Being Free (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

Blake shrugged carelessly and moved his eyes away from Anna and onto the crowded dance floor. “So?”

  Victor smiled knowingly. “It would be polite to go and say hello. She doesn’t know anyone in this town beside us.”

  “I’m not polite,” Blake replied seriously. “Everyone knows that.”

  Victor laughed and gave up. He spotted a cute girl to dance with and got up, leaving Blake alone with his thoughts of Anna. She was a mystery all wrapped up in sad eyes and a sexy body. He didn’t like the temptation she represented. Women were a pain in the ass.

  In the next hour Blake noticed several men had asked her to dance and she had rejected them all. That sent a little touch of satisfaction to him but he didn’t know why. He had no interest in her other than helping a customer and doing a good deed by doing some extra work so she would be safe. Safe to leave his town and he could finally stop wondering about her.

  Blake was ready to call it a night. Staring at Anna wasn’t how he had intended to spend his night. He noticed one guy didn’t seem to understand the word no. He could see Anna shaking her head but the man grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her off her barstool. Blake happily walked over to where she sat, glad for the chance to finally interfere. He grabbed the man’s wrist tightly and squeezed until he let go of Anna’s wrist.

  “When a lady says no, she means no. Now get lost before they carry you out in a stretcher.” Blake growled. The man’s eyes got wide as he looked at Blake’s big size and angry face. He stepped back with his hands in the air. “Um sorry, you’re right. Sorry, miss.”

  “Thank you.” Anna looked at Blake once the stranger walked away and got lost in the crowd. She rubbed her sore wrist. “I could have handled it myself, though. I was trying not to draw attention.”

  He gave her a curious look. “He was a lot stronger than you, honey. What did you plan on doing?”

  “I was going to kick him in the balls, Mr. Murphy. The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” she explained with an annoyed expression on her face.

  Blake laughed out loud, causing people to stare at them in curiosity.

  Anna put some money on the counter. She was ready to call it a night. Drinking a beer in peace was impossible here. “Goodnight. Call me when my truck is ready.”

  Blake found his brother and told him he was heading home early. He could see Anna leaving the bar and he gave her a head start.

  He followed discreetly behind Anna as she walked alone down the dark street. Since it was late there were no cars driving on the roads. It was quiet and still. He told himself he was just doing a good deed but he wasn’t sure he believed it. It was so quiet he could hear her heels clacking with every step she took. He had the strongest urge to catch up to her and lecture her on her safety. So what if this town was safe with hardly any crime rate? She was young and beautiful and had no business walking down a dark street all alone. Didn’t she know these things? If she belonged to him he would take better care of her, but she didn’t. He muttered and realized he had said that aloud and groaned. Hopefully she was too far ahead of him to hear him.

  He remembered she said not everyone had a family who cared about them. It made him feel sad for her. He was close to both his brothers even though he was older than them. He had dinner with his parents every Sunday and he had a lot of friends he respected and trusted. What would his life be like if he was all alone in the world?

  She reached the block where her motel was so he hung back and made sure she got inside her room safely and closed the door. He took his time walking back to the bar where he had parked his truck. He couldn’t get Anna out of his head and it made him grouchy, even grouchier than usual. She was sexy and classy but it was more than that. When he looked into her big brown eyes, he wanted to make her promises. Promises to protect and cherish. Promises he had no business making.

  Chapter 3

  Anna walked down the street, observing the sights of this small town as she made her way to the diner. She was hoping the lunch rush would be over. If she sat in her room any longer she would pick up the phone and dial the garage instead of just staring at the business card Blake gave her. Blake said he would call her with a progress report but so far she hadn’t heard from him. She told herself she was just feeling impatient and anxious to move on. She wasn’t used to just sitting around doing nothing. Santiago had her on a busy schedule. They had to make many public appearances at fundraisers and parties where he made business contacts. That meant her workout schedule, wardrobe, and hair appointments. But you want to hear his deep sexy voice. Admit it, Anna.

  She opened the glass door and entered in, feeling the cool air hit her face right away. She looked around, feeling relieved it was almost empty. A few people were scattered here and there. She headed for the counter when she spotted Blake sitting in a booth by the window. He waved her over to where he was sitting. She turned and went and slid into the bench across from him. He was dressed in a plain black T-shirt and jeans but he looked so mouthwateringly sexy. She had to draw her gaze away from him before she started drooling.

  She looked at his turkey club sandwich instead and her stomach picked that moment to growl loudly.

  “Hungry?” he asked politely.

  She nodded, feeling her cheeks turned red, knowing he heard her stomach make noises. Maybe she shouldn’t have skipped breakfast. An older waitress in her fifties came over and placed a glass of water in front of her. She had a little twang to her voice and a friendly smile. “What ya having, sweetheart?”

  Anna was about to order a chef’s salad when Blake answered for her. “She’ll have what I’m having Molly, with fries.”

  The waitress nodded and headed off to place the order. Anna looked at Blake angrily. “I was going to order a salad.”

  Blake ignored her angry statement and bit into his sandwich. When he was done chewing he looked at her. “It’s my treat so I ordered for you. You looked at my plate and drooled so I knew you would like it. The turkey is freshly cut and healthy but tastes way better than a boring old plate of lettuce. Why do women like eating rabbit food?”

  “I did not drool. I never drool,” she denied haughtily with a glare. “I’m glad I ran into you. I just wanted to see how it was going with my truck. Any good news for me? I really need to get back on the road again.”

  “I started on it this morning. Waiting for a few parts to arrive this afternoon,” he reported and went back to his lunch. Anna waited for him to tell her more but he continued to eat quietly without talking.

  The waitress brought Anna her sandwich and Anna couldn’t deny that it did look and smell good. She dug into her food with enjoyment, forgetting all about her impatience to leave for a minute.

  “You seem to be enjoying that so why would you order a salad?” he asked unexpectedly.

  Anna put her sandwich down and lost her happy smile. She gave him a serious answer. “Because I’m too heavy. I used to work out a lot so I could indulge in food once in a while but lately since I’ve been on this road trip I haven’t exercised.”

  “You are not fat, honey. Where would you get such a dumb idea?” he asked, looking over her body. “You have to know you are a stunning woman. You remind me of a sexy pinup girl that every man fantasizes about.”

  Anna blushed as his green eyes ran over her body, making her feel hot and sweaty despite the cool air in the restaurant. She was afraid he would see her nipples harden as his eyes glanced over her. She was in another short skirt, this time in brown, and a gold silky sleeveless blouse with a long gold chain. Her hair was back up in a ponytail. “My boyfriend. I mean ex-boyfriend.”

  Blake snorted. “Well he is obviously blind as a bat. Good thing you dumped him, honey.”

  “Who says I dumped him?” she laughed, dipping her fries in ketchup. Although she’d never admit this out loud, this lunch was much better than a boring plate of lettuce.

  “Because you look like an intelligent woman,” he observed seriously.

  Anna felt her cheeks warm up
again but this time with pleasure. No one ever called her smart. Sexy? Sure. Pretty? Sometimes. But never smart. She gave him a genuine smile. “Thank you, Blake. That’s the first nice thing you said to me.”

  He looked shocked by her words. “Surely not?”

  Anna laughed at his shocked expression. Didn’t he realize how grouchy he looked all the time? “So far you have lectured me, glared at me across the bar for no reason, and ordered lunch without my permission.”

  His eyes widened. “You saw me at the bar last night? Why didn’t you at least say hello? That was kind of rude to not even acknowledge me.”

  Anna laughed softly. “I saw you and Victor in the mirror but you looked busy with Blondie. A girlfriend?”

  He made a horrified face that made her laugh more. “Ex. She is a nightmare and has scared me away from all relationships.”

  “You don’t look the type to scare easily.” He looked mean and tough and if she met him on a dark street she would definitely run away.

  He shrugged. “I’d rather face a firing squad than get involved with her again. She whines.”

  Anna laughed. “Oh my, that is scary.”

  Anna finished the rest of her meal quietly, happy to not be eating alone. Blake seemed content to just sit with her, too. It was nice to have company for a little while. Being on the run was lonely but even when she had been with Santiago she had felt lonely. Santiago hadn’t allowed her to have any friends, saying she only needed him. But she didn’t want to think of Santiago right now.

  She pulled a five out of her wallet and left it on the table for a tip. She planned on exploring the main street of the town and all the little stores lined up on the block. She stood up and looked at Blake. “By the way, thanks for making sure I made it to my room safely last night. It was really gentlemanly of you but I’m a big girl and can handle myself just fine. Call me when you have more news on my truck.”

  She walked away, laughing inwardly as he sat there with his mouth hanging open. Obviously he thought she hadn’t noticed him following her. At first she hadn’t known who it was until she heard him muttering about lecturing her. Once she realized who it was she had felt her heart warm up at the thought. He wasn’t as mean as he looked.

  * * * *

  His pride took a little nosedive. That little brat was smarter than he had given her credit for. She must have been on alert and paying attention after all. She must have heard him muttering to himself. Then he smiled a real honest to goodness smile. Blake couldn’t remember the last time he had felt amused over anything but Anna made him want to smile.

  “Left you speechless?” Molly observed with a loud laugh. She picked up the empty plates and shook her head in wonder. She looked out the window where Anna was walking down the sidewalk. “That is one special woman if she can surprise you, Blake. She’s real classy looking, too. Better grab her up.”

  Blake laughed with real amusement that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He grabbed the bill off the table and got out of the booth. He kissed Molly’s cheek. “You’re right, Molly. I might just marry that girl,” he joked and walked up to the register to pay.

  He smiled all the way back to the garage making his brother, Sam, look at him strangely. Blake wasn’t known for smiling. Victor, being the youngest, had an easygoing personality and was always joking around. Sam was a little more serious than Victor at thirty-two, but Blake was two years older and hardly ever smiled or joked around. He had always taken his role as oldest brother seriously. Blake had been gone for many years while in the service but once he was ready to retire he had come home and started the garage with Victor.

  “You’re in a good mood today,” Sam stated, giving his older brother a strange look. While Blake had joined the Navy, Sam had joined the Army and had just retired a year ago. He came home and bought into the business with his brothers. “Does it have anything to do with the truck’s owner? Vic said she was hot and he thought you two connected.”

  “I just got rid of Jenna. I’m not interested in settling down like you, Sam.” Blake snorted. Sam had been dating Melody Anderson, a hairdresser in town, exclusively for months now and seemed very happy and settled.

  Sam smiled at the thought of his girlfriend. “Jenna was just a bitch looking out for herself, Blake. You just liked her in bed but were too stubborn to admit it. Not every woman is like her. I enjoy Melody’s company and I trust her, that’s what makes the difference.”

  Blake was happy for his brother but he wasn’t interested in settling down. He liked being alone at the end of the day and not having to listen to constant chattering or whining.

  “This will run with the new parts we’re putting in but honestly not for too long,” Sam said, getting back to business and wiping his hands off on a towel. “Your client might be better off scraping it and buying a new vehicle.”

  “I know,” Blake agreed. “Thing is, the little brat hasn’t been honest with me. She claims she is on some fun summer road trip but I think she is on the run.”

  “She sounds like trouble with a capital T. What are you going to do?” Sam asked, knowing Blake probably already had a plan. Blake always had a plan A and a plan B.

  “What makes you think I care?” Blake asked, looking at Anna’s rusty truck, wishing he could just scrap it. It would certainly be a lot safer and cheaper for her.

  “I think she has caught your interest whether you like it or not and I bet you’re going to help her out unknowingly,” Sam replied in a confident voice. He knew his brother well.

  Blake patted his brother on the back and laughed. “Yeah, you’re right, Sam. She does make me curious but I have no plans on getting to know her. I’m just doing some extra work on it that she won’t know about. That will take a few extra days. She seems real anxious to hightail it out of our town. Think I’ll call her and tell her the bad news. She’s staying at the motel.”

  Blake walked away, looking happy for someone who was about to deliver bad news.

  Chapter 4

  Anna sighed into the phone. “I know my truck is old, Blake. I bought it in Colorado when I was passing through there but it was all I could afford. I had an accident with my other car and didn’t have time to look around.” She didn’t mention that her car had been pushed off the road with her in it. That had been a scary night when one of Santiago’s men, Kyle, had found her and tried to run her off the road. She had escaped with her life but she knew sooner or later her luck would run out. She just hoped it was later. Maybe she should think of heading out of the country. If she could access her secret bank account she could have a lot of money and disappear anywhere. Santiago knew all her favorite vacation spots but maybe she could go somewhere new like Australia or Canada. It would be too dangerous to head back to Reno just to get her money.

  “I’m low on cash. If I have to stay here at the motel longer I might not have the money to pay you,” she explained. Maybe she could use her credit card. She would be long gone by the time Santiago tracked her. She could skip Phoenix and head east to New York. Or she could try to pawn some of her jewelry for extra money.

  “I have a suggestion. You can come to my office and clean it and organize it and I’ll discount the work off the bill,” he offered. “I seen that look in your eyes when you saw my desk. You were dying to reach over and straighten up all the papers lying around.”

  “Oh, was there a desk under all that mess?” she asked with complete innocence in her voice.

  “Brat,” he muttered and she could picture his frown even over the phone. He would have lines on his forehead from wrinkling his eyebrows but she wasn’t as scared of him as she had first been. She was kind of getting used to his grumpiness and thought it was cute, a sure sign that Blake was dangerous to her heart. She needed to get out of this town and soon.

  “Okay, I’d love to organize your office,” she said excitedly. “When? Now?”

  Blake sounded amused at her eagerness. “It’s almost quitting time, Anna. I live above the garage, but Victor lives r
ight in town. I can have him pick you up in the morning at eight a.m. and bring you here.”

  “Okay.” She sighed in disappointment. She was bored of being inside the hotel room already and had taken enough naps to catch up on her sleep.

  “What, are you so anxious to see my charming face so soon?” he remarked, hearing her little disappointed sigh.

  “No,” she denied defensively. “I’m just so bored sitting in this room already. I walked up and down Main Street alone all day today and that was fun. I haven’t window-shopped in so long. But what else is there left to do in this town? I asked someone if there was a movie theater and they told me it was only open on the weekends.”

  “How about going to have dinner with me?” Blake suggested impulsively.

  Anna was quiet for a minute. The offer sounded so tempting but she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea either. “Okay, as friends, right?”

  “Of course. You saw my ex. Do you really think I am anxious to get involved with anyone? I’ll pick you up in an hour. I have to close up shop and shower.”

  She hung up the phone and pictured Blake’s muscular, naked body in the shower full of soap. If she was there she wouldn’t mind washing his back for him, running her soapy hands over his muscular chest and lower. She wondered if his chest was silky smooth or covered with hair. She’d give his butt cheeks a squeeze because she had noticed even through the jumpsuit he was well built. She wondered if his cock was big and thick. He was a big man after all. She felt her panties getting damp and she groaned and counted to twenty.

  “I obviously have not learned my lesson when it comes to men,” she muttered to herself, getting clean panties out of her bag. It was times like this she wished she could pick up the phone and call Ben. He would have given her advice and boosted up her confidence level.

  “You are woman, now let them hear you roar.” He would have told her with a wide grin. He laughed a lot and she had loved that she could never be depressed around him because he would act silly and joke with her until she was crying with laughter instead of sadness. She would run her fingers through his dark curls that he hated and tell him what a stud muffin he was. He would playfully push her away and fix his hair and tell her about his classes at college. He wanted to be an architect and promised to build her a magnificent house one day. Now all his dreams were dead along with him.