I could barely believe what was happening.

First, this total stranger brings me back to this horrible motel. Next, he turns out to be incredibly charming and handsome, the sort of man I had a hard time not throwing myself at. Finally, he almost kisses me, but we get interrupted by somebody knocking on the front door.

As I began to tie the sheets together, I watched Travis take a gun from the bedside dresser and casually cock it. I couldn’t believe how calm he seemed as whoever was outside continued to bang on the door.

“Okay,” he called out. “Who the fuck is outside?”

There was a pause as the banging stopped. “We’re looking for Hartley,” the person outside called back, the voice muffled.

“Why would you be doing that?”

“Apparently the bitch beat up three of my guys. Or was that you?”

My stomach dropped down through the floor. It was them, the mafia. They’d found us already. How they found us, I couldn’t even guess, but they were here already.

I should have run. I should never have come back with this guy. I was going to die here in this motel room, and there was nothing I could do.

Except tie these sheets together. I continued my work, keeping one eye on what was happening.

Travis seemed so calm, even in the face of the mafia. He was just smirking at the door, shaking his head like the guy out there was merely annoying him.

“I’m that guy, and your men were being very rude,” he said. “You people actually rape women in broad daylight?”

There was a pause. “Not usually, no,” he said. “Still, whether my guys were doing something like that or not, I can’t be having this sort of shit. It’s bad for business.”

“I hear you. I can’t say I disagree with your reaction.”

“Open up the door. Give me the girl and I’ll let you go.”

I cocked my head to the side as Travis stared at the door, his face screwed up. He looked like he was considering it, and my heart started to pound in my chest.

I didn’t know a thing about this guy. He said he was a Navy SEAL, and after what I saw him do to the Mafia guys, I was inclined to believe him. Being around Travis made me wet, made my heart race in my chest, sent my body spinning. When he’d gotten close to me, nearly kissing me, I hadn’t been able to pull away. I had wanted to, couldn’t imagine myself kissing a cocky asshole like that, but he was too overwhelming. I wanted it, and wanted it badly despite myself, despite what had happened.

“Hoyt?” Travis called out. “Is that Hoyt Tanner?”

There was a pause from outside. “Yeah. How the fuck do you know me?” he answered.

“Holy shit, Hoyt. This is Travis Rock.”

Another pause. “Travis Rock? I thought you got blown up in Iraq.”

“Nope,” Travis said. “I’m still very much alive, thanks.”

“Well, fuck,” Hoyt said. “Travis Rock. I haven’t seen you in years.”

“It’s me, back in town.”

“The fuck are you doing here?”

“Came to visit Ray,” Travis said.

“Shit,” Hoyt said. “And now you’re caught up in this?”

“Seems that way.”

There was another pause. I stared at Travis, shocked that he knew the guy outside, shocked at how calmed he seemed. He looked back at me and waved, motioning for me to get back to tying. I nodded and finished the last knot before I started tying it off to the plumping.

Who the hell was this guy and how did he know some Dixie Mafia thug? I couldn’t imagine a Navy SEAL ever being involved with these people, but he did say he was from here.

“Listen,” Travis called out. “Hoyt, why don’t you come inside? Just so we can stop yelling.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Travis.”

“You know me, Hoyt. You were good friends with my brother. I swear I won’t do you any harm. Besides, I’m sure you got at least five men out there with you. That right?”

Another short pause. “The girl still with you?”

“She’s here,” Travis called. “Come inside. We’ll work this out. Nobody has to get hurt.”

Another short pause. Finally, “Okay,” Hoyt yelled. “All right. Just me.”

“Don’t try to force the door,” Travis warned. “I know you got five guys with you. I’m pretty fucking good with a gun, and I’m sure I can take a few of you before you get the door opened up.”

“No tricks,” Hoyt said. “You keep that gun down.”

“I got nothing to gain by killing anyone here.”

“All right. Open up.”

I stared at Travis, wide-eyed. I couldn’t believe he was really going to do this, but he slowly stepped up to the door and began to open it.

One man slipped through the opening. Travis pressed his gun against the man’s chest as he slammed the door shut again and locked it.

Hoyt was tall, though not as tall as Travis. He had tattoos up along his neck and was wearing a grimy jean jacket, a white T-shirt, and jeans. His hair was cut short and he looked like he needed a shower.

“Hoyt,” Travis said.

“Travis,” Hoyt said. “Mind aiming that gun somewhere else?”

“All right.” He moved the gun away and gestured at the table. “Sit?”

“Where’s the girl?”

Travis nodded back at me. “In the bathroom.”

Hoyt looked in at me. “You’ve caused a lot of problems, girl,” he said to me.

“Don’t talk to her, Hoyt,” Travis said. “Sit down. Have a drink. We’ll talk.”

“She comes in here or I give the word and my boys light this room up.”

Travis frowned but nodded. “Come on, Hartley.”

I walked into the main room, staring at them tentatively. I had the sheet rope all done and ready to go in the bathroom, and I could get out of there pretty fast if I needed to.

“Sit,” Travis said, and sat at the table. Hoyt joined him. I sat down on the bed across the room, terrified. Travis poured two drinks and slid one over to Hoyt.

“To your brother,” Hoyt said.

“To Ray.”

They clinked glasses and then drank.

Travis poured two more and then leaned back in his chair. “So, what’s the play here, Hoyt?”

“I need the girl,” he said. “It’s that simple. I’m only in here out of respect for you and your family.”

Travis sighed. “I can’t let that happen, not after earlier. Your boys were going to rape her. I only did what I had to do.”

“That wasn’t part of the plan,” Hoyt said. “They were only supposed to bring her back.”

“Sure, I get you. Bring her back untouched so she’s worth more when you go ahead and sell her into sex slavery anyway.”

Hoyt shrugged. “They owe us a lot of money.”

“I’m sure they do.” I sensed an undercurrent of anger in Travis’s voice. “Enough to ruin a nice girl’s life, I’m sure.”

“Fifty thousand,” Hoyt said. “Plus interest.

Travis nodded slowly. “Well, here’s the issue. I can’t let you have the girl, and you can’t leave without her. How about we make a deal.”

Hoyt crossed his arms. “I don’t want to make a deal, honestly, Travis. I respect you and your people, and your brother, but this is pissing me off.”

“I’m sure it is, but hear me out. You know what I do now, right?”

“Military, I guess.”

“I’m a fucking Navy SEAL, Hoyt. You wonder how I took out your boys so easily? I have skills, the sort of shit your organization could make good use of.”

Hoyt frowned, stroking his chin. “Interesting. That true?” he asked, looking at me.

“That’s what he said,” I answered.

“All right then, so you’re a fucking Navy SEAL,” Hoyt said, looking back at Travis. “What does that do for me?”

“Like I said. I have skills you can use. Give me and the girl a job. We’ll take care of it for you. Then we’ll call it even.”

Hoyt laughed at that, shaking his head. “One job for a fifty-thousand-dollar debt? Plus beating down my boys? That’s a big fucking job, Travis.”

“I’m sure you’ve got needs,” Travis said coolly.

Hoyt leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink. The two men stared at each other, neither of them looking like they wanted to back down. I sat completely still on the bed, terrified to break the spell.

Finally, Hoyt started laughing. It felt like the tension began to deflate from the room, and even I cracked a little smile.

“Okay,” Hoyt said. “I like you, Travis. You’re a businessman. You get how these things work.”

“I try,” he said.

“I’ll run this by my bosses,” he said. “But you can’t leave town.” He looked over at me. “Hear that, girl? You try to skip out again, and we’ll burn your fucking farm to the ground.”

I nodded, not able to say anything.

“She won’t run,” Travis said. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Good.” Hoyt finished his drink and stood up. “My boys are going to be pissed that they didn’t get any revenge, but they’ll live.”

“I hope they’re not too upset.”

Hoyt nodded at me. “Hartley.”

Travis stood up. “You know where to find me. Find a job, I’ll do it, and we’ll be square.”

“Just warning you, Travis, it won’t be easy,” he said. “We got things that need doing, but none of them are clean.”

“I can get my hands dirty,” Travis said.

“I know that, boy,” Hoyt answered, laughing. “Until I see you again.”

He opened the door and stepped out. There was hushed conversation on the other side that slowly receded into the night.

Travis looked out the window and sighed.

“They’re gone,” he said.

I collapsed back onto the bed, relief and terror rolling through me simultaneously.

“What the hell am I going to do?” I said out loud.

“Nothing,” Travis answered, grinning. “You’ll sleep here tonight, and in the morning we’ll work it out.”

“This was supposed to be just one night,” I said softly.

“Shit changes,” he answered, and disappeared back into the bathroom.

I couldn’t believe what had just gone down. Now, somehow, this stranger was involved in all of this, whether I wanted him to be or not. He was making deals with the Dixie Mafia for me, offering to take care of work for them in exchange for my debts. But fifty thousand dollars of debt wasn’t going to come off easy.

Not to mention I was stuck with a man who drove me absolutely wild. I wasn’t the type of girl to get involved with men like him. I was a good girl, a farm girl. I grew up on my family peach farm and never imagined a life beyond that. I didn’t go to college because I always thought I’d work the farm my whole life, and that was all I wanted.

But now I was with some strange man in his strange hotel room, wanted by the Dixie Mafia, my whole life destroyed beyond recognition.

I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I had no choice. This asshole SEAL was a part of this now, whether I wanted him to be or not.