She closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath. ‘Does Lennie…? He has no idea where I am, right?’ A wave of fear had washed over her so quick there it had almost knocked her sideways. And Charlie had sensed that, his voice softening.
‘No. He has no idea.’
‘So… so how did he react when…?’ It was something she’d been wondering ever since she’d left Newcastle – how Lennie had reacted once he’d realized she’d gone.
‘How do you think he reacted? He kicked off, accused me of covering for you, and I didn’t deny that. I’m not gonna lie to him. I told him it was me who sent you away. And I told him why I’d done that. But he’ll never know where you are.’
‘Did he…?’
‘We can handle Lennie, Mia. Don’t you worry about that.’
‘But what if he…? He must have threatened to come looking for me…’
‘Trust me, kiddo. He won’t find you.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ Her voice still carried the tiniest hint of fear, because this phone call was reminding her of the very real danger she was in. And she was letting it get to her all over again. That hope she’d felt just a few minutes earlier had suddenly dissipated. It had gone.
‘Just trust me, sweetheart, okay? And whatever Coby thinks is best… He’s a good man, Mia. He knows what he’s doing. And it won’t last forever, darlin’. Before you know it you’ll be living your new life as though the old one never existed.’
She let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes again as she tried to go back to a couple of hours ago, when she’d had her legs wrapped around Ben Salter’s hips, his dick deep inside her. She needed to feel that free again, because she was starting to feel just a little bit trapped.
‘I’m sorry for calling so late, Charlie.’
‘You call me any time, kiddo. Any time.’
‘And thanks. For caring, I mean. For looking out for me.’
‘It’s what I do, sweetheart. Now go have some fun. Go on.’
She ended the call, staring down at her phone, the urge to tap in Ben’s number overwhelming. She’d only just left him, but she really needed to see him again. He was the only one who made her feel truly safe, and she didn’t even know why. He was the only one who could make her forget. He was different, and she needed different. They needed each other because, deep down, she knew he was just as lost as she was.
‘Hey! You’re back.’
She looked up as Kip parked himself down on the table beside her, pushing his cap back so she could see his eyes, his smile instantly making her want to smile back. ‘Yeah. I am.’
‘You have a good afternoon?’
‘I guess.’ Oh yeah. It had been good. So good she fully intended to repeat the experience as soon as she could.
‘You sure you’re okay? You just seem a bit, I dunno – distant.’
‘I’m fine,’ she sighed, sliding down from the table, throwing him another smile as she did so. ‘I’m just… I’m still getting my head around a few things, that’s all.’
‘You’re coming tonight, though, aren’t you? To the party, I mean?’
She wasn’t really in the mood any more, but she’d promised Kip she’d be there. And he was somebody she didn’t want to let down. Besides, she figured that, once it all got going she’d probably end up having a good time. She knew how to party, they seemed like a good bunch of guys, and she might as well start acting like she was a part of this club, because this was where she belonged now. Here. In Paradise. ‘Yeah. I’m still coming.’ She looked over towards the garage, where Lexi had now joined Coby, both of them talking animatedly to Jesse and Luca, the latter balancing baby Ozzie on his hip. This compound, this chapter, it wasn’t so different to the one back in Newcastle. Not really. It had a nice vibe – an almost family feel to it. She wasn’t sure what it had been like before Coby Walker had taken over, but from what Mia could gather it had been a lot less stable. According to Charlie, Coby had really turned it around in the few short months he’d been President, making it a much safer place to be. That’s why he’d sent her here, to Paradise. Was it fate, that she’d been sent here? That she’d meet Ben? That she’d start to have feelings for a man again? Feelings that didn’t involve hate and fear and anger.
‘Want to grab a quick drink before it all kicks off?’
Kip’s voice broke into her thoughts, and she turned back to face him. ‘Sorry?’
‘A drink. Do you want to grab one before it all gets going?’
‘It’s only half past five. What time do things usually get going around here?’
‘A lot sooner than half five.’ Kip smirked, jumping down from the table and shoving one hand in his pocket, the other he held out to Mia. ‘So, that drink. You coming?’
She couldn’t help smiling again, reaching out to take his hand. ‘Yeah. Okay. Why not?’ But as his fingers wrapped around hers, it didn’t feel the same as it had felt with Ben. There was no spark. It felt nice, but that was all. Just nice. Ben had ignited something inside her that she couldn’t explain, but she didn’t even want to try. She just wanted to throw herself into something that would help her forget the past. She wanted – needed – some fun.
Ben Salter. Ex-biker. Lawyer. One hell of a fuck. Maybe life here in Paradise really wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
Eight
Ben drained his cup of coffee and immediately poured himself a fresh one. He knew he’d have a headache later – caffeine overdosing was never a good idea – but today he wasn’t sure he could function without the hit.
Ever since Mia’s visit he’d slept little, worked constructively even less, and spent far too much time thinking about his actions. Stupid actions. Rash actions. Actions he couldn’t stop re-living every spare second he could because he didn’t want to forget how beautiful she’d felt; how tight and warm and beautiful. And wet. Jesus, she’d been wet! But it shouldn’t have happened, and Ben knew that. He’d behaved like a weak man with no self-control, let his dick do the talking while his common sense had taken a few minutes off. And he was struggling with the aftermath in a way he just hadn’t anticipated.
Pushing a hand through his hair he sighed heavily, quickly turning around as he heard someone come into the office, almost glad of the distraction.
‘You sound like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders there,’ Michael Bailey observed, throwing Ben a friendly smile as he quietly closed the office door behind him.
‘I’m fine,’ Ben said, placing his mug of coffee down on the desk and walking back behind it.
‘You sure?’ Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ben looked at him, narrowing his eyes slightly. ‘Yeah. I’m sure.’
‘I hear Charlie’s got you doing something for the club. Something to do with the new arrival they’ve just acquired.’
‘Mia,’ Ben said, his eyes still fixed on the sheriff. ‘Her name is Mia.’
Michael paused for a beat or two before speaking again. ‘Pretty name… Everything going okay there?’
‘Something you want to say, Sheriff?’
Michael moved a step closer, placing his hands palm-down on the desk as he leaned in towards Ben, lowering his voice just a touch as he looked over towards the door, making sure nobody else was within earshot. ‘Now, I’m not usually one for gossip. Most of the time it ain’t true, and serves no purpose other than to keep some of the people in this town entertained. But your receptionist out there, she just told me something that got me real interested.’
Ben’s mouth tightened, and he desperately tried not to show any more emotion as he continued to hold Michael’s gaze. ‘Whatever Fiona has told you…’
‘Be careful, Ben. That’s all I’m gonna say.’ Michael pulled back, stepping away from the desk, sliding his hands into his pockets as he walked over to the window.
Ben took a couple of seconds to compose himself, looking down at his hand that had, unbeknownst to him, balled itself up into a fist. ‘Was there anything else?’ he aske
d, unfurling his fist and directing his attention back at the sheriff.
Michael’s eyes met his, a serious expression on the older man’s face. ‘You’re a good man, Ben. A decent man. And I’ve known you a long time, Jesus, you’re like the son I never had! I just don’t want you getting involved… You know this world, Ben. And you’ve been around the Lone Riders long enough to know there are some things…’
‘Look, Michael, I don’t know what it is you think I’m involved in…’
‘Fiona said Mia was here, a day or two ago.’
Ben shrugged. ‘And? She’s my client. I’m helping her through a tricky divorce. It stands to reason she’s gonna be around here from time to time.’ But even as he was saying the words, Ben knew that was a lie. Mia had no reason to be there. Not any more.
‘I know what’s going on with Mia, Ben. And I know exactly what Charlie’s got you doing.’
‘So, have you got a problem with that?’
‘I also know Charlie’s told you that Mia doesn’t need to be involved. You’re supposed to be dealing with everything while she gets on with her new life. I talk to Charlie, Ben. I need to be kept in the loop; I need to know what’s going on in my town...’ He fixed Ben with another look, ‘… in case something happens that I need to deal with. I need to be one step ahead of the game.’
‘Has Charlie got you spying on me?’
‘I prefer to call it keeping an eye on things.’
‘Jesus…’ Ben laughed, turning away. ‘Where do you people…’
‘You weren’t very good at keeping the noise levels down, apparently.’ Michael spoke slowly and quietly, and Ben turned back to face him, his eyes steely cold as he looked at the sheriff.
‘Like I said, Ben. Be careful.’
Ben’s stare was almost defiant now. ‘There’s nothing going on, Michael. Whatever Fiona thinks she heard, she was wrong.’
Michael waited a few beats before he spoke again. ‘You’d better be right, kiddo.’
‘This is nobody else’s business…’
Michael strode purposefully back over to Ben’s desk, leaning into him again, his expression hard and just as defiant. ‘No, you see, that’s where you’re wrong. If trouble comes here, to Paradise, because of something you did…’ And then, like a switch had suddenly been flicked, Michael’s whole demeanour changed and he stood up straight, once more backing away from the desk. ‘I came to give you these papers.’ He pulled a folded-over A4 envelope from his inside jacket pocket. ‘Something to do with the land the Lone Riders have just acquired. The proposed extension to their compound. Coby left them with me yesterday. I told him I’d pop them round to you. He said he’d appreciate it if you could look over them.’
‘Michael?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Fiona. What she told you. She hasn’t…?’
‘She won’t say anything. I’ve already seen to that.’
Ben felt his shoulders visibly sag with a relief he hadn’t realized was coming.
‘Let Coby know when you’ve looked over those plans. Okay?’
Ben took the envelope from Michael, laying it down on the desk. ‘Yeah. Yeah, no problem.’
Michael walked over to the door, turning around to look at Ben. ‘For your sake, especially, let’s hope not.’
***
She closed her eyes, letting the warm water spill over her naked body. Sighing quietly she reached down to touch herself, smiling as she remembered the feel of his body against hers, his kiss; the way his fingers had touched her, played with her, threatened to invade her and then pulled back, leaving her with nothing but a delicious tingle and an ache that begged him to plunge into her, to touch her inside and out.
Angling her hips slightly she widened her stance, just enough to allow the jet of water to shoot right where she needed it most, moaning deep as it sent a shiver of pure, unadulterated ecstasy tearing through her. Her whole body shuddered as her fingers, along with the warm water, brought her to a climax that seemed to intensify with each wave that washed over her. And she couldn’t stop her moans from growing louder; a long, low sound almost like a growl spilling forth as that final wave finished its work.
Keeping her eyes closed she leaned back against the wall of the shower, laughing quietly, her fingers buried in her hair as she waited for her breathing to slow down, for her chest to stop heaving quite so fast. She hadn’t felt this turned on since she and Lennie had first got together. Before he’d changed into the violent, obsessed freak he’d now become. But she was fast beginning to forget the shit he’d put her through. She was fast beginning to forget he’d ever existed, because she had a new life to concentrate on. A new life she hadn’t envisaged involving a man quite so soon because relationships were something she’d vowed to steer clear of, after everything that had happened. But Ben Salter was a curveball she just hadn’t seen coming; one she’d grabbed hold of and now she didn’t want to let go. Not if he could make her feel this way. Because this was good. So good she’d finger-fucked herself too many times to remember since her visit to Ben’s office. The day dreams she now indulged in, the thoughts he was causing her to feel were a wonderful, welcome diversion from all the crap she needed to forget. But as exciting and hot as those day dreams and fantasies were, she knew they were no substitute for the real thing; for the very real diversion Ben could become.
Stepping out of the shower she quickly got dressed and towel-dried her hair before blasting it roughly with the blow dryer. Staring in the mirror she smiled to herself, cocking her head to one side as she gently touched the now-almost invisible bruises on her neck. The scars were fading, and so were the memories. She actually felt ready to move on now. To take what she’d been forced to accept and run with it.
Closing the apartment door behind her she headed out into the clubhouse, finding Kip and Shane by the bar. Both of them greeted her with wide smiles, Kip adding a friendly wink, something that made Mia laugh. Yeah. She really was starting to feel at home here.
‘You sleep okay?’ Kip asked, kicking the stool beside him out for her to sit on.
‘Fine, thank you. What time did it all finish in here, then?’
‘Kel broke it up at half five this morning. He came in early to look over the books for the boxing club. Told us he didn’t need the noise.’
Mia smiled. She liked Kel. The obvious father figure within the club, Mia knew Lexi was especially close to him. But he’d been nothing but kind and supportive towards her, too, since her arrival in Paradise. As had everyone. Mia had never set foot inside another Lone Riders chapter before now, and she’d often wondered if all the stories of looking after their own, treating any member, no matter which chapter they came from, like family were true. She now knew it was. They really did look after their own. Charlie had looked after Shane when he’d been forced to flee Paradise, and now Paradise was looking after her. In more ways than one, and she smiled again as more thoughts of Ben flooded her brain, a faint tingling between her thighs telling her she had to see him again. She had to be with him again.
‘You seem in a good mood.’
Kip’s voice made her look up. ‘Yeah.’ She raised her arms, stretching up and breathing out, almost as if ridding herself of any last, lingering memories of the past. ‘I guess I am.’
‘Something go on last night we don’t know about?’ Kip grinned, knocking back something that looked like a shot of espresso.
‘Nothing happened last night, no.’
‘Can I get you anything, darlin’?’ Shane asked, reaching for the coffee pot.
Mia shook her head, sliding down from the stool. ‘No, thank you. I think it’s time I went home and freshened up.’
‘You look pretty good to me just the way you are,’ Kip said, unashamedly scanning Mia’s body from head to toe.
‘Yeah, well, I’m not a teenager any more, and wearing the same clothes two days running isn’t something I’m a fan of.’
‘You gonna be around later?’ Kip pulled out a cigarette and l
it up, his eyes still on Mia.
‘I don’t know. Don’t really know what I’m doing yet. I’ll probably just spend the day in town. I’m still getting to know the place, really.’
‘Well, if you need someone to show you the sights…’ Kip winked, ‘… you know where I am. Okay?’
Mia threw him another smile. ‘Yeah. Okay.’ But there was only one person she wanted to be with today. And hopefully he’d show her everything she needed to see.
***
‘Didn’t see you making much of a play for her last night, brother,’ Shane said, leaning back against the bar, his eyes joining Kip’s in watching Mia leave the clubhouse.
‘Just trying to give her a bit of space, y’know?’ Kip sighed, taking a long draw on his cigarette.
Shane grinned. ‘You really do have a sensitive side, huh?’
‘Piss off!’ Kip laughed, stubbing his half-smoked cigarette out on the bar. ‘She’s been through a lot, and I don’t want to ruin any chance I might have by barging in there too soon, before she’s ready.’
‘She sure seems ready to me. She was flirting that pretty ass of hers off hard last night, almost asking for a brother to help take her mind off the shit she left behind.’
Kip’s expression hardened slightly as he stared at the Lone Riders Vice President. ‘You want a piece of her?’
Shane held his hands up, turning and backing away from the bar. ‘No, brother. She’s all yours. But you be careful now, y’hear? I seen first hand the shit she’s running from. I know the kind of man Lennie Rose is. So you need to be sure she’s worth the trouble it could bring to your door.’
Kip frowned as he watched Shane head outside, picking up his stubbed-out cigarette and re-lighting it.
‘Jesus Christ! Put that out, will you? What if Ozzie was in here?’
Kip looked up as Coby strode into the clubhouse. ‘He’s not, though. Is he?’
‘Don’t get smart with me, Kip. I’m not in the mood.’
‘What’s the matter? Lexi been giving you shit?’
Retribution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 2) Page 6
