Page 9

CHAPTER 9

Billie

I t was dark. I looked over at the clock and gasped. It was nine at night. I’d slept all day. Sitting up, I looked around.

As if on cue, Toxic walked through the door. “Hey.” He set a tray down on my nightstand and sat on the bed. His huge palm cupped my cheek, his intense stare focusing on me. “You’re feeling a bit cooler. That’s good.”

If I nuzzled my face into his hand it wouldn’t be weird. Would it? It worked for Eris all the time. I only just managed to resist as he took his hand away and settled the tray on my lap. “What’s this?” I asked, lips twitching.

“Chicken noodle. Dry toast. If you keep that down, I’ll make you pretty much anything else you think will stay in your stomach.”

I glanced up at him. “Th-”

“We’re going to come up with a rule,” he said, cutting me off. “No more saying thank you.”

I frowned. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” I told him. “My dad taught me too good of manners for that.” Eyes widening, I remembered where I was actually supposed to be right now. “Gramps?”

“He’s doing alright,” he told me in a soothing voice. “Dani and Smoke just left.”

“What if someone…I don’t know…breaks in there overnight?” I asked. Now that he’d put the idea that someone could get to Gramps in the hospital, I couldn’t seem to shake the idea that they could try.

“I have one of my brothers hanging out there tonight. He’ll be keeping an eye on anyone going into the Emergency Room since that’s the only way people will be able to get in.”

Relaxing back against my pillow, I sighed in relief. “You think of everything.”

“Used to dealing with the small details,” he told me with a grin.

“Why’s that?”

He blinked, then looked down at the soup. “Take a bite of that and I’ll tell you.”

Eyeing it, I lifted the spoon and blew on it before placing it in my mouth. “This is really good,” I said. “Is it homemade?”

“My mom used to make it for us when we were sick as kids,” he said with a nod.

“Tha-” I stopped when his brow arched. “I appreciate it,” I said instead. His smile made my chest warm.

“My family has a cattle ranch up in Wyoming.”

“I remember you saying that.”

“I run it now.”

“From here?” I asked in surprise. That was a lot of work. A lot of details to oversee from afar. Now I understood what he meant about those details.

“Yeah. My cousin takes care of all the physical shit. I do the rest.”

“You’re lucky to have him.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“Why aren’t you up in Wyoming on your ranch?”

He looked down to the soup again in a meaningful way and I began eating while he spoke.

“Needed to get away. Once I got out of the military, I joined my motorcycle club here.”

I had the feeling there was more to the story, but my eyes were getting heavy. He’d all but lulled me to sleep with soup and the sound of his voice.

“Get some sleep,” he said, brushing his hand over my hair.

I’d slept through the majority of two more days, it was the morning of the third day and I’d never felt better. Apparently my body had needed the rest in order to recharge and continue on. Every time I’d woken up, Toxic had been there with soup and bread and water.

I’d stayed awake long enough to eat and drink then had been dragged back under. I didn’t even know when the fever had broken. Now the only thing I wanted was to get back to the hospital to see my grandpa.

It was amazing to me that I’d let go so fully. I’d barely trusted my long-time foreman to take care of the ranch for short bouts of time, let alone leaving the ranch in Toxic’s hands for three full days and nights. But that was exactly what I did. I’d checked out completely because I knew I could.

Pausing, I groaned to myself because him carrying me into the shower flashed into my mind. He’d kept my clothes on for it at least, but afterward he’d gone to take them off. I was only just lucid enough to stop him. When I’d shut the bathroom door in his face and spun toward my dresser, I’d nearly face planted because I’d started jerking my clothes off so fast. That would have been the cherry on top. To have him come out with me face down, bare ass up ‘cause I’d tripped. But he’d just tucked me into bed and held me. It had been so nice to have those muscular arms wrapped around me. I couldn’t let it happen again, but it’d been nice.

Even after only knowing him for a short time, I knew Toxic wouldn’t let anything happen to my animals. That realization had made my chest tighten to the point it was uncomfortable. I wasn’t a naturally trusting person. People had to earn it. But Toxic had. That first night when he’d come out here and helped my animals out of the goodness of his heart and a singular request from my best friend.

I froze on the porch, eyes widening. My jaw dropped open as a man who was as big as my house strolled past with a ladder over his shoulder.

“Morning,” he called out.

He had no shirt on. Neither did the other five men working on painting my barn. There were so many muscles, tattoos, and tanned glistening skin on display I was worried I might die of a heart attack. Good lord.

The man’s voice made Toxic’s head swing in the direction of the house. He called out something to the other men and came jogging over. This wasn’t fair to the female population of Earth. These men were…delicious. All of them were staring over at me. They were all gorgeous, ripped, and had that same dangerous aura that Toxic carried around.

“Um…” Was all I managed as he slowed to a stop before me.

“These are some of my brothers.”

The men were coming this way. I wiped my suddenly sweaty hands on my jeans.

“Hey! I met you the other day,” Ricochet said, smiling in my direction.

“I’m Hellfire,” the mountain said.

“Hey, Darlin’, I’m Hush,” an older man said with a grin.

Wow. If a woman liked her men older and more of a silver fox he’d knock them dead. I gave them all a hesitant smile.

“Idaho,” the last man said.

Butcher was standing at the back of the crowd, his arms crossed over his chest with a knowing smug smile on his face.

“Don’t mind these assholes,” Toxic said, elbowing Idaho when the man tried to jostle him to the side. “They’re just here to help paint.”

My eyes widened even more when I realized my old weathered porch had a brand new stain on it. I turned, gasping when I saw the house was a brand new bright white. Swallowing hard, I tried to hold back the tears.

I’d been trying to get to the painting for a while now—a while being years. Even when we had the crew here, I’d been too damn busy working to take the couple weeks it would take to paint both the house and the barn. And here these men were, done with the house and already starting on the barn.

“This is too much.” My voice was a bit hoarse. I wasn’t sure if it was from disuse or emotion. “I’m so grateful,” I added. “I never expected you would…” I broke off, unsure I could keep speaking without breaking down. I wasn’t going to cry in front of this group of men.

They were all smiling at me. And not one of them seemed irritated to be here in the heat of the late morning. They’d all been friendly and had been painting my house while I slept. What kind of people helped a stranger this way?

Toxic and his brothers were going to end up turning me into the kind of person who trusted people. Who believed that they did nice things for people just because they wanted to.

“Keeps ‘em busy,” Hush said. “Men like this get bored, and then shit gets interestin’.”

“Thank you,” I said, meeting each of their eyes. I needed them to know how grateful I was for their kindness. This was so far beyond what I expected when Keely said she had some friends who could help me out. So far beyond what I could really understand.

“No need to thank us, Billie,” Toxic said. He turned his head and gave the men behind him a look that made them all head back to the barn. “You heading out to see your grandpa?”

I sucked in a breath when he reached out and cupped my cheek. I recognized that he was checking my temperature, which is what he’d been doing for the last two days, but this time I wasn’t delirious with fever. And wow it was nice to have his big hand on me. I liked it too much.

Stumbling back a step, I nodded. “If it’s okay, I’m going to head out now.” I glanced back to the barn. “I don’t want to leave while you’re doing my work for me…”

Toxic chuckled and the deep rumble made my system respond in a way it hadn’t in a long time. “That’s what we’re here for, Billie. Do you want me to drive you?”

I shook my head. “Thank you, but I’m feeling so much better. I can drive myself.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you tonight for dinner.”

How did a girl respond to that? He’d been making me soup over the last couple days, but he was planning on having dinner ready for me when I got home? Instead of responding, I escaped to my truck.

Shutting the door, I took a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel tight. Why did I feel this way? I hardly knew the man. There were five other men who were just as handsome as Toxic was out there, and while I’d admired them, I’d felt nothing out of the ordinary when they spoke to me. Yet, every time Toxic opened his mouth I risked melting into a puddle of turned on girl.

It was bad. So bad. I couldn’t afford to let a man into my life. Not right now. I was too busy. And with this company possibly coming after me and my ranch it could be dangerous. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Especially not Toxic.

Growling in frustration at my inner voice, I started the truck. A knock on the window made me jump. I rolled it down and stared as Toxic’s muscular veiny forearms appeared.

He leaned down so that he could see me, folding his arms on the open window sill. “Had a question for you.”

I wondered what he would do if I just leaned forward and licked along one of those veins? I didn’t care that he was sweaty. In fact, he smelled so good I tried to be discreet about inhaling a little deeper. I suddenly understood why Eris liked to roll in scents she found delightful.

Of course, those were things like shit. And dead rotting animal. Certainly not the enticing scent of a hard-working man. “Yeah?” I managed to make myself respond normally instead of squeaking out the word. I really needed to make sure he didn’t know he was tying me up in knots.

If a man like him knew what he was doing to me he’d press the advantage for sure. I hadn’t even needed Keely’s warning to know he was a ladies’ man. He just had that vibe. It was the confident walk, and the sexy smile. He just radiated charisma.

“One of my brothers has a couple little girls. They’re huge fans of horses,” he explained.

My smile was fast and wide. “Every little girl loves horses,” I said as if that was just a given.

“Wanted to see if you wouldn’t mind if we brought them and some of the other little kids out here? And their mothers, these guys’,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the other men, “old ladies. The kids would sure get a kick out of all the animals.”

“That would be wonderful,” I told him, meaning it wholeheartedly. I loved children. And the lord knew it wouldn’t hurt for me to socialize with some other women occasionally. “If you let me know which day, I’ll make sure to be here for a bit. If Gramps is doing okay.”

“Sure. That would be great. The women will be thrilled to meet you. It’s no rush,” he added. “We’ll wait until your grandfather is doing a bit better, then make a plan.”

It was like I didn’t even need to explain to him how important it was for me to sit with Gramps, but that I also sort of wanted to meet everyone. It was so much fun to watch kids interacting with my animals for the first time. This place needed the sound of giggling children, and right now my ovaries were screaming at me.

“Thanks again, Toxic,” I told him.

“Be home by five. That’ll give you time to eat and shower before you head back to the hospital,” he said. He slapped the side of the truck in goodbye.

I turned the truck around and gave into the urge to watch him walk away in my rearview. Every minute I spent with him I could feel myself softening. I didn’t know how else to explain it. I needed to be careful. It had hurt me so badly when I caught Will cheating on me with another woman. It’d hurt, but I’d moved on. Something told me the same kind of situation with Toxic would utterly destroy me. I needed to get away from him before I went and did something stupid, like fall in love with him.