BESS
Triton barely gaveme time to throw a few things into a bag before he ushered me out the front door. Hugging my parents and not knowing when I’d see them again brought on a wave of tears. I wasn’t scared to go with Triton though. An eerie calmness spread through me when he said he’d protect me with his life. Surely it wouldn’t come to that.
We’d been driving for over an hour, and I had no idea where we were going. The digital compass on the dashboard switched between east, south, and southeast. He hadn’t said much except to ask me if I was okay when we first got into the truck. The rest of the time he’d been on the phone, and I couldn’t make much out of his side of the conversation.
The truth was, I didn’t know how I should be feeling. Seemed like I should be terrified. Logically, hearing that a drug cartel had threatened me ought to have me freaking out. But sitting next to Triton in the passenger seat of his giant black truck made me feel invincible, like nothing could touch me.
“It’s not much farther.” He’d just ended a call and glanced over at me. His face glowed from the light on the dash.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going, or am I supposed to figure it out when we get there?” My tone came out snippier than I intended. “I’m sorry. It’s a little stressful finding out I’m being targeted by a drug cartel.”
He reached for my hand. “No one’s going to hurt you. I’ll make sure of it. It’s what I do.”
“What do you mean that’s what you do?” Besides sweet talking new girls in town and riding around on a motorcycle, I had no idea what he did with his time.
His lips quirked up at the corners in an amused smile. “I provide private security to people who are willing to pay a premium price for my services.”
I liked the way he curled his big hand around mine. My pulse sped up and a shiver ran down my back at the contact. “And you’re good at what you do?”
“The best.” I got my training in the Navy thanks to Uncle Sam. When I got tired of that, I spent some time working for a detail out in California.”
“How did you end up in Maplewood?”
“One of my buddies from the service moved here. He found a spot with the Rebel Hearts and told me I should come check it out. I grew up in Broken Bend, so I figured it would be nice to be close to home.” His eyes met mine briefly before he shifted his attention back to the road. “That’s where I’m taking you. One of my brothers made arrangements for us to stay at a rental cottage on the edge of the Blanco River.”
“And we’ll be safe there?” Just talking to him eased my nerves. He stayed calm and steady like he dealt with matters of life and death every day.
His thumb smoothed over the back of my hand. It wasn’t an intimate touch, but in the dim light of the truck cab on my way to spend who knew how long in a small cottage with him, it felt absolutely erotic.
“It’s on the edge of a ranch owned by some very good family friends. They’ve got cameras around to monitor the property, plus we’ll have the Lonestar Riders keeping an eye on things. A few of my brothers are in the club.”
“How many brothers do you have?” He hadn’t mentioned anyone by name, but it sounded like he had quite a few. I’d always wished for a younger sibling, especially a sister. Being raised as an only child had been lonely at times, especially since both of my parents spent so much time focused on helping others.
“Sounds wild, but I’m not sure I know. My birth parents left me when I was about seven. After that, I got bounced around a lot. Looking back, it was mostly my fault.”
I shifted toward him. My heart felt like someone had wrapped a huge hand around it and gave it a tight squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. That’s how I ended up at Mama Mae’s. She was the best thing that could have happened to me. Her husband passed not that long after they got married and they’d never had kids together. She’s never remarried, just opened her big old country farmhouse up to take in as many boys as she could.”
“She sounds like an amazing woman.”
“She is.” Triton gave me a soft smile. “You’ll get to meet her while we’re there.”
He was taking me home. I’d wanted to learn more about him. Seemed like spending time in the town where he grew up around people who knew him best would be a good way to accomplish that. “I’m looking forward to it.”
We crossed a bridge and Triton pointed out the Blanco River. Then we pulled through a huge metal gate that stretched over the road. “We’re on the Calhoun Ranch now. The cottage is another couple of miles, but we’ll be there soon.”
My nerves kicked into high gear. Where would I sleep? Where would he sleep? What would he think when he saw me first thing in the morning with no makeup, my hair tangled in a huge rat’s nest, and morning breath? Those were petty concerns, but I’d never lived with a man before, except for my father.
Concern for my parents overshadowed all of my trivial worries. “My mom and dad are going to be okay, aren’t they?”
Triton pulled the truck to a stop in front of a small, whitewashed building. He wrapped my hand in both of his and twisted around to face me. “I’ll never lie to you, Bess. As long as your parents cooperate with the cartel, they’ll be fine. It’s going to take a little time to come up with a plan to fight back against the Vasquez family. They’ve spent years building their network and won’t be easy to take down. Having said that, my MC brothers will be keeping an eye on things. I’d trust any one of them with my life.”
I appreciated his honesty. Maybe that’s why I felt comfortable admitting the extent of my fear. “I’m scared. They’re all I have.”
Tears welled in my lower lids. I didn’t want to cry in front of him, but as soon as I wiped them away, new tears sprang up.
“Hey, come here.” He unbuckled our seat belts and pulled me into his arms.
