Author: Jaci Burton

He shrugged and stood, walked out back and breathed in the cleansing night air.

Teresa followed, wrapped her arms around his back and laid her head against him. “AJ, you can’t control everything in your universe. You weren’t responsible for those two guys raping me. That’s on them, not you.”

He turned and looked at her, needing her to see, to understand. “If I hadn’t left—”

“It undoubtedly would have happened anyway. You don’t know for sure, so let it go. I don’t blame you for it any more than I blame Joey or any of the other people in my life who might have been there with me that night, who might have in some way been able to prevent it from happening. No one can change it.”

The words sounded hollow in his head. He knew Teresa meant them, but he would never forgive himself for what had happened to her. He should have been there instead of dumping her and running off.

“Okay?” she asked, sliding her hands down his arms.

“Okay.”

“So let’s get me out there so the bad guy will show his ugly face.”

AJ WEIGHED HEAVILY ON TERESA’S MIND AS SHE WENT TO WORK that night. She could tell from the look on his face that he still felt guilty about what had happened to her all those years ago, and nothing she said to him was going to change his mind.

Frustrating, for sure, but she was going to have to let it go for now. Later, when they had more time to sit and talk, she’d convince him otherwise. Now they had to concentrate on luring out the guy who was so eager to scare her away he was willing to shoot at her to do it. Being back at her job might make her visible enough to bring him out of hiding. She was at the front bar again, where everyone coming through the front doors could see her. AJ and Pax blended into the crowd so well she had no idea where they were, but she knew they were there, just like she knew she wasn’t out of their sight for a second.

Even Russ and the Thorns had come in and hung out for several hours. Russ had found AJ, who had filled him in on what happened. After that, Russ made it a point to stay, had told her they were all concerned about her safety and would make sure to back up AJ and Pax in keeping watch over her. But the Thorns stayed out of sight, too, since they didn’t want the Fists—or the guy gunning for Teresa—to spot them.

She felt safe in her cocoon of bodyguards, so she went about her business of serving drinks and interacting with her customers. Pax had told her not to leave her post unless one of them was with her. After the scare she’d had earlier in the day, she wasn’t about to argue with him. She was independent, not stupid, and she stayed on guard, scanning every face she served. Had it been the bald guy with neck tattoos who had shot at her, or someone entirely different?

She wanted to save her brother, but she also wanted to come out of this alive.

So when the Fists strolled in as a group, she tensed and gripped the edge of the bar, ready to duck in case someone pulled a gun as they walked by. Which was a ridiculous thought. They weren’t going to shoot her in this bar. It was packed. Too many witnesses. Still, she couldn’t help her sweaty palms and knocking knees as the Fists strolled past her bar, and she had to force herself to keep her head up and focus on every face.

She almost missed him, had almost given up on him being there. She had to do a double take when he walked by, because his bald head was wrapped in a do-rag. But there was no mistaking those specific neck tattoos or the faint scar that ran through one side of his neck.

It was him, the guy who’d killed Larks. She didn’t want to tear her gaze away from him as he boldly walked past her, but she had to alert AJ and Pax. She scanned the crowd, found Pax, and motioned wildly with her eyes toward the guy. Pax nodded and swiftly moved toward her.

“Which one?”

“He’s wearing a black do-rag with white skulls. His neck tattoos are a tribal pattern, swirling up almost to his jawline and down his chest, and the scar on the left side of his neck that cuts through the tat. He’s wearing a leather vest, no shirt underneath, sleeve tattoos on both arms, too.”

Pax swiveled and viewed the area. “Got him,” he said over his shoulder. “Stay put.”

Excitement and nervousness interfered with Teresa’s ability to do her job. Customers leaned in wanting drinks. She filled orders as fast as she could, but her gaze split to where Pax met up with AJ and they made a circle around the place, no doubt trying to corner the guy. Teresa lifted on her toes, trying to find the tattooed guy, but he’d gotten lost in the crowd somewhere.

Ten minutes passed and Teresa was beginning to think AJ and Pax had lost him, but Pax finally returned to her bar.

“What?” she asked.

“The Fists left and their friend went with them. We caught sight of them climbing on their bikes and taking off.”

Dread felt like a rock in her stomach. “You didn’t get him?”

“AJ and the Thorns are going after him.”

Russ came up next to Pax. “I sent the guys to go with AJ.” He turned to Teresa. “Pax and me are staying here with you.”

“Why?”

“Because this might be a trap set to leave you unguarded,” Pax said. “We’re not going to let it happen.”

“Okay. So we wait for—what? To hear from AJ? Are they going to just follow them or catch them or what?”

“They’re going to follow them, and hopefully once they stop, AJ will alert the authorities and bring this guy in.”

She shuddered in a hopeful breath. Maybe this was going to be over soon. Maybe Joey would be free.

Russ slid his hand across the bar and squeezed hers. “Stay focused. It’s going to be okay.”

She nodded and squeezed back. She’d known Russ as long as she’d known AJ. They’d all been friends forever, since they were kids. Russ was like family to her; he’d seen her through some rough times. She’d leaned as hard on him during that dark period in her life as she had on her brother—probably more so because she’d needed some distance from Joey after the rape. Joey had been so damn guilt-ridden about the whole thing that she’d pushed him away, had needed space from him because she couldn’t breathe. But Russ had been there for her, to hold her hand and tell her everything would be okay, even though he’d seemed as hurt by what had happened to her as everyone else had been. He’d watched over her and kept people away when she wanted some time alone. She didn’t know what she would have done without him and the other Thorns.

And now he was here watching over her again. It was good to have friends, especially now when all she could do was watch the clock on the wall and hope and pray that AJ and the others were safe. They had no idea what they were riding into.

An hour passed and Teresa concentrated on work. The crowds hadn’t slowed down; in fact they seemed to be getting heavier, which was okay with her. Keeping busy kept her hands—and her mind—occupied. Pax stayed out of sight and away from her, while Russ planted himself at the bar next to her, keeping a low profile by removing his Thorns jacket and wearing a knit hat low over his forehead. His gaze scanned everyone she served, which gave Teresa a measure of comfort—now there were two of them scanning the bar.

“So how close are you to AJ?” he asked during a lull in customers.

“We’re just having some fun.”

“Seems like more than that.”

She wiped down the bar, then smiled at him. “Why do you think that?”

“I see the way he looks at you. Pax, too.”

She flicked her gaze across the crowded bar, finding Pax right away. Yeah, he was looking at her, his expression unfathomable as their gazes locked and held. She could read just about anything she wanted into the way he looked at her—concern, desire, curiosity, frustration—the list went on endlessly.

She turned back to Russ. “I don’t think either of them looks at me in any special way.”

“Then you’re blind. AJ’s in love with you.”

She laughed. “That was a long time ago, Russ. It’s not like that anymore.” Even if she wished it were, she’d been the one soundly preaching about not being able to go back to the past.

Russ took her hand. “Do you love him?”

She wasn’t going to have this discussion with Russ. “That’s not your business.”

“What do you have going on with Pax, then?”

“Again. None of your business.”

Russ lifted his chin. “What if I want it to be my business?”

The obvious shone in Russ’s eyes. How could she have been so blind and missed it all these years? Russ hung out at her bar all the time—at the bar itself. Talking to her, not the other girls, not playing pool with Joey and the other guys, but hanging out with her.

She searched her memories trying to remember the last time he’d brought a girl around to meet her.

Hell. Never. She’d just assumed he was like a lot of the other guys, never settling down and always dating different girls. But now she knew.

She’d been oblivious, because she and Russ had been so close. Not a boyfriend—more like a best friend type of guy. She just didn’t see him in a romantic way, and never had.

But apparently Russ saw her that way, and she’d totally, blindly missed it all this time because she’d had her head up her ass about her own issues.

She was such a moron. She laid her other hand over his. “Russ . . . I didn’t know.”

He half smiled. “Obviously. But now you do. Figured I’d better stake my claim since it looked like maybe AJ or Pax was going to.”

Oh, God. She so wasn’t good at this. “I don’t know what to say. You and I have known each other so long. We’re like—”

“If you say brother and sister, I’m going to puke on this bar.”

She laughed. “No, I wasn’t going to say that. We’re friends. Good friends. You’ve been there for me when I needed you and I appreciate it. But I just don’t have . . . those kind of feelings for you.”

“Feelings can change.”

She hated this, hated having to hurt him. “And sometimes they can’t.”

He withdrew his hand, the hope on his face dying.

Her heart died a little, too. This sucked.

“I’m sorry, Russ. I need to be honest with you.”

“No, it’s okay. I get it.” He swiveled around on his stool and resumed scanning the crowd.

She’d hurt him. That hadn’t been her intent at all, but what was she supposed to do—lead him on? There was no way she was going to do that.

She filled a few drink orders, then tapped him on the shoulder. “Russ.”

He turned around and smiled at her. “Hey. I get it, Teresa. You want someone else.”

Yes, she did. Someone she wasn’t going to have. She understood not being able to have what you wanted.

“I’m sorry, Russ. You know I care deeply for you.”

He laughed. “That’s not making me feel better right now.”

His phone buzzed and he pressed his hand to his other ear to shut out the bar noise. His frowns as he listened made Teresa’s stomach tumble, especially when he shot a worried gaze in her direction. Panicked, she sent probably not-so-subtle signals across the room to Pax, who hustled over and waited with her while Russ listened and didn’t say much other than “when?” and “where?” and “how the fuck did that happen?”

Teresa chewed her lip and balanced on the balls of her feet until Russ closed his phone.

“What?” she asked, already knowing it was bad.

“Gunfight up in the hills.”

Her heart crashed against her chest.

“Anyone hurt?” Pax asked.

Russ shook his head. “My guys managed to shake the Fists. AJ suspected a trap when the Fists led them into a deserted area.”