Wrong Side of the Tracks: a Hope Valley novel

by Prince, Jessica

  “Odette, this is Marco,” I begrudgingly introduced. “Marco, this is my neighbor and close friend, Odette.”

  “He calls Gypsy ‘sunflower’ in Spanish ’cause he says she’s pretty as a sunflower,” Holly chimed in.

  Odette turned to me with wide, awestruck eyes. “Sunflower, huh?” Practically shoving Raleigh in my arms, she pushed past me and held her hand out to Marco. “Please, call me Detty, handsome.” There was no missing the salaciousness in her gaze as she let her eyes trail up and down his thickly muscled body. “So, how do you know my beautiful, smart, caring girl, Gypsy?”

  Oh hell, she was going into matchmaker mode. This was not good. “He came by to take a look at the water heater for me. He’s a friend,” I offered quickly.

  “For now,” the jerk added, fueling Odette’s fire.

  “Ooh-wee!” she cackled, fanning her face. “I like this one, child. I like him a lot.”

  I shot him a killing look, hoping he’d get that he needed to keep his mouth shut. “Actually, he was just leaving,” I said, facing Odette once again.

  He and Holly spoke at the same time.

  “He is?”

  “I am?”

  “You are,” I said pointedly.

  “But what about your brakes?” he asked, a sly smirk on his face. “You said yourself it’s a wonder they haven’t gone out already, and I really don’t like the idea of you driving in something that unsafe, girasol.”

  “Girasol?” Odette asked.

  “That’s sunflower,” Holly stated proudly.

  “Hmm.” Odette looked between the two of us with no small amount of curiosity. “The dishwasher’s also busted,” she said, a teasing glint in her gaze as she looked to me.

  “Bet I could get that working,” Marco said, his chest puffing up in manly certainty.

  Knowing when I’d lost a battle, I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and gave in. “Fine. You can look at the dishwasher,” I replied snappily. “But not the brakes. I’ll get those handled by a professional, thank you very much.”

  His smile was triumphant as he got to work on making the repairs I’d desperately been in need of. And although I did my best to act as if he didn’t exist for the rest of the time he was there, my body was trembling with awareness the whole time.

  I was in so much trouble.

  Chapter Six

  Gypsy

  The tingle on my skin as I danced across the stage to Elle King’s “Shame” and took the pole was thanks to one man in the crowd and one man only. This was my third night dancing at the club since Marco’s visit to my place, and every time I’d felt his presence before I even laid eyes on him. I wasn’t sure how I knew he was always there, lingering at that back table, tucked into the shadows by the bar, but I just did.

  He didn’t approach or request another private dance, but he’d be standing out in the parking lot, resting against his Cherokee when I left after every shift. We never spoke a word, but I knew he was there to make sure I made it safely to my car and started for home before he climbed into his own.

  It was difficult, putting on my typical show when I knew he was in the crowd, when I could feel his gaze on my skin like a physical caress, but somehow I managed. The thrum of the music grew louder as the song reached its crescendo. I twirled my way down the pole, landing in a crouched position. Sticking my ass out, I rolled my body to its full height, reached behind me, and whipped off my top two seconds before the lights blinked out.

  I didn’t hesitate getting off that stage, whipped that tacky velvet curtain aside, and heading for the dressing room. Grabbing the robe off the hook the instant I walked through the door, I slipped it over my shoulders and covered myself. I rounded the corner and skittered to a stop at the sight of a man leaning against my vanity.

  I’d never seen him before, but there was something about this guy that left me unsettled. He was attractive—insanely attractive. However, the vibe radiating from him screamed that he didn’t just look like a bad boy, he actually was one. He wore his blond hair overlong, flipping around the collar of his white T-shirt. There was sin lurking beneath the surface of his blue eyes that was enough to make most women beg to take a walk on the wild side.

  He looked like a man who belonged in magazines, but my gut was screaming at me that it was all an illusion. He was dangerous. And not the fun, amazing-sex-in-a-public-place, wind-in-your-hair-on-the-back-of-his-Harley kind of danger. My gut said this guy’s brand of danger was the kind that would get you locked up for the rest of your life. And I had enough experience with men in my past to know this was the kind of guy I needed to steer way clear of.

  “Gypsy Bradbury,” he stated in a deep, raspy voice.

  “Yes,” I answered tentatively. The dressing room was usually bustling with women preparing to perform or having just finished, but right now it was eerily empty, only me and this man. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but men aren’t allowed in the dressing area. The owner has a rule against it.”

  One blond brow arched toward his hairline. “I do? Didn’t realize I’d put that rule into effect.”

  Oh shit. I knew who this guy was, and the menacing air surrounding him suddenly made complete sense.

  Putting his feet to the ground, he stood and started slowly in my direction. The material of his tee hugged his broad shoulders and chest. His faded jeans sat on a tapered waist and hugged large thighs. It was clear he knew he looked good, and he used that to his advantage. A man like him could make women stupid. But no way in hell was I going to be one of them. “I’m Malachi Black, the new owner. But you can call me Kai. All my friends do.”

  The unchecked interest in his gaze sent a niggling of fear throughout my body, and the need to flee grew strong. But it was determination not to be cowed that kept me in place as he came closer. “Wasn’t aware we were friends since this is the first time I’ve seen you.”

  “Ah, but it’s not the first time I’ve seen you. And I have to admit, I like what I’ve seen so far. Very much so.” It felt like he could see beneath the robe, making me feel more exposed and vulnerable by the second.

  “Oh, goodie. Now I can die happy,” I replied, my tone as flat as an opened three-day-old soda.

  “Hmm.” His tongue peeked out and slid across his bottom lip, inducing a dreadful shiver up my back. “You’ve got fire. I like that.”

  This was not good. I needed to get away from this guy as soon as possible. “Well, it was nice meeting you, but if you don’t mind, I should start getting ready for my next performance.”

  The teasing smirk on his face might have had an effect on me had I not already known this man was the scum of the earth. “All right. I get it. I’ll let you get back to it, but I’ll be watching.”

  A sense of dread drifted over me as he moved past me, his shoulder brushing against mine on the way out. I didn’t pull in a full breath until I heard the click of the door closing, and it took everything in me to make it to the bench at my vanity and collapse onto it instead of falling to the floor.

  “Hey, you good?” McKenna’s voice pulled me from my fog a minute later.

  “Huh?”

  “The new owner kicked us all out before you got in here. Now you look really tense. Is everything all right?”

  “Oh. Yeah.” I gave my head a shake. “I’m good. Just tired. It’s been a long day.”

  She looked to the door and back to me, unease evident in her expression. “What did he want? You weren’t getting into trouble, were you?”

  “No, nothing like that. He just… wanted to introduce himself,” I lied.

  Her pretty face scrunched up in disbelief. “Alone?”

  “Guess so.” I shrugged, continuing to play up my cluelessness. “He seemed a little weird, if you ask me.”

  “Really?” She looked back toward the door thoughtfully. “That’s a shame.” Her eyes came back to me, bright with excitement, as she lowered her voice to a giddy whisper. “He was so hot!”

  A sense of disquiet swamped m
e, making my hands tremble. “Stay away from him,” I snapped harsher than I intended. McKenna rocked back at the acid in my voice, and I quickly began to backpedal. “I felt a bad energy coming off that guy.” I wasn’t sure how much I should give away. I worried that filling McKenna in on all I knew of Malachi Black would put a bull’s-eye on one or both of our backs, so I made up something on the fly to steer her away from him. “I don’t know what his deal is, but I’d hate for you to get mixed up in something bad.”

  “Oh.”

  “Plus, you know, you should never date your boss. It’s a rule. Especially if that boss is the owner of a strip club.”

  “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” Her agreement was watered down thanks to the disappointed look on her face.

  “I am, hon. Trust me. If you want to find a guy, find one outside of here.”

  “Yeah. Okay. I’ll do that.”

  I blew out a silent breath of relief. “You need to finish getting ready, girl. You’re up soon.”

  “Ooh, right!” She immediately jumped into action, plopping down at the vanity next to me to put some finishing touches on her makeup, and all talk of Malachi Black was put to rest.

  At least for now.

  * * *

  Marco

  I’d clocked Black the moment he stepped into the main part of the club.

  Staying in the shadows at what had become my regular table, I did my best to keep my cool as he watched Gypsy up on that stage with an unsettling interest. Just like every man in this room, he was enraptured by the gorgeous blonde. I kept one eye on him the whole time while trying not to make it obvious, but it took everything in me not to follow him when he disappeared behind the stage.

  My gut roiled with apprehension as the minutes ticked by and he didn’t reappear. And that feeling only grew worse when one of the dancers sallied up to the bar for a drink and started chatting with the bartender.

  I sipped my water and listened closely to their conversation.

  “Hey, McKenna. What are you doing out here? Don’t you need to be getting ready?” the tall, lithe woman behind the bar asked.

  I’d noticed the girl before. She was an incredible dancer, but there was something about her that just screamed she didn’t belong in a place like this. Where Gypsy was seductive and sexy, McKenna was all girl-next-door wholesome. A place like Pink Palace would chew a woman like her up and spit her out.

  “The new owner kicked us all out right before Gypsy’s dance ended,” McKenna replied, the worry evident in her tone.

  My back went ramrod straight, and I had to clench my fists to keep myself in check. Getting up now and forcing my way back into the dressing area wouldn’t do anything but blow my cover and leave Gypsy unprotected.

  “That’s weird. Any idea why?”

  “No.” The dancer pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and began chewing nervously as her gaze darted to the backstage corridor. “But I really hope she’s not getting into any trouble.”

  “I’m sure that’s not the case. She’s the best we got. I don’t know who this guy is, but he can’t be that stupid.”

  The two of them started talking about something else, and a minute later, Black came sauntering out from backstage, a pleased grin on his face that made cold seep into my bones. McKenna hurried off, and all I could do was sit there and hope she made sure Gypsy was okay.

  Because I still had three hours before I could see for myself. And I didn’t have a goddamn clue if I was going to be able to last that long.

  * * *

  Gypsy

  By the time I pushed through the door of the club and stepped out into the parking lot, I was beyond ready for this night to be over. After the conversation with my new boss, I was more than a little shaken. I’d garnered the attention of a man I definitely didn’t want to notice me, and I felt like I’d just been set on a collision course with the guaranteed outcome that I’d be the one to suffer in the end.

  I didn’t have the first clue how to go about handling the likes of a drug-dealing, strip-club-owning kingpin. All I knew was I needed to find Marco and fill him in on what had gone down. I might not have been a fan of asking for help, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could actually handle something like this on my own.

  My eyes darted around the parking lot, looking for that familiar Cherokee, but when I finally spotted it, Marco wasn’t leaning against it like he usually was. After three nights of him watching over me—whether I wanted him to or not—there was a niggling of disappointment that he wasn’t out here tonight. I’d gotten used to him being the first thing I saw, and as much as I hated to admit it, even to myself, I didn’t like that he wasn’t there.

  My shoulders slumped in defeat as I turned toward my car and started that way only to pull up short at the sight of Marco. The reason I didn’t spot him by the Cherokee was because he was leaning against my car, waiting on me.

  “Hey,” I said tentatively, my feet starting back up and carrying me closer to him. My belly dipped at the darkness in his expression as I came to a stop a foot away. “What are you doing?”

  “We need to talk,” he stated in a harsh, blunt voice.

  Nervously tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I was actually planning on coming to find you after I got off. I need to tell you something.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, accentuating the bulge in his strong biceps. If I didn’t have more important things on my mind, I probably would have started drooling at the sight of them.

  “And I’m guessing what you need to tell me has something to do with Malachi Black.”

  My chin jerked back in surprise. “Um, yes, actually. How did you know?”

  What he said next explained the storm clouds brewing behind his eyes. “Saw that fucker follow you backstage after watching you dance. Then I heard some of the other girls talking about how he cleared the room so it was just the two of you. Took an act of strength I didn’t know I possessed to keep from storming back there and dragging that asshole away from you.”

  Well damn. It looked like he was aware of the dire situation even before I was.

  “What happened back there?”

  Blowing out a frustrated breath, I lowered my head and stared at the grimy blacktop of the parking lot. “It would appear I caught his attention.”

  Marco’s palm came up and rested on my jaw, the touch so unexpected that my eyes jerked back up to his. The shadows were still there, but they weren’t nearly as dark, and when he spoke next, his tone was softer, gentler. “What did he say, Gypsy?”

  “That he’s noticed me, and he likes what he’s seen,” I admitted on a whisper. “A lot.”

  His hand fell away and his jawline turned to stone as he looked away and hissed, “Fuckin’ shit.”

  Panic set in, making my body tremble. “Marco?” My voice came out small and scared.

  “Hey, hey.” He took my face in both hands and stepped in close, filling my vision. “It’s okay, baby. It’s all gonna be okay.”

  “But what does this mean?”

  His answer was instant. “It means the game has changed. I’ll talk to Linc tomorrow and get another guy in on this. I’m thinkin’ it’ll be Xander. He spends most of his time behind a computer, so it’ll be easy to set him up with a cover since he’s not well known in town. Meanwhile, I’ll be covering you even when you aren’t working the club.”

  “Wait.” Everything he was saying made my head spin, and I was struggling to keep up. “What?”

  “This is not a man whose radar you want to be on. But now you are, and I’ll be damned if I leave you unprotected.”

  The panic started to boil over, and it was no longer just about Malachi Black. I was already struggling with seeing so much of Marco and my steadily growing attraction to him. I wasn’t sure I could handle even more of him.

  “Marco, really, you don’t need to do that. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

  “I’m not taking that chance.” His fingers drif
ted along the sides of my neck, sliding into my hair. “You’ve got too much at stake, girasol. You’ve worked your ass off to take care of your family. Those kids depend on you, and I’m not going to let the life you’ve built be put at risk.”

  A knot of emotion formed in my throat, making it hard to breathe as I blinked against the sudden burn of tears behind my eyes. Everything he’d just said was so moving, so sweet, that I was overwhelmed by it. “Wow. You weren’t joking when you said you asked about me,” I rasped, trying to inject humor into my words in spite of everything I was feeling right in that moment.

  “I’m never joking when it comes to you, Gypsy,” he said quietly, that statement dripping with meaning.

  His thumbs rubbed gentle circles on my neck as he leaned down. He brushed his lips against mine, and I sucked in a gasp at the heat that shot through me. Taking that as an invitation, he increased the pressure and turned it from a light whisper of a touch to a full-blown kiss. Butterflies burst to life in my belly when his tongue peeked out and slid against mine. That first initial taste of him made me moan and melt against his strong body. His fingers in my hair gripped harder, and I twisted mine in the material of his shirt, holding on for dear life. It was the best kiss I’d ever had, a teasing push and pull, a battle for dominance. I gave as good as I got, trying to take control while happy to lose to a man as delicious as Marco.

  I’d imagined this scenario a million times—hell, I’d even dreamed about it—but this was so much better than anything I could have thought up. By the time the kiss came to an end, we were both panting and struggling for air.

  I’d been so consumed that I hadn’t realized I’d leaned fully in to Marco, giving him all my weight. Pulling away, I took a step back and lifted my hand to my tingling lips. “Wow,” I heaved. “That was… wow.”

  “Been dying to do that for months,” he said in a gravelly voice. “It was well worth the wait, Gypsy. But I need you to climb in your car and drive off before I lose control and fuck you against the hood.”