Hillbilly Rockstar (Blacktop Cowboys 6)

By the time the machine shut off, she was very winded. And she wondered how smart it was to be exhausted; she was supposed to be protecting Devin, not competing with him.

He gasped, “How far did you get?”

“Four point five miles,” she wheezed. “How about you?”

“Three point nine.” He hopped off the machine and tossed her a towel.

“Throwing in the towel?” she taunted as she mopped her face.

“Yes.” He bent forward, bracing his hands above his knees. “I might puke. That’s my fastest f**kin’ time ever and I still didn’t beat you.”

She chugged a cup of water from the dispenser. “How often do you do cardio?”

“Three times a week. Usually forty-five minutes at a whack.”

Liberty said nothing. She just took another long drink.

“What’s your cardio workout?” he asked.

“Thirty minutes. Six days a week. Sometimes seven. Plus an hour of other physical workouts that vary.”

“How do you stand it? I f**kin’ hate this shit.”

She handed him a cup of water. “First, it’s my job to be in top physical condition. Second, if you’d ever been injured to the point you worried you’d ever be able to do what you used to . . . staying fit becomes a priority.”

Devin’s gaze snapped to hers. “Shit. I’m sorry. I said that without thinking again.”

She shrugged.

He glanced at the clock. “I’m ready for a shower.”

Liberty peered through the window but didn’t see Crash. She slipped on her jacket, pocketed her stun gun and said, “Come on.”

But Devin reached the door first. He looked over his shoulder. “Can’t a guy catch his breath? Not everyone is a supersoldier like you.” He opened the door.

She started to follow him out. “Suck it up. I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day before I got fit.”

“I was f**ked before I hit that first mile, wasn’t I?”

Her laughter died as a guy charged at Devin from out of nowhere.

Just as she moved to intercept, Devin pushed her back into the room. Then he was slammed against the door.

“I knew I recognized you, you son of a bitch,” the guy yelled. “It’s your fault that she left me!”

Seething about Devin shoving her out of the way, she pushed against the door, trying to move the psycho’s fat ass.

Before Devin responded, Crash was there, pulling the guy free and knocking him to the ground. His eyes met Liberty’s, and he shoved Devin the opposite way so she could get out.

“Get him to the bus.” When Crash hesitated a half a second, she bit off, “Now!”

They disappeared, but she didn’t look away from the assailant still on the floor. He could’ve been twenty or forty; hard to tell beneath his ginger-colored beard. “How long have you been following him?”

The guy looked confused. “Just from the parking lot. Saw them buses and knew someone who thought they were hot shit had to be on them. Then I heard the name Devin McClain and figured I could get a little payback.”

“Payback for what?”

“He ruined my f**kin’ life. My wife left me because of him.”

“Let me get this straight. Your wife was sleeping with him?”

“Are you stupid? She left me after she heard that song he wrote ‘Good for Nothing.’ She said it was a wake-up call for her and I ain’t seen her since.”

“Looks like maybe she wised up.” Liberty leaned closer. “You oughta wise up too. I’d better never see you anywhere around him again or he’ll press assault charges. Understand?”

He nodded, and she noticed he had sunflower seeds stuck in his beard. Gross. After she pushed to her feet and backed away, she looked around. Thankfully, the incident hadn’t drawn an audience.

Liberty took her time returning to the bus, attempting to keep her temper in check.

Devin figured Liberty would barrel into the bus, loaded for bear, hissing and spitting and yelling. He half feared she’d zap him with her damn stun gun to show her displeasure with him for reacting . . . like a man. He’d acted instinctively. She couldn’t fault him for that.

Yes, she could. Because he was entirely at fault.

Even Crash hadn’t stuck around after chewing Devin’s ass; he’d hightailed it to the other bus to leave Devin to deal with his bodyguard on his own.

So, reeking with sweat, he waited in the main living area to have this out with her.

The door opened. And closed. He heard the beep of the alarm being engaged. Then she appeared from the deep stairwell and stopped in front of him. She leveled that scary-ass stare for about thirty seconds before she closed her eyes.

Devin couldn’t stand the silence. “Liberty—”

“Don’t. Say. Anything.”

That shut him up.

She locked those steely eyes to his. “Don’t ever do that again. Let me remind you: I protect you. That’s what I am paid to do. You shoving me aside impedes my ability to do my job. I am not the one who’s had death threats leveled at me. I am not the one whose bus and home has been broken into. But because of those things, I am your personal security 24/7.”

“I’m sorry.”

Liberty released a slow breath. “I am too. You need to know that I have to report this incident to GSC, who will pass it on to the promotion company.”

“Jesus. Why?”