Breathing His Air (8 page)

He could’ve sworn he’d gotten it through her stubborn skull that she was not to step out of her cabin without him. He picked the bar rag up off the counter and tossed it toward the kitchen. Then he headed toward Gladys and Tori to see what the hell was going on.

“Darlin’, you’ve already paid for three months.” Gladys thrust her ample hip to the side and pressed her hand against her waist. “There’s a no refund clause on the rental paper I had you sign. I’d hate to see you lose the money. You might have everyone else fooled, but you’re rubbing quarters together as it is. What’re you gonna do on the road?”

Tori’s lips squished to the side, and she glanced away before turning back to Gladys. “Don’t worry about me. This is how I live.”

“Hell of a life for a young woman.” Gladys frowned. “I can’t stop you, but I think you’re making a mistake. When Rain finds out — ”

“Rain has found out.” He approached his manager. “Leave us, Gladys. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Figured as much.” Gladys patted him on the chest, dipped her chin, and leaned closer. “Don’t you scare her.”

He lifted his brow. “Impossible.”

“She’s got some trouble biting at her heels.” Gladys glanced over her shoulder at Tori. “She’s done a good job fooling everyone but trust me — she’s either looking for somewhere to hide or trying to find someone.”

Not sure if he approved of his manager telling him more about Tori than he’d already figured out, he wanted to put a stop to the talk. “You went against the rules.”

Gladys shook her head and grinned. “Look at her and tell me you could turn her away and still be able to sleep at night.”

His gaze stayed on Tori, and he answered on an exhale, “I hear you.”

“Good. You’re a decent guy — don’t let her leave.” Gladys patted his chest again and walked away.

His manager’s mothering instincts were not lost on him. He had no plan to let Tori walk away. He narrowed his eyes and studied her. What the fuck was she hiding?

Tori had fooled him at first with her sassy attitude and carefree ways, but the woman in front of him was anything but confident. Her chin quivered before she caught it and stared up at him. An urge to protect and shelter her came over him. No woman should ever feel as if she had no one to cover her back.

She was scared shitless. And he wanted to know why.

His resolve softened. He laid his hand low on her spine. “Come on.”

He made it to the entrance of the hallway with her before she balked. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m leaving.”

The hell she was. He leaned closer. “Office. Now.”

She folded her arms. “No.”

God, she was a total bozo, thinking she had a choice on whether she had to listen to him or not. At least she was getting her fiery spirit back.

He moved in, keeping her from throwing attitude at him. “Unless you want me to talk with you out here where everyone can watch, get your butt moving.”

She glanced behind him, wrinkled her nose, and led him to his office. He followed, content to admire the slim, proud shoulders and listen to the
click, click, click
of her heels tapping against the wood floor. All the while knowing underneath that prickly surface was a warm-blooded female, and he loved a challenge.

Class.
A female quality worth his admiration.

Not causing a scene, she quietly opened the door and turned toward him with her nose stuck in the air. He approved of the way she forged ahead as if she owned Cactus Cove; at least she was fighting back. Her steady gaze, her unwavering demeanor, and her outfit got his attention.

Sexy. All three categories on his list of the perfect woman. Classy, sexy, and a total goof. Enough to keep a man satisfied beyond a lifetime.

Frayed denim shorts, skimpy and tight, showed off her long legs. The red-and-white-checkered blouse that hovered two inches over the waistband of her shorts sent his gaze to the bare skin of her stomach. He squinted, not believing what he was seeing.
Mother fuckin’ lover.

A tiny sparkle in her belly button blinked at him. He sucked air through his teeth. His woman had a diamond stud in her belly button.

“Rain.” She waved her hand in front of him. “What did you want to say to me?”

“You’re staying.” He tilted his head to the right, glanced down at her stomach again. “Babe … ” he murmured.

“What?”

He whistled. “That’s sexy.”

Her abdomen muscles undulated, and she slapped a hand over the diamond piercing. “I’m leaving.”

His head snapped up. “No.”

“Yes.”

“Dammit, Tori.” He stepped closer. “I know what happened here the other night scared you, babe, but you’re protected. I have guards on you round the clock. Nothing will happen.”

“What are you talking about?” She shrank back against his desk. “Guards?”

“Yeah.” He frowned. “You’ll be safe.”

“You’ve told me I should go … this many times.” She raised her hands, fingers sprawled as if giving him the sign that he was an idiot.

“Changed my mind.” He waited. “We’ll keep you safe, and you’ll continue serving coffee to the whole town.”

“That’s not going to work out.” She wet her lips with her tongue and rolled them together. “I’m not staying.”

“You are.” He leaned against the door, blocking her exit.

“Stop saying that.”

“You came here to set up your business. You did that. I claimed you as my woman, so you stay, and you do your job,” he said.

“I’m serious. I’m no one’s woman.” She flapped her hand in his face. “Especially not yours. You can’t stamp me, claim me, or call dibs. I’m not some prize or … biker toy.”

He threw back his head and laughed. She was such a bozo, and he couldn’t help himself. A riled Tori was a huge turn-on. “You’re cute.”

“Knock it off.”

He wiggled his brows. “We can stand here and argue, or you can come here and we’ll make up.”

She snorted. “You’re pathetic.”

Not wanting to push her so far she’d stop listening to him, he smiled gently. “Stay. Work the three months you paid for. Let me take care of you.”

“You don’t get it. I don’t want you to do anything for me.” She looked away and when she continued, she whispered, “I don’t want you to keep bothering me.”

He pulled her over to him, not letting go of her hand. “Listen. You didn’t ask for it, and you don’t want it, but you need it. You’ve parked your shack on Bantorus land. Things have changed. I’ve changed my mind. Got it?”

“No,” she whispered.

He inhaled deeply. “Pitnam’s our territory. Lagsturns are visiting. They don’t get along.”

“I get that, but it doesn’t have anything to do with me,” she said.

“Damn it.” He hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her gaze. “Nothing goes down in Pitnam that we don’t know about. We … everyone in Bantorus makes sure of that. If there’s trouble, we take care of it ourselves. In return, it’s our base.”

“Who are the Lagsturns?”

“Bad news.” He leaned closer. “They deal.”

“Deal what?”

“Everything. Drugs, women, imports, stolen goods. Anything they can get their hands on, and they’re not afraid to try and take what is ours.” He clamped his teeth together and forced himself to go on and tell her the truth. “That includes my woman, who they’ve already tried to pick up. And because I saved your ass, took you as mine so they’d leave you alone, that means you’re my woman and a bargaining chip in their war, to get to me.”

“But I’m not yours. This is just … archaic.” She shook her head. “I’ll just leave. I wasn’t planning on staying in Pitnam after my lease expired. I travel all over. It’s what I do.”

“I can’t let you, because I don’t trust them not to follow you.” He lifted his chin and sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”

She shook her head. “What?”

He walked to the open window and peered outside. A billow of smoke floated into view around the corner of the building. “Shit.”

She jumped out of his way. “What’s wrong?”

“Go tell Gladys we’ve got a fire behind the bar and to call 911,” he said, running down the hall. “Then stay inside.”

He pushed through the door. The sight before him stopped him instantly. “Jesus … ”

Flames rolled out the blown windows in Cabin B and licked the roof. He ran to the outside faucet at his cabin next door and quickly turned the water on and stretched out the hose. Heat from the fire formed a curtain around the cabin as he unsuccessfully fought the flames.

In the distance, the sound of sirens grew louder. He turned his face away and spotted Torque and the others moving bikes out of the way. Knowing the cabin was a total loss, he jogged over and wet down the roof of his cabin. Thankfully, Cabin B was the end of the line of small houses, and he only had to worry about the fire spreading to his place.

Several minutes later, he shut the water off, dropped the hose, and moved out of the way for the Pitnam fire crew. He planted his hands on his waist and surveyed the damage. They’d be lucky if the studs of the walls remained standing.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder. He flinched and found Jedman. “Make sure Tori remains inside.”

“Already done. Bruce is watching her. Ronny’s called everyone together, and they’re meeting at your house at four o’clock.” Jedman ran his hand across the bottom of his nose. “Ronny called in and mentioned three Lagsturns heading to I-5 an hour before you noticed the fire. We figured they had to have doubled back on the overpass.

“Doesn’t make sense. One of us should’ve seen or heard something,” he said.

“Hate to say this, but while this was going down, Officer Russ Swanson delayed Slade over on Dike road. Slade totally missed the other riders returning to town.”

He frowned. “Swanson?”

The patrol officer for the state of Washington was a royal pain in the ass. Some said he looked the other way and had a hard time toeing the line. Rumors, but Rain wouldn’t put it past the Lagsturns to have enough reach to intimidate the blue shirts.

“Give me an hour and then get Chief Jordan on the phone.” Rain brushed the front of his shirt off.

Jedman frowned. “Pitnam’s Chief?”

“Yeah.” He inhaled sharply through his nose and held his breath, then let it out. Confident the fire wasn’t an accident, he wanted it reported and investigated.

“Man … ”

“Do it.” He stalked back to the bar and entered through the rear door.

He ran his gaze to Tori, sitting at the bar nursing a lemonade. He caught Bruce’s eye and pointed behind him at his office. He slipped his hand underneath the leather of his vest and rubbed his chest. The tightness grew.

Bruce led Tori to the room. “Here’s Tori, boss.”

“Thanks.” He tipped his chin to Bruce. “Shut the door on your way out.”

Giving himself a few seconds to calm down, he moved over and sat on the couch. He watched Tori. She glanced everywhere but at him, and he waited. When he spoke, he wanted all her attention.

“Did they get the fire out?” She glanced at him, moved over to the far wall, and fingered the framed business certificate.

He clamped his teeth together. She didn’t deserve to be thrust into his trouble. Dressed in her skimpy shorts and a shirt, she had no idea her world was about to change. His anger grew over the situation, realizing those were now the only damn clothes she owned. He hated that the bad news happened on Bantorus land, and he was responsible.

He coughed, clearing the remains of smoke from his lungs. “Yeah. It’s out.”

“That’s good,” she said.

“Babe?”

“Hm?” She dropped her hand from the frame, but refused to turn around.

He could add stubbornness to her list of faults. “Look at me.”

Her shoulders sagged and she pivoted. “What?”

“You’re pissed.”

“Uh, duh.” She lifted her arms and let her hands come down and slap the top of her bare thighs. “You have no right to hold me hostage here. Don’t think I wasn’t in there plotting how to make Bruce and all the guys ambush you so I could leave.”

“But you didn’t.”

She scoffed. “It’s summertime. I know a fire is dangerous when the grass is dry.”

“You cared … ” he said.

“About the bar.”

He chuckled. She wasn’t fooling him. “Are you done?”

“No.” She cocked her hip in the same direction her head tilted. “I’m leaving. All I have to do is go pick up my luggage out of the cabin, and I’ll be on the interstate out of here. If I never see you again, I’ll be overjoyed.”

He dragged his feet closer and leaned forward. “You — ”

“I can.” She swiveled and opened the door.

He let her have a three-second head start, and then he stood and followed her out the backdoor. He found her standing in the lot, staring at the burnt cabin. The embers still smoked, even though the fire was out.

He stood behind her, close enough her hair brushed his chest. She leaned against him, and he slipped his arms around her and held her to his front. “It’ll be okay. You’ll stay with me.”

“My things?” she whispered.

“I’ll get you new clothes.”

“You don’t understand.” She stiffened, but he wouldn’t let her walk away.

“Sh.” He turned her without letting go. “Let’s go inside. You can tell me what I’m missing.”

She walked woodenly beside him. He kept his hand on her, afraid she’d run. He expected hysterics, fear, or maybe a little bit of anger. Instead, she’d turned cold.

Chapter Ten

Clustered in Rain’s office with Torque, Slade, Taylor, and Rain, Tori clutched the glass of ice water in her hands. She stared at them all from her position on the couch. What they were saying went right over her head.

“With Tori at the house, you can lock everything down with me, Torque, and Renny out on the River Road. She’ll be safer out of town. It’d be damn hard to sneak up on us.” Rain leaned against the windowsill beside her.

She took advantage of the lapse in conversation. “What house?”

“My house.” Rain ran his hand down the back of her head.

“You’ll like it out there.” Taylor smiled beside her on the couch.

“I thought he lived in the cabin,” she said.

Torque laughed. Slade whistled and looked at Rain. Taylor shook her head. Tori frowned and turned to Rain. “I just want to hit the interstate and go somewhere else. I don’t need to stay at your house. If I knew stopping here would piss someone off, I never would’ve pulled off the highway.”