Tank stood up and she took his offered hand.
“Do you want to get something to eat?” she asked, dusting the sand off her shorts.
“Besides you?”
Desire heated his eyes. The look sent a bolt of fire between her legs.
“No, in addition to me,” she whispered.
“We’re gonna be at it for quite a while, so why don’t we just order a pizza later on? I’ll take you out to dinner tomorrow night.” He dipped his head and kissed her hard. “Deal?”
“Best deal I’ve ever had.”
Tank swung his leg over the bike, then she scrambled on. The vibrations of the motor beneath now drove her crazy with lust, and, for her, they couldn’t get back home soon enough. He pulled back onto the room and sped down the road while she tried to concentrate on the scenery instead of the ache between her legs.
Time had flown by. Lena had been so preoccupied with Tank, the two weekend parties she’d catered, and the brisk business at the bistro, she’d hardly thought about the thugs at all. But that had changed, because the pit in her stomach meant that they would come by at closing for their payment. That day, Tank had told her he had some business he had to tend to until late that night, but he’d come by the following day. Lena knew that a lot of the companies in the town used his services, so she figured he’d landed a big order and had to work late.
Lena had sent the tape recording of her last encounter with the bikers to the DA’s office, but so far, she hadn’t heard anything from them. She’d left numerous messages, but each time she tried to pin down which deputy district attorney had the recording, it seemed like she got the runaround. A big part of her was starting to wonder if the DA was in on it. Afterall, he was up for reelection that year, and she wouldn’t be surprised if Philip Fitzgerald was funding the man’s campaign.
There were so many times during the past two weeks where Lena had wanted to confide in Tank, but she didn’t want to ruin their time together. However, she’d made up her mind that if the DA’s office kept dissing her, she’d tell Tank about the bistro and the bikers. They had become close, and she wanted everything out in the open.
Adalyn stood in the doorway of the kitchen. “I’m taking off. I’ll lock the front door.”
“Okay, great.” Lena held up her flour-encrusted hands and laughed. “Right now, I’m a little indisposed.”
“Don’t stay too late,” Adalyn said.
“I won’t. See you tomorrow.”
While Lena was finishing up the quiche crusts for the following day’s menu, she kept glancing at the wall clock. Each time the minute hand moved, her gut tightened. I should’ve told Tank about tonight. But he was working. Maybe he would’ve had some of his friends come over... I don’t know. I hope that asshole Cougar doesn’t start any shit with me. I’ll just hand over the money before they even step foot in the restaurant.
By the time she’d finished cleaning up the kitchen, her nerves were fried. Washing her hands for the umpteenth time, she dried them slowly while keeping her eyes on the clock. Soon I’ll be back home, watching the ocean from the balcony, and thinking of Tank. She smiled at the thought of him.
The bell above the door chimed, making Lena almost jump out of her skin. “Dammit, Adalyn! You forgot to lock the door.”
Rushing to the back office, she opened the desk drawer and took out the envelope. The last thing she wanted was for Cougar to come looking for her.
As she scurried down the hallway toward the main area of the bistro, she heard the asshole call out. “Get your sexy ass out here, sweet cheeks. You don’t fuckin’ want me coming to find you.”
As she got to the doorway, she paused.
“This chick is hot, but she’s got a real attitude. She doesn’t think she should have to pay,” Cougar snorted.
The usual bastard must not be with this jerk tonight. I can’t wait for this bullshit to end.
A loud thumping on a display case startled her.
“I’m losing my patience, and you don’t want that, bitch. Get you fuckin’ ass out here with the money, now.”
Lena sucked in a breath, clenched the envelope, then walked into the bistro.
“I was washing flour off my hands in the back and—”
She gripped the edge of the back counter to steady herself as a wave of dizziness hit her. Her heart raced a million miles a second as she stood there gaping at Tank, with him looking just as shocked to see her. For a split second, she thought he’d stumbled into her bistro for a sandwich to take back to the print store, but that notion faded when her eyes landed on the leather vest he wore—the one with all the patches, just like the other bikers.
A long silence filled the space between them. He held her gaze, and she saw… sympathy? Or maybe embarrassment? It didn’t matter, because the unequivocal fact was that he was a member of that vile biker gang, and he was here to steal hers, and every other tenant’s money.
Cougar’s voice sliced through her shock. “Quit fuckin’ around and gimme the money.”
Looking away from Tank, she threw the envelope across the top of the case.
All the anger she’d been suppressing for weeks bubbled to the surface. “Take it and get the hell out of my restaurant.” With her chin held high, she glowered at Cougar.
The biker snatched the envelope, counted the bills, and slowly put it inside his vest—the one that looked like Tank’s. Tank! I can’t believe he’s mixed up in this.
“I’m gonna figure you’re on the rag, sweet cheeks. But next time you pull that shit, I’m not gonna be so nice.” He nudged Tank with his elbow. “I told you she was feisty.”
Lena’s eyes darted to Tank’s. He pursed his lips, then turned around and headed to the door. The back of his vest read Jagged Outlaws MC Nomad.
Cougar threw her a kiss as he followed Tank out.
“Get the fuck out of my place! You’re the worst kind of people!”
Tank kept walking without looking back, and Cougar laughed. She slammed the door so hard behind them, the glass rattled in its frame.
“I can’t believe this! Dammit!” Covering her mouth with her hands, she let the tears stream down her face.
She cried for what felt like hours. A mixture of raw emotions—sorrow, anger, regret, anguish—washed over her while her thoughts were filled with doubt and confusion. How could the man she’d given her heart to turn out to be a cold-blooded outlaw who participated in extortion? The Tank she knew wasn’t the Tank she’d seen that night.
I can’t believe any of this. Suddenly, everything seemed overwhelming: Tank, the protection money, Fitzgerald, the corrupt sheriff. Why am I even bothering? She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and shook her head. “ I give up. I’m done. I’m getting the hell out of here.”
A sense of relief washed over her once she made the decision. She’d call Felicia and tell her the good news, that she was moving back to San Francisco—her hometown, where her friends loved and supported her.
After securing the doors, she trudged toward her car in the lot behind the eatery. Hearing footsteps behind her as she neared her vehicle, she walked faster, but it did no good. Just as she pulled out the keys to the SUV, Tank was beside her.