Savior (19 page)

"Hey," he said, his voice getting a little firm as his hands cupped my face. "Whatever the fuck is going on in that pretty head of yours, shut it down. You ain't some bullshit flavor of the week. I'm gonna prove that by dragging your sweet ass out there to meet my mother so she can personally invite you to dinner at her place on Sunday night."

With that, he dropped my face, grabbed my hand, and turned away. With his strong hand claiming mine and outweighing me by a good hundred some-odd pounds, well, there was no choice but to follow him.

Paine's mother looked, well, absolutely nothing like him. First, she was small. As in both short and thin. Paine was right when he said she certainly didn't have the hips to birth a baby as big as he was. Hell, I found it hard to believe her small body could
carry
a baby as big as Paine. She was just past middle age with pale skin and dark hair that she had cut in a way that didn't scream "mom!" but was actually pretty stylish. Her eyes were similar to Paine's, but not quite. Hers were such a light green that they were almost see-through. Paine's had a bit more depth and I wondered if maybe the father had green eyes as well somehow. She had on dark wash jeans that she had tucked inside her tan heeled boots that matched her sweater I could see underneath her winter jacket.

She had been smiling huge at Shooter because of something he said and I got the overall impression that he was a real charmer. But her eyes moved over toward us when she saw motion and the smile faltered, fell, then reappeared but with drawn-in brows like she was confused.

"Ma, this is Elsie. Elsie, this is Gina. Now you gotta explain to her that fucking flavor of the week comment."

Oh, good Lord.

Seriously, where was a good sinkhole when you needed one?

"Oh, Elsie honey. I didn't mean anything by that," she rushed to correct her transgression. "He's never brought a woman to my table before because he's well..."

"A bit of a ladies man?" I supplied, my voice a strange strangled imitation of itself.

"I was going to say slut," she said bluntly with a smile, "but lets go with your term. I've been waiting close to twenty years for him to introduce me to a girl."

"Well now you're introduced," Paine supplied, dropping my hand but only because he slid an arm around my hips, pulling me to his side slightly.

"Do you have any plans Sunday night?"

Normally, I would. I'd had the standing Sunday night dinner with my father since I first moved out to go to college. But since I kinda... killed that tradition a couple days before, I was free. "No plans," I said with a smile. If I thought the audition with his buddies was bad, an audition with his buddies
and
his mother was all kinds of torture.

"Wonderful. Paine will pick you up and bring you to dinner. I don't need you to bring anything at all. Me and the girls have it all covered. Shoot and Breaker will be bringing their girls too so you won't feel like I'm interviewing you all night," she said with a knowing smile.

"Sounds great. Thanks for inviting me."

She gave me a smile then turned to her son, the smile falling. "Don't fuck it up before then," she told him firmly before turning to Shooter and Breaker. "See you guys Sunday. Elsie," she said, reaching for my hand and squeezing it the way only mothers do, "it was so nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I said, then watched as she turned and left.

"We good?" Paine asked when his mother got into her car and pulled away.

"Um, yeah, we're good. I really do need to get to work now though," I said, glancing at the clock.

"I'll walk you out," he offered. Well, 'offered' wasn't the right word because it wasn't an offer. It was him narrating events as he pulled me toward the door.

"See you guys Sunday," I managed to call before the door slammed behind me.

Paine pulled me toward my car, pushed me back against the driver's door, and slammed his lips down on mine. It was by no means a 'good morning' kiss. It was hot and hungry and promising all kinds of fun carnal things that he couldn't give me because I was almost late for work and, you know, we were in public.

"I'm not even close to fucking done with you," he said in a deep, smooth voice before turning away and going back toward his shop.

With a strange fluttering feeling in my belly and wobbly legs, I got into my car and went to work.

And couldn't concentrate enough to get a damn thing done all day.

Thirteen

Paine

Drawing helps me focus. It lets my mind find what's important through all the bullshit that was always rolling around. Elsie had shifted away from me in her sleep and I had managed to get up without bothering her. A part of me had wanted to stay, to climb back, sleep in, wake up with plenty of time, and fuck her senseless before we both had to get off to work. But that was exactly the reason I needed to get my ass up, hit the gym, and get myself some perspective.

The sketch of the barbell was first. It was a simple explanation to where I went so she didn't wake up and freak out. It was also supposed to be the only one I left, but as soon as I put it down, the animated cutesy sushi came to me and I just started to draw it out. Obviously, it was something that was on my mind.

First, because it was a relatively new experience for me. I'd shared coffee with women, or drinks at a bar. I'd even taken a few out to an early morning breakfast after an all night fucking. But I never just... took a woman to dinner. For the fuck of it.

Second, because in doing so, I got to see Elsie. See past the pretty and the smart and the rich, all the things that assaulted you when you saw her. I got under that. I saw the funny and awkward and silly. I saw the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her sister. By all accounts, Elana seemed like her shit was whacked, she was all over the place. But it was clear that Elsie loved her fiercely and loyally. And, well, Elsie was a pretty level-headed chick. If she thought you were worthy of fierce and loyal love, then you must be, despite all the outward appearances of crazy.

As I plowed through a rough workout, I couldn't shake the question why. Why Elsie was different. Sure, she was drop dead gorgeous. But I'd bagged beautiful women before. She was smart. That was also something I'd known before. The rich thing, that meant nothing to me. It wasn't like I was the kind of man who would ever let a woman take care of him.

There was just a 'something', a thing I couldn't put my finger on, but she had it and I wanted a piece of it.

Maybe it was her contradictions. Sure she was pretty, but she vegged out in ugly sweats and wore giant glasses when her contacts were out. She was rich, but she worked her ass off to take care of herself despite the trust. She seemed to have her shit together, strong, independent... but there was also a hint of vulnerability about her that made any good man want to protect it at all costs. She cared about her body, but not in a way that made her deny good food when it was in front of her.

And, well, shit, that woman wore a sexually confident vibe that a man could sense a mile off. And it wasn't the sad, desperate vibe you found on lonely women in a bar. It was something else, something infinitely more attractive. It was something that said she owned her sexuality, she liked to have sex if and when she wanted it with whomever she chose and that she didn't let it define her or in any way lower her.

The sex? Off the fucking charts.

Sure, there had been women in the past that I hit it off with in bed and spent more than one night with. Some that I called whenever the mood struck, alone and horny and in need of some headboard breaking, no strings attached sex. But that was clearly all it was.

With Elsie, once I was inside her, I got this strange as fuck feeling like that was where I was supposed to be.

Factor in that she could take it as hard and fast as I gave it to her, the fact that she gave good head (though it got interrupted), that her pussy tasted like fucking candy... yeah, no way was I going to pass up the opportunity to explore that with her.

I showered and left the gym, texting Shoot and Breaker to meet me at the shop to talk about the Elana situation, see if either of them knew anything.

Breaker got his name because he was good at breaking things. Mainly, people. That was how he made his living, through intimidation, through beatings. Shooter, well, obviously he was good with a gun. Meaning, he was the best sniper and contract killer on the East coast. I came across Breaker when he was squatting in abandoned storefronts as a teen. There was a certain connection street-kids felt for one another. Me and Break, we got along straight off. A couple years later, Breaker took in a younger Shooter like a little lost puppy. Breaker was, outside the gang, the best friend I had. So, by extension, me and Shoot got tight as well. It helped that we all lived outside the law; we understood one another.

Through the years and me getting outta the gang, they were by my side. Both still worked their illegal jobs and, therefore, both had an ear to the streets at all times whereas sometimes my information was weeks or months too old to matter.

"Fuck man," Breaker said, shaking his head with a smile after we had discussed the situation for a while.

"What?"

Shoot laughed. "You watched the two of us go through it and you don't know what?" he asked.

See, Breaker and Shooter used to really enjoy the company of women too, many different women. Then Breaker met Alex. Because he was paid to kidnap her. Long story short, they ended up together. Then Shooter had to go back to Alabama to handle some family shit. He met Amelia. Amelia got herself wrapped up into some trouble that Shoot tried to get her out of. Lots of action and shit with both of them that ended up leading to serious relationships.

"That's not what's happening here."

"Sure it ain't," Breaker agreed, lips twitching.

"What do you give it?" Shoot asked Breaker. "Week? Two?"

"For what?" I asked, knowing I would regret doing so.

"Until you're completely pussy-whipped," Shoot supplied.

And that was exactly when Elsie decided to come in and bring me morning coffee. Which, well, was sweet as fuck. I'd never had a woman go out of her way to bring me anything before.

Then my ma showed up and dropped that flavor of the week line with Elsie within earshot. I mean I love my ma, but I seriously wanted to throttle her for that, especially when I walked into my kitchen and Elsie backed herself into a corner, eyes wide, looking both terrified and horrified at once. And I didn't fucking like that one bit.

I could see in that moment that she wasn't
that
girl. She wasn't the girl guys used and threw aside. She was class. The men who courted her,
courted
her. And the men she maybe fucked just for a fuck, guaran-fucking-tee they wanted more when she was done with them. That was what she was used to and the thought that anyone saw her as a disposable fuck toy really bothered her.

I didn't like the idea either.

So yeah... things were a bit more fucking complicated than I was used to.

On top of that shit, Shoot and Break hadn't heard anything. Nothing about Elana or anything about some extortion or kidnapping ring in the area.

So short story... things were fucked.

I was hoping Sawyer dug something else up. He might have been an ass, but he was an ass that got shit done. If there was someone I was comfortable with being on the job, it was him.

If all else failed, I was willing to cross over to my old streets and start causing some chaos until I got the answers I wanted. Enzo would flip shit, but that was too fucking bad.

I focused on work, never finding anything that I could concentrate on quite like I could drawing or tattooing. But as soon as I shut the shop, she came rushing back.

She was in.

Under my skin.

And I didn't know what the fuck to do with that realization.

So I went to the grocery store, like I had planned.

Then I went over to Elsie's.

Fourteen

Elsie

"Hey Elsie, wait up," Shane Mallick called as I skirted the front desk. I paused, turning, brows raised. Sure, he'd been my personal trainer once upon a time, but we barely shared more than hellos and goodbyes anymore.

"Yeah?"

"Got something for you," he said, reaching for something under the desk and coming back with an envelope.

Alright. Truth be told, now that I knew he was some kind of knee-breaking loan shark... I kinda felt a little weird taking anything from him. But he was holding out the envelope like he expected me to take it. So I did. The front had my name on it but that was it. I slid a finger under the seal, opened it, and pulled out the sheet of paper inside.

Curious, I unfolded it.

It was from Paine.

I knew this because it was another drawing.

This time, a perfect replica of my kitchen. Except there were grocery bags on the island which absolutely did not belong there seeing as I did not keep much in the way of food in my house.

"Uh oh. I know that look," Shane's voice broke in and my eyes sought his guiltily. It was then that I realized I was doing the goofy grin again. I had to make sure I didn't do that in front of Paine. Seriously.

"What look?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Oh fuck off babe," he laughed, giving me an amused smile. "You know exactly what look. You're so fucked. Paine, babe? Shit."

"It's not like that."

"Sure it's not."

"It's not," I insisted.

"What'd he give you?"

Seeing no reason not to share, I showed him the picture. "It's my kitchen."

"This supposed to mean something?"

"I think it means he's cooking me dinner? I don't keep food in my house and there's food on the counter in the drawing."