“I know. I saw. He never calls up the floor guys unless he sees…certain potential for growth.”
Is that what you call it, or what he calls it? Jake wondered. “Yeah. He didn’t say anything directly, but I think I got the gist. I mean, I hoped he wasn’t telling me what I thought he was telling me, but, I think you’ve confirmed it. Have you?” Jake hesitated before going in for the kill. “Does your dad want me to break legs for him, or even,” his voice lowered, “killsomeone?”
Her lowered voice matched his, but the terror in her eyes went so much deeper. “I don’t know. Daddy doesn’t always confide in me, but I’ve seen—”
Oh, God, Rachael, please don’t tell me you’re a witness to murder. That would make you an accomplice. Jake’s thoughts made his heart lurch.
“—him use people before,” she finished saying. She covered his hand and half-turned her face into his palm. “Please, don’t, Jake.”
Jake’s heart pounded, both from the potentially damning conversation and from the feel of her soft skin, her lips so close to his fingers. “Don’t what? What exactly does he want me to do, Angel?” He wanted her to say it as much as he wanted her to say nothing, to lie, to keep herself safe. He’d never felt so torn between his heart and his duty.
Her lips brushed his thumb and the sweet shock of it went straight to his cock. “Stay good, Jake. Leave town if you have to, but please stay good. You’re not a bad man. Be true to yourself.”
Jake turned his hand until it held hers. He stood and led her up. “Let’s get outta here.”
They walked to his bike without a word and rode. The moon shone down, scrubbing the brown away and turning the prairie blue, the air filled with the fresh clean scent of sagebrush. It took everything he had to keep going east toward Ross, to her shack of a house. To not give in, pull over and make love to the woman holding him so tightly, then turn around and take her all the way to California, to a new life.
He helped her off the bike in front of her house. Damn the FBI. He wanted to go in, spend the night, show her how good the right man could make her feel. But by the way Rachael looked around in the dark, as if Hank or Daddy might pop out from the shadows, he knew he’d be heading back to his ratty apartment alone.
Then she reached up and took his face in her hands. “I don’t care what happens. I’m going to kiss you now before you go.”
She rolled up onto her tiptoes and her lips found his. He wrapped his arms around her, slid his hands down to her ass and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and goddamn, that contact engorged his already hard-as-steel cock. The kiss drew itself out, neither of them wanting to break away. Her lips tasted like the sweetest, creamiest vanilla, her mouth was a hot invitation to bliss. He parted her lips and she welcomed his tongue deep into her mouth, moaning as he took his time exploring her, and damn if that sound didn’t make his balls tighten and demand release. Jake stopped her when she tried to return the favor, running her tongue along his lips, pressing against them for entry. If he let her in, let her do what she wanted, he was afraid he’d come right then and there.
Holding her tighter, he took a step toward the house. Fuck, he wanted to throw her down on the bed, strip her naked and gaze at those gorgeous tits he felt pressed up against his chest, pinch and roll her nipples until she moaned for more. Dive between her legs and taste her hot wet passion. Show her how good he could make her feel with his mouth, his fingers, his cock. Then once he’d exhausted her, wrung every last orgasm out of her body, tuck her against his side and hold her safe and warm through the night.
He took another step toward the house, then another, losing the war raging inside—his head telling him his career was at stake, that he couldn’t sleep with Rachael, while his heart drove him forward. Damn the consequences, he’d take this woman he could see himself with for the rest of his life, take her and show her that she deserved happiness, deserved love and respect and freedom, and Jake was the guy who could give it all to her.
A car turned the corner and put an end to his plans. Rachael tensed up in his arms, pushed away and dropped to her feet, her eyes wide with fear. The car passed without slowing, and she closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “That was close,” she whispered.
Jake refused to leave her shaken and insecure. He wrapped his arms around her again even as she tried to pull away. “No,” he said as he dipped his face to the top of her head, nuzzled her hair. “Don’t pull away. I’ve got you, safe and sound.” He dipped lower and looked deep into her eyes. “Things are going to change for you, Rachael. What they’re doing is bullshit, making you afraid of your own shadow. I’m not going to let them push you around. That fucking ends now.” He moved in for another kiss and her lips met his as she melted into him. But the moment was over.
Breathless, Rachael pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Thank you for setting me free, even for just one night.” Her smile said everything else. The trust he was building was so fragile. He walked a knife’s edge between scaring her and making her believe she never had to fear again. One wrong move and he’d lose her.
Oh, God. Jake swore in that moment that he would do anything to protect Rachael, no matter what she’d seen, what she knew. What she’d done. If she was caught up in this, he’d get her into witness protection. He would make sure she felt safe in court as she testified against her father. Anything. Anything to keep that trusting smile on her face, that glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Even if it meant that once she was safe, he’d walk away from her forever.
Twelve
Rather than spending the weekend as she had for the past several weeks—in dread of returning to work on Monday, knowing she’d never lay her hands on the accounting book again—Rachael spent Saturday ping-ponging between fantasies of going to Jake’s apartment, tearing his clothes off, and sucking his cock right off his body (maybe while on the motorcycle—was that even physically possible without falling off?) and thoughts of barricading herself in the house out of fear that Daddy and Hank had somehow found out and were at this minute on their way over to teach her a lesson.
To distract herself, she spent most of Saturday cleaning the house from top to bottom, singing the entire time. She spent extra time scrubbing the shower, until thoughts of Jake’s hard wet body against hers while they showered together, the slippery soap making his fingers slick while gently sudsing her up, the water cascading in rivulets down between her breasts, down his abs, made her stop and enjoy a few minutes of quality time with her favorite toy in the bedroom.
Finished but not satisfied, Rachael sighed deeply. She’d never fantasized like this about a real guy outside of a book or movie. And she’d never had such hopeful visions of the future, one where she was her own person. Jake gave her that last night. Hank never made her feel that way even when they talked about taking on Daddy. Deep down, she’d known she was trading one bad man for another, but believed she had no choice, and no chance of getting out since then.
Jake was the polar opposite of Hank. He made her feel strong, confident. Even if he took her advice and left town—her heart lurched at that thought—he’d changed her perspective, given her hope. He made her feel special—seen—in a way that wasn’t like the constant predatory gaze that was the water she swam in every day.
His warm hazel eyes. His kind smile. His easy laugh as they joked. His gentleness with her, so much in contrast with his huge frame, making her feel safe. Even the first time she’d ridden with him Rachael had no fear, knowing he was in complete control of the bike and that he’d never let anything happen to her while they rode. She didn’t think these feelings even existed outside of a romance novel. No wonder they were so popular.
All Rachael wanted was to lie in bed and remember every last detail of their kiss, the way he’d held her while his mouth devoured hers. His hands clutching her ass, his hardness pressed against her, making her soak her panties. The way his tongue explored her mouth while his soft lips caressed hers. She’d wanted to ask him into her house—into her bed—so badly, and when he started carrying her toward the house her soul leaped for joy. But then the car came around the corner, nearly stopping her heart. She resisted asking Jake in after that, knowing the consequences if someone saw him leave the next morning. It was dangerous enough that they’d kissed in the open. More dangerous to let him get any closer to her.
She turned over and buried her face in her pillow. This was crazy. She didn’t deserve someone like Jake. Why did he even want her? What did he see in someone like her, someone too fearful, too broken, to be of any good to anyone? And if he ever got to know who she really was, what she’d seen, what she’ddone…it was best if he took her advice and just left town before Daddy turned him into just another monster. A monster like her.
Rachael’s phone buzzed with another text from Elena. She had been texting since last night, and Rachael felt guilty for not responding yet. The texts started with Elena making sure she was okay when she left the plant with Jake, then congratulating her for going out with him, then wanting details, then back to worrying. The latest text had an edge of panic to it:
Rachael! Pls answer! U ok?
Rachael texted back:
