January’s Bad Boy: Shane (Bad Boys of Mustang Mountain #1)

3. Shane

CHAPTER 3

SHANE

It was an innocent question, but I hadn't been thinking when I announced they were staring at me. I was trying to comfort her, but it came out before I could stop it. Now I have to tell her because she deserves an answer. Hell, a sweet girl like her needs to know who she is hanging out with, so she can make the choice to avoid me at all costs.

When I tell her I was in jail, she will run for the hills, effectively ending this short obsession I have with her. Maybe subconsciously, this was the plan the whole time. My brain is forcing me to push her away now instead of me getting deeper into my infatuation. The last thing I want to do is get hurt or worse yet, end up in jail when I lose it on some perfectly nice guy who tries to make moves on her.

Yeah, put up the walls and drive her away now since I can't seem to leave her alone. That is now my new plan.

"Since they found out I was in jail, they all look and stare at me." Then I wait for one of two reactions I get from women.

Either they think it's cool and latch on to the “bad boy” in rebellion. When that happens, I move on because that is not what I want. Or the good girls will make an excuse to get away from me quickly, and I won't see them again.

Caitlin is a good girl, so I'm sure after a very awkward dinner, which I plan to pay for, she will run for the hills.

Caitlin's eyes go wide, and she studies me for a moment.

"What for?" she asks.

I sit stunned. She is genuinely curious, and she isn't trying to escape my presence. Even though I don't detect any disgust in her voice, I'm still on guard.

"I was charged with smuggling and black market sales. It happened when I was deployed overseas." What I don’t say is that I was charged with assisting, so it was a slightly lesser crime. Taking a breath, I sit back to gauge her reaction.

Only she doesn't react like I expected her to. Though I can tell she is thinking about it.

"How long were you in jail?"

"My sentence was seven years, but I was let out on good behavior after four years," I say.

"Is that why you didn't come back to take over the ranch after your parents died?"

"Yeah," I say as the waitress returns with our food and drinks.

"I heard what you did at Thanksgiving. Defusing the bomb and saving everyone. That has to count for something," she says, waving a French fry around at the people in the diner.

"The town was happy then, but they flipped pretty fast once they found out I was planning to move back to the ranch. Apparently, they are fine with an ex-con saving their lives, but not with one living in their town, even if I grew up here." I don’t attempt to keep the frustration and anger out of my voice.

Then in the next moment, I regret revealing so much. This is my burden to bear, and I deserve to deal with every minute of it. I don't need to unload it onto anyone, especially not this angel sitting across from me.

"Well, that's their problem." She rolls her eyes.

Just like that, the tension is gone. How the hell did she do it?

"So, what are your plans for the ranch?" she asks.

I stare at her for a moment. She isn't treating me or looking at me any differently. And she still wants to talk and have dinner with me. Fuck me, I just fell even harder for this girl. She sees me , not an ex-con. Silently, I make a vow to protect her from anyone who tries to hurt her, even if that person is myself.

Taking a deep breath, I answer her question. "I want to get it up and running again like it was when I was growing up. Towards the end, Dad wasn't able to keep it up the way he used to, so it needs work. Fortunately, it is still in relatively good shape.”

“Tell me about your job in New York City." I change the subject abruptly. What I really want is to hear her talk and learn more about her life.

"I'm an interior designer for a company that works with some big shit clients in the city. We have done both residential and office space design. I was really good at what I did." She says the last part quietly while looking at her plate and not meeting my eyes.

I frown. It’s as if her confidence seemed to deplete like a balloon. And I don’t like it.

"What happened?" I ask gently.

"My last job..." She pauses, and I can tell she's trying to decide how much to tell me.

While I want to know it all, protect her from it, and take the burden of it from her, she doesn't know me that well. After what I just told her about myself, I can't expect her to trust me like a close friend.

"The stress of it all became too much, so the wedding came at a perfect time. I had just finished up with a client and don’t have another client lined up until early February, so I decided to come home and de-stress," she says looking up at me with a forced smile.

Even though I know there is more to it, I'm not going to push right now.Maybe, over time, she will be more comfortable and open up. I can only hope we get there someday.

"You know,”--she changes the subject—“I'd be happy to come out and take a look at the ranch. See if I can offer any tips. I'm good with design, know how to keep within a budget, and I've worked with contractors. It's up to interior designers to think of things you won’t consider. Things like making sure you have electric plugs where you need them or moving the door so you can actually get in your closet."

It’s as if my dreams have come true. I want nothing more than to have her at the ranch. To show her around and see what she has to say about it. I love the idea of her putting her stamp on it. Fuck, I'm in deep.

"Wow! I really appreciate it. I'm flying a bit blind on this, and I'm trying to do what I can myself with the help of Atlas and some of his guys," I tell her.

"Okay, then I will come over on my next day off. Now, what do we think about this burger?" she asks, taking a bite.

We both take a few bites, savoring it before we talk again.

"I like it. It's not too sweet, and the tangy mixes well with it," I say.

"I agree. I was expecting huckleberry jam on it. I hadn't realized the huckleberry was in the BBQ sauce." She takes another bite.

"Same, but I am surprised how much I like it," I tell her.

When I glance around the diner, it seems people are no longer paying attention to us. Thank God. I can handle it, but Caitlin shouldn't have to just because she is hanging out with me.

The couple next to us is loud and starts talking again about the card Atlas got in the mail.

Looking around the diner curiously, she asks me what they are talking about.

Shit, I guess her brother hasn't told her. While I wish it was something she’d never even have to deal with, it’s best she knows. I'm also not going to start this... whatever this is, with a lie.

"Your brother got a Christmas card in the mail saying thanks for getting rid of Savage Bones, and enjoy your last Christmas in Mustang Mountain," I tell her.

"What? Who sent it?" she asks, agitated.

"That's the thing. We have no idea. It wasn't signed and had no return address. Everyone is speculating on it. It could be anything from a prank from a teenager, to a member of Savage Bones, or another dirty cop. Even something crazy like a new gang is moving in, or the some communist county trying to take over," I say.

"Lord, the minds of Mustang Mountain really do run wild, don't they?" she chuckles.

"Yes, they do."

"I'm glad some things never change," she says, smiling.

And here I am hoping that other things will change to make a world where this amazing woman would be mine.