Page 28 of Retribution
Dakota staggered back. “What the fuck? I can’t believe it.”
“He’s not trying to rip you off. You’re in a small town and parts are hard to come by. He said that it’s the labor that’s expensive. Normally, we could go to a salvage place and try to find the parts, but there aren’t any around here. The problem is with the engine.”
Dakota sank down on the edge of the bed. “What the hell am I going to do? I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Kelly Blue Book gives $343 for trade-in. Skip said he’ll give you five-hundred bucks for it.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Yeah, sure, it’s your car.” Cobra dug in his pocket and held something out toward her. “If you need me, my number is already pre-programmed.”
Dakota took the burner phone and turned it over, examining it. It was a strange thing to give her since they weren’t planning on staying in each other’s lives much longer. Suspicion niggled at the back of her mind.He’s letting me stay for free with him, he takes me and picks me up from work, he buys most of the food, and now he’s giving me a burner phone? What does hereallyexpect from me?It seemed like the true wolf in him was finally coming out.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, gazing in his direction.
Cobra stiffened against the door and his lips pulled down into a frown as his stance widened.
“Look, I just noticed you haven’t been using your cell and figured you don’t wanna talk to someone, but you need a phone. I didn’t want you to feel like you had to stay here all the time because you had no way of reaching out for help. I’m not here a lot of the time.”
Dakota stared down at the phone in her hand and didn’t say anything.
“Fuck, if you don’t want it, I don’t care.” An audible sigh. “Yeah, I do. You’re keeping it because you may need it.”
“I’m fine with it. Thank you,” she said in a soft voice as she put the burner in her back pocket then glanced up at him.
“It’s got about four hours of minutes on it.” He rubbed the back of his neck and pushed away from the door. “More than enough to last you the week.”
She nodded and reached over to snag the remote off the nightstand, then turned on the television but muted the sound.
“What the fuck did I do?” Cobra crossed the space between them in two long steps and Dakota averted her gaze down to the carpet.
She kept her eyes glued downward and she shook her head.
Cobra placed two fingers under her chin and as he lifted her face to look at him, he scanned for some kind of clue in her expression. “Fuck, talk to me. I can’t walk out that door without knowing what the hell I did to put that look on your face, Dakota.”
She pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. “I guess I don’t understand why you’re being like this …” she trailed off, still clutching the TV remote in one hand.
“Whaddaya mean?”
The pad of his thumb rubbed against her cheek, and sparks of electricity raced across her skin. The scent of his skin, leather, and soap combined tugged at her senses and she shivered, sucking in a sharp breath.
“Are you going to tell me?” he said in a low voice.
Dakota shifted on the bed then looked up at him. “You’ve done so much for me these past several days, and what have you gotten in return?”
“Oh fuck, darlin’, no …” Cobra dropped his hand. “That’s not what this is about at all.”
“Protection comes with a price and no good deed—”
“That’s not what I’m doing here. Fuck it! You think I’m helping you out and watching over you just so I can get into your pants. Give me some goddamn credit, sweetheart.”
“But I see the way you look at me.” Dakota gave a half-shrug. “I know our situation isn’t ideal.”
Cobra stepped back. “I’m not gonna say I don’t find you attractive ’cause I’d just be lying. I’m a man, so of course I’m gonna fuckin’ look at a pretty woman, but I don’t want anything from you. I’m helping you because I want to.” He scrubbed his face then pounded his fist in the palm of his hand. “Sleeping in the bed together last night was a big mistake. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
A knot in her stomach twisted and one of her legs bounced up and down.
Cobra glanced down at his phone. “I gotta get going.”
Dakota stood up and gripped the edge of the nightstand to steady herself. “Cobra, I’m sorry,” she said to his retreating back.
The door closed then she heard the rumble of his bike and the tires squeal as she hurried to the window. Her chest tight, she watched until the red taillights disappeared down the road, and the faint sound of the thunderous engine faded into silence.
