Train's Clash (The Last Riders Book 9) (38 page)

K
illyama swam naked
through the water, her focus on the man sitting naked on the boulder near the shore.

Treading water, she flipped her wet hair back over her shoulders. “Why aren’t you coming back in?”

“I was just sitting here thinking.”

“You can’t swim and think at the same time?” she teased.

Train stared down at her. “Not when I’m thinking about you. You take a man’s whole attention when he’s trying to figure you out.”

“Tell me. Maybe I can help you.” She leaned her head back in the water to keep her hair from getting frizzy.

“I was wondering two things.”

“Damn, don’t you think you should have done this thinking before you married me?” She frowned when she saw his serious face, her heart beating hard. Then she relaxed, knowing Train wasn’t regretting marrying her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have done it in the first place.

“Why did you want to stay in Treepoint for our honeymoon? It was nice of Rachel and Cash to let us stay in their cabin for a week, but I offered to take you anywhere you wanted to go, even France.”

“I didn’t need to go anywhere. Everything I want is here.”

She saw her answer had made him happy when his frown lightened.

“I thought it was because you didn’t want me to fly us so far.”

“You thought I was afraid of flying to France with you? I have flown with you before.”

“Not far, and not where I thought you would want to go.”

“See what thinking gets you? Come back in the water,” she coaxed.

“Why didn’t you go in the military? And don’t say your father talked you out of it. I know you wouldn’t let anyone talk you out of what you really want to do.”

She treaded water closer to the boulder. “Come swim—”

“Tell me.”

Her playful attitude dropped. “You’re not coming in until you find out, are you?”

“No.”

“My mother tell you about the trip I took to D.C.?”

“Yes.”

“I never told her that I saw my father that day. He saw me and pretended he didn’t know me. When we went back to the hotel, he called me and told me to never come near him in public again. He made me promise to stay away from him … and my brother and sister. They were there with them, and so was his wife.

“I believed that Timothy, Mama, and I were going to be a family. When I realized that wasn’t ever going to come true, I made the promise. I was afraid that, if I went into the military, I would see them. My sister joined the Army, and my brother joined the Navy. I would break that promise if I went in, too.”

“You could have joined the Marines.”

She shook her head at Train’s fury for her father’s callousness. “Hammer and Jonas would have had heart attacks if I had. It was all good, anyway. I’m happy right where I am. Ultimately, I didn’t join because I didn’t want to leave Mama and the bitches.”

Train dived into the water, swimming toward her. “So you weren’t afraid of flying over an ocean with me?”

“No.” She wound her arms around his neck.

“Don’t forget your promise to me that you would quit bounty hunting when we got married.”

She brushed the side of his jaw with her lips. “Not until I get pregnant, and that’s not going to be anytime soon.”

Train slipped his hand around her waist and down to the tattoo on her lower back. She had tattooed
Train
, with an arrow underneath and one single word that had given him hope when he had kept asking her to marry him. One word that also gave him hope that one day they would have a family.

Believe
.

* * *

“
A
fternoon
, Commander Medina. You sent for me?”

“Come in, Captain.” Train stared critically at the captain who wanted to make the team to follow in his father’s footsteps. “Close the door.”

The soldier followed the order without hesitation, standing at attention until Train told him to have a seat.

“I requested for you to speak to me.” Train immediately brought up the reason for the captain’s visit to his office.

“Permission to speak freely, sir.”

Train didn’t miss that stubborn jaw, nor the hazel eyes staring back at him as he nodded for the captain to continue.

“I received my invitation to join the squad this morning.”

Train gave him a nod. “Congratulations. You will be an asset to the team.”

“If you believe that, then why wasn’t your score on my evaluation?”

Train leaned back in his chair. “It doesn’t matter what my score was. The lowest is always dropped. Your lowest score was a ninety-six. You made the team regardless of me withholding my score.”

“Commander, the team works as a cohesive unit. For that to happen, I would like to know if there is a problem between you and me before I decide to accept the invitation.”

Train’s mouth curled in humor. “There is no problem. You want my score?”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

“Very well.” Train opened his drawer to take out a flash drive. “To be a member of the unit, each member must be able to perform a variety of duties. That’s why becoming a member is so difficult. You have exhibited this skill flawlessly. Actually better than my expectations.” Train set the flash drive down on the desk.

The captain started to pick it up, but Train stopped him.

“You already made the unit. You can leave now and be content that you have fulfilled you and your father’s dreams. You want my score, though, then solve the equations. The information on that drive was hard to find. I had it encrypted. It will take someone who wants to get into it to be able to read it.”

“So, even if I can’t solve the equations, I’m still on the team?”

“Yes.”

The captain gave him a bewildered look. “I don’t understand.”

“Let me make it simple. When I give my word of honor, I keep it, but I’m breaking it for you. I hope you make it worth it. Good afternoon, Captain Cooper.”

The captain stood up, and Train watched as he picked up the flash drive then left, closing the door softly behind him.

“I wish that was one trait Killyama had inherited.”

* * *

“
D
id you enjoy dinner
?” Train asked as he parked.

“It was so good that I’m thinking of changing my name to Mrs. T.,” Killyama joked as she got off his motorcycle.

“I never knew it was possible to be jealous of a T-bone.”

“Lover, you don’t have anything to be jealous of.” She used his leather jacket to pull him close for a passionate kiss. “Especially when you taste like A1.”

Laughing, they broke apart when headlight beams hit them as a car pulled into the parking lot.

“Who’s that?” Killyama asked.

Train narrowed his eyes as the occupants got out of the car.

As the man and woman approached, Train put his arm over Killyama’s shoulders.

“Commander Medina,” both of them addressed him as they came to a stop.

“This is my wife … Rae,” Train introduced her as Killyama remained quiet, staring up at him curiously.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man said as he and the woman held out their hands for her to shake.

After Killyama took their hands, she turned toward Train. “I’ll go and let you—”

“Stay.” Train’s arm tightened around her. “Captain, Sergeant, I see you solved the equation.”

“Yes, sir. You couldn’t give me my score because the unit has a failsafe. No two family members, related by blood, are permitted on the team.”

He felt his wife beginning to tremble under his arm.

“The equation was: you could remain silent about being related to your sister and protect your father’s reputation, or you could get to know her.” Train turned to look at his wife, waiting for her reaction. “Rae, this is Timothy Cooper the Second, and Marilyn Cooper-Smythe. They are your brother and sister.”

Killyama practically buried her face in his jacket, achingly aware she felt inferior to them because of the feelings her father had ingrained in her from birth.

“Sir, no respect, but I’d rather have my sister than a position on your team,” her brother spoke resolutely. “Marilyn and I both would like to get to know Rae, if we may?” His eyes searched Killyama’s.

Killyama straightened, her courage never far away, even when she was overwhelmed. “Are you always going to talk like that?”

Train couldn’t help smiling. “Rae, everyone calls him Boomerang, and your sister, Alice.”

“Like Alice on the
Brady Bunch
?” She gave her sister a look filled with pity. “I’d kick anyone’s ass who called me that.”

Her sister shook her head, her hand loosening that had been gripped tightly on her brother’s arm, her own nervousness apparent. “No, like Alice Cooper.”

Killyama nodded in appreciation. “Hell, I could deal with that.”

Her siblings laughed.

“Do you have one?” her brother asked.

“Uh …” She threw Train a dirty look when he couldn’t stop laughing at her embarrassed expression. “Just call me Mrs. T.”

“
I
didn’t do it
! You did!” Ela shouted at her younger sister.

“Don’t blame me! I told you I couldn’t reach it!” Bina yelled back, her eyes welling with tears as she bent down next to the shattered glass.

Killyama stood in the doorway, watching as her two daughters argued over who had broken the vase on her desk.

“Don’t touch it. I’ll pick it up.” She stopped Bina before she could cut herself.

The two girls began crying when they saw her.

“I didn’t do it, Mama.” Ela shot her sister a furious look.

“Mama, I told her she wasn’t supposed to be in here.” Bina ran to her, wrapping her arms around her mother’s thigh.

“You both know you’re not supposed to be in here without my permission,” she scolded them. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

Killyama went to the kitchen pantry, grabbing the broom and dustpan before hurrying back, afraid one her girls would cut themselves.

“Ela, I told you not to move. I’ll clean it.” She briskly swept up the mess, throwing it into the trash can beside her desk.

The sight of the roses in the trash can set the girls off in tears again.

Sighing, she figured she could mop the rest of the mess up after she dealt with her daughters.

She sat down in the leather chair behind her desk. “Come here.” She held her arms open.

The girls clambered up onto her lap.

“I’m sorry, Mama.” Ela patted her baby bump as if the unborn baby was upset, too.

“Me, too.” Bina laid her head on her shoulder, lifting dark, soulful eyes to her. “Are you going to tell Papa?”

“No, you two are. We’ve told you over and over again that you’re not allowed to play in here.”

“I needed some paper. I used all of mine,” Ela confessed.

“Then you should have asked. You knew I was busy with lunch and snuck in here, Ela.”

Killyama’s calm reaction started the tears flowing again, Ela’s tiny shoulder shaking with her sobs. “I’m sorry.”

“I can either trust you or start locking my door again. Can I trust you, Ela?”

“Yes, Mama. I won’t do it anymore. I promise.”

“I do, too.” Bina wanted to make sure she wasn’t left out if her sister managed to get out of trouble.

“Okay, I’m going to trust you both. Now go eat your lunch; it’s getting cold. I made your favorite.” She gave them each a big hug as they slipped off her lap.

“Save me some!” Killyama shouted out as she heard them running down the hallway.

She sat back in her chair, smiling lovingly at the sounds of their chatter.

“I told you it was going to be okay,” Ela boasted.

“Papa doesn’t know yet. He’s going to make us sit in time-out,” Bina reminded her.

Killyama used her boot to swivel her chair as they started conspiring on how to get out of Train’s punishment.

“I told you to wait another year before taking that lock off,” she reproved the painting that stared back at her.

Shoving her hands in her back pocket to keep from touching it, the sight of her husband never failed to impress her. It was her mother’s talent in Train’s portrait that had convinced Killyama to accept his marriage proposal. Killyama had known her mother could see into the soul of who she was painting, and she had definitely captured Train’s. His love for her was evident with each brush stroke.

When she was working on a particular case, she could stare up at his portrait and ground herself again. Whatever horror that humanity was capable of, it was filled with love, too.

“I see the girls have been busy.” Train’s soft voice had her turning toward him.

“Dude, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me? You want me to give birth in my office?” she snapped.

Train gave her a smug smile, coming toward her to wrap her up in his arms. “You’re only mad because I caught you staring at my picture again.”

“You’re lucky it’s your picture hanging there.” She sniffed indignantly, trying to pull away. “If Rider’s bike hadn’t broken down the day he was supposed to give me a ride, there would have been a different picture hanging there.”

Train burst out laughing. “There wasn’t a chance in hell of that happening,” he boosted, gathering her closer.

“You don’t think I could have made Rider love me?” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “It would have been a piece of cake.”

Train linked his fingers with hers. “Babe, I don’t doubt you could have made Rider love you … if you had been given the chance. Why do you think his bike was messed up?”

Killyama narrowed her eyes on her husband’s unrepentant face. “You sabotaged Rider’s bike?”

“Yes. There wasn’t any way I was letting Rider have first dibs on you.”

She leaned up, kissing him. “Sneaky men make me hot.”

“Papa!” Their daughters came running into the room, lifting their arms to be held.

Train lifted them up, kissing each of their cheeks. “What have you hellions been up to? I was only gone ten minutes.”

“I
love
you, Papa.” Ela turned his face toward her.

“I
love
you more.” Bina made him turn to face her.

Killyama rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

“Let’s go let your papa eat his lunch. You can tell him how much you both love him when you’re telling him about my broken vase.”

Train set the girls back down on their feet. “You two go ahead. We’re coming.”

Their little shoulders drooped as they obeyed their father’s order.

“I told you that boys are less trouble.”

“Lover, don’t blame me. I’m trying!” She pointed at her belly. “If this one isn’t a boy, you’re shit out of luck.”

“It’s a boy,” Train declared confidently, bending down to place a kiss on her stomach.

She ran her fingers lovingly through his hair, whispering, “From your lips to God’s ear.”

* * *

T
he sound
of the party taking place outside of the club was muted when he shut the door behind him. Going to the refrigerator, he pulled out another six-pack of beer, setting it down on the counter. Taking one out, he opened the bottle, his eyes catching the portrait hanging on the wall.

The large picture showed the founding members of The Last Riders. His eyes caught on the dark-eyed, somber man with the chain hanging down the side of his leg. He felt the same chain brush the side of his own leg when he turned toward the door.

“What’s taking so long, Clash?” a sultry voice asked. “Brick is looking for you.”

“Nothing.” Clash turned back to the picture, tilting his beer bottle in salute before taking a drink then grabbing the six-pack to leave. “I’m coming.”