The Samaritan, page 20
part #3 of Ghosttown Riders Series
Her eyes widened, taking up half her face. It was a slight exaggeration, but she had huge eyes.
“For what? You need me to stay with Jack again?”
“No, we’re going for a ride.”
It was the first time since she opened the door that her gaze fell to his hand holding the helmet. He handed it to her and watched as her smile grew wider.
“On the motorcycle?”
“Yeah, ten minutes. Put jeans on.” He turned to walk down the steps, but her hand wrapped around his wrist. Her grip was soft.
“Where are we going?” There was a hitch of excitement in her voice.
He twisted his hand away from her grip and slid his fingers through hers, palm to palm. He tugged her closer and leaned into her space. He tried to lose his smile, but her face was too damn cute and eager. His nose skimmed hers, and he whispered in a deep low tone, “Down by the river.”
She squinted her eyes and twitched her nose, smiling.
He reached in, sneaking a quick kiss, and whispered again, “Where they hide the bodies.”
She giggled, and he turned away. This was new to him. He never had much use with teasing a woman, but with her it came naturally. He glanced back to see her standing in the door with the helmet hugged against her chest, pulling her collar down lower. She was the perfect vision of the woman he wanted on the back of his bike.
“Go, we leave in ten minutes.” He walked through the back door and up the stairs, grabbing his helmet and shoving his wallet in his back pocket. Jack would be hanging in the garage with Drake all day, and with Trevor at school, it left plenty of time for an overdue ride.
He was on his way out the door when his phone rang. The call he’d been waiting on. He answered on the second ring.
“Yeah.”
“Just finished our first run. Cages worked. Just wanna let ya know,” Kase said with little emotion.
“Good.” Caden was still harboring some resentment from Kase’s last visit. It might not have been warranted, but Caden couldn’t let it go.
“Need you guys on Sunday, still coming down?”
“Yeah.”
“See ya then, brother.”
Caden pulled the phone from his ear as he made his way to his bike. He missed a step when he saw Marissa standing next to it, dressed in jeans and a gray, skintight top. The helmet hooked under one arm. He smirked.
“Cade.”
He brought the phone back to his ear. “Yeah.”
“Everyone good there?”
For all his hardass ways, Kase had two things he loved. The Ghosttown Riders and his family. His caring side was rarely shown, but it was there locked behind a hard shell.
“Yeah, all is good.”
There was a slight pause.
“Fruity Pebbles still there?”
Caden rolled his eyes. “You always gotta be the asshole.”
Kase laughed. “Since the day ya met me, brother.”
“Marissa’s here.”
Another pause had Caden tightening his grip on the phone. He’d let the nickname slide, but if Kase said anything else derogatory about her, there would be an issue between the brothers.
“You bringing her on Sunday?”
Cade drew in a breath. “Will it be a problem if I do?”
The silence was expected. He figured Kase would have something to say. Possibly something crude, which would piss him off.
“Only for you, Cade.” Kase snorted. “My guys catch sight of her, shit’s gonna piss ya off. Your call.” Kase laughed. “I’ll see ya when I see ya.”
“Later.” He hung up and made his way to Marissa.
“You ready?”
She smiled bouncing on her toes. “Yes.”
Caden flipped up his helmet and strapped it on before grabbing hers and putting it over her head. He nudged her chin, and she cocked her head up. He latched the strap tightly.
“Good or too tight?”
“It’s fine. How come you don’t have one that covers your whole head like this one?”
“’Cause my face ain’t as pretty as yours.”
“I like your face.”
He chuckled and lifted his leg over the bike, kicked up the stand, and started the engine. “So you keep telling me.” He glanced back as she stood in her spot, eyeing the bike.
“Come here.” She stepped closer, and he pointed down to the peg. “Put your right foot there and swing the other leg over.”
She lifted her right leg and lost balance. His arm shot out to steady her. “Gotta put your hands on my shoulders.”
“Oh, right.” She gripped his shoulders and stepped up onto the peg, swung her left leg over the back, and sat down. Her body pressed against his back. She gripped his shoulders and shouted over the engine, “Will I fall off?”
He looked over his shoulder and grinned. “Not if you hold on. Hands around my waist, Riss.”
Her hands wound around his waist and gripped his stomach.
It had been awhile since he’d had a first timer on his bike. Most women he’d been with ran with bikers, and those who didn’t still had been on a bike before. The last time he had a newbie on his bike was about eight years ago. Trevor.
He took the ride slower than he usually would. She gripped him tighter on turns or when they reached the straightaway on the backroads. He liked it. He’d always preferred riding without a passenger, but he was rethinking it with Marissa on the back of his bike.
Her helmet knocked against the back of his. It had happened a few times during the ride. She yelled over the engine, “Sorry” each time. He gripped her thigh, giving her a squeeze.
Her thighs clamped against his legs as they went down the steep hill to the water. She wiggled slowly. He assumed she was trying to relieve the pressure against his back. Little did she know he was enjoying all her weight on him.
The ride was about thirty minutes. It was a good run for a first timer, but he had no doubt her ass would be sore by the time they stopped. He pulled along a gravel parking lot. They were the only ones there. On weekends the river had more traffic, but on weekdays it was deserted. He slowed to a stop and turned off the engine. Before he could even give her instruction, she was getting off the bike. It was slow, as if she was concentrating on the right way to do it.
Once she dismounted, he kicked out the stand and emerged off the bike, taking his helmet off and slinging it over the handlebars. She was down by the water’s edge, struggling with the strap on her helmet and twisting her head from side to side. He snickered at the sight. Her tiny little body with a huge helmet. If she moved too fast, she’d probably topple over.
“Let me get it.”
She turned, but the straps were hanging, and then she pulled it off her head, turning back to the water. “This is really pretty.”
Caden gazed off to the river. It was a nice, quiet spot. In the summer, kids came down and swam, families picnicked.
“You come here a lot?”
“Not as much as I used to. Came more when Trev was little. The kid would stay in the water till his lips turned blue.”
She glanced over her shoulder, grinning.
“I bet it’s beautiful when the leaves change, huh?”
“Yeah. We’ll have to come back and see.” His innuendo was she’d still be there in a month from now. He wasn’t quite sure where it came from. He rarely looked into the future, but she had him seeing life a bit differently.
“There was this small lake down the road from my house when I was little. It wasn’t much to look at and they didn’t allow swimming because it was private, but in the fall, all the leaves would change colors. Don’t know if they planned it or just got lucky, but every other tree was red. I used to sneak in through the woods by my street.” She giggled. “Ticks all over my pants and God knows what else lurking in the brush, but every year in mid-October, I’d do it.” She paused scanning around the river. “Just to see those red leaves.”
She seemed almost lost in a memory. He watched her in silence. She’d shared with him only snippets from her life. Caden wanted more, hell, he wanted it all. He could ask, but he had a feeling her sharing would have to be on her terms.
“You ever get caught trespassing?”
She laughed. “Nope.” She glanced back and smirked. “I was stealthy as a kid.”
Caden barked out a laugh. “Can’t picture that, but I’ll take your word.”
He settled down on the ground and watched as she slowly made her way to him. She dropped to her knees, checking out the area with a small smile playing on her lips. She loved it. He could tell from her expression. She scooted to her ass and sat next to him.
“What kind of kid were you?”
Caden shrugged. “Depends on who you ask. Pop and Kase would say I was a pain in the ass.”
“What about Drake, what would he say?”
“You’d have to ask him.”
“I bet he’d say you were a good kid, maybe a big heart.” She smiled. “Loyal as fuck.”
Caden grinned, staring out at the river. “I see you’ve already asked Drake then.”
She shook her head. “He offered it up. He said if I stayed and gave you more time, I’d get to see it.”
Caden’s face tightened. Big fucking mouth on Drake, not knowing when to stay out of his business. Caden scanned the river and avoided her stare, which he could feel on him.
“Thanks for bringing me here.” She glanced over the lake. “It reminds me of home.”
Her thigh pressed against his, and she looked out over the river.
“Ya ever think about going back, just to visit?”
“Nope.” It was said without hesitation, and Caden turned his head, watching her profile.
“Not even for your friend, who’s not your friend?”
Marissa chuckled and glanced over at Caden. “Janelle has been on me to come back, but uh,” she paused, “there’s nothing there for me anymore but memories.”
“Gotta be some good ones though, right? You and your stealth skills,” he teased. “That’s worth remembering, yeah?”
Marissa grinned. “I do have good ones. Sometimes they’re harder to see. The bad ones are blocking them.”
“Gotta fucking try, right?”
“Ya know, I don’t think I’ve ever shared that story with anyone before about the lake.”
“Ahhhh…” He winked. “Look at you, opening up.”
“Is that what you want, for me to open up to you?”
He tilted his head and leaned in, taking her lips for a soft kiss. For as rugged and gruff as he was, Caden made a point of giving her sweet and gentle. Not because he had to but because he wanted to. He pulled back and drew his hand down from her neck to her chest. He lay his hand over her heart.
“Want you to let me in here.”
He watched the internal struggle flash across her face. Her bottom lip trembled slightly, as though she wanted to speak but was physically incapable. Under his hand, which remained on her chest, he could feel her heart race, a rapid pump of erratic beats. As much as he wanted her to open up, he wasn’t willing to risk her shutting down completely. He’d gotten a little from her; it was good enough for now. He’d change the subject.
“Doctor called it survivor’s guilt.”
Caden winced. Her voice was low and shaky.
“I thought it was bullshit. I was sad and angry and lost. But guilty, because I survived and they didn’t? It just sounded stupid to me.” She drew in a deep breath and dropped her gaze to his hand on her chest. “But it wasn’t. It took me awhile, but when I finally saw it, I knew the doctor was right.” She gazed up at him with tears welled at the rims. “They died and I got to live.” She gulped, and a single tear streamed down her cheek. “I didn’t deserve life more than them. But for some reason, I got to live.” She tore her gaze from him, and he sucked in a breath. Her pain was so raw he could feel it in his own heart. “He said if I didn’t deal with it, the guilt, it would destroy me,” she whispered. “So, I dealt with it.” She paused. “And I checked out. Refused to see people, talk to anyone. I just checked out of who I was, literally.” She lifted her gaze, and she searched his face. “I was in the car with them.”
He missed a breath, as if he were punched in the stomach.
“What, with your folks?”
She nodded. “We were coming back from the lake. We’d been there all day, and it was raining. I don’t remember anything except waking up in the hospital. The crash, the ambulance, doctors, I don’t have any recollection. Nothing.” She licked her lips as her tears streamed down her face. “There was a police officer outside my door, and I just remember him saying ‘sole survivor’.” Her voice trembled and lowered to a whisper. “He was talking about me.”
“Baby.” The word came out without thinking. He pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hold. All he wanted was to take her pain away. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Her body shook against his chest, and he tightened his hold. If he could have taken all her pain as his own, he would have done it. He threaded his hand through her hair and pressed his lips to the top of her head.
“If I talk about it, I gotta go back. To who I was, what I lost.” Her face rubbed against his chest, and she slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were swollen and red rimmed.
The more she shared, the more he understood. Minutes passed in silence but she remained fixated on his face. His thumb wiped away her tears from her cheek.
“Why ya telling me now?”
She sat back a bit and grasped his hand, which hand remained on her chest. She threaded her fingers through his. “Because you wanna be in, and I wanna let you in.” Her eyes teared again. “I just don’t know how. I’ve been shut down for so long.” Her tears streamed down her face. He reached for her cheek, swiping her tears away, and leaned closer, kissing her lips.
“I’ll take whatever ya wanna give, when ya wanna give it, ya hear me?”
She nodded and glanced down at the ground. His lips grazed over her forehead, and he felt her hand tighten her grip. He’d had shit happen in his past, but never anything as tragic. If she needed time, he’d wait. Wait for- fucking-ever, if I have to.
She was curled into his chest for so long, an hour could have passed for all he knew. It didn’t matter. Whatever she needed, he’d give her. With her sharing, he got a better understanding, and things made sense.
She turned to him and smiled. “Tell me something about Trevor when he was little. Something funny or sweet, just something.”
“Why?”
“I want to hear something good, and just seeing how you are with him, you must have a million stories. I just want one.”
She wanted one of his memories. Hell, he’d be willing to give them all to her if she asked. He glanced out at the river, drumming up a memory. He had tons of Trevor when he was a kid, but Caden wanted something he knew would make her laugh, something light. A distraction from her pain.
The corner of his mouth cocked up. “Okay. He was about six, first grade, I think. Had this show for the parents, they were doing some play about fucking fruits and vegetables. So, he had to make a vegetable, teacher made him a carrot. He was so pissed. Apparently, all his friends got green beans, and he was a fucking carrot. Bitched twenty-four seven about not wanting to do it ’cause it was orange and orange was a girl color. Anyway, he did it but refused to show me. He had Pop help him with it.” Caden shook his head, barely able to control his laugh. “We get there, Pop, Kase, and me, take our seats, and the curtain opened. A whole slew of six-year olds on the stage. We find Trev, looking all excited about his first play. The teacher tells the kids to put on their hats. This is where the drawings come in. Well, there they are, apples, grapes, beans, every vegetable imaginable, and there’s Trev with his carrot. Only it looks nothing like a carrot. It’s a fucking mushroom. But the crown of it is just slightly bigger than the stem. And the bottom, which we guessed was meant to be dirt, is a circle.”
Marissa twisted her lips, and he watched as his depiction unfolded in her mind. Her smile grew, obviously understanding his description.
“There was my kid with what looked like a giant cock on his head.” Cade couldn’t hold back and started to laugh.
Marissa followed, burst out laughing and gasping for breath as she leaned over his lap, falling into him.
“That was the last time Pop was allowed to help with school projects.”
“Oh my God, Cade.” Her body shook, and her hand landed on his thigh. “That’s great.”
He raised his brows. “Ya think? Try being the parent who’s got to explain to his teacher why he’s wearing a dick on his head.”
Tears formed in the rim of her eyes, and she couldn’t stop laughing. His heart expanded, and relief flooded his chest. He reached his goal, he took away her pain. Not forever, but for now.
“What did she say?”
“She was pissed. So were the other parents.” He shrugged. “Made a big deal out of it. So, I told them to fuck off and take their minds out of the gutter. My six-year-old made a mushroom, and if they were too fucked in the head to see it, then they were the ones with issues.”
“What did you say to Trevor?”
He smirked. “He was the best fucking mushroom I’d ever seen.”
Her arms curled around his stomach. “You’re a great dad, Cade.”
He snorted. “Not even close, but nobody messes with him.” He took a breath and turned to her. Her lips crashed against his mouth with such force he inched back, but her mouth never wavered over his. She gripped his neck.
“Thank you for sharing it with me.” She kissed his lips and pulled away, but he hooked his arm around her waist, bringing her back into his chest.
“Return the favor. Give me one of your good ones.”
“What?”
“Anything.”
She stared at him, her control wavering and sadness donning her eyes. “You all. Being with you, Trevor, Jack, and everyone has been the best part of my last two years.” She nestled into his chest and whispered, “You made me feel again.” She smiled. “I like being with your family.” She licked her lips as a tear spilled down her cheek. “With you, Cade.”
