“D-Mon bother you often?”
Ginny slowed her steps, letting the group get ahead of them. “Depends on how long he’s been away from his groupies. I wouldn’t call him Mr. Persistent. More like Mr. Opportunist.”
“I’d call him a dick.” Reaper didn’t bother lowering his voice the way Ginny had to keep the others from hearing.
Ginny laughed. “I wouldn’t down him too fast, if I were you. Both Shade and Rider like him. He can be fun to be around when women aren’t.”
After walking between two stone pillars, the band members started breaking apart individually to go to their own cars, except for Kaden and his wife. Reaper closely observed each vehicle they got into.
Ginny waved as the others drove past, pressing a button on her keyring. “Here we are.” Opening the driver door of a grey KIA sport that was parked farther away from the others, Ginny got inside as he bit out a curse, going to the opposite side.
Opening the back door, he tossed his bag into the back seat before moving to the front.
“Don’t do that again,” he snapped, closing the door after him.
Putting the key in the ignition, she looked at him with a perplexed expression. “Do what?”
“Don’t get in the car before I check to make sure no one’s inside.”
“Okay.”
When she would have put the car in reverse, he stopped her.
“Hang on for a few minutes.”
“Okay.” She patiently looped her hands over the steering wheel.
Five minutes later, he received the text he had been waiting for from Nickel. “We can go now.”
Unconcerned, she backed out of the parking spot, and turned on the radio.
“That’s it? You don’t want to know what we’re waiting for?”
“Nope. I told you I wouldn’t argue with you about my safety.” Keeping her attention on driving, she didn’t spare him a glance. “I’m really easy to get along with, you’ll see.” Ginny took her eyes off the road long enough to flash him a quick grin.
“Can’t wait.”
“Me neither.”
Reaper wanted to bang his head against the dashboard. Did she have to be so nice to him? He was being a smart-ass, and she was acting like he had given her a compliment.
Turning the radio up louder, she darted the small SUV between two slow-moving vehicles before sliding expertly into the third lane of fast-moving traffic, bopping her head to the beat.
Reaper grabbed the oh-shit handle when Ginny nearly kissed the front end of an eighteen-wheeler. The skillful driving sent a bead of cold sweat slithering down his back.
Serving in the military, he had learned to recognize several characteristics that would make a great soldier. In the short time he had known Ginny, she exhibited both—fearlessness and courage. She held her own against Viper, D-Mon, and him without batting an eyelash. The soldier in him was astute enough to be aware that type of inner strength wasn’t ingrained; it was learned behavior.
Damn. He hadn’t anticipated beginning to like her. Resisting the instant attraction could be a fool’s mission.
I’m fucked.
Ginny lowered the volume of the radio. “You say something?”
“No.”
After they ate, he would call Moon and have his ass on the first available plane to Nashville. He didn’t care whether Cross wanted Moon there or not. Every day was a trial of endurance to keep the memories at bay that dogged his nightmares. If he gave her the littlest chance, she could wreak havoc on that tremulous balance.
He had drawn an imaginary line in the sand, and he would not cross it for anyone’s well-being. Reaper saw Ginny on the other side of that line, plain as day. And not only was she standing there, she was digging a trench.
A warrior knew when to retreat. He didn’t have the emotional capacity to participate in the war that Ginny was signaling she wanted to wage. Wars came with a price, and he had nothing left to give.
Chapter Eight
“You’re kidding, right?”
Standing outside the tiny restaurant that was the size of a school bus, Reaper stared doubtfully at the grimy exterior where Ginny was determined to eat.
Laughter bubbling out, she hooked her arm through his, tugging him toward the door. “Quit being a stick-in-the-mud. You’re going to enjoy it.”
The smell coming out when he opened the door made him realize how hungry he was, until he went farther into the restaurant. Then his appetite took a dip when he saw the inside was dirtier than the outside, appearing as if it hadn’t been painted since it was built. If he had to take a guess, the restaurant was at least fifty years old, which was a kind assumption.
Before he could do an about-face, Ginny tugged him down onto the closest metal stool.
“Marty? You here?” Ginny yelled out.
A burly man exited the door at the end of the restaurant marked Restroom. Catching sight of him, Ginny gave him a bright smile as the man who Reaper assumed was Marty came around the counter.