...or something: Ronacks Motorcycle Club (14 page)

When her breathing returned, she whispered, "Will it always be like that?"

"It'll be like that. It'll be different. Doesn't matter." His body flinched. "Ah, fuck..."

"Hm?"

He groaned. "Carny-girl?"

She raised her head at the urgency in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"You need to get up. I never took the pistol out of my back pocket, and it's jammed in the back of my thigh." He groaned.

She scrambled off his lap and sat her bare ass on the table and tried to fight the amusement of watching him try to get his legs out from under him.

He grimaced, straightening one leg and heaving himself over the side of the table where he held on to the side and stretched his leg. "You think this is funny?"

"Sorta." She scooted to the edge and hopped off. "Which leg?"

"Left," he muttered, taking off the condom and limping toward the nearest garbage can.

He returned to her, and she kneeled beside him and rubbed the back of his leg through his jeans. The muscles under her fingers loosened after several minutes, and she lifted her gaze. "Better?"

"Yeah." He helped her up and pulled her to his chest. "Your arm okay?"

She laughed softly. "Perfect."

His grunt for an answer was all she needed. He approved and was happy.

~The Plan~

A
flannel shirt hung from a tree in front of the old miner's cabin drawing Battery's gaze. He stopped the truck and turned the engine off. Reaching beside him on the seat, he picked up his loaded and chambered pistol, his senses on high alert.

In all the years of taking his monthly trip up the mountain, he'd never once saw any signs of life. The man, precise in his job to stay hidden, never made a careless mistake even when he ventured outside.

Through the open truck window, Battery listened for any sounds out of the ordinary. Almost dead silence in the woods alerted him more to something not right. The birds had ceased trilling, and the wind had died down.

The cabin door remained closed. No movement in the dirty glass window with the crack running from corner to corner.

Battery quietly opened the truck door, leaving it open. The more noise he created, the better chance he'd draw instant fire on him if someone lurked or held a bead on his head. He gripped the pistol at the ready close to his chest and stepped toward the cabin.

"You can put the gun down," said the man from his left side.

Battery's body refused to relax, and he turned toward the voice and the side of the cabin.

The man grabbed his flannel shirt off the tree branch and slipped his arms through the sleeves, leaving the buttons undone. "You're early."

"Got shit to do." Battery tucked the pistol behind his belt and frowned. "What the fuck are you doing out here leaving your clothes around? Do you want to send a flag to anyone who happens upon the area that there's someone living here?"

The man walked past him and removed a box of supplies from the truck and headed toward the cabin. As he passed Battery, he said, "Thinking about walking out of here."

Battery stood in the same spot. "Why?"

"It's time." The man picked up a sack.

"Bullshit." Battery grabbed the remaining sacks and followed him inside the cabin. "When I said plans changed, I meant they changed. I came up early because shit is blowing up all around, and Bree was almost shot a couple of weeks ago."

The man's shoulders stiffened, and he turned around. "Almost? She's okay?"

"A shard of wood came off the front door where the bullet hit and pierced her arm. Missed hitting her in the head by inches." Battery set the bags down.

The man looked away and rubbed his jaw through his beard. "Weeks ago?"

"I come up the mountain once a month. I'm not risking Bree's safety because you're butt-hurt over not being told what's happening down in civilization." Battery shook his head. "She's fine. A few stitches and there was no damage after it healed."

"Jesus Christ," muttered the man, rubbing his forehead. "You need to bring her to me."

"Not happening," said Battery, cutting to the reason why he was a day early on his delivery. "You're out of any decisions regarding Bree."

"The hell I am." The man fisted his hands. "She belongs to me."

"Not anymore." Battery looked him in the eye. "Bree's mine now. I've claimed her, so back off and let me finish what we'd planned."

"Claimed? You have no right." The man's brows lowered. "You’ve fucked up everything."

"You're the one who started this mess." Battery stared him down.

At that moment, despite the hair, the beard, the years of torment and solitude etched around the man's eyes, it was obvious he was the same age as Battery. The same build. The same determination, the same pain.

The only difference between the two men...

Battery had Bree.

B
attery barred the front door of his house with his hand. Bree tapped her toe in impatience beside him. The more he stalled, the more time he had to lecture her about her safety.

"It's going to get dark soon," she said, reminding him of the time.

She had to get him to switch gears. The sooner they left, the faster they could return to the house, and he could relax with her tucked inside for the night.

Battery moved his hand down to the door handle. "Walk on my left side and stay in step."

"I got it." Bree stood on her tiptoes and waited until he bent his head, and she kissed his lips. "I understood the first time you told me."

"It's not my idea to take you outside," he said. "If I had my way, you'd stay inside forever."

"That's not practical, and you know it." She softened her voice. "I need a break, Batt. I'm going crazy. It's been a month. None of the Ronacks members have seen anyone around the property. If I don't get to go and prove to myself nothing will happen, I'll end up with a phobia and every time I do have to go somewhere, it won't be easy. I don't want to be that kind of person who lets other people win and is scared all the time. Besides, I'm only talking about taking one swim in the pond. That's all I'm asking for tonight."

"You and that damn pond," he muttered.

"I could say the same thing about you and that damn Harley you ride." She patted his chest. "We all have our vices. "

He shook his head. They'd had the same argument for the last week. She wasn't asking to go into town or away from the house. The anxiety of someone out there wanting to harm her for no reason faded as more days went by where nothing else happened. She'd convinced herself that someone was after one of the club members or even a hunter in the area that mistakenly shot near the house, and she happened to be the closest one standing to where the shot from the gun went.

But, she wasn't foolish, and she wouldn't take any risks. She hated that her home was now tarnished by something bad, and not having answers continued to worry her. But, she had Battery with her, and she refused to be scared of living life again.

"Let's go." Battery opened the door.

Bree hurried to keep up with his longer strides. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other and left Battery to look for any danger. Swiss, LeWorth, Duke, and Sander were placed all around the pond for protection.

She looked up at the sky. Unless someone came in by helicopter, nothing could happen.

"Watch your step." Battery slowed down at the entrance to the twenty-foot dock.

She kicked off her sneakers and stepped onto the moving boards. Used to the sway of her weight on top of the water, she walked confidently to the end. She inhaled deeply. The fresh breeze coming off the water soothed her soul.

"Go ahead and get in the water," said Battery.

Already wearing her bikini Battery had returned to her, she lowered herself into the water. Holding in her gasp of shock from the temperature of the natural spring that fed the pond and kept the water almost too cold, she stared up at Battery.

He stood tall on the deck and scanned the area like her personal protector. Her heart squeezed, knowing how hard it was for him to bring her outside and knowing he only bowed to her wishes to make her happy.

Battery glanced down, caught her looking, and the corner of his beard lifted. Then his smile was gone, and terror gripped her. The face she loved changed. His arms reached for her. She panicked, slapping at the water, trying to stay afloat. Her foot hit the beam of the dock underwater, and she sank, taking in a mouthful of water.

She pushed to the surface and coughed. "Batt—"

"I got you." He reached down and lifted her by the arms until her feet touched the dock.

She lunged for him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her lungs seized, and she coughed, gagging to get air and expel the water.

Battery held her face and peered at her. "Breathe through your nose."

She struggled to do what he asked, but she couldn't wipe the sight of Battery pushing her under the water and yet knowing he never touched her until he pulled her out of the pond. She shook from fright. He hadn't tried to push her under the surface of the water. He'd never do that.

"Better?" He rubbed her back.

She nodded, panting for air.

"What happened?" Battery moved her hair out of her vision. "You acted like you couldn't swim."

"I..." She glanced back at the water. "Can we just go inside the house now?"

"Yeah, carny-girl. We can go inside." Battery tucked her against his left side and walked her back up the dock, across the yard, and in the front door.

She hurried upstairs ahead of Battery and went into her old bedroom to change into dry clothes. With the air conditioner going and her scare at the pond, she couldn't get warm after she stripped off her bikini and dried off.

Why had she imagined Battery trying to drown her and why had it seemed so real? She used the towel to dry the drops of water at the ends of her hair.

Battery walked into the room and stood by the dresser. "What happened out there, Bree?"

She tossed the towel into the dirty clothes hamper. "My foot hit the beam under the dock. I guess I panicked and went under."

"You swim like a fish."

She shrugged, opening the top drawer of the dresser, pulled out a pair of panties and slipped her underwear on. "Maybe because of the lack of swimming the last several weeks, I've forgotten how."

"Bullshit." He grabbed her wrist, stopping her from putting on her bra. "Your eyes are telling me something different, carny-girl. I didn't like seeing fear in your eyes when you were looking at me."

Caught and not wanting to explain something she couldn't understand, she stepped closer to him and rubbed her bare breasts against his vest. She needed to change the subject to something more positive fast.

"Remember what I promised you if you took me to the pond," she said, lowering herself to her knees and undoing his belt.

She unzipped his jeans and tugged the material down to his hips. His cock lay limp behind his boxers, and she gazed up at him waiting.

He glared down at her, oblivious to her only wearing a pair of panties and on her knees. Any other time, he'd be hard and ready.

She sat on her ankles and dropped her hands from his thighs. "Okay, fine. I don't know what happened. I must've freaked...or something."

"...Or something?"

She shrugged, stumped over what to tell him. "Maybe it's the pressure of staying in the house, under guard all the time or knowing that everyone in the club is out there looking for someone who wants to hurt me, and I have no idea what I've done for someone to try and shoot me. I think I'm having delusions, you know, like people in the desert see a mirage and believe it's water, but it's not there."

Battery leaned over, scooped her under the armpits and stood her up in front of him. "Then, what do you think you saw when you were in the water?"

She sighed. "You were reaching for me, but it wasn't you. Not the you that you are now. I mean, it was you, but you looked different, and your beard was short. Your eyes were the same, though, and they were..." She sighed and waved her finger between them. "...really intense, Battery. I couldn't tell if you were angry, but you were glaring, and it was me you were looking at. Then your hands were in front of my face, and I thought you were pushing me under the water. I know you were only reaching for me to help pull me up. So you're making a big deal out of nothing, and I ruined a perfectly good evening to go swimming because I almost choked to death. I guess, I must've not seen you move, and you startled me."

"Damn," he muttered, pulling out his phone and stepping away from her.

She tilted her head. "What are you doing?"

"Hang on." He held up his phone and put the cell to his ear. "I want everyone back at the pond, eyes to the surroundings, now."

He tossed his phone on the bed, picked up Bree and stood her on the bed, then turned around. "Hop on."

She put her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "What are you doing?"

"Going swimming with you. If you freak and believe I'm pushing you under, drown me. I can't swim for shit." He marched through the house and downstairs with her on his back.

"Honey, I'm only wearing my panties." She laughed, forgetting her terror from earlier.

"Nobody's in the house or watching you. They're watching the property." He pushed through the door and headed straight to the pond.

On the dock, she slid down his back and crossed her arms over her chest. He excited her in a way no one else could even begin to, and she loved him for being the man she needed.

Brave.

Protective.

Strong.

He'd do anything to make her happy. He always had, even when she was mad at him for not having sex with her, and she trusted that he always would.

"Are you sure you want to swim?" She sat down on the edge of the dock and waited for him to undress.

He toed his boot. "With you? Yeah."

"You can swim, right?" She watched him closely. "You were only joking about not being very good."

"Enough that I won't drown, but it isn't pretty. Not like you." He winked and stripped off his shirt.