Page 28 of Bratva Hunter

“Sure. Do you think what’s on the flash drive will help me?”

“Maybe. It’s better to know what’s on it, and Fingers is good with computers. He’ll figure out why they want it back so bad.”

She pulls her legs up into the seat, nodding. “I’m hungry.”

I scan the horizon for restaurant signs. A blue sign for a diner catches my interest as I take the off ramp. Pulling into the crumbly asphalt lot, I pick the parking spot closest to the restaurant’s rear door. There are half a dozen cars parked around the lot, but none catches my eye. Stepping inside, it’s a typical off-ramp diner. The lady behind the counter waves and points to a booth. We take our seats as the woman hands us the legal-sized, laminated menus.

“The special is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable.” Her eyes direct us to the glass container at the end of the counter where there are slices of pie and other desserts. Rosa’s stomach growls from across the booth. The server asks. “What would you both like to drink?”

“I’ll take a coffee, and she’ll take an iced tea with lemon.” She walks away as Rosa peruses her menu.

I’ve never been a big fan of diner food. I’ve eaten my share of meatloaf. It was a dish my mother often cooked herself, rather than having our housekeeper make something.

Rosa sets her hands on her menu. “You remembered how I like my tea.”

“Yeah. I paid attention when we talked about the things you like in the car.” It seemed like the thing to do. She’s slowly slipping under my protection. I need to look through that flash drive and see if there is anything about us on it.

“Rory, how do you know they won’t find us?”

“I’m better than they are. No one is going to hurt you.”

“Can you just stop working for your company to help me?”

“Yes. You’re more important. I texted my father. He understands that this is what I need to be doing. The other things can wait.”

Chapter 8

ROSA

Two days later, we’re hiding in the back of the semi-trailer Rory found us at the motel. He’s done as he promised, keeping me safe. I can’t figure out how the men keep finding us. Two hours after the diner, two bikers ride up to our SUV. Rory out maneuvers the bikers, with impressive driving skills I didn’t expect, but it means we have to ditch the ride. As we get back to New Mexico, my heart wonders about the bar and the kind people who befriended me. That feels like a lifetime ago.

“Hey?” He pulls me into his body. The floor of the trailer is hard, and it’s pitch black. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I was just thinking about the people I met in New Mexico.”

“It’s great you found good people. You had to leave because of those bikers, right?”

“Yeah. My family must have employed every biker in the country to find me.”

“I know it feels like that.”

The burner phone he picked up after we ran from the motel rings. “Hello? Yeah. Good.” He ends the call. “Fingers will meet us in Dallas tomorrow.”

“How do you know that the people won’t find us in Dallas?”

“I promised you’d be safe.”

“I know, but they keep finding us.” I’m beginning to think my father had me GPS chipped like a dog.

“There’s a safe place for us. It’s going to be okay.”

I immerse myself in his scent and will my body to relax.

RORIC

We’re resting in a safe house owned by our bratva. Quiet time plays havoc on my mind, and I’m reliving some of my latest assassinations. I counted up the number of people I’ve tortured and killed: One hundred and thirteen. Bile rests in the back of my throat. Not for the lives I’ve destroyed or taken, but for the lie I’ve told the woman who sleeps in my bed. Rosa’s soft breaths against my chest poke at my conscience. She’ll never forgive me for lying to her. The clock reads six in the morning, and I know Fingers should arrive soon. I push myself off the mattress and pad to the bathroom, peeing before I step into the shower. Put on your game face. Make sure Fingers can’t guess that you’re falling for the waif in the bed.

Fifteen minutes later, the bathroom door opens, and she walks in. Her brown hair is matted and unruly, her face wears a crease from the bedding, and she smiles. Damn that smile.Twinkling blue eyes sparkle back at me as I step out of the shower with a raging hard on.

---