Love or Money (8 page)

Laina and Robert exchanged a glance. “I can’t, Riel,” Laina said.

“You can’t stay here with that monster!” Riel said.

“I’ve got a son at home,” she said quietly. “I’ll be okay. You go. I’ll get my chance later.”

Riel looked at Laina. Her hair was messed up, and a lump was rising on her forehead where it had hit the wall, but those blue eyes didn’t show any pain or anguish. Her defenses had gone back up. Riel’s throat tightened. “Laina…”

“I’ll take care of her,” Robert said. “I promise.”

“He always has,” Laina said. “I’ll be okay.
Go,
Riel!”

Before Riel could say anything else, Robert put his arm around her shoulders and guided her out the door, into the hallway. There was an exit at the back end of it, and he took her through it quickly.

Outside, a blue Mustang sat in the pouring rain, its engine idling. The driver’s tinted window rolled down, and her heart swelled as she saw Evan behind the wheel. His full lips curled into a smile that was almost shy, and he looked at her hopefully.

Tears sprung hot into Riel’s eyes. Robert pulled her through the chill rain toward the passenger side and opened the door for her. He squeezed her shoulder as she got in. “You take care, Riel,” he said. “Run far and fast, and never come back.”

“Take care of Laina,” she said, her voice thick.

Robert smiled. “I will.”

He shut the door, and Evan hit the gas, tearing out of the parking lot and onto the road, leaving Robert to watch after them in the rain.

Chapter Six

Riel hugged herself tightly as they sat in freeway traffic, heading south. The rain pounded against the windshield, and the defroster whooshed at full-blast, keeping the windows from fogging.

Evan cursed, his jaw tight. “I’m going to fucking kill that fucker.”

“It’s okay, Evan.”

“It’s
not
okay.” His eyes burned an almost radioactive green. “I had no fucking idea he was violent like that. I’m so sorry, Riel.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I should have dragged you out of that house during the party whether you wanted me to or not.”

She snorted. “Like you could have.”

He glanced at her, and his expression softened. “You’re right. You would have pulled those sexy guns on me.” He squeezed her biceps, and Riel giggled. She was so happy to be back with Evan. He was so sweet, so
normal.
No matter how messy life got, he made it seem like everything was okay.

He sighed, raking his fingers through his curly hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t come last night. I figured it would be easier sneaking you away from that bar than risking a fight with that dick, and maybe Mama Maria.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “How did you even know I was there? Isaias said he scared you off.”

“Isaias doesn’t scare me. I figured he might pull something like that, trying to run me off, and I also figured he might try to make you work at that goddamn bar of his. I told Robert that if you showed up there, to call me. So I coordinated something with Luis this morning to make sure penis face was out of the way long enough for you to get out.”

Riel felt a prickle of fear. “Robert isn’t going to get in trouble with Isaias, is he? Or Laina, or this Luis guy? Won’t he know they’re involved?”

“No way. He doesn’t even know I’m friends with Robert or Luis. That dude doesn’t pay attention. Robert and Laina will just say you ran out into the rain, and that dipshit will probably sit around all day, thinking you’ll crawl back as soon as you’re cold and hungry enough.”

“I hope you’re right.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I am. That dude’s a dipshit. Mama Maria runs everything. She might figure out that you’ve gone off with me, but she’ll just think you had my number. She won’t know Robert or anyone is involved.”

Riel pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “But my sister and nieces…”

Evan sighed and kissed the top of her head, stroking the curve of her neck with his thumb. “You can’t save the world without saving yourself first. You going back there won’t help anybody.”

“But—”

“We’ll figure out some way to get them away from that stupid man-cunt, I promise, or at least some way to give them the option. I’ve talked to Lizette about it a little, and I don’t even know if she’d leave. She loves him, for whatever reason.”

Riel’s stomach turned over dully, and she nestled into the crook of his arm, taking a deep breath. “I’ll convince her. She doesn’t need him, or his money. She’s got to get out of there.”

Traffic was at a complete standstill. Evan put the car in park and leaned back in his seat, pulling her closer. “We’ll get ourselves set up nice somewhere. We’ll buy a huge house down in Mexico with six bedrooms, convince all of them to come. Laina and Robert too.” He gave her a boyish grin, and a sweet ache spread through Riel’s breast. Did he really mean it?

His grin faltered, and he brushed her hair back from her face. “Ah, Riel, you’re so beautiful. I missed that sweet smile of yours.” He leaned down and kissed her, and Riel sank into the bliss of it, feeling his hot lips, his breath, and the taut muscles of his body against hers.

How could she not have seen it before? All those months they’d spent on the road together, she’d thought they had just been friends, but now she realized she’d always felt like this about him. She’d just been afraid to admit it, even to herself, because she didn’t know if he felt the same way, and didn’t want to get hurt.

Then a horn blasted behind them, and they broke apart. The car in front of them had moved forward. Evan cursed, put the car in gear and crept up behind it.

Riel cuddled up against him, closing her eyes. Whether or not he wanted more than a friends-with-benefits relationship, he’d still saved her. She was away from Isaias. As soon as she could, she’d get Lizette and her daughters out of there. Laina too.

And she’d make Isaias pay. She’d make that bastard
hurt
for what he’d done to her.

***

They made it all the way to Redding that night before they were too tired to go on. Evan insisted she wait in the car while he checked into a casino resort outside of town, and she watched him walk off towards the lobby, a confused scowl on her face. Riel hunched down in her seat, staring out the window at the first stars glimmering on the horizon, and wondered why, if Evan was trying to save paying an extra-person charge, he’d chosen someplace that looked so expensive.

Riel was startled out of her daydreams about living in a house with Evan and a cat when Evan opened the door for her, smiling. She climbed out into the balmy air, a soft breeze curling around her body. It was so much warmer here than in Portland.

Evan walked around to the back of the car and started pulling suitcases out. “Can you get the third one?” he asked.

For a moment, Riel thought he had found a way to bring her clothes along. But as she wheeled the suitcase towards the hotel’s side entrance, she felt how heavy it was.

She arched her eyebrows at him. “I guess we’re bringing a present to Mishmash,” she said quietly.

His lips twitched into a dry smirk. “Maybe a little something, yeah.”

Riel smacked him lightly on the arm as he held the door open for her. “Evan! You didn’t think to mention that part to me?” She glanced around nervously. “And why didn’t you have it in the secret compartment?”

He rubbed the spot where she’d hit him, pursing his lips theatrically. “Jeez, Riel, you gotta watch you don’t beat me up, now that you’ve been working out.”

She stood, glaring at him, and his expression softened and became sheepish. He jerked his chin toward the open door. “We’ll discuss it in our room.”

“Fine.”

As they strode down the hall, his phone dinged in his back pocket, and he pulled it out, grinning as his eyes skimmed over the screen. “Robert says Isaias still hasn’t figured out you’re not coming back. He and Laina are fine, everything is cool.”

Riel let out a breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding. “Good.”

She followed him to the elevator in silence. She wasn’t really angry with him about the drugs, but the sudden realization that they were hauling contraband had hit her like a bad bout of flu. Cold sweat prickled the back of her neck and her stomach seemed to fill with rocks. Before she’d been busted, there had been a sort of excitement to running—pride that she was getting away with something illegal and dangerous. But prison had changed that. More than anything, she didn’t want to go back to that place. Riel swallowed hard and tried to grapple her fluttering heart back into a normal rhythm.

They took the elevator to the very top floor. Evan swiped the key card at the door to their room and held it open for her.

As she wheeled the suitcase in, she paused. This was no normal hotel room—it was a suite. It had a sitting room with a leather sofa and chairs. On the coffee table was a gigantic bouquet of roses and a gift basket full of what looked like chocolate, wine, and bubble bath. “Evan…”

He smiled tentatively. “I figured you could use something a little special after what you’ve been through, so I got a package deal. Comes with a nice dinner too.”

She dropped the suitcase and fell into his arms. He held her close, stroking her back with gentle hands. She looked up at him and had to blink back tears. “Evan, thank you.”

He grinned teasingly, wiping an escaped tear from her cheek. “Jeez, Riel, it’s just some flowers and junk.”

“You went through all that trouble to save me, and then you do something so nice.” She wanted to ask him why, but the words wouldn’t come.

His smile faded. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, brushing away another tear. “Worth it a million times over,” he said.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, feeling his gorgeous lips against hers. How could she have ever taken them for granted? The last few days had been difficult. She’d thought he’d run off and abandoned her, that she’d never see him again…

Riel pulled him down onto the floor, pushed him onto his back, and straddled him. She grinned. He smiled back, running his hands up to her shoulders, pulling her closer. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he said. “I’m glad you came with me.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Me too.” She leaned down and kissed him, and felt him getting hard under his jeans. Her eyes fluttered closed. She slid her pussy along the length of his cock, slowly, then rubbed faster, aching for it. He grabbed her ass and squeezed it, and she pressed harder against him. She could feel his breath coming quicker, the urgency in his kiss and his touch. He tugged at the waistband of her jeans, and pressed his lips against her ear. “These clothes are really starting to annoy me.”

She grinned and pulled off her shirt, then her jeans, tossing them over in a heap by the forgotten suitcases. He lay staring at her, his eyes glazing over. “You have no idea how beautiful you are.” He ran his fingers along her bare hips, up her belly, and unhooked the front clasp of her bra. Riel let it slide off her arms, flinging it aside. A faint smile touched his lips as he cupped her breasts. “You’re the most beautiful girl.”

Her entire body filled with warmth, and she smiled teasingly in an attempt to cover up her blush. “Speaking of clothes being annoying, you’re pretty hot with them on, but even better with them off.”

He ignored her, grasping her waist and pulling her gently toward him, bringing his mouth to her breasts, circling her nipples with his tongue. She gasped, then moaned when he pulled the crotch of her panties aside with his other hand, sliding two fingers inside her. She pressed against them, feeling them go deeper. He slid them in and out, sucking on her nipples, and she placed her palm on his chest, gently forcing him away. “You’re going to make me come already,” she said breathlessly. “I want you inside me.” She kissed him lightly. “It feels so good with you inside me.”

He made a low noise in his throat. She lifted his shirt up, pressing her lips against his taut belly just above his navel, feeling him shiver. He pulled his shirt off as she unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down. He kicked them off and she tugged off his boxers and tossed them aside. Soon after, she quickly pulled off her panties. He reached out to pull her on top of him, but she resisted, and instead brought her lips to the head of his long cock.

He cried out as she took it in her mouth. “Riel…” She slid her lips and tongue along his shaft as far as she could, caressing his balls with gentle fingers. “Oh, God,” he gasped, and desperately pulled her away and toward him, kissing her on her lips. She straddled him and slid his cock inside her slowly, a moan rising up out of her throat. She felt his lips tense slightly under hers. Riel could feel him trembling, and she knew he was trying hard to not lose control.

She made her hips stay still, though she desperately wanted the pleasure of Evan rubbing against all the places inside her. She kissed him gently, and he took a long, shuddering breath. “Oh, Riel.” He gasped.

She began to move in slow circles, his cock moving inside her, feeling the ache in her grow. He slid his hands down her waist and grasped her hips, arching toward her and thrusting himself inside. She sat up on her knees, moving faster, bringing him deeper, and he moved with her, squeezing the firm cheeks of her ass and circling her nipples with his tongue. She closed her eyes and rode faster and harder until the heat burst inside her. Her lips parted in a wordless cry as wave after wave of pleasure broke over her, and he gasped her name over and over, thrusting himself inside her as he finally let himself go.

She collapsed on top of him, panting, and he held her, running his fingers lightly along her spine as he took a contented breath. “Riel, you’re so amazing,” he said.

She stretched alongside him on the floor. “
You’re
amazing.”

He rolled over and took her in his arms, frowning slightly. “I’m sorry about the drugs, and about not telling you right away. Mishmash just needed a shipment brought down, and I thought it was a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, make a little cash.” He rubbed his nose. “Well, a lot of cash, really. That’s why the suitcases weren’t in the secret compartment. I have more in there. It was a bigger than normal shipment this time.”

Riel’s scalp prickled, but she shrugged. “It’s okay. I knew we were going to be doing that. But running drugs south seems weird…”

“Not all drugs come across the border from Mexico, you know,” he said, pinching her nose. “This came by boat. Mishmash has a pretty good system going.”