Blood and Fire (McClouds & Friends #8)(47)

“That would explain why his head was in your lap.” Aaro reached into the bag, fished out coffee and held it out. “Enjoy. You’re welcome.”

She stared at him for a moment. “I don’t have to thank you, remember?” she said. “You’re not doing me any favors.”

“True. I’m so crushed. Now drink some coffee, dollface.”

Her eyes widened. “Did you just call me dollface?”

“No.” Bruno snatched the cup out of Aaro’s hand and passed it to her. “It was an aural hallucination. Have your breakfast sandwich.”

“Yeah, ignore me.” Aaro pawed through the bags until he found one with stenciled hearts on it. “By the way, you never did tell me your size. Hope nothing binds or pinches your tender pink places, babe.”

He let the bag fly. It landed on Lily’s lap. She shrank back as if it were a venomous snake. It hit the floor. Fuck-me-please panties spilled out. A tangle of satin, lace, and silk. Red, black, peach, flesh-tone.

Bruno growled expletives in a Calabrese dialect as he shoved underwear into the bag. It was his standard tension reliever. None of the people he insulted knew he was commenting on their grandmother’s predilection for sex with sheep.

“I am not wearing that slutty, disgusting stuff.” Lily’s voice was haughty. “Certainly not after you’ve pawed it. Dog.”

“Arf, arf.” Aaro’s one was more cheerful than it had been so far at any time this morning. “I love it when she spits bile.”





11


T he van door slid open. A blast of cold, intensely sweet air swept in, along with a noise that took a while to decipher. Birdsong. And air. So clean and sweet. Lily lingered under the surface, reluctant to come up. It had been so long. Sleep felt so good. She rubbed her eyes.

Bruno peered in. “You OK? You’ve been out for hours.”

“I’m fine,” she said through chattering teeth.

“Out you come, then.” His jacket swung open as he helped her out, showing off washboard abs, that taut belly button, the arrowing trail of dark belly hair, bare to the elements. He must be cold, too, but he didn’t look it. He had a nuclear furnace raging inside him.

He set her on her feet, and she wobbled on the unsteady ground. Icy wind lifted her snarled hair into a wind-whipped halo. The absence of noise pollution, burnt ozone, hydrocarbons, smoke, or particulate matter was weirdly alien. The wind moaned. Only a jet plume proved that civilization existed. “Where the hell are we?” she demanded.

“About twenty miles out of White Salmon, as the crow flies,” Bruno said. “My uncle had a cabin.”

“I never saw anything about a cabin in the property records!”

“Of course you didn’t,” Bruno said. “He fixed it that way himself, thirty-five years ago. He had a checkered past, before Vietnam. Tony wanted a place where he could disappear, from the law or the Ranieris, whoever was out for his blood.” He looked around. “In fact, Kev and I don’t have a clue what the hell to do about this place. The paperwork, I mean. Who the f*ck knows whose name it’s in? Tony never told.”

“That doesn’t explain what we’re doing here!” Lily’s voice shook.

Bruno frowned. “I told you I’d find you someplace safe to rest, remember? Without using my credit cards, this is the best I can do.”

“But we’re cornered here! Does this place have Internet? Phone service, taxis? Wireless?”

His face answered her. “Oh, God,” she moaned. “You’ve dropped me into the bottom of a well. This is just freaking perfect!”

Aaro edged away. “I’ll be on my way. You’ll be getting my bill soon. Not that I know where to send it, since you’re a f*cking fugitive.”

Bruno grunted. “You’ll get your money.”

“You mean, you’re leaving us here?” Lily’s voice squeaked with horror. “You’re driving away, and leaving us here with no vehicle?”

“Like shit through a goose.” Aaro sidled toward the driver’s side door. “See ya, babe. Be good.”

“No! I’m coming back with you! I am not staying here!”

Aaro got into his van, eyes wary. “Keep your distance, lady.”

“Don’t you dare drive away!” She tottered toward the van.

Aaro revved the engine and rolled his window down an inch to deliver his parting shot at Bruno. “Never would have thought I’d say this, man, but your girlfriend makes celibacy look good.”

“You *!” Lily grabbed the handle, which locked with an audible thunk an instant befo she touched it. Tires spat dirt and pebbles. Aaro peered out his window, trying not to drive over her feet.

She hung on, but Aaro did not stop. There was no question of running in those heels. She stumbled, sliding to her knees as the van rounded the curve, roared down the hill, rattling over a narrow plank bridge laid over a dry creek bed. It turned a corner and was gone.

Oh, ouch. That knee had already taken a lot of abuse.

Bruno pulled her to her feet and tried to hug her, the sneaky son of a bitch, but she was in freak-out mode, arms windmilling, tottering on the useless shoes. She pitched and swayed in the gusts of wind.

“Calm down,” he was repeating, over and over, his tone pleading. “Calm down. Just calm down. This is a safe place.”