Fuck that.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of it. I’m on my way.”
* * *
Almost twenty minutes had passed before Caleb turned onto the all but hidden dirt road. Another ten minutes passed before he pulled into the gravel lot in front of The Five Crowns. How had she found this place anyway? Knowing the clientele, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
Motorcycles, parked side-by-side, lined the front of the bar. A few trucks were scattered around, causing him to wonder where Samantha had left her car. That could explain how she’d found the place. She’d hitched a ride with someone. He really hoped he didn’t have to fight some drunk asshole tonight.
The men who haunted this bar were a good lot, always willing to give Caleb a fair fight when he had energy to burn. He’d had his ass kicked in this parking lot almost as many times as he’d kicked ass. And then they’d go back inside as if nothing had ever happened. He had a feeling it wouldn’t end as well with Samantha in the mix.
It took him all of three seconds to locate her. There were at least ten men, every patron in the bar as far as he could tell, hovering around one table. Samantha’s bright auburn hair stood out in the sea of denim and black leather. She was bent forward, the sorry excuse for a top she wore gaping open as she studied the cards on the table.
“Hey, handsome.”
Caleb turned toward the bar and smiled. The tiny, dark-headed minx behind the bar was one of the few people he enjoyed being around. She’d owned the bar for as long as Caleb had been coming here. She wasn’t one of those annoying people who tried to get up in his business. She didn’t push. She served his drinks, took his money, and didn’t take his shit. He’d seen enough to know he didn’t ever want to end up on the business end of the shotgun she kept behind the bar. Or the baseball bat.
“Hey, Rosanna,” he said as he approached, walking around to the end of the bar so he could sweep her into a bear hug. “Everyone behaving themselves tonight?”
“Everyone but me, you big ox,” she teased and gave him a quick squeeze. “Now, put me down before you ruin my reputation.”
Caleb’s laugh rang out, deep and husky. He placed her on her feet and stepped back, putting a few feet between them. “We wouldn’t want that now, would we?”
“I’d never recover from the gossip of being tagged with the likes of you. All other men pale in comparison.” She fisted her hands over her heart in dramatic fashion.
“I do what I can, baby doll. What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink in this place?”
She winked. “You do know how to give a girl ideas, don’t you? But instead, how’s about you just order one? I’d say that’s the easiest route to getting your drink.”
“Water?”
Her brows shot up and understanding dawned in her eyes. “Right.” She reached down, twisting off the cap and sending it flying toward the trash as she put the bottle in front of him. She jutted her chin toward the crowd. “You’re here for the redhead?”
He didn’t even ask how she’d guessed that. Caleb turned around to find Samantha’s gaze on him. Even in the poor lighting, he could see the furrow of her brow as she scowled at him. If she thought that would intimidate him, the woman was crazy. The fact that she was here, alone, pissed him off. She was tough, sure. But could she hold her own against a bunch of drunks twice her size? Her sense of self-preservation was severely lacking—something he’d discuss with her once he got her in the truck.
He turned back to Rosanna. “Yep. You reckon I’ll be able to get her away from that mob without any trouble?” He took a casual swig from the bottle.
“You make sure you do or I’ll shoot every one of you.”
He gave her a nod and walked to the table, taking up position behind Samantha’s chair. He bit back a curse when he glanced down and noticed that not only was her top cut low in the front, it was completely nonexistent in the back except for a tiny strap that ran just under her shoulder blades. From the way she sat, he could see the creamy smooth color of her skin, the sleek line of her spine. Against his better judgment, his gaze followed that line, all the way to the top of her jeans.
She turned, drawing all eyes with her movement.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m wondering that myself,” he muttered.
She turned back around and waved her hand. “Horseman, everybody. Everybody, horseman.”
He smiled with a playfulness he didn’t feel. “Hey guys. I hope you won’t mind if I borrow the little lady. We have business to discuss.” He wrapped his hand around her arm and jerked her to her feet.
“Jesus, horseman, all you had to do was ask,” Samantha bit out, but thankfully, didn’t fight him.
Caleb ignored the men yelling protests as he dragged Samantha toward the door.
“Don’t even think about it, boys,” he heard Rosanna say. “Keep your seats or get the hell out and don’t come back. Ever.”
The noise immediately died down. None of the regulars wanted to tempt fate when it held a shotgun.
Caleb all but shoved Samantha out the front door and turned her into the side of the building. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?”
Hurt flashed in her eyes at his words. “Why do you even care? Christ, Caleb. You’ve hated me since day one. Why are you even here?” Samantha pushed at his chest. “Let me go, damn it!”
“I’m not letting you go anywhere. Look at yourself, Samantha. You’re dressed like a hooker. Where is your self-respect?”
“My self … oh, you bastard. It’s about to be shoved up your ass.”
Caleb’s palm shot out, effectively blocking the knee she’d meant for his balls.
“Tsk, tsk. Is that any way to treat your ride?”
Her expression melted into horror. “Oh, hell no. I’m gonna kick Alec’s ass for this. I’ll call a cab before I go anywhere with you.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Caleb literally vibrated with anger. He’d never struck a woman in his life, but right now he wanted nothing more than to turn her over his knee and tan her ass. He shoved his cell phone in her hand. “Call your cab. You’ll sit in my truck while you wait and I’ll follow until I’m sure you’re home safe.”
“Go home, Caleb. I’ll find my own way. I don’t need you. There’s plenty of men here who can get me home. In fact, Mark has made me a very interesting offer.”
“Mark?”
She raised a delicate shoulder in a shrug, but Caleb knew better. The woman was hell on wheels.
“He’s the guy who brought me here. It’s only fair to let him take me home.”
He cocked a brow. “Is that so? Then why did you call Alec?” Caleb released her, walking her back into the wall. “Here’s what I think. I think you know damn good and well how childish you’re acting. So, why don’t you stop fighting and let me take your stubborn ass home. The sooner you cooperate, the sooner we can be away from each other. Got it?”
“Fuck you.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Caleb laced his fingers with hers and started toward his truck. “And before you get any ideas, I wouldn’t push me any further if I were you. I won’t think twice about tossing you over my shoulder.” She stayed silent, wisely taking his threat to heart. “Good girl. Do you have a bag or a purse or something? If you do, I’ll go back —”
He stopped abruptly, the skin at the back of his neck tingling. He glanced back at the door of the bar, but no one had exited behind them. His gut tightened as he scanned the lot, the feeling of unease growing with every step.
Placing his hand against the small of Samantha’s back, Caleb maneuvered her against his side, shielding her between his body and the line of vehicles as they walked around.
“I didn’t bring a purse.” She wiggled against him. “Stop doing that.”
He glanced down at her. “Doing what?”
“Touching my back like that.”
He curled his hand around her waist. He wasn’t letting her
go until they got to the safety of his truck, so she’d just have to deal. “Better?”
“No.”
“Too bad.” His gut was screaming by the time they reached his truck. He glanced around the lot one more time as he clicked the remote to unlock the doors.
A loud noise shot out, resonating through the air. Fire singed across Caleb’s arm a split second before the passenger side window exploded. Caleb jerked, pulled Samantha against him, and spun them to the ground. He covered her body with his, protecting her head with his hands. He pressed her cheek against the dirt as two more rounds were fired, slamming into the side of his truck.
Caleb put his mouth to Samantha’s ear. “Listen to me. When I move, I want you to get your ass under the truck and stay there. Do you hear me, Samantha? Stay under the truck.”
“W-what are you going to do?”
“I’m gonna find the fucker who’s shooting at us, that’s what I’m going to do.” His hand went to his belt and he cursed. His weapon was in the truck.
“No, Caleb. Please. Let’s just go.”
The fear in Samantha’s voice made his chest tighten. She was fearless. The kind of woman who could tame a bar full of muscle-bound bikers in the blink of an eye, or take out their balls even faster. She’d never been afraid of anything.
“Crawl under the truck, Samantha. Now.” Caleb shifted, pushing at her as she dug her hands into the dirt and pulled herself out of sight, her red cowgirl boots the last thing he saw before she disappeared.
Dawn would break in a few hours, but that didn’t help him now. He couldn’t see shit beyond the road, but at least he knew the direction the shots had come from. If he could get around to the other side, he’d pull Samantha up and get her in the truck and they could get the hell out of here. Once she was safe, he’d hunt the shooter down and make whomever it was sorry they’d been born.
Making his way to the driver’s side of his truck, Caleb kept his head low and his eyes peeled. “Samantha? I want you to take my hand. I’m going to pull you up and I want you to get into the truck as fast as you can. I want you to stay low, on the floorboard. Keep your head down. You got it?”
Her voice was quiet. “Yes.”
Her hand closed around his. “Ready? Now!”
Caleb pulled her out from under the truck and threw open the door.
“Go, go, go,” he chanted, pushing her into the truck and climbing in behind her. Samantha crawled across the seat and moved to curl up on the floor, her head against the seat. Caleb didn’t waste any time. He threw the truck into gear and slammed on the accelerator, turning the wheel hard to the left to avoid hitting the other cars in the lot.
The back window exploded in a shower of tiny chips of glass. “Goddammit!” Caleb ducked and spun them onto the road leading to the highway.
Adrenaline surged through his system, pumping in his ears as he fought to gain control. He kept the lights off, randomly making turns and driving like a bat out of hell. He knew this area like the back of his hand, so he didn’t worry about the lights or getting lost.
Once he was sure they weren’t being followed, Caleb turned his attention to his passenger. The woman had been uncharacteristically quiet and he wondered if he should be worried. He never knew what to expect from her, and it kept him off balance. On edge.
“It’s okay for you to sit up in the seat now, Samantha.” His voice shook with the anger that still raged through him. He pushed a button on the steering wheel. “Alec,” he barked.
His call connected and Alec answered on the first ring.
“You get Sam home okay?” Alec said in way of greeting.
Caleb glanced at Samantha as she eased up into the seat. She moved slowly, carefully, as she reached over her shoulder for the seatbelt. No doubt she’d bear bruises tomorrow from the way he’d tossed her to the ground. He frowned, the thought of her smooth skin being marred affecting him more than he’d like to admit.
“I want to know where Vincent Matteo is, and I want to know right fucking now, Alec.”
“Did something happen? I told you, Caleb, he’s laying low. Off the radar.”
“He may be laying low, but the assholes who work for him aren’t.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Someone just took shots at us!” he roared.
“What? Are you okay? Jesus, Caleb. What the hell happened?”
“Where are we going?” Samantha’s voice broke into the conversation.
Ignoring her question, Caleb continued. “We were leaving the bar. First shot grazed my arm before taking out the passenger’s side window. Two more rounds into the side of the truck. Shooter went quiet for a minute, affording me the time to get Samantha in the truck. Last shot took out the back window as we were pulling out.”
“We’ll need those rounds.”
“You can have whatever the fuck you want. I want Vincent Matteo. Find him.”
Caleb disconnected the call, the need to kick some serious ass overwhelming in its intensity.
“Caleb? Where are we going?”
“Well, we sure as hell can’t go back to your place,” he snapped. If she’d kept her ass at home tonight, this would have never happened. No, it could have been worse. She could have been alone at home or … hell, he was a bastard, wasn’t he? He was sure she’d been scared and was probably now on her way to being in shock. He needed to get his head out of his ass.
“Caleb?”
He looked her way. Pure, unadulterated fury poured from her gaze.
“I don’t give a crap where we go.” Samantha held her hands out in front of her. Blood covered her palms. “But, wherever it is, we should probably get there quick.”
Chapter 2
There were two things guaranteed to sober a girl up right quick. Being shot at and an angry Caleb Martin.
Caleb slammed on the brakes, the truck fishtailing as he forced it to the side of the road. Samantha threw out her hands, one against the dash and one against the door, to keep herself from colliding with either.
She turned with every intention of yelling at him, but a glimpse of blood on his arm brought her up short. “Are you hurt?” For all she knew, it could be her blood smeared across his arm.
His jaw clenched. “Just a scratch. I’ll live.”
He struggled out of his seatbelt, pushed the center console up, and then he was on her. His hands running over her head, chest, arms, stomach.
Under different circumstances, Sam figured she’d enjoy this. She’d dreamed of his hands on her. Caressing her, teasing her, pleasuring her. Now, however, the pain in her side outweighed any desire she’d had to let Caleb feel her up. Not to mention he’d never treated her with anything but distain. He didn’t want her. Sexually, or otherwise.
“Are you hit? Jesus Christ, Samantha. Why didn’t you say something?”
“I’m bleeding all over your seat. How’s that for something?” She squirmed around, putting her back against the door to give her better leverage to hold him off. “I’m not hit, Caleb.” When had he grown nine hands? She slapped at his arms as he tried to lift the front of her shirt. “Stop, just stop. I fell on a bottle or something when you tackled me. I’ll be fine if you get me somewhere I can clean up. Take me to a gas station and drop me off for all I care. I can use the bathroom there and call a cab.”
He reared back, clearly insulted. His eyes narrowed as he snarled at her. “I’m not dropping you off at a fucking gas station. What kind of man do you think I am?”
Samantha looked down, studying the blood drying on her palms. She knew what kind of man he was. He put on a good front with all the scowling and grouchiness, but Samantha saw right through him. Always had. Maybe that was why he hated her.
He was the kind of man who would give his life for those he loved. A man tormented by his past, something Samantha understood all too well. And he was stubborn as a mule.
They were two peas in a pod.
“Fine. Whatever.” she said quietly, tired of fighting with
him. She turned forward again, careful of the glass from the shattered window. She hissed as a piece pressed into her palm, adding to her injuries. So far, her jeans had protected her backside from the broken pebbles, but that didn’t mean it was comfortable. “If you won’t take me home, then take me to a hotel.”
“I need to know how badly you’re hurt. Do you need a hospital?”
“No hospital. Hotel.”
“You aren’t going to let me look?”
“No.” She’d had enough of his hands on her for one night. “I’m fine, Caleb,” she murmured. “Nothing a pair of tweezers, some peroxide, and a bandage can’t take care of.” Her voice drifted off.
“Let me see.”
“No.”
Caleb closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Please.”
A laugh burst from her lips. “Wow, that had to hurt.” Even in her amusement, Samantha’s heartbeat kicked up a notch as her mind struggled with his sudden concern for her.
The woman in her recognized him as a delicious male specimen—golden good looks, amazing body, and bad boy attitude. Caleb oozed the kind of confidence that came from knowing he could get the job done. What woman wouldn’t dream of having a man like that riding between her thighs?
The bedroom was the one place Sam wouldn’t mind giving up control. Relish it, actually, if she could find a man who could handle her. Deep down in her frilly parts, she knew Caleb could be that man. If only she was more to him than just an adjunct responsibility to his sister.
Not that she was bitter or anything.
Shit. Her life was a mess and now she was going all girly when she needed to man up. Exhaustion and alcohol had turned her into a sentimental fool.
Could this day get any worse?
“Samantha?”
“Yeah. I heard you. But, as usual, you aren’t hearing me. I don’t know why I’m surprised. You never hear anything unless it’s coming out of your own mouth.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind. I don’t need you to rescue me. I’m a big girl. Your need to protect me out of some twisted sense of duty to your sister is annoying, and frankly, I’ve had enough of it.”
Shadow of Sin (The Martin Family) Page 2