by Sybil Bartel
Buck was quiet a moment. “I guess I never thought of it that way.”
I scoffed.
Buck was silent a minute then he glanced at me. “Better?”
Surprised, I looked at him. “What?”
“Shortness of breath, pressing on your chest, rocking in your seat, you were panicking a minute ago. Why?”
“Um.” Shit. How honest was I supposed to be? I went for broke. “You scared me.”
“In what way?”
“You asked someone to commit a crime for you, a major crime, and he was actually willing do it.” That wasn’t just scary as hell, it was fucked up.
“I’d do the same for him.”
Holy shit. I didn’t even know what to say to that. “No questions asked?”
This time, when he glanced at me, it was with the face of a warrior. “No.”
I couldn’t decide if that was humbling or terrifying. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
He seemed older. Maybe it was just the way he took charge. He was so capable, but twenty-three still seemed young to be a sergeant. “Is that common to move up the ranks so quickly?”
He shrugged. “I enlisted straight out of high school. Turned out I was good at being a marine. What about you?”
“Menial, anonymous jobs is what I’m good at.”
“Like?”
I rattled off my stellar resume. “Cashier, barista, receptionist and most recently the billing department at the hospital.” Nothing like calling sick and dying people and threatening them to pay their hospital bill or else. No wonder it’d been such an easy job to get. It was a step up from the coffee houses and shit reception jobs, but not by much.
“Are you going to be missed at work on Monday?”
“Doubtful.” No one liked me, I’d made sure of that. I did my job but I was prickly to anyone who tried to befriend me.
Buck didn’t question it, instead he handed me his phone. “Call your credit cards and bank and freeze your accounts. Unless you think they’ll use your credit cards, then close them out.”
I took the phone. Normally, I would’ve said Miami wouldn’t touch my money, but I saw tonight that it’d become a whole new game. “I have no idea what they’re capable of anymore.”
Buck’s eyes cut to mine then he looked back to the highway. “Explain.”
“There’s always been this arbitrary line. Miami threatens, I push back, we dance. I wind up doing what he says, and they keep at a relative distance. But tonight they came into my apartment.”
“That’s never happened before?”
“No. I mean, they leave presents, sorta, occasionally.”
The tick in Buck’s jaw came back. “Like?” he asked through gritted teeth.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him but I’d already opened the door. “I burned my hand making dinner one night, the next morning a first-aid kit was on my doorstep.” I paused because Buck’s hands had visibly tightened on the steering wheel.
“And?”
“I needed new tires so I spent an afternoon driving around town price shopping. Two days later I came out of work and my car had new tires.” My hands twisted in my lap.
“What else?” he snapped.
“I, um.” I cleared my throat.
“Layna,” he warned.
“I got pissed one day and threw my cell phone out the window and Shorty bought me a new one and shoved it down my pajamas and threatened me,” I said in rush.
“He what?” Buck roared.
“He bought—”
“I heard you! When was this?”
I shrunk in my seat. “Last week.”
“Where?”
“My apartment. He pounded on the door in the middle of the night.” My voice sounded like a child’s.
“Where? Your shirt?” he barked.
Tears sprung up in my eyes. I shook my head.
The car swerved off the highway, he slammed on the brakes then he grabbed my face. “He will never touch you again, you hear me?”
I blinked back the tears and nodded.
He cursed then the angry lines on his forehead smoothed out. “This is not your fault.”
“I know.” I knew that. I did. But the cell phone thing was a stupid move on my part.
Buck inhaled but he didn’t loosen his grip. “Did he do anything else to you?”
“No.” Thank God.
Buck let go of me and sat back in his seat. His fists clenched once then he pulled back onto the highway. “Call your bank and credit cards.”
I made the calls then I handed the phone back.
“How much money you got on you?” Buck asked.
Technically? “None.”
Buck breathed in deep and let out a slow breath. “That box is way too heavy for tampons. If I were about to walk away from my life, there’s only one thing I’d take. If you don’t want to tell me, fine. I just want to make sure you have enough to keep you for a while.”
Reeling from his earlier outburst, feeling too vulnerable for comfort, I lashed out. “Why? You going to float me?” Defensive sarcasm at its best, I was a master.
“No.”
“Gee, thanks.” I smirked.
Buck looked at me with dead seriousness. “But I will give you money if you need it.”
Well...shit...he might actually be telling the truth. “I’m good,” I mumbled.
“You’re good?”
I sighed. “Ten grand,” I admitted. There was no point hiding it. He’d come back. He could’ve left me at the hotel but he came back. He could’ve stolen the money but I saw the box still bulging in his pants pocket. He could’ve done a lot of things, but so far he’d done nothing except help me with my fucked-up life.
“Ten grand? In that small box?”
Okay, here’s why I knew I was a little fucked up. His disbelief made me proud of myself. “Yep, ten grand. One hundred hundred-dollar bills.”
Buck whistled. “Please tell me it isn’t stolen.”
Now that was insulting. “I earned that money!” So yeah, maybe my parents had died and being their only heir, I inherited everything. But it was in a trust until I was twenty. I got an allowance and the house in Miami was taken care of in case I wanted to live there but everything else, I earned—the hard, old-fashioned way. And let me tell you, ten grand is a lot of mochas to sling.
“All right.” He smiled. “Just checking.”
And just like that, everything bad melted away. That smile, his smile, it was one hundred percent lethal. Then I did something really, really stupid. I blurted out four little words I never should have strung together. “I love your smile.”
Buck’s face dropped. His mask fell back into place and I wanted to crawl into the glove box.
Then, because I’d never been in this situation with all these uncomfortable emotions swirling in my brain, my mouth took over—at warp speed. “I mean, your smile, it’s great. As far as smiles go, yours is, you know, like super. All white teeth, dimples, all the way to your eyes, I’m just saying, it’s like a picture smile. You know, model smile? Not like I mean it’s great for me, but in general great, for everybody. Like, you should share it more with the general populous, smile. That kind of smile.”
Buck’s hand closed over mine. “I get it,” he said quietly.
My breath whooshed out of me. “Okay, good, because...”
He squeezed my hand. “Layna.”
Gulp. “Yeah?”
“Your smile is beautiful.”
Damn. Just...yeah, wow, okay...damn. Totally wasn’t prepared for that. “Thanks,” I muttered. Sinking further into the soft leather, I stared out the windshield like my life depended on it.
Buck brought our clasped hands to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
I didn’t say another word, I couldn’t.
Buck held my hand all the way to Daytona.
Chapter Six
Buck drove through Daytona pro
per and went over a bridge onto the barrier island. I watched the moonlight dance on the intracoastal and my whole body relaxed. I’d grown up next to the water. South Florida was tropical and beautiful and the ocean spoke to me. I felt at peace by its shores. This was life at its most basic. Tide came, tide went. Sun rose, sun set. Wind shifted sand, sand shifted life. The only constant was everything changed. You couldn’t see it in a blink of an eye but you missed it if you were gone a day. Life in all of its elements: sun, sand, water, wind. That was peace to me.
Buck dragged A1A south for a mile or two then turned onto a canopied sand driveway. One curve and a house sprouted out of the sea grapes, palmettos and swaying palms. Its weathered Spanish architecture looked half a century old. It was simply beautiful. Flood lights came on as we pulled next to the garage.
Buck cut the engine and turned to face me. “Talon’s flirtatious to the point of being obnoxious but he’s a good guy. Don’t take his inappropriate comments to heart. We’re here because I trust him and because when I’m with my mom, he’ll keep you safe.”
He’s leaving me here? To keep me safe? I looked down at my lap, unable to process why I suddenly wanted to cry.
“Hey.” Buck’s fingers gently tipped my chin. “Look at me.”
The glow of the floodlights made his eyes look almost colorless.
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I had no one. And in one single sentence, I’d become someone to somebody. I couldn’t breathe with the emotions threatening to drown me in hope. “Why?” I choked on the single word, tears slipping down my cheeks.
Gentle thumbs wiped my hot tears. “Because you’re mouthy and sexy and I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted to kiss a woman.”
His deep voice stole my breath before his lips landed on mine and stole my reason. I didn’t think about my arms going around his neck. I didn’t think about him pulling me to his chest. I didn’t think about the incredible scent of his skin or the feel of his hard muscles and simmering body heat. I didn’t think about what I was doing or where I was. I didn’t think at all. But when his tongue touched mine? I thought I’d die.
A shiver racked my body and the sound of need coming from my chest terrified me. Gripping a handful of my hair, Buck crushed his lips against mine as his hand splayed across my lower back, pressing me deeper into his embrace.
This wasn’t a kiss. I’d been kissed before and this wasn’t even close. This was me being ruined. Touched, marked and taken, it felt like my heart had just been branded. Buck branded. Panic seeped into my veins and spread. But his lips moved to my neck, and desire shot through me like freedom. Free to be me, free to be a woman, free to touch a man. I threw my head back and moaned at the exquisite feel of his hands and lips on me.
“Layna.” His hoarse voice saying my name was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
My fingers ran through his soft hair and I pulled him closer.
Buck groaned and dragged his teeth along my ear. “We have company.”
Did I care?
His chest heaving, Buck cupped my face. “You’re beautiful, Layna Blair.” Then he dropped his hands and got out of the car.
Damn.
Trying to catch my breath, I pushed the car door open and saw our interruption. Bleach-blond hair, broad shoulders, ripped muscles, and a too-sexy-to-be-real V at the bottom of a six pack disappeared into loose-hanging board shorts. With a tan too dark to be fake and a lazy smile that didn’t quite fit the mischief in his eyes, he was a few inches shorter than Buck. Hands on his hips, he watched with amusement as I got out of the car.
“I can’t wait for this explanation.” Talon had a slight drawl.
Buck cleared his throat. “Layna, this is Talon. Talon, Layna.”
Smiling a smile I was sure made women swoon, Talon held out his hand. “Pleasure.” He winked, holding my hand a little too long.
Buck eyed Talon like he wanted to kill him.
“Same.” I tried not to smile. Oh, this was going to be fun. Let the pissing begin.
Talon grinned at Buck. “So that’s it?”
“Don’t fucking start,” Buck warned.
Talon threw his head back and howled with laughter. “Start? What makes you think I ever stopped?” He turned and focused bright green eyes on me. “You’re the prettiest exotic beauty I’ve ever seen, sweetheart. What are you?”
I was sure Talon got any woman he wanted. His body alone was mouthwatering but personally? I avoided men like him like the plague. “I’m thirsty.”
Talon laughed again. The rich sound echoed with the humor of someone unconcerned about life. “C’mon darlin’, you’re just so gorgeous, I’m forgettin’ my manners. Let’s get you somethin’ to drink. Besides—” he slung his arm around my shoulders and glanced back at Buck, “—I can’t wait to hear why I had to call in a death threat. Been a long time for one of those.” He grinned.
Smelling like sun and sand and coconut surf wax, Talon led us into his house. A staircase took us upstairs to a combo kitchen, dining, living room. The entire east wall was floor-to-ceiling windows that I was sure offered a spectacular view of the ocean by day. In keeping with the outside appearance of the house, Spanish tiles covered the floors, but everything else inside was modern and new.
Talon went to a double-glass-door fridge like you’d see in a restaurant kitchen and pulled out two beers. Twisting the cap off, he held one out to me.
Before I could blink, Buck snatched it from Talon. “She hasn’t eaten.”
“Are you serious?” I snapped at Buck, aghast.
Talon looked shocked for a split second then burst out laughing. Piercing me with a look, Buck poured the beer down the drain.
It was so on. I looked at Talon and smiled sweetly. “Got any tequila?”
“Oh yeah, my kinda woman.” His smile turned megawatt and Talon reached into a cupboard, pulling out three short glasses and a bottle of Jose Cuervo.
Not my favorite, but it’d have to do. Talon ushered me to the couch while Buck glared daggers at him.
“C’mon, Deer Hunter, the buzz will be good for you.” Talon inclined his head at Buck and pointed to a chair with the hand that held the tequila. “We’ll have a drink and I’ll order food. Sit.”
Buck stood.
Talon eased down next to me and filled the three glasses. When he looked up and saw Buck was still standing, breathing fire in his direction, Talon’s expression went deadly. His eyes locked on Buck’s and his voice went quiet like Buck’s did when he was pissed. “Sit, Marine.”
Buck held Talon’s stare for five long seconds then slowly lowered himself to the edge of a chair. Fingers laced, he rested his elbows on his knees. The muscles in his biceps bulged, his jaw ticked, and his nostrils flared. I didn’t know if he was pissed at Talon for the tequila or because Talon told him what to do. All I knew, the testosterone in the room was thick enough to choke a horse.
Talon handed me a shot and pushed another across the coffee table to Buck. Picking his up, he raised his hand. “To congressmen’s daughters.” He downed the shot.
The color drained from my face.
Buck inhaled sharply, grabbed his shot, dumped it in a potted plant then slammed the glass back on the table. Rising to his feet, he glared at Talon. “Outside. Now.” He strode to the stairs.
Talon rose effortlessly. “Miss Dellis,” he said quietly.
“Layna Blair,” I corrected, but my voice sounded weak.
Talon spared me a glance from the top of the stairs. “Right.”
I threw my shot back.
Then another.
I poured a third and contemplated the wisdom of it, feeling the burn already. Would being drunk make everything go away? Would it kill the testosterone-fueled energy buzzing around my head? Would it dampen the memory of that kiss? Oh my God, that kiss. As much as I wanted everything else to be more important, I couldn’t make any other priority stick. That. Kiss. I shook my head. Third shot it was. I rai
sed the glass and Buck was suddenly there.
“How many does that make?”
I looked up. Buck had his hands on his hips and Talon stood behind him. They both wore the same unreadable expression. I decided it must be a marine thing. “Including the ones earlier?” I wasn’t trying to be snarky, I just thought, considering Buck’s mood and all, honesty was probably a good bet right now.
“No.” His jaw clenched.
“Three?” It came out like a question.
“Three,” he repeated.
But four would be better. So much better. This man was driving me to drink. “What do you care?”
Buck grabbed my upper arm then the bottle and pulled me to my feet. As soon as I was upright, I felt the shots. Let’s hear it for empty stomachs.
Buck thrust the bottle at my chest and bent his knees so his face was level with mine. “Drink yourself to fucking death for all I care,” he spat out in a vicious whisper.
“Deer Hunter,” Talon warned, but I held my hand up. I could fight my own battles, thank you very much.
“I think I’m good, thanks,” I said cheerfully, and set the bottle down.
Talon’s eyes widened. “Hot damn.”
Buck’s fingers tightened on my arm.
“You can unhand me now, Deer Hunter.” My voice dripping sugar, I smiled.
“You and I need to talk.” Buck didn’t let go of my arm.
No, I needed distance. From Buck. He wasn’t good for my self-discipline. And? I was starting to get a teensy bit panicked about what, exactly, I’d gotten myself into. Hours from home, Miami pissed, no car, no phone, holed up with two complete strangers who were trained to kill a hundred different ways from Sunday with their bare hands. I was a murder statistic waiting to happen. In fact, I’d bundled myself up all pretty, ripe for the taking, and left no trail.
How stupid could I be? Shit, I needed a ride. Better yet, I needed a cab to the nearest hotel—one with bars on the windows.
“Yeah, about that, maybe another time. I’m kinda over talking right now. It’s late, a girl’s gotta get her beauty rest, ya know? How about you get me a cab and we call it night. Thanks for the ride and all but I’m tired.” I fake yawned.