Slow Ride (21 page)

“When, Kyla? When would you have told me your asshole ex is making threatening calls,
or texts, whatever, to you? When he showed up and had a knife to your throat? ‘Cause
at that point, if there was a knife to you, I honestly wouldn’t care less whether
this night happened or not. I’d prefer you to be breathing.”

“Cooper. I get it. You’re pissed. I should have told you.”

“Damn fucking right! I get you want to do shit on your own and not rely on me but
this
is something you tell the person you’re with. How would you have liked it if I kept
shit to myself about Saybrook? I did that with Jackson and were you not pissed at
me for keeping it quiet until I saw you? For not calling you right away and letting
you know I was okay?”

She stared out the window and swallowed the lump in her throat. Cooper was right.
She tugged her hand from his but had no sooner set it in her lap than Cooper grabbed
it again. “Don’t retreat from me, Kyla.” His voice was low, almost a growl. “Now talk.
What else is there that I need to know?”

Kyla closed her eyes and made a spur-of-the-moment decision she knew in her gut was
the right thing to do.

“I used to come home from college, during breaks and in the summer, and I’d sing wherever
they let me. Whether it was the local clubs, karaoke, whatever it was, I was there,
singing. Usually with my guitar or using the club’s piano. I had been home or about
six months, debating going back to get my master’s degree or not when I met Frank.
He was a cop, which in my town was a big deal, ya know? Everyone loved him, respected
him, and everywhere he went, people listened. I don’t understand why. He was just
a cop, albeit it a charismatic one. But now, looking back, that was all he was. His
eyes were empty. How did I miss that?” Cooper squeezed her hand in silent support
and she continued.

“At first things were good, but then the red flags started flying and things I should
have caught early on, I ignored. He made comments about my weight, about what I ate,
and was always getting angry when I was nice to his friends. Frank’s behavior got
more and more controlling—everyone saw it. Everyone but me. Because when Frank apologized,
he always made it up to me and made promises about our future. I thought if I just
gave him one more chance it would stop.” She paused. This next part was never easy
to talk about.

“The first time he hit me was eye opening. He’d been angry I’d gone without him to
a club. When I got home he pushed me against the door, screaming at me. He grabbed
my arm and threw me toward the couch and I stumbled in my heels. I was straightening
up when he smacked me across the face. He looked sorry right away and begged for forgiveness,
blaming his job and the stress, and me being so pretty and his fear of losing me.”
She glanced over at Cooper. “I forgave him, even though I knew I shouldn’t. And then
it happened again and again and I lost myself, Cooper. I didn’t know what I’d become
or where the old me had gone. I stopped singing and playing music. After awhile I
shut myself off from my family and friends and had nothing left except Frank.”

“Baby,” Cooper whispered. “You don’t have to talk about this.”

If only she could take that out. “No, you have to know who I am dealing with—who we’re
dealing with,” she corrected. She was surprised she wasn’t crying. Usually the tears
came, but she felt stronger somehow, sharing her burden with someone—a man—who cared
about her and wanted to protect her, not smother her.

“My brother, Mike, is the one who finally got through to me. He’d been trying to find
a way to get Frank out of my life and bring me back home, and he hit the jackpot when
he heard Frank had a piece on the side. A few actually. Mike had a PI follow him to
get the goods and then cornered me, showing me that not only was Frank destroying
my life, he was fucking around on me. Frank was having a grand old time while he kept
me caged in like an animal.” She laughed, a hollow sound. “I can’t believe what finally
did it was the fact that he had women on the side, not the beatings he’d give me every
other day.”

Cooper turned into a parking lot and parked the truck. He reached over and released
her seatbelt, pulling her across the seat. She tucked her face into his neck. “My
brother and I came up with a plan. I was going to wait a week, slowly get the few
things I absolutely needed and give them to Mike or leave it at my mom’s. I kept up
appearances with Frank and I swear to god it was the worst week of my life, but I
could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“It was a Friday, and Frank was supposed to be out. Mike came over to get me out of
there once and for all, but Frank decided to come home early. He was beyond furious,
tackling Mike to the ground and pounding on him relentlessly. I was screaming, running
for the phone and dialing 911. I slipped in the blood that was splattered across the
floor, Mike’s blood. He wasn’t moving. I was so distracted and thought he was dead.
I didn’t see Frank coming, but I felt it when he got there. His fist cut across his
body and landed on my cheek, but instead of cowering down like I’d done in the past,
something inside me snapped. I fought back, kicking, biting, scratching, screaming,
anything to hurt him. It didn’t matter anymore if I lived or died. At some point I
grabbed the gun out of his holster. I told him to stop. I warned him, but he kept
coming, taunting me.” She stared into Cooper’s gorgeous blue eyes swimming with some
emotion she couldn’t identify. “I shot him, Cooper. When the cops showed up we were
all bleeding out on the ground. I thought it would be over, that he was dead. But
he survived and in many ways, my nightmare had really only just begun.”

Shaking, she recounted her long recovery in the hospital, trying to get Frank fired
and arrested, and not being able to find work. Her town had been divided, not sure
whose story to believe.

“When I left town, it was because Frank had been reinstated pending the final investigation,
which was bogus in and of itself. I mean, it had been nearly a year and they were
still asking questions.” She rolled her eyes in disbelief. “He pulled me over, fucked
with my head, cuffed me to the car and then left me in the rain. I had to leave. I
needed a new start. And now . . . well, I’m here and he’s found me.”

Cooper didn’t say anything for a long time, he just held her against him, his hands
sliding along her spine. Finally his voice rumbled through her. “That fuck shows up,
Kyla, I will kill him. I swear to Christ he will not lay a hand on you ever again.”

She closed her eyes and burrowed closer. “You aren’t mad I didn’t tell you before?”

His hands were at the side of her face as he stared down at her. “No. Fuck, Kyla,
I’m upset you didn’t tell me earlier, but I’m not mad at you.” His lips crushed down
onto hers and he took her mouth, possessing it, possessing her. She drank him in,
moaning. Her hips undulated on his lap. Cooper dragged his mouth from hers. “We’ll
get through this. We’re a team, you and me. Okay?”

She nodded. “Can we go eat now?”

Cooper grinned. “Yeah, let’s get you fed.”

Cooper opened his door and slid out of the truck. He turned back and took her hand,
helping her out of the truck. “Christ, I got a look at you in the room but fuck, you’re
gonna give me a heart attack.” His mouth was crushing hers again before she could
respond, his tongue pushing into her mouth without even waiting for her lips to part
on their own. This wasn’t one of his soft and sweet kisses, this was hard and deep
and he was happy to feel her giving as good as he was.

It was Kyla who pulled back slightly from the kiss. “So, you like it then. . .”

He smiled. “Yeah, babe, I like it.”

Kyla laughed as he grabbed her hand, following him.

As the two approached The Warehouse, Cooper marveled at the renovation Sam had done
with the place. Every time he came here, seeing the building and knowing what it had
looked like before, it floored him. The building was located in the industrial section
of the town overlooking the water. The front and sides of the building were a mix
of brick with alternating clear and opaque windows. It was well lit, unlike the rest
of the area, which was dotted with similar buildings, although they looked to be abandoned.
Off in the distance Cooper could make out the length of the pier extending far into
the water, the pier where he and Kyla had first kissed. He smiled at the memory and
pulled Kyla closer, settling her against his side. Cooper nodded to the bouncer and
they were let in.

“Where are we?” Kyla asked.

“The Warehouse. Sam owns the place. He comes around the garage quite a bit so you’ll
meet him eventually, I’m sure.” Cooper pulled her through the crowd effortlessly,
his wide shoulders creating a path for them. She watched as he greeted just about
everyone they passed, usually with a first name. A waitress materialized out of thin
air as they hit the hostess station.

“Cooper, sweetie, haven’t seen you in forever, table for one I assume? My section
okay? Maybe we can make it like last time, I’ll serve you dinner and then we can go
have a bit of fun upstairs.”

He tugged on Kyla’s hand and brought her to his side, “How ‘bout no. Table for two.
In the back.”

Cooper felt Kyla’s arm slide around his waist and he tried to hide his smile. He looked
down and saw Kyla glaring at the waitress. He had to admit, he liked her a little
bit possessive. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to have any effect, because while the
women eyed each other, she continued with her irritating voice. “Like I said, call
me some other time. When you aren’t so occupied.”

Kyla leaned forward and hissed. “Trust me, he’ll be too occupied to be calling you
again, ever. So I wouldn’t wait by the phone.”

The waitress sneered. “Oh, he’ll call. I know what he likes and how he likes it. And
he always comes back. You’re just his latest piece of ass to blow through town.”

Cooper went still, scary still. He stepped between the two, pushing the waitress back
with his presence alone. “Get out of my woman’s face, and lose my fucking number.
Don’t think I won’t be telling Sam about this little stunt you’ve pulled.”

“Cooper,” the waitress started, but stopped when he held up his hand.

Kyla dropped her hand from his waist, lacing her fingers into his. The hostess and
a manager arrived at that point and led them to their table. Once settled, Kyla reached
for a menu and finally peeked over the top. Cooper was smiling at her. “I’ll be occupied,
huh?”

“Oh shut up, she was . . . I mean, she said it to you in front of me! How rude was
that? You seriously had to get with her? Do you guys look past the bitch part just
to get laid?”

“Sometimes, depends on how hot the woman is,” he replied, laughing as Kyla rolled
her eyes. He reached out and tugged at her waist, dragging her across the rounded
booth seat so she was against him. “It’s hard to find the total package sometimes,
but when we do, all other bitches, as you say, go out the window. Then we got only
one thing in mind, with one woman.” He dropped a hand to her thigh, his fingers gliding
over her skin to the hem of her skirt.

She watched his fingers go higher and she caught her breath. “That’s good to know
you’re in the minority. Most guys are dogs, cheaters, getting all tripped up by the
women around them, and unable to hold steady.” Her tone was matter of fact.

Cooper reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. He knew a lot of women
had this issue, not feeling that they could trust the man they were with. Cooper knew
that he would have an uphill battle, trying to convince her otherwise, but he would
fight to prove her wrong. He regarded her with a thoughtful expression on his face.
He reached out for her hand and squeezed, “I’m not, Kyla. I promise you. I’m sorry
that’s been your experience, but I will not do that.”

“Can I get you something to drink to start with?”

Her head snapped up at the interruption and Cooper chuckled. “Kyla, what do you want
to drink?”

“Beer is fine. And a glass of ice water, please, with lemon.”

Cooper smiled at the waitress. “Two beers, ice water with lemon and how ‘bout two
of the burger specials with the waffle fries. Sound good, babe?”

“Sure, um, can I have my burger medium well, please? And no tomato? Thanks.” Kyla
glanced at Cooper, “I hate tomatoes. I like tomato sauce, but I hate actual tomatoes.”

Cooper laughed as his hand moved over her knee, his fingers trailing lightly over
her skin. “Important information to know. I’ll remember that.”

“So, your friend Sam, he owns the place? Does this give Felicia’s place competition?”

“No, not really. It’s only open Thursday through Saturday and for the occasional special
event. Sam does security work that he doesn’t talk much about. It takes him out of
the country on occasion.” Cooper’s hand was all the way at the top of her thigh now,
his fingers splayed across and dipping into her inner thigh. His fingers grazed the
edge of her panties and she nearly came right there. His touch was a torture she never
wanted to end.

“Cooper.”

With his other hand Cooper grabbed hers and pressed it on his very hard erection.
Hearing the hitch in her throat, he ducked his head and kissed her. The two were so
engrossed with each other, they didn’t notice the drinks arriving. Thankfully the
wait staff was discreet, and the dark corner gave them much needed privacy.

“I need to breathe,” Kyla murmured against his lips and pulled back. She squeezed
the hand she held lightly over his jeans and smiled when he groaned. She picked up
her beer and took a pull, watching as Cooper removed his hand from under her dress.

“Eat fast. I’m taking you home tonight.”

When the food arrived she was happy they could talk casually and laugh at each other’s
jokes. She learned more about him as he told her stories of growing up in Ashten Falls
with Tommy, Roger, Sam, Phil, Derek, and Sarah. She told him about her brother and
what he did for a living. Kyla also told Cooper about her own college experience and
her friends, and how she wanted to teach music, even just lessons someday, because
that was her first love.