Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2) (22 page)

“I was going to call her, but saw you first. Figured I’d stop by and check.” He tilted his head and ran his hand through his curls, giving me what was probably meant to be a cute look. But my guards were up, and cute smiles did nothing for me.

He nodded to the door. “If she’s not home, I’ll call her and meet up with her that way.”

I shook my head, gaging my ability to take him if it came down to it. “Call her. You’re not coming in.”

His eyes narrowed in an instant, but he took a step back with a surprised laugh. “She told me you were a—” He closed his mouth on his words and shook his head, curls sliding over his forehead.

“What?” I challenged with a grin. “What did she say I was?”

His hands were back in his hair as he looked at me through his thick eyelashes. “You know. But you’d just hit her when she said it, so…” He shrugged with a light laugh. “But maybe you’re just smart. Girls can’t be too careful, especially when it comes to being alone with guys.” His expression darkened some. “Kiera should learn that too.”

“Right.” I shifted on my feet, adjusting my book bag on my shoulder “You can go. I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

“You didn’t check if she was home yet.” Persistent bastard.

“You can call her to find out.” I lifted my chin, nodding down the hall. “Go.”

“Okay, okay. Calm down, I’m going. Maybe I’ll see ya around.” He took a few steps back, still facing me, and then turned and walked towards the elevator.

I went into the apartment, and as I predicted, Kiera wasn’t home.

I shouldn’t have listened to Kyle. I should have gone to the gym. The run and room workout I did in its place didn’t give me the same relief.

My muscles were pulled tight with stress as I rode in the back of Boris’s town car. He had the partition up, keeping me from talking to him. Not that I would have anyways. The confined car ride left me alone with my thoughts, something I tried to avoid. Taking my phone out of my bag, I plugged in my headphones and let the music blast.

Boris walked me into the stables that served as a gun range. Rusnak stood at a table, three bottles of clear liquor and a stack of shot glasses in front of him.

“Taste these.” He poured three shot’s from one bottle. “I’m trying to decide if I want to invest.” He waved his hand in front of all three bottles and then held out a glass for Boris and me. “This one is the smoother of the three.”

The man to my left took the offered glass, swishing it in his mouth before swallowing easily. “Not bad.” He set the glass upside down on the table.

I took the glass but set it to the table. “I’m not a drinker, I can’t tell what’s good or not.”

Rusnak gave me curious smirk as he sipped his shot.

I shuddered just thinking about sipping the liquor that slow. The smell was enough to burn the back of my throat.

“I guess you can’t tell the difference, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a drink. This one is infused with vanilla.” He poured another bottle into three clean glasses.

Shoving my hands in the back pockets of my black denim jeans, I glanced around the stables. The cabinets on the wall were lined with guns and I shrugged. “Alcohol and guns? Doesn’t seem like a good combination.”

Rusnak laughed then brought a glass to his lips and sipped that painfully slow sip of his liquor. “You’re in a fun mood tonight, I like this teasing side.”

I wasn’t teasing, but I shrugged one shoulder and attempted to smile. He seemed to like the idea of me joking around, so I wasn’t about to correct him.

They took shots from the third bottle, and I looked out the windows as the sun skimmed the tree line, casting an orange glow. As Rusnak screwed the lids back on the bottles and discussed the pros of each with Boris, I walked to the first stull and began loading my gun.

After Boris left, Rusnak walked up behind me. I knew he was approaching, but each step he took wound my muscles tighter. I slid the magazine into the well of the gun, just as his hand brushed my hip.

“Eager to start?” He stepped behind me as his hand gripped my hip, pulling me back into him.

The back of my head rocked against his chest as I nodded. “The sun’s setting, we don’t have much time before the good light’s gone.”

His breathy laugh drifted through my hair to my scalp as he bent his head towards mine. “Scared to shoot when drinking, and now scared to shoot in the dark.” He clicked his tongue and pulled on my hip, turning me around, his eyes bright with amusement. “What are we going to do about all these fears?” His voice was silk, wrapping around me, strangling me. Just like his arm, wrapping around my waist, drawing me tight.

I kept a grip on my gun as I rested it on the ledge behind me, bracing my hands there to keep my back from pressing painfully into the wood. He had me cornered. “I’m not scared.” I shrugged, forcing a steady breath even though I was suffocating. “It’s just preferences.”

“Preferences?” His eyebrow quirked and his lip curled up. “I’d like to find out some more of your preferences.” His seductive tone had my heart skipping beats.

He groaned with frustration, letting his knees dip slightly as his head dropped back. “There’s one preference I have to clear up first.” His body tightened, changing from alluring and warm to cold and intimidating in an instant. He snatched the gun from my grasp and turned me with a hand on my hip. Now he was leaning on the ledge, my gun in his hand, pointing to the ground.

He cocked his head, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched me. “Seems I have a bit of a dilemma.”

I took a step back but didn’t take my eyes from his as I waited for him to explain. My body vibrated with adrenaline, ready for fight or flight.

“Gage.”

My heart dropped like a rock.

“He thought you two had something. Something worth confronting me over.” He slid the magazine from the gun, turning it over in his hand. Then he slammed it back into the well with a loud snap.

“You are important to me.” He took one wide step towards me, closing the space between us. “But he’s more valuable, a bigger asset. And as much as I want you.” His empty hand came up to my face, fingers trailing along my chin, leaving a chill. “I won’t let it jeopardize my business.” His fingers dropped away and he raised the gun, turning it as he inspected it from all angles. His eyes flicked back to mine. “Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I didn’t understand, but I wanted out of this conversation.

“Things are over between you two then? Is that what you told him yesterday?”

I nodded with what I hoped was a blank face. My mind was whirling, trying to think of what he might know, what might have happened with him and Gage. The thought of Gage in more trouble or hurt because of me was a knife in the gut. That’s exactly what I had been trying to avoid.

His bottom lip dragged between his teeth. His voice came out low. “Nothing’s happened yet. We can end our deal, you can go back to Nick and maybe Gage will help you with that, if that’s your preference.” He still had the gun dangling carelessly between us as he waited for me to respond.

Trying to discreetly suck in air, I stood up taller and shook my head. “No, I don’t want that.”

A smile reappeared, his face instantly changing yet again. But I could still sense the danger in him, just underneath.

“Good.” He nodded, releasing air between his lips. “Good.” He extended the gun to me, handle first. “Let’s shoot some, before the sun sets, aye?”

It’s impossible to relax when Rusnak has a gun in his hand, but a little easier when I have one too. As time passed, I was able to calm down enough that my smiles didn’t feel forced, but they didn’t come easy either. When he pulled out the rifles my nerves jumped back up, but after he shot a few rounds he left it to me, offering tips and positioning me to shoot. The sky was a deep purple when Rusnak pulled me back over to the table in the open area of the barn.

“There’s something about you, and the way you handle guns, that is so damn sexy.” His fingers slid through my hair, on either side of my head. He moistened his lips with his tongue and then they were on mine. He dipped towards me, knees bent to be on my level. His fingers flexed in my hair, holding my head pressed to his. His kiss was forceful and intense, but I didn’t resist, even though my stomach flipped when his tongue slipped between my lips and the burn of vodka filled my mouth.

My tongue against his made him moan, and his fingers slid down my back. He moved his lips over my jaw to my neck, and his hands were suddenly tugging at the buttons of my shirt, trying to undo the top ones.

“Wait,” It escaped in a breath and he froze, hands and lips still pressed to me, but unmoving. “I ah.” I had to gather my words, think about them. I just knew I couldn’t allow us to go further without getting something first. Gage’s words replayed in my head, he would throw me away after he got what he wanted. I needed to make sure I had what I wanted out of our deal before that happened.

Rusnak inched back, questions clear in his cool hazel eyes. His fingers still held the chiffon fabric of my shirt.

“I”—I took a steading breath—“have some questions I needed answered first.”

Something dark passed through those eyes, but it was so fast I could convince myself I imagined it. Then he was shaking his head, his playful smile returning. “You want to bargain?”

He moved his hands to my hips, pulling me to him. “No.” His head dipped to my ear. “I don’t bargain with sex. That’s something you have to give freely. And sweetheart, when you do you won’t regret it.” His breathy laugh tickled my ear, sending a hot chill through me.

He stepped back, suddenly releasing me, and I was surprised at the effort I needed not to stumble. I had been leaning on him more than I thought.

“I’m willing to bargain though, but in a different way. Have a seat.” He gestured to one of the chairs tucked into the table.

I sat as he took one of the vodka bottles out of a cooler beside him and then laid two glasses on the table with a smirk.

“You can ask a question for every drink you take. Do we have a deal?”

My skin prickled with nerves, but it didn’t sound like that bad of plan. My original bargaining chip seemed much higher than this one.

I circled my finger around the rim of the shot glass. “Do you have something to wash it down with?”

“I WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON with Damien.” I looked up from the shot in front of me, and a frown tugged at the corner of Rusnak’s mouth.

He paused for a beat before sitting back in his chair. “That’s not a question.”

My jaw clenched with frustration, of course he wouldn’t make this easy. “Fine. Is someone still going to kill him?” I held his stare and my voice didn’t waver.

His lips glided into a sly smile. I could practically see his thoughts turning in those chameleon eyes, but couldn’t read a single one.

He inclined his head, barely an inch. “Drink.”

I held my breath and swallowed the shot, not daring to give myself a chance to taste it first. My throat and chest seared as it went down. Choking in a painful breath, my eyes watered as I chugged my chaser, trying to put out the flames that filled my mouth and nose.

“That’s strong,” I croaked, pulling the water bottle from my lips. It was still hard to breathe and the water was half gone. My hand rubbed my chest absently, with no relief.

Rusnak seemed to enjoy the show. He nodded at me with a satisfied smile.

“So Damien?” I gestured for him to go, it was his turn in this twisted game.

“I thought you didn’t want that anymore.” He spoke carefully, watching me like he could see all my thoughts.

His words forced me back in my chair. “What? That’s not—” I had to look away from him to gather my words. Dim light streamed through the stalls and windows casting large shadows on the floor. “That’s the entire reason I’m here.” I turned back to him and took in a breath to make my voice stronger, not as distant. “I was willing to drop it. I wanted to drop it. I still would. But Nick wouldn’t let me. And you won’t let me.” I leaned forward, bracing my forearms on the table in front of me. “If I have to keep to my end of the deal, so do you all. Otherwise this has all been for nothing. As it is, he’s not worth all this.”

“Is it that bad spending time with me?” There was a soft edge to his tone.

I couldn’t tell the difference between the burn of the liquor and my anger. His question felt like a trap. “You’re supposed to be answering my question, not asking one of your own.”

His puff of a laugh was dry, without amusement. “Yes. Someone will still kill him.”

I was stuck in limbo, somewhere between guilt and relief. The effects of the liquor were creeping over me, releasing some of the weight attached to the guilt.

“When?” It didn’t sound like me talking.

He poured me another shot and then sipped the liquor from his glass, waiting for me.

Now that I knew the burn that would follow, it was harder to lift the glass, even harder to bring it to my lips. My stomach already clenched and throat closed, trying to block out anymore of the foul poison. But I pushed my body and tilted the shot back.

Even after I emptied the water bottle, all I could smell and taste was burning rubber, or maybe that was burning flesh, that’s what it felt like. All the tissue in my mouth, nose, and throat had to be stripped, scorched away.

“You weren’t lying about not being a drinker.” He was laughing at me.

“That shit’s horrible.” I felt like breaking the glass in my hand, ending this game for good, but I still had questions. As the burn receded just enough for me to catch a breath, my confidence returned. I could do this, it wasn’t so bad.

“When? That’s a hard question sweetheart. Soon. After your fight.” He poured more liquid into my glass, up to the very edge.

I turned his words over. All my thoughts felt like they were submerged in water, a bit slower, but lighter.

“That’s not an answer.” I called him out the moment the realization hit me.

He spread his hands, palms up and shrugged. “I have to talk to Nick.”

“What’s taking so long? What’s the hold up?”

He chuckled. “Drink.”