“Fine,” he said over his shoulder. “You’re coming, but I swear to God, Beth, if you don’t glue yourself to my side while we’re there, I’ll spank your ass, fuck what Copper thinks.”
She stilled behind him, and he groaned.God, how stupid could he be?Her boyfriend had just hit her, and he’d threatened to put his hands on her. Not that he ever would. It was just talk, but still.
Fucking idiot.
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I’d never lay a hand on you in anger, Beth. I hope you know that.”
She cleared her throat. “Um… yeah… of course I know that. You were mouthing off. No big deal.” Her voice dropped an octave, sounding huskier than usual.
It almost sounded turned on.But there was no way, right?She’d just gotten out of an abusive relationship. The last thing she needed was another man’s hands on her, even if those hands would worship rather than wound. Christ, that would be a complication neither of them needed. Hiding his attraction to her was one thing, but knowing she wanted him as well would make it nearly impossible to stay away.
Her weight disappeared from his back as she straightened, but kept her hands resting on his hips enough to stay safe behind him.
He hit the throttle and sped off, faster than the law would like, but time was not on his side. Mountain views zoomed by, something he’d usually appreciate, but today he had a single-minded focus—get to The Barn before Stillman left, and his chance to help his club went up in smoke.
They rolled to a stop in front of the dilapidated barn with five minutes to spare.
Behind him, Beth tensed, which he took as a good sign. She should be tense. This place was a shithole, crawling with people who’d slit her throat to get at five dollars in her wallet.
The place hadn’t changed much in the decade since he’d hung out here. It was as advertised, a faded red barn with a crumbling ceiling and rotting wood planks. Old tires, broken-down cars, and piles of garbage littered what was once a grassy area surrounding the barn. The inside, if he remembered correctly, was always a hazy, smoke-filled cesspool where addicts and dealers passed out on random couches and futons,salvaged from the side of the road God knew how many years ago.
He’d rather lick a toilet seat than sit any part of his body on one of those couches.
“Wow,” Beth whispered as he killed the engine. “Who exactly are you meeting here?”
“An old friend.”
“Did you…”
He could imagine her wrinkling her nose as she took in the sight.
“Have you been here before?”
He grunted. “Unfortunately, I went through a bit of fucked-up stage after we left the cult.”
She stayed quiet but squeezed his waist once before releasing him to undo her helmet.
“If I can’t touch you, you’re too far away. Got it?” Saint asked as he dismounted the bike.
“Uh, yeah. Don’t worry. I’m not exactly eager to explore this place.”
As soon as her feet hit the ground, Saint palmed the back of her neck and pulled her close. She gasped at the possessive move, then squeaked when his lips met her ear. “As far as they are concerned, you’remine.”
“Oh,” she whispered on an exhale. Her breath wafted across his neck, raising goose bumps along his skin. He fought to keep from letting a punch of lust distract him from his task as he scanned their surroundings.
“It’s the only way to keep you safe in here,” he whispered. Movement from the crumbling barn caught his attention. Someone, a woman who looked as though she’d not eaten in weeks, stumbled outside on unsteady legs. Her eyes had that high-as-a-kite glaze he’d seen too many times. She wobbled offto the side of the building, hiked her dirty sundress over her hips, and squatted to piss right there out in the wild.
Lovely.
Saint tightened his hold on Beth. “Try not to tense up if I get handsy. We’ve got to sell it. One whiff that you’re not protected, and every fucker here will be looking to take advantage.”
She nodded, making the shell of her ear brush against his lips. Fuck, how he wanted to retrace the path with his tongue, maybe nip her earlobe just to feel her shiver against him.
But this was not the time or the place.
And as much as she turned him on, she was not the woman.
“Whatever you need, Saint.”
