Black Hills Secrets

by A. C. Wilson

  “You just waltzed into town a few days ago and suddenly you think you know more about this town and me than we do? Oh, that’s good. I can assure you that you don’t!” She hated it. She hated fighting. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she fought them too.

  “I may not know the people of this town. I definitely don’t condone their actions against you, but I know pain when I see it. I have felt your fear. I had your tortured life.” The blue veins in his neck popped and throbbed with strain. His emotion was completely genuine. She bit her bottom lip as the urge to cry burned her throat. Only when his warm hands gripped her upper arms did she realize she was shaking.

  “I’m not the bad guy. Please don’t fight me.” Blake’s words were hushed and the heat of them brushed against her lips. Both of their chests heaved with exertion. A million emotions liquefied and bursting through their veins. Everything they needed and wanted lying just underneath the skin. She did the only thing she thought was right for the moment. Again there was a small nugget of information from Blake and she tucked it away. Taking half a step into his arms, Bailey leaned her forehead against his chest. Slowly Blake massaged the back of her neck with his fingers. It wasn’t long before the tears ebbed and the anger eased.

  Bailey sniffed as she leaned back and stepped out of Blake’s arms. His hands dropped to his sides as if he had no idea what to do with them next.

  “I’m exhausted.” It was all she could say. Her brain and emotions too muddled to think straight. Today could end on this note and she wouldn’t mourn it too strongly. Turning she started off to the apartment again. Blake’s footsteps didn’t follow her. She couldn’t hear his boots crunching on the rock. She didn’t want to turn around to see him gone.

  I would run if I were him- fast and far.

  That’s why she didn’t turn around. She pulled her keys from her pocket, climbed the stairs, and went inside. Chomp was sitting on the couch with his orange head cocked to the side. Locking the door and tossing the keys into the dish on the side table, Bailey went to the kitchen. There was no fanfare tonight. She unceremoniously took the kitten’s dish and put some food on it. Then she placed it on the floor and checked his water.

  Like a robot, Bailey shucked her clothes in the laundry room and snuck into the small bathroom. The warm water stroked her skin as she leaned her forehead up against the cool, water-dotted tile wall. Closing her eyes, Bailey wished the spray of the water was his hands. Every section of her body awakening as she felt the last shreds of anger falling away. She was apprehensive about what emotions were left. It was even more difficult to wish she had never experienced them.

  The last thoughts as she crawled into bed and under the fluffy coverlet were those of Blake. The tenderness warred against the danger in that man. It was a combination that was heady and intoxicating. She only had to remind herself that he wasn’t staying in Hot Springs. He would be gone soon. Closing her eyes, she sighed as her body relaxed. Blake Phails didn’t belong here.

  And you do, Bailey Campbell?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  His palms burned and his fingers itched to pull her back into the scope of his arms. Just her forehead resting against his chest was enough to shift his emotions further up the ladder. Never in his life had he felt so bonded to a woman. The immediate link was only becoming stronger and Blake knew he would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid. So many things could go wrong. So many already had.

  He watched her retreating back as she headed towards the stables and what he assumed was the loft apartment above. She climbed the stairs as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. He could see the dark bruise high on her cheek bone even from where he stood. It caused his gut to twist and his anger to surface. Taking a ragged breath, Blake put his hands on his hips and stared at the gravel. He kicked a bigger rock in frustration, but it didn’t alleviate the intensity. There were very few things that could do that lately.

  Looking back up at the loft stairs, Blake hoped that Bailey locked her doors. It was clear they both needed a bit of space. She hadn’t confided in him. She didn’t trust him-not really. Trust only came with time and even though he had a limited supply, he knew it was more than others were willing to spend. Not knowing what else to do at this exact moment, Blake walked slowly back to his truck. Every few feet he turned to see if Bailey had changed her mind and come back outside to talk, but it was really wishful thinking on his part. It was silly! A soldier, a man of action and he wanted to talk.

  Shaking his head, he unlocked his door and crawled up inside. The engine hummed to life when he turned the key. Blake needed to regroup and assess his strengths and limitations. He also needed to begin showing Bailey that he was completely serious about helping her and her sister. He was better at show than tell. Blake clicked his seat belt into place and wrinkled his nose. Intuition told him that Bailey would need communication. Blake backed out of his parking spot and drove out of the center’s lot. A survey of the area told him that no one else was there. It was a minor comfort for the moment.

  It was a surprise to see he had company when he pulled up in front of the house he had rented. Blake put the truck in park and climbed out. The August heat wrapped around him as the cool air conditioning faded away. Summer could be brutal. Blake watched as the mystery cat from the other morning watched him close the truck door. Watchful eyes spotted every move this human made and the black tail swished in response. Blake noted the way the feline’s limbs stiffened with a readiness to dash away should things turn threatening.

  “Hey there.” Blake softly whispered as he walked slowly to the stairs of the front porch and kept his eyes averted in such a way as to pose no threat. It was odd to be so evasive, but he didn’t want to break the moment. It was a challenge that he had never truly had before. In his job with the Army and all the tough spots in his life, Blake was able to charge through without worrying if he had stepped on any toes. It didn’t matter if he had. He wasn’t there to babysit or hold hands. It hardly mattered to Blake that he was called a hard ass behind his back and he had very little life outside of the Army.

  There had always been Tanner though. Wherever they were stationed, no matter the distance, Blake knew Tanner always had his back. His best friend was looking out for him and never ceased to tell him so. Tanner was the outgoing, friends with everyone kind of guy. If Blake was anything, he was Tanner’s wing man and proud to be. Just shy of two months and Blake could still feel the hole shrouded in grief, anger, and despair.

  “Easy there.” Blake took a seat on one of the two plastic deck chairs. The cat cast its large eyes to him and began to back up. A retreat of a couple of feet and the cat crouched down so that its belly touched the wood of the deck.

  “It was nice of you to come and visit.” Blake smiled as the feline looked bored. Its eyes blinking slowly and its tale had stopped flicking from side to side.

  “I imagine you are a self-kept kitty, so you wouldn’t have a name would you?” No change from the cat. “Rogue? You look like you’ve been around the block a couple of times. You’re sporting some scars, but the damage hasn’t gotten you down. Besides that, I’m not sure of your gender.” The cat cocked its head at him and Blake gently lifted his hands up.

  “Don’t worry. I wasn’t about to check.” Rogue looked bored again and wrapped its tail around its body. Blake lifted a brow and leaned back against the chair. He rested his arms and head on the warm plastic as the sun fell behind the line of trees along the street. It was just after seven o’clock and his thoughts were still at the Johnson Therapy Center where a particularly consuming blonde lived. Blake blew out a breath and closed his eyes. In his mind’s eye he could still see her. For whatever reason, Bailey Campbell had burrowed under his skin and even if he fought it, it wouldn’t do a bit of good. His cell phone vibrated in his jean’s pocket and he pulled it out.

  @Declan: She looked pretty angry.

  Blake rolled his eyes and chuckled.

  @Blake: She was pissed. I can�
��t say as I blame her though. She’s had enough people talking behind her back.

  Blake knew that Declan would understand that. They all had their own battles to fight and their own demons to conquer. For the most part, Bailey’s just happened to be flesh and blood.

  @Declan: Damn! I should probably call and apologize.

  Blake lifted a brow and felt a hint of unease bloom. He hoped he was misdiagnosing the feeling, but it felt a bit like jealousy. He swallowed hard, look at the cat who was still there, and began tapping out another text.

  @Blake: Just realized I didn’t leave my number. Maybe I’ll just run back out there.

  It was the excuse he was looking for to go back. He didn’t sleep anyway. He might as well put the hours to use.

  @Declan: Good idea. Park outside of the gate or you’ll get locked in after 10pm.

  Blake couldn’t help the smile that broke over his face. He could imagine getting locked in at the center. He also wondered if it would really be that bad.

  @Blake: Gotcha. TTYL.

  Blake eased up from his position. One glance at the spot Rogue had occupied and the cat was gone. His mouth twitched on a half frown and he continued down the stairs towards his truck. He hadn’t really wanted to stay at home all by himself staring at four walls. The monsters always had a way of finding him.

  Blake made a quick pit stop at Subway to grab dinner. He wasn’t sure how long he would be out there and his stomach wouldn’t hush its growling. Pulling into the knee high grass on the outside of the large red gates, Blake grabbed the sandwiches, his soda and locked the truck up tight. His boots crunched on the gravel as he continued his walk towards the buildings and on toward Bailey’s loft. The sun had gone down beneath the horizon painting the evening sky in pink, orange and gold. It was amazing to be standing in the middle of South Dakota’s prairie and all he could hear were the grasshoppers and birds. An occasional snort or whinny from the horses could be added. It was peaceful and comforting even being the stranger that he was.

  There were seventeen stairs up to Bailey’s front door. The loft apartment sat above the back stable and from the looks of it, it was empty of all livestock. Blake looked around at the relative distance between buildings and the positioning of the front office. It was a perfectly secluded living space for a person hiding from the public. Hiding might have been a strong word, but Blake didn’t think Bailey was outright ostracized by the people of Hot Springs. Although if no one believed her about the things that were going on in that house, well then the people didn’t really matter anyway.

  Taking a deep breath, Blake walked up the stairs towards the front door. The door’s window was covered by a solid blue curtain. He listened for any sound that Bailey was still inside. He couldn’t hear anything. He fisted his hand to knock on the door. Blake wondered what he was going to say to her if she swung the door open ready to kick butt and take names later. She had been that angry earlier. Blake listened, then knocked again. Still nothing; no sounds of any kind. Turning his back to the door, Blake wasn’t sure what to do. The truck Bailey had been driving when they had met at the grocery store was parked outside of the office. He hadn’t any idea if she had a different vehicle that she drove when she was off work. Setting the plastic bag and soda on the top step, Blake worked his phone out of his front pocket. He could text Declan for Bailey’s number, but mid thought he switched it off. It wasn’t in his plan to concede defeat so early. He could just wait. It was cooling down and he enjoyed the space.

  ***

  Bailey heard the sharp raps at her front door. She couldn’t help that her heart clenched and then raced. She clutched the coverlet close to her chin and locked eyes with Chomp. He had taken up residence on her pillow again and for the second time that day she was grateful for his small but firm presence. The knocks stopped and soon it was quiet. Her ears strained for any sound that might tell her if the person was still there or by some mercy had gone.

  Bailey felt under her pillow for her cell phone. Her eyes widened as she groped for it under Chomp’s throne. He mewed in protest and then hopped off. Still no phone.

  “Damn.” She groaned and flipped the coverlet back. Her phone must not have made it from the counter in the kitchen. The only reasons she might have needed it beside her was if Taryn called or Bailey needed to call for help. Remembering the unsolicited knocks, she swallowed hard and crept towards the front door. Her bare feet were quiet, but the wood floor was not. Certain spots squeaked in protest. Her hand trembled as she reached one finger out to slide the curtain aside. Her blood pounded in her ears as she saw it almost dark outside.

  “What?” Her voice was still a whisper as she noted a man was sitting on her stairs not far from her door. Immediately she knew it wasn’t her stepfather. The muscular frame screamed the man’s identity. She wondered if it was sad that she could already pick Blake out of a lineup from behind. Letting the curtain fall back over the window, Bailey looked down at the floor, wiggling her toes. Indecision warred within her as she tried to figure out whether to leave him sitting out there or to open the door. Even as angry as she had been she couldn’t seem to shut him out completely. The wondering why would have to wait.

  “I wasn’t sure you were home.” Blake’s voice reached her ears without him turning around. His legs dangled over the edge of the tall staircase and he looked out around the center. She closed her eyes for a second and then leaned against the door jamb.

  “I was asleep.” Her voice came out low and husky. It surprised her. Blake turned his head towards her and met her eyes. She could see the flash of brilliant blue even at dusk.

  “I’m sorry, Bailey.” He watched her and then he held out a plastic Subway bag. “I brought you dinner.” His grin melted her heart and her knees wobbled. She could only smile self-consciously back and stand up straight. Bailey considered him for a minute and then jerked her head towards the inside of her apartment. She might be nuts. She had only known him a few days, but again it was the like attracts like. Besides she could hardly leave a decorated veteran out on her stairs.

  Yeah, I googled him.

  “I just came to see if you were okay. I don’t want to intrude.” Blake didn’t move from his spot other than to turn his chest further around towards her. Something in his voice made her melt. Just the thought of being pulled back into his strong chest and hearing his heart beat wildly caused sensations to lick through her veins.

  “Get in here, huh? Before the coyotes get you!” She had to press her lips together to keep from laughing uncontrollably at the surprise on his face. His dark brows raised to his hairline. She knew he was trying to gauge whether she was messing with him or not. A sexy dimple appeared as one side of his lips lifted. It only took a second for him to be on his feet and standing in front of her. Bailey stepped back against the door to allow more room for him to enter.

  “After you.” He opened his palm and waited for her to go inside. Her own heart sped up and her chest rose and fell in quick breaths. There really wasn’t a point to ignoring the feelings he conjured inside of her. She proceeded as he stepped inside and closed the front door.

  The apartment was still dark as she hadn’t turned any lights on in case she had had an unwanted visitor. Now she twisted the knob of a tall floor lamp and then went to the kitchen to flip on those lights too. Bailey noticed that Chomp sat just around the corner from the couch. Blake hadn’t seen him yet. The kitten dodged under the couch when black boots rounded the corner towards the kitchen counter.

  “This is a nice apartment.” Blake looked around the small space. He could almost see everything from his position in the kitchen.

  “Thank you, we like it.” She only turned to catch another blink of surprise in his eyes before he turned away. “Chomp.” She said as she leaned subtly against the countertop. At the last minute she tugged her pajama top down a bit more when she noticed it had ridden up.

  “Chomp?” He asked in that low voice that strummed those new sensual strings.

&nbs
p; “My cat’s name is Chomp. That is what I meant by ‘we’.” She pointed toward the floor at the bottom of the couch and Blake looked. Chomp’s orange feet were the only parts of him visible. Blake nodded and crouched down. That was all it took for Chomp to dart out from under his haven and scrambled straight for the bedroom. Bailey smiled as Blake straightened up and met her gaze.

  Blake Phails’ eyes were the bluest she had ever seen. They could rival Matt’s, but Blake’s were brighter and bolder. Dark lashes rimmed them and she caught herself tipping her head to see if the view was any different. She knew she hadn’t exaggerated the captivating quality. Heat began to rise up from her core as she wondered if his blue eyes changed when he was…well, if he was… Bailey cleared her throat but wasn’t able to keep the heat from blooming on her cheeks. Nervously she glanced at the floor, but not before seeing his grin deepen.

  Could he know what I am thinking?

  Her stomach flipped at the thought. Her heart wouldn’t slow its frantic pace and all the intimate thoughts only deepened a secret need.

  “Oh, I picked this up for you. It’s ham and American cheese on white bread.” He put the plastic bag on the counter in front of her.

  “That was thoughtful.” She couldn’t help but smile at him. He rocked his shoulders.

  “It’s hard not to think of you.” He smiled at her and put his hands into his front pockets.

  If angels could be sinful, then Blake was undoubtedly an overdue gift from Heaven.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “You’ve lived here your whole life?” Blake asked Bailey as they sat on the couch facing each other. A paper plate sat on her lap as she took small bites from her ham sandwich.

  “Yes, here in Hot Springs.” Bailey had to cover her mouth to keep him from seeing half chewed food.

  “When you got out of the house, you never thought about moving away? Don’t you have family somewhere that could help you?” Blake’s brow was creased in concern and his thoughtfulness was bringing more of her out in the open then she had ever shared before. It was a bit unnerving.