Chapter Two
Tanner pulled in front of a building with a dilapidated exterior and a faded sign proclaiming it “The Hellhole.” Next to the name was the same image of the devil surrounded by flames that was on Tanner’s leather vest. He didn’t speak as Arabella reluctantly dismounted, wondering why he’d brought her here. And who the fuck had she accepted a ride from? Not that it really mattered. He’d been more right than he knew when he’d told her she had nothing to lose. Everything she could have lost was already gone, taken by a man hellbent on finding her. Arabella felt responsible for those losses, but how could she have known the lengths he would go to track her down?
Tanner took the helmet from her head and hooked it to the handle of his motorcycle. He grasped her hand in his big one and led her toward the door. Arabella was grateful for his help on the bridge and was more than willing to follow his lead if it meant spending more time with the sexy-as-sin biker with eyes the dark green shade of rare emeralds. Was this where he was headed when he’d found her? Was he in the habit of helping damsels in distress or had she just gotten lucky?
The inside of the building was sparse and old, but it was obviously a bar. Dart boards lined the back wall. A walled-off room to the left held pool tables. The bar as a whole was smaller than Arabella had expected given the size of the building and she thought it was run down enough to fit its name exceptionally well. She was curious what the rest of the building was like. She had so many questions for this man. As he ordered beers and found a table, she prepared to ask them all.
Before she got a chance, Tanner asked a question of his own. “So, how’d you end up on that bridge?” Of course, he would ask the one thing she least wanted to answer.
“Why’d you bring me here?”
“Why are you deflecting?” He set his chin in his hand, green eyes staring her down with expert ease.
“Why do you care?” Arabella figured that was a valid question. They’d just met. There was no reason Tanner should care about anything to do with her.
“Call it savior syndrome. Or, it could be just being a decent human being. Take your pick. How’d you end up on that bridge?”
Damn, he wasn’t going to let it go and she wasn’t willing to risk it. They were at a stalemate. “Well, big guy,” she began, rising from her seat, “it was nice meeting you. Thanks for the drive and the beer. Maybe I’ll see you around.” As she turned to leave, he took hold of her hand.
“I won’t force you to stay here. If you really aren’t ready to talk about it, I’ll drop it for now. But you seem like you could use a friend. I’m applying for the position. Please stay.”
She still wasn’t sure why he cared but she was compelled to stay with him. “Fine. That topic is off limits. I decide how much you get to know, and as my newest friend, you get to help me find a place to stay in this tiny town.”
“Deal. For now. But don’t get used to bossing me around, sweetheart. I don’t take orders. I give them.”
Holy hell, why is that so hot?
“I bet, big guy. Not many people would defy a six-foot-six, tatted bad boy, would they?”
“So far, only a five-foot-two blond hurricane.”
Arabella took her seat and prepared to dodge a barrage of questions. To her pleasant surprise, Tanner seemed to take his word quite seriously. He didn’t ask anything but basic get to know you questions. She answered some and passed on others. They spent a pleasant three hours together. And she didn’t think about her problems even once.
“Yo, Spike!” the guy behind the bar yelled. “Chick’s gotta go! Closing time.” Tanner made to stand, and Arabella followed suit.
“I doubt you’ll find any place to stay this late at night. Small towns and all. You can crash at my place tonight and we’ll get to work on the finding a place condition tomorrow. Sound all right, darlin’?” She wasn’t sure how she could trust this man so easily when she hadn’t trusted anyone, especially not a man, in over three years.
With good reason.
She began to question her judgment but honestly, she had nowhere else to go. Hell, she didn’t even currently have a car to sleep in. She’d fled Little Falls so fast, she didn’t have anything with her besides the clothes on her back.
“Sure, let me use the ladies’ room and I’ll be ready.”
“Not a bad plan. Think I’ll use the restroom too. I’ll show you the way.”
He led her to a door in a short hallway near the bar before continuing on to the next door. Arabella did her business, then stood in front of the mirror above the sink, asking herself what the hell she was doing. She couldn’t go with him. It didn’t matter if she had nowhere else to go, just being near him was like painting a target on his back. Tanner seemed too nice for her to put him in danger. He might’ve looked like a big, burly, tough guy biker but from what she’d seen so far, he was a nice guy.
Arabella looked around the bathroom, wondering if she could sneak out a window or something, but there weren’t any good exits in the space. She peeked her head out the door and glanced both ways down the hall. Seeing the coast was clear, she headed for the door, hoping to make her escape before Tanner found her. She didn’t get far before she heard voices in the midst of a conversation that obviously wasn’t meant for her.
“Jane’s still dealing with shit, man. I’m the only one she trusts to help her with it. I can keep watch tonight but you need your shit squared away by afternoon. I’m not kidding, Spike. No later than one o’clock, you hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you. Thanks, Ham, I appreciate it.”
Footsteps moved away before Tanner’s voice filled her ears again.
“You gonna keep lurking there, Hurricane? Or, are you gonna get in here so we can hit the road?”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping.” Arabella rounded the corner and made her way to him.
“Sure you weren’t, little lady. Don’t know why I expected a woman as skittish as you seem to be to wait by the bathrooms.” He chuckled, and the sound reverberated through her, causing a full body shiver. “Come on then, let’s get out of here.”
“After you, big guy.”
“Oh no, after you. I’m making sure to keep my eyes on you.” It was Arabella who laughed this time as she sidled up next to him and walked toward the exit, her escape plan completely forgotten.
Chapter Three
Tanner had pegged Arabella as a runner long before she’d exited the restroom. The placement of his meeting with Ham was no accident. The lady might be small, but no one was going to be silent in the shoes she was wearing. Heels were not exactly stealthy; he’d known as soon as she stopped that she was listening, but he’d known the risk when he’d dragged Ham there.
Tanner didn’t know why he had this reluctance to let Arabella out of his sight. He wasn’t sure why he felt this insistent need to protect her. He also didn’t understand the instant attraction he’d felt upon seeing her. Hell, he didn’t know enough about her to be able to tell if she’d even fit into his world and yet, his entire being was already screaming Mine. It didn’t make sense.