Reckless Road (Torpedo Ink 5)

“I did, Player.”

Jonas made a sound of pure exasperation. “There are toads in my car, Hannah.”

Player nearly spewed coffee across the table.

Hannah raised a casual eyebrow. “How is that my problem?”

“Woman, you know damn well you had something to do with putting them in my car. Get them out.”

“I’m working, Jonas. I don’t have time to catch toads and put them in your car. I believe you’ve had problems with them in the past. It seems to me that you attract the toads to you.”

Jonas leaned over her shoulder and reached for a cookie. The plate slid out of his reach, and sparks hit the ends of his fingers, zapping him. Player decided he needed to be back with the women at the large table, where it was safe. He stayed very still. There hadn’t even been a surge of power, but the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Hannah. Princess. You’re upset with me.” Jonas’s tone changed immediately. Gentled. Was conciliatory. “This is about last night, isn’t it?”

She kept her face averted, but her fingers on Player’s arm dug deeper. He wanted to find a way to gracefully remind both of them he was there so he could leave, but suddenly the two of them were locked into a tight intimate bubble where it was only the two of them.

“Hannah, I was out of line, but you know I lose my mind when I think you’re in any kind of danger. That’s the one thing I can’t handle. That’s no excuse for the way I acted.” Jonas ran both hands through his hair. “I think better when I’m eating cookies, baby, you know I do.”

Player was impressed. He was all about learning from the pros, and clearly Jonas was a pro. The plate of cookies floated straight to Jonas. He scooped up half the contents on the plate, smart enough to know if he blew it, he wouldn’t get a second chance.

“I want this for us, Hannah, but not at the expense of your life. We have to be safe.”

Hannah’s fingers dug so hard into Player’s muscle he was grateful he’d learned at a young age not to react.

“I’m not letting someone who wanted to hack me to pieces dictate whether or not I can have children, Jonas.”

The pain in her voice alarmed Player. The sorrow. It went so deep he was afraid if she let it loose, everyone in that shop would drown in it.

“No one will dictate to us, Hannah,” Jonas assured. “We just have to find a better way than last time. A safer way.”

Player cleared his throat to remind them both that he was there. “Jonas, if she cries, I’m going to pull that gun out of the holster and shoot you right in front of all these women here. So better I just go over to the table where some of my crew is leaving. I can say good-bye and you can grovel like you should without a witness.”

The love between the two of them was right out there where anyone could see. Unashamed. Strong. The way Czar and Blythe were. That was what Player wanted with Zyah.

Hannah let go of his arm immediately. “I’m so sorry, Player, you didn’t need to get caught up in our drama.”

“Anything to do with toads is always fascinating, Hannah,” Player said lamely as he slid off the chair. He nailed the last remaining cookies for himself, figuring he’d earned them. “We’ll be here for a while. Anat wanted to sample your luncheon special, so after the others leave, we’ll be eating.”

Hannah nodded. “That’s good. I can show you after and maybe work a little with Zyah.”

Player made his escape just as Soleil, Anya, Breezy and Scarlet left. Blythe and Zyah took Anat to the ladies’ room, leaving him to join Alena and Lana. As he did, Terrie Frankle, the physical therapist, waved them over to her table.

“Player, this is Lucy Bellmont. I was telling her that your club owns quite a bit of the properties in Caspar. She’s lived there most of her life. Lucy, this is Player. I met him at the Gamal house.”

Player gave the Bellmont woman a smile, all the while wondering what Terrie wanted. Terrie was always unfailingly sweet to Anat, but the moment Terrie had insisted she wanted to be alone with the older woman and Anat had clearly been in pain after, he had changed his mind about the physical therapist. Now, watching her closely, he wasn’t so certain anything about her was genuine.

“This is Alena and Lana,” he introduced his Torpedo Ink sisters and waited for Terrie to have her say.

“Lucy is interested in a job at the grocery store in Caspar, Player. I know Zyah works there and Inez has something to do with the store. Do you have any idea if Lucy should just go into the store and get an application or does she have to go into the one here in Sea Haven? That was what she was going to do.”