"Tarkio knows what happens at the casino. Probably more than what you know or others suspect." He caressed her cheek, wanting to take away her worry. "I need to go after Shaw. It's the only way we can stop him from coming after you."
Her spine stiffened, and she narrowed her gaze. He wouldn't let Shaw get away with what he'd done, only to come back and get Josie.
"I was never going to let him get away with what he'd done to you and Cami, but the shit that went down hasn't delayed their activities the way I'd hoped. He still wants you. I can guarantee that's what the men were doing here," he said.
"Maybe he's after Cami?" She hitched her chin. "Maybe she's not safe."
If that's what she wanted to believe, he'd go along with it. "Then, convince Cami to come with you to my house. I'll be there to watch out for you both when you're not at work."
"This is crazy. I...we can't live in fear. Why doesn't he stop?" She walked away from him, palming her forehead. "It's never going to end, is it?"
He looked at his watch. Right now, it looked like his presence in the neighborhood made Shaw's men scatter, but they'd be back. And when they came and caught Josie alone, he wouldn't get a second chance at saving her.
"Paco?"
He raised his gaze. She inhaled deeply, and his heart pounded.
"Will you stay here instead?" She wrapped her arms around her middle. "The last thing Cami needs is for me to wake her up and scare her to death. She knows you shot one of the men when you rescued her, but I don't think she realizes there are more men involved, and they're in Missoula." She held his gaze. "Please?"
She'd stopped herself from admitting that the men were more interested in taking her. He dipped his chin, letting her keep her secret. "I'll stay, but we need to figure out what we're going to do in the long term."
She nodded.
"They're not going away," he said, pressing her to accept the truth.
"I know." She rubbed her arms. "I'll get you a blanket and a pillow."
She made it to the doorway of her bedroom when he called her name, and she stopped. He looked at the couch. She expected him to sleep away from her.
"I'll be sleeping in your bed," he said.
She tilted her head. He wasn't going to budge. It'd been a hell of a week not seeing her. One thing was sure.
Life was a lot sweeter with her in it.
She turned around and walked out of sight. "Shut the lights off before you come to bed."
There was no reason for her to know he knew more about her than she was willing to share. Her secrets were safe with him. He kept the information about reading her journal to himself. For her sake.
She wasn't the one who had a lot to answer for. Her father did, but seeing as how Shaw had killed him, her secrets ended with him.
He'd save her from the truth. The same way he protected her from knowing more about him.
The life he led was too rough for her. She deserved a man at her side who would always be there.
He couldn't count on tomorrow. The patch he wore made every day a gamble, but he could give her protection. The club would look after her if he was killed. That was more than most women received.
If he'd had the club behind him when he'd found his sister, maybe she would've lived. Maybe, he could do more for Josie before it was too late.
He shut off the light and locked the door. On the way to the bedroom, he stripped off his vest, took his pistol out of his jeans, and removed his shirt.
What they had was good. The best thing he'd ever had.
He couldn't let her go. It was impossible.
Josie had turned out the light in the room. By habit, he placed his clothes on the dresser and put his weapon on the nightstand. He lowered himself to the bed, keeping his jeans and boots on. If Shaw or his men returned, he wanted to be ready, not naked, or compromised.
He rolled his head on the pillow. Josie hugged her side of the bed. Not one part of Josie's body touched him.
The distance was his loss. He'd forced her to step back and stay away.
He hated every minute of staying away from her. All he wanted was her in his arms.
What would happen when she realized she no longer needed him?
"I was wrong," he whispered.
She never moved, never responded.
"The shit you're going through, Josie, is a lot. I don't want to add my life to yours, because I don't want to hurt you. It's too much." He latched his hands behind his head. "But I can't stay away from you, so we've got a problem."
She rolled over to her back and stopped before making contact with him. Encouraged, he pushed away everything that could go wrong for everything that could go right.
"I'm staying," he said.
That was that. He told her. They'd move on.
She sat up in bed. He dipped his chin to his chest to peer through the darkness, trying to gauge her reaction.
"Josie?"
She got out of bed and turned on the light. The pleasure he'd expected to see on her face was replaced with anger.
Josie folded her arms tightly under her breasts. "You don't own me."
He sat up.
She cocked her hip. "You can't have me because you want me."
He swung his legs off the bed.
She backed up against the wall. "Stop, Paco."
He stalked forward, every cell, every fiber, every drop of blood inside his body pounded. If she needed proof that she belonged to him, he'd give her fucking proof.
Chapter 19Josie
Paco's boots thunked louder the closer he got to Josie. The wall stopped her retreat. Mostly, the wall kept her from melting to the
