Wouldn’t be the first time he’d made something or someone disappear.
He did what he had to do to protect himself, his club and his brothers. He just was careful about doing it and never talked about it, either. Assholes who bragged about shit they did, ended up regretting those loose lips down the road.
But he was hoping one particular asshole would run his fucking mouth. Magnum would just need the opportunity and to come up with a way to get Gallo talking.
Right now, he had no fucking clue how he would do that.
But he would.
For Caitie.
The right blinker of the minivan in front of him began to flash. With that, he reluctantly peeled his fingers from Cait’s and followed the long line of vehicles into the rest stop.
If this is what it was like to be an average working sheep, working a nine-to-five, doing your best to blend in with society, working long hours hoping you didn’t die before you got a chance to retire, blindly following a well-beaten path, he was sure fucking glad he lived the life he had.
Wasn’t perfect. Never would be perfect.
But it was his.
Chapter Five
The sprawling Black Mountain Resort was tucked along the shoreline of a huge cove on the east side of Lake George. It was, for the most part, quiet, and definitely beautiful. The foliage hadn’t started changing yet, but being north of Pennsylvania, it would start soon. Cait was sure it would be a stunning display of color.
Another stunning display of color was Magnum as he stood on the balcony of their room, staring out over the lake. The setting sun beyond him gave his dark skin a glow. From where she stood inside, his back blocked most of the view of the lake since it was just that broad, but it did give her a great view of him.
It was weird seeing him without his cut and he probably felt naked without it.
When she’d picked him up early that morning at Dirty Dick’s he’d been wearing a long-sleeved Henley. As soon as they had checked in, had their bags delivered to the room, and grabbed a quick bite to eat in the café, he was jonesing to change out of that shirt because he was “sweatin’ his goddamn balls off.” The unseasonably warm day was a good reason why she was wearing shorts. But now that the sun was beginning to set, the temp was quickly dropping.
He’d pulled on an old, worn T-shirt that hugged his bulk—she assumed in case any of her co-workers saw him—before stepping out onto the private balcony. That tee covered the club colors tattooed onto his back and the random tats on his chest and stomach, as well as some of the tats on his upper arms. He most likely suffered through wearing the Henley to cover all of those and during this week would probably continue to wear shirts that would cover him to his wrists.
She knew why he would do so and appreciated the effort, even though she hadn’t asked it of him.
It was hard not to stare at him a little while ago as he walked around their room without a shirt to cool off. His torso was thick and broad, his nipples almost black. He had a little bit of hair on his chest, which was connected to a dark line that ran from the small center patch down his belly, past his navel and disappeared into his jeans.
Studying that narrow trail, she had licked her lips, tempted to follow it with her mouth. Or at least her fingers.
He’d done his best to ignore her as he assessed the room situation.
The room situation.
The room reminded her of one in a bed and breakfast, where there was a separate bedroom large enough for a single king bed, a decent sized bathroom that included a single-person Jacuzzi tub and a small sitting area with a large screen TV, a desk and a couch. What would normally be considered cozy almost felt too confined with a man as large as Magnum in it.
His presence alone was overwhelming.
Because of that, she wasn’t sure how this room situation would shake out. He’d thrown his bag at the end of the couch after pulling out the T-shirt, then he ripped off his Henley and did a quick tour of the room bare-chested while Cait had done a quick tour of his half-naked body.
She took a deep breath and walked through the wide-open sliders and settled into one of the dark green Adirondack chairs to his right that faced the serene lake.
“Daddy Gallo pays for all this shit?”
His voice was low but rough and it did all kinds of naughty things to her. But then, those things would also occur just by his presence alone.
He’d always fascinated her, and he’d caught her attention the first time she’d seen him, even though she knew he was off-limits. One reason being she was only fifteen at the time. Her teenage girl dreams had become very interesting after that.
“From what I heard, he knows the owners and rents the whole resort for a week every year. He probably gets a great deal since it’s after most of the summer tourists and fair-weather fans head back home but before the leaf peepers show up.”
He turned his head from where he stood at the balcony railing.
The man had a strong, beautiful profile, but when he looked directly at her, as if he saw her, it always made her heart skip a beat.
“Leaf peepers?”
“People who come up for the changing leaves.” She gripped the chair’s armrests as his gaze ran over her, not missing anything. She did her best to keep her breathing steady, though her nipples decided to be traitors. And since his gaze hesitated there longer than anywhere else, she figured he noticed, too.
“They also change in PA,” he finally mumbled, sounding distracted.
“Later than here. Plus, look at that view. Imagine it with the mountains and shoreline full of fire.”
“Full of fire,” he murmured, now staring at her lips.
“The colorful leaves,” she clarified, her heart thumping heavily in her chest.
“Knew what you meant, Caitie.”
Her nails dug into the painted wood armrests. “I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” she said softly.
He lifted one brow. “Why?”
“It makes me feel like I’m twelve.”
A muscle jumped in his cheek. “Hardly twelve. That’s for fuckin’ sure.” With one hand still holding onto the balcony railing he turned toward her, the disappearing sun now hitting his features. “Caitie’ll be mine.”
Well, that didn’t help slow her racing pulse. “The name or me?”
His brow furrowed and he turned back to face the lake.
“Since you’ve been standing out here for a while now, I assume you’ve thought about the room situation.” She air-quoted the last two words even though he was no longer facing her.
He grunted what Cait recognized as a “yeah” in Neanderthal speak.
She wasn’t kidding when she told him earlier she was fluent in grunt-grunt. Bikers learned to grunt before they learned to talk or walk. All the DAMC boys were already doing it since they parroted their fathers.
She assumed any sons born to the Knights were the same way.
An intense and sudden heat swirled through her as she stared at Magnum and imagined him holding a newborn to his bare chest.
Holy shit, where did that come from?
A bead of sweat popped out on her forehead as her ovaries went into overdrive. Squeezing her thighs together, she shifted in the chair, ripped her gaze from him and directed it toward a tiny island in the middle of the wide cove.
Her heart was now not only racing, her breathing had shallowed, and an invisible hand squeezed her throat.
“Caitie.”
His gruff voice shot a shiver down her back and her nipples instantly tightened and ached.
Holy shit, this room situation was going to be a disaster.
She wanted him so badly she could taste it. He didn’t hide the fact he wanted her, too. But he was so right. If they gave in to their desires, a war between the clubs could break out, destroying the hard-earned and welcomed peace currently occurring.
She would not be the cause of it.
“Caitie.”
Her gaze sliced from the island s
o small it only consisted of a few boulders, rocks and maybe a dozen trees, to the man she needed to keep at arm’s length. His arm, not hers, since his was longer.
“Malcolm,” she said in response.
His big body rocked on his boot heels and both hands tightened on the metal railing.
“I need to get used to calling you that, right?” she explained, sounding way more breathless than she should. “For this week?”
Even sitting to his side, she could see his eyes shut, remain that way for a few breaths before he reopened them. “Right,” he grunted. When he turned, crossed his arms over his chest—clearly closing himself off from her—and leaned back against the railing, she worried if it would hold his weight.
“Please don’t lean against that.”
“It’s good.”
“No, we don’t know that. Just... don’t.” If that railing gave way...
He frowned, his eyebrows pulling together, and he settled with a soft grunt into the other Adirondack chair which actually flexed under his big bulk.
At least if that collapsed, he wouldn’t have far to fall. Unlike the balcony railing since they were on the third—and top—floor of one of the many buildings scattered along the property.
One corner of his beautiful lips pulled up as he planted his boots wide, giving his massive thighs some space. “Worried about me.” It wasn’t a question.
“These buildings aren’t new, Mag— Malcolm. We don’t know when those railings were last replaced.”
“Worried about me,” he repeated, satisfaction coloring his words.
Whatever. “It would suck trying to explain to Dad why your brains got splattered against the concrete at a resort I just so happened to be at.”
The other corner of his lips pulled up, creating a smile. “Worried about me.”
Instead of rolling her eyes, which she was about to do, she wanted to roll around in his rich, sexy laughter and cover herself with that carefree sound like a dog rolling in a scent. It had come from deep within his belly.
She wasn’t sure if she ever heard him laugh before.
His dark eyes had a glint to them that made her breath catch. Maybe that spark was just from the waning light.
“What did you want?” she asked.
That light in his eyes dimmed, his smile fell, and his laughter became a memory.
Damn. She had made him happy then took it away in a flash. She wanted to see more of the first and a lot less of the second.
“That’s a loaded fuckin’ question.”
Yes, it was.
“Need to tell you somethin’ before you go signin’ us up for any kinda activities or whatever the fuck’s goin’ on this week.”
“Like the karaoke we’re going to sing? I’m already picking out some great songs for us to duet together. I’m leaning toward Captain and Tennille’s Muskrat Love. Though it’s not technically a duet since the Captain never spoke, we can easily make it one.” She smothered a giggle-snort at his expression.
“Don’t even know what the fuck that is.”
“Trust me, it’s a classic.”
“Yeah, okay, ain’t singin’ shit. You wanna sing, I’ll watch you sing. But just remember, I won’t be the only one watchin’ you.”
Her lips flattened out. “Thanks for the reminder.”
One of his shoulders lifted and fell heavily. “Need to stay vigilant, Cait. Some asshole drugged you and...” He opened his mouth and nothing but air came out. His face turned to stone. “And... taped that shit. Sent it to you for some unknown reason. ‘Til we know why, know who—besides bein’ a sick fuck—you need to be wary. Here to help you with that but can’t do certain shit.”
Her eyes hit his and held. “Like what?” What couldn’t this man do?
“Can’t swim.”
They were staying at a huge lake for the next five-plus days and he couldn’t swim? She forced her dropped jaw to close, since he probably wouldn’t appreciate that reaction. All the activities, other than the speakers, would be based around the lake.
Shit.
Maybe she should have brought Coop. She turned her head and glanced through the open sliding glass doors into the room.
Nope. That wouldn’t have worked, either. Coop was easy-going but he’d also expressed some interest when no one was looking. And up here, no one would be looking.
“Any water shit’s a big no fuckin’ go. No swimmin’, no water skiin’, no tubin’, no flyin’ in the air attached like a kite to the back of one of those boats. Fuck it, no boats at all. Land, I’m good. Water’s a no-go.”
“Oh, we’re definitely going on a boat. There’s a sunset dinner cruise I’m told we shouldn’t miss.” She had taken a quick peek at the week’s agenda that had been emailed out last Friday. She’d been looking forward to a lot of the activities because she loved the water. She had grown up with a large pool in her backyard and spent all summer in it when she wasn’t at summer camp, which also had a lake and a pool. She was usually the first one in and the last one out.
“Gonna miss it.”
Oh no. “I can go on my own.”
His head spun toward her. “Let’s get this shit straight right fuckin’ now. Ain’t goin’ nowhere on your own, Cait. Gonna be your fuckin’ shadow this week. Nobody’s touchin’ you, no-fuckin-body’s spikin’ your shit...” He stared over the lake again, his jaw clenching and unclenching. After a few moments, he asked tightly, “How big’s the fuckin’ boat?”
“Big. It’s a large steamboat. Bigger than a restaurant.”
“Won’t tip, right?”
“With you standing at the railing? It could.”
He tilted his head toward her again and gave her a look. “Think you’re funny.”
She shrugged and smirked. “I don’t think, I know I’m funny.”
His eyes became two dark flames. “Caitie.”
She ignored the way her name on his lips in that baritone voice made butterflies spread their wings in her belly. She needed to keep them both on track. And that track shouldn’t be headed toward the king-sized bed not far from the balcony they were sitting on. No matter how badly both of them wanted it.
“Does it bother you that you can’t swim?” He didn’t seem embarrassed at all about it.
He probably gave zero fucks on what people thought of him. Her gaze swept down his tattooed arms. Though, he had covered his tats to hide them from her co-workers. But he did that for her, not for himself. His dark skin tone and his size made him stand out enough with the crowd she worked with.
Now that she thought about it, the workforce at the Gallo agency wasn’t very diverse.
Huh.
His answer pulled her out of her wandering thoughts. “Nope. Just stay out of water and I’m good.”
“But what if you fall in?”
“Either drown or learn to swim real fuckin’ quick. But since I’d probably drop to the bottom like a concrete block, doubt I’d have time to learn.”
That thought scared her. “Maybe you should wear a life vest any time you’re near the water.”
One eyebrow cocked. “Think they got one my size?”
“No, but I bet they have some boat bumpers down at the dock. We can tie some of those around your waist.” The picture of him having large bumpers strapped to his middle made a giggle escape her before she could smother it.
“Don’t know what the fuck a boat bumper is and sounds like I don’t wanna know.”
“Come here,” she encouraged, getting to her feet and going to the railing.
The chair creaked—probably in relief—as he pushed to his feet and moved to her.
His body heat hit her back as he stepped even closer behind her.
She leaned over the balcony to where she could just see the resort’s dock and she pointed. Her words got caught in her throat as his big hands spanned her waist, holding her securely.
Maybe now it was he who was worried about her falling to her death if the balcony railing gave way.
She cleared her throat, heat sweeping up her neck and making her cheeks warm. “See those blue things along the dock and tied to that boat? White ones, too?”
The grunt he released in answer moved her hair enough to tickle her ear.
She pressed her hands over his as she straightened. When she turned to face him, he didn’t back away, nor did he release her waist. “Did you see them?”
His eyes weren’t looking at the dock or any bumpers. They were focused on her.
“Malcolm...”
He slowly closed his eyes at his real name and then reopened them just as slowly. His wide nostrils flared even more, then she noticed exactly when his dark eyes turned from heated to troubled.
“Saw ‘em, baby.”
She didn’t know what she liked more. The fact he wanted to be the only one to call her Caitie? Or when he called her baby.
Both were dangerous.
Especially when he stood so close while touching her. She pressed one hand to his stomach and followed its rise and fall as they did nothing but stand there and breathe.
The squeal of the sliders opening in the room next door snapped them both out of whatever trance they had fallen into. He twisted, taking her with him, then used his hands on her waist to push her inside, following closely behind.
When she turned back toward him, he gently pushed her away with a hand to her belly, giving them space and shaking his head. “Worried about me dyin’ ‘cause of that railin’. That would be instant. Touchin’ you would cause me to die, too. But not instant. Fuck no. It’d be slow and torturous by Mercy’s hand. And I’d rather go fuckin’ walk into that lake without wearing those fuckin’ boat bumpers than have him play his sick fuckin’ games with me.”
“You don’t think—”
“Don’t wanna know, Caitie. Seen some of the shit he’s done. Don’t wanna be on the receivin’ end of that.”
She didn’t want him to be, either.
He moved farther into the room, staring at the couch. “This room situation... Gonna take the couch, you get the bed. Keep the bedroom door closed when you’re in there. The bathroom door closed when you’re in there. Wear no less than what you’re wearin’ now when we’re in here.” He pointed one thick finger to the floor at his feet.
Magnum: A Dark Knights MC/Dirty Angels MC Crossover Page 7