Tease: Mojave Boys MC (7 page)

He let Maya work at him, and she undulated her hips as she slid up and down his shaft, growing hotter and wetter with each stroke of her inner walls. He was slick from her moisture, and it allowed her to move at any pace, in any direction, without resistance. She came over and over, and rather than thinking her way through each pinnacle, she simply rode it out as the next wave came. She let her body decide what to do and how to feel, and when she felt Vance’s cock twitching with the need to release, she didn’t protest his insistence as he took her hips and drove her down on him, drilling into her fast and hard so she screamed out her delight. Vance grunted several times, and when he came, he spilled with heat and force, bringing Maya to a new height.

She nearly blacked out with her extreme pleasure, and the passion that washed over her was beyond comprehension. She clung to Vance like he was a lifeboat, and he wrapped her in a tight embrace. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Maya could have been content to remain in Vance’s arms forever.

But reality wouldn’t allow that, and slowly, she came back down to earth. She moved off him, hissing a breath as he slid out of her, and she pulled her jeans back on while he closed up his fly. They didn’t speak, and Maya thought maybe they were both trying not to break the spell. But she knew—and she figured Vance did as well—they had things to discuss, serious issues to overcome before she could even consider continuing this fling.

Maya cleared her throat and took a seat next to Vance on the loveseat, drawing her legs under her so her knees brushed his leg. She wanted a connection during this discussion, just not anything too intimate. He looked into her eyes and chuckled ruefully. “You have questions you want answered.” It was a statement, and Maya nodded silently in response. “Okay, I owe you that. Ask away.”

She wasn’t sure where to start, so she searched her mind for the best way to approach her concerns. Finally, she told him, “I want you to be completely honest with me. I won’t judge you; that’s not who I am, but I need the truth.” He nodded shortly, and she took a deep breath. “Those men accused you of killing someone in their crew. Is that true? Did you kill him?”

Vance’s face was a stoic mask she couldn’t read as he stared at her silently for a long time. When he finally spoke, it was in a deadpan tone, as if he had to remove himself from the situation to talk about it. “They came into our territory and came after me when I was alone. I shot one guy in the knees…in a way that wouldn’t leave him crippled if they took care of him. I’m an ace shot.” He shook his head and looked away. “Normally, I wouldn’t care if I killed someone to protect myself, my property, or my family, but this was an accident. I aimed for his shoulder so he would drop the gun pointed at me, but he stepped sideways, and it caught him in the chest. He was dead before he hit the ground.”

Maya tried to swallow that. She could handle an accident, if that’s what it was. She wasn’t sure about the overall violence though. When it had been a theory, she’d shrugged it off, but she’d just witnessed the repercussions of it and had a whole new outlook. “And did you really bandage the one guy up?”

“Yes, I tore the shirt on the dead guy and used the strips as tourniquets. If he didn’t heal like new, that’s on the Scorpions, not on me. They just had to get the bullet out and sew him up.” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “This was retaliation. They’ll be back for more, especially after we take them down for blocking our business.”

Maya frowned. She didn’t want to ask because she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. However, she was driven by morbid curiosity. “And just what business is that?”

She saw the pain in Vance’s eyes as he prepared to tell her, and Maya almost told him never mind. However, he answered before she could, the words falling out of his mouth like water pouring from a faucet. “We run guns, big ones, highly illegal ones. The Scorpions set up a blockade to intercept our shipment, and we’re getting our goods by whatever means necessary.”

Maya said nothing, and Vance gave her a regretful expression. “You regret landing in Wheelie now? It’s not that charming desert town you thought.”

That wasn’t exactly true. “We’ve had a great time, and regret is a strong word.” The problem was, she had the mindset of general society and believed that legal authorities should be in charge of legal matters.

“There’s no police force out here, Maya,” Vance said as if reading her mind. “Violence is law, and not standing up for yourself and your livelihood shows weakness, and the strong feed on the weak. Once you’re weak, you’re dead. You have to survive, even if it means putting the enemy six feet under.”

“So, you guys just mosey out there like John Wayne and cop an attitude like you’re in some Dirty Harry movie?” He smirked, and Maya rolled her eyes. It was like the Old West, she thought, and in a way, that made sense. And what difference should it make to her? She’d come out of the altercation unscathed, and she could leave anytime. She had no ties to Wheelie and no obligations to Vance.

So why did it seem so wrong to think about walking away? And why did that feeling anger her when she was leery of sticking around and getting hurt? “What are the chances you don’t come back from this?” she asked, her voice raw with emotion that she wished didn’t come through.

“There’s always a chance,” he told her honestly, and she met his gaze. “We have a solid plan, and nothing bad is going to happen to us.” She was surprised when he reached out and caressed her cheek. “Maya, up till now, I’ve thought of you as a fling. We’ve bantered back and forth, teased each other, and had amazing sex.”

She swallowed hard but remained silent, a bit scared of what else he would say. “After tonight and the fear that ate at me when I thought something might happen to you, that’s changed. I can’t imagine if I’d lost you.”

Maya had a hard time hearing that. She felt tears prickle at her eyes and refused to let them gather. She should admit to her emotional connection with him, but she didn’t know how that would affect her decisions going forward, and she wasn’t quite ready to face the facts like that. Instead, she asked, “What does that mean for you?”

She could tell she’d thrown him off by turning the tables back on him. However, he’d put her in a tough position first—by professing to have feelings for her. They’d just come out of a nearly fatal disaster. Maya wasn’t even steady on her feet yet. Thinking about it, she sort of felt like it was a low blow.

Vance shifted, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. He looked overwhelmed, confused, and almost in pain. “I’ve never done this, but I’d like to think you feel something, too. I’m not asking for a commitment, and maybe you’ll drive out of town and laugh at this fling, but I see a woman with the strength and potential to put up with my bullshit and maybe love me as much as I think I can love you.”

This wasn’t okay right now, and Maya wanted to push away and reject the entire conversation. However, she knew she felt that way because she wanted to make it work, even when she didn’t know if she was cut from the right mold. And could she just commit to attempting a relationship with Vance without putting everything else on hold?

“Vance, I’m not sure what I’m feeling, and I need some time. This thing we have just popped up. It wasn’t on my roadmap. We have two separate lives, and I can’t drop everything. Neither can you.

“I’m going to leave in the morning and head to my photoshoot. I need to take care of my responsibilities first and foremost. Even if it wasn’t the career I planned, it’s important to me. I’ll sort out what’s in my mind and my heart. I promise to get in touch with you and see if we can iron something out or not.”

He looked disappointed but hopeful, much the way Maya felt. “The life I lead isn’t easy to handle. I wouldn’t blame you if you rode out of here and didn’t even glance over your shoulder.”

However, that wasn’t what Maya wanted. And yet, it was probably the best decision she could make. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she told him, “Let’s not ruin tonight. Let’s stay the night together. We’ll talk about the future later.”

“I can get on board with that,” he agreed with a nod, and when he moved in for a kiss, Maya welcomed it.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Mojave Boys insisted that Vance stay the night at the bar, and interestingly enough, they didn’t just accept that Maya was staying with him. They insisted on it for her protection, as well.

They shared the small cot, making for a very intimate cuddling situation, and Vance enjoyed the feel of Maya pressed against his side with one arm and one leg thrown over his body. He woke in a stellar mood to Maya stretching beside him, even though he knew he’d lose her in a matter of hours. Still, he smiled and greeted her with, “Good morning, sexy.”

Smiling back, she raised her head so she could lean over and kiss his lips, a chaste but still intimate gesture. “Good morning, handsome.” She was out of bed after that, still stretching, which pulled her shirt tight over her breasts and made Vance groan. “We should go to the diner for breakfast.”

He hadn’t even realized he was hungry until she said that, and now, his stomach growled with fervor. “Excellent idea.” He rolled to his side to get up and winced, having forgotten about the bruised kidney. “Sorry if I’m a little slower today than usual.”

Maya gave him an understanding look. “You took a good beating, Vance. Being sore and slow is warranted. At least it wasn’t worse. Your face looks normal, save for the cuts. There’s no bruising or swelling.”

That made him feel better. For what it was worth, he was very vain about his appearance, and he would have hated having a broken nose or black eye. “That’s good, I guess, but don’t use the word ‘beating’ in front of the boys, alright? I have some pride,” he said, a bit triumphant, and Maya laughed, crossing her heart with an overly solemn expression. “Do we need to stop at the motel first?” he asked as he got to his feet.

Maya shook her head. “I feel presentable enough.” She tied her hair back again, and though he liked the look, he wished he could just run his hands through her hair again. She put on her shoes, and he grabbed his boots and shoved his feet in them. He would have liked a change of clothes himself, but he didn’t want to step away from Maya for a minute until she left. Afterward, he’d go home and take a cold shower while he wallowed in self-pity for five minutes. Then, he’d dress in fresh duds and recover.

***

Ravenous, Vance ordered the special, which was huge, with a triple stack of pancakes, a three-egg omelet stuffed with cheese, ham, and bell peppers, hash browns, two slices of bacon, two sausage links, and a biscuit with homestyle white gravy. He added a carafe of orange juice and guzzled coffee like it was water. Even Maya’s appetite was hefty enough that she ordered the triple stack with an egg, hash browns, and bacon.

“How long is your drive?” he asked, trying to sound as though he didn’t have a care in the world about her leaving. He supported her decision; he wanted her to be happy. Unfortunately, he also hated it and very selfishly wanted to hold her hostage.

“Just a few hours. But I’ll probably do some sightseeing and split the driving over a couple of days.” She nibbled on the last piece of bacon. “I don’t like getting road weary.”

That intrigued him. “I bet you’re usually on luxurious chartered jets.”

She shrugged. “I fly commercially, too. I don’t like the extra money spent on me. It makes me feel obligated to whoever pays, and I don’t like to be obligated. I want to choose my jobs, not feel bribed.” She looked away from him, her gaze focused on a thought somewhere in the distance, and Vance waited for the ball to drop. “If we tried to make this work, what sort of scenario do you see?”

He’d been thinking about that, and he hadn’t come up with a good way to handle it yet. That was the biggest hurdle, really. Vance was sure he could convince Maya to be with him if they could find a happy medium between her urban life and his desert existence. But what that arrangement would entail was beyond him. Maybe getting it out on the table would help them get to a point of comfort, and Maya would be more open to the idea.

“I doubt we’d live in the same place. We’d have to visit and stay in touch. I guess we’d start slow.”

She nodded absently. “Would you come to Houston to see me, or show up on a set somewhere to visit?”

“Yes,” he said with absolute certainty. “If that’s what it takes. Would you come back to Wheelie? Even knowing that my life is dangerous and being here puts you in the line of fire? Do you trust me enough to protect you?”

Now, she locked eyes with him. “You saved me last night. You protected me with your life, and so did your crew. After last night, ‘safe’ isn’t the right word, but with that kind of backing, I’d have enough peace of mind to come back.” She sighed and finished her orange juice. “I feel more confident now that we can try to work something out.”

Vance said nothing, not wanting to make a mistake that pushed her away when they seemed to have had a breakthrough. He waited to see if she said more, but they fell back to their own thoughts as they sipped their coffee. Vance stared out the window, but he watched Maya from the corner of his eye for any other reaction. There was nothing.

They sat in a comfortable silence for several long minutes, and then the words he’d been dreading finally came from Maya’s enticing lips. “I should get to the motel and pack up. I need to get on the road.”

He nodded reluctantly and stood, tossing the cash for the meal on the table with an additional hefty tip. He usually did, and that made him a preferred customer at the diner. Instead of grabbing Maya’s elbow as he had when escorting her in the past, he helped her to her feet and kept hold of her hand. She didn’t resist, and he had to swallow an emotional reaction.

They walked over to the bar, climbed on his bike, and he drove her the short distance to the motel. She invited him in, and he watched while she methodically put her things in the suitcase, his anxiety growing as the closet and drawers and bathroom counter were cleared. She had a lot of toiletries—makeup, facial scrubs and creams, hair products—and that intrigued him. He used the subject to pull him out of the impending desolation building in his chest. “Do you really need all that stuff?” he asked, motioning to the toiletry bag.

She nodded and laughed. “Being a model has perks, but it takes a lot of work. You don’t want to lose a youthful appearance at a young age, so you need all the facial creams and antiaging supplies. And you can’t go out in public where you might be recognized without wearing a full face of makeup and gorgeous hair. It takes a lot of product to replicate a professional styling job!”

Maybe she hadn’t come to town straight from the salon,
he thought with amusement. Funny how first impressions flew out the window when you got to know someone. And even crazier how little it mattered when you got emotionally involved. Vance could kick himself for ever having walked up to the sexy woman at the bar, but it was too late to change the past, and he had to suffer the consequences.

When she was done, she looked around, presumably to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. Then, she turned to Vance. “I guess we should exchange contact information, or I might never find you again.”

He’d wondered if he was going to have to ask for her number. She’d said she would get in touch with him, but there was no way she could have without his number. He pulled out his phone, and she spouted off her number. He texted her, and she saved his in her phone while he did the same. Feeling a modicum of relief that she still wanted to call him, Vance was more confident in saying goodbye.

“I’ll walk with you to check out.” He took her hand again, and Rudy, the desk clerk on duty, gave him a strange look. It was fair; he’d never seen Vance act in such a way with any woman before. However, as most of the independent owners did around here, Rudy kept his opinions and questions silent and simply gave Maya her receipt and a farewell. Vance made a mental note to have the charges refunded to her credit card. It wasn’t like she’d actually spent much time here. And for the short time she’d been here, she was accepted as family.

“I guess this is it,” she said as Vance picked up her suitcase and hauled it to the car. She pointed toward the back seat, and he dropped it onto the floorboard. They faced each other, and Vance forced himself not to ask her to stay for one more night.

“We’ll talk soon,” he told her, threading his arms around her waist. “Believe it or not, I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you, too, Vance,” she told him, her eyes expressing the truth of her words as frown lines creased in the corners. “I promise to call you, as soon as I finish this shoot.”

She still wasn’t convinced that she wanted to make it work between them, and that was what worried Vance. Maya was just as deep in this relationship, whatever it was, as he was, and yet, she couldn’t quite admit it to herself. It was too much of a burden to bear, he guessed, and it might ruin everything. Yet, in the end, it was her decision. And if she chose not to be with him, she would probably be better off.

He leaned in and kissed her, putting all his emotions into the gesture, and he felt her return the kiss with just as much desperation and question. When he pulled away, Vance reached to open the car door for her.

A loud bang, followed by a swift puff of hot air by his hand and the sound of metal clinking, alerted him to the danger, and he glanced down to see the bullet hole in the car door. Without thought or care how rough he was, he shoved Maya down into the car. “Stay down!” With a quick glance to make sure he wouldn’t hurt her, he slammed the door shut.

He whirled and pulled the gun he’d been smart enough to tuck into his jeans today, aiming it at the Scorpion standing out in the open. He saw the flick of the Scorpion’s finger as he pulled the trigger and dodged the bullet, barely escaping being hit. He landed on the ground on his side, aimed, and fired. He hit his mark, square in the chest, and the Scorpion fell to the ground.

He stood, relieved, but the feeling was short-lived. Two more Scorpions ambushed him from behind, one quickly knocking his gun from his hand and the other going for Maya. Panicking, he fought the hold his assailant had on him, the guy bigger than most of his brothers and quite strong. But he couldn’t seem to break free. Vance threw his head back, pleased when he felt the crack of his skull against his enemy’s chin. It gave him enough time and leverage to lunge forward and throw the Scorpion over his head.

The guy landed on his back and cracked his head against the ground, leaving him dazed. Vance took the moment of freedom to grab his gun and turn to the guy who was on top of Maya as she kicked at him and struggled to throw him off. It took a moment, but he wrenched the guy off her and tossed him to the ground.

Both of the Scorpions were on their feet, and one reached for a knife while the other pulled a pistol. As much as he wanted to shelter Maya from this part of his life, he didn’t see any other choice if he was going to protect her and stay alive. Aiming at the Scorpion with the pistol, he shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the gut. When he was down and his gun fallen away from his hand, Vance turned the gun on the other guy, firing three shots into his chest and arm.

This was not a good situation, and it would come back heavy on the club if the Scorpions discovered that Vance had shot these two and likely killed them. He had to get out of town. It would make it easier for his brothers to claim they had no part in it and that they’d sent him away for going outside protocol.

Returning to Maya, Vance opened the driver’s side door and assessed her reaction. Maya got out of the car, shaking a little, and he pulled her tight to his chest, relieved that he didn’t see any blood or sign that she’d been caught in the crossfire. “Are you okay?”

She nodded against him. “Are you?”

“Not a scratch. I have to get out of here, and so do you. Come on, we’re going for a ride.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his bike, leaving her things behind in the car. He revved the engine and took off, heading toward his house. He was going to get there, try to establish an alibi, and make a couple of calls for cleanup purposes. Then, he was going to consider his options and find a safe place to go.