Cade Creek 11 - Race Against Time (4 page)

“Yes, sir,” Race answered, easily falling back into the more submissive position of a regular member of the motorcycle club. It might not make sense to others, but it made perfect sense to Race.

“Am I going to have to kill someone?”

Race gulped as he braced himself for the truth he was about to speak. “Probably, sir.”

Dorian’s eyes bored into him. Race imagined the man could see right down into his soul. “Very well.” Dorian nodded back toward the house. “Go on inside. Artie’s waiting to feed you and then put you to bed.”

“Yes, sir.” Race gingerly climbed the stairs. He started past Dorian when a hand on his arm stopped him. He glanced up, his gaze wavering between looking into Dorian’s inquisitive eyes and looking at the ground.

“You’re home, Racine,” Dorian said in his deep gravelly voice, as if he knew Race needed to hear the words. “You’re safe now.”

Race let out a little sob. “Yes, sir.”

Dorian patted his shoulder and then pushed him toward the door before heading down the steps. Race stopped when he reached the door and looked back, watching Dorian talk to Ari and Vinnie. He was too far away to hear what was said, but the angry gestures were easy to see.

“Come inside, Race. Your food is getting cold.”

Race turned, sending Artie a small smile, wincing at the tug on his swollen lip. “Hey, Artie.”

“Hey, Race.” Artie pushed the door open.

Race cast one last look over his shoulder, shuddering when he found himself being scrutinized by two sets of brown eyes. He nodded to the two men and then turned and walked into the house. When the door closed behind him, Race took his first peaceful breath in what seemed like forever.

He just wondered how long that peace would last.

“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Vincent Rizzo asked as he watched Race walk into the house, the door closing behind him. “He looks pretty messed up.”

“Race is scrappy,” Dorian said. “He’s always bounced back from whatever life throws at him.”

Vinnie found it odd he had said the very same thing. Maybe the guy really was scrappy. From the looks of him, he wasn't that scrappy.

“Someone beat that boy, Dorian,” Vinnie snapped as he turned to glare at the man. “They intentionally broke his arm.”

Dorian nodded as he gazed back at his house. “Once Race has a chance to rest, I’ll find out who it was and I’ll take care of it.”

Only the hand on his arm kept Vinnie from growling at the former biker, and he knew Ari was right. Besides the fact that Dorian could probably wipe the floor with him, the man had contacts that Vinnie could only dream of. If anyone could make those that hurt Race pay, it was Dorian James.

That didn’t make Vinnie feel any better. Seeing the bruises marring the man’s tanned skin had sent Vinnie’s temper soaring. He hated people picking on those unable to defend themselves. It was one of his major pet peeves.

Having grown up in a home with a heavy-handed father, Vinnie had seen someone else or been the victim of getting beat one too many times. If his father hadn’t died of a heart attack ten years back, Vinnie probably would have killed him to protect his mother and younger siblings.

“You let us know if you need any help taking care of this.” Vinnie pinned his eyes on Dorian. “Ari and I are just a phone call away.”

Dorian stared at him for what must have been forever before giving him a small nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Some of the tension faded from Dorian’s stiff posture. “Thank you for picking Race up for me. I couldn’t get away from my meeting in time and I didn’t want him to arrive at the airport without someone waiting for him.”

“It was no big deal,” Ari said as he pushed up beside Vinnie. “We were in the area anyway.”

“I imagine it was a big deal for Race,” Dorian replied. “He doesn’t trust many people, and he had no reason to trust a couple of strangers. You must have impressed him.”

Vinnie snorted. “I don’t know how.” All they had done was show up at the airport and then bring the guy back to Cade Creek. “We spend more energy winding hoses at the firehouse than it took to get Race from the airport.”

“Maybe.” Dorian’s eyebrows drew together in a pensive gesture. “But, while it might have seemed like a small gesture to you, for someone like Race, it’s huge. He’s not used to people going out of their way for him.”

“What are you trying not to say, Dorian?” Vinnie could see that Dorian was trying to say something without saying it. He wished the man would just come out with it. He preferred honesty over hints.

Dorian stared at Vinnie long enough for him to grow uncomfortable. He didn’t know what the man was looking for, or even if he found it, but after a few strained moments, Dorian rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Look, Race hasn’t had things easy, probably not from the moment he took his first breath. He needs as many people in his corner as he can get.”

“Okay.” Vinnie didn’t see a problem with that. He kind of liked the little guy. Hell, who was he kidding? He was intrigued. Captivated. There was something about Race that called to him on a level that no man had ever touched, not even Ari, and he loved Ari.

Vinnie glanced at Ari to see what his reaction to this conversation was. The man was staring at Dorian’s house with a strange intensity, which told Vinnie all he needed to know.

He reached over and laid his hand on Ari’s shoulder to gain Ari’s attention. They needed to have a long discussion about the lust he could see burning in the man’s brown eyes, but they needed to do it when it was just the two of them alone.

“Call us if you need any help protecting Race from the asshole that hurt him.” Vinnie ached to get his hands on the guy, and he knew Ari did, too. They both hated bullies. “Jack has our schedule for the next two weeks and I’m sure he’d be happy to share it with you.”

Dorian raised one brow. “That’s pretty generous of you considering you don’t know the guy.”

Vinnie sent Dorian a pleasant smile. “Hey, what are friends for if not to watch your back, huh?”

Dorian stared for a moment before nodding. “All right, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Please do.” Vinnie kept a firm hold of Ari’s shoulder as he took a step back toward his truck. “We need to be getting back home. We have an early shift tomorrow. If you need us, for anything, you have our numbers.”

“That I do.” Dorian’s massively muscled arms crossed.

Vinnie gave the man a nod before turning with Ari and heading for the truck. They separated at the hood, Ari going to the passenger side, Vinnie going to the driver side. He waved to Dorian as he drove away.

They didn’t live too far away, just a few blocks over. Vinnie glanced at Ari, surprised he hadn’t started talking the moment they were underway. The man wasn’t a chatterbox by any means, but Vinnie could tell something was on his mind.

“Ari?”

“Huh?” The man still kind of seemed out of it when he turned. “What?”

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know.” Ari shrugged and went back to looking out the window.

Vinnie waited.

“How could someone do something like that?”

Vinnie smiled to himself when Ari started speaking. He knew the man would say something when he was ready. “Some people are just evil, Ari. You know that.”

“It’s wrong.”

Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Vinnie reached over with the other one and patted Ari’s leg before turning his hand over. He wasn’t much for displays of affection, but Ari seemed a little freaked at the moment. He needed the connection.

It was a sign of how upset Ari was that he didn’t look away from the window when he turned his hand over and laced his fingers with Vinnie’s.

“Dorian will call us if he needs us,” Vinnie said. He didn’t like the rigid set to Ari’s jaw. The man was thinking hard and that was never a good idea. Ari could get moody at times, especially when he spent too much time in his head.

“I hope that’s enough,” Ari whispered.

Vinnie swallowed the tight knot in his throat. He hoped it was enough as well. He didn’t exactly know what had happened to Race, but he had a very bad feeling about it. “I think we should have a little impromptu meeting at the firehouse tomorrow, fill the guys in. A few more eyes wouldn’t hurt.”

Ari turned to look at him, a worried little frown pinching the skin between his eyebrows. “You don’t think we’d be stepping on Dorian’s toes if we did that?”

Damn
.

Vinnie tapped the phone icon on his steering wheel. “Call Dorian James.”

“Calling Dorian James,” came the automated reply before the sound of a phone ringing filled the cab of the truck. God, he loved modern technology.

“Hello?” said a voice a moment later.

“Dorian, it’s Vinnie. Ari and I were talking and we had a thought, but we wanted to check with you first. Without putting too much out there, mainly because we don’t know much, we’d like to have a meeting with the guys at the firehouse tomorrow and ask them to keep an extra eye out for strangers in town. I don’t know who did this to Race, but if they decide to try to finish the job…”

“No, no,” Dorian said, “I hear where you’re coming from and any additional help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.”

“Okay, I’ll talk with the guys tomorrow. If Race gives you any more information on who is after him, and he doesn’t mind you sharing, give me a call. The more we know about who we are looking for, the better.”

“Will do, and thanks, Vinnie. I appreciate it a lot and I know Race will, too.”

Vinnie refused to admit how much that thought warmed him. There was a protective streak unfurling in his gut that Vinnie was pretty sure he wasn’t going to be able to squelch. It had sparked to life the second he laid eyes on the bruised and broken Race, and it was growing stronger with each passing second.

Vinnie wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

His relationship with Ari was rock solid. He knew that. But he also knew something was missing. They both knew that. They had actually discussed it at length when they found themselves acting on the attraction that had been instantly between them since the moment they laid eyes on each other.

Considering the way he had reacted to Race, Vinnie was beginning to wonder if he was what had been missing all of this time. As much as he wanted total honestly between him and Ari, and he wanted to discuss Race, there was a part of him that was hesitant to upset the balance they had found in their relationship.

Ari Malik Kadin was a breathtaking man to behold. His masculine grace astounded Vinnie every time he looked at the man. Ari carried himself with a confidence of a man who knew what he wanted out of life and wasn’t afraid to go after it.

He had a welcoming grin for all those he met, and no one could ask for a better friend. He was always there to back up those he cared for and worked with. He was a good man to have in a crisis, never showing fear.

Except Ari was afraid.

There was a part of the handsome man that he hid away from everyone, a small scared part that was afraid of being rejected, afraid of disappointing, afraid of being left alone. It had taken Vinnie nearly two years to break through the wall Ari built around himself, and learn of the fears he hid from the world with his friendly manner and easygoing smiles.

When they reached the house they had shared for the last six months, Vinnie pulled into the driveway and turned the truck off. He took the keys out of the ignition and clutched them in his hand.

There was a tension in the cab of the truck, one that hadn’t been there when they left the house earlier. Vinnie didn’t like that it was there now. Things had always been so easy with Ari. He wanted that back.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, love,” he encouraged. “Don’t shut me out.”

Ari was silent. Vinnie tried to give the man time to gather his thoughts. He knew Ari needed to think before he spoke. Ari could laugh and smile and be the center of attention as long as things stayed light. Once emotions were involved, he grew quiet, often not saying a thing because he couldn’t figure out how to say them.

When Ari’s hand clenched into a fist, Vinnie knew. “You’re angry.”

“Yes,” Ari choked out. His beautiful brown eyes were anguished when he turned. “He looked so scared when he saw us at the airport. I thought he was going to bolt. The bravery he showed when he stayed was amazing.”

“He fascinates you.” It wasn’t a question. Vinnie was positive Ari was fascinated by Race because he was just as drawn to the battered man.

Ari glanced away, but not before Vinnie saw the flush that filled his face and colored his cheeks. “Maybe,” Ari uttered in a low voice as he looked down at his hands.

Vinnie quickly hid the smile that came to his lips by rubbing his hand over his mouth. He drew in a breath before letting it out slowly. He slid his hand across the seat and entwined his fingers with Ari’s again. He liked holding Ari’s hand. It always made him feel just a little bit more connected to the man.

“I’m fascinated by him as well.”

Ari was quick to turn back to face him, hope blossoming in his eyes. “Yeah?”

Vinnie grinned. “Yeah.” It felt good to be able to express what he was feeling and not try to hide it. “I think he’s perfect for us.”