Page 39 of Malice

“Bonnie,” Phillip’s voice taunted her as she struggled to breathe.

“Bonnie,” the voice changed.

She knew she should recognize it but couldn’t place it, not while she struggled to get enough oxygen.

“Bonnie, wake up.”

Wake up? Was she dreaming? As soon as she realized she was dreaming, her eyes snapped open. The hand on her face vanished, but she could still feel where it had been pressed so tightly against her face. She took a deep breath and let it out, then another.

“Are you okay?” the voice that had woken her spoke again. This time she had no trouble recognizing it as Corey.

She turned her head to find he lay on his side, watching her, his face creased with concern. “I think so. Did you wake me up?” She glanced toward the window where the nearly full moon was visible, giving her enough light to see his face, though dimly.

“I did. You were struggling and I thought you were going to hurt yourself.”

“I’m sorry. I was dreaming.”

“It didn’t look like a very pleasant dream.”

“It wasn’t.” She took another deep breath and snuggled against Corey, enjoying the warmth that seeped into her and helped her relax. “I think it was seeing Phillip today.”

“Would it help to talk about it?”

She stared at the dark ceiling as she tried to put what she was thinking and feeling into words. “I dreamed I was trapped, being held hostage by Phillip. It was just an unpleasant dream until he covered my mouth. Then I don’t know if something was making it hard for me to really breathe, or if it was just part of the dream, but I couldn’t breathe, and it made me panic.”

“I could see you fighting something, and it took me a bit to wake you, but I’m glad I did.” He stretched one arm across her belly and tugged her closer against him. “I hate that seeing him, even from a distance, does this to you.”

She turned and watched him for a moment in the pale glow of the moon. She didn’t want to think about how much worse her dreams might have been if she’d actually had to talk to or confront her ex.

“I’m glad you ran him off. I just wish he would take a hint or even blatantly being told I don’t want to see him, as the truth and would leave me alone.”

“I’m starting to think it may take a clue-by-four upside the head or maybe a long drive over a steep cliff to get him to see reason.”

Bonnie opened her mouth to respond, then Corey’s words sank in and all she could do was stare at him, open mouthed. Had that been a joke? She couldn’t decide from the look on his face if he was serious or not. Did he really think it would take violence or even Phillip’s death to get him to leave her alone? She didn’t know what to say and finally closed her mouth without saying anything. Instead she moved closer to him, rolling up on her side so he stretched along her back. His arm wrapped around her, making her feel safe and protected.

She wondered if she should say something, anything but before she could find the words, sleep once more overtook her.

29

“We’regatheringinthebunk house in fifteen minutes. Be there,” Lurch said to Corey as he walked through the barn where Malice worked on hooking a trailer to the back of a four-wheeler and loaded it with several bags of feed.

Malice looked up in time to see the man who was both the ranch foreman and the club president leave the building, moving as if he had somewhere to be and not long to get there. He wondered what was up and if it was ranch business or club business. No point in thinking too hard on it, he’d know soon enough. Might as well finish this before he headed that way to see what was up.

Not quite fifteen minutes later he walked into the bunk house. There he found all the hands, plus Lurch and Tuck standing around the common room. He glanced around, trying to get a feel for if things had already started, but while there was a little tension it seemed to be a nervous anticipation of why they were there.

Ghost came in a moment later and took a place near Malice to lean against the wall.

Lurch’s gaze scanned the room, then he cleared his throat. “All right now that everyone’s here we’ll get started. We’re going to hold this as an informal club meeting.” He paused and let his gaze scan the room again. “First order of business, is you all know about Malice’s girl’s ex. He followed her onto the ranch from town yesterday. Several of us went out and Malice confronted him. He never got past the first Y, but I need you all to be vigilant.”

He gave them a description of the car as well as reminding them that they’d all seen the man’s picture. Then he outlined what he wanted done, should he be spotted on, or even near the ranch. Once finished with that he moved on.

“Second order of business. You all know that Tuck’s mandatory year here is almost over.” There was a little murmur of chatter spread through the room, Malice wasn’t part of it. He’d known there was something about a year but hadn’t been around when it had started and didn’t know when it was up.

“Quiet down!” Lurch’s voice rang across the room, silencing the voices. “It’s not for a few weeks yet, but we’ve got something in the works. He’s been away from Tucson and the original chapter for a year, and would like to go back, at least part time. In the spirit of keeping him safe, as well as his old lady, some of the Tucson chapter is going to come up, spend a little time here in Gillette, then escort him back to Arizona.”

He fell quiet for a couple of minutes while the men talked and speculated about what that would mean.

“They won’t be here for a weeks, so we’ve got some time, but we also have a lot to get done.” He paused a moment then continued. “Once they’re here, we will still have work to get done, but we’ll have fun too.” Lurch turned and pinned Jake with his gaze. “I don’t have exact dates yet, but we’ll need a run. Something not too far since they’ll have just come off the ride up, but fun all the same.”

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