Retro stomped his boots against the flagstone at the bottom of the kitchen steps, a feature that hadn’t existed before. Einstein followed suit, noting other changes since he’d been here last. The railing was new, sanded smooth, and stained a dark color to match the older treads. In the darkness, it looked like the paint around the door had been touched up, too.
Light flooded out as Retro opened the door and went inside, Einstein a stride behind him. The party in the house hadn’t yet flagged, with the kitchen and what he could see of the living room packed with bodies.
“So much for getting some shut-eye soon,” he murmured to Retro, gesturing towards the couch currently seating four couples, women on the men’s laps.
“I’d offer you my bed in exchange, but—” Retro laughed aloud, grinning broadly. “I don’t wanna.”
“Asshole.” Einstein thudded a fist against Retro’s shoulder. “I’ve got my tent. I can head back out and set up.”
“There are two guest bedrooms.” The soft female voice had Einstein spinning with a grin. “I saved one of them for you, Einstein.”
He held out his arms, pleased when Marian immediately moved in for a hug. “Woman, it’s good to see you.” He stepped back, hands sliding down to curl around her wrists. “You look good.”
“The rooms are ready if you’re tired now.” Rolling her eyes, she brushed off his compliment. “I heard what you and Horse did for Myrt earlier. It was very sweet.”
“Weren’t you in the other room upstairs?” Einstein remembered Bane’s explanation of why he needed to bunk on the couch the first time he’d stayed over. He dropped his hold on her arms. “I’m not taking your bed, am I?”
“No, I’ve moved to a room on this floor.” She tipped her head to the side, eyes tracking across his face. She snorted a quiet laugh at whatever she saw. “And yes, before you even ask, it’s got a lock on the inside. I’m not sure why men with such honor believe others with the same are untrustworthy, but I’m not going to argue.”
That question had been on the tip of his tongue, but he just gave her a grin. “We cookin’ breakfast in the morning?” Most of the days he’d spent in Baker had all begun the same as the first, with Marian out of bed before the rest of the house, and Einstein happy to assist in whatever she was making for food.
The pillion motorcycle ride back to the homesteads had done more than broken whatever remaining reticence had her holding back. She’d gone from giving lip service about trusting him to giving him a glimpse into her bone-deep belief in his goodness. He’d held on to that through long nights since, when his doubts of his worthiness surfaced. Regret at how he’d failed to save Lauren and Makayla still bubbled along under his skin, but something about Marian’s explicit trust helped salve the wounds.
“Eggs and meat. One thing I’ve learned is that Bane’s friends can eat copious amounts of meat.” She grinned at him, then offered a shyer one to Retro. “Hello again.”
“Hey there, Maid Marian.” That had her rolling her eyes again, Gunny’s nickname for her still making her flush a delicate pink. “I’m going to head up. Assuming Myrt and the boys are already in bed?”
“They are.” Marian looked over her shoulder at a call from someone. “I need to go back and help out.” She jabbed a thumb at the kitchen.
“Go see what they need. Just make sure you’re safe and smart.” Einstein reached out and brushed a finger across the back of her hand. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He watched her walk away.
“She’s a good woman.” Retro’s words made Einstein realize he’d blanked on the man. He turned and glanced at Retro’s face, surprised to find a puzzled expression there. “Looks like you’ve got a good friendship brewing. Maybe something more?”
His head jerked back. “What? No. Hell no. We got into a routine when I was here before and got familiar. She helps out so much, people don’t even realize, so I took on a little bit of that for her. That’s all.” Suddenly uncomfortable, he reached for the doorknob. “I’m going to grab my bag off the bike. See you in the morning?”
“Yeah, brother.” Retro’s hand landed on his shoulder, fingers gripping deep against the leather. “See you then.”
Einstein fled the house. There was no other word for it, and he was self-aware enough to own his actions.
No way.
Retro was wrong. What he held for Marian were respect and friendship. When he’d first met her, she’d been just off her rescue, literally days from being under the thumb of her father. It had been gratifying to watch as she gained even tiny amounts of self-confidence. The effortless way she trusted him after the bike ride was a great memory, sure. Even if he’d steadfastly ignored the physical feelings of her thighs on either side of his hips. Closeness was a necessity when riding double. Then, after he’d left Baker, when he’d called Bane’s house it hadn’t been to speak to her. There’d been business behind every single call, and he’d conducted that with Bane, as intended. Of course, if she answered, they’d spend a while on the line, just talking through their days, but that didn’t mean anything. Her seeking him out tonight didn’t mean anything either. Neither did his desire to see her safe and cared for.
There isn’t anything else here.
Retro wasn’t wrong often, but he had been with his speculation tonight.
Einstein touched the front of his vest, the ever-present hard plastic of the toothbrush safe in the inside pocket.
I love Lauren, doesn’t matter she’s gone. Love my girls.
Einstein leaned his ass against the seat of his bike, head bowed. With his eyes tightly closed, he worked to pull up the memories that had at one time often swamped him.
Lauren’s terrified face, the gag painfully pulling at the corners of her mouth. The blanket-covered bodies on the floor of the van in Florida. The day of the funeral, Lauren’s mother and father audibly weeping while Einstein stood over the graves as rain pattered down, as if even the sky cried for the loss. Those all came to him easily, raking their blades through his insides until he was bleeding and weak.
He pushed himself further, looking back to when he’d first met Lauren. Those were still harder to surface, and the most he could get was the soft expression on her face as she held their daughter for the first time. He fought for something, anything, unable even to come up with the feel of her skin against his.
Then his brain supplied the tender sensation of Marian’s hand, hot against his fingertips as he touched her gently.
His dick twitched.
“Fuck no.”
***
Marian
“Marian.”
Retro’s call surprised her, since she’d just left where he’d stood with Einstein. Turning, she saw he was alone. She glanced at the stairs, expecting to see Einstein making his way up them. Instead, it looked like he’d disappeared. Retro gestured, calling her over with a smile.
“Yes?” The dozen strides felt like a country mile, taking forever, because she knew from Bane that this man had a high ranking in their world. A world she existed within in only an ancillary fashion, along the edges. “What can I do for you, Retro?” Through the months, she’d decided the complicated protocol of Bane’s world boiled down to two things. One, don’t approach a man who hadn’t initiated a conversation, and two, apply respect in every interaction.
“Wondered if I could pick your brain for a minute.” Retro’s gaze on her was unwavering, his sharp eyes locked on her face for some reason. “Einstein’s stepped outside for a bit. Will the door still be unlocked later, or should I text him to call him back now?”
“With so many of the FRMC in attendance, it’s unlikely Bane will lock the door.” She gestured at the room behind her. “Any of the members would be better to ask than me.”
“But I’m asking you. Seems like you’ve slipped into a tailor-made role here. Carved out a place for yourself.” Retro’s mouth smiled, the expression not reaching his eyes, and the observation made her uncomfortable. “Sweet deal, if you ask me.”
<
br /> “I’m only doing what’s needed.” Threading her fingers together, she hid the way her hands shook at his questioning. I’m not a fraud. The reminder made her rebuttal stronger than it might have been a moment before. “Swear, I’m not pushing into anything that’s not my business.” This man is important to Einstein, even more so than to Bane. “Promise, I’m not in anything I shouldn’t be.”
“Oh, I’ve no doubt of that.” He waved a hand expansively, stirring the air between them, that careful distance she was always careful to maintain. Except with Einstein. “Do you think I should call Einstein back now or let him wander outside?”
“I thought he was going to bed soon? Why would he have gone back outside? Did he forget something?” She glanced at the door, failing to penetrate the darkness beyond the glass. “And as far as what you need to do, Retro, I wouldn’t presume to try and dictate that, especially not where it involves Einstein.”
“Do you know his history?” The question seemed casual, spoken in a soft voice, but if anything, Retro’s gaze sharpened, piercing her through and through. “Know what happened to him?”
“If I did—” I don’t. She picked her words carefully, not wanting to give offense in her defense of the man she’d come to think of as a friend. “Then it still wouldn’t be my place to relate those stories. People’s business isn’t mine, and I try not to insert myself where I’d be unwanted.” If Einstein had something in his past he hadn’t shared with her, while it might hurt because of that friendship she’d imagined, maybe him not telling her wasn’t intentional. I’ll ask him tomorrow. “Retro, sir.”
“Oh, well done, lady.” This time Retro’s eyes shone with amusement matching the curve of his lips. “You’ll do for my boy, Marian. You’ll do.” He held out a hand and waited, stuck in that pose until Marian lifted her palm to meet his. “This is our pact. We’ll do what’s needed to get our boy to pull his head out of his ass. I’ll work on my side of things, and you—” He laughed softly, in a way that made her feel included in whatever the joke was. “You just be yourself. It’ll all work out in the end.”
Releasing her hand, he turned and made his way to the stairs, going upwards without a backwards glance.
What in the world did he mean by that?
She moved closer to the door and peered out, only seeing vague shapes of trees silhouetted against the orange of faraway flames.
Retro wanted her to help him keep Einstein safe. I can do that. She glanced at the rowdy crowd in the living room and kitchen, then gave them her back as she made her way down the back hallway to the little mudroom she’d turned into a private sanctuary for herself.
This close to the outside door, she’d be certain to hear the comings and goings of everyone. She locked the door and undressed, pulling on her sleep clothes and climbing into bed. Without meaning to, for as long as she stayed awake, she kept her ears tuned to the door opening and closing. Finally, the sound was followed by footsteps making their way upstairs.
Only then did Marian turn on her side and close her eyes, sinking quickly into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Ten
Marian
Rising to her toes, Marian felt the pull of tense muscles as she waved, hand still moving long after the disappearing figure would have stopped looking.
She rocked backwards, thudding painfully to her heels as she pulled in a long, slow breath.
Einstein had been here for three days. That totaled up to three shared mornings, orbiting around each other as they moved through the kitchen. Six rides sitting behind him, back and forth to town. In the year since she’d first met Einstein, Marian had been careful to keep her side of the relationship exactly as he seemed to need it. Loose, casual, and easy. Still, a dozen times she’d caught her gaze on him a little too long.
“You gonna tell him how you feel?” Retro’s voice startled her, and Marian whirled, staring up at him.
It took a long set of breaths in and out, but she finally found the words she needed to say. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” The man headed back inside, leaving Marian to glance over her shoulder at the empty road.
It’s the only way I can keep him as my friend.
Chapter Eleven
Marian
Laughing and looking up into Horse’s face, Marian let her imagination take her on a tiny trip. One where they were more than friends. She suppressed the shudder that rolled through her body. In the two years since she’d fallen into this enchanted life, her body and emotions still seemed to only react to one man, and it wasn’t Horse.
“Never met a girl who liked fishing.” Horse continued their conversation, not noticing Marian’s sidetrack into never-happening land. “You’re one of a kind, little sister.” His shoulder bumped against hers, rocking her sideways. “Whoever catches you better realize how much of a keeper you are.” He finished tying a new lure to the line and tossed his hook into the water, picking up the cane pole with one hand, the other patting her thigh gently.
“If there’s ever anyone fishing for something like me, they’d need to be bold enough to get past Gunny.” She finished piercing the wriggling cricket with her hook and swung the line out, dropping the hook into the deep end of the swirling pool of water. They were on the bank of the creek that ran behind the houses, at a spot where the water had eaten away at the bank, carving out a place where it grew wide and deep. “Not seeing that happening anytime soon, my friend.” Even with the open invitation to call him brother, she never took advantage of the offer. That word meant too much to the men in the clubs, and she would never hijack it for her own benefit.
“He does present a formidable barrier. What if…” The tip of his pole dipped, and he froze, fingers spread on the handle in anticipation. It stopped moving and he relaxed. “What if I could find someone that he’d approve of, would you be interested in dating?”
With a shake of her head, Marian cleared the images from her mind again. “I know you aren’t talking about yourself here.” His laughter made her smile, and she was glad he hadn’t taken her words as an insult. “Gunny’s made it clear what he thinks of that idea.”
“Oh, yeah. He has done that. No doubt about it.” Horse chuckled again. “No, I was thinking of this guy in town. I’ve seen him hanging around the club. Seems like a nice guy. Maybe date material?”
“I don’t know.” Her pole thrummed, bending nearly in half, and she was up in a flash, working the line up and down, creating momentum. “I got one.” With a final hard pull, she dragged the catfish free of the water and swung it over the bank behind them. Just in time, too, because it spat out the hook, cricket still in place, and fell to the dry ground. “He’s not bad.”
Horse thrust his pole into her hands as he stood. Capturing the flopping fish with one hand, he hooked fingers through its gills and brought it back to the edge of the creek where they had their stringer anchored. Just then, the tip of his pole dipped again, and Marian felt the rushing thrum through the cane pole that indicated there was a fish on the line.
With a whoop, she dropped her pole to the ground and anchored it with one foot, starting the same pull-and-release movement with Horse’s pole.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” He looked out at the water, then back to her with a deep line between his brows. “Ten fuckin’ seconds in your hand and the fish are basically jumping out of the water? What the everlovin’ hell?”
She wrenched on the pole, lifting hard, and propelled the fish from the water, watching as this much larger catfish spat the lure out like the other one had. It flopped around in the dirt, and she whooped again. “That’s ten pounds if he’s an ounce.” The hook swung over the water, and she nearly dropped it back in before deciding to look at the bait he’d used. “What are you fishin’ with? They like my crickets well enough, but I’m only getting ones that are a couple of pounds.” She’d caught eight so far to two of Horse’s, but the final filleted weight would be fairly even betw
een their two stringers.
“Don’t—”
Line in her hand, she ignored Horse’s bit-off shout, staring down at the shiny lure. “Is this what I think it is?”
A gruff, “What is it?” made her look up. Gunny stood nearby, and she saw his kids were playing in the water farther up the creek, where it was shallow enough to wade across. “Show me, little sister.”
Wordlessly, Marian held out the lure, still attached to the line. The rose gold cock and balls dangled upside down, tiny clusters of tied-off feathers affixed to the head.
“The fuck?” Gunny whirled to where Horse stood, hands on his hips as he surveyed the sky above. “You put a dick on her fishin’ pole? What kind of pervert are you, asshole? I knew I didn’t like you.”
“Shut up, man. That’s my pole and I’ll use whatever I want, dillweed. The fucker works.” Horse began chuckling, and she could scarcely make out his words. “It’s a—” He broke off, laughing again. “It’s a one-eyed winker. Good for one fish.”
“The fuck?” Gunny choked and started laughing. “One-eyed…what? You mean it’s here for a good time, not a long time?”
“Yeah.” Horse had bent over, still roaring. “It’s a jerk bait.” His hands flapped towards where Gunny was folded in half, laughing. “Not a trawler.”
The pole under her foot shook, and she looked down to see the tip vibrating. Tossing Horse’s pole to the ground, she ignored their raving in the background as she fought this newest catch to a fatigued standstill. With a final twitch, she pulled and lifted, the pole bending deeply as she swung the catfish to drop at Horse’s feet. The hook was embedded in its lower jaw, and Marian had her pliers in hand quickly, holding the fish still as she worked it free.
The hook was bare, and she grumbled, “He took my cricket.”
“Marian?” Still red in the face, Horse bent next to her. “Lemme get the stringers. With this one, I think we’ve got enough for supper.” As he leaned closer, his gaze darted from her eyes to her mouth and back again. His lips parted, tongue sweeping his bottom lip, and she stared at him in confusion. “Marian, I’d like to change my earlier—”
Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway Page 17