by Rivi Jacks
I want to kick him so bad—I can taste it.
I settle Reenie in my bedroom, and she’s soon asleep. Linda told us Calvin had a meltdown about Reenie working at Murphy’s around all the men. He had fits like this often, and in general was just downright mean to Reenie. Linda told us he took Reenie’s car keys and locked the vehicles before locking Reenie out of the house. When Linda tried to sneak her back inside, Calvin slapped his sister. Linda called me from Reenie’s phone. I feel more kindly toward her, her wanting to help Reenie as she did.
Jake is madder than a wet hornet. The temperature is below freezing and with the goings-on in the area… He says he is going to kick Calvin’s ass. I sit with Jake and Sawyer at the kitchen table, debating if there’s any reason to go to bed since it’s nearly sunrise.
“How were you all together tonight?” I ask. I see them exchange looks.
“Uh—we were at a party out by Rader,” Sawyer answers.
What? Mr. High-and-Mighty Lucas Santiago and his remark about me staying put after our date while he went off to a party!
“Lucas and Max, too?” Again with the cryptic looks. So Lucas was there with another woman. I can’t believe how much this hurts my heart.
“We were checking on a tip Sam received about a group out that way working with the Kihn,” Jake informs me. “Max and Lucas had just arrived when Cal called.”
I’m irritated with myself for feeling the relief I feel. “What did you find out?”
“A guy in Springfield is recruiting some of the local yokels. Offering money—”
“A good amount of money,” Sawyer inserts.
“—to anyone interested in doing some work for him,” Jake continues. “However no one seems to know what kind of work that entails.”
“There’s a recruiting party in Lebanon on Wednesday night,” Sawyer confides.
“Are you going?”
“Too many people know us. Lucas mentioned Taylor’s due back, and he’ll send him,” Jake says.
I yawn. “Well, I’m going to bed. Sawyer, you staying?”
“Yeah, if I go home, Mom’s gonna try to roll me out in a couple of hours for church.”
“It’d do you good,” I say, laughing as he grabs at me. “Goodnight and I love you both. Thanks for helping me with Reenie.”
I wash my face, slip on my PJs, and snuggle under the covers, careful not to wake Reenie. My thoughts go immediately to the night’s events. Lucas looked so good. I wonder why he didn’t kiss me. On the verge of slipping into oblivion, I remember he told me I was beautiful. I’ve never liked people telling me that because of my dad, I guess. But with Lucas—it’s different.
Reenie is already gone when I wake Sunday around noon. She calls later to apologize and thank me. I want to tell her she can thank me by dumping Calvin, but I don’t. Instead, I tell her I’ll help her any time she needs me.
Diane, Emma Rae, and I decide to exercise with a dance workout that afternoon. In the apartment complex where Mom and I lived in California, the woman next door started a belly dancing class. The neighbor knew I didn’t get out much, so she insisted I join her and her friends. We decide to try some moves I picked up, and Emma Rae is thrilled to learn what she calls a foreign dance of seduction. We have an afternoon of some good fun.
Lucy texts me late afternoon to invite the three of us to supper. I get home from Lucy’s by seven and I’m in bed by eight.
Mondays at Murphy’s are usually busy, and this one is no exception. I fix lasagna served with a salad, garlic bread, and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
When I give Emma Rae a hand with serving, I overhear some guys, talking about going to the meeting that Jake and Sawyer mentioned. I take my time clearing the table behind them. One of the guys catches me listening and gives me a questioning look. I apologize and say I didn’t mean to listen in on their private conversation, but I wonder if this job opportunity is open to anyone. I’ve never seen these guys before and I’m hoping they don’t know anything about me. They’re certain I should attend the meeting and tell me the address. They are real friendly and ask if I need a ride. I decline since I’ll be going with a couple of girlfriends and I leave them with the impression we might be seeing them there.
When I get back to the kitchen, I have a plan to think over. After the lunch rush, I tell Emma Rae what I have in mind. It just stands to good reason that three young women might possibly overhear more than Taylor can.
On the way to training that evening, we fill Diane in on our plan. She’s a little skeptical, but we assure her it will be a good thing, a good way for us to be involved behind the scenes. Although, I’m not naïve enough to think the men won’t stop us if they know what we’re up to. As it works out, I don’t have to worry about Lucas suspecting anything and putting the ixnay on our good intentions because he doesn’t give an appearance that evening. Max and, as far as I can tell, all of the Guard is present. So where is Lucas? The notion he might be with someone else leaves me feeling anxious.
The next day at work is crazy for a Tuesday. Emma Rae is in an ornery mood and she keeps teasing and laughing with the customers. She left with Andy after our training class the night before and spends all morning telling me about the fun they had at Impulse.
Curious, I have to ask, “Did you see Lucas?”
“Yeah, for a bit.” She starts to say more, but I tell her I don’t want to hear it. She gives me a funny look. “Sofe, he came in, spoke to the owner, and left.”
I start organizing her prep area. “Did you speak to him?”
She watches and reaches over to right an item I’ve dropped in the wrong spot. “Yeah, he came by our table to say hi on his way out.”
“Oh.”
She smiles. “He was alone.”
“Okay.” I shrug. She grins at me.
Later, I deliver a lunch plate to the high school principal and his wife in the busy dining room. On my way back to the kitchen, I stop to help Emma Rae clean a table.
“Sofie, you need to go sometime.” I know she means the bar. “The way you dance… I still can’t believe you never told us you can belly dance.”
Now, have I said, Emma Rae has a voice that carries? The girl does not know the meaning of whisper. I shush her immediately. I look up and every male eye in that dining room is on us. Time stands still, with forks and glasses poised in midair. All conversations cease.
I glance about the room, feeling my face turn red. “She’s kidding!” I insist, louder than I need to. “She’s kidding.” I grab Emma Rae’s hand and pull her out of the dining room. “Emma Rae!” I hiss.
“Aw, Sofie, they all already fantasize about you, honey. This only gives them a little somethin’ extra to crank their tractors.”
I give her a dirty look, which makes her laugh. “Emma Rae—I so do not want to crank their tractors!”
She laughs again.
That night at training, Lucas is still absent. When I leave with Diane and Emma Rae, I glance at his house. Most of the lights are off and his Hummer is gone. I have no experience in the feelings I have for him, so I am at a total loss over the sadness I feel at his absence.
While most of us sleep that night, the Kihn raid three farms. They butcher two steers in the field and make off with old Mr. Hadley’s prize Hereford bull.
Murphy’s is abuzz with the news the next morning. Bobbi works the grocery side and keeps giving me the stink eye. Murphy isn’t here, so she thinks she’s safe in causing me grief. He’s warned her, and I had hoped she’d take his advice. I can take her dirty looks as long as she doesn’t cause another scene.
Deputy Jem Porter comes in, and I serve him a piece of pecan pie with his coffee. I know he’s here to hear the gossip, and plenty of that is flying around. He asks how things are going over at my place, and I’m afraid he’s going to start questioning me. I’m relieved when he doesn’t. Maybe he’s come to realize how ridiculous it is to suspect Jake and Sawyer.
I finish out my day and head home to fix a light s
upper for Jake and me. Diane, Emma Rae, and I have plans to leave for Lebanon right after training, which should be over by eight. I plan to make the recruiting party before nine.
Finding the house in Lebanon—easy. Finding a parking place—not so easy.
I suggest to Diane and Emma Rae that if no other women are present, we won’t stay since it’ll make us too noticeable.
There are plenty of women. We discover that a couple of men spoke to the crowd earlier in the evening, and now it’s pretty much just a party. The talk focuses on how cool it would be to get a position with this new rancher moving into the area. He is some hot shot who runs a similar operation overseas. As to the nature of that operation, no one can give us much information.
I suggest we mosey around, listen in, and ask questions, using the excuse that we missed the meeting. The house is a large two story, with people everywhere. A couple kegs of beer sit in the kitchen, but we don’t venture that way. We want to avoid running into anyone in charge who might ask us questions. I’ve been on the lookout, but I haven’t seen Taylor or the guys from Murphy’s who told me the location of the party.
Good music and friendly people in the partying mood should have set me at ease, but it doesn’t. Something just isn’t right here, but I can’t tell you what that is.
Leave, girl.
“Oh, that helps a lot,” I mumble under my breath.
I have yet to embrace a relationship with Harvey (his name still makes me smile) as Estella suggested. It’s still just too—I mean, I’ve been conscious of his on-and-off presence for years, but I’ve done my best not to think about him because I was always too afraid I’d conjure up the monsters. Even as a child, I knew they had a connection. I’ve lived by the childhood adages if you ignore something, it’s not real, and close your eyes, and the monster will go away.
“I’m going to check out the bathroom,” I tell Diane. I suspect a waiting line with a party of this size. And there is, but I know I’ll probably hear something useful if I just wait. I’ve been leaning on the same doorframe for several minutes when the door opens. A hand snakes out, grabs my arm, and pulls me into the room. Another hand covers my mouth before I have a chance to cry out. It happens that fast.
I struggle with everything I have against the arm holding me like a steel band, my back up against a hard body.
“Shhh,” a voice whispers right into my ear.
I stop struggling, going perfectly still with surprise. The hand moves from my mouth, and the strong arm from around my waist. He turns me, pushing me against the closed door. His body leans into me.
“Lucas,” I breathe his name, “what are you doing here?”
Light coming in through the window gives the room a soft glow, and I see his finger go to his lips—warning me to be quiet. I stare up into his glittering eyes. He leans in closer, bringing his warm lips to my ear again, making me shiver with a craving I’m tired of starving.
“Spying,” he answers in a low voice.
I look at him, in surprise. He continues to lean into me. He smells my hair and tucks it behind my ear. He places his hands on the door on either side of me and places his nose against my neck right below my ear, inhaling deeply and moaning low in his chest.
A flame of desire roars through me. He brings his mouth back to my ear, nipping the lobe. I gasp loudly and he raises his head to look into my eyes. My breath freezes at the longing I see on his face. He leans his forehead against mine and gives an unsteady sigh.
He smells so freakin’ good! I want to melt right into him. At that moment, I know I want to keep him. With that realization, I can’t stop myself from arching my lower body to his.
His head jerks up. Looking down with a slight frown on his handsome face, his eyes search mine. He moves his hands to either side of my waist, keeping his gaze locked on mine. He lifts me with ease, turning toward the low dresser against the wall. He places me right on top of it, bringing me closer to his mouth. He positions his hands on either side of my hips slowly, as if he fears any sudden move on his part might cause me to run. I’m not going anywhere. He keeps his eyes locked on mine, gauging my response.
I grab hold of his shirtfront, pulling him close. My other hand reaches around his neck and I thread my fingers into the hair at his nape, grabbing a handful of the black silken strands. I catch a glimpse of surprise in his eyes before he lowers his head, bringing his lips close to mine, stopping just above them.
“Tell me you want this.” His voice is hoarse with need. I nod my head. “Tell me,” he rasps.
“I want you,” I whisper, my voice breathless and shaky.
His mouth comes down on mine in a hungry, demanding kiss. I moan, and the kiss gentles, slows. His warm lips move over mine and he draws on my bottom lip, gently sucking as his hands move to my lower back and pull me across the top of the dresser toward him. With his knee, he nudges my legs apart, splaying them on either side of his hips, and he hauls me right up against his hardening body. I moan into his mouth at the contact. I can feel him throbbing through our jeans.
Lucas pulls his lips from mine, leaving me breathless, and moves to my ear. “Sweet.” His breath is warm, spilling heat across my body and enticing me to move even closer. His lips brush kisses along the sensitive curve of my jaw, moving down my neck, lingering on the pulse point there. His tongue flicks against it. He curves his hand around my neck as his thumb strokes the column of my throat.
I moan as his parted lips come back to mine in another long, scorching kiss. His hands move into my hair, holding me in place as his mouth continues its assault, his tongue skillfully exploring my mouth. I frantically pull up the back of his shirt. I want my hands on him, smoothing over the defined muscles of his back. I graze my nails gently across his skin.
He makes a noise deep in his throat. Placing his hand at the base of my spine, he pulls me even closer. His legs pushing against mine widen them further. He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around his waist. I think our next move is to the bed, but the sound of a window opening makes us pause. I pull my mouth from Lucas’, and my gaze flies across the room. Max sticks his head through the opened window.
“We need to move, Lucas. Hello, Miss Sofie,” he says calmly, seemingly unsurprised to see me.
Lucas peers into my eyes. His mouth lifts in a slow smile, causing my heart to stutter. He gives me a quick kiss as I remove my legs from his waist, sliding them along the length of his body.
“Let’s go, you’re coming with us,” he states.
“I-I can’t! Diane and Emma Rae are here with me.”
His brow furrows. “What are you—” He gives a thorough sigh and combs his hands through his hair in a frustrated gesture, glancing up at the ceiling.
“Lucas!” Max hisses.
“Get Diane and Emma Rae—are you in your Jeep?”
“Yes.”
“Meet us at the end of the street in five minutes. Or we’re coming back to get you—and it won’t be pleasant,” he warns.
“Okay,” I whisper.
He brushes his knuckles against my cheek before moving across the room and out the window. With one last pointed look, he closes the window behind him.
I hurry back to the main room, and it doesn’t take me long to spot my friends. Two men, dressed up compared to everyone else, hold both girls in conversation. From Diane’s body language, I can tell she is uncomfortable. I hurry toward them.
“Hey, we’ve got to go,” I say. “My dad called and he’s pissed. He knows we’re here, and if we aren’t home in twenty minutes—he’s calling the police!”
“Oh no!” Diane wails. “Did he call my dad?”
I grab her arm, pulling her toward the front door. “Come on, Emma Rae!” I call over my shoulder.
“Her dad’s a preacher.” I glance back when I hear her say this, and both men look startled. “Thanks,” Emma Rae says. “Maybe we’ll see you tomorrow.”
As I run to the car, Diane and Emma Rae follow. We parked near the end of the street, a
nd thank goodness, I parked under a streetlight. As we get closer to the Jeep, I see the black Hummer backed into a driveway, waiting for us.
After getting in, Lucas walks over. I roll down the window as Emma Rae laughingly asks, “What’s he doing here?”
“I’ll follow you,” he says. His gaze holds mine. “Go straight to my house.” I’m not sure why he wants us to go to his house, and my face must show my hesitation. “Sofie, do you understand?” he asks tersely.
“Yes,” I hiss. I don’t appreciate him ordering me about.
He cocks an eyebrow at me, and it pisses me off that my face goes red. “Taylor will be there when we arrive, and since you three decided to play Mata Hari—” he looks in to include Diane and Emma Rae in his reproach “—we can use your perspective on the night.”
Before he straightens, he reaches over, grasps my chin, and runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “Mmmm, that mouth,” he growls softly. I lick where his thumb just stroked, and his eyes glow with silver heat. “Do as you’re told,” he murmurs, releasing my chin. My mouth drops open in shock. As he heads toward the Hummer, he says over his shoulder, “I’ll be right behind you.”
“What was that all about?” Diane inquires.
Emma Rae gives a shout of laughter. “Did he just tell you to do as you’re told?” As I pull out on the street, I glance in the rearview mirror. Emma Rae keeps looking at me, and then she leans over and sniffs me. “Where did you run into Lucas?” she asks.
“He... was in the house.”
“Humph,” is all she says.
We’re quiet on the drive to Lucas’ house. All I can think about is the thrill of being in his arms and his kisses. We pull up to the gates around midnight. All three of us are dog tired, and it shows. The hours of training we’ve been putting in is kicking our butts.