Chapter Two
“Son of a bitch!” Tannin jumped back, but it was too late. Not only had this frightened, gorgeous woman puked on his damn boots, but his jeans, too. “Fuck!”
“I’m so sorry.”
Her voice came out in barely a whisper, and now she was crying again. Why the hell had he gone to Elyria tonight? If he’d stayed here, where he belonged, this wouldn’t have happened. Now he’d have to change his clothes, and Gorgon was gonna be even more pissed off. He was hours late as it was.
“What the fuck is that?”
“Egg salad. From Sheetz, down the road.”
“You’re not from Creek Ridge, are you?”
She shook her head. Big, brown eyes stared at him with trepidation, as if she was afraid he might start swinging any second. He took in her tousled hair, dark and curly. Bedroom hair, if ever he’d seen any. She wasn’t one of those skinny skanks, either. A solid, curvy body with big tits and a round ass. The tank top and shorts she wore hugged her flesh, and he’d love to peel them off her to get a look at the body underneath.
Tannin’s cock responded, causing him considerable pain as it wedged itself inside his jeans, but he resisted the urge to adjust it in front of her, since she still looked fucking terrified. Was she a new dancer? Lord in heaven, he hoped so. He’d ease her fear, and introduce her to his dick, all in the same night.
“Never eat there,” he said. “Nothing. Not even the fucking Fritos.”
“Well that’s bad news for me. I have nothing else.”
“Why not?” He peered into her SUV, which was crammed full of bags and boxes. What the hell was going on with her?
“It’s what I bought. I need to get going. Let me pay to have your jeans and boots sent out for cleaning.”
Tannin laughed. There was no way to help it. “Sent out for cleaning? I haven’t sent clothes out to be cleaned since…” His voice trailed off as memories flooded his senses. Not the right time or place. “A long time.”
But she’d already opened the driver’s side door and had her wallet out. “No, seriously.” She thumbed a stack of bills.
“Lady, really. Put away your money.” This was no dancer. Not unless they’d started carrying Gucci wallets that cost roughly six hundred fucking dollars. The last time he’d seen a wallet that expensive, he’d still been in high school. His father’s private secretary had received one as a Christmas present.
“Why are you way out here with a car full of crap, and food from Sheetz?”
Those big eyes grew even wider. “I’m … just driving.”
Sure you are. And I’m the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
“Driving where?”
“West.”
“West, as in Muncie? Chicago? Seattle?”
“Just west.” She tossed the wallet back into the car. “I’m really sorry about your jeans and boots. If you’re sure I can’t pay you to have them cleaned, I need to get going.”
“Are you running from the cops?” He glanced toward the road. They didn’t need any trouble from the local sheriff’s office.
“None of your business.”
She looked a bit shaken up to be so mouthy, and her flippant comment pissed him off. “It is my fucking business because you’re on my fucking property.”
“I really am sorry. I’ll get off your fucking property and be on my way.”
This girl was a mystery. She carried a very expensive wallet, spoke with a cultured tone, and yet that cuss word had flowed off her tongue as easily as they routinely did off his. She was also clearly running from someone, but who?
Did it matter? She might be a tasty piece of ass, but he didn’t need whatever headaches or drama those tits and that body brought with them. He started to turn around with the intention of leaving her to her fate, but stopped as she tried to slide back into the SUV and stumbled. “Whoa. You sure you’re okay to drive?”
“I’m all right. Just tired.”
He’d seen tired, and this wasn’t it. “You look sick, not tired.”
“I’m fine.”
“Bullshit. You’re not fine.” Don’t say it… Don’t offer… “Come inside for a while and rest. There’s real food.” Your goddam dick is going to be the fucking end of you.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” He smirked. “Afraid you might see a naked woman? They didn’t offer exotic dancing at whatever school you went to in order to be able to afford that Gucci wallet?”
She narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips, which for unclear reasons was sexy as hell. His damn cock grew larger, adding to his pain. “How did you recognize a Gucci wallet?”
“You shouldn’t judge by appearances.”
“Touché, but isn’t that exactly what you just did to me?”
Oh, this one was a spitfire. He liked that. But that didn’t mean he had to invite her into the club, or into his bed.
As the sound of an approaching car on 113 reached them, she dove so quickly into her SUV he thought at first she’d fallen into it. After the car passed, he stuck his head into the vehicle through the open driver’s side door. “What the hell is going on with you?”
“I told you that’s none of your business. Let me close the door and be on my way.” Her voice was soft, and he knew that look in a person’s eyes. The same way he knew what that fine sheen of sweat on her face meant. She was going to faint.
“Lady, you’re not going anywhere like this. You won’t get a hundred yards.”
She put her hand up to her mouth, and Tannin stepped back a few paces. He didn’t want to get puked on again. “I don’t feel very well,” she whispered
“No shit. Slide over.”
As she climbed over the console, he was treated to the sight of that amazing ass and the backs of her thighs. Tannin pictured marking them with his favorite leather flogger, right before he fucked her into next week.
He slid into the driver’s side, adjusted the seat for his height, and eased the SUV through the parking lot, around to the back of the building. He’d get his truck later. Two of the prospects were manning the gate, and as soon as they spotted Tannin, they waved him through.
A quick glance to his right sent a fresh wave of worry through him. She looked like shit. Why the hell hadn’t he walked away? He didn’t need this kind of trouble. Gorgon was gonna have a meltdown.
“My car can’t be seen,” she said.
“It won’t be. Strangers don’t get back here, and if they try, they’ll have all the Brothers out here to stop them.”
“These aren’t ordinary men.”
A nasty shiver ran down his spine. “Who are they? Cops? Cops are ordinary men. Trust me.” Before she spoke again, Tannin was positive that she wasn’t talking about cops. Fuck it all to hell and back. What the hell had he just done?
“Not cops. Mob.”
Holy. Fuck. Tannin hoped like hell Vassago wasn’t busy with pussy right now. If the Mob was after this girl, Vassago was the best person to uncover why. “All right. I’m going to park it, and then we’ll get you inside.”
“Thank you.”
He was able to grab all her bags, but left the food. No sense in making her sick again. There was plenty of good food here. He’d have one of the girls bring it to her. “Can you walk?”
She nodded. Tannin had to take small steps to keep pace with her. She looked unsteady as fuck, but they made it into the building. “This way. Up one flight.”
“Okay.” But she didn’t move. She glanced around, uncertainty and fear filling her eyes.
“Look, it’s a strip club, but not a sleazy one. This is a top-notch place. There are private bedrooms with baths upstairs. No one will bother you, and I guarantee you something better to eat than gas station egg salad.”
“I’m not objecting to being inside a strip club. I want to know why you’re helping me.”
“Because.” Because you’re hot as hell, and I’m thinking with my dick. Otherwise, he’d have left her in the parking lot alone by now.
She stared into his eyes for long moments. Tannin had fucked dozens of women since losing his virginity at age sixteen. He’d lived with the Brothers since graduating from high school. Women were as plentiful as water around here, and almost all of them had enjoyed his penchant for tanning their hides red and raw before fucking them silly. It was how he’d earned his road name, after all.
But he’d never been blindsided like this. Not once. When he gazed into those dark eyes, all he wanted to do was fall into them and never resurface. Gorgon was gonna fucking kill him, but Tannin couldn’t stop this tide. It would be easier to cut off his own arm right now.
She sighed, finally moving her feet. As tempting as it was to let her lead the way so he could watch that fabulous ass move, he was already skating on thin ice here. “Follow me.” Once they were upstairs, he led her to the bedroom across from his. He’d be able to keep an eye on her that way.
Sure. Right. That’s the only reason you want her so close.
“Here we are.” Tannin placed her bags on the sofa at the foot of the bed. He pointed toward a partially open door. “Bathroom is in there.”
“Thank you. I’m … I’m overwhelmed.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I don’t even know your name.”
This woman was from his world. Or rather, his former world. He’d bet money on it. If he gave her his real surname, she’d recognize it. It was one reason he always used his road name. He didn’t want people knowing which family he came from. “Tannin.”
“Thank you, Tannin. I’m Rai, as in Raiyana.”
His brows shot up. “Don’t hear that one very often. Medieval, right?”
Now it was her turn to appear surprised. “Not many people know that. My mother had this obsession with medieval names and history. She was really into genealogy, and believed she’d traced her family back to the fifteenth century.”
“That’s a long time ago.”
“Yeah, it is. So, how did you know ‘Raiyana’ was a medieval name?”
“I read it somewhere.” Asshole. Why don’t you just give her your pedigree, while you’re at it? He’d already fucked up with the wallet comment. “I’ll check on you later.”
“Thank you again.”
Time to get out of here before he shed his smelly jeans and tossed her onto the bed. “You’ve said that like ten times now.” Just go!
Tears spilled over her lashes. “This is the kindest thing that’s happened to me today.”
It would be easy to stay, hear her story and comfort her. But duty, plus clean clothes, won out over his raging hard-on. Tannin nodded once and left before he was unable to do so.
Once the door was safely closed behind him, he paused to lean against the wall for a second. Vassago had told him about a thing the Sicilians called a thunderbolt. It was supposed to hit you hard and fast when you met the woman of your dreams, or at least the woman you had to possess, no matter the consequences. Mario Puzo had described it in The Godfather. At least, that’s what Vassago said.
Tannin had no clue if that was true or not, as he’d never read the book, but he did know one thing. It would take a damn long time to get Raiyana out of his mind. A damn long time.
Why the fuck hadn’t he stayed here tonight?