Rock Hard: A Stepbrother Romance Page 0,43

the sun.

Rigley followed me for a few steps.

“Mister Smuggler?”

I looked back at him. “Reid,” I said.

“Reid. If you ever call me a motherfucker again, I’ll murder you.”

I smiled at him. “I’d love to see you try.”

There was a moment when I thought for sure that he was going to reach for his gun and shoot me right there. And truthfully, there was some quiet voice in the back of my mind that would have welcomed it. Not because I wanted to die, but because I was sick of living at their whims.

Instead, he shrugged and walked back to his car. He got in and drove off. I watched him go, my heart pounding, until slowly I regained some composure.

I put my socks back on, hitched my pack on tight, and started back toward home.

It felt exactly like I knew it would.

The pack was too heavy. There was nothing I could do about it, not without risking retaliation or worse, and so I had to suffer on. I crossed the river with no problem, but the sun was already beginning to dip toward the horizon and I was nowhere near my usual campsite.

It was slow going. Going out with an overloaded pack was one of the biggest dangers a serious hiker faced. People never took into account the sort of toll carrying even an extra pound over an extended period takes on a body, let alone an unplanned twenty pounds. If I wasn’t careful and I pushed myself, that was the sort of weight that could lead to dehydration or heat stroke.

I checked the sun and my compass. I was at least another few hours out from my campsite, and the light was already dying. Frustrated and annoyed, I decided to search out a decent spot to stop for the night.

It took me twenty minutes before I found a small stream, and another ten before I found a flat, sandy stretch good enough and dry enough to set my tent up on. Soon, with only minimal fumbling around in the dark, I climbed into my shelter and bedded down for the night.

My dreams were all about Becca. The only thing I could think about was tasting her lips again, seeing her perfect curves bent over in front of me as I drove my hard cock deep between her legs. I wanted to split her open and let her come rough and raw for hours. Instead, I was stuck in a tent in an unfamiliar spot, tossing and turning in the humid night air.

But eventually, sleep happened, and I found myself waking up just before dawn and breaking down my campsite. My only food had been a tin of beans and some protein bars, and my stomach was rumbling as I set out.

With how far behind schedule I was, and the extra weight dragging me down, I predicted that I would be getting back home closer to sunset.

Which meant I had a lot of slow, painful miles to think.

To think about Becca and what I wanted from her, and how I was going to get it.

To think about the mob and all the shit I was in.

To think about how all these changes meant something big was happening, something I definitely couldn’t be a part of.

And to think about how I was going to get out, because getting out was my only option, even when it felt like getting out was impossible.

Chapter Thirteen: Rebecca

My feet were aching like crazy as I pushed open our front door.

“Hello?” I called out.

“Hey, sweetie,” Cora said.

I walked into the kitchen and smiled at her. “How’s it going?”

“Good. How was work?”

“You know, the usual. Asshole truckers and terrible tippers.”

“You’ll get used to it. I’m glad you found some work at least.”

“Where’s Reid?”

She frowned. “I’m not sure, honestly. We expected him back by now.”

I checked the clock. It was half past six already, and he usually was back closer to noon on the Sundays he was running guide trips for fishermen.

“Did he call?”

“No, and we tried his cell with no luck.”

“But he doesn’t usually have service out there, does he?”

“No. I’m sure he’s fine. I’m just being a worrier.”

I laughed. “He’s probably out climbing and forgot to check in. Don’t worry, Cora, he’ll be fine.”

“By the way, me and your dad are going out for dinner tonight, which means you’re on your own.”

“I think I can manage to feed myself.”

“And feed Reid when he shows up.”

I nodded. “Got it. Shower time.”

“Enjoy. See you later tonight.”

I turned and left