The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set (49 page)

She was a bounty and he needed to bring her in—not fuck her on the floor in a cabin in North Carolina. But that’s all he wanted to do right now. It’s all he could think about.

Hustling out the door as quickly as his legs could carry him, his injured ankle was the last thought on his mind. He braced one arm against a post on her front porch and took several calming breaths. What the fuck was wrong with him, he thought. He couldn’t get this woman out of his mind, out of his head. She was wanted for bank robbery and manslaughter, but his gut told him this girl was innocent.

Deep breaths.
He took several more breaths of sweet mountain air.
Why this? Why now? Why here of all goddamn places?
He couldn’t blame the bump on his head any longer. This attraction was no passing thing. He just didn’t know what the hell to do about it.

*     *     *

Bella tottered over
to the kitchen table. She couldn’t believe what she had just done. She’d practically offered herself up to this man, a total stranger, and he’d rebuffed her. She felt guilt, remorse, and loneliness. Here was a man, a man she very much wanted, a man she couldn’t have. And apparently, she had misjudged the signs. God, she was beyond embarrassed.

She shoved those feelings down and began to get dressed. She kept trying to push those thoughts deep within her. Blaze would be going soon anyhow. Yes, she wouldn’t be able to go to town today on this ankle. Perhaps he might recover enough to go later on in the day or perhaps tomorrow at the latest. Then she’d never see him again. Focus on that, she kept telling herself. He’ll be gone and you will be able to forget all about the things you’ll never have. A lump formed in the back of her throat despite the pep talk she was attempting to give herself.

She grabbed a pair of the newest shorts she bought while down town, and jumped into them after putting on a pair of clean cotton underwear. Both were lying atop her laundry basket. She also grabbed one of the simple T-shirts she purchased in Tallahassee. It was a warm day and it would do. Dressing as quickly as she could, Bella needed to get the weight off her ankle. The cool water had helped but it was still quite sore. She grabbed the container of White Oak and made her way outside. She’d rub some on and give Blaze a chance to wash up inside alone.

Bella called out to Blaze as she made her way towards the front door. When he came in, he immediately sought out her eyes. He’d felt horrible for running that way, but he was just so confused. He wasn’t going to deny there was something going on between them. In the few minutes he’d been outside, he’d made a decision. A big one. He was surprised when Bella didn’t look away. Her eyes boldly met his. Her green eyes, like shards of glass, mirrored his own frustration.

“I’m sorry Izzy, about earlier, but after my bath, I think we will need to talk,” he spoke the words softly but he wanted to be clear. He wanted to talk about this attraction between them.

Bella didn’t understand. To her his words and his tone meant he wanted to get out of there. She nodded solemnly, turned, and left carrying the salve that wouldn’t soothe her bruised ego.

On the front porch she quickly tottered over to the old rocking chair that belonged to her great-great uncle, one she had never met. Taking her seat, she gazed out at her property and up at the mountains. She sat here many times before in the past three weeks thinking about her future. Never had her future included a man like Blaze—and it never would. She loved this view in these mountains. She’d grown up here, well close enough. She loved Florida too, but she could never return there. Lifting her ankle, she began to apply the salve.

With Blaze moving around inside of her cabin, she couldn’t help imagine what life would be like with a man like him. He was strong, attractive, honest, and sincere. He wasn’t anything at all like Anthony. Anthony had been a playboy from the start. She’d known that about him, but got involved anyway. That was the old her, and one of the reasons she’d broken up with him over a year ago. She hadn’t seen a future with him. Even though she didn’t know much about Blaze, she wondered about the what if’s. What if she had chosen a different path? If she’d chosen a more serious man to be involved with? Where would she be now? She considered what Blaze wanted to talk about. Probably about getting the hell out of dodge and as far away from her as possible. It was probably for the best, she mused as she picked imaginary lint off of her shorts and put her foot up onto a crate before her.

She had one more night with Blaze at best. Living out here so far from anyone, she’d probably never get involved with a man, and she thought she could make that work. Graham was wonderful company and a good friend. Clara was also someone she’d like to get to know better. Her kids, and her husband, well they could become like her own extended family. Perhaps one day she might try to meet someone new, but today wasn’t that day. But, Blaze was still here, and maybe with the knowledge of no long-term relationship with him, he might just be willing to . . . Oh God, where was her mind taking her? She never felt this kind of instantaneous attraction before. It was too much and it was too soon.

Sighing with resignation, Bella reached for the crate and repositioned it into a more comfortable position. She turned it on its side, and propped up her swollen ankle. Slowly rocking, she tried to put Blaze, and all the what ifs out of her mind. That was very hard to do.

*     *     *

Blaze scrubbed quickly
. He wanted to talk to Bella. He didn’t know exactly what he was going to say, but he knew he wanted to stick around for a while longer. He knew she wouldn’t be expecting that after the way he had walked out earlier, and he wanted to also make it sound reasonable. He knew he couldn’t bring her in just yet. He wanted to find out more about her. A plan was starting form.

He did need to get to town and call his brothers. That was a priority or his brother would be sending a posse after him. He needed to let Andreas know he’d found her at the very least. He’d explain how he hurt his ankle and he needed to recover a few more days before he was able to bring her in. Andreas would buy that, and it was true, well to an extent. Something inside him told him he needed to dig a little more with Bella.

There was just something about her and his every instinct told him there was more to this situation than met the eyes. It wasn’t just his attraction to her that was making him think this way either. The news reports, what he’d read in her file, the connection of the bank robbers to the king pin Vincent Roman; it all just didn’t fit with a girl like Bella.

He couldn’t tell his brother though. Andreas would think this was another Nikko and Ronnie, and it wasn’t. Yes, he was attracted to this woman, but it was nothing like what his brother had gone through. Nikko had known Ronnie over a year, and for them it was more than just lust.

This girl had no one. Her mom had just died. His whole family was about the law, guilt and innocence. And his gut told him she was innocent.

He would try to get her to open up to him. He’d open up to her a bit too, to build up her trust. Based on what she’d said about her friend, Graham, returning, he calculated he had a few days.

Finishing up his bath, Blaze stood up out of the tub. Whatever she had used in the water now covered him as well. Surprisingly he didn’t mind it. Her bathwater hadn’t been too dirty, and he added his own pails to it. He felt much better when he got out.

He reached behind him to grab one of her threadbare towels shaking his head in dismay. If he didn’t help this girl, he’d feel guilty for a very long time. If no one helped her, both of her possible futures looked bleak. He could bring her in and she’d wind up in jail. If she testified against the brothers, they’d find some way to get to her, even in jail. He knew the reach of mobsters like Vincent Roman extended inside prison walls. And outside of jail, if she could remain lost or hidden, she’d lead a very lonely life. Even though he didn’t know her very well, he didn’t think she deserved that. Nope. He wouldn’t be running for the hills just yet. And he wouldn’t be running her in.

The Proposal

“I
’m not a
creep I swear,” Blaze reiterated after his suggestion.

That wasn’t what Bella had been expecting him to say at all. She was just a tad shocked and bewildered by his earlier proposal. And yes, she hadn’t known him long, but she just didn’t get that vibe from him. “I don’t think you’re a creep,” she mumbled, still trying to figure out this guy’s motivation.

“It’s just now, with you injured, I don’t think it would be right to leave you out here all alone. I know your friend, Graham, is coming back in a few days, but I’d like to stick around until I know you can manage on your own,” he explained once more. He hoped she was considering this. He obviously couldn’t explain who he really was and why he wanted to stay just yet.

“Well that’s very kind of you to offer, but I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’ll be up and about in a day or two. Really.” She’d been tempted to immediately accept his offer. It’s kind of what she’d been daydreaming about when she’d been sitting outside. To jump at this chance to spend a little bit more time with him just because she was attracted to him wouldn’t be fair though. There was no future in it.

“Really, it wouldn’t be a problem for me,” he murmured a tad seductively, not meaning to.

Bella blushed again. She couldn’t help it. “It’s not like that,” he spoke the words quickly wanting to reassure her. “I’ll be fine to walk into town tomorrow. I’ll get a car brought up here and I’ll just stick around until your friend returns. I can even stay in town if you’re uncomfortable. I’ll go see your friend, Clara, and let her know what happened to you,” he offered.

Bella paused to consider his proposal. She admitted to herself it would be nice to have him around. She wouldn’t be able to do much while recovering and she was running low on food and other supplies. “Well,” she started.

He could tell she was starting to consider it and he jumped in before she could finish her thought. “I’ll pick up some things for you as well, and once I get my replacement vehicle I can drive them on up.”

“Weren’t you going somewhere?” she asked all of a sudden. Hadn’t he been heading someplace, she thought. He wasn’t going to just drop his plans to tend to her, was he?

He’d half been expecting her to ask something like that and was prepared. “I was visiting some friends, old college buddies, in Gatlinburg. I can just call them and tell them I’ll be delayed for a few days. Really it’s no problem.” Blaze raised his eyebrows. He left the ball in her court, didn’t want to push her too hard.

“I, I guess that sounds . . . okay,” she murmured her reluctant approval. But inside she was smiling. She knew she shouldn’t be pleased, but couldn’t help herself. It would be nice to have someone around and it would make the days pass more quickly until Graham returned. Plus, she still had an inkling that Blaze was just as attracted to her as she was to him.

“Great.” Blaze’s face broke out into a big boyish grin.

After their conversation, he suggested Bella relax for a while on the porch and put her ankle up while he’d fixed them lunch. She nodded and proceeded to listen to his advice. Her ankle was throbbing. When Bella sat down in the old rocker once more, and placed her foot up onto the crate, she couldn’t help think it was nice to have someone take care of her for a change. That was something she just wasn’t used to. Other than her mom who’d been sick these past few years, she’d had no one to really look out for her. Blaze made her crave things she shouldn’t expect. She knew this weekend would end sadly for her.

*     *     *