"Need some help?" Rider’s voice says.
Yes, I do, I answer him silently, because I know it's just in my head.
Only he's standing right in front of me, water dripping off the locks of his hair, his eyes glowing in the near darkness. He looks as real and alive as anyone I've ever seen. More so.
But it still takes me a few moments to realize he really is standing in front of me.
I drop my shovel and lunge at him, wrapping my arms around his neck with the last strength I have left. Holding him is better than speaking, because I will say the wrong thing if I try. He lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around him too for good measure. His lips find mine, and I taste the tangy rain, but underneath it I can also taste everything I ever wanted from this world. All the peace and love and good things I wished for everyone and for myself, but was denied until this very moment. I'm not tired anymore, in fact, I feel as light as I ever did when riding the waves, letting the water carry me where it will. I never fought the waves, and I will never again fight my love for Rider. I'll let it carry me where it will.
"You came back," I whisper when we finally stop kissing and he's just holding me.
"I should never have left," he says. "Do you forgive me?"
"Yes," I say and hug him even tighter. "I'm sorry I said I don't need you. I do. I need you more than breathing."
There's a void inside me, which only he can fill. And it's been growing deeper and wider since he left. But I'm only now daring to acknowledge its existence. Because he's here to fill it again, and it's already growing smaller.
He looks deep into my eyes. "I'll never leave you again, Chloe. I can't, because I love you too much. Someone'll have to carry my dead body away from you for it to happen."
There he goes with his straight shooting again, and hearing him talk of his death, picturing it because he described it so vividly, hurts like a bullet has actually pierced my heart. But he's here, alive and breathing, holding me in his strong arms.
"I love you, Rider, and I'll never let that happen. We'll go away from here, like you said, find somewhere safe to live."
He grins at me and sets me down. "No need, I have a plan. But first, what the hell happened to my ditches?"
"They didn't hold," I say sheepishly.
"It's only been raining for what, six hours?" he says. "No way all this water is just from that."
He grabs the flashlight that I've been using for light and charges up the ravine. I'm huffing by the time I finally catch up to him halfway up.
Ed and Olivia are staring at him, just as frozen as I must have been when he first appeared by my side.
"Where are you going?" I ask.
"To see where all this water is coming from," he says, shining the flashlight up the incline, following the path of the raging, bubbling stream coming down the incline.
I follow him. Ed and Olivia drop their shovels and join us. The path of the rushing water leads us past Dom Gustavo's house, right to the edge of the estate, where a second stream usually runs along the fence. Only there is no more fence because the stream is pretty much a river now, rushing down towards the bungalows.
Rider stops, shining the light at it, but looking at the three of us. "Why didn't you tell me this swelled up so bad?"
"Because it never has before," I say. "At least not since I've been here."
"And Gustavo never mentioned it either," Ed adds.
Rider starts walking again, following the stream, which is a river now, further up. Eventually we come to the actual river.
When I reach him, his flashlight is illuminating a mound of light grey rocks that block the water, sending it all flowing into the stream that is now destroying our home.
"The cartel assholes diverted the river," Olivia is the first to point out. "They're trying to flood us out."
"Nothing for it, we have to move these rocks," Rider says and gets to work, groaning and cursing, but managing to move a rock, which is so large I would've sworn no man can even nudge it by himself. Ed, Olivia and me join forces on another one half as big, and succeed. But there's at least fifty more to move.
Dawn is breaking when we finally manage to clear the makeshift dam, and the river is finally flowing the way it was meant to, and no longer feeding the stream. I'm so exhausted, I'm seeing double. But that's OK, because now I have two Riders instead of one. And they both have to carry me back down to my bed, because I have no strength left.
CHAPTER 13
CHLOE
The sky outside is grey when I wake up, the rain still coming down hard, tapping the roof and hissing outside the window.
The door opens, while I'm still trying to figure out if it's morning or evening. Rider walks in carrying a covered tin can in one hand, and plates and spoons in the other. He's wearing a pair of jeans and nothing else, droplets of water sliding down his torso, driving all other thoughts from my mind, save for the happiness that he's back, that he's mine.
"Did you bring me breakfast in bed?" I ask and grin at him as he struggles to close the door behind him with his leg.
"You could say that. Though this is actually dinner," he says, smiling widely.
"A girl could get used to that," I say coyly.
"Yeah, it's probably best that you don't," he says. "I'm not much for romance. If you weren't awake yet, I'd happily eat all this food by myself."
"I figured that too," I say and get up to clear the little table by the window so he can set the food down.
I'm naked, and I feel his gaze all along my back and ass like a warm summer breeze.
When I turn he's still standing by the door, his eyes swallowing me up, heating me like I'm standing next to an open fire.
"I suppose you're responsible for me not wearing any clothes," I say.
My voice breaks his trance, and he walks over and puts the food on the table.
"You were dead to the world," he says. "And you were soaked right through. I had no choice, but to undress you. I kinda wished you'd wake up, but you didn't."
"So you didn't take advantage of me while I was incapacitated?" I ask and take the tin can to open it.
I very nearly drop it, as he picks me up and sits down on one of the rickety chairs with me on his lap. I do manage to set it down, before his kiss takes the last of my control over my body from me. His kiss is better than riding the waves, better than floating on the water with nothing but the horizon stretching before me, better than lazy summer afternoons, better than smelling the ocean, the flowers of spring, better than being free.
"I wish you had woken me last night," I murmur.
"Me too," he agrees.
He wraps his arm around my waist to hold me steady in his lap. I arrange the plates then hold the can of food, so he can open it and pour the stew onto our plates. Once I start eating, all else flees my mind. I don't remember being this hungry in a long time, or enjoying my food quite this much. I can't find a thing to say except, "This is good".
"I made it," Rider says. "Someone had to. Ed and Olivia are up and about, but they're not much for doing anything other than resting. How do you feel?"
I'm very aware of my nakedness, of his mostly hard cock jabbing me in the butt cheek, of the fact that I want him naked too, and of all the things we could do together then. But in all seriousness…
"Muscles I didn't know I had are hurting," I tell him in between bites of the very good stew he made.
"Figured you'd say that," he says squeezing my thigh. "Pity."
"Give me a little time to digest this food, and then ask me again," I say and grin at him over my shoulder.
His lips are so close and look so tasty I can't resist. He tastes better than any food I've ever had, and his kisses are way more nourishing.
Soon, we're in bed, entwined together so intricately I can no longer distinguish between us clearly. He's naked now too, but we're still just kissing, because I think he's tired too, he must be, since he practically moved that whole pile of rocks by himself last night. And kept this
place going all day today while me, Ed and Olivia rested.
"I guess we should start planning our departure from here tomorrow," I say once we're just lying there in each other's arms and staring into each other's eyes. His are the exact shade of green as the sea sometimes is right before a storm, when the last of the sunshine finds its way through the clouds.
"What do you mean?" he asks hoarsely. I think he's ready to fall asleep.
"You were right," I say. "It's too dangerous to try and go against the cartel. We should pack up and find another place to make our camp."
"I was right about the cartel," he says, brushing the hair off my forehead. "But I was wrong for leaving you, and not being willing to make a stand against them by your side. Although maybe that turned out for the best."
It's my turn to give him a confused look.
"I'll make a call tomorrow," he says. "And hopefully that will lead to a productive discussion with the cartel about letting us keep this place."
The way he says "productive" makes me think of violence for some reason.
"Who are you gonna call?" I ask, figuring he means his biker friends, but they're all very far away, so that makes no sense.
"I'll tell you when it's arranged," he says in a tone that suggests he's done talking. "If it fails, we'll leave. But if we stay, we should move the kids up to the big house. I'm sure there's enough room for twice as many in there."
Hearing him make these plans for us, for the kids, makes me love him more, in a way I've never loved another. With him by my side, I could do all those things I wanted to do—help these kids, make a difference—-so much better, so much easier. I just hope I give him back a fraction of what he's already given me.
"It'll take us months to clear out the house. Dom Gustavo was a great man, but he was also a life-long packrat. I don't think there's more than a single sofa to lay down on in that whole house. The rest of it is just packed with stuff."
"That's good," he says. "We'll need stuff to sell to keep this place going."
"If we can find anyone to sell all that junk to," I muse.
"People love junk. And I bet the old guy had some valuable shit up there," he says, caressing my back and yawning loudly. "But let's continue this conversation in the morning. I need some sleep now."
I stop talking even though my mind is exploding with all the plans his suggestion fired off. But before long, the rhythmic tapping of the rain on the roof, his even breaths, and the safety and belonging I feel in his arms gives me peace too.
CHAPTER 14
RIDER
I rode into the village to make the call while Chloe was giving the kids lessons in the morning.
Maluco promised me the backing of Dois Cobras in protecting the orphanage, but the conversation still left a queasy feeling in my stomach. He told me more about the cartel that wants this land and it's a powerful one. So powerful I can't believe they didn't kill everyone here right after the old man died. Or even before then.
I'm lucky that Dois Cobras hate them very much, and that it was this same cartel I saved Maluco from. An all out war's been brewing between them for awhile, and the attempt on his life has now well and truly started it.
Maluco is already rallying his men. They will ride as soon as they have the numbers. He said they should be ready in a day or two, and promised to take the orphanage under his protection after he wins.
If he wins. He didn't add that, but it's all I kept thinking once he revealed the whole scope of his plan.
And even if he does win, I've been in wars between rival gangs and they ain't pretty. Not something you want to involve a whole bunch of children in and hope for the best. Or women, for that matter. Before I met Chloe, met the kids here, and decided to stay, I would've been more than willing to ride into this fight alongside Dois Cobras MC. A little hot-headed violence and bloodshed once in a while was always just what the doctor ordered for me.
But that was back when I was alone, with just my own life to risk. Now my life is worth more, and we're almost right smack in the middle of a full-on war. I don't run from fights, but maybe that's still our best option.
"Did you make the call?" Chloe asks as she meets me halfway between the garage and our bungalow.
"Yes, I did," I say, not sure how to continue. A huge part of me wants to tell her we should run, but I'm afraid what happened the first time I said that will happen again. Sure, she said she'd leave like I suggested, but that was before I got her hopes up.
I pull her into my arms and kiss her, feel my blood that's been frozen, since I heard Dois Cobras' plan, whoosh hot and fast through my veins, washing away all my pussy ass doubts and fears. I will protect Chloe, anywhere, anytime and from anything. And I will protect everything she holds dear too. She's my woman, and there can be no other way.
AN ALMIGHTY CRASH, like cars exploding wakes me what feels like seconds after I drifted off to sleep holding Chloe. It's followed by the creaking of wood, and another crash, which is not as loud as the first. There’s also a general hissing that I don't think is from the rain.
"The children!" Chloe shrieks, and lunges for the door, but I hold her back.
"I'll go see what's happening," I tell her and walk to the door.
I open it a crack, staying to the side as I check. The schoolhouse has collapsed on its side, and a bright orange fire is engulfing it.
"It's happened," Chloe says beside me, peering outside too. "The flood's eroded too much of the soil."
She reaches for the door to open it all the way, but I yank her back before she can do it, more roughly than I intended.
"That fire isn't just from the collapsed building," I tell her, since I can smell gasoline.
"The cartel?" she whispers, her eyes open wide in panic. "We have to protect the kids."
I stand between her and the door, so she can't open it, but I'm panicking too, because this might be the night we die.
"We will," I assure her. "But we need to know what we're dealing with first."
I can hear the children talking faintly, and I hope whoever is staying with them tonight won't let them run out into the open.
"I'll go see what's going on," I tell Chloe as I reach into my bag for the gun I used to kill those three guys. The rest of the bullets are still in it, but I'm afraid they won't be enough to save us. But I'll do what I can, and I won't worry until there's real cause to.
Chloe’s eyes are very wide, focused on the gun I'm holding.
"Please be careful," she whispers.
"I'll do my best," I say, since there's no point lying to her. "Stay in here and stay down. Don't come out until I call you."
"What if you get hurt?" she asks in a strangled voice.
We all might get hurt. Killed. But I don't tell her that since there's no need to add to her panic.
"I can take care of myself," I say. "But I can't worry about what you're doing too. Stay here until I come get you. Promise me."
She nods. I hope I can trust her, but there's no more time to make sure.
I crouch beside the door and open it all the way.
The fire has swallowed almost the entire collapsed building now. The wood was soaked through from the rain, which is still coming down pretty hard, so I must've been right about the gasoline because without it, this fire would be out by now.
A lamp is lit in one of the windows of the hut where the boys sleep. A stupid thing, because now whoever set the fire knows exactly which building to target next. The open ground between here and that building is completely deserted. I step over the fence and climb down one of the stilts instead of using the stairs. I keep my back to the fire, and by the time I'm standing on the muddy ground, my night vision has improved. I keep down as I run from cover to cover to get to the boys' dorm from the side.
The children have stopped talking, and at one point I see Ed's round face in the window, peering outside.
I hear Brazilians talking, and I'm almost at the boys' dorm when I see them. There's two of them, both
short, like most Latinos are. One of them is holding a gas canister up and shaking it, and they're arguing. They seem to be the only ones around.
I raise my gun and aim at the one with the canister, squeeze the trigger just as their argument escalates into blows and the other one shoves him. The bullet still connects with flesh, just not with his chest where I aimed. His screams are louder than the bang echoing all through the camp.
I run over and grab the one still standing, shove the gun into his side. "How many more of you are there?"
The one on the ground is still screaming, clutching his left arm, as he writhes in the mud.
"How many?" I ask again, since the guy I'm holding is frozen stiff.
"Just us," he says in accented English.
He's just a kid, I realize, they both are. Eighteen at best.
"What happened?" Chloe yells, and I hear her sloshing through the mud behind me.
"Get that one inside and do what you can for him. Get Olivia to help you," I say and drag the one I'm holding towards the boys' dormitory, calling Ed as I do.
He comes down the steps just as I reach the drier ground under the building. My hostage is going willingly enough, probably still in shock from me shooting his friend.
"Ask him who sent them?" I instruct Ed, since I probably won't get very far in English.
Ed asks, and soon they start talking in rapid Brazilian. Olivia and Chloe are having a hard time getting the one I shot to keep still. But finally Olivia manages to quiet him with a few harsh, clipped words. He's able to stand on his own, and they lead him towards us.
Meanwhile Ed and the guy have stopped talking and the silence is very thick.
"What?" I ask Ed, who's staring at me like he's seeing a ghost.
"He claims he's the son of Duro, the cartel boss, and the one you shot is the guy's nephew," Ed says in a very shaky voice. "They came here on their own to take care of this problem for Duro, but people know where they are. They will be coming for them, if they don't return soon."
I don't doubt that, but maybe we still have a couple of hours. I hope we still have a couple of hours.
Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads Page 26