Tease: Mojave Boys MC Read online

  “I guess this is it,” she said as Vance picked up her suitcase and hauled it to the car. She pointed toward the back seat, and he dropped it onto the floorboard. They faced each other, and Vance forced himself not to ask her to stay for one more night.

  “We’ll talk soon,” he told her, threading his arms around her waist. “Believe it or not, I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’m going to miss you, too, Vance,” she told him, her eyes expressing the truth of her words as frown lines creased in the corners. “I promise to call you, as soon as I finish this shoot.”

  She still wasn’t convinced that she wanted to make it work between them, and that was what worried Vance. Maya was just as deep in this relationship, whatever it was, as he was, and yet, she couldn’t quite admit it to herself. It was too much of a burden to bear, he guessed, and it might ruin everything. Yet, in the end, it was her decision. And if she chose not to be with him, she would probably be better off.

  He leaned in and kissed her, putting all his emotions into the gesture, and he felt her return the kiss with just as much desperation and question. When he pulled away, Vance reached to open the car door for her.

  A loud bang, followed by a swift puff of hot air by his hand and the sound of metal clinking, alerted him to the danger, and he glanced down to see the bullet hole in the car door. Without thought or care how rough he was, he shoved Maya down into the car. “Stay down!” With a quick glance to make sure he wouldn’t hurt her, he slammed the door shut.

  He whirled and pulled the gun he’d been smart enough to tuck into his jeans today, aiming it at the Scorpion standing out in the open. He saw the flick of the Scorpion’s finger as he pulled the trigger and dodged the bullet, barely escaping being hit. He landed on the ground on his side, aimed, and fired. He hit his mark, square in the chest, and the Scorpion fell to the ground.

  He stood, relieved, but the feeling was short-lived. Two more Scorpions ambushed him from behind, one quickly knocking his gun from his hand and the other going for Maya. Panicking, he fought the hold his assailant had on him, the guy bigger than most of his brothers and quite strong. But he couldn’t seem to break free. Vance threw his head back, pleased when he felt the crack of his skull against his enemy’s chin. It gave him enough time and leverage to lunge forward and throw the Scorpion over his head.

  The guy landed on his back and cracked his head against the ground, leaving him dazed. Vance took the moment of freedom to grab his gun and turn to the guy who was on top of Maya as she kicked at him and struggled to throw him off. It took a moment, but he wrenched the guy off her and tossed him to the ground.

  Both of the Scorpions were on their feet, and one reached for a knife while the other pulled a pistol. As much as he wanted to shelter Maya from this part of his life, he didn’t see any other choice if he was going to protect her and stay alive. Aiming at the Scorpion with the pistol, he shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the gut. When he was down and his gun fallen away from his hand, Vance turned the gun on the other guy, firing three shots into his chest and arm.

  This was not a good situation, and it would come back heavy on the club if the Scorpions discovered that Vance had shot these two and likely killed them. He had to get out of town. It would make it easier for his brothers to claim they had no part in it and that they’d sent him away for going outside protocol.

  Returning to Maya, Vance opened the driver’s side door and assessed her reaction. Maya got out of the car, shaking a little, and he pulled her tight to his chest, relieved that he didn’t see any blood or sign that she’d been caught in the crossfire. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded against him. “Are you?”

  “Not a scratch. I have to get out of here, and so do you. Come on, we’re going for a ride.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his bike, leaving her things behind in the car. He revved the engine and took off, heading toward his house. He was going to get there, try to establish an alibi, and make a couple of calls for cleanup purposes. Then, he was going to consider his options and find a safe place to go.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Maya didn’t have time to think as they raced down the road, but she could tell they were headed to Vance’s house. She purposely didn’t look at his speed, not wanting to know how fast they were flying, but they arrived at his property soon enough for her to recognize they were probably doubling the posted speed limit.

  Inside, he handed her a bottle of ice cold water, and she gratefully chugged it, her mouth dry from fear, disbelief, and the motorcycle ride. He was on the phone instantly, and she listened closely to his side of the conversation. “Get to the motel. You’ve got three bodies. Scorpions. If they’re alive, turn them over to their crew and say you found them and wanted to save them as a peace offering. If they’re dead, clean up the mess….Yeah, I know. I’m leaving town….No, if that comes up, none of you were involved, and I didn’t have permission to do it….You don’t know where I am….No, I don’t know yet, either. It’s plausible deniability…. I’ll call when I land ….Okay, keep me updated.”

  He hung up, and Maya gazed up at him. “You’re putting yourself in a really bad position to protect your club.”

  “Damn right I am,” he told her. “They’ll get it cleared up and take care of me. I’m not worried. I just have to lay low until they get things settled.”

  “You shot them in self-defense,” she hedged, though she doubted that meant anything, considering the first attack on Vance.

  He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. They’ll claim it was provoked, and it’s our word versus theirs.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “All your things are in the car. I’ll get one of the guys to bring it here so you can leave town. But the bullet hole in that convertible is just asking for trouble. You’ll have to find another way out.”

  Maya didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t really a problem getting another rental car. She could even ask Vance to take her to the airport, and she could fly the rest of the way to L.A., but neither of those options seemed like the thing to do. She was worried about Vance, and she suddenly had this feeling, a sense of doom, and she dreaded leaving him for fear she would never see him again.

  If he went into hiding, how would she find him? He wasn’t even going to tell the other Mojave Boys where he was. Why would he give that information to her? And who was to say he wouldn’t be found and killed? Or coaxed into going home with the promise of peace that was just a trick to bring him back to his death? That made her stomach churn, and she thought fast, as he called out again, asking someone to pick up her things. She guessed maybe one of them had a car or pickup because no one could get her suitcase on a bike.

  When he hung up, Vance told her, “Your things are on their way. Do you want to call a rental place or something?”

  She didn’t respond. Instead, she asked, “Where will you go, Vance? You don’t have family. How are you going to find a safe place to stay?”

  He smirked. “I’m not broke. I can get a room at a cash only motel where they don’t require ID. Or rent an apartment. There are plenty of people willing to rent to a stranger when it’s an upfront cash payment.”

  “How far will you go?” Maya didn’t like the sound of that. It sounded seedy and unreliable, and she couldn’t imagine Vance in a filthy place like that long term.

  “I don’t know. I could lose myself in Vegas. Or I could head to San Diego. I can go anywhere with a big population and lots of tourists.” He didn’t look very happy, and Maya couldn’t stand it. His nervous energy bounced off the walls as he paced back and forth across the room, and she had half a mind to grab him and sit him down before she lost her mind.

  She didn’t; he obviously needed to work off the adrenaline. “I have a better idea,” she finally told him, and he looked at her with an expression full of doubt. “Don’t give me that look. Why don’t you believe me?”

  He shook his head. “I believe you think you have a better idea, but you’ve never had to deal wit
h anything like this. I can’t imagine you coming up with a solution better than going off the grid.”

  Maya jutted her chin out. “I’m offended. At least hear me out.” He stopped pacing and waited, looking impatient. “Come with me to L.A.”

  He scoffed. “You’re kidding, right? Maya, if they found me, and I was with you, that puts you in danger, too. I won’t get you killed because you feel sorry for me. Or because I’m selfish.”

  But Maya already had an answer for that. “I’m in danger anyway. I’m on top of the industry right now. My face is everywhere. One of the Scorpions had to recognize me, and I’m not that hard to track down. If they can’t find you, they’ll come for me. I’d be safer if you were there to protect me. And it would give me peace of mind.”

  He stared at her, and Maya watched the realization that she spoke the truth sweep over him. His expression hardened, and his shoulders tensed. “Could I be with you all the time, even while you’re working? And what happens when the shoot is over?” he asked.

  “You’re my bodyguard,” she told him. “It’s simple and believable. You look the part, as long as you lose the vest.” She smiled at his pained expression. “We’ll keep it with us, but it just paints a target on your back.” He nodded in agreement. “We’ll talk about what we do next after the shoot. Maybe this will blow over. And if not, we’ll have a backup plan.”

  She watched the thoughts spin in his head, as he mulled it over. Maya figured he was trying to think of any negative repercussions of going with her, but he wouldn’t find any. This was what he wanted. Whether they wanted to be together or not, this was necessary, and if Maya could figure out her own feelings, maybe she could give Vance the shot he asked for.

  “When your things get here, grab the minimum. It’s got to fit in a saddlebag.” He walked out of the room and returned with some of his own things. “I hope your hot little ass can handle several hours on a bike, pretty lady.”

  She grinned at him. “It’s another adventure, hot stuff.” And leaving so much of her stuff behind would only add to the sense of adventure. She’d been terrified when they’d gotten here, not knowing what to expect or how much danger there might be. However, knowing that Vance would be with her, she felt much more confident and definitely safer.

  She watched him pack his things, and Maya hoped she could be as efficient with the other bag, but whatever didn’t fit could wait for her. She’d be back here soon enough. She had to believe this would all come to an end sooner than later. If it didn’t, the fear would return, and she’d be terrified to step out her front door.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Vance’s soft, rhythmic breathing was the perfect thing to wake up to in the morning, and Maya smiled as she came to life. The sunbeams were warm and caressed her face through the window, much the way Vance’s hands touched her body at night. She’d never been so satisfied, and it could only get better.

  Yesterday had ended her photo shoot in LA, and Maya didn’t know what came next. She’d been kept in the loop regarding the bad blood between the Scorpions and the Mojave Boys. Things were calming down, and in light of the body count after attacking Vance and his club twice, the rival crew had stepped back from the roadblock and stopped harassing Vance’s gang.

  That didn’t mean it was over; the Scorpions claimed there would be retaliation. But according to several of Vance’s brothers, the Scorpions had been holed up in their bunk house almost from the moment she skipped town with her sexy biker.

  With a sigh, she crawled out of bed and padded across the hotel room, reaching into the mini fridge for a bottle of water. She would talk to Vance, but she saw two options. They could fly to Houston and stay at her place for a while, or they could go back to Wheelie.

  For some reason, Maya let her agent talk her into another shoot in Philadelphia in two weeks. Now, she regretted agreeing to it. She’d enjoyed Wheelie so much that, even with Vance here with her, the photo shoot had been torture. All the obligations, sitting in a chair for makeup and hair and body paint. And then spending five minutes posing in the burning sun, sweating so all of that melted off and had to be reapplied. It was exhausting!

  Maya stepped into the shower, frowning. She’d been modeling for ten years, and was at the top of the industry for the last four. It was a fast track rise, a story the press was going to love when she retired. And she was proud of how hard she’d worked to get this far. Up until now, she’d loved modeling. Or so she thought.

  For the first time, she questioned her happiness. And she knew why. Vance had introduced her to a new life and new perspective, far removed from the hectic life in front of flashing bulbs and paparazzi. In Wheelie, she’d felt free rather than trapped. Obviously, a big city offered more entertainment, but urban living squeezed the life out of Maya. She was confined to schedules, costs of living, and certain expectations.

  In Wheelie, the night life might be limited to a dive bar owned by a biker club and a single café, but Maya could make her own schedule, dress and act how she wanted, and simply be carefree. No one had expectations of her or demanded a certain appearance.

  Maybe it was a pipe dream, but Maya wondered how hard it would be to change her lifestyle. She shouldn’t think of life in Wheelie as ‘peaceful’—considering what she’d already seen and survived in the town she’d labeled ‘quaint’. But with the Mojave Boys in charge, she believed they could keep the peace, and the slow, easy days there could be everything she suddenly craved.

  Out of the shower, she heard Vance moving around in the hotel room, and she opened the bathroom door, releasing steam and breathing in the delicious smell of coffee. No one brewed the perfect balance of strong coffee without the bitter taste like Vance. Maya would have hired him as her personal barista if he wasn’t already at her side.

  The question was, how long would he be there?

  She tiptoed over to kiss him good morning. He pulled her tight against him, and she felt his arousal growing. He cupped her ass, and her breath caught in her throat, but she wrapped the towel tighter around her like a protective skin. She pulled back and smiled at him, shaking her head. “I don’t think so. We’ve spent too much time in this room, and I want to go shopping.”

  Vance scowled. “You aren’t taking me to Beverly Hills and in those haute couture shops, are you?”

  Maya quirked a brow at him. “I’m proud of you for knowing that term. And no, I don’t like that kind of thing. I’m all about quality and brands, but I’m won’t pay a thousand bucks for a rag around my hips calling itself a scarf skirt.” She laughed. “But you did say you’d go shopping with me before we moved on.”

  He nodded reluctantly. “The things a man will do to please a woman. God, we are stupid creatures.” Maya laughed at his grisly barking, grabbing a lavender sundress for the day. She took a seat at the small breakfast table, as Vance served up the hot brew.

  They sat in silence for a few minutes as had become their routine, and then Maya hedged, “What’s our next step, Vance? What do you want to do from here?”

  He sighed heavily. It had obviously been weighing on his mind, too. He slouched in his chair, and Maya couldn’t help but think how delectable he looked in that lazy pose. “There’s no telling how long the calm and quiet back home will last. It sounds like the Scorpions are accepting the self-defense plea right now, and they lost enough men to step back. We’re thinking about offering a small monetary restitution. Maybe.”

  He paused for a drink. “The problem is, once they get their shit together, they’ll strike back, and they’ll want me. They’ll punish my brothers if I’m not there to work things through.”

  Maya had learned that meant trying to smooth things over with words, and if that didn’t work, violence was the backup plan. “So, you’re going back.”

  He didn’t answer right away. Without meeting her gaze, he finally said, “I want you to come back with me.”

  Torn between exuberance and fear at how close the two of them had grown, Maya’s body shivered with d
elight, even as her mind was hesitant. A lot of things were up in the air, and she and Vance had spent more time making love than discussing their relationship.

  Maya had just been thinking about going back to the desert, away from the fashion and business world with all its caveats. She wanted the peaceful feeling she had at Vance’s house, with nothing for miles around.

  Making a decision and putting away her questions, Maya nodded. “I’d like to go back.” She hesitated and told him, “I have to leave in two weeks for another shoot though.”

  He frowned. “We’ll deal with that later. First, we have to focus on the safest way to get back.”

  Maya didn’t think it was a particularly hazardous journey. She had loved taking the motorcycle on the road. She’d been sore for a couple of days, but it wasn’t anything some yoga and mild weight training didn’t work out. “I thought we would just ride back.”

  However, Vance shook his head. “The Scorpions aren’t showing their faces around town. That doesn’t mean they aren’t watching the roads coming into town. They’re mad as hell, and if they see me or my bike—or you, for that matter—they won’t hesitate to strike. I need to make some arrangements so that the next shipment we get includes my bike. We’ll fly to Phoenix and have an escort bring us back.”