Dangerous Love

by Jamie Begley

  “Killy said it was her turn to do lunch, and that if it was that important to talk to her now, we’d have to meet here.”

  “This day is just getting better and better,” Hammer complained, reaching for the back door of the kitchen. Before he touched the handle, the door suddenly burst open, and two men came flying out, their fists pounding each other so hard grunts of pain filled the space.

  “Whoa.” Jonas started to try to break the two apart, but then stopped, recognizing the one with the fucked haircut. He couldn’t see who the other one was since Gavin had him in a headlock, his head buried under Gavin’s armpit as Gavin battered his back with his free hand.

  Hammer, also recognizing Gavin, stepped out of the way so he wouldn’t become a casualty.

  “I’m not going!” Gavin snarled, pounding his large fist on the man’s back again.

  “Yes, you fucking are!”

  Jonas finally realized who Gavin was fighting when Rider reached out for Gavin’s chest. He winced when he saw what Rider was doing.

  “I taught him that move,” Hammer said proudly.

  “You always get a kick out of teaching that technique. I prefer using other, less cruel ways.”

  Hammer shrugged. “I prefer to win.”

  “Me, too.”

  A feminine snicker had them both taking their eyes off the fight to see Killyama watching enthusiastically with a bloodthirsty look.

  “Should we try to break them up?”

  While Hammer gave him an are-you-fucking-crazy glare, Killyama thankfully didn’t take him up on the offer.

  “No. I’ll wait until Rider gets tired. Train and Cash are working out in the basement; they can break it up.”

  “Why don’t they just do it now?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Because that wouldn’t be any fun, now would it?”

  “I guess not,” Jonas said, moving her out of the way as the men barreled back in their direction.

  “So, what did you need to ask me?”

  “I need you to ask Shade if he can find out who rented a motel room in town.”

  It hit both Hammer and Jonas’s pride that they had to ask Shade for information, but it was the quickest way they could find Mary.

  Killyama gave him a puzzled look. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

  “I’ve tried to call him twice. We were hoping he would be here or at the factory, but his bike isn’t here. Pretty pissed off at him for him not answering, Hammer and I did a favor for him last night. Today? He can’t take five seconds to answer a text?”

  Jonas was becoming so aggravated that Shade hadn’t texted or called he thought about becoming involved in the fight just to blow some steam off. It only took him a minute to think it over; he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life being pushed in a wheelchair by Hammer.

  It was everything he could do not to intervene in the fight. Gavin had Rider by the throat and was shoving him up against the side of the clubhouse as if he were a paintbrush. It was hard for Hammer to take just standing there, too, since they both knew what Gavin had been through. Then again, they’d fought missions so they knew full-well what Gavin was capable of. The only reason Rider was still breathing was because the Reaper was holding himself back.

  “Let up, Gavin.” Hammer moved closer to the two men. Jonas could tell his friend was getting ready to step in now that Rider’s face was turning blue.

  “You should get Train and Cash,” Jonas told Killyama grimly, bracing himself for when Hammer stepped in.

  “I’m not going, got it?” Gavin yelled up at Rider’s purple face.

  “Fuck.” Hammer couldn’t take it anymore. He reached out to touch Gavin when Rider struck out, smashing his hands on each side of Gavin’s head.

  Gavin doubled over, holding his ears and allowing Rider to slide to the ground. Before Gavin could recover, Rider flashed out a foot, kicking Gavin in the stomach.

  “Someone is watching Jo and Crux, so either you convince Shade to go,” Rider choked out hoarsely, “or you go. I don’t care which you choose, but it won’t be me. I’ll give up being a Last Rider if it comes to that. And if you think I fucking won’t, fucking try me!” Turning his back on Gavin, he stormed back into the house, leaving Gavin lying there, watching him leave with a haggard expression on his face.

  Hammer and Jonas both turned their gazes away when Gavin followed him back inside.

  “Well, that was intense.”

  Killyama watched them both go inside before turning back to Jonas and Hammer. “So, why do you want to know who rented a room?”

  This was the tricky part that neither he nor Hammer wanted to go into.

  “It’s for a job we’re thinking of taking on.”

  “Bullshit. Moon said he saw you with a woman last night. Who was she?”

  “We don’t know,” he admitted.

  “Ah. Well, I guess I can use my magic on Shade and find out for you.”

  “What’s the catch?” Jonas knew better than to take Killyama’s offer at face value.

  “No catch. Just curious to see who the woman is that got you two interested enough to chase after her.”

  “We could be working a case.”

  “No, Moon said you didn’t let any grass grow under your ass when you saw her at the bar.”

  Hammer scowled. “Moon has a big mouth.”

  “No shit.” Killy took out her phone. “Let me see what I can find out.” She went to sit on the picnic table as they waited.

  “He didn’t answer for me either,” she said from the table. “You said she stayed at the motel?”

  “Yes. We tried to get the information from the clerk there, but when Hammer threatened to tear out his windpipe, his cooperation stopped.”

  “Did you offer him cash?”

  “We didn’t have any on us. We’d already given everything in our wallets to Greer, and Hammer didn’t want to go to the ATM.”

  “You two are hopeless without me. You’re going to tell me why you had to give Greer all your cash?”

  “No,” both Jonas and Hammer said curtly and at the same time.

  Killyama tried to call Shade again. When he didn’t answer, she stood, putting her phone in her back pocket. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?” Jonas asked.

  “To the motel.”

  “You have any cash or should we stop by the ATM?”

  “Neither.”

  “He won’t give you the information either. And if he starts reading off those privacy laws again, I’ll rip out his windpipe myself.”

  “He’ll tell me,” she assured them, giving them a confident grin. “Besides, you should have called me before you talked to him. Never send a man when a woman can do it better.”

  Jesus, she was never going to let this down. Hammer’s expression showed he was feeling the burn as badly as him.

  “What makes you so sure?”

  “Because I’ll have his windpipe in my hand.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Mika plopped down on her couch, tucking her legs underneath her. Pointing the remote at the television, she shouted out to Julia, “You ready for me to start the movie?”

  Her friend came out of the bedroom that she was still settling into. “I was thinking of taking a nap.”

  “At three in the afternoon? You’ll be up all night. Come on.” Mika patted the couch cushion next to her. “Keep me company.” She knew that Julia was going to call or text Dillion in privacy.

  Mika could tell Julia’s the anger and determination of the day before was switching trajectory. She was going to do everything within her power to stop that from happening. It was a sad way for her to ignore and dampen the heartbreak she’d been feeling since being back. Leaving “the men” was not something she was going to recover from soon, but dealing with Julia’s drama was at least a way to keep her mind off her own problems.

  “You win. But if I watch Avengers with you, then you have to watch Happy Death Day with me.”

  Mika s
huddered. “I’m squeamish at the sight of blood.” She pressed the button to start the movie and said, “You’re going to love it. There’s enough man candy to quench both of our sweet tooths.”

  “You’re so lame. You’re excited about a movie hunk? You should go out more. Guys like these don’t exist in real life.”

  Mika shrugged. “I don’t think the actors would agree with sentiment.”

  “Well, you sure won’t be meeting Renner or Hemsworth.”

  “Don’t worry; next month Aquaman comes out. He might steal the spotlight. By the way, when it comes out, will you go to the theater with me?”

  “No.”

  Mika picked up her cell phone, showing her the actor that portrayed Aquaman.

  Julia took a long look at the picture, bringing Mika’s phone closer to her face before giving it back. “I’ll buy the tickets. It’ll be my treat.”

  “Thought so,” Mika said smugly, taking another glance at the picture herself before setting her phone aside.

  She was raising the volume on the television when she heard a knock on her door.

  “Are you expecting anyone?”

  “No.” Pressing pause, Mika jumped up from the couch then walked to the door to look through the peephole. She had to plant her face harder against the door, sure she was mistaken about seeing the two men standing on the other side.

  “Who is it?”

  Mika spun around, pressing her back against the door as if Jonas and Hammer were about to knock it down. “No one,” she shrieked, biting her lip when she heard another loud knock.

  Mika started trembling. She was so fucked. She had no idea how they had managed to find her, but they had. What was she supposed to do now?

  She quickly calculated how much food and water she had in the apartment, because there was no way could she face them.

  Julia got off the couch to come to the door. “Mika, someone’s at the door. I hear them knocking.”

  “It’s your imagination. Mine, too. Let’s go back to watching the movie.”

  “I knew it was only a matter time before writing all those papers would fry your brain. Let me see! Is it Dillion?”

  “No! It’s not Dillion!” Mika dug her socks into the carpet, trying to keep Julia from opening the door. “Julia, do not open the do—”

  From Julia’s excited expression, Mika knew it was only going to be a matter of time before Julia went back to Dillion.

  “Don’t! It’s not Dillion!”

  Mika found herself wedged away from the door as Julia parted it open a crack. Hammer and Jonas did the rest, shouldering inside and sending her in her socks sliding along the carpet without any traction.

  She had never been so embarrassed in her life, and she’d had some doozies. It was right up there with the time she was absently working on a math problem in her head as she strode into the men’s bathroom. It was only when as she was closing the bathroom door and saw the urinals that she realized what she had done. Hearing the sounds of male voices, she closed a stall door, shutting herself inside. She ended up being stuck in there for two hours before she was brave enough to make her escape, only to open the stall door to find one of her coworkers taking a wiz. Because of the incident, she received a delicately written email questioning if she knew there was a gender-neutral bathroom on each floor. It had taken her a year to live that down.

  This was worse—the embarrassment at seeing Jonas’s and Hammer’s accusing gazes.

  “Hi, guys.”

  Julia’s stunned eyes turned to her at the greeting. “You know them?” Astonished, she switched back to the men, daring her to deny it.

  Mika licked her dry lips. “Vaguely.”

  She knew as soon as she said it that it was a big mistake.

  “Vaguely?” Hammer straightened to his full height as he walked closer to her while Jonas shut the door.

  “Okay, a little better than vaguely. I met them when I was out of town.”

  “Where in the fuck did you go? I want to buy a ticket—”

  “Not now, Julia.”

  Feeling uncomfortable, Mika didn’t know what to do. She was thrilled to see them again but was awkwardly aware of how she had sneaked out, and with Julia there, she was weirded out at how to react.

  “How did you find me?” She could tell from their expressions that she shouldn’t have started that ball rolling. Clearing her throat, she decided to ask the question that was most on her mind. “What are you two doing here?”

  “We decided to come for a visit,” Jonas coldly informed her. How had she ever thought he was the nice one?

  She started to tell Hammer that Jonas was being a jerk and realized she had it right the first time.

  “Julia”—Jonas gave her friend a teeth-baring smile that sent a jealous twinge in her breast—“I’m Jonas, and this my friend and business partner, Hammer.”

  “What business are you in?” Julia asked with interest.

  “We’re bounty hunters.”

  Mika wanted to slap herself silly for not asking that question herself. She hadn’t a chance in hell of them not finding her. Why didn’t you ask them? she wailed at herself. Because you thought it was a one-night stand. She mentally smacked herself again.

  “Is there a private place we can talk?” Hammer asked politely, though his eyes told her that, if she didn’t, they would have no problem discussing it in front of Julia.

  “We can go to my bedroom, I guess.” Dig the grave a little deeper, why don’t you? Mika blasted herself quickly while motioning toward her bedroom.

  Julia gave her an envious look. “I’ll go ahead and start the movie. Who needs imitations when you can have the real thing?”

  She saw Hammer and Jonas understand her meaning when they saw the paused Thor on the TV.

  Going into the bedroom, she waited until both men were inside before nervously shutting the door.

  “I’m sorry…,” she started, when her world began spinning as she was tossed onto her bed.

  Shoving her hair out of her face, she stared up at two furious visions of masculine fury. Then her mouth dropped open when they started taking their clothes off.

  “Have you lost your minds?” she whispered loudly. “Julia is right outside.”

  Hammer threw his shirt down on the bed before going over to the door to lock it. “Problem solved.”

  “Okay… I can understand why you’re both so upset. I acted like a five-year-old, running off without any explanation.”

  “I think it’s pretty plain that you fucked us and ran,” Jonas said snidely, sitting down on the side of the bed to remove his shoes. “You used us.”

  “I wouldn’t exactly say used,” Mika tried to start again, then had to reach for the comforter under her to keep herself from being pulled off the bed as Hammer, his clothes now off, started tugging her sweatpants down her legs.

  “You see that, Jonas?”

  Mika fell back to stare up at the ceiling in embarrassment, aware of what they were staring at.

  “I see you took my advice.”

  Mika didn’t like Jonas’s dull response to her new panties.

  Hammer climbed onto the bed next to her. “We were supposed to go shopping together to pick them out for you,” he reprimanded her. “How many new pairs did you get?”

  “A few,” she lied.

  “How many is a few?” Jonas asked, laying down on her other side.

  “Eight,” she reluctantly admitted, not putting it past them to go to her drawers and see for themselves. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which ones were new. The stark white ones had been pushed to the side, while the new ones were neatly folded in her drawer.

  “You didn’t do a half-bad job,” Hammer complimented, sliding a finger under the lace at her belly. “I could have done better.”

  “You weren’t here.” She turned her head on the mattress to stare at him.

  “No, we weren’t, and whose fault is that?”

  Mika pursed her lips, rub
bing them together. Should she just own up to her regret at leaving them behind?

  She looked beyond the anger in his eyes to see what was lurking underneath. The same was in Jonas’s. It was easy to answer her own question.

  “Mine. I shouldn’t have left like that.” She turned her head in Jonas’s direction. “Especially the way I left you in the shower. I regretted it as soon as I did it.”

  “Then, why didn’t you come back?” Jonas wasn’t exactly ready to forgive her yet.

  “I knew you would be furious. And truthfully, I didn’t think you would want me to. I thought it was an easy out for guys, too.”

  “Just so, you get it—” He stared her down. “—and so there are no more misunderstandings… there isn’t going to be an easy out for us, or for you.”

  She shifted closer to him. “I’m getting that.” She kissed him gravely. “I missed you.” Turning toward Hammer, she kissed him just as passionately. “I missed you.”

  “Dammit. I’m not ready to get over being mad at you,” Hammer groused. “Not only did you sneak out on us, but you could have told us it was your first time.”

  “How did you—”

  “When I was fucking you. We were going to talk about it the next morning, but you left before we could,” Jonas grumbled. He might want to pretend to be angry at her for not telling them, but she could see the emotion just wasn’t there. No, Jonas just wanted another turn to be pacified.

  She moved closer to him until her breasts snuggled against the curly hair on his chest.

  “Don’t be mad.” She placed a kiss to the hollow of his throat. “Get even.”

  Hammer gave a low groan. “Jonas?” snapped

  “I can deal with that.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Me, too.” Mika laughed against Hammer’s throat.

  “What do you have to get even for?” Jonas asked, curving his body against her back.

  “That it took you two days to find me. For bounty hunters, you kind of suck.”

  “We do,” Jonas conceded, trailing his mouth down her spine, pausing at her bottom to place a kiss on each of her cheeks as he grabbed her hips to lay her on her back. Raising up on his knees, he slid her silken, ice-blue panties off, throwing them over his shoulder.