Page 49 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
“Just say yes.” Ghosting across the skinnear her ear, his words preceded a wave of heat she belatedlyunderstood was his mouth on her again.
“Yes.”
“Good girl.” Einstein pulled back slightly,still so close she could have closed the gap in an instant to pressher lips to his. “Bike’s right down here, next to the clubhouse.”His fingers gave hers a squeeze. “I’ll keep you safe, Marian.”
“I know.” She stepped away as far as theleash of their joined hands allowed. “I trust you.” His body joltedas if with a blow, and she watched his Adam’s apple dance under theskin of his neck as he swallowed hard. “Lead on.”
He stared down at her, face impassive. “Allright.”
He guided their steps to where his bike satalong the side of the building, behind the fencing securing thelot. In a move she’d become well acquainted with through the years,he handed her a helmet, his gaze not leaving her as they bothsecured the gear. She waited for him to straddle the bike beforeclimbing on. Her hands went to his waist naturally, the position ascomfortable as ever. She didn’t flinch when the bike started with aroar, just scooted closer to Einstein and gripped the waistband ofhis jeans tightly.
Same as always.The normality of themoment did a lot to settle her nerves.He’ll tell me whatever’sgoing on, and we’ll laugh at how funny he was with the sweettalk.
Nothing was changing.
Same as always.
***
Einstein
He shouldn’t like this so much.
Shouldn’t, but did.
Marian leaned tight to his back, her thighsriding and gripping along his hips in a move so familiar, and yettotally foreign. He might not have slept with anyone since Lauren’sdeath, turning down offers while riding the line between being kindand an asshole—but he hadn’t forgotten the feeling of falling intothe cradle of a woman’s body. That’s what Marian riding behind himfelt like. An intimacy he’d never experienced outside of thebedroom.
They whipped past the city limit sign, andwhen Marian shifted behind him, he anticipated her question.
“Going to Quails.” At his shout over hisshoulder, her fingers tapped an irregular rhythm along his waist,and she subsided. Firm contact between his shoulder blades was herhead and helmet.
The diner in town wouldn’t work for theconversation he intended to have with Marian.
He forced his muscles to relax. His phonecalls today had uncovered a variety of information, none of itwelcome. From everything he could find, Scar was on the move.Through the years, Einstein had received enough indirect messagesfrom the asshole to know Scar was tracking Einstein just asfervently. So whatever this new move was, Scar had to know theinformation highway would take rumors both ways. Scar’s moves overthe past couple of days might have been for an unknown reason, butthe man had made himself visible in a way that meant he wanted totelegraph what he was doing.
Whatever that is.
One of the more direct messages had been arecitation of an overheard conversation, and as he remembered thatreveal, the sweat on his body evaporated, leaving him chilled.
“Man said he’d never heard a voice sofilled with rage.” Smoke’s whisper filled up Einstein’s hearing,the information so necessary it overwrote the crackling on theline. “Said Scar was twirling like a dervish at the idea of hisenemy finding happiness. You and I know that role is filled by justone person, and I wanted to make sure you heard the storiesfast.”
“Anything else?” Einstein’s fight withthe threatening tremor in his voice was successful, his wordscoming out as if oiled with a rival's blood. “From thisfast-tracked rumor mill?”
“Nothing yet, but I’ve put out feelers,so maybe we’ll get something more. Anything I hear, I’ll pass on.You know that’s true.” Hesitation filled Smoke’s voice as heresumed a more normal volume. “You heard I lost a brother?”
“We did.” Use of the plural wasintentional, and the choked sound from Smoke meant he’d caught it.“Hard to lose a member. Harder still to lose someone in the trustedcircle.”
“Sucks hard, man. I didn’t see it comin’,either. Means either I had a blind spot because it was him or ablind spot because I’m just fuckin’ blind. Haven’t sorted out yetwho knew what, and when.” Smoke cleared his throat. “Be worth it tome if you heard anything along those lines. If the Bastards heardanything.” The acknowledgment of what his “we” had meant wasgratifying. “Make it worth y’all’s while.”
“I’ll pass the ask along. See what wemight have in the books.” An intentional veil of mystery over theprocess the Bama Bastards followed for rumor collection was toindicate they held a cache of information they’d only provide ifthere was a request. “We’re usually content to watch how thingsshake out. I know Retro and Mudd think highly of you, so might be achance they’ve banked something already. Either way, I’ll pass italong and you’ll hear from someone.”
“And if I catch word of anything elsefrom Scar, I’ll call you personally.”
Smoke’s reassuring words weren’t needed.Einstein already knew this. Smoke owed him for a favor done lastyear, and the information about Scar only went a little way towardsclearing the debt.
“Appreciate it, brother. I’ll revise yourtally.” Unlike some men, Einstein didn’t have a problem callingsomeone on a favor owed. Revealing that Smoke’s information didn’tcompletely fulfill the need was just good business.“Later.”
“Shiny side.”
