Charged (10 page)

Seething anger flows through my veins as I snatch up two of the bags, checking inside to be sure everything is still there. I turn back and glare at Ryker. As we close the distance between us, I reach out and smack him with heavy force. His head doesn’t even move. No response, no flicker of pain; only a hardened look of surprise, and an almost gleeful light in his eyes. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing putting my personal things out on display? My life is in this car and you—”

“Look sweetheart, I did you a favor. Jack wanted me to finish the Bird and the Cobra. Do you see them here?” I look around at the empty space closest. “No, you don’t. Do you see any parts sitting on the floor?” 

Calmly but with an unmistakable hint of menace, he turns my face up, forcing me to look him in the eyes while we’re only inches away apart. I can feel his hot steaming breath on my face and I curse my body for enjoying this close proximity. The look in his eyes tells me I’ve pissed him off yet
again.
He mutters something under his breath, maybe talking himself out of strangling me, and I worry that if I interrupt him, my car will sit here far longer than the week promised…or worse, it will be nothing more than a compacted metal heap by day’s end.

“I stayed here late last night and pulled those fucking cars apart, so I could spend my entire day working on yours, spark plug.” Yeah. He’s pissed. I seemed to have a knack for making Ryker irate with me. “I told you I’d get you out of here in a week, and I’m a man of my word. I don’t know why you seemed to be scared shitless of staying put, but I know that you feel you have to leave. I keep my promises, spark plug. I’ll have you out of here real soon.” 

“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling defeated. “I really do appreciate it all. So let’s try this again. Did you find something else with Creature that I need to worry about?” 

He nods and sighs heavily, hopefully accepting my apology. Gingerly, I take a step towards him. I don’t know why, but suddenly I’m reminded of one of those drive thru zoos. You want to see the beautiful creature up close, but deep down, you know it’s dangerous and it will likely tear you apart, but you can’t help it as you enjoy every minute of it.  

Finally, his jaw unclenches, his eyes softening. “Yeah, I did. That’s why the doors are off. I had the feeling the panels had more rust than paint, and I was right. I took the doors off because the hinges were about to let go. You’re lucky your doors hadn’t fallen off already. They pretty much came off in my hands.” 

I know he’s right. I’ve had to jerk the door up everytime I open it because it sticks. 

“I pulled the hinges and asked one of the guys to fix the body so I can reattach them. You’re precious Creature is — was — on its last legs. It still could be. You’d be better off buying a new wreck than fixing that old piece of shit.” I open my mouth to reply, but think better on it when he levels a very harsh look on me. 

“You again,” I hear from behind me. Turning, I see Jack strolling up to us with that same look as before. The one that lets me know he could eat me whole if he was hungry enough.

“Hi, I…,uh,” I stammer and back away from Ryker. “I’m here to get your lunch orders for Hazel.” Being near Jack fills me a terrible feeling of unease, and that instinctual fight or flight reaction springs into action. 

He looks me up and down, as if he’s taking inventory, then speaks in that menacing, harsh tone once more. “You’re working for Hazel? What is that woman thinking? I’ll have to talk to her about bringin’ in strays.” 

I bite my lip, to terrified to say what I really want to. 

“So, is there something you’d like for lunch?” I ask once more, this time with more conviction.

“Sure, Ryk can tell you what I want.” He pauses on his way out the door, then stops, narrowing his eyes at me yet again. “Then he’ll get his ass back on that fucking Bird instead of crab assin’ around with your piece of shit. We don’t do charity work. Not even for a scrawny hooker like you.”

Oh now, that I can’t abide by. 

Anger courses through me, and I can almost feel the moment I lose all control of my temper. “Look
Jack
,” I say with a sneer. “I’m
not
a hooker. I may not have enough money to buy your ‘bird’, but I’m not a stray hooker looking for a lay either. In fact, I am a paying customer.” I pop my hands up on my hips and tilt my head to the side. “Now, would you like a side of fries with that order? Sir.” I’ve probably overstepped by about a mile, but I’ve never been real good at keeping my mouth shut. 

He levels me with a terrifying glare, but I’m too pissed to notice. “Where you from, girl? You don’t sound like you’re from around Mississippi?”

“I’m from none of your business, just heading back to go fuck yourself. Can I take your order, or are you up for starving today?” That’s when I realize that it’s likely a really bad idea to start a pissing contest with this man, but he surprises me with a laugh, then he’s walking out of the room, waving his middle finger high in the air.  

“You have a death wish or what?” Ryker growls at me.

“No, but I’m not what he said and I won’t accept that. Now about my car —” 

“I’ll do the best I can with it, just don’t expect miracles.”

“I appreciate all that you’re doing to get me going.” Wow. No double meaning there. “Now, um. I’m here to get your lunch orders. What would you like? I got everyone else, I think just you and Travis are left. Well, that and Jack the ass.”

“Yeah, get Travis a big bear with mayo, Jack a fried gorilla, no sauce, no lettuce and no tomato but extra pickles, and I’ll grab yesterday’s special again. Tell Gus, load on the avocado. I like that shit.” I write it all down as my hand shakes. 

A tight smile creeps across his face. Stepping closer to me, he pushes some stray hairs behind my ears and presses me back against the car. I’d seen this scenario before with Kendra and I don’t intend on performing a remake.  

He’s so close that I can feel his chest move with every breath. I want to fall apart under him. I want him to touch me so bad, even though I know it is wrong, wrong, wrong. Ryker reaches out, running his fingers through my hair, along my collar bone, taunting the skin at my pulse. His touch is featherlight and sensual. 

My breath hitches in my throat as he moves slowly over my skin. I force myself to remember the other day. Ryker and that whore, practically fucking on the hood of my car. I’d had to literally drag her off him, and he hadn’t cared less. Even though this feels more amazing than I could have imagined, and Ryker is looking at me like I’m his lunch, I have to stop it. I can’t let this go on. 

“Kate?”

“Yeah?” I’m huffing like I’d just run a race. Dammit! I need to be stronger than this.

“I want to take you out tonight. Are you working at Harvester?”

“I need the money to pay you, so yeah, I’m working.” I say quietly. My head is swimming in his smell, his gaze, his closeness. 

“Let me take you out after it closes. I’ll be a
gentleman
. I’ll even up the ante. Go out with me for a coffee and I’ll bust a hundred off your bill.” Ryker tips his head down, laying a light kiss on my forehead. 

“I thought you don’t pay for sex?”

“I’m not paying for sex. I’m cutting you a break and working on taking you out. Say yes, Kate.” He smirks, his eyes twinkling like it’s something he can make happen on command. He slowly twirls strands of my hair around his fingers. This is getting dangerously close to breaking my no attachments, no relationships, no one gets in rule. Why is this man slut getting under my armour like he is? 

“I, uh. I’m gonna go get this order in. I’ll be back in a bit with lunch.” I honestly don’t trust myself to be around him any more than necessary. I am so close to caving, and accepting that date.
Move Kate
, I tell myself, snapping out of whatever weird trance he’d put me in. I flip the order book closed and duck under his arm, heading straight for the door. 

“Kate,” Ryker growls. I stop in my tracks, turning to see him leaning against Creature, his arms crossed over his expansive chest, his eyes boring into mine.

“Yeah,” I manage to squeak out. 

“I expect an answer when you return.” He turns towards the blue car as I unfold the umbrella, racing out into the safety of the rain. 

Hell, at this rate I’ll be falling in love, having kids, a white picket fence and a dog named Buster by dinner time. I need to get my shit in check.

Kate

M
y body is wound tighter than a clock, my traitorous sex humming. It’s over sensitive and jerking on its own as my stupid mind thinks about our moment in the garage. Ryker somehow makes me feel things I thought I’d forgot to even care about. Crap! He makes me feel so many emotions with a just simple touch of his fingers. 

For heaven’s sake, all he did was touch me and growl in that sexy voice of his, and I reacted like a dog in heat, my body ready to go on a whim. What a total contradiction to what I normally go for. The guys I normally mess with are very meek, mild and geeky. They’re happy to see a bit of action without attachments. 

This is different, I know it. I feel something for Ryker that goes beyond the purely sexual, even if his apparent disregard for women upsets me. I want to say yes to his offer, but I really need to say no…even though that hundred would go a long way. I know I have no business with him. With him, to him, on him, against him…ugh!

As I sit in the restaurant waiting on the orders, I become more and more anxious. I just need a second alone to collect my thoughts. Instead of sitting here like a dope, I decide I need somewhere to clear my head. I call out to Gus, letting him know I’m going to pop out back to Hazel’s house, not missing his quiet chuckle as I walk out the door.  

Hazel’s neat n’ tidy backyard sits away from everyone and everything that has my head so messed up. Sitting on her quaint wooden porch swing, under the covered deck, nestled in a small copse of Titi and River Birch trees, I listen to absolutely nothing of importance. Rustling tree branches scratch against each other causing the wet and sticky leaves to fall to the ground. Trying to relax, I push my feet back and forth off the railing. I release a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, relieving the tightness in my chest. 

I’d never been somewhere like this as a kid. Not in New York, or any of the places I was sent to hide. Nothing compared to this country feel. I’d had safe houses with guards, stiff shirts and guns; never comfort and peace. Of all the places I’ve hidden, Hazel’s place is the most relaxing, and the one I’ll miss the most. 

It’s strange when I think about it. I wasn’t worried at all when I’d met the Sheriff this morning. For once I didn’t fear he’d alert someone of my presence, or recognize me and report it back to GF or his minions. It’s refreshing. No fear, no stress, no anxiety. 

Could I stay here? Could I hide out here for a while and not be found? 

Can I afford to not to take Ryker up on his offer, and  save myself one hundred dollars? Well the answer to that question is, hell no. I need that money. I need it to escape. 

I don’t know if I could leave this place if I allowed myself to stay any longer. I like it here. I like my job, and my room at Hazel’s. Could I possibly drag her into this? No. 

New York mob bosses are scarier than anything these people have ever come across here in rural Miss. They would never survive GF’s wrath. Besides, if they knew the truth, they’d try to help me. They’ve already helped me. Hazel gave me a job and a place to stay. Ryker’s practically rebuilding Creature and charging me less than he should. I can’t have that on my conscience.

This is my fight. It’s been mine for a long time. There are days I want to just give in and let GF have me, but I shouldn’t. Not that I
can’t.
I just shouldn’t let him have his reward after such a heinous crime.  

I slowly rock back and forth, mulling all this over, absently staring out at the sparse forest of trees, watching little critters flit around their busy daily tasks, collecting food for winter, their only worry being ‘when will I have enough?’ My worry is, when can I be free? I barely get the thought out before my subconscious pipes up,
never.

Before I know it, it’s time to go back. Gus will be expecting me to take the food over to Jack’s boys. Gus is just finishing up bagging the last of the meals, when I step back inside the restaurant.