22. Rain
Chapter 22
Rain
T hree days later…
I could still see Matteo catching the gun I’d thrown at him, the one I’d found tucked away and out of sight. And then I could see a bullet piercing the man who looked exactly like him, blooding spraying from his shoulder, every time I closed my eyes and thought too hard about it.
Now here I was, on the run with him but not exactly. The only thing people knew was that I was off on an extended vacation.
And Nora was covering for me with my family. We were just thirty minutes from the border, with our destination being North Vancouver.
I could run the Siren from anywhere concerning any building issues, but my own personal clients knew I was out of town at the moment.
Turning off the shower to the hotel room we were staying in, I sighed because it truly felt like I was on some sort of vacation. It’d been just that long since I’d last had one.
Wrapping the robe around me, I stepped out into the empty bedroom. I’d gotten my own room and had reserved one for Matteo across the hall. We’d had to keep a low profile so both rooms were in my name.
Getting dressed in the Walmart dress I’d bought the day after nearly being killed; I checked my reflection in the mirror.
I could make anything work with some accessories. I grinned at my reflection before slipping on a pair of ballet flats, I’d found at T.J. Maxx.
Opening the door, I snatched the key card to my room. I looked both ways down the hall and found nothing but an eerie quiet.
Knocking quietly on Matteo’s door, I heard the volume on the television turn down. “It’s me,” I whispered sure he could hear me.
They can hear you, I thought.
Matteo opened the door halfway, staring me down. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah…mmm, I was thinking there’s a dive bar not too far from here…I wanted to go.”
Matteo’s hungry gaze raked over my body, and my nipples immediately turned to diamonds.
“I could go for a beer…” He nodded. “But you do remember I’m one of America’s most wanted right?”
“Boy, I bought you a damned ball cap…be right back,” I turned and spun away on my heels.
Sliding the key card over the lock pad, I re-entered my room and grabbed the dark Seattle Mariner’s cap I randomly found while in T.J. Maxx and dashed back out. He was still waiting, in a dark T-shirt and jeans. I plopped it on his head.
“Perfect, you’re in disguise,” I told him.
“Rain Ellis-Allan, don’t go falling in love with me,” he whispered and I got that feeling.
That one where that other part of him was watching, and ready to finish what we’d started three days ago.
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” I assured him flashing a smile over my shoulder as I’d already started for the side staircase. “Come on, we need the fresh air.”
Taking two flights of steps down the cool night air hit our skin. We were just days away from stepping into summer and the crickets were chirping. As we made our way down the sidewalk away from the small hotel, the air became filled with the melody of steel drums. The Bahama Mama was kicking on a Friday night, and even though it was a little ways down the sidewalk, the neon sign of a dancing pineapple was flickering. Beside me, Matteo eased the brim of his hat down, and it cast a shadow over his features. “You better not get me caught, Stizzy.”
“I’ve run with more criminals than I can count on one finger,” I nudged him playfully. “Don’t worry Boy Scout, I’ll protect you.”
“Starting to sound like you care what happens to me,” he murmured.
“Well, you’ve quasi kidnapped me, and explained I could be used in some weird ass breeding experiment,” I raised a brow just as we stepped onto the premises of the bar. “I need liquor and since doing blow is out of the entire fucking question lately…”
Matteo let out a heavy sigh as he opened the door for me, but I looked over my shoulder and caught him staring at my ass.
Typical man, I shook my head.
The smell of tropical fruit hit my nose along with the aroma of stale beer, while I could hear laughter and clinking glasses. Matteo and I took a seat at the end of the bar, and I could tell he was nervous because he continued to look over his shoulder.
Reaching out, I touched his hand, grinning. “Relax, you look more obvious looking around.”
A burly looking bartender with a white towel over his shoulder and a ponytail longer than the Brazilian inches I had on my own head, approached.
“What will y’all have?” He seemed red in the face, and I knew he was working hard.
“Light beer,” Matteo mumbled.
“I’ll have an amaretto sour,” I told him.
He ambled away to get our drinks and I spun around on the bar stool, leaning back against the bar and taking in the atmosphere. There were a few pin ball machines to the back along with pool tables.
My brother’s bar where I bar tended, every once in a while, was a way better joint for sure. The locals probably thought this was high class action as far as they were concerned.
“How good are you at pool?” I glanced over at Matteo who was studying my features. “And why are you staring at me so hard?"
He grinned; his face still shadowed by the ball cap. “We’re trying to figure out how we haven’t fucked you five ways till Sunday yet…”
“Jesus…are all of you so…”
“Aggressive?”
I nodded my mouth going dry while I slowly clenched my legs trying not to remember how his mouth had felt against my core. “Yes, aggressive.”
I swallowed hard, as he replied with an honest, “Yes.”
Before I could reply to that the bartender had swung back around setting our drinks down in front of us. Immediately, I pulled the drink to my lips and took a sip through the little black straw.
Matteo did the same, the beer tipping up and light bouncing off the amber colored bottle.
Looking around, I saw a pool table had cleared. Reaching over, I grabbed Matteo’s hand, and a shiver rolled through my body at the contact. His eyes drifted to mine, even shadowed, I could see yearning.
“Table is free,” I snatched my hand back so fast you would have thought he’d bit me.
Hopping down from the stool, I walked over moving through the small crowd of people. Matteo’s eyes were burning a hole through my dress. He was watching every jiggle and shake of my ass in this Walmart sun dress, and I knew it.
Taking a sip of my drink again, I sat it down on a table behind me and let the familiar click of the balls distract me as I racked them up. Behind me, Matteo was chalking up the tip of the pool stick within an inch of its life.
He walked behind me as I grabbed a stick of my own, carelessly and slowly grinding into my ass with his hardness.
“You break,” he whispered, his voice low and rough, almost as if he were growling. More electricity sparked through my body at his words and at his touch, headed straight for my pussy.
Taking a deep breath as he moved from behind me, and to the other side of the table a shit eating grin on his face, I lined up to take the shot.
“Wait…”
I looked up, drawing his gaze away from the multicolored balls and green felt.
“Yes, Stizzy?”
“You’re always betting Carmine for stuff, right?”
Matteo’s face tensed at the mention of his brother’s name. “Stizzy…”
Frowning, I studied him.
Is he still jealous, I wondered, hoping he couldn’t read thoughts.
“Answer the question,” I shook my head.
“Yes,” he said tightly causing me let out a giggle and earning me a look. “We sometimes place a wager.”
“So, let’s make a wager…”
“Okayyyy… what do I get if I win?”
Picking up the white ball, and walking over to his side of the table, I placed it back down. “If you win…and that’s a big IF …I’ll let you get what you’ve been wanting since we met…and Boy Scout? You can have any HoleYou. Want.”
I began to line up my shot and I knew I had his attention then, as I sent the balls scattering in a blur.
Looking over my shoulder, I caught his gaze. “Any hole, huh?”
I shrugged. “I never pretended to be a virgin, you on the other hand.”
He growled. “I already told you I’m not a fucking…”
When he was a little worked up, it was easy to get under his skin. A laugh rolled out of me, and he sobered realizing what I was doing. He took his shot next, sinking the striped balls.
“If I win…”
“Before this goes further,” I playfully blinked my eyes. “I dated a guy who was a pro pool player.”
“Oh yeah?” Matteo came back over, leaning in dangerously close our lips nearly touching. “Where’s he live?”
“Why?”
“Oh no reason, I might just find him in his dreams and kill him in his sleep.”
I rolled my eyes. “Quit and focus.”
His tone sounded gruff as his jaw tightened, “I am focused and I’m not kidding. I just need a good enough picture of him in my head…I could do it…”
Before I knew what I was doing, my fingers were sliding up the front of the jeans he was wearing, where his hard dick was waiting.
“Babe, win the game first,” I gave it a little squeeze getting a hot hiss.
“Fuck, we could take you here and now…in front everyone here in this place.” I watched as he closed his eyes, his eyelashes dark and long nearly touching his cheek, enjoying my touch. Somewhere in the background a child started crying and I slowly moved my hand away.
“If I win Rain, I want you to let me…”
Moving away from him because his words had me ready to act on impulse and fuck him. That little addict inside of me had me wanting to ask around for a little coke. You know, to really let loose? I settled for alcohol and went back over to my drink. "Tell me…”
“If I win, you let me in,” he picked up his beer that had been balanced on another table behind.
“Huh?” I watched him take a deep long sip.
“If I win, you’ll let us into your mind, your heart and your body. You’ll let us love you, properly. The way a woman like you Rain Ellis-Allen should be loved.”
I nearly choked on my drink as I finished it.
Holy shit, I thought.
I didn’t want to make Matteo any real promises. I wasn’t the falling in love type. Men saw me for one thing, and it was usually sex. And I saw them the exact same way.
Sex.
Nasty.
Dirty.
Raw.
“Scared,” he asked.
“Of you Boy Scout?” I finished the drink off, before raising the glass in the air and making eye contact with the bartender who gave a nod. “Never.”
“Good because I’m going to beat the thong off your ass cheeks,” he grinned.
“Jokes on you Matty…I’m not wearing any panties…”
He coughed and beer nearly spewed out of his mouth, but he managed to contain himself. I shook my head, clearing my mind like that old boyfriend had taught me years ago and focused on the game. I bent over lining up my cue with the white ball, knowing I could own the fuck out of Matteo in this game if I really wanted to.
Miss.
The thought came out of nowhere. Part of me wondered where it’d come from.
Let him love you, another thought whispered.
Shaking my head, I cleared my mind again only to look up and made eye contact with Matteo Zaccharra who had a shit eating grin on his face.
I was already good and fucked.
And we both knew it.