Street Safe (4 page)

“Ohmigosh.”

She knelt next to the semiconscious man, afraid to touch him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Someone was screaming in her ear. The operator. “What? What? He’s on the sidewalk. Not moving.” With trembling fingers she checked for a pulse. She sighed when she found the strong, rhythmic beat.

She wished there was something more she could do. The wind blew a crisp breeze and she shivered. Sirens trilled in the distance. “Hold on, Auggie. Help is coming.”

His eyes fluttered and he moaned. “I’m sorry, Arah.”

“Huh?”

He managed a weak smile. “You’re too pretty to be mixed up in this. I’m sorry.”

Even injured the man was flirting with her. “Don’t move, Auggie.”

He opened his eyes and his gaze locked onto her face. She sat back, unnerved at the clarity there. His lips moved, but no sound emerged. He coughed and a spittle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He lifted a hand and beckoned her closer.

Heart pounding, Na’arah leaned in. His hand found hers and pressed something hard and cold into her palm. She widened her eyes at the words whispered in her ear.

The sirens grew louder until she could no longer hear. Uniformed men ushered her aside. This wasn’t the type of thing that happened in her town. People seldom locked their doors. Violence just didn’t happen in Milan, at least not without the benefit of alcohol. She faded into the growing crowd. Hair rose on the back of her neck and she nervously glanced around. Nothing. Still, some instinct urged her inside.

It wasn’t until she stepped back in her apartment she realized she still clutched an object in her hand.

Uncurling her fingers she stared at the silver charm bracelet. Why give her this?

****

“I can’t believe you dragged me out here.” Zee moaned and grabbed her head.

Na’arah ignored her sister’s lament and continued to rearrange bottles of body oil and lotions on the display table. Shrieks and whistles permeated the darkened tent while the scent of popcorn, frying grease and cotton candy wafted through the air.

“Then you shouldn’t have drunk so much.” She set the empty box on the chair with a metallic thud and Zee flinched.

“Could you not do that? Jee-zus jimminy.” She rubbed her temples. “My head is killing me. And when am I getting my shoes back?”

“After you get my car detailed.”

Zee’s exaggerated sigh was enough to rustle a stack of flyers on the table. “Darla apologized for throwing up in the backseat and Vonda didn’t mean to spill the alcohol.”

“Okay. Since you put it that way, you’re not getting them back.” Na’arah straightened the stack, then walked to a curtained off area and patted the sheet covered table. “Hop on. A quick massage will help.”

“Nothing will help but another drink,” she groused, peeling off her purple zip up jacket. “Are you gonna be out here all day? By yourself?”

“Auggie’s still in the hospital,” she reminded her sister. “And I hear you’re sleeping with him.”

Zee lay face down on the table and heaved a sigh.

Na’arah pinched a pressure point near Zee’s neck.

“Ow! Dammit, Arah.” She rubbed her shoulder and scowled at her sister. “What’s the big deal?”

“You can do better.”

“It was just sex. Two consenting adults, indulging their carnal needs.” She settled back on the table. “You are such a prude at times.”

“You have enough drama.”

“But not enough feel good sex,” Zee muttered. “You should try it sometime.”

“I’d rather not.” Na’arah picked up a bottle of oil.

“Are you here all day?”

“One of the other therapists will be in this afternoon to take over for me.” Na’arah adjusted the pillow Zee rested her face on. “Better?”

“Perfect.”

“Well, don’t go to sleep.”

“Whateva.”

Na’arah grinned and slowly kneaded the knots in her sister’s neck and shoulders. A few moments later gentle snores drifted through the tent. She worked her hands over Zee another five minutes, then covered her with a light blanket. The least she could do was let her sister take a quick nap. She stepped from the makeshift room and let the curtain drop in her wake. Na’arah pulled up short at the small man hovering on the other side.

“Kyle!” she gasped. “You startled me.”

Kyle pushed his mirrored aviator shades to his forehead and frowned. “Where’s Auggie?”

“Uh, he was attacked last night and will be in the hospital for a few days.” She studied him a moment. A flicker of amusement shaded his eyes before it was replaced by concern. “Was there something I could help you with?”

He leaned to one side, lifted a hairy leg and scratched his calf. The skin on his knuckles was raw and abraded, as if he’d punched something. She scrutinized him. His thin tanned face held a shadowed bruise across his pointed chin.

“I wanted to see what time I’m supposed to take over this evening.” He lowered his leg and glanced around. “You got a schedule or something?”

Unease rippled down her spine. Kyle was the only employee at the spa she didn’t like. He was genial toward the clients and Auggie thought he was some kind of miracle worker when it came to the deep tissue massage, but Na’arah still didn’t like him. Something about his suave manner and shark’s smile made her skin crawl.

Even the way he studied her now made her want to bathe in bleach. She was thankful other vendors were present in the tent.

“Yeah.” She stepped to a second curtained off area, knelt in front of a box and thumbed through the myriad of clipboards and brochures. She’d seen a schedule somewhere. Material rustled behind her and the slide of metal barely registered through the flutter of papers. Of course it would be at the bottom of the box.

“You said he’s in the hospital?”

“Yeah.” She scanned through the spreadsheet until she found Kyle’s name. “Coupla broken ribs, a mild concussion and a bunch of bruises, but he’ll be fine.” When she pivoted, still on her knees, she was staring at the open brass zipper on a pair of khaki shorts. Short, curly blond hair peeked through the opening while disgust sluiced through her system. She lifted her gaze to find a smirk on Kyle’s face.

“I’ve always wanted to know if you’d need a pillow for extra height, but you’re perfect.”

Revulsion roiled through her belly and she scooted away from him. She smacked the back of her head on the edge of the table and saw stars.

“Ow!”

Kyle gripped her shoulder, his fingers biting into her flesh. “Stay where you are,” he ordered. “This won’t take but a...”

“If you don’t take your hands off her, I promise you’ll sing an octave higher the rest of your life.”

Somehow in all the chaos Zee had awakened and stood behind him. The pointed tip of something metal peeked from between his legs, right near his happy place. By his pained scowl, Na’arah realized it must be very close.

“Zee?”

“You okay, sis?”

“Yeah.” Na’arah scrambled to her feet, brushing a blade of grass from her knee. She looked Kyle in the eye. Sweat rolled down his face. “Don’t bother showing up this afternoon. Your services are no longer required.” She held out her hand, palm side up. “Keys.”

He glared at her. “You don’t have the—hey!” The knife shifted and he squealed. “Watch it!”

“Hand her the keys.” For emphasis, the tip disappeared and a pained expression creased Kyle’s face.

Na’arah almost felt sorry for the prick as he searched through his pockets for the keys. A knife in his groin couldn’t be very comfortable and she knew Zee was very good at what she did.

The keys jangled in rhythm to his shaking hand. He laid them across her outstretched palm.

“Now apologize.”

Murmurs rose behind her and Na’arah glanced over her shoulder. A small crowd had gathered, including the sheriff.

“Sorry.”

Zee shoved him forward. “Punk.” She spit at his feet.

Kyle shot them a venomous glare as he stumbled away, zipping his fly.

“Miles is coming.” Na’arah shifted until she stood next to her sister. A quiet click reached her ears before a soft weight filled her pocket. “What were you thinking?”

“He interrupted my nap.”

Miles strode forward and paused long enough to retrieve a bottle of oil which had toppled to the ground. “Hello ladies. Someone mentioned a disturbance.”

They exchanged looks. “Nope.”

“We’re fine,” Na’arah said.

He eyed them a moment as if he was aware of what had just transpired. “Empty your pockets, Zee.”

She huffed. “Seriously? Someone mentions a disturbance and you automatically think it was me?”

“I was giving her a massage.” Na’arah spoke up.

Miles met and held her gaze. “Were you?”

Zee stood in front of her sister. “Don’t you dare try to bully her. That asshole was trying to shove his dirty, filthy prick down her throat and you’re wasting time harassing her. You should bully him, not us.”

He pinned Na’arah with a calculating gleam. “Is that true?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “Okay.” He glanced at Zee. “I still need to see your pockets.”

With a flourish she patted her hips. “No pockets.”

“If you have a weapon, that’s another ninety days on your sentence.”

She rolled her eyes. “I cut a guy one time and all of a sudden I’m public enemy number one.”

Miles stepped closer. “It wasn’t some guy, it was me and it took seventeen stitches to close that cut.”

A ghost of a smile teased the corners of her mouth. “Then don’t sneak up on people.”

The two stood toe to toe, tension crackled between them. Na’arah shook her head.

“If you like I can shove you two behind the curtain where you’ll have more privacy.” She offered. This feud between her sister and the sheriff went back to their high school days. Why they chose to fight rather than get a room was beyond her.

“Not if he was the last man on earth and sex was required for procreation.” Zee turned her nose in the air and strutted away.

“Damn.”

Na’arah giggled. “She does make quite an exit, doesn’t she?”

Once the crowd dispersed Miles helped Na’arah straighten the table. “Tell me what happened,” he prompted.

She fanned out a bunch of samples before moving to the makeshift massage room. She stripped the sheet from the table and stuffed it in a laundry bag. Next she picked up a spray bottle containing sanitizer and squirted it on the surface.

“There’s not much to tell. Zee jumped in before anything could happen.” She wiped down the padded table, washed her hands then covered it with a clean sheet.

Silence met her declaration. She glanced up to see a frown on the lawman’s face. For a moment she studied him. She could see why Zee would get bent out of shape whenever the two were in the same vicinity. The man had a certain appeal. Maybe it was the way his eyes took in everything, or his boyish face made a little more masculine with its perpetual five o’clock shadow. Then again, it could be lust. The man was on the thin side, but all sinewy muscle. Or maybe it was the uniform.

He laid a hand on her forearm. “Don’t brush this aside. If he did something...”

Na’arah dragged a deep breath into her lungs. “He startled me more than anything and didn’t touch me other than to grab my shoulder. I fired him so that should be the end of it.”

“And last night?”

Heat flared in her cheeks. He knew about last night. She didn’t think Street would’ve told anyone already.

“There you are.” A rich baritone sliced through her thoughts.

Great. Just great. Now he was here to torment her in the flesh, as if last night wasn’t enough. Lust simmered and floated through her veins like a living breathing entity. When she finally made it to sleep, she dreamed of him, of his lips, his hands caressing her skin, igniting her passion, only to wake alone and unfulfilled. She drifted her gaze over Street. His face was unreadable, but his posture was tense and rigid.

Miles turned. “Hey, Street. Wassup?”

“Auggie’s in the hospital.”

He nodded. “I’m aware, I haven’t been able to talk to him about what happened, but since he was found near Arah’s apartment building, I thought I’d ask her if she’d seen anything.”

“Oh really?”

The ice in Street’s voice was unmistakable and she flinched. Did he think she was responsible for what happened to Auggie?

“What do you mean by that?” she demanded.

Street looked her up and down, contempt in his gaze. “What do you think?”

She returned his glare. “Have I offended you somehow? Or is this how you treat every woman you decide to date?”

Equal parts hostility and attraction crackled between them. She couldn’t believe how turned on she was at the moment and she was totally pissed at his obvious arrogance.

“Apparently my decision to see you again was rash. It won’t happen again.”

She stumbled back as if he’d struck her. What had changed so drastically in the last few hours?