“My boss, and a friend.”
“You guys close or something?”
“Yeah,” she paused, and then sat down, tugging Josh to sit opposite her. “He’s a good guy. He’s just going through something at the moment.”
Josh snorted and she frowned. She was beginning to dislike this conversation. Where had his good mood from just minutes before gone?
“Lainey,” Josh tugged on her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I don’t like him. I don’t like him talking to you. He’s got problems.”
And there were the tears again. She snuffled these ones back. “All the more reason to keep being his friend.”
“I really like you, and I don’t want anyone coming between us.”
“I want to see where this goes, Josh, I really do, but . . .”
“Then why the fuck are you still talking to him?”
“He’s my boss! What the hell can I do? Besides, I’m not going to stop being friends with someone just because you don’t like them.”
“I don’t like you getting that close to any other man, much less him. You should stay away from him, Lainey. He’s crazy, trust me I know,” Josh’s eyes blazed and the grip on her chin tightened until she moved, forcing him to let go. She stood, dropping his hand, and Josh’s colors swirled abruptly into regret. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Babe. He just makes me so crazy and I’m worried about you.” The colors swirled, moving so fast they were overlapping. It didn’t make any sense—his emotions were on top of each other, each totally different and completely out of place. They were moving so fast Lainey couldn’t keep track. She’d only seen that once before, when someone had been high.
Wait. Was Josh on something?!
Before she could process the thought, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for a short, sharp kiss, before letting go again just as fast. Lainey had to catch the edge of the table to stop from stumbling and by the time she’d found her feet, he was leaving. “I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
She watched him go without saying a word.
12
Aaron
Sweat ran down Aaron’s back and dripped off his forehead, but he kept running. He’d spent every waking moment for days trying to work out who could be trying to hurt Lainey, but he was no closer to an answer. Lainey was about as nice as they came, and she wasn’t the type to get involved in gangs, drugs, or any of the other million underground markets Aaron had come into contact with in his time. Hell, she could barely handle a glass of wine without getting giggly.
Still, someone wanted her for something, and that fact scared him. He thought of Payton; she was the strongest girl he knew, and even she’d have a hard time defending herself against a guy his or Cole’s size.
Or more than one.
Because if someone tried something, they weren’t going to leave anything to chance. And Lainey didn’t even have Payton’s training. Stopping the treadmill, he practically ran through a shower and walked back to the juice bar. He had a feeling Lainey was starting to wonder what he was up to, but he still wasn’t going to leave. He’d never take that chance again.
Jogging to the entrance to the juice bar, Aaron paused and forced himself to relax. He needed a clear head before he saw her again. He’d noticed her startle when he’d kissed her that morning, and he’d run off before she could say anything. He still had no idea what had possessed him to touch his lips to her skin, but if he walked in there with fire in his eyes today, it would not go well. He was there to protect her, keep her safe, and nothing else, because the second he allowed himself to become distracted, he’d be giving God only knew who an opening to strike.
Leaning against the wall near the gym’s entrance, he closed his eyes and let he thoughts go. It was a skill he’d learned early in life thanks to his martial arts classes. Aaron forced himself to forget the world and turn his concentration inward, slowing his breathing—in through the nose and out through the mouth. He let his focus drift down to his feet, over his ankles, calves, knees, and up over his body, relaxing each muscle in turn. It had taken years to shut down his brain and get the meditation right, but it had sometimes been the greatest tool he had. Opening his eyes, everything was clear again. The sun was brighter and when he breathed in, he was hit by a wave of salty air blowing in from the beach. He’d taken a two-minute break and cleared his mind, and now the world held hope again. He would never be perfect—hell, he was deeply flawed—but where he’d failed with Anna he could make right with Lainey. He knew better this time, and he wasn’t going to fail again.
Pushing off the wall, he took the first step toward the juice bar, but nearly got smacked by the door as Josh stormed out.
“I told you to stay the hell away from her!” Aaron ground out.
“And who cares,” Josh reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. The sun was reflecting off his eyes, making them nearly glow, and his jaw was tensed. “Not like I’d listen to anything you said anyway.”
Aaron grabbed Josh by the neck of his shirt and held him back against the wall instead, his arm pressing against Josh’s neck. “You stay the fuck away from her.” Lainey had enough threats she didn’t even know about to have this dickhead trying his luck too.
Josh pushed against his arm, but Aaron held firm. It didn’t stop him from talking though. “I’ll do whatever and whoever I want, and I know exactly what I want to do in there.”
A deep rumbling growl came from deep inside him, and Aaron and stepped closer. He was about to push forward with his arm again when he noticed Josh’s eyes. They were still half glowing and his pupils were wide open.
“What the hell are you on?”
Josh shoved back. “You piece of shit.”
“Yeah? You’re a fucking junkie.”
Josh laughed and pushed back harder, forcing Aaron backward. “Try it, old man. Might take the stick out of your ass.” He swung and knocked Aaron in the jaw. The blow wasn’t hard enough to do any real damage, but it was enough for Josh to disappear around the corner while Aaron picked himself up.
The fucking prick. He was on drugs, and he had a hard-on for Aaron’s girl.
His girl.
He didn’t even bother being shocked by the thought. He’d known for nearly a year that Lainey was his, even if she would never know it. He wouldn’t stand in her way if she found a healthy relationship, but this asshole? No way.
But how had it happened? The guy had walked into the bar and had a date with Lainey within a week, when Aaron hadn’t seen her interested in any other guy almost the whole time he’d known her. Lainey was young, but she wasn’t stupid. What was it about Josh that had her fooled? Had them all fooled. Until he’d outwardly challenged the guy, Aaron had thought he was just another cocky fighter, new to the scene and high on the pump. Apparently Josh was also high on just about everything else. He’d kept it well hidden. He shouldn’t be surprised, though, not with the way the cartel peddled drugs in this town. There were even fucking tunnels leading straight into Mexico.
Wait. Was that it? Was Josh working with the cartels? With his newfound “relationship” with Lainey, he had every opportunity to get her alone—Aaron’s fist punched the stucco wall—and she would be helpless against him.
Fuck. Even if he was wrong, Lainey was still in danger. Just about every street drug around caused mood swings, hallucinations, violence. If Josh ever laid a hand on her, Aaron would crack open his skull. He was having a hard time refraining from doing that already. He leaned back against the wall and tried to breathe deeply again, but it was pointless. His head dropped down. How had things gotten so out of control? Who would know what sort of connections Josh had?
Cole.
Why hadn’t he thought of his friend before? He’d been there for a lot of dark nights, and days, when Cole had needed someone, and Cole had made him promise to call if he could ever return the favor. He might have taken leave from the police, but he still knew people. People who could tell Aaron what he needed to know.
13
Lainey
Lainey stood in the bar’s back bathroom, staring in the mirror. A tear ran down her cheek, pulling her further into the overwhelming frustration—plus a little fear—mounting inside her. Turning on the tap, she filled her hands with water and splashed it over her face, looking back up in the mirror again. Nope, no better. She still looked pale and half scared to death.
What the hell had made Josh flip out like that? One minute he’d been fine, and then . . . “flip” was an appropriate word, because it was exactly like someone had flipped a switch and turned him into another person. Had there been warning signs and she’d totally missed them? He’d acted protective of her, sure, maybe a little too much, but it had been so damn long since she’d been out with anyone that it had been nice having someone care about her. When had it slipped from caring into controlling, and so quickly?
She dried her hands on a piece of paper towel and pulled her hair back from her face, trying to tame it. Why hadn’t she spotted it when he’d spoken so strongly about her wanting to take self-defense lessons? She thought he’d just wanted to keep her away from Aaron—Josh was hardly his best friend. Lainey frowned. Thinking of which, why did they hate each other so much? She expected a bit of friendly competition—they were both on the MMA circuit after all, but there was nothing friendly about the way Josh had just acted. Aaron had seemed less than thrilled whenever he saw Josh too, but she’d never been afraid of Aaron. Not like this.
Josh had scared the crap out of her.
Maybe they just got too intense too quickly? They’d only been out on one real date, for heaven’s sake. She could dodge his calls, stay busy. But how would he handle going from seeing her every day to nothing? She wasn’t going to find out by hiding out in the bathroom all day.
Taking a deep breath, Lainey stepped back out into the store. Empty, thank God. She had no idea what she’d do if she’d emerged to find angry customers too. Grabbing an apple juice, she walked quickly to a table in the back and sat, letting her eyes sink closed.
Work was often busy, sure, but it had never been exhausting like this. Not until Josh and she had hooked up. He came in every day, just to say hi, and for most of the rest of the day, he was next door in the gym. Who was she kidding? If she wanted to avoid him, she’d have to switch jobs, even stop being friends with Aaron and the other guys at the gym. If things got serious and she ever tried to break up with him, she could already tell that wouldn’t go down well.
Lainey took a sip of juice and slumped back in the chair. What had Josh been thinking? Perhaps she was reading too much into the situation. She relied on her interpretation of people’s colors so much—maybe when they weren’t there to go on? No—she’d seen colors there. But then they were so thick and fast, did she read it wrong? That was another puzzle. Something was making his aura different, creating all that swirling activity, but what? Looking out the front window, she was surprised to see the sun already setting. Just how long had she been hiding out in the bathroom? She stashed the leftover produce in the fridge and grabbed her bag. Going home right now was totally fine by her. Her new Aaron-shaped shadow was nowhere to be found, and so she slid her key into the front door and locked up. She’d walk around back for her car. As she pulled the key from the lock, a deep voice sounded behind her.
“Lainey.”
Josh. She whirled around and there he was, standing next to a tiny compact sports car. Her eyes widened and for a moment she forgot how mad she was at him. That thing had a spoiler taller than she was.
“Want a ride?”
What the hell? “No thanks.”
He walked over to where she was standing, leaning up against his car. “Oh, come on,” he grinned. “I don’t bite.”
Wouldn’t put it past you. “I’m going for a walk before I go home. A long walk.”
His eyes widened and he made a face that reminded Lainey of a begging puppy. “Please. I’m sorry.”
She hesitated. He seemed calm, in control again. Maybe he deserved a chance to explain himself. It’s not like he’d gotten actually physical or anything. Maybe he was just having a really bad day.
“Fine.”
The grin Josh gave at her answer lit up his entire face, and his colors were blinding white again. Had his attitude earlier just been a temper tantrum? Maybe something had happened between him and Aaron she didn’t know about?
He opened the passenger door and gestured to her. “Have a good time at work?”
“You were just there, Josh.”
He cocked his head. “Oh, yeah, I was. Sorry.”
Lainey turned, half way into the car, and gaped at him. Did he really not remember? She was trying to decide whether to slide into her seat or get back out when the smell inside the car hit her. A pungent, sweet aroma, almost smoky and tinges of burnt rubber. She looked down and saw a hand-rolled cigarette sitting in the ashtray. Was that a joint?
Definitely out of the car.
“I didn’t know you smoked.”
He paused, looking at her oddly. “Yeah, sometimes. You should try it, let your hair down.” He reached across her to the glove compartment and pulled out a baggie full of buds.
“Umm, no. Not my thing.” She’d only tried weed once, years ago, and it had completely messed with the colors. They detached themselves from people, moving about the world, almost talking to her. She may as well have taken acid from the trip it gave her. Lainey was in no hurry to experience that again. Besides, what was the burned rubber smell?
“Suit yourself.”
“You’re not going to drive high are you?” Was he just on marijuana, or was there something else in the mix?
“I’m fine. It doesn’t matter that much, does it?”
“Yeah, it kinda does.”
“Man, fuck this.” He reached around her and threw the bag back on the car’s floor. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you?” He lips slid up in a grin. “I thought you and me could spend some time together, maybe get some dinner.” He went to grab her arm. Lainey stepped back.
“Not tonight, Josh.”
“Fine.” He slammed the door and climbed in on his side, slamming his foot down on the accelerator and peeling out onto the street before Lainey let her breath out. She shivered. Was that from the confrontation or the cool breeze blowing in the ocean spray? Maybe she really would take a walk, clear her head. Walking down the steps and onto the sand, she let the white noise of the waves pull her worries away, imagining them falling, drifting down and away to the bottom of the ocean. She could almost see the black streams falling away from her—her stress over whatever was up with Aaron, Josh’s negativity and weirdness—she sent them all out into the water, like ribbons streaming into the wind. By the time she’d made it to the shore’s edge and water lapped at her toes, she was calmer.
The sun was just setting, the sky blanched red, and the beach was quiet. Walking along the water’s edge, she passed the remnants of a bonfire. Lainey imagined what that would be like, the warmth from the fire, trading beers and kisses. The setting sun warmed her skin as she walked and she closed her eyes for a moment, orange rays seeping through. The dunes rose beneath her feet and she stumbled, opening her eyes. The beach curved, just enough that she was out of breath when she got to the top. She hunched over, drawing a deep breath into her lungs. There went her calm.
Why was she letting Josh affect her so much? She’d had dates here and there, a couple of flings that lasted a few weeks, plus throw in a one night stand. Was she really that inexperienced with men that she didn’t know if this was normal or not? Either way, it couldn’t continue. She’d give him one last chance not to be an asshole—if he pulled that shit again he was gone.
Walking forward again, she kept her focus on a black rock up ahead. Its edges were blurry at first, but as she stepped closer, she noticed something flying over the top. No—flapping. She squinted and held her hand up to her eyes to shield them from the last of the sun. It was a piece of cloth, flapping in
the breeze like the grim reaper’s shawl.
Wow, morbid much?
She should just go home. Lainey knew from experience there was no point being around other people when she was in a mood like this. She’d just end up bringing everyone else down. But what on earth was flapping up there on the hill? She’d read in the newspaper once that a dead body had washed up on the beach, so mangled that the cops had never identified them. The lump on the sand ahead couldn’t be a body, could it? She walked closer, pushing away her fear.
Stay calm. It’s alright.
She was five steps away when she saw the pile of curly salt and pepper hair.
The man lay on his stomach, unmoving, his arms sprawled out in front of him as he lay face down in the sand. She couldn’t just leave him lying there like that. Her heart racing, she reached out one finger and softly jabbed the man in the shoulder. “Sir, you okay?” God, she hoped he wasn’t dead. No movement. She edged closer and reached down to feel his skin. Was he cold? As her hand made contact with his forehead, a firm hand gripped her around her ankle, sending her tumbling to the sand. She screamed out, her hands grasping at the ground, doing nothing but clawing through sand.
The hand tightened around her ankle, fingernails digging into her skin. She looked back and saw the man taking a swipe at her other ankle, and she dodged it just in time. He was babbling incoherently, pulling her backward toward him. She tried to kick out with her free leg, but the man did little more than grunt as her heel made contact with his side. He wasn’t letting go.
She had to move, she had to get up and run. As she squirmed, the man reached into his voluminous jacket, the edges still flapping in the wind, and pulled out a flip knife. He deftly flipped it open.
Okay, so he’s not dead.
Her fear flooded the atmosphere like a palpable force, flowing over her, so thick that Lainey could barely breathe. It wrapped fingers around her throat, almost choking the life out of her on its own. If she was going to survive, she had to take control. The man jerked her ankle again, the knife moving closer to her. She froze. Did he want to kill her?
Lainey (Dreamcatchers Romantic Suspense Series Book 4) Page 8