The Risk Page 14

  At least that’s what I thought.

  I watched them for a few minutes and then the gang dispersed. All of them hopping into two large, black SUV’s parked across the street.

  I waited a moment until they drove out of sight and then I jogged over to Ronnie, catching him just before he got into his car.

  He noticed me running over and smiled good-naturedly.

  “Hey, Joe,” Ronnie said. “How’s it going?”

  “Well, you tell me,” I said.

  “What? I’m not sure what you mean.” Ronnie said.

  “I just saw you talking to Victor Silas. Don’t play games with me, man. What is going on?”

  Ronnie laughed and shot me his flashy used car salesman grin. “Ah, nothing. They just wanted to chat.”

  I laughed. Wow, that was rich.

  Ronnie, guys like “The Cobras” don’t just stop by for a chat. Now level with me; what is going on?”

  I stared into Ronnie’s eyes as he tried to avert my gaze. Eventually he stared back and relented.

  “I owe them some money for some gambling debts,” Ronnie said.

  “What? Are you crazy? Gambling? Gambling with them of all people?”

  “I thought it was a sure thing,” Ronnie said. “Some guys invited me to earn some easy money in a drag race on the other side of town. I’m a great driver. I figured I couldn’t lose, so I bet some cash on myself. I didn’t find out who it was until after the race.”

  “Jesus,” I said. “That’s messed up, man. You know better than to get mixed up with stupid stuff like that.”

  “I thought I couldn’t lose, otherwise I never would have done it. But the other guy cheated. It was a big setup. They had something under the hood of that engine that didn’t belong there.”

  “And what happened when you tried to challenge it?” I asked.

  “Well, then “The Cobras” showed up. You know they really do live up to their name. They are snakes in the grass, all of them.”

  “How much do you owe?” I asked.

  “Twenty grand,” Ronnie said.

  “You blew Twenty-grand on a race? That’s so stupid,” I said.

  “I know that!” Ronnie yelled. I could see he was scared to death. “I made a stupid mistake.”

  “So, how are you supposed to fix it? I’m sure they weren’t just asking you to please pay them.”

  Ronnie sighed heavily and looked down. I saw the shame on his face right then, but he wouldn’t talk.

  “Tell me,” I said.

  Ronnie looked at me. I could see he almost had tears in his eyes. My friend was hard as stone and I don’t think I’d ever seen him cry before.

  “They want me to help them on a job,” Ronnie said.

  “What kind of a job?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Ronnie replied. “They said that they will let me know when the right opportunity comes along for my skills, whatever that means. I guess in the meantime I just get to sweat it out, right?”

  “Yeah, but I’m guessing this job is not going to be the legal variety,” I said.

  “No, most likely not.”

  “You have to go to the cops,” I said. “That is the only way you might get out of this.”

  “The cops? Are you nuts? The Cobras are not afraid of our local cops. Hell, half of them are probably on their payroll.”

  I winced at that notion. My uncle Bob had always praised our police division, but he did let it slip that there was corruption wherever it could find an entrance.

  “They can help,” I said. “They could assign officers to you, or put you in witness protection.”

  Ronnie laughed. “You don’t get it. That stuff is not going to work here. I am just going to do what they ask me to and then my debt to them is paid.”

  “How do you know that? How do you know they aren’t going to string you along as their little errand boy until you get arrested and then they find someone else?”

  Ronnie didn’t have any words to say. I knew all of this had crossed his mind. I wasn’t telling him anything new, but sometimes hearing the words from a trusted friend could mean all the difference in the world.

  “Look,” Ronnie said. “This is my mess and I’ll figure a way out of it. Just do me a favor and don’t mention any of this to Gina.”

  “She doesn’t know anything about it? She is your closest family and she is living with you. This puts her in direct danger, too. I think she deserves to know what is going on.”

  “No,” Ronnie snapped. “Like I said, it’s my mess and I will clean it up. She is safe. As long as I do what they say then she has nothing to worry about.”

  I paused a moment.

  “Wait, have they threatened her?” I asked.

  “No,” Ronnie answered quickly. “But I think it’s kind of implied.”

  I had nothing left to say. The idea that Gina might be in grave danger over something stupid her brother did angered me to my core. I felt like belting Ronnie across the face for his feeble actions. But I figured he was going through enough grief and he might have been right keeping this from Gina for the time being.

  But if things got worse I was telling her. And if it meant putting her on a plane back home then I was willing to make sure she went.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Gina

  I thanked the receptionist behind the counter, grabbed my purse, and made my way to the front entrance. I had just finished registering for all my classes for the semester and I was so excited. I was initially a bit skeptical about transferring to a new school, but with everything that had happened back home I just felt it was for the best.

  And I felt I was going to like it here at a new school. The campus was beautiful, everyone seemed so happy and excited to begin a new journey and chapter in their lives and I was really just like that. It was always frightening to start something new, but sometimes you just had to reach down and go for it.

  And since being back and reintroducing myself to Joe I knew I’d made the right decision. The other night had been amazing. The chemistry and tension between Joe and I was magical. You had to be blind not to see it I think. Even my brother noticed it and he was the worst judge of people and human behavior on the planet. He just seemed to be oblivious to what was going on around him almost all the time.

  I kept replaying the conversation that Joe and I had when it was just the two of us. Oh, I wanted to go out with him for a real dinner, just a sweet, romantic date night. That was something I had not stopped thinking about since I returned home. And now that I knew he wanted me too, I had made it my mission to secure at least a date with him.

  And then it would be up to nature to take things a step further. I was sure that it would all happen the way it should.

  I giggled at the thought as I stepped away from the campus’ office front doors. I was a bit worried about registering this close to the start of the semester, but luckily all of my classes I needed were available.

  The warm sunshine felt immensely sweet against my skin. This was something I had missed back home. I loved the hot weather and I looked forward to a beautiful, warm, winter. There was just something about it that put you in a great mood.

  I was almost to my car at the outer band of the parking lot when something familiar caught my eye. Across the street coming out of the hardware store was Joe. I couldn’t believe the luck.

  I quickly jogged over towards him calling his name. I’m sure I sounded like a loon, but I didn’t give it much thought at the time.

  “Joe!” I yelled. “Hey, Joe!”

  He was lifting some bags of concrete onto the back of his truck, but I could tell he heard me. When I reached him he was already looking at me with a warm smile on his handsome face.

  “Hey, there,” Joe said.

  “Hey, fancy meeting you here,” I said emphasizing the corny nature of the line.

  “Likewise,” Joe said. He nodded towards the university behind me. “You doing something at school today?”

  “Oh, I
was just finishing registering for all my classes,” I said with a laugh. I couldn’t help but feel a bit childish telling him how I was getting ready for school.

  “That’s fantastic,” Joe said.

  “How about you? Are you building something?” I asked looking at the concrete in his truck bed.

  “Ah, yeah. Actually, a friend of mine asked me if I could help him repave his driveway. So I said I would.”

  “Well, it’s nice to have handy friends like you around,” I said giving him a little nudge in the arm.

  Joe smiled warmly. God, I could never stop looking at that smile.

  “Yeah, I enjoy working with my hands and it sounded like a fun way to spend a Saturday.”

  “Wow, you have a strange idea of fun,” I replied. “Spending Saturday in this heat paving a driveway for free? No, thanks. I’ll pass.”

  Joe chuckled. “Well, I’m a strange guy, I guess. But this friend of mine needed the help and he saved a bunch on what he would have hired a crew to do it for.”

  “Awesome,” I said. “Maybe, I’ll come by to take a look at your handy work.”

  “Really? You want to come by to watch concrete dry?” Joe laughed.

  “Well, maybe I want to come by to see the man laying the concrete working hard,” I said.

  I’m not sure what it was but there was something about being around Joe that brought out the flirt in me. I was normally never so forward. But it felt so good when I was with him.

  Joe was grinning widely now. Hell, he was almost blushing. It was hilarious to see. And it somehow made me feel pretty powerful, in all the right places.

  “I’m sure you would like that,” Joe said. “I’m sure that Ricky wouldn’t mind a beautiful girl coming down to watch us work.”

  I leaned back and shook my head slowly no.

  “I don’t know… now that I think about it, I might be busy that day,” I said coyly, really laying it on thick.

  “Oh, shucks. I’m sure Ricky will be really disappointed.”

  “Just Ricky?”

  Joe just smiled.

  “Well, I have a better idea,” Joe said.

  “I’m listening,” I replied.

  “It is lunch time and I was just about to pop into the diner over there and grab a bite. Would you care to join me?”

  “Why Joe Simpson, are you asking me to lunch?” I played.

  “Why, Gina Breyer, I think I am doing just that.”

  I threw my head back and laughed hard for a moment, which I instantly felt self-conscious about. Joe did strange things to me. At times he brought out that nerdy, shy teenager with pigtails that I was so sure I had buried off a long time ago.

  “I would love to,” I said.

  * * *

  “Wow, I am stuffed,” I said pushing myself away from the table. I stared in awe at the half a steak and pieces of baked potato still left on my plate. Rob’s Diner was one of my favorite places to eat, but the portions were always about three meals worth for me.

  “You barely touched it,” Joe said teasing me.

  “I ate more than I usually do,” I said.

  “Good,” Joe said. “I love to watch a beautiful woman eat.”

  I took a sip of my diet-coke and stared at Joe for a moment. God, he was so handsome. Never in a million years did fifteen year-old Gina ever think she would be on a date (a lunch date, but still a date nonetheless) with Joe Simpson. Wow, if Janie could see me now. She would be so jealous. I smiled at the thought.

  “Wow, you are just full of compliments today,” I teased. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were hitting on me.”

  “Maybe I am and maybe I’m not,” Joe said. “It’s a wonder of the world I guess.”

  “You are too much,” I laughed. Actually, I thought he was just enough for me.

  “Ok, I’m done, too,” Joe said. He rubbed his belly for good measure. I thought for a second he was going to burp, but he was on his best behavior apparently.

  “So, what do you think Ronnie would think of our impromptu lunch date?” I asked playfully twirling my hair. I took a quick glance at my tank top which revealed exactly as much as I wanted it too but not an inch more. I was very glad I’d made that choice today. Throughout lunch Joe could not keep from stealing glances.

  “That’s not really even funny to think about,” Joe said. “You are such a naughty girl.”

  “Yeah, I am a bit naughty sometimes. Do you know what to do to naughty girls, Joe?”

  Joe laughed hard for a second in surprise. His eyes looked like saucers and for a second I thought I’d laid it on too thick, even for him.

  “Wow, you are on fire today with the sexy words,” Joe said.

  He leaned in closer across the table. I could smell a good whiff of his aftershave. It was musky with some sweet undertones. It smelled manly and it turned me on immensely. I could feel my juices already starting to run. I had to bite my lip to keep focused and relaxed.

  “I like it,” Joe said.

  I smiled and moaned warmly. God, I was getting turned on. But I didn’t want Joe to know just how much.

  Joe leaned back and sipped his beer, his eyes laser-focused on me, wearing that same sexy grin he always wore.

  “So, what are your plans next,” I asked.

  “My plans? Well, I’m going back into the gym to take care of some things, teach a class—“

  “No, I meant long-term,” I said. “Specifically, when is your next fight? I’d love to see it in person.”

  My hand fell to the top of my tank top and pinched the fabric, moving up and down, back and forth slightly just teasing him with the cleavage right over top of the separation of my double D bosom.

  “I’m not sure, yet,” Joe replied. “I just had a fight so I like to keep a month to six weeks between to allow time to recover and to train. I’ll give it a few more days to see if I get an offer and if not then I’ll go looking for one.”

  “Hmmm, going looking for a fight,” I said. “That sounds like a very bad thing to be looking for.”

  “Yeah, but it is the life I’ve chosen,” Joe said. “At least for now. How about you? Why haven’t you ever gone into the fight game? I know your brother would love it. Plus I think you’d look sexy as hell beating the snot out of some other woman.”

  I almost doubled over with laughter on that one.

  “Why is that like every man’s fantasy? What do they call it? A cat fight?” I asked.

  “No, that’s not a cat fight. That’s two professional, highly trained, elite athletes giving it everything they’ve got against their opponent. Nothing funny about it. But it’s still sexy.”

  I could tell I’d almost touched a button with Joe about fighting. He was that passionate about it that he couldn’t stand the idea of someone making light of it, which I wasn’t sure I’d really meant to do. But I admired that in him. I’d always known Joe to be so strong in character. It was comforting to know that he still had that.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean any offense.”

  Joe nodded. “None taken, pretty lady.”

  I loved it when he complimented me, even in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way.

  “Thanks, so much for lunch,” I said when we reached my car. Joe had insisted on walking with me across the street and halfway across the bike path to the end of what was the parking lot of my new school.

  “Don’t mention it,” Joe said. “It was a lot of fun.”

  “So, when can we do this again?” I asked, being too forward but not giving a damn.

  “I’ll have to check my schedule,” Joe said. “But I’ll let you know, soon.”

  “And what about Ronnie?”

  “Well, I’ll handle Ronnie. We’ve been friends since forever. Something tells me that he will be fine.”

  I wasn’t so sure of that. Ronnie was livid about the thought of me dating someone with Joe’s reputation. But it was Joe after all. Couldn’t he have a bit more faith in his own friend?

  Joe did
something unexpected right then. It was something I’d dreamt of for as long as I could remember and it was something I wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance to experience.

  Without saying a word, he pulled me in closer and kissed me. His lips were strong, with just the perfect amount of thickness. The kiss was warm and sweet, tender but growing firmer all the time.

  I felt like my feet were rising off the ground, like I was being carried away somewhere magical by the embrace, the touch of this man. His breath was warm and strong as it mingled with mine, our tongues finally touching together, and Joe sucking me into him. His strong arm was wrapped around my back right then, pulling me into him. I let him, oh I let him. I would have done anything right then and there for him. I felt like the entire world was finally standing still and allowing us to have this special moment.

  But as quickly as it had arrived, the moment was gone.

  Joe had pulled back slowly ending the kiss. He was looking down at me with that sweet, handsome look of total peace.

  “I’ll see you, soon,” Joe said.

  He nodded at me and walked away towards his truck. I expected him to look back at least once, to check and see if I was still there, but he didn’t turn around once. And that just made me want to run and tackle him even more.

  I drove home in a daze, not even realizing the trip had occurred until I closed my bedroom door behind me. The house was silent. Ronnie was still at work. And I was so buzzed by what had just happened that I could hardly breathe.

  All I could do was lie there in my bed with the air conditioning wafting cool air over my body. I closed my eyes and tried to just calm down.

  * * *

  His hands were on me now. It was so real, so perfect. My entire body was tingling with excitement, not just from his touch, but from what I anticipated to happen next.

  I was lying in the bed when Joe came out of the bathroom. He was fully nude, fresh out of the shower. His muscular body was dripping wet with water and a bit of sweat, and just perhaps by an overwhelming need to have me. He wanted me so badly. I could see it in his eyes.

  And I was prepared to give him everything we’d both been dreaming of.