Page 35 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
Hands clasped in front of her waist, sheshook her head. Lunch had come and gone, a buffet of pizza andwings that had smelled really spicy, so after peeking out of theroom, she’d passed on making her own plate.
“Give me a minute, I’ll call him back.”Einstein lifted his phone to his ear, chin angled towards theground. “Bane, yeah, man. Come back and pick up Marian.” His gazecut to where she still stood, in the doorway of the smalldownstairs room. “Yeah, she’s here. I’m lookin’ right at her, man.”His neck bent, head dropping farther towards the floor. “No man,we’re on bikes.”
“I can give her a ride, if he’s tied up.”Horse’s grin her direction was slow and confident, but all shecould think about were his previous words, detailing what he saw asher stupidity.
Shoulders curving in on herself, she shookher head. “It’s okay. I can walk. It’s not a far stretch.”
“You’re not walking,” Einstein shot at her,then groaned. “Seriously, man? You can’t—” He groaned again. “Yeah,if your old lady’s not feelin’ it, then you need to stay with her.I get it. We’ll sort things here.”
“You can call Gunny.” Marian was surprisedby Horse’s laughter, low and rolling. “Maybe Sharon or Vanna cancome get me?”
“You can ride with me.” Einstein poked atthe surface of his phone with a rigid finger. “Unless you have aproblem with it?”
You were the one with a problem earlier.What changed?Marian tried to keep the question off herface.
“Seriously, you can ride with me. Stoplookin’ at me like that.” Shoving the device into the front pocketof his jeans, he shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Long as you feel safewith me.”
Clearly she’d failed.
“I’d feel safe.”
“And me over here feelin’ like chopped livernow.” Horse laughed again. “Not that I blame you, Marian. But Iwant you to know I’m sorry if I offended you before. In my own way,feeble as it was, I was tryin’ to look out for you.”
“It’s okay.” Marian shifted her gaze betweenthe two men, finding matching expressions of annoyance. “I’m notoffended, Horse.”
“Maybe you should be.” Einstein stalked awaytowards the front of the building. “But either way, come on. We’vegot to lock up and get back to the houses. Vanna and Gunny aredoing some grilling.” Her stomach gurgled again, this time louder.“And from the sounds of it, you need something to eat.”
“See you there.” Horse swung past whereEinstein was in the doorway, staring back at Marian. His mouthsplit in a broad smile, and he gave her a wink as he told Einstein,“Have fun, brother.”
“Come on, Marian.” As she approached,Einstein held out a hand, and she accepted it. Only afterwards didshe realize that hadn’t been his intent, her grip on his broad palma surprise. He didn’t shake her loose, however, just angled himselfto grab the door with his other hand, pulling it closed behindher.
Without releasing her hand, he turned a keyin the padlock, then pocketed the keychain and turned, using theirjoined grip to lead her towards his bike.
This morning he’d been so adamant that hedidn’t allow passengers, his anger and pain a palpable force thathad pushed him from the room, from the house. It had been hourslater when she’d seen him again, upstairs here. That kind ofreaction shouldn’t have changed in such a short time, and sheconsidered her words as they watched Horse’s motorcycle angle outof the parking lot and onto the highway, the deep blat of hisexhaust quickly diminishing in volume.
“I really wouldn’t mind walking.” Hisfingers tightened around hers, the rejection of her words immediateand unmistakable. “This is something that makes you uncomfortable,and that’s the last thing I want to do, Einstein. You’ve beenunfailingly kind to me.”
“No, I haven’t. I wasn’t nice to you thismorning, and it’s bugged me all day.” He turned and stared at her,expression somber. “This gives me a chance to apologize and fixit.”
“You don’t have anything to fix.” Other thanhis refusal of her spur-of-the-moment request this morning, he’dbeen nothing but nice. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” His roughened fingers gavehers another squeeze, then dropped away as he retrieved a helmetfrom the backrest of the bike’s seat. “I’ve got just the one lid,but we’ll get it tight on you, keep you safe.”
“Who’ll keep you safe?”If a helmet isrequired, and he only has the one, doesn’t it make more sense forthe driver to wear it?“Don’t you need one, too?” She angledher body away. “I feel like you’ve been trapped into something youdidn’t want. That’s…that won’t work for me.” Marian backed away andlooked over her shoulder at the road and dark buildings, sunalready lost behind the tall pine trees to the west. “You go onback, and I’ll make my own way.”
He groaned from behind her, and footstepsapproached as she struck off along the edge of the road. “Are youthis much of a pain in the ass for everyone, or is it just me?”Marian didn’t answer him, adding a little speed to herstride—matched by an increase in his footsteps. “Jesus God, woman,I already said I want to fix this. You hoofing it won’t do a damnthing except piss off everyone else at me. Anyone not already therewill be by the time you walk all the way back out to Bane’s place.”Fingers tangled with hers, and he tugged, pausing her progress.“Swear to God, Marian. Hold up.”
“It’s okay.” She tried to retrieve herfingers but found them in an immovable hold. “Honestly, I’m happierwalking than riding.”
“You already said you’d feel safe with me.Me, and not Horse.” A quick pull had her spinning to face him,staring up into his eyes. “It’ll take us fifteen minutes max, and Ipromise to ride safe as if it were—” His lips pressed together. “Ipromise to ride safe.”
The interruption of his speech was abrupt,and she wondered what he’d been about to say. “Why does it matterto you?”
“Because I wasn’t as nice as I could havebeen earlier, and that made you doubt me. I just want to redeemmyself.” He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t be afraid of me, Marian. I’dnever hurt you.”
“I’m not afraid.” That was a tiny bit of alie. Standing alongside the dark highway, with shadows of nighttimefalling all around them, just the knowledge that they were alonecarried fear.He could do anything.Marian swallowed hard.“You’ll show me what to do? I want to keep you safe, too.”
“Yeah.” His fingers curled around her hand,slipping his palm against hers. “I’ll show you.”
