by Sophie Oak
“Really? What did he say?”
“He just talked about stuff. I just glanced through them.” It was a lie. He’d read them all. He’d been curious about the first one. It had been an earnest letter that asked for forgiveness and thanked Caleb for saving his life. Caleb wasn’t a forgiving man. The rest had talked about everything from his motel rooms to the television he watched to his relationship with his brother. So why hadn’t Caleb trashed them? They were still sitting in his desk drawer in a neat stack.
Why hadn’t he gotten rid of them?
Wolf sighed. “I don’t think it’s going to do you any good to stay here and watch Holly settle down with another man. Why don’t you think about coming to Dallas with me? There would be any number of places to work in Dallas. And then maybe I wouldn’t need to room with my zentastic brother.”
And leave Holly? Never see Holly again? And Bliss? He couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Bliss. Sure, he complained. A lot. It was his thing. He bitched, but he loved the town. He loved the mountains and the snow. He loved the summers in high country. He’d been to a lot of the world’s great places, and not a one of them held a candle to Bliss. He could remember the moment he’d turned off the highway and he’d seen the valley for the first time. He’d stopped the truck because it was so serene and beautiful. The sun had just been going down and the whole world had been gauzy and slightly unreal, like someone had painted it. He’d thought this might be a place where he could find some peace—and he had.
“I can’t leave. This place needs a doctor.”
Wolf slid him a long look. “You’re not going to give an inch, are you?”
“What’s that up ahead? Is that a person?” He was grateful for the distraction. Someone was walking up the road. It was a dangerous thing to do. The mountain road had curves and sometimes people drove far too fast. It was a very bad idea to walk along the road. The woman, he was sure it was a woman now, trudged up the road, clutching her purse against her side. She needed a stern talking-to. He thought about calling Nate on Wolf’s radio.
“Is that Holly?” Wolf’s head craned forward.
“Stop the truck.” He was definitely having an infarction. His torso felt too tight. His breath sawed in and out of his chest. That was Holly. Her hair had come out of its ponytail, and her skin was pale.
The truck stopped, and Caleb threw the door open. His boots hit the pavement, and he ran.
“Caleb?” Holly stopped and put a hand over her eyes as though trying to figure out who was coming toward her.
He didn’t bother to answer. He simply got to her as fast as he could. “What happened?”
Her gorgeous green eyes went wide. It took everything he had not to take her in his arms. “Caleb, I am so sorry.”
“The truck?” He reached out and took her hand, turning it over, checking her.
Tears filled her eyes. “Something was wrong with the brakes. I had to use the truck escape ramp. Oh, Caleb, I probably ruined your transmission. I had to shove it into a low gear when the speed got to almost a hundred. I am so sorry.”
The brakes had gone out? On this road? He’d just had that truck serviced. How the hell had they missed that? He didn’t stop his instinct now. He pulled her close, crushing her against him. “Are you all right?”
“Sort of.”
He heard her sniffle, and then she softened against him. He held her while she cried. No. He couldn’t leave Bliss. But he was starting to think he couldn’t let her go, either.
Chapter Six
Alexei stared down at the beer in front of him. It was almost empty. Pretty much like his job prospects. Who the hell would want to hire a man who’d spent the majority of his adult life in the mob? He had exactly twenty thousand dollars in an American account. It wouldn’t last long. Caleb hated him. He didn’t have a job. Had he made a terrible mistake in coming back to Bliss? The last thing he wanted was to end up on Holly’s couch with her supporting his lazy ass.
He looked around the small tavern. People were just starting to drift in. His Marshals were sitting in a booth. They hadn’t tried to talk to him, merely nodded his way, though Jessie’s eyes strayed to him every now and then. He almost felt uncomfortable under her stare. He hoped they would give up soon and leave.
The door to the tavern opened and a large figure stood there, blocking out the late-evening sun. He wore a khaki uniform and had a Stetson on his head.
“You doing all right, Zane?” Deputy Logan Green asked, his eyes going straight to Alexei.
Logan had changed. Alexei felt his gut turn at the metamorphosis the deputy had undergone. Gone was the lanky, funny kid, and in his place was a big, dangerous man. Logan had filled out, his boyish body gone in favor of broad muscles and a chiseled look. But more than that was the look in his eyes. Logan had reached out to Alexei even though he was in jail at the time. Logan had been funny and kind. There was no kindness in his eyes now.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not even the dinner rush yet.” Zane rubbed down glasses, making sure they were perfectly clean. “Lucy and I have everything covered.”
Lucy was a sweet-looking brunette with big, sad eyes and a petite frame. Her whole face changed when she smiled. From what Alexei had managed to hear, she was fairly new, brought in to replace Callie. Lucy walked by giving Logan a wave, which he ignored in favor of giving Alexei an intimidating stare.
“Well, we have some unsavory elements in town right now.” Logan stalked close to the bar leaving no mistake who he was talking about.
“Deputy Green, I am not here to cause troubles.” Of all the people he’d hurt, Logan was the one he’d worried about the most. Caleb had been damaged long before Alexei had come into town, but Logan was his responsibility. “I am so sorry about what happened to you.”
The deputy’s eyes flared briefly, revealing the pain that hadn’t gone away, but he shut it down, his face going blank. “I’m not here to ask for apologies, Markov. I’m here to make sure you didn’t happen to bring any friends along with you. Your friends like to tear up my town.”
Zane set down the glass he’d been cleaning. “Stand down, Logan. You didn’t come in here to give Alexei a talk. I happen to know that Nate told you to stay away from him. You came in here for a drink, and I won’t serve you while you’re wearing that uniform. Do I need to call your boss?”
Logan’s lips curled up in a grin that didn’t even begin to hold an ounce of humor. “No need. I’m off the clock. Having Briggs around has really freed me up. And I won’t bother to drink here anymore. I’m afraid I don’t like your clientele, Hollister.”
The deputy turned and walked out the door.
Alexei’s heart sank. One more crappy thing in a crappy day. Was he doing more harm than good?
“Something troubling you?”
He looked up at Zane Hollister, who put another mug of beer in front of him. “Many things be troubling me.”
Zane Hollister was a big man with a face full of scars. Alexei felt comfortable with him. Probably more comfortable than he did with anyone else. Zane Hollister had seen the dark side, and he’d still found a way to make a happy marriage. His wife, Callie, was due to have their first child any day now.
“Don’t let Logan get to you too much. He’s pretty much like that with everyone these days. He won’t listen to anyone, and trust me, we’ve all tried to talk to him. He prefers to listen to Jack Daniel’s now. If he can’t find it here, he’ll go down the mountain to a bar there. I hate the fact that he’s going to go to Hell on Wheels, but I can’t have him causing trouble in here.”
Alexei glanced around the tavern. Trio was a cozy little place. There were big windows that looked out over Main Street. Alexei could see people walking by. He wondered if he would ever be a part of this place or if he should just pack it in. Caleb didn’t want him here. Logan Green definitely wanted him gone. Holly was working at Stella’s next door. In thirty minutes she would be off, and he would have to find a way to tell her he didn’t ha
ve a job and there weren’t a lot of prospects for one.
“Jobs are hard to come by here.” Alexei had to come to grips with that little truth.
“Yes,” Zane agreed. “It’s a small community. Where did you try?”
“Long-Haired Roger.”
Zane snorted a little and wiped down the bar. “The bald guy? You don’t want to work there. Once a year, he and Patty of Cut and Curl fame get into a knock-down drag-out over the neon lips she flashes twenty-four-seven. It can get ugly. Liz Two sides with her husband, but Liz One is a beautician and the things she can do with hairspray will curdle your blood. No. It’s best you stay out of that. You could probably get on at the ski resort, but that’s seasonal. And you would more than likely have to live up there. I don’t suppose you want to live on the mountain on the other side of town for five months out of the year?”
That would defeat the purpose of being in Bliss. He’d come here to be in Holly’s bed every night, to form his handpicked family. “No. But I need job.”
“Well, I’ll ask around. You never know what might come up.”
His cock. His cock was coming up because the door opened again, and Holly walked inside. She was stunning. She’d changed out of her uniform and wore a form-fitting black dress with a V that should have been outlawed. Her breasts swelled, the tops round and tempting. She’d curled her hair and put on makeup. She was gorgeous—his wet dream.
“It looks like someone in town is happy to see you,” Zane said with a chuckle. “Hey, Holly, you look mighty nice tonight.”
She flushed, a smile blooming across her lips. “Thanks, Zane. I have a date.”
She did have a date. With a man who couldn’t seem to breathe much less speak. “You don’t look nice. You are so beautiful, dushka. You are sexy and gorgeous, and I do not deserve. I meant to pick you up.”
“I got off a little early. I got dressed in the bathroom at Stella’s. I hope I don’t still smell like the deep fryer.”
He leaned in and took a whiff. She smelled like a woman, just a hint of perfume and her own sweet smell. “You smell good enough to eat. Like a muffin. Sweet.”
All thoughts of leaving fled as he got close to her. Anticipation thrummed through his veins. Caleb had called the motel earlier, leaving a message with Gene. Alexei was perfectly healthy. He would have her tonight. He would try to take it slow, but he would be in her bed. Perhaps if he had been a better man, he would have backed off, but he couldn’t. He needed her. She was his reward for turning his life around. All during the long trials and the attempts on his life, he’d thought about one thing. Holly.
“Let me buy you drink, dushka.”
“I would like that. I would also like to know what dushka means.”
He led her to a small booth. He preferred its privacy to the open bar. “It means ‘sweetheart.’”
“I like that.” She glanced up at Zane. “I’ll take a white wine.”
Alexei stared at her, unable to take his eyes off her for a moment. Zane left to get the wine. He gave in to his urge to touch her, grasping her hand. “How was your day, dushka?”
She smiled brightly. “Good. No trouble at all.”
He wasn’t sure he believed that. “I would want you to tell me your troubles.”
“Nothing at all. It was a completely unremarkable day. How about yours?”
The door opened again, the bell chiming to let everyone know someone else had entered, but Alexei didn’t look up. He was too busy looking at Holly.
“Mine was not so good, but night is looking up.” Guilt threatened to swamp him. “Some peoples are not happy to see me here.”
She squeezed his hand. “I wouldn’t worry about it. They’ll get used to you.”
He wasn’t so sure about that. Caleb had seemed very sure of his position. “I do not want to harm your place in community.”
She laughed. “Alexei, I think my place in the community is secure. If people don’t like it, they can find another waitress.”
“Why? Are you quitting? No one told me you were quitting.” Caleb’s voice let Alexei know they weren’t alone.
Alexei looked up, and Caleb was standing right there, his shoulders drawn back, a confused expression on his face.
Holly turned to look at Caleb, obviously surprised to see him standing there. “I didn’t quit. I left a little early. Oh, god. Tell me you didn’t do that thing where you walk into the diner like you’re going to blow it up.”
Caleb’s face went blank. “I wish I could.”
Holly shook her head.
Caleb turned to Alexei. “I need to talk to you.”
Holly scooted out of the booth. “I’ll just go freshen up a bit. You two behave.”
Caleb stood there for a moment.
“If you are to tell me to stay away from Holly, I cannot. Even for you. I know I owe my life to you, but I cannot hurt her like that. I don’t want to.” How could he make the man understand?
“What? I wasn’t going to tell you to stay away. Fuck. How do I ask this?” He paced a bit, his boots scuffing along the floor.
“Ask what?” Alexei felt tense. What the hell was going on? After the debacle of this morning’s examination, he’d expected Caleb to utterly ignore him.
Caleb put both hands down on the tabletop. “What did you mean when you said Holly was too much woman for one man?”
Alexei stilled. He’d said that this morning, just before Caleb’s torture. “I meant she deserve to have the men she want.”
“So I’m not crazy,” Caleb said, straightening up. “You said that. And if she wants two men?”
“She is enough women for two men.”
“See, when you say it like that, it sounds like an orgy.”
“No orgies. Just a beautiful woman and two men who could be friends because they care for same woman. Before this place, I would have say two men would fight over woman, but here we don’t have to fight. We can care for her together. It is good, no?”
“I don’t know, but it does open up some possibilities.” Caleb scrubbed a hand through his hair and looked around the bar. It was starting to fill up as the sun set.
“Hey, Doc? You need a beer?” Zane yelled from across the bar.
“Nah, I’m on call. Tell your wife to hurry up and spit that baby out so I can drink again.” Caleb went right back to pacing. Alexei watched him, wondering if he should get up and join him. “If I did this with you, it wouldn’t make us friends.”
Alexei checked his smile. He was pretty sure it would. He’d studied up on Dr. Caleb Sommerville. Since the unfortunate incident that signaled the end of his brilliant career, he hadn’t been in an intimate situation with anyone as far as Alexei could tell. He was betting on the fact that Caleb’s heart was soft, merely packed under layers of protective ice. He just needed to be thawed out.
Alexei knew the feeling. He shrugged. “We do not have to be friends. Merely partners in her pleasure.”
“All right. Just so I have this perfectly straight—you were inviting me to join you in having sex with Holly?”
Sometimes Caleb could be a bit obtuse. “Not just the sex. Also the relationship. You only want to have the sex with Holly?”
Caleb’s face held a hint of a smile. “See, that just sounds weird. I don’t know what I want. I know I want to give her what she needs. I know I want to make her feel as special as she really is. I don’t know if I’m capable of being a normal boyfriend.”
Alexei had thought that was the problem. “She does not need normal. I think she needs something different. So you can relax. You can be as involved as you like. As long as you treat her well, you will be welcome.”
“Why would you offer this? You have to know you could have her to yourself. You could waltz right out of here, and she would probably follow you.”
Alexei doubted that. Holly had a home here and many friends. She was entrenched in the community. “I do not wish to leave Bliss. I want to make home here for myself and any family I become blessed w
ith.”
Caleb went a little pale. He was obviously scared by the idea of a family. “Still, you don’t have to share her. She’ll go with you.”
“Because you do not fight for her. If you choose to fight, she would hesitate.”
“And she would be miserable.”
“Yes, I think she would be. My solution is best. Happy woman. Happy men.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be happy, but it’s more than I expected. I was a little freaked out by her accident today.”
“Accident?” The word fell out of his mouth. “She tell me nothing happened to her today. She say she went to work and then come here for date.”
Caleb’s eyes narrowed. “She lied. She nearly died on the mountainside when the brakes went out on my truck. And before you get pissed off at me, I had that truck serviced last month. There was nothing wrong with the brakes.”
“Did they go out all at once or slowly?” Alexei didn’t like the sound of this. It was very rare for brakes to go out on a modern vehicle with no warning. Suspicion began to creep along his spine.
“I didn’t think to ask her. I think she would have noticed if they were giving her trouble. She was on the mountain. If the truck escape ramp hadn’t been there, if there had been another car on the mountain…” Caleb let the sentence trail off, but the implication was clear.
She would have died. She would have been killed before he’d had a chance to really hold her, to love her.
Alexei could hazard a guess at what had really happened. “The brake fluid slowly drains out. You would not notice it at first. Brakes would work normally. I suspect we will find that computer system was tampered with as well.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Brakes don’t just go out. Do you know of any reason someone would attempt to harm you? It was your vehicle.” Of course, Alexei had stood at the truck. He’d stood there for nearly half an hour before he’d walked into the office. He’d leaned against it, thinking about how to break through to its owner. Surely no one thought the truck was his.