Vengeful Soul by Emma Creed

I’m wrapped up tight in Brax’s arms when I wake up, and can feel his chin resting on the top of my head. He’s still sleeping, I can tell by the deep, relaxed breaths that are raising my head with his chest. So, I allow my fingers to stretch out and slide over his skin. Brax is rough and rugged, everything that Julian isn’t. His solid pecs flex beneath my fingertips as I move across them, and his strong arm feels like it’s crushing where it curls around my body.

I woke up during the night when his hand slipped down and squeezed at one of my ass cheeks. It must have happened subconsciously, and maybe I should have woken him up to correct his mistake, but I didn’t. The way he did it felt possessive, just like the way he’s holding me now does. Something tells me that this man takes care of what belongs to him, and I let myself imagine how that might feel for a little while.

It’s so fucking wrong, but I think I actually like waking up like this.

Brax’s cock is still as solid as it was when he fell asleep. And feeling it press into my thigh, with him so close, causes a flutter deep inside my stomach. One that I don’t think could be relieved, not unless I felt him inside me.

Jesus Christ, Grace.

I shake that thought out of my mind. Brax may be my only option right now, but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous. I can’t want him like this now, or need him the way I did last night. It creates a complication that neither of us can deal with.

What I’m feeling right now is all just rash, impulse behavior. I’ve been through so much trauma lately. It’s no wonder I can’t think straight, and this ridiculous impulse is certainly one I won’t be acting on.

“Mornin’.” His voice is low and gravely, it travels right through my chest, all the way to my pussy, and I can’t help but look up at him.

I’m a disgrace.

“Morning.” I bounce up quickly, scurrying out of bed. “You were saying about making an early start,” I remind him with a friendly smile before I rush to the bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I splash some cold water on my face. When I look at myself in the mirror my hair’s a mess, unruly curls sticking out in all directions, and my eyes are still red and blotchy from crying.

I splash more water at myself and do my best to tame my hair, then I use the toothbrush I took out of Brax’s bag last night to clean my teeth.

When I make my way back into the room, Brax is already up, wearing a clean pair of jeans, and is pulling a T-shirt on over his shoulders. His wound has been cleaned, but he still looks uncomfortable as he pulls the fabric down over his body. I smile at him awkwardly and make my way over to the nightstand, where the clothes that he seemed to have sprung out of thin air last night are folded. I’m about to take off the shirt I’m wearing, but quickly stop when I catch him looking out the corner of his eye.

I forget myself around him too easily.

“I’ll wait for you outside.” He clears his throat and slings his duffel bag over his shoulder. Then, signaling to the door with his head to Duke, the dog follows him out. Soon as the door closes, I quickly change and squeeze into the shoes, and then rush to follow him out.

Brax is waiting for me outside, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips and his ass resting against an old black Cadillac. I have no idea how he makes smoking look so hot, maybe it’s the way his eyes scrunch together so harshly, or how his thick lips open when they exhale.

Stop it, you have a fiancé. A perfect, kind, handsome fiancé who loves you.

He straightens up when he sees me, and although he’s wearing shades now, I know his eyes will be staring right at me from underneath them. Brax’s glare isn’t something you see, it’s something you feel.

Brax opens the back door and Duke jumps inside, then he shocks me when he chivalrously opens the passenger door up for me.

“What’s this?” I ask, moving closer and holding on to the door just below his hand as I bend to get inside. Now I’m craving those hands on me again and I have to make it stop, because when I want something… I’m used to getting it. And I can’t have Brax.

He remains silent as he closes the door behind me, and I watch how he moves as he rounds the hood and flicks his cigarette before getting into the driver’s seat.

“It’s a car, Gracie,” he states the obvious as he starts up the engine.

I don’t know when he decided he was gonna start calling me that. But I like it. It’s almost affectionate.

“I can see that. What happened to the truck?”

“The truck’s gone, we’ll make the rest of the journey in this,” he tells me, pulling out of the parking lot and getting back on the freeway. It doesn’t take me long to realize that we’re heading back in the direction we came from.

“We’re going back?” I ask, confused.

“Yep,” Brax focuses on the road.

“But those people were after me, we should be getting as far away from here as we can.”

“That’s exactly what we should do,” he agrees, then turns his bottom lip down and nods. “It’s also exactly what they’ll expect us to do.”

“So?” I wait, expecting a better explanation.

“So, we’ll sit under their noses until I’ve figured out what to do.”

“Where are you taking me, Brax?” I’m starting to feel really nervous. I have no control over the situation I’m in and it’s really freaking me out.

“Somewhere that no one knows about, somewhere safe, and somewhere I will probably regret taking you.” He turns his attention back to the road. I let my head fall back against the headrest.

I’ve already given up trying to figure this guy out. I just have to trust the one thing that all my instincts are screaming at me.

That as long as I’m with him, I’ll be safe.

Two hours later, Brax pulls off the freeway, and into a small town. I recognize the name as we drive past the welcome to Cascade sign, and he parks outside a convenience store.

“Lock the doors and keep your head down. I’ll be as quick as I can,” he instructs, as he opens the car door and leaves me alone, with the keys in the ignition.

It would be so easy to shuffle over to the driver’s seat and drive away.

But where would I go? Those men who came to kill me work for the CIA, I have no idea why they want to hurt me or how to protect myself from them.

So, I do exactly what Brax tells me, sinking low into my seat and keeping my head down.

He returns not long after, his arms loaded up with bags, which he puts in the trunk before getting into the car again.

“That should see us through for a few days while Jessie comes up with something.”

“Who’s Jessie?” I ask as he pulls out of the parking space.

“Someone from the club.”

“Does he know what your club want with me?” I ask, still desperate for answers.

“Only Prez knows that,” Brax tells me, keeping one hand on the wheel and reaching the other back to feed Duke a chew that he must have picked up from the store.

I don’t ask him any more questions, instead, I take in the pretty surroundings as he drives us out of town and higher and higher into the mountains. The trees around us get thicker, the roads become thinner and I realize that we’re now driving on a track.

Brax stops the car outside a cabin. One that’s secluded by the forest, just like you’d see on a vacation brochure.

“This is beautiful.” I look around in shock as I get out of the car. The place is completely isolated with only trees and wilderness in sight.

“It’s remote,” Brax says in that flat tone of his before he starts to unload the car. I step onto the wooden porch that looks out over the valley and slide my fingers over the wooden swing bench.

“Is this place yours?” I ask as he steps up behind me.

“Yeah, it’s mine,” he tells me, looking almost ashamed. He shifts the bags in his arms so he can take the keys out of his pocket, and I quickly take one off him to make it easier. He responds with a grateful nod before pushing the door open and gesturing for me to enter. Inside is just as beautiful as the outside, the place smells like wood shavings and pine, and although the furniture is basic and sparse, the place is far beyond somewhere you’d expect a man like Brax to live.

I take everything in while he puts away the groceries, Duke runs off into the forest to explore, and suddenly I feel like a spare part.

“Is there anything I can do?” I step into the open plan kitchen, where the cupboards are all made from oak, and there’s a small table between the kitchen and living space that looks handcrafted. Come to think about it, most of the furniture here looks like it’s been handcrafted.

“Just stay out of trouble,” Brax tells me, lifting his head out of the refrigerator to look me over in that way that always makes me feel so exposed.

I stay out of Brax’s way for the rest of the day, entertaining myself by looking around the place.

There’s a huge outbuilding behind the house and curiosity leads me inside it, with Duke close behind. Inside, there are a few different bikes, all covered over with sheets. But what interests me more are all the woodwork tools. I wonder if they belong to Brax, or if they’d been here when he bought the place.

I make my way back to the house and sit on the porch swing, appreciating the breathtaking view. It’s so peaceful here, that I actually manage to block out what’s happened to me over the past few days and allow myself to think about my parents.

Since their accident, I haven’t had any time to myself. Aunt Justine had me so wrapped up in making plans that I didn’t get the chance to grieve them. I wonder what they would think of the situation I’m in now. If they’d want me to trust a man like Brax?

A steady stream of smoke travels up from the valley below us, making me wonder if we’re as isolated out here as I thought we were.

“Hungry?” Brax’s voice comes from behind me. When I turn my head around, I see him resting against the doorframe with a plate in his hands, and I wonder how long he’s been watching me.

“It’s just chicken and rice, I ain't used to guests,” he confesses, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as he hands it over.

“It looks great, thanks,” I smile, taking the plate out of his hands. He leans his shoulder into one of the wooden pillars, lights up a cigarette, and watches me eat. It’s kinda weird, but like I said, I’ve given up trying to work him out.

“What’s down there?” I point my fork in the direction of the smoke.

“The Indians,” he tells me, his tongue rolling inside his cheek while he waits for my reaction, and I give him one, almost choking on my food.

“The what?” I swallow my mouthful and look up at him again.

“The Indians. A Cheyanne tribe lives down in that valley.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope, they’ve lived there for years, at least as long as I’ve been coming here.”

“I thought all those tribes turned civilian years ago.” Sure, I’ve heard of the Cheyanne tribe. I remember learning about them at school. In history…

“Not those folks, they still do it the traditional way. I’d say there’s about thirty of ‘em,” he explains.

“That’s amazing.” Now I’m curious, and I push Brax for more.

“You ever speak to your neighbors?”

“Hell no. Them and Dirty Souls are sworn enemies.” It’s hard to tell from his smug grin if he’s joking or not.

“For real?” I tilt my head, giving him a look that says I don’t fully believe him.

“For real,” he nods back at me.

God, he’s handsome when he smiles.

“Why?”

“Come on, I’ll show ya.” He holds out his hand for mine, and my stomach fizzles when I allow my fingers to slide between his. I leave my plate on the bench and let him guide me off the porch, then through the trees until we come to an opening.

“There,” he says, watching my face as I look down the deep slope into the open space below us. It looks like a tiny village set back in time, with animal pens, tethered horses and small cabins.

“That’s crazy.” I manage to peel my eyes away to look back at him.

“You see that tree line on the hill over on the other side?” he points with the hand that isn’t still gripping on to mine. And I nod back, feeling my body shiver as he positions himself closer behind me. His lips so close to my ear they’re almost touching me.

“That’s the club boundary.” I feel his words against my skin. “Everything on the other side of those trees is Soul’s territory.”

“Wait… The club is that close?” I look over my shoulder at him, both shocked and concerned that we’re so near.

“Yeah, it’s only about a mile and a half on foot to the compound. If you took that short cut. But Cheyenne are touchy about their turf.”

“So what’s the problem between you and them?” I ask, it’s nice to have a distraction from all the other unanswered questions in my head.

“Prez’s been requesting permission to use their land as a safe passage for years. For emergencies and shit. We could cut out about ten miles of main roads and be clear much quicker if they just let us pass through their land. And when you’re trying to shift things in a hurry, ten miles makes a hella difference,” he explains.

“You just wanna pass through?” I check, wondering what the big deal is.

“Yep, but the chief don't like our kind, so it’s a no-deal.” Brax seems so different here, more relaxed and open, and I wonder if now would be a good time to try and get more information from him.

“We should get back, it’s getting dark.” Brax tugs at my hand before he drops it from his, then starts marching back in the direction of the cabin.

When we get back inside, I follow him straight up the stairs.

“This can be your room,” he says sternly, opening the door to what, judging from the size of it, is the master bedroom. The huge double bed looks so comfortable, I want to run and sink into it.

“Is this your room?”

“Yes.” Brax doesn't look at me when he answers and I can sense the tension in his body. I don’t know what’s made him turn so cold on me all of a sudden.

“I’ll be right across the hall.” He moves fast, turning his back on me and walking out the room.

“Brax.” He pauses abruptly when I say his name, and his head moves slowly to look at me over his shoulder.

“Earlier, in the car, you left me with the keys, now you’re letting me sleep alone, no restraints. What happens if I run?” I guess what I want to hear is that he’s beginning to trust me.

“You ain’t got nowhere to run to, darlin’.” His icy tone slices through my body, and the door slamming behind him makes my chest rattle.