“What’s your plan now then?” I asked her.
“Like I said. I’m heading out of town, back home.”
“They’ll follow you.”
“Probably, but at least there they won’t be able to rape me in the middle of the day.”
I grunted, nodding. “Very true.”
I sipped my drink as we lapsed into a short silence. She took a tentative sip before knocking her whole drink back. I laughed and poured her another.
“You can’t seem to win,” she said when I finished pouring. “You can’t win when you’re a good person. These bastards, they always seem to get the upper hand.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked, sitting back down.
“That’s just the way it is. Everyone knows it. Honest people get screwed.”
“Maybe that’s true,” I admitted, “but you should be dead in a ditch somewhere, if we’re being honest. You’re pretty lucky yourself.”
“Yeah,” Hartley said softly. “Maybe that’s true.”
“Not many people are brave enough to try to do what you did.”
“I almost got raped over it. Almost got worse.”
“True. They’re also not that stupid.”
I grinned at her as she made a face. She stood up but wobbled on her feet for a moment. I quickly got up and grabbed her elbow.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Fine,” she said. “Just got a little dizzy.”
“Come on. Let me help. You might have a concussion.”
“I’m fine. Just want to change the ice.”
I helped her back into the bathroom where I’d left the ice bucket, though she seemed fine. I liked the feeling of my hands on her arm. Her skin was smooth and tan, and I got a whiff of her body. I could feel my cock getting hard again as I looked at her, those curves, those tits. I wanted to strip that dress off her and suck her clit until she screamed my name.
Instead, I helped change the ice out on her towel. She looked at me, breathing deeply and standing close.
“Thanks,” she said. “Though I still don’t get why you’re doing this.”
“Part of my job, I guess,” I said softly. “I help beautiful women.”
“What’s your job?”
“Navy SEAL.”
She looked surprised. “You’re a SEAL? Seriously?”
“Seriously,” I said. “I fuck up the bad guys and save sexy little things like you.”
“I don’t think saving damsels in distress is part of being a SEAL,” she said.
She didn’t move when I got close to her, our hips close. “Maybe it’s more of a hobby.”
“I bet your hobby is undressing those damsels.”
“Damn right,” I said. “And making them moan my name.”
“How do you do that?” she asked, her lips parted.
“First, I’ll press my fingers up her pretty dress and feel her soaking pussy. Just like your pussy is dripping wet, right now.”
“You don’t know that.”
I smirked. “Maybe not. But next, I’d press her down on the bed, slide her panties off, and lick her clit until she couldn’t stand another fucking second.”
“And then?” she asked, breathless.
My cock was fucking hard as hell as I pulled her against me. I wanted this girl, wanted her fucking badly. I didn’t know how we got from talking to this, but I couldn’t hold myself back another second.
“And then,” I said, my lips against her ear, “I’d slide my thick cock deep inside her soaked, tight little pussy and make her take that cock like she’s never been fucked before.”
My lips slid down her jaw, up her cheek, and I was inches away, inches away from her beautiful fucking mouth, inches away from my tongue pressing against hers. My cock was raging fucking hard and every inch of my body was lit up and burning with need.
Then a loud, storming banging against the door pulled us back.
“Shit,” I said.
She stepped away, the spell broken. She looked flustered as hell, but fear was in her eyes.
“Who’s that?” she asked.
I glanced at the back window, frowning. It was fully night now, but it was a two-story drop. I grabbed Hartley by the shoulders.
“Listen to me,” I said. “Go grab the sheets, every one of them, and start tying them together. Anchor that rope against the drain pipe on the sink and toss it out the window. When I give you the signal, you climb the fuck out. Understand?”
She gaped at me. “What? Are you insane.”
I grinned at her. “A little bit, yeah. You need to fucking do this. Understand me?”
She blinked at me, shocked, but slowly nodded. “Okay.”
I turned toward the front door. More banging, angrier, more insistent.
“Coming,” I called out sweetly.
I watched the girl strip the bed and carry it back into the bathroom. I nodded to her and then turned toward the front door.
I didn’t know who it was, but it couldn’t be good. Friendly people didn’t knock like that. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and walked over to the bedside dresser.
I pulled out my gun and got myself ready.
5
Hartley
I could barely believe what was happening.
First, this total stranger brings me back to this horrible motel. Next, he turns out to be incredibly charming and handsome, the sort of man I had a hard time not throwing myself at. Finally, he almost kisses me, but we get interrupted by somebody knocking on the front door.
As I began to tie the sheets together, I watched Travis take a gun from the bedside dresser and casually cock it. I couldn’t believe how calm he seemed as whoever was outside continued to bang on the door.
“Okay,” he called out. “Who the fuck is outside?”
There was a pause as the banging stopped. “We’re looking for Hartley,” the person outside called back, the voice muffled.
“Why would you be doing that?”
“Apparently the bitch beat up three of my guys. Or was that you?”
My stomach dropped down through the floor. It was them, the mafia. They’d found us already. How they found us, I couldn’t even guess, but they were here already.
I should have run. I should never have come back with this guy. I was going to die here in this motel room, and there was nothing I could do.
Except tie these sheets together. I continued my work, keeping one eye on what was happening.
Travis seemed so calm, even in the face of the mafia. He was just smirking at the door, shaking his head like the guy out there was merely annoying him.
“I’m that guy, and your men were being very rude,” he said. “You people actually rape women in broad daylight?”
There was a pause. “Not usually, no,” he said. “Still, whether my guys were doing something like that or not, I can’t be having this sort of shit. It’s bad for business.”
“I hear you. I can’t say I disagree with your reaction.”
“Open up the door. Give me the girl and I’ll let you go.”
I cocked my head to the side as Travis stared at the door, his face screwed up. He looked like he was considering it, and my heart started to pound in my chest.
I didn’t know a thing about this guy. He said he was a Navy SEAL, and after what I saw him do to the Mafia guys, I was inclined to believe him. Being around Travis made me wet, made my heart race in my chest, sent my body spinning. When he’d gotten close to me, nearly kissing me, I hadn’t been able to pull away. I had wanted to, couldn’t imagine myself kissing a cocky asshole like that, but he was too overwhelming. I wanted it, and wanted it badly despite myself, despite what had happened.
“Hoyt?” Travis called out. “Is that Hoyt Tanner?”
There was a pause from outside. “Yeah. How the fuck do you know me?” he answered.
“Holy shit, Hoyt. This is Travis Rock.”
Another pause. “Travis Rock? I thought you got blown up in Iraq.”
“Nope,” Travis said. “I’m still very much alive, thanks.”
“Well, fuck,” Hoyt said. “Travis Rock. I haven’t seen you in years.”
“It’s me, back in town.”
“The fuck are you doing here?”
“Came to visit Ray,” Travis said.
“Shit,” Hoyt said. “And now you’re caught up in this?”
“Seems that way.”
There was another pause. I stared at Travis, shocked that he knew the guy outside, shocked at how calmed he seemed. He looked back at me and waved, motioning for me to get back to tying. I nodded and finished the last knot before I started tying it off to the plumping.
Who the hell was this guy and how did he know some Dixie Mafia thug? I couldn’t imagine a Navy SEAL ever being involved with these people, but he did say he was from here.
“Listen,” Travis called out. “Hoyt, why don’t you come inside? Just so we can stop yelling.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Travis.”
“You know me, Hoyt. You were good friends with my brother. I swear I won’t do you any harm. Besides, I’m sure you got at least five men out there with you. That right?”
Another short pause. “The girl still with you?”
“She’s here,” Travis called. “Come inside. We’ll work this out. Nobody has to get hurt.”