by Kells, India
An Underground Bad Boys Romance
by India Kells
LICENSE NOTES
THE TRAITOR
An Underground Bad Boys Romance
by India Kells
Copyright © 2019 by India Kells
Editing and proofreading by Black Opal Editing
Cover Art by CT Cover Creations
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-989354-07-0
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
www.indiakells.com
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
The Debt Collector Sneak Peek
The Inheritance Sneak Peek
Also by India Kells
About the Author
Chapter 1
Spencer Knox looked outside, enjoying his second cup of coffee as the sun slowly rose over the lake. Damn it was cold. Cold and damp with white shit all over the damn landscape, as far as the eye could see. The mountains, the valleys, the fucking roads were slippery as hell. Why had he chosen a small community nestled in the Rockies for his new beginning? Maybe because it was as far from the big city as he could get. In his head, a new beginning meant doing something new and unexpected. And he’d made one hell of a decision when he’d decided to leave the city.
Even with the weather announcing the heart of winter and the snow, he couldn’t have chosen a better location for his new home.
Isolated by the lake with neighbors he couldn’t see, but close enough to town so he could take care of the auto mechanic’s shop he’d acquired less than six months ago, it was perfect. His second-best decision ever.
A quick look at his watch told him he had little time left for his workout and shower before heading to the shop, but still, he waited. Waited for his lady of the lake.
She’d appeared like a ghost the very first morning he’d moved to the town of Landston. Surrounded by boxes and unable to sleep, he’d been watching the sunrise when he’d seen a feminine form in the distance gliding toward the lake with wisps of dark hair blowing in the wind. Knox was fascinated by this vision through the trees and couldn’t take his eyes off her. He couldn’t see her face clearly though due to the distance. The woman was wrapped in a brown coat and for a long moment, she’d stood there immobile.
Each morning since he’d arrived, Knox watched the woman walk by the lake and stand there for the longest time, unconcerned about the weather or the freezing temperature.
It was his own personal apparition that always vanished just as he made a move to go to her. If he hadn’t seen her in the flesh, walking the streets of Landston, he would have thought himself crazy. From a distance she appeared ethereal, up close she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Knox knew she wasn’t beautiful in a conventional way as she was on the curvier side, but he didn’t mind, and his cock sure didn’t care. He wished he’d met her in the anonymity of the city, so he could’ve had her and left without the risk of having to see her again. He knew very well the kind of man he was and made sure not to entangle himself in feelings and emotions. He could offer his body, but not his heart. As for his soul, he’d bargained it away a long ago, and the devil wasn’t handing it back any time soon.
As the sun started to lighten the overcast sky, the woman he now knew was Josie disappeared, walking back to her cabin that was hidden behind the trees. She would walk into town an hour later. He wasn’t tracking her, but his eyes always seemed to catch on her form whenever she passed by.
As Knox put his mug in the sink, he realized he was late and headed out to start his car so at least he wouldn’t freeze his ass off. Since winter had arrived, he was always cold and that pissed him off.
He knew he was getting old, but never imagined having to turn the thermostat up that much. He was happy he lived alone, otherwise, he would be nicknamed ‘grandpa’ in no time.
Grabbing his coat and beanie, he locked the door behind him and hopped into his truck.
At least his driveway was cleared of snow. Too often he’d woken up to a foot of snow on the ground. His truck was a 4x4, but he lacked experience driving in the snow with that sort of engine. He was used to hard and fast, not slow and easy. That sentiment applied to his cars and his women.
As he listened to the local radio station, Knox growled at the snow forecast for the afternoon, not that he could do anything about it.
Arriving at his shop, he parked in the back where the snowplow would have enough space to clear the snow if he was busy inside and couldn’t get out later that day to move his car.
Lowe’s Auto Mechanic and Repair stood in the middle of town. It had been a staple of Landston for so long and was the reason Knox had decided not to change the name. Not the only reason, but a valid one for sure. He hadn’t changed much of anything since buying the place.
He’d cleaned everything, repaired or replaced the equipment that required it, repainted others, but had kept the staff on board. Georgia Lowe, the former owner’s widow, still manned the front desk and honestly, Knox wouldn’t want it any other way. She had the helm of the ship in a strong grip and his admin was in tip-top shape.
Marvin and Tom were the two mechanics that worked for him, older gents, talented and never in a hurry to finish jobs. Another sign of the small town was time had a different speed here, and Knox wasn’t used to it.
He needed someone to help with bodywork and paint, but so far, nobody had applied for the job. He was glad it wasn’t an emergency at the moment but knew he might have to extend his search area.
Exiting his truck, he unlocked the back door and wasn’t surprised to smell coffee brewing. Georgia was always there at least five minutes before he was. When he’d told her to take it easy and that she only needed to arrive a few minutes before opening, the woman gave him a look that almost made him shiver. She’d then proceeded to tell him, with a few chosen words that she was able to work as many, if not more hours than he could, and if he wasn’t happy with her services, she would go on her merry way.
It was an empty threat because Georgia Lowe was a fixture and when he’d acquired the shop, he’d had to keep the woman, and she loved being at the front desk. It was the male equivalent of a beauty parlor. It seemed the men of the town loved to gossip and his place was where they did it.
He had been the main focus of said gossips when he’d arrived. Knox had heard so many ridiculous and ludicrous bits of information, he’d been astonished by people’s imaginations. The only thing that kept it from turning into complete lunacy was the fact he’d decided to make Landston his home and buy a local business, thus maintaining employment in town. That and the fact an extramarital affair exploded two months after he’d purchased the busi
ness. It was a sure way of distracting the locals and diverting the spotlight off him.
After that, he’d seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the town. Maybe not that easily, but he was accepted by most of the friendly residents.
“Coffee will be ready in a minute!”
Knox shed his winter gear in his office and put on a pair of workbooks. A clean coverall was hanging on the hook, thanks to Georgia.
“How are you this fine morning, Spencer?”
She made a point of always using his first name, and, equally annoyed, he rolled his eyes at her. “It’s cold. Nothing new.”
Georgia, as usual, boomed in laughter. The woman was a powerhouse. “You’ll get used to it. Your blood will thicken. Winter is only just beginning.”
Knox bit back a moan. If January was just the beginning, he might not survive until the end.
Getting himself a fresh cup of coffee, he went to return to his office when he saw his ‘ghost’s’ familiar form walking down the street.
Georgia turned to look out the window and sighed. It wasn’t like her not to comment on the people passing in front of the shop. Usually, he didn’t say anything and tried to avoid gossip, but he’d noticed how his employee never said much about Josie, or repeated any gossip for that matter.
“What?”
Georgia twisted and frowned at him, as if not understanding his question.
“Why did you sigh as she walked down the street?”
“At Josie? I sighed?”
Knox arched an eyebrow, incredulous that she thought she could avoid his question like that. His expression must have been enough because she shrugged, shuffling papers. “There’s not much to say about poor Josie. Nothing of interest, as a matter of fact.”
Even though she tried to dismiss him, his interest was picked as he looked at Josie’s form slowly disappearing from view. “Come on, Georgia. I’m not into gossip, and you know it. However, you are, and Josie is the only person in town you have nothing to say about. Why?”
“First of all, reporting news is not gossiping, and I know the difference very well. Second, I told you. The poor girl has enough on her shoulders as it is. She needs support, and that’s what we women do. We support each other.”
“And if we men want to help, we’re screwed?”
“Exactly. It’s because you men want to screw us over that we women bond together.”
Knox wanted to throw his arms in the air and lock himself in his office. Instead, he sighed. “Georgia, I’m not going to discuss this with you if you’re going to throw that sort of foolishness in my face. I’m genuinely concerned. When I ask questions, it’s because I’m new around here, for God’s sake, not because I want all the scandalous details of a person’s life.”
Knox had to admit he’d laid it on a bit thick and wasn’t as selfless in his intentions as he was making out. The elusive lady of the lake made him mighty curious.
Georgia seemed to consider his words carefully before responding. “There isn’t much you can do, Spencer. She’s deep in debt because of her ex-husband and she’s working as much as she can to pay it all back.”
It wasn’t much information, but it was enough for him to want more. And the bit about her ex made him clench his fists. It reminded him of his punching bag in his home gym.
“She covered his Why didn’t she let it all go to the bank and start over?”
“You don’t know Josie. She’s as straight as an arrow. Even if you offered her the money to pay back her debts, she wouldn’t accept it. Instead, she cut back every expense she could think of and took every job she could find. The woman is a harder worker than anyone I know, but Landston is a small town, with small salaries. She needs to pay off the debt before their divorce can be finalized. In the meantime, he got out of Dodge in less than a minute. Poor Josie had to sell everything. She lived in a room nearby at first, but someone offered her a little cabin near yours. Although I wouldn’t call it a cabin. It’s more like a shack, from what I remember. She walks to town every morning and walks back when she’s done. It’s a hellish life if you ask me.”
The older woman watched the street as if she could still see Josie walking past the shop.
“Where does she work?”
Blinking, Georgia shook her head and turned to him. “The better question is where doesn’t she work. I know she has a steady job at the inn as a maid, and at the bakery shop late at night. She was also a cashier at the grocery store for a bit and worked at the restaurant too. As I said, she’ll do any and every job. To be honest, I worry for her health, Spencer. No one is able to carry on at that rate for long. I see it on her face. She’s fading away and is too stubborn to accept help or even acknowledge she needs it.”
Knox nodded. It was a desperate situation, but he didn’t know what to do. Of course, he could play the good guy and arrive on her doorstep with a bag of food or something, but it would mean getting involved, and that was something he wasn’t ready to do. He couldn’t, and wouldn’t, care for someone and Josie’s case screamed of needing care. Maybe there were a couple of things he could ask her to do around the shop, but he would have to think about it.
That would be for another time though, as the day had started and the phone was ringing. Georgia took the call as Knox returned to his office to prepare for his day, with Josie’s image lingering in his brain.
Chapter 2
Knox wiped his hands and rolled his shoulders trying to get rid of the stiffness in them. It was late, the shop had been closed for at least two hours now, but he was determined to finish what he’d started. That old truck had seen better days, and the thickness of the rust underneath it made replacing any of the parts challenging. Only sheer force and determination made it possible to complete the work. It would be drivable for a short time and the only guarantee was it would come back in for more repairs sooner rather than later.
Turning off the lights in the shop, he returned to his office to write up the invoice and put it in the system so Georgia wouldn’t chew his head off tomorrow morning.
It had been a busy day, with everyone making sure their gear was ready for this new bout of snow coming their way. Tom and Marvin had been hopping around too as two snowplows came in for a quick checkup. The town was small, but they were prepared.
That was the reason he’d stayed late. All the smaller jobs had been pushed aside for the emergencies and as he didn’t know if they would be able to open the shop tomorrow, he preferred to get ahead.
Closing his computer, he removed his coveralls and threw them in the corner bin before sitting down again. It wasn’t as if he was in a hurry to get home. On the contrary. Even if it was comfortable, the cabin was utilitarian, and he’d never been a homebody. All his life he’d scurried around the streets, navigating the dark alleys, and dealing with the dangerous night after night. He was one of those creatures after all, born from survival and duplicity. No man would set foot on that road if not for money or power.
His skin felt too tight, and he knew it was all those unwanted feelings surging within him. It was the reason he’d turned his back on his old life and had relocated far away.
The wind whistled all around, announcing the storm was already on its way. He should get in his truck and go, but still he lingered, trying to delay the moment he would be snowed in.
The more he stalled, the more his body felt achy until he realized it was probably due to fantasizing about Josie.
Damn! He wasn’t a college boy infatuated with a girl. He had more gray in his hair than brown now, and enough scars on his skin to know better.
And it had been way too long since he’d fucked a woman. That too played with him and was probably why he reacted to Josie like he did. Not that the women of Landston weren’t interested. Even if he was blind, he would still be able to see the come-ons and flirtations from an array of lovely ladies. What stopped him from taking them up on their offers was always the same reason—Landston was a small community and he wouldn’t be able t
o discard and avoid his lovers as he usually did.
The thought of having a warm female body wrapped around him, moaning as he sank deep into a slick, quivering sheath made his cock throb painfully in his jeans. Knox only hesitated a second before unfastening his jeans and letting himself free. He fisted his dick, feeling the pulse under his palm.
It might have been something a teenager would do, but it felt good. The base of his spine tingled as he squeezed himself harder. He preferred lubricant rather than his own spit, as it made the sensation rougher, but he was focusing on the ending, not the process.
Closing his eyes, he conjured up images of the last few women he’d had sex with, gorgeous and dirty, exactly how he liked them, but it still felt like something was missing.
His mind went into overdrive, pulling up the weirdest, craziest, and filthiest things he’d ever done so his body could reach release, his hand grasping his cock, stroking with painful fury but still, his orgasm remained out of reach.
Jaw locked, his breath hissed through his grinding teeth as frustration started to take over. Commanding himself to relax once more, he decided to let his mind wander and it was easy to see what, or more accurately who, would fill his fantasy.
Josie’s image appeared in his mind, her pale face, her black hair billowing around her. He had never seen her naked, but he could certainly imagine the curves he’d drooled over when he’d noticed her walking around town. Just before winter had arrived, he’d seen her up close as she headed to work, a deep red sweater hugging her breasts, a pair of torn jeans defining her sinful ass. The fabric was worn and looked so soft, which made him think about her skin and how he would love to slip his palm between her thighs. He was certain they were warm and inviting and he imagined himself being cradled by hers as he plunged into her warm heat, his hand grabbing her thighs hard.