Page 111 of Truck Stop Tempest

THE WIND CAME FIRST, pushing the evergreens to their limit like a drill sergeant dance instructor, limbs bending and stretching beyond their breaking point. The rain followed close behind, hitching a ride on ominous black clouds, then cutting loose to flood the streets.

By the time the power went out, our last customer had fled for the safety of home. Before the first lightning strike lit the sky, we’d locked the diner up tight and called it a night.

I stood in the dark hallway, the centermost point of the building, far from any windows or doors, and listened, Tito’s footsteps growing closer, my pulse racing faster with each patter of rain on the roof.

Warm, rough fingers sliced between my own before offering a reassuring squeeze. “The car is parked right outside the door. Two steps and you’re in.”

He led me toward the back exit, hand in hand, feeling our way through the dark. The diner seemed to shudder, sensitive to the electric, angry storm outside. My chest rattled, too, responding to both the man at my side and the lingering threat beyond the walls.

Tito’s cell buzzed and he stopped to tug the phone out of his back pocket, the screen illuminating his face. His eyes met mine briefly before he answered. “Dane. This better be good news.”

Eyebrows knitted, he scratched his beard, shot me another glance, then ordered me to stay put while he disappeared into the kitchen. His muffled voice rang angry through the dark, empty hall.

Minutes later, he shoved through the swinging doors and grumbled, “Change of plans.”

Icy chills ripped through my skin and bones. “What’s wrong?”

Joining our hands, he stepped close to me and drew a deep breath. “Erik’s been spotted in town.”

“Good.” The weight of a thousand worries left my shoulders. I searched my handbag for my own cell, rifling through wads of paper, candy wrappers, tubes of lip gloss, and, gross, something soft and sticky. “Let’s call Roger.”

“We can’t,” he snapped, clamping his fingers around my wrist.

I paused my retrieval, dropping my phone back into the bottomless pit. “Why?”

“Because there are people who want Erik more than we do.”

“Who?”

“Bad people.”

My stomach protested, threatening to expel my lunch. “So, what do we do?”

“You are going to wait with Tango and Slade.” He pulled me close, sliding a hand to my neck and curling his fingers in my hair. A long sigh. “I’ll drive you up the hill, then I’m meeting a couple of men back down here.”

I jerked free of his grip. Nothing about his idea sounded like a good plan. “And then what?”

He headed toward the exit. “Then, I help them grab Erik. I come pick you up. We have our date.” The restraint in his voice was obvious. He didn’t like the plan any more than I did.

Thunder struck. Rolling and rumbling, wreaking havoc through every cell in my body, quieting any protest.

Tito stepped ahead to push open the door, then looked over his shoulder. “Ready?”

No. I was not ready. I’d lived with monsters my whole life, yet I was terrified of a little storm.

“I could just stay here. Wait for you to get back. Lock myself in the office.”

He chuckled, low and rumbly like the storm outside, only sexy. “Not an option, Bunny.” He dropped a warm, wet kiss on my mouth, rendering me breathless, boneless, fearless. “It’s safer at the house. Besides, Rocky already has the flashlights charged, and he’s waiting for you before he starts with the ghost stories.”

He pushed the door open. A gust of wet wind hit my face. Tito dropped my hand and shoved me out of the way with such force, I stumbled and landed on my ass, my purse flying.

With a sickening crack, Tito flew back, his head slamming into the wall behind him. He crumpled to the ground. Before I could react, a large figure blocked the doorway, then stepped over Tito like he was nothing more than a dust bunny.

I scrambled backward, deeper into the dark.

Another figure came through the door.

Heavy boots squeaked on the tile floor. Coming closer. His face was hidden in the dark, but there was no mistaking Erik’s voice. “Riley. Kill that fucker.”

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