Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Luke
When I come back out of the shower, Kate’s dressed with her wet hair hanging down her back. She’s sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest. Her eyes are wide as they follow me. I know she’s worried.
I just can’t quite pinpoint why.
That I’ll leave. That I’ll fuck her again. That I won’t.
It’s probably because she’s leagues smarter than me. But I do have some sense, sense enough, with the towel still slung around my hips, to stop by the bed and lean down, giving her a long slow kiss.
It’s to soothe her, but I like it too.
Her lips are so fucking soft, and she tastes delicious. I don’t know how she managed it, but she’s got this fresh citrus flavor. Dipping into her mouth a few times, I finally pull back.
“I want to come with you.” She’s biting her lip again. It’s vulnerable and sexy and I brush my thumb over her sweet lips.
“I’ll be back soon. Dry your hair. Relax.”
She pushes off the bed and I catch a whiff of sex still hanging in the air. Her. Me. I’m growling as I pull her close. So much for the fuck her one time and get her out of my system theory. Then again, I’ve never taken a girl’s virginity before. It was fucking hot, even hotter knowing that she’s mine. Only mine.
Her hands splay out on the cords of my neck. “Every time you go, I worry you won’t come back.” The words are whispered, the fear in her eyes real.
“What did I tell you, love? I promised. I’m coming back.”
She gives a tentative nod, even as she pushes up on her toes, and kisses me again. Pressed against me, I feel her tremble and it kind of wrecks me.
Gathering her in my arm, I press her close. “Hey. You think I’m gonna let a fuck that good be a one-time thing?”
She laughs a little shaking her head. “It is a one-time thing. Remember?” Her gaze slides to the side. “I made a plan when you left yesterday. What I would do if you didn’t come back…”
Of course she did. She’s a smart woman.
But I still hear myself saying, “It’s me and you, love. We’re riding this wave.”
She smiles and shakes her head. “Okay. You’re coming back. Just…” She blows a breath. “Be careful, all right?”
Worried about me? “I will, baby. Don’t worry.”
“Want me to check that shoulder?”
“Later. I want to get out of here and I have no idea how long our errands will take.”
She nods.
I pull her close again. “In the unlikely event that any of our friends from last night show up, go out the bathroom window and walk to Walmart. Meet me in sporting goods.”
“Sporting goods? Why there?”
“They’ve got good shit.” And then I wink. “Any thoughts on who might have a phone book around? Walmart did not.”
“Hmmm. A local place probably. Something old-school.”
“That’s good thinking.” I run a hand through my damp hair. “Last question. How do you take your coffee?”
“Black.”
I didn’t see that one coming.
“Med student. We stay up all night, and we don’t spike our blood sugar with milk.”
“Fair enough.”
And then I lean into the Walmart bag and pull out a fresh T-shirt and briefs. My jeans go back on and my shit-kicking boots. Kate watches me, softly nipping at her bottom lip. When I’m about to tie up my boots, she bends down and does it for me.
I can’t help it, my hand threads into her hair, stroking down the long length. Finally, I stand, crossing my arms. “How do I look?”
“Fantastic,” she mumbles as she stands. I catch the flush before she turns away. One corner of my mouth tilts up. I look down at my boots, kicking one with the other.
They were expensive once upon a time, but I’ve worn the hell out of them.
Leo likes designer casual wear. Roman and Mason are all high-end suits. Jake is old school and wears whatever he wants.
But me… I like ripped jeans, old boots. I like a little wear and tear with my fashion, and so I smooth a hand down my Walmart T-shirt like I’m the boss.
It does a decent stretch across the shoulders. Not too shabby.
“All right.” I roll my shoulders, getting ready to face the world and get my shit done. “I’ll be right back, love.”
“Bye,” she turns to the bathroom, but I don’t miss the way she looks back over her shoulder at me. I give her perfect ass one last glance before I’m out the door.
Making my way down the street, I look like any guy in worn jeans and scuffed boots, except I’m new and I know I’m good- looking, so I get a few looks. I’m just about thinking I’ve got to go on a side street when I see a couple standing outside a gas station, in front of an old beat-up pick-up truck with the hood open.
“I told you not to buy this thing,” the woman huffs. “Piece of junk.”
“It was free, Alice.”
“Free,” she says back. “It breaks down every time we drive it. It’s been anything but free.”
The guy scratches his head. “I never was good at repairs.”
Luck be a lady, I grin. And I’m a girl magnet. “Hey there,” I call out. “Truck trouble?”
The guy looks relieved. “Know anything about this kind of engine?”
“Love these oldies with their carburetors and their leaky oil,” I wink as the woman, Alice I think her name was, rolls her eyes.
“What’s the trouble?”
“Won’t start. Again.”
“Let me have a look.” I climb up and move a few wires, check the oil. Spark plugs are gone which is likely the issue. They’re a cheap fix too, but I’m not telling this guy that. I whistle through my teeth. “It’s not good.”
“I knew it!” Alice cries, her hands flying up in the air.
“How bad?” the guy asks. “How much?”
“Couldn’t say. With time and money, she’ll run again…”
“No,” Alice hisses. “No more money.”
“Didn’t catch your name,” I say to the man. “Mine’s Jake.” I use my uncle’s name just in case.
“Jake?” He cocks a brow. “Pleased to meet you. Clyde.”
“Clyde. A pleasure.” I stick out my hand and we shake. Then I look back into the truck’s engine bay. “A truck like this can be a real gem.” I’m not lying. “But she’s going to require a lot of tender loving care.”
Clyde makes a face. “I’ve only got room for one high maintenance lady in my life.”
“I heard that,” Alice says, hands on hips. Then she stomps into the station.
“You ah…” Clyde scratches his head. “You wouldn’t be interested in a gem like this?”
Now, here is the part where I really need to work it hard. I’ve only got so much cash and Kate and I are going to need to eat.
Maybe buy a few more pajama sets.
“I’d love a truck like this but the money…” I click my tongue. “I just don’t have it, Clyde.”
He looks me up and down and nods. “How much you think you could spare?”
I shake my head. We’re starting this negotiation from zero.
Clyde takes the bait. “Look. Just give me enough to take Alice out to dinner. Nothing fancy. I tried to give the damn thing to my brother, and he wouldn’t take it.”
“I appreciate what you’re saying Clyde, but…” I shake my head a few times. “I’m a little hard up.” I’m being a dick. But I don’t know how long Kate and I are going to have to live off what I’ve got.
He leans in close. “It pisses her off sitting in the yard. It makes her even madder when we drive it anywhere.” He goes around to the glove box and takes out a title. “I’ll let you have it if I can tell Alice you paid me.”
I give him a wicked grin. “You got it, Clyde. It’s a deal.” And then we shake again.
His name is on the title, and I make a note to send Clyde a big thank you later. Pocketing the title—who leaves that shit in the car, Clyde—I head down the street to a tiny automotive store and grab spark plugs and oil.
Then, the coffee shop, for two black coffees.
I’m giddy as I head back to the truck. This is my jam. Hood is still open, and I pull out the plugs, blowing on them, and top off the oil.
I’ve decided to name her Alice and I’m thinking that this might be the luckiest day ever.
I got laid, I’ve got a pretty lady looking at me with big brown eyes begging me to stay, and now I’ve got a truck. And coffee.
That’s when I catch a flash of red out of the corner of my eye.
I turn and catch a fucking GT3 heading toward Walmart.
Fuck. No one around here owns a car like that. It came from Vegas. No doubt.
Turning over the engine, Alice fires up, a deep rumble that should be satisfying but isn’t, and I put her into gear, backing out of the spot. I’m really hoping that Clyde has already left and the real Alice is not witnessing me pulling the free truck out.
Because if she is, Clyde is not getting any for a while. But I can’t worry about my man now.
Instead, I follow the GT3. Maybe I should just go back to the motel, but I need to see how bad this is. If one of the Italians found me here, they are watching closely and they are on the hunt.
I’m the lynchpin to their plan. I know it. They want to use me to gain access to the tunnel.
I could turn myself back over to them. That would honestly be best for Kate. Vincent would likely forget all about her. But my family…
Getting caught is the worst that can happen. These assholes would use me to blackmail Kincaid Enterprises. I know that was the plan. The very least I can do is stay out of the way, keep Gorilla distracted.
It would be even better if I could find a way to push those permits through. But I have to trust that Mason is on top of that shit.
I could disappear on my own. They’d follow me, not her. But it’s way easier to stay under the radar with a girl on my arm. We’re on a couple’s getaway. I’m using her and I know it, but she’s the one who begged me not to leave her.
I should cut her loose, I know it deep in my gut. But part of me isn’t ready to let her go, and like I said, I’m giving her what she asked for. Why should I feel guilty for that?
I don’t even make it all the way to Walmart when I see the squad car lights flashing blue.
Popping open a compartment on the dash of the truck, I find a beat-up pair of aviator sunglasses and I put them on, ducking low in the seat.
The GT3 pulls up next to the cop car and out pops Gorilla. Asshole.
I don’t know how he got out of the cord I tied him up in, or how he found me, maybe the Fit had a GPS tracker, but I know it’s time to get the hell out of Dodge. Or whatever town we’re in.
At the next light I make a right and then another and a third until I’ve reversed direction.
Pulling into the motel, I take a deep breath. I should tell Kate to go back to Vegas. Stay with a friend. Lay low…
That’s what would be best for her…
I get out of the truck and start for the door, which cracks open before I can even knock. I stop. “You all right, love?”
She opens the door a little wider. “Just glad you’re back.” Her smile is easy. Relieved. My gut twists.
Pushing into the room, I can also see that she’s collected up all our stuff, packed it back in the bags, and we’re ready to roll.
God, I love a competent woman. “Where’d you get the truck?”
“I’ll tell you on the way. Let’s roll.”
“Okay,” she says grabbing up a couple of the bags. “Where are we going?”
“We’ll decide that on the way too.”
She cocks her head and looks at me. “Something happen?”
“On the way, love,” I answer, grabbing the other bags. She gives me a single nod, her face pinching as I walk her quickly out to the truck.
I can barely appreciate how hot she looks in her tight jeans as she climbs up into the passenger’s seat.
Closing her door, I make my way around the driver’s side and fire up Alice. “We’ve got some choices,” I say, tossing the old truck in gear. We’re not getting anywhere fast, but then again, who’s going to suspect the guy in the 1970s two-toned beige-and-cream Ford is a billionaire real estate mogul? “Keep going east or head back to Vegas.”
“I’ve got three days until I have to be back for work,” she tells me. “Which way do you think is safer?”
I frown. That’s a tricky question because my answer is different from hers. “Away from Vegas. I say we keep moving east.”
“East it is,” she smiles. “Actually, one of my stepdads has a cabin in southern Colorado. We could crash there for a few nights.”
“One of?”
“You don’t want to know,” she mutters.
“Sounds like a good story for on the way. Mind breaking out the map and telling me which direction we’re headed?”
“Right. I’m navigator.” She rummages through the bags. “But you’re taking a left just up here. We’re for sure headed back toward the interstate.”
I don’t take the left. Because that would take us right by Walmart.
When I miss it, she sits up and gives me the eye. “You really are bad with directions.”
I wink. “I’ll be better next time.”
Pulling out the map, she starts checking our route and I take the next left.
Kate and I are headed to Colorado. Didn’t see that one coming.
But even with my Gorilla sighting, I’m not sure I’m upset about this road trip. Fucked up as this is, it might be the most fun I’ve had in a long damn time.
But I’ll unpack that one later.
We find the highway and I take the eastbound on-ramp, Alice bumping along. No AC in a car like this, so we roll down the windows, the desert heat making it a hot day and the wind making conversation difficult. It’s all right, though. I’d rather wait until we’re far away from whatever little town that was to tell Kate that Gorilla is on our tail.
I don’t want my girl to worry.
Yet.