was everyone else in the bar. Declan turned his head to meet Blake’s eyes and they moved as one. Declan grabbed Lena and Blake took one fast jab into the jerk’s face. It took good ol’ Chance to his knees and luckily, he released Lena. The man wiped his palm over his mouth to find his lip bleeding.

  “You couldn’t just wait your turn? I’ve heard the slut likes two men in the same night.” The idiot had the nerve to grin up at Lena. Blake took hold of Chance by his shirt collar and lifted it away from his body. Chance sputtered and started to scramble to his feet. Blake’s face was filled with menace and Declan might have felt inclined to be sorry for the man hanging by his shirt collar, but not tonight.

  “You really shouldn’t say anything at all if you can’t say anything nice.” Blake spoke through gritted teeth. Declan felt Lena push away from him before his mind could grasp her movement. Her tiny frame was rigid and vibrating with shock and anger.

  “Get the hell out of here, C
hance.” She spoke with so much force that the whole room seemed to let out a collective breath. Blake tipped his head toward Declan, wondering what to do. “I said to let him go. Now.”

  “Lena, you should report this joker.” Declan tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she stepped away from him.

  “I’m not pressing charges.” Lena turned and walked away from them. Blake slowly released the man and Declan held open the front door.

  “Don’t bother Lena McCoy again, you understand? Or you’ll have something worse to deal with than the cops.” Declan kept his voice low, but no one could mistake the promise behind the words. Chance adjusted his shirt and wiped his lip with the back of his hand before heading out the open door.

  “Why do you think she let that man go?” Declan asked from his seat next to Blake’s. The bar had gone back to business as usual after the altercation. Even Lena had come back to pick up on her tables. She hadn’t looked his way all night. Three hours he sat there nursing the third beer that was going warm. Blake had offered to keep him company. Bailey had gone over to Nora’s to help with jewelry inventory.

  “Maybe she didn’t want to make a scene.” Blake offered, although neither men really believed that. Lena McCoy seemed to like attention so this poke at sympathy was up her alley, right? Declan wasn’t sure he knew which side was up anymore. He didn’t blame Lena for the man’s inability to keep his hands off her person. From her shock and upset looks, Declan knew that she wasn’t faking her disgust.

  “I don’t know. It was like he assumed she would go along with him.” Declan mused as he sat there pulling the label off his glass bottle.

  “Some men think the world owes them and they are God’s gift to women. That jerk didn’t have the right to put his hands on her.” Blake wrinkled his nose as if something smelled terrible. Declan appreciated the clear thinking, because his own brain was failing. He didn’t want to think that Lena might be encouraging other men.

  “You’re right, of course. It’s just that I can’t seem to think straight around her anymore. I think I know something and then I end up second guessing it.” Declan waved his hand around, feeling more frustrated and short-sighted.

  “You aren’t the only man who feels that way, Declan.” Blake took another sip of his beer. “It’s called being in love.”

  Declan threw an annoyed look his friend’s way before he turned his gaze back to the rest of the bar. Most of the patrons had vacated. Tricia walked over with her tray and picked up his empty bottle.

  “Can I get you gentlemen anything else?” Her words were super sweet and she posted a hand on her hip. Declan shook his head and Blake did likewise.

  “I just need to talk to Lena.” Declan said, pulling out his wallet and handing Tricia some cash. The waitress twitched her lip as if thinking of what to say.

  “That might be a bit tough tonight. She’s off shift.”

  “When did she leave?” Declan demanded, his senses leaving him. He was tired of the cat and mouse game that was going on. He knew he should let her go and that’s what she seemed to want. The problem was that he couldn’t do that. Not yet anyway.

  “Ten minutes.” Tricia said quietly and Blake got up from his seat.

  “She went out the back, otherwise we would have seen her leave.” Blake said, offering a smile to Tricia. She blushed and nodded. “Thanks again.”

  “Anytime.” Tricia’s sex kitten voice responded. Declan rolled his eyes and headed out the front door. Blake was behind him, but a bit slower. Declan knew he was trying to give them a bit of space. Besides they had threatened a guy tonight and you could never put it passed them to try to regain some pride.

  Declan half ran down the street to where the alley and road met. He looked behind the bar and up the street where other cars were parked. No tail lights, no head lights…nothing. Declan closed his eyes and lowered his head for a moment. He asked himself why he was fighting so hard.

  Why am I fighting for someone who isn’t fighting for me? Am I an idiot for believing that the woman had scars no one knew about?

  “You could drive by her house.” Blake’s voice brought Declan back to the surface and he nodded his head once.

  “I think I will. I should at least make sure she’s safe after the incident earlier.” Declan took a deep breath and began to walk back toward his truck. Blake fell into step beside him.

  “You’re a good man.” Blake said with a good amount of conviction in his voice. Declan couldn’t deny the tightness of his chest or the words on repeat in his head.

  “Am I an idiot, man? Is it stupid to be chasing after a woman who doesn’t want to be caught?” Declan stopped in the middle of the street, the lights coming on and his eyes looking wary. Blake stopped too and looked at him. Everything was quiet except for the erratic beating of his heart. Blake tucked his hands into the front pocket of his jeans.

  “I think if you are asking yourself that, then you already know the answer.” Blake pressed his lips together, looking as if he would say more, but thought better of it. Declan looked at the street lights around town and nodded stiltedly.

  “Thanks. I think I’ll head over there now.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Lena threw her purse and coat onto the chair inside her apartment. Her hands were trembling and her vision was blurred by tears. Tonight had gone from bad to worse and on top of it, she was reminded just what men thought of her.

  They only think they know you by what they see, sweetie.

  Her mother’s words slipped into her conscience and being that she had heard them for a long time, they also slipped passed her rough exterior. Her mother was the only person to ever support her daughter. Jean McCoy was a soft, gentle hearted woman who bowed to her husband’s will. Of course Lena loved her father, but there was something about a man who thought he was the be all and end all of their world. It wasn’t until recently that she was able to break free of their grasping control to come back to Hot Springs.

  If only her mother could see her now. Lena softly closed her apartment door and flipped the lock. She reached up absently to pull the stretchy ring from her pony tail. Her hair tumbling down around her shoulders. She was so tired. She didn’t think a good night’s sleep would fix this. The weight of the world pushed down on her slight shoulders. Her heart beat in slow, damaging knocks inside her chest.

  Two consecutive raps came at the door behind her causing her to jump in startled surprise. A hand was clutched at her now racing heart and she couldn’t deny the trickle of cold fear that dripped down her spine. Lena squared up to the door, but couldn’t bring herself to move toward it. She was thirty feet away, nearly to the bathroom, but she might as well have been with her ear pressed up against the wood for all she felt the reverberation of the knocks in her body.

  “Lena, I know you are in there. Your car is outside.”

  She knew she should be relieved. The man on the other side of the door was not the idiot who had assaulted her tonight. On the other hand, just because it wasn’t Chance, didn’t mean she was any more excited about who was standing there. While she was debating the next course of action, two faster knocks came against the door. Clearly he wasn’t going to be leaving any time soon. Lena really wondered if ignoring him would work, but all the unanswered calls, texts and emails hadn’t subdued his interest. Why would ignoring his house call be any different, especially after he had saved her tonight?

  Slow, sliding steps brought Lena to her apartment door. Her hand trembled as she reached out to the cold metal that touched her fingertips. Biting her bottom lip to keep it from wobbling, she carefully undid the lock and gave the knob a turn. There was barely time to take more than a breath and the door swung into her. Lena gasped in surprise as she took a couple of steps quickly in retreat. In a moment she was pierced by those chocolate depths that simmered with anger and frustration.

  Declan watched her as he stood in the threshold of her apartment door and still Lena held her bottom lip between her teeth. Her hands mi
ght have been shaking, but she wasn’t aware of them now. All she could feel was the strong, virile male that looked as if he wanted to scoop her up and strangle her all at the same time. The intense emotion caused her nerves to stretch and the tighter they became, the worse she felt. A million words wanted to come spilling out of her mouth, but in the current state she was in Lena feared they would never make any sense. The little demon or angel on her shoulder expressed the need to hear Declan out and then let him go. Declan would never rest until he had said his peace and then maybe one more broken heart would be eased.

  Declan watched her, his eyes slipping up from her feet to the top of her head. She watched him log his findings, then stepping inside and closing the door behind him. Her apartment was small, but with the military bearing of the ex-soldier before her, her apartment could have been a shoe box.

  “Are you okay?” His voice was low and scratchy as he looked her over again. This time he was more thorough as if he might be looking for spots that hadn’t even bruised yet. Lena cursed her overwrought emotions for pricking her eyes with tears. She lowered her head in order to blink them away. Declan took two steps toward her, but froze in place when she jerked her head up. Lena couldn’t help the flinch that stunned her.

  “I’m fine.” She whispered quickly, as if to dispel the stricken look from Declan’s eyes. He hadn’t missed a thing. She should have known better than to think she could fool his hyper-sensitive instincts. Declan was battle honed and born of a cloth that demanded constant vigilance, protection, and readiness. His brown eyes deepened. She was a fool.

  “We need to talk, Lena.”

  The five words out of his mouth that she had expected still felt like a sting. She knew she couldn’t stop herself from feeling something for him. He was wonderful….and not for her.

  “Declan, say what you need to say to me.” She begged him with her eyes to just get it over with. Her eyes slipped to the small couch and she side stepped to perch on the scrolled arm. Absently Lena rubbed her hands up her arms as if she were cold. Declan moved to take a seat on the couch where he could turn his body slightly to see her.