Dangerous Love

by Jamie Begley

  “Is there room for me?” His buddy took a seat before she could even answer. “I hate to drink by myself.”

  Mika narrowed her eyes on the guy who had lifted the soda machine like it was a cup of coffee. Soda guy was just as gorgeous as any of the high school quarterbacks she remembered.

  Beginning to think she was on an episode of What Would You Do?, she felt a coil of disappointment that her plans weren’t going in the direction she intended, now that both “men” had joined her.

  As she attempted to figure out what she was going to do, another gorgeous man walked into the bar. When he sat down on a stool facing the door, her gaze skittered away.

  Hell no. Why couldn’t I walk into a bar where normal men hung out?

  Mika was carefully rethinking her choice of city to spread her wings, feeling the chill of danger skating along the edge of her mind, warning her to get out while she still could. The only thing that kept her seated was that she had never been ruled by emotions, always letting cold, hard reasoning dictate her life.

  Her inner demon snapped back, reminding her it was her reasoning that put her in the predicament she was now stuck in.

  “Go ahead.” Booby prize waved his hand airily at the last chair at the table.

  Mika had to grit her teeth not to contradict the invitation. She quickly tried to re-evaluate her plan and come up with a way to get Quarterback and Soda guy out of the picture.

  “We met earlier at the motel,” Soda guy broke into her thoughts.

  “I remember.”

  “We didn’t get a chance to introduce ourselves. I’m Jonas, and this is my friend Hammer.”

  Of course they are, Mika thought snidely. Soda guy had to have a sexy name like Jonas, and Quarterback looked like he could nail anyone who got in his way on the football field.

  “I’m Harvey.”

  It was everything she could do not to roll her eyes at Booby prize’s real name.

  Feeling Jonas’s and Hammer’s steady gaze on her, Mika repeated the same fictitious name that she gave Harvey. “I’m Mary.”

  “You don’t look a Mary.”

  Mika nervously took a drink of her beer to buy herself some time, unsettled at the skepticism in the one sitting closest to her.

  Deciding to go on the offensive before Hammer could get too curious about her, she said, “It’s an old family name.”

  “You don’t look old to me.”

  Mika wished that Harvey would stay silent.

  “Me neither.”

  Her mouth went dry at the way Hammer was looking at her, confused at the unexpected interest he was showing.

  Unable to hold his stare, Mika was turning back to Harvey when Jonas’s eyes entangled with hers.

  What the hell was going on? Were they planning to lure her out to the parking lot to rob her? There was no way these two men were interested in her.

  Her rational mind cautioned her to be careful. She was glad she had left her purse in the trunk of her car and had a small amount of cash on her in the pocket of her jeans.

  “Can I buy you another beer?” Jonas asked.

  “No thanks, I’m good.”

  “How about you, Harvey? Or have you had enough?”

  “Can’t ever have enough beer.”

  “Looks like you’ve had more than enough,” Hammer stated, shaking his head when the bartender approached.

  “Not yet, I haven’t. I might need something stronger than what I’ve been working on.”

  Her eyes flew wide when she felt a hand on her crotch, accidentally giving a shriek that had the others at the bar wincing. Booby prizes’s pushy hand was trying to worm its way inside her jeans, with Hammer and Jonas watching. She was willing to give the goods up, but she hadn’t intended for it to be in the bar.

  Snatching his hand out from under the table, she slammed it down on the table. Embarrassed, her temper got the better of her due to the fact that the other two men had seen what Harvey did—and hadn’t done a thing to stop it.

  “Groping is for teenagers. I was looking for a man, not a boy. Can you be the man I need you to be tonight, Harvey? If not, I can go to Redbox and rent a movie.”

  The stunned silence had Mika wanting to bite her tongue. Dammit, she wanted to curl into a ball and roll her ass right out of the bar.

  Jonas eased the awkward situation when he started chuckling. “The shape he’s in, he’ll be lucky to make it to his car.”

  “I think you’re right.” Dismally, she saw her plan disintegrating in front of her.

  “Jonas and I can give you a better time than Redbox, and we’ve only had one beer.”

  Her eyes flew to Hammer’s. Did Kentucky have serial killers? She should have done her research better. Technically, they were staying at a motel, so they may not be from Kentucky either.

  “Where are you and Jonas from?”

  “We live in Tennessee.”

  She wasn’t any more familiar with Tennessee than Kentucky. Redbox was the safer choice, but she hadn’t given up on Harvey yet.

  “Are you two trying to get in on my action?” Harvey managed to raise himself up in his chair, glowering across the table.

  When Hammer and Jonas looked at him like they wanted to squash him under their shoes, Mika felt sorry for him.

  “Last call!”

  The bartender’s shout had her wanting to cry. What bar closed this early?

  “What the fuck, Mick!” The first man who had talked to her at the bar was just as unhappy as she.

  “Chill, Moon. It’ll only be for two hours. I’ll give a free beer to anyone that comes back when I reopen. Lily wants to give Shade his Valentine’s Day present without you yahoos around.”

  That the bar was going to reopen in a couple of hours restored her faith that her goal was still within reach. She could go grab a bite to eat and come back. Maybe then there would be more options to choose from.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you gentlemen. Jonas, Hammer, enjoy your trip home. Harvey”—she gave her booby prize a pitying look—“you should call a cab.”

  “I thought you and me …?”

  “I decided Redbox would give me a better thrill.”

  Mika rose from the table, giving a polite nod, then waited for Hammer to stand so she could get out from behind the table.

  Hammer didn’t move, trapping her. “What’s wrong with me and Jonas?”

  She gaped at him and said the first thought that came to her head. “Does Tennessee have serial killers?”

  CHAPTER 4

  “What?” Perplexed, Quarterback stared up at her in confusion.

  “Huh? Tennessee might have cereal, but so does Kentucky.” Harvey reached out, snatching her wrist. “Come on, I’ll buy you some on the way to the motel.” Harvey drunkenly tried to rise but was met with a firm hand on his shoulder.

  “You shouldn’t be driving, and you certainly won’t be going anywhere with her.”

  “I have an old lady to ride my ass. I don’t need you giving me your two cents worth.” Shrugging out of Jonas’s hold, Harvey used the table to get to his feet, then looked at her. “You coming?”

  The old lady comment doused the flame that was left of her plan.

  “No. And I advise you to take my suggestion and call a cab.”

  “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

  No, she didn’t. And that was her problem. But she didn’t tell Harvey that.

  With Harvey swaying back and forth on his way to the entry door, she was free to slide around the table. Walking to the door, she was conscious of the two men from the motel following on her heels. It would be her luck being mugged out in the parking lot. She should have just found the darn Redbox and stayed in. Her plans always went to hell when it involved her personal life.

  Using the palm of her hand to open the door, she went outside into the fresh air, seeing that, despite her suggestion, Harvey was getting into his car. It actually made her sick to her stomach that he was. There was just no way she could watc
h him endanger other drivers as well as himself.

  Raising her hand up to get his attention, she yelled out to him, “Har—”

  Before she could finish, she was quickly turned around and found herself face-to-face with an angry Hammer.

  “You are not going with him.”

  Mika eyed the man with a stare that made most of her acquaintances take a step back. Unfortunately, Hammer didn’t know her well enough to know he was treading on dangerous ground.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Jonas had stepped to the side and was talking to someone on his cell phone.

  “Take your hand off me now. It’s none of your business what I do or don’t do. For your information, I wasn’t going to get in the car with him, but I would offer him a ride. He’s going to get someone hurt if he drives in that condition,” she snapped.

  “He won’t get far. Small towns like this have their own way of controlling drunk drivers. They’re called speed traps.”

  Mika bit her lip as she watched Harvey pull out onto the road. If he hurt someone, she would never forgive herself—or Hammer. “What was the bartender thinking to serve that much?”

  “He was thinking the same thing I am. He’ll be spending the night in jail when Knox catches him.”

  “Knox?”

  “The sheriff.”

  Fear knotted her stomach. “Why are you on a first name basis with the sheriff? Wait, I thought you said you were from Tennessee. And, how many times have you been in jail?”

  Hammer laughed, admitting, “A few times.”

  Jonas ended his call and walked back over. “What are you saying to her? She looks like she’s ready to call the cops on you.”

  “I think she thinks we’re escaped serial killers.”

  Mika didn’t deny it as she tried to edge away from them and toward her rental car. The other men had already left the bar and were pulling out of the parking lot. From over Hammer’s shoulder, she saw the bartender closing the door; she wanted to be safely in her car before he left.

  “I better be going. Goodbye.” Turning on her heels, she started speed-walking to her car.

  She had a hand on the door handle when Jonas pressed a hand against the roof of her car, leaning the side of his body against the door so she couldn’t get inside.

  “Whoa…We’re not serial killers.”

  She didn’t believe him, especially when she was trying to open the door but couldn’t due to him blocking it with his body.

  “Mick!”

  Mika jumped when Jonas yelled out the bartender’s name.

  “What?”

  “Are me and Hammer serial killers?”

  “Nah, they’re cool,” he yelled out before waving to a car that was parking next to his truck.

  “He could just be vouching for you so you’ll give him a cut of the money.”

  “What money?”

  Her head spun when she realized Hammer had moved up behind her, effectively sandwiching her between the two men.

  Jesus, she didn’t need to be told she was in hot water; she felt it nipping at her vagina.

  “The money you’re going to rob off me.”

  “You think we’re going to rob you?”

  Looking into Jonas’s clear eyes, she was beginning to doubt the usual, sound judgment that she was so proud of. Then she shook herself free of his memorizing hold on her as she watched a raven-haired woman wearing a raincoat go inside the bar.

  “Mary?”

  It took her a second to realize he was addressing her and that he was still waiting for an answer.

  “Yes.”

  It was easier to keep her eyes on Jonas. Somehow, he seemed the least threatening of the two.

  “Why?” His expression gentled even more.

  “That’s obvious.”

  “Not to me. How about you, Hammer?”

  “Nope.”

  She didn’t turn her head to look back at him this time. A woman could only take too much temptation before throwing caution to the wind and taking a chance, not only with her wallet but with her body.

  The sound of a motorcycle coming from up the road had all three of them watching as a lone biker pulled into the parking lot. She couldn’t help staring as the biker got off his bike and removed his helmet.

  What the hell? When she got home, she needed to tell all her female friends that they should pack up and move to Kentucky. Her attention returned back to the men next to her. Tennessee’s men weren’t anything to sneeze at either.

  “Are you going to tell us why you think we’re serial killers or wanting to rob you?”

  The biker about to go inside the bar stopped at hearing Jonas’s raised voice.

  “Do you mind?” she hissed. “This is embarrassing.”

  Jonas turned his head, seeing that she was embarrassed about the biker overhearing them.

  “Shade.” Jonas raised his hand in casual greeting.

  The man gave a curt nod before continuing inside.

  “You know him?”

  “Vaguely.”

  Mika wanted to lick her lips. Getting ahold of her libido, she raised her chin toward the doorway the biker had gone through. “Why didn’t you ask him if you were serial killers? You didn’t have a problem asking the bartender.”

  Jonas’s smile curled higher. “Shade likes to fuck with people. I didn’t want to take the chance of him getting a kick out of scaring you off me and Hammer. We’re really nice guys, aren’t we?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.”

  “It was more a rhetorical question for Hammer.”

  Mika laughed, her nervousness easing a tiny bit.

  “Why don’t you tell us why you think we’re serial killers?”

  “Don’t forget the robbing part.”

  Mika could feel Hammer’s breath on the nape of her neck as he moved closer to her back.

  Jonas tilted his head to the side as he waited for her answer.

  “I’m just going to be honest here. Normally, men like you two don’t give me a second glance.”

  “And because we’re interested in you that makes us serial killers?”

  “Or about to rob her?”

  Mika swung around to look at Hammer, then answered, “Yes.”

  “We’re not.” Hammer had stated almost innocently as if those two words alone should convince her.

  “How am I supposed to know that?”

  “How do you know that Harvey wasn’t?”

  “I don’t.”

  “But you were going to spend the night with him?”

  She tightened her lips. She wasn’t going to answer that question. It was none of his business what she was or wasn’t going to do with Harvey.

  “How about this?” Jonas spoke, directing her attention back to him. “We have a couple of hours before Mick opens the bar again. You drive back to the motel, and Hammer and I will go grab a movie, and we can watch it in your room. If we don’t kill or rob you, then we’ll save you a trip back here.”

  He thought he was being funny, and it was everything she had not to laugh at his sense of humor.

  “I know I’m going to regret this, but okay.” Deep down, she felt as if she was safe with these two men, and she hadn’t been wrong yet on her assessment of men’s characters. It would suck if she was wrong this time and died so far from home.

  “Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  Jonas gave her a wide smile. “What’s your room number?”

  “Twenty-five.”

  “All right, Hammer and I will get the movie and meet you there.”

  Hammer moved around her to go with Jonas to a dark Escalade that was parked not far from hers.

  “Don’t you want to know what kind of movie I like?”

  Hammer turned, walking backward as he talked. “Either a comedy or a romance. I think you’ve been watching too many horror movies.”

  “I prefer action.”

  Hammer and Jonas both stopped walking.

  “We do, t
oo.”

  Mika flushed at the double meaning.

  “Just get a comedy. I need a good laugh.”

  Shaking her head at their disappointed expressions, she got inside the car.

  As she pulled out of the parking lot, she saw Hammer behind the wheel as they took the road toward town.

  It was only a few feet from the bar that the road turned into a winding curve. Pressing her foot down on the brake pedal, she took it slowly, seeing the spinning blue lights of a patrol car. Inching ahead, she saw Harvey bent over the trunk of his car with a deputy handcuffing his hands behind his back. Mika had no sympathy for him.

  “I bet he wishes he called the cab.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Mika paced back and forth in her motel room, talking out loud to herself, something that had become a habit since she arrived in Treepoint.

  “You have lost your mind? Not only have you invited two strangers to your room, but you need to quit talking to yourself.”

  Her self-criticism came to a halt when she heard a sharp knock on her door. Frantically telling herself that she wasn’t going to open the door, she felt her feet moving. Even as she was yelling at herself not to do it, she found her hand turning the doorknob. She opened her mouth to tell the men that she changed her mind and was going to have an early night. However, her good intentions bit the dust at the sight of the striking men.

  It was hard to choose which one she was more attracted to. Jonas seemed the friendlier of the two, while Hammer seemed more no-nonsense. They were both tall, but Hammer had about two or three inches on his friend. They both looked to be in their late-thirties. And both had dark hair, though Jonas’s had more curl in his than Hammer’s.

  Opening the door wider, Mika allowed them inside, coming to the conclusion that she would watch the movie with them, then send them on their way.

  As she said that to herself, she knew in her heart that her plan was doomed for failure. What woman in her right mind would turn down two gorgeous males just to go to sleep?

  Wiping her sweaty palms on the side of her jeans, she tried to appear as if she was used to having two men in her motel room.

  “What movie did you get?”

  Jonas raised two plastic cases. “We got Avengers and Bohemian Rhapsody.”