Warnings and Wildfires

by Autumn Jones Lake

  Wrath lifts his chin but doesn’t offer to shake my hand which is fine. His hand would swallow mine up anyway.

  “Uh,” I stammer like an idiot, my gaze darting between them and finally landing on Sully. “I wanted to talk to you for a minute. But you’re busy, I can wait.”

  “No. No. Customers first,” Wrath insists, holding up his hands. There’s a devilish smile playing over his lips, but I get the feeling he’s mocking Sully, not me. With a more serious expression, he jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll be out back. Come find me when you’re finished.”

  As usual, I’m lost in Aubrey’s big brown doll eyes and only mumble to Wrath that I’ll be out in a minute.

  Shake it off.

  I’d have to be completely dense to not know Aubrey’s interested in me. And I can’t say the attraction isn’t mutual.

  I don’t date clients. Quickest way to get a sleazy reputation in this business. I’ve sunk every last penny I have into my studio and need it to succeed. The last thing I need is to be fodder for the gossips in this town. Too many people depend on me to let myself get caught up on one girl. No matter how much she intrigues me.

  Too bad I have to remind myself of all those reasons every time I see her. Too bad I’ve been thinking of her non-stop since Monday night.

  “How’s your leg?” I ask.

  “Better. I mean, it’s bothering me now. After the walk but—”

  “You walked all the way down here from your place?”

  “It’s not that far.”

  Hell, it’s probably less than a mile and it’s a relatively safe area. It still bugs me.

  “So, the reason I wanted to talk to you is that, while I love the classes, I’d like to take something more intensive. Or maybe one-on-one lessons?”

  When I don’t answer right away, she fidgets. “Never mind.” She hesitates. “It doesn’t have to be you if you don’t have time. If you know of someone else. Or maybe Jake?”

  Hell fucking no.

  If anyone’s touching Aubrey, it’s me.

  Teaching. If anyone’s teaching Aubrey, it’s me.

  No way am I allowing my brother to touch her. Nor am I sending her off to let some other guy put their hands on her curvy little hips or wrap their arms around her.

  Shit, I’m getting hard just thinking about it.

  So inappropriate. This girl will have me breaking my rules in no time.

  Which is exactly why I need to turn her down.

  In a way that won’t leave her seeking out someone else.

  Wallace, you’ve officially reached a new low.

  “Jake’s more of a personal trainer. You don’t want him bulking you up.” My smooth-guy tone even makes me want to roll my eyes.

  She screws her face into the cutest mask of confusion.

  “I have a waitlist for private lessons. I’ll put your name on it.”

  “Oh. I guess that would be okay.”

  A noise from the back door catches my attention. “Excuse me, Aubrey. I need to help Wrath carry some equipment inside. If I don’t get out there, he’ll do it by himself.”

  She chuckles. “I’m not surprised since he’s so big.”

  So she noticed my friend, huh. Not sure I care for that. I can’t help it. I reach out and squeeze her arm. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  I was right. Wrath already has two of the benches unloaded from his truck.

  “I said I was coming.”

  “I’m fine,” he says, waving me off. Except he’s here doing me a favor so I should do my share of the heavy-lifting.

  “Who’s the little pixie?”

  “What?”

  He jerks his head toward the gym. “Amber?”

  Everything in me tightens up. “Aubrey.”

  He nods as if I answered some secret question for him. “She your girl?”

  “Don’t worry about her,” I snap. “She’s not your business.”

  Wrath’s the enforcer for the Lost Kings MC, the motorcycle club that runs this part of upstate New York. Someone you do not want to piss off if you want to continue breathing. I’ve known him a long time and he’s my brother’s business partner. I’m not a coward, but I’m usually not stupid either.

  Lucky for me, he’s more amused by my outburst than angry. “First, you know my girl. Why you riskin’ me beating your ass?”

  Right. Lethal biker or not, I don’t think I’ve seen him even notice another woman since he and Trinity got together.

  “Second, is she even legal?”

  “She’s twenty-two.”

  “Fuck, I feel old.” He shakes his head. “She’s obviously into you.”

  “Nah, she just wants to take some extra self-defense classes.”

  “Sure,” he says, drawing the word out to mock me. “What’s your problem?”

  “I don’t date my clients.”

  He rolls his eyes toward the sky. “Are you sure you’re related to Jake?”

  I snort but don’t answer the question, since he’s not expecting one anyway. “I don’t need the reputation your gym has.”

  “Fuck you.” His entire expression darkens into a menacing scowl. “Whisper and Jake fuck around with clients. Not me.”

  Yeah, that was a dick thing to say. He runs a pretty well-known afterschool program for at-risk kids out of his gym and has been after me to set one up here. Except, I haven’t had the time or resources to work it out.

  “Sorry.”

  Wrath doesn’t hold grudges. He’ll either punch you in the face or let it go. Today he’s in a forgiving mood and my face remains unblemished. “Come on. I need to get back to Furious,” he says placing his hands on either side of the bench. “Which way you wanna go?”

  “I’m fine.” I walk it in backward with him steering and we get it set up in the empty space I’m setting up for weightlifting.

  “You need some money now?” I ask when we’re finished.

  “Nah,” he waves it off. “We’ll work out a payment plan. I’m not worried about it.”

  I’ll admit I’m eager to return to Aubrey and not too subtle about it. My gaze scans the room, seeking her out.

  Wrath smirks and shakes his head.

  Sully said to stay, but I feel pretty useless standing around doing nothing.

  The phone behind the counter rings. And rings.

  I crane my neck, but can’t see Sully anywhere.

  When the ringing starts up again, I pick the phone up.

  “Strike Back Studio, how can I help you?”

  All the caller needs is a time for the evening classes. I have to search for a calendar with current schedules, but finally give them the information and hang up.

  Wrath and Sully are walking toward me when I pick up my head. Sully with a furrowed brow and Wrath with a wry twist to his lips.

  “Who was that?” Sully asks.

  “Uh, someone who plans to attend your Mixed Martial Arts class tonight. She needed a time.” I scurry out from behind the desk. “I hope that’s okay. It wouldn’t stop ringing.”

  “Yeah. Thanks for doing that.”

  “You really should hire someone,” Wrath says to Sully.

  “Thanks, I’ll take it under advisement.” Sully not-at-all-subtly glances at the door. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

  Amused, at what I’m not sure, Wrath widens his stance and crosses his arms over his massive chest. “Nah. I can hang with you kids for a bit.”

  “Asshole,” Sully mutters under his breath, making Wrath laugh.

  The three of us stand there awkwardly looking at each other. Well, awkward for me. Wrath seems to be enjoying Sully’s irritation.

  “What do you do, Aubrey?” Wrath asks.

  “Uh…I.” The intensity of his stare, while he waits for me to answer, makes me stutter. “I work at the coffee shop down the street and go to school part-time.”

  He smacks Sully’s shoulder with the back of his hand. “You can come up with some flexible hours for her.�
�

  “I’m really not looking,” I protest. It’s a lie. I can definitely use the money, but standing here watching Sully try to come up with excuses not to hire me isn’t exactly a confidence booster.

  “Well,” Wrath finally says, turning to Sully. “I gotta go.”

  “About time,” Sully mutters.

  Wrath grins even wider. “Let me know if you want to take over that class while Murphy’s on the road.”

  “Will do.”

  They engage in some elaborate man-shake that ends with Wrath thumping Sully on the back a few times.

  “Nice to meet you, Aubrey,” he calls out on his way to the door.

  Sully’s still shaking his head when he turns to face me. His neutral expression makes it hard to tell if he’s happy I’m still here or he’d rather I get lost.

  “Waitlist,” he says, stepping behind the counter and pulling out a notebook.

  “You know, I was thinking, I’d really rather start as soon as possible. So if you have someone else you recommend, maybe that’s better?”

  He cocks his head and his gaze roams over me long enough that I question whether or not I measure up.

  “What’s your rush?” The corner of his mouth twitches. “Gang initiation coming up?”

  “What? No.” He’s teasing, so I feel silly. “Nothing like that.”

  He still seems hesitant and it occurs to me that the class I take with him has a sliding fee. For private lessons, he probably charges a lot more.

  “I uh, can pay you.” Actually, I’m not sure that’s true since whatever money I make at the coffee shop and doing odd jobs—like walking dogs who can drag me down the street—goes to helping my sister with expenses and the two classes a semester I take at the local community college.

  “It’s not that.” He reaches up and rubs the back of his neck and I have the insane urge to massage it for him. Mercifully, I keep my hands fisted at my sides.

  The phone rings again and I reach over to grab it without thinking. “Strike Back, how can I help you?”

  Sully keeps his gaze locked on me while one of his clients explains she thinks she left a valuable watch behind this morning. “Mrs. Pine wants to know if anyone turned in a watch,” I explain.

  He nods to the desk. “There’s a lost and found box under there.”

  I pull out the box and dig through, finding a tiny old-fashioned wind-up watch with a stretchy metal band. I hold it up and Sully shrugs.

  “Ma’am, we have a few watches. Can you describe yours to me?”

  She describes it right down to the date “1942” engraved inside. “Yup. We have it.”

  I slip the watch under the counter, so it’s safe until she arrives. “She’s on her way to pick it up.”

  Sully doesn’t say anything. Instead, he watches me with that unreadable expression that both heats my skin and makes my stomach flutter.

  “Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.”

  “Stop apologizing, Aubrey,” he says softly. He motions for me to come out from behind the desk.

  “Wrath was trying to bust my balls, but he’s right. I need someone to manage the phones. It’s not busy now, but in the afternoon, things can get hectic. I don’t know what your schedule—”

  “I can do it.” I practically jump at the chance. Not only to spend more time around Sully but because I need the money. “I’m at Busy Beans a couple mornings a week or whenever they call me in. I’m in class on Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. Otherwise, I’m available.” God, I sound pathetic. Too eager.

  “That’ll work. Jake comes and goes between here and Furious Fitness down in Empire.”

  So desperate to say yes, I didn’t think of what the job would actually entail. Good God, what if he expects me to prance around in some gym version of a Hooters waitress uniform? “What exactly do you need me to do?”

  “Answer the phones. Some light cleaning. Post some ads. Little stuff I don’t always have time for.”

  “Oh, I can do that.”

  “I know you can,” he says in a more serious tone.

  “In our downtime, I can give you some of those lessons.”

  Shoot, here I thought he planned to pay me in actual money.

  “Here,” he says, reaching under the counter and flicking a piece of paper on the top. “Fill that out so I can get you set up with payroll.”

  Oh thank God.

  By the time I’m finished filling out the forms, I’m feeling pretty good about my new job.

  I try to ignore the fluttering in my belly and warmth over my skin whenever I think of all the time we’ll be spending together.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I’ve lost my damn mind.

  It’s official.

  I’m already attracted to Aubrey. If dating clients is a no-go for me, dating an employee of mine is an absolute no-fucking-way. A line I’d never cross.

  But damn, she’s a natural. The job’s not rocket science, but the reason why the position’s been empty for so long is the last few people I hired were either too lazy to do any useful work or too stupid to figure out basic things. Like answering a ringing phone.

  Aubrey’s the perfect mix of initiative and smarts.

  She officially starts working for me on Tuesday.

  I already spend way too much time thinking about her. She’s supposed to be off-limits and now I’ll have to resist temptation on a regular basis.

  No girl’s ever had me so twisted up.

  A towel whaps me in the face, pulling me away from my thoughts of Aubrey.

  “What the fuck, bro? Pay attention,” Jake snaps.

  “Motherfucker,” I growl, jerking the towel out of my brother’s hands. “Do that again and I’m gonna kick your ass.”

  He laughs at the threat. Probably because he’s heard it at least twice a day for the last twenty years or so. Love my brother, but damn he’s a pain in my ass some days.

  Like now.

  “What’s got you so messed up?” he asks.

  “Nothing.”

  “Does it have anything to do with the new employee you hired without consulting me?”

  He picks up the new hire form Aubrey filled out the other day and waves it in my face. “I’m assuming this Aubrey Dorado is the same one you’re so spun up about.” He taps his finger against his bottom lip. “Hmm…Dorado, doesn’t that mean golden? Weird, she’s not a blonde.”

  “You’re an idiot. Give me that.” I snap the paper out of his hand and chuck it in a drawer. “We needed the help. I don’t have to consult you on personnel issues.”

  “You gonna fuck her?”

  “No, you dick. I don’t hire people to harass them.”

  “I didn’t say take her into your office and whip out your dick like a creep.”

  The bell over the front door rings, interrupting us and probably saving Jake’s life.

  Aubrey.

  Hasn’t even started the job yet and she’s the first one here for class.

  At least she’s with Bree, giving me a buffer.

  “Morning, ladies,” Jake calls out. He winks at Bree, risking a beating from Liam later. “Ready to get sweaty?”

  “Hell, yeah,” Bree shouts, pumping her fist in the air.

  “That’s the spirit,” Jake says, circling the girls. “Morning, Aubrey. I hear my brother made you part of the Strike Back team.”

  Red creeps up her neck to her cheeks. “Uh, just a few days a week.” Her gaze darts to me. “Sully said you needed the help.”

  “We do. From the schedule he’s been diligently drafting, looks like he plans to keep you all to himself.”

  “Don’t you have somewhere to be, jackass?” I wedge myself between him and Aubrey bumping him out of the way.

  He laughs and heads to the front of the room.

  “I’m going to have to come visit more often,” Bree says. She throws one arm around each of us and squeezes. “This is great.”

  More people join the class and I step away from the girls. W
ithout having to ask, Aubrey brings me the few things I need for the class and lays them out.

  “Thanks, Aubrey.”

  She nods and rejoins the group.

  It’s an easy class. I’ve taught it hundreds of times. I use Bree to help me demonstrate some of the moves because I can’t trust my hands if I put them on Aubrey right now. She’s too damn cute in her red and black fitted top and black leggings with big red roses that end below her knee, covering most of the bandage she’s still wearing.

  Nah, cute doesn’t cut it with Aubrey.

  After class, Jake renews his quest for an ass-kicking by asking Aubrey to stick around so he can “show her a few things.”

  Her wary gaze darts between Jake and me. “Bree drove me here.”

  “I can take you home later,” Jake offers.

  Bree gives him a cool look. “You really need her to work today?”

  “Actually,” I interrupt. “We can work on some of those private lessons if you want and I’ll give you a ride home later.”

  A hesitant smile tugs at the corners of Aubrey’s mouth. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. Jake’s closing tonight.”

  “Wait a minute—” Jake says.

  “Go collect the towels, bro.” I cut him off, slapping my own towel against his chest.

  Jake chuckles and snatches the towel out of my hands. “I can give you lessons too, Aubrey.”

  “Sully already promised.” Aubrey’s a sweet woman who clearly doesn’t want to hurt Jake’s feelings. What she doesn’t realize, is Jake doesn’t have any feelings that go beyond one night.

  I really like hearing my name from her lips. Maybe too much.

  Bree pulls Aubrey aside and they talk for a few minutes before Bree waves and takes off. Jake huffs and disappears into the locker room.

  “Do you need anything from class clarified?” I ask when Aubrey returns.

  “Well.” She flicks her gaze over my shoulder and shifts from foot to foot. “We spent a lot of time on how to get out of a wrist grab.”

  I cross my arms over my chest and nod. “It’s a common technique.”

  She bites her lower lip and almost seems embarrassed to ask the question. “What if someone tackles me from behind?”