“He didn’t seem like he was exactly playing with a full deck.”
“I know! Right? That’s a whole lot of crazy in one package,” Willa agreed, but a thought occurred to her. “But he did seem interested.” She’d never thought of herself as sexy or the type of woman to lure a man, but she’d have had to be blind to not recognize the lust in Reb’s eyes. He might only want her because she was Jake’s woman, but he did want her.
“I don’t like that look.” Danny shook her head. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”
“Danny, I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you, Gabe, or Jake.”
“Willa, you can’t bargain with someone like that.”
“I don’t really have a choice.” Her stomach rolled at the thought. The idea of any man other than Jake made her sick, but she’d endure it if it meant her friends would live.
As if summoned, the door swung open, and Reb swaggered in. “Hello, ladies. I trust you’re feeling better?” he asked as if he were their host and not their kidnapper.
“Oh, we’re just fucking peachy!” Danny snapped.
“Now, now, let’s watch our temper,” Reb replied, his deep-brown eyes narrowing.
“He’s right, Danny. There’s no need to be rude.” She tried to smile though she felt ridiculous. She had no clue how to play the seductive vamp.
Reb returned her smile suspiciously. “Trying a different approach now?”
“Well, I thought maybe you and I could talk somewhere private.”
“Is that right?” A lusty smile spread across his face, though his eyes still held a touch of suspicion. She fought to keep from cringing.
“Willa, don’t,” Danny warned.
“Let’s hear what your friend has to say.” Reb put his hand up in a warning, silencing Danny.
“Can’t we go somewhere more private?” She couldn’t bear to have Danny witness her humiliation.
“No, say what you have to say here. Trust me, this is the safest place for you two. It’s been all I could do to keep the jackals out.”
Willa swallowed hard, her gut clenching in fear. If she could get him to deal, that’s what she had to look forward to. Eventually, he would grow tired of her, and she would be passed on to his gang mates as nothing more than a party favor. She fought tears. It would be worth it if it saved Jake and Danny. Forcing her fear aside, she took a deep, determined breath. She would endure whatever she had to if it kept her loved ones safe. Love? Oh God! She loved Jake! How had it happened so fast? Still, it didn’t matter. She loved him, and keeping him safe was all that mattered. Her resolve set, she straightened her spine.
“You said you liked redheads, right? So I want to make a deal.”
“Is that right?” She had his interest. She could tell from the lust-filled look in his eyes.
“Yes, you like redheads, and, well, I’ll do whatever it takes to save my friends.” She licked her lips to try and appear seductive. “Let Danny go and leave Jake be, and I’ll do whatever you want, be whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” He raised a dark eyebrow. She studied him, trying to gauge his interest. He wasn’t a bad-looking man, she told herself. His shaggy, dark hair was silky black, his dark eyes hypnotic. He wasn’t built like Jake, rather like a runner, leanly muscled and covered with ink. Since meeting Jake, she’d developed a thing for tattoos, and there was no denying Reb had some gorgeous tattoos. She could do this.
“Yes, anything.”
“Tell me something, sweetheart, does the carpet match the curtains?”
“Huh?” What the heck did that mean?
“He means are you a natural redhead. You know,” Danny supplied, pointing first to her hair and then to her crotch. “He’s being a dickhead.”
Willa knew her face must be as red as her hair at his question. But he just grinned unrepentantly. “I think it’s a perfectly legitimate question. If I’m going to make a deal, I should know what I’m getting.”
Danny was right. He was being an ass, but she wasn’t really surprised. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to smile again. “Yes, I’m a real redhead.” Her red hair had always been an embarrassment that her mother had never let her forget. At thirteen years old, her mother had even taken her to a high-dollar salon and had it bleached platinum blonde. Willa had refused to let anyone near her hair again when it had finally grown out. Her red hair might be an embarrassment to her mother, but she liked it, and apparently, Reb did too.
“Yeah? Oh, baby, I’d love to see that pretty pink pussy with all those bright-red curls all wet and pouty.”
“Let Danny go,” Willa countered, refusing to let his crudeness intimidate her.
“In time,” he replied noncommittally. “So if I were to pull out my cock and tell you to suck it right now, you would?”
She had to swallow hard before she nodded. His hand went to his belt, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe if she closed her eyes, she could pretend it was Jake.
She was startled when she felt a hand on her chin, lifting it. “Open your eyes, little girl.” Reb’s voice had gone gruff. She met his dark-chocolate eyes and saw…compassion? What the heck? “You really do love him, don’t you?”
She felt tears gather in her eyes, but she swallowed them down. “I’ll be good. I swear. I’ll do whatever you want. Just please don’t hurt him.”
He straightened and walked to the door. “You just follow my lead when the time comes. I’m going to get us all out of this.” With that enigmatic statement, he was gone.
* * * *
Jake sucked a deep breath into his lungs as he pulled into the parking lot of the Rusty Screw. He had to force his mind away from what had happened six months before in this parking lot. Maggie was gone, and there was nothing he could do for his partner now. Saving Willa and Danny was all the mattered. Gabe followed closely behind. His friend had refused to let him go in on his own. Bo and his buddies were circling the back of the building. If things went to hell, they would be there to swoop in and pull the girls out. Gabe’s father and Gloria were holding things down back at the bed-and-breakfast. Willa would probably have to offer refunds to a few of her guests, but her safety was the most important thing right now. They’d worry about her business later. His eyes were on the Rusty Screw and the business at hand.
A passerby would never know the notorious bar was closed from the number of bikes in the parking lot or the number of thugs hanging in the doorway. They let their motorcycles roll to a stop in the middle of the lot, away from everyone else’s.
Stepping off his bike and setting his helmet aside, he breathed deep, forcing himself to relax. His heavy leather boots crunched on the gravel as he walked toward the entrance, keeping his steps even, to minimize the limp these bastards had given him. He expected another bullet to hit at any time, but he would be dammed if he’d give them the satisfaction of seeing him limp. As they approached the door, the group of men guarding it closed ranks.
“We don’t need your kind here, pig,” one of them snarled.
“Yeah, pig!” a little one off to the side repeated with a wild laugh, as if he’d made a joke that only he understood.
Jake met Gabe’s eyes, and they wordlessly went to work. He picked up the two closest to him and slammed their heads together before dropping them to the ground in a heap. His big boot connected with the gut of the next unfortunate person to get in his way. He felt the satisfying feeling of a rib crack under his heel. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gabe had left a similar trail in his wake. His hand closed around the throat of the next man blocking his path. He picked him up and slammed him against the brick wall with a sickening thud. He dropped him, and he slumped like a rag doll.
The idiot who’d laughed like a fool earlier wasn’t laughing now that he realized he was the last man standing between Jake and the door. He sniveled and tried to make a run for his bike, but Jake’s big fist caught him square in the nose. The man howled as blood spurted from his crushed nose. Jake calml
y wiped his hand on the front of his victim’s T-shirt before sauntering on into the bar.
Chapter Eleven
Willa and Danny sat up as the door flew open. Willa almost breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was just Reb. She immediately wanted to smack herself for that. Stockholm syndrome, she told herself. It was the only reason she was even remotely happy to see their infamous host.
“All right, ladies, let’s get moving. It’s show time,” he called loudly, and then added in a low whisper, “Just remember what I said. Follow my lead.”
Willa met Danny’s eyes in confusion. Her friend shrugged. Apparently, she didn’t have a clue what the head of the biker gang was up to either.
They stood, shaking out their long dresses. The beautiful costumes they’d been so enamored of at the Renaissance Fair were now wrinkled and felt confining. But at least they offered a lot of coverage.
Willa felt her legs shake as she followed Reb into the main room of a crowded bar. She could hear shouts of pain and lots of cussing from just outside the main door over the softly playing jukebox. Inside the bar there were at least a dozen leather- and denim-clad bikers gathered. Reb led them to a stool set at the head of a pool table strategically placed in the center of the room. He casually sat, pulling them on either side of him.
More sounds of violence filtered through the door, then silence, followed by the heavy fall of boot steps on the scarred plank floor.
Willa felt her heart seize as Jake sauntered into the bar as if he owned the place. He was the very image of badass. A black bandanna held his long hair out of his face. Mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes despite the limited light of the bar. His heavy leather duster accented his already-broad shoulders. The thick heels of his riding boots added an inch to his already-imposing height.
Gabe was at his side, looking every bit as intimidating.
“Welcome, gentlemen!” Reb called as if he was greeting old friends.
“Reb, let’s fuck these dudes up!” a bald thug called from the side of the pool table.
Reb calmly drew a gun from the small of his back and cocked it. He leveled it on the man who’d just spoken. “Shut your damn hole, or I’ll shut it for you permanently.”
Everyone froze, including Willa. What was he up to?
Reb set his gun on the edge of the table in front of him and continued. “No one is fucking anyone up just yet. You see, we’re going to have a little test, but first things first. We have Snow White and Rose Red here as our guests.” He nodded to Danny and Willa in turn. “Snow White, we don’t really need you anymore, and I think your husband is on the edge.” He gave Danny a nudge toward Gabe. She took two steps then stopped, swinging back to Willa.
“Go!” Willa pleaded.
“I can’t just leave you.”
“Danny!” Gabe’s voice carried across the bar, laced with authority. “Get over here right now.”
“But…” Danny stammered.
“Go!” Reb ordered.
“Please, Danny, just go with it,” Willa said, trying to remind her of Reb’s words earlier.
Danny chewed her lip for a second before flying across the room to land in her husband’s open arms. He pulled her protectively to him, wrapping his big body around her.
Reb nodded before turning back to the group. “Now, to the matter at hand. There have been a lot of rumors going around about our friend Jake here, which I think we need to address.” His voice was confident, as if he were just discussing the weather.
Jake took a step toward them, and Willa could see the muscles in his jaw clench. “This has nothing to do with her, Reb. Let her go.”
“No, no, I don’t think so. You see everyone here thinks you’re a pig. But I’m not convinced. So I’m proposing a test.”
“What kind of test?” Willa questioned softly.
“Doesn’t matter, she’s not involved. End of discussion,” Jake barked.
Reb actually laughed. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. Everyone here thinks Little Miss Red here is your new partner, but I don’t. In fact, I’m certain. You would not believe what she offered if I’d spared your life.”
Willa sucked in a breath as she saw Jake’s expression hardened. His voice was harsh when he replied. “It better not be what I think it is because, if it is, she won’t be sitting down for the next week.”
There were several snickers from the men in the room, including Reb. “See, again that’s what I’m talking about. That ain’t the reaction of a cop for his partner. That’s the reaction of a man for his woman. So, as I’ve said, I’ve devised a little test.”
Willa saw Jake’s entire body tense. “What kind of test?” he asked, echoing Willa’s words.
“Well, these guys think you’re some kind of pig. Not sure what kind, a fed or just local, but a pig’s a pig, right? So I asked myself, how could we tell? Then I saw sweet little Rose Red here. If she’s your partner, you have certain rules you have to follow, but if she’s just your old lady, then you’re free for my little test.”
Jake slid his glasses up onto his head, his stormy eyes narrowing. “What kind of rules?”
“Well, y’all might not know it, but I’m really more of a lover than a fighter. Some gangs require a great act of violence to prove fidelity. I’m not really into all the bloodshed.”
Willa couldn’t resist the disbelieving “humph” that burst from her mouth.
Reb’s hand shot out to deliver a sharp smack to her ass. “She is a fiery thing, ain’t she, Jake?”
“You touch her again, and I’ll rip your fucking hand off.” Jake’s voice had dropped to a dangerously low growl.
“Oh, I thought about that, really. I’d love to see if she is as hot as this glorious hair, but what would that prove?” Reb’s gaze swung to Gabe, who was still on high alert, even if he did have his wife in his arms. “Tell me, Mr. Lawyer, would it or would it not compromise any information Lawson here gathered if he was caught, shall we say, with his pants down?”
“What exactly are we talking here?” Gabe asked cautiously. Willa understood why he hesitated. This could go so many ways, most of them bad.
Reb laughed. “Ever the lawyer I see. Well, let me lay out my little test. Lawson here claims that the pretty Rose Red here is his old lady, but most of the boys here think that’s a cover. I can think of one way to put the question to bed once and for all and to cover our asses at the same time.” He paused, and Willa got the feeling he was trying to be dramatic. She was feeling rather like a puppet anyway. He grinned wide before continuing. “Pretty Willa here is going to crawl up on the table and let her man prove she’s his woman. Best way I know to do that is a good, hot fuck.”
Shouts erupted around the room at this announcement. Most of the men thought this was a great idea, apparently eager for a show. It was Jake’s voice that carried the loudest.
“Fuck off, Reb! You’re not using her to appease your voyeuristic tendencies.”
Willa decided it was a good thing the pool table was in between them. If looks could kill, Reb would be smoking from the look Jake gave him.
Reb must have sensed it, too, because he leaned over and whispered to her. “Remember what I said. You have to make him listen, or we’re all dead.”
Willa swallowed hard. She didn’t trust the man and had no clue what he had up his sleeve, but her instincts were screaming for her to go with it. Reb gave her a push in Jake’s direction. At first, the sea of sharks stared at her, but at last they stepped back to let her make her way around the table. As soon as she was within reach, Jake dragged her flush against him. The heat of his body was like a warm blanket wrapped around her.
“That’s not happening, Reb. We’re out of here.” He wrapped his arm tightly around Willa’s waist and took a step back.
Willa’s eyes met Reb’s, and he raised an eyebrow. She gulped, knowing what she had to do. Jake was going to be furious, but at least he’d still be alive.
“Wait! Jake, if this will get them to leave you alo
ne...” Her voice trailed off.
He scowled down at her. “Not happening.”
“Please, I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you. I don’t care if they see me.” Not so long ago she would have died at the thought of being seen naked by any man, let alone an entire roomful, but now she just didn’t care if they thought her butt was too big or her belly not quite firm.
* * * *
Jake studied her for a long moment, and then he swung his gaze to Gabe.
“He’s trying to discredit you,” Gabe explained, answering the question in Jake’s eyes. “You do this, no one would ever believe any testimony you gave about gang activities.”
He closed his eyes and swallowed. He’d lose his badge if this ever got out. That was the least of his problems though. The idea of any of these men seeing Willa like that made him sick. The idea of anything happening to her made his stomach roll. If they killed him, she would be fair game. They were screwed, well and truly screwed!
He turned his gaze back to Reb. The bastard was up to something. “If we do this, how do we know you’ll let us go?”
“You have my word.”
“Yeah, like that means a damn thing,” Jake countered.
“Well, I don’t really see that you have much of a choice. If you’re not a cop of some kind, it’s not really a big deal, is it?”
No, if he were a gangbanger like the rest of them, he wouldn’t hesitate.
He turned his gaze back to Willa. She stared up at him, her beautiful emerald gaze full of trust. His sweet Willa would do this to save him. She was so strong, so brave, and all his, and he was going to tan her ass for offering herself to Reb.
Scooping her up, he placed her on the edge of the pool table. His eyes swept the room. The dogs were all drooling at Willa as if she were a juicy bone. He growled, feeling the beast in himself surface. “Looking is one thing, but anyone touches her, and I’ll kill them.” He focused on Willa. Lowering his voice, he spoke only to her. “Focus on me. Don’t worry about them. They don’t exist.” He threaded his fingers through her soft hair and brought his lips to hers. He kissed her slow and sweet. The room grew quiet, only the sound of their breathing breaking the silence for several long moments.
Breaking Away [Smoky Mountain Motorcycles] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10