Page 26 of Beast

“You’re scared you’re going to get hurt,” I said quietly.Reaching out a hand, I pulled her down into my lap.The towel slipped down, and she tugged it back into place like it was some kind of armour keeping her safe from feeling anything for me.

She nodded.“I grew up watching men come and go through my mom’s bedroom like a parade.And every time, every new guy, she’d get her hopes up.She’d be as giddy as a schoolgirl, and then he’d be gone and she’d be devastated.I swore I’d never do that, never care enough about a guy that him leaving would tear me apart.I used them, I let them use me.Worked just fine.But now you?Shit.You could really hurt me.”

I wrapped my arms around her and rocked gently back and forth.“It’s okay.I’m not going anywhere.You and me, we’ll work this out.”

She started to cry.Fuck.I could handle a lot, but listening to her sob quietly against my chest near broke my heart.It had been a long day, what with the opening performance nerves, stage fright, and that fear in the back of her mind, that fucking Drake would somehow track her down.I let her cry herself out, then I tucked her into bed.Shedding the rest of my clothes I climbed in beside her, pulling her up against me and cradling her in my arms as she fell into an exhausted slumber.

At some point, I dozed off only to be awakened by the faint buzz of my cell phone vibrating on the side table.I freed one hand from around Piper and checked the call display.

Ace.

Fuck.Now what?

Chapter Seven

Piper

I woke alone in bed.The heavenly smell of fresh coffee teased my nostrils.I stretched, rolling over to see where Beast had gone.This was a motel room, not a house.He couldn’t be far.

He was sitting at the rickety table by the window, a mug of coffee in his hand and his gun already holstered.The guy did not let that weapon get more than an arm’s length from him at any time.

I propped myself up on one elbow, pulling the bedding up to my chin.“You going to share that?”

He turned his head toward me, a slow smile making it all the way to his eyes.“Morning, sleepyhead.You mean the coffee?”

“Of course I mean the coffee.”

He stood and stalked over to the tiny kitchen area.Picking up one of the paper cups the hotel supplied, he fixed the coffee just the way I liked it -- lots of cream and sugar.Handing it to me, he sat down on the edge of the bed.“How do you feel about you and I taking the scenic route on my bike to the next gig?”

I took a sip of the coffee.“Sounds lovely, but why?”The plan was for me to ride in the tour bus and Beast to follow on his bike so he could keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

“Because I feel like taking a ride and I love it when your arms are wrapped around me?”

“Not buying it.Try again.”

He sighed.“Ace called.Said Shadow found some chatter on the web.Hard to decipher, but he thinks Drake might know where you are.”

“So he knows where I am, or he knows I’ll be on the tour bus?”

“Shadow couldn’t get details, just the bare bones.Ace figures we need to play it safe.Keep you off the bus, and off the planned route.If the bus changes route, it can be followed.It doesn’t exactly blend into the landscape.But a lone bike?Not even on the planned route?It won’t attract much attention.”

I took another sip of the coffee and considered.I kind of missed the days we’d spent on the bike doing the cross-country thing.“How sure is he that Drake found me?”

“About fifty percent.The intel was kind of vague.Might have been someone else.Drake’s name was never mentioned but the details were suspicious.”

“So this is just a precaution?”

He nodded.“A better safe than sorry kind of thing.”

“What about the band?Is this going to put them in danger?”

“Nah.These guys are pros.They won’t even show themselves unless they plan to strike.No female to shoot at, they’ll just disappear back into whatever shithole they came from.”

I gulped down more coffee.“In that case, I’d love to go for a ride on your bike.”

“Good.”He stood up and headed back to the coffee machine.“You hungry?I can go find some donuts or something for breakfast if you want.”

I wrinkled my nose and let the bed sheets slide down to my waist.“I don’t think I’m in the mood for donuts.”

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