Chapter 13

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

Raiden felt as if he was a completely different man than he’d been only twenty-four hours ago. He felt stronger. More confident. Happier.

Breakfast had been fun, and he loved seeing the enjoyment Khloe got out of eating the food he’d prepared for her. Their hike with Duke had gone exceptionally well. The dog seemed happy to be outside on the trails again, and when Khloe had “hidden,” he’d sniffed her out in twenty seconds flat.

Raid was thankful for so many things in his life, but none more than the thought of Khloe moving to Fallport permanently. And he loved how laid-back she was becoming as well. He had a feeling it had been a long time since she’d been able to truly relax.

He supposed his happiness was why his guard was down, and why, when he and Khloe stopped by Sunny Side Up for lunch, he was concentrating more on her than on who was coming and going from the diner.

When Khloe whispered, “Oh, shit,” Raid looked up—and every muscle in his body tensed. Jason and Scott had entered and, while waiting to be seated, were having a very loud conversation.

“I can’t believe that dog killer is allowed in here.”

“Right? If everyone knew how badly she’d fucked up that surgery and killed Alan’s dog, they wouldn’t be so friendly.”

“I wouldn’t let her near any pet of mine with a ten-foot pole.”

“The state should’ve revoked her license.”

And so it went. They kept haranguing Khloe and her skills in loud, obnoxious voices. Looking across the table at Khloe, Raid saw that her shoulders were tense and he had a feeling if she thought she could get away with it, she would’ve fled already. He immediately reached over and grabbed her hand. “Look at me, Khloe.”

It took a moment, but eventually she lifted her gaze to his.

“Don’t listen to them.”

She huffed out a breath. “Kinda hard not to,” she told him.

“Oh, look, she’s actually conned a guy into dating her. I wonder if he knows she’s a murderer.”

“Yeah, well, he looks like a pansy.”

“Maybe an elf…look how pointy his ears are!”

Raid felt more than saw Khloe’s mood shift. Her hand tightened in his and she moved as if she was going to stand up. He didn’t want her confronting these assholes. He didn’t give a shit what they said about him—he’d heard all the insults before—and he didn’t want her giving them the satisfaction of knowing they’d gotten under her skin.

As it turned out, he didn’t have to do or say anything in her defense, because Sandra, the owner of the diner, came barreling out of the kitchen and made a beeline for the Mather brothers.

Not only that, Bo, a Fallport police officer, stood up from a back corner of the diner. He was tall and extremely muscular, since he enjoyed weightlifting in his spare time. Raid thought he’d heard through the grapevine that he’d even won a couple of competitions.

“Out!” Sandra hissed, pointing a finger at the door.

“What?” Scott asked, obviously shocked.

“I said, get out!” Sandra repeated. “You aren’t allowed in here. Don’t come back. Ever.”

“Wait, you can’t do that!” he insisted.

“I can’t?” Sandra asked, crossing her arms over her ample bosom. “I just did. I own this place, and I can refuse service to anyone I want. And I’m refusing it to the likes of you. Khloe Watts is one of the nicest people I know, and if you’re going to come in here and badmouth not only her, but one of our local heroes, I don’t want you back!”

“She’s laying it on a bit thick,” Khloe murmured for Raid’s ears only. “The nicest person she knows? Please.”

It was tough to keep from smiling, but Raid managed. Barely.

“She’s an animal killer!” Jason barked, taking a step toward Sandra.

Bo put himself between Sandra and an irate Jason and said, “You heard the lady. It’s time for you to go.”

For a moment, Raid thought Jason was going to refuse to leave, but then he clearly thought better of taking Bo on and instead, turned to his brother. “Come on, Scott. I’m sure the food here sucks. Besides, I don’t want to be around that murderer.”

“Actually, the food here is awesome!” someone chirped from a table to Raid’s right.

“Yeah, it’s the best in town. You’re missing out for sure!” someone else called out.

Jason and Scott left without another word. And while Raid hoped that was the end of their intimidation tactics, he had a feeling they were just getting started.

He looked over at Khloe and saw that she was back to staring at the table in front of her.

“This is a good thing,” he told her.

Her gaze came up to meet his once more. “What? How, by any stretch of the imagination, is them being here and calling me a murderer good?” she huffed.

Raid was glad to see the anger in her gaze. It meant she was still willing to fight. Hopefully she wouldn’t get it in her head to run again.

“Because they got a glimpse of how Fallport looks after one of their own.”

“Raid, I’m not sure⁠—”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head, not letting her finish her thought. “You’ll see. This is just the beginning. I was thinking after we finish our lunch, we could head over to see Heather and Marissa.”

Khloe stared at him so long, he thought she was going to protest, but finally she nodded.

Forty minutes later, they stood to head out of the diner. As they passed by the tables of the other patrons, Khloe learned firsthand what Raid was trying to tell her. Almost every single person stopped them to tell Khloe how much they appreciated her. How happy they were that she was there. How they couldn’t wait to visit her clinic when she got it set up.

Everyone assumed it was a done deal not only that she was staying, but that she’d open her practice soon as well.

They’d almost made it to the door when Sandra approached.

Khloe tensed, and Raid put his hand on the small of her back in support.

Without a word, Sandra pulled Khloe into her arms and almost smothered her with a hug. When she pulled back, she put her hands on Khloe’s shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Don’t you listen to those assholes,” she said firmly. “We all know they’re only here to try to get a rise out of you. Don’t let them. They’re going to find out very quickly that no one around here—well, no one who matters—will do business with them. They won’t be able to spread their venom because we won’t have it. You can’t save every animal you see, everyone knows that. And from what we hear, that poor dog had been abused for years. Keep your chin up, Khloe.”

Raid kept his eyes on Khloe, wanting to make sure she wasn’t freaking out.

“And,” Sandra went on, “don’t you worry about your man either. He’s caught the prettiest girl in the county. Why would he care what two outsiders say about him? And with the way you were looking at him when you two came in here, he knows you more than like the way he looks.”

A blush formed on Khloe’s cheeks, but she raised her chin and said, “I definitely have no complaints, zero, about how Raid looks.”

“Good,” Sandra said with satisfaction. “Our Raid deserves someone like you.” Her voice lowered, and she leaned in and said only loud enough for Khloe and Raid to hear, “And if the way he can’t take his eyes off you is any indication, he doesn’t have any complaints either. Hold onto this one, girl. Any man who looks at you the way Raiden is right now is worth his weight in gold.”

Khloe turned her head and caught Raid’s gaze. He wasn’t embarrassed she’d caught him staring at her. “You good?” he asked gently.

For the first time since Jason and Scott entered, a smile formed on her face.

“I think I am, yes.”

“Good. Let’s go see what Marissa and Heather are up to.”

Khloe nodded at him, and Raid turned to Sandra. He gave her a quick hug and whispered a thank you into her ear.

Walking outside with Khloe, Raid kept a wary eye out for Jason or Scott but thankfully didn’t see them around. He didn’t expect they’d seen the last of them, but for now, maybe they’d gotten the hint that harassing Khloe wasn’t going to be as easy as they’d assumed.

* * *

The next week went by with several more confrontations with Jason and Scott. One or both of them would show up when Khloe and Raid least expected them. One day they followed them into the bakery, and Liam promptly threw them out…but not before enduring several racist slurs about his Hispanic heritage.

Another time they were walking across the square after getting a coffee at Grinders. The brothers walked close behind, saying all sorts of shit to Khloe. Raid had just spun around to beat the living hell out of them both when Davis appeared out of nowhere, throwing himself between Raid and the brothers.

Raid had never been intimidated by the homeless man, but in that moment, he’d looked positively feral and definitely not like someone to mess with. Jason and Scott apparently agreed. They’d hurled one more insult before retreating back to whatever rock they’d slunk out from under.

They also didn’t just appear when Khloe was out and about. She’d received a couple of “gifts” on her apartment doorstep. A dead squirrel one day, and a note that said, “A murdurur lives here,” another. Khloe had done her best to blow them off, even making fun of the misspelling on the note, but Raid knew the harassment was getting to her.

Finally, there was the day she’d gone back to her place to get some more clothes—and it looked as if someone had tried to break into her apartment. They’d immediately gone to see the manager, and she said she’d keep a closer eye on Khloe’s place, but Raid couldn’t help but wonder what the brothers would’ve done if they’d gotten inside.

She’d talked to Simon about getting a restraining order, but since a lot of the things that happened couldn’t be proven to be the brothers’ handiwork, the chief had told her the courts wouldn’t likely grant it. But he promised to have the deputies keep an eye out for the two men.

As much as Raid appreciated Fallport standing up for Khloe, he hated to see the apprehension and fear in her eyes every time they stepped outside his house or the library.

She’d spent every night at his place since the first time they’d made love, and it felt so…right. They’d played another game of D&D in his basement, and it had been just as fun as the first. Khloe honestly seemed to enjoy the game, which made Raid feel good. He never wanted her to do something just to try to please him. For a few hours, she seemed to forget about the Mather brothers. And when, after the camera on his computer was off, she went to her knees under the desk to blow his mind, Raid had forgotten about them too.

But the constant threats of what the brothers might be planning next were taking a toll, and Raid had had enough—but he wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t exactly lay a hand on them because they’d go straight to the cops. And so far they hadn’t done anything illegal…there was no proof the attempted break-in at her apartment was them, even though it was highly unlikely it was anyone else.

Most of the businesses on the square had banned the brothers from entering. The post office was one of the few places that couldn’t keep them out since it was a government building…but Silas, Otto, and Art were doing a good job of making sure Jason and Scott kept their distance. The three older men might be harmless gossips, but they had sharp tongues when needed.

Today, Raid was taking Khloe and Duke on a longer hike. They all needed the fresh air and the relaxation that came from getting out into nature. The day was sunny and brisk and perfect for hiking. He’d called Cherise to come in and work the second half of the day at the library, and he was heading out the back door with Khloe to the parking lot when they ran into Jason and Scott once more.

The two men had obviously been waiting for Khloe, because as soon as they walked out of the library, Jason was pushing off his truck and walking toward them—but not too close. Raid couldn’t help noting the coward stopped several yards away.

“You think you have a pretty good thing going here, don’t you?” he called out aggressively.

Khloe took a step back, and Raid hated seeing the fear in her face. “Why don’t you give it up already?” he growled. “You’ve seen for yourself that the people around here don’t give a shit what you have to say. Khloe’s been accepted as a part of Fallport, and your brother’s paying for his crime. Go home and get a life.”

“Fuck you!” Jason shouted. “That bitch ruined Alan’s life! She’s gonna pay for it.”

“She didn’t ruin anything,” Raid retorted, his voice rising. “Alan fucking ran her over! She did nothing but her job to the best of her ability. If your brother hadn’t abused his dog, kicking her over and over, she wouldn’t have been at the clinic in the first place.” Even as he said the words, Raid knew he’d never get through to the men in front of them. They had a warped view of what happened, and they’d never stop trying to get retribution for their brother, no matter how misplaced.

Duke growled from behind him, and Raid glanced back to make sure Khloe was all right. His dog had moved so he was standing in front of her and the hackles on his spine were standing straight up. The bloodhound might not look all that scary with his droopy ears and sad countenance, but his teeth were just as sharp as the next dog’s, and the hundred pounds he weighed should certainly be enough to make anyone think twice about pissing him off.

“Mark my words, she’s gonna kill your dog next!” Scott yelled—from behind his brother, of course. “She’s incompetent, and if you were smart, you’d get as far away from her as you can.”

“I might not look like much of a threat, but if you touch one hair on Khloe, or my dog, you’ll find out just how deadly I can be,” Raid retorted, menace dripping from his words as he stepped toward the brothers.

“It’s time you boys were on your way,” a deep voice said from their right.

Raid looked over his shoulder to see none other than Whip Johansen standing outside the back door of The Cellar, the pool hall he owned.

In all the time Raiden had lived in Fallport, he’d never seen the man go out of his way to help anyone. He didn’t participate in the parades and festivals the town held in the square, and all the riffraff in the county tended to congregate at his bar. The man was seriously antisocial, and Raid could count on one hand the number of times he’d even spoken to him.

So for him to be there now, looking pissed off as hell, inserting himself into the situation, was a shock.

“We’re allowed to be here just as much as anyone else,” Jason told him.

“This parking lot is private property,” Whip said.

“Is not. This here is library parking. And the library is owned by the county. So you can’t make us do shit,” Scott retorted.

Whip growled low in his throat, and Raid actually took a step backward closer to Khloe. He wasn’t afraid of the bar owner, but he didn’t know a lot about him. He was unpredictable, and the last thing he wanted was Khloe getting caught in some sort of crossfire if anyone pulled out a weapon.

But Whip didn’t need a gun to make his point. He took a step toward the Mather brothers and pointed to a sign on the side of the building. The library shared a wall with the pool hall, which wasn’t ideal, but because the two establishments had opposite schedules in terms of their busiest times, it hadn’t actually been an issue. When the pool hall was at its most noisy and rowdy, the library was closed.

The sign on the wall said TheCellar Parking Only.

Raid hadn’t ever thought twice about it, since when he arrived at work, the lot was always empty.

“Wrong,” Whip said. “I pay to maintain this lot. Therefore, it belongs to me, and I can decide who’s allowed to park here and who isn’t. And you definitely aren’t. If you don’t turn around, get back in your truck and leave, I’ll call the cops. And from what I hear, they aren’t too happy with the two of you. They’ve been answering a lot of calls lately from citizens complaining about two outsiders harassing their customers and being a general nuisance. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much for them to decide enough is enough and haul you in on a malingering charge.”

“They can’t do that!” Scott sputtered.

“Sure they can. They’re the police,” Whip said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“That bitch must have a magic pussy. She’s got everyone around here completely snowed,” Jason sneered.

Raiden saw red at his comment.

Apparently, it also pushed Whip over the edge. He turned toward the back door to the pool hall and picked up something that was leaning against the wall. Raid was already heading in their direction when Whip caught up, a piece of metal pipe in his hands about three feet long. He smacked one end into his palm and continued marching toward Jason without a word.

Raid didn’t have a weapon, but he could hold his own with his fists. This wasn’t the bar owner’s fight, and he’d be damned if he stood back and let him take on the brothers by himself.

Jason might be an asshole, but he wasn’t completely stupid. He and his brother ran toward their truck as if the devil himself was at their heels when they saw the two men coming for them.

Raid assumed the threat of a metal pipe was just that…a threat. But even as Jason floored his truck and the tires spun as he did his best to leave, Whip raced forward and swung the metal pipe as hard as he could, smashing the back right taillight of the vehicle. Pieces of plastic went flying everywhere as the truck roared away.

Whip and Raid stood in the parking lot for a long moment, watching the truck speed off, before Whip turned toward him.

Raid tensed as he stared at the bar owner. The entire scene had been surreal. He wasn’t sure why Whip had bothered to insert himself into the situation. As far as he knew, the man had never bothered to defend a local in the past. Even when Finley had been threatened because she’d witnessed a drug deal in this very parking lot—between one of Whip’s servers and a drug dealer—Raid had heard through the grapevine that Whip decided it wasn’t any of his business.

So he remained on edge as he waited to see what the man would do next.

To Raid’s surprise, he saw respect in the bar owner’s eyes as the man gave him a chin lift. Then he turned to Khloe. “You okay?”

Khloe nodded. “Thank you.”

Whip shook his head. “Don’t want your thanks.”

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I want you to hurry the hell up and open that emergency clinic you’ve been thinking about opening.”

Raid blinked in surprise. That was the last thing he’d expected the man to say. As far as anyone knew, the only business Whip cared about was his own.

“I’m working on it,” Khloe told him evenly. “And with those two in town, everything I do is more difficult. I wouldn’t put it past them to sabotage any clinic I try to open. Deface the property, talk to the bank to convince them I’m high risk, picket out front to drive my customers away.”

“They won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”

Raid wasn’t sure he wanted Khloe to be in this man’s debt. There would come a time when he’d want her to pay up for his support. “Why?” he asked bluntly.

“Why what?”

“Why would you help Khloe? It’s not exactly a secret that you don’t even really like Fallport. You don’t participate in any of the town’s activities, you were the only business on the square that didn’t decorate for Christmas, and you scorn everything most of us love about this place. Plus, hate to say it, but…you’re kind of an ass to everyone. Why are you going out of your way to get involved when you’ve never made the slightest effort to do so before?”

“My cat,” Whip said without hesitation. “She got in a fight with something. Maybe a bobcat, I don’t know. But she was in bad shape and needed care immediately. It was around five o’clock in the afternoon, and I called Ziegler. Begged that fucker to wait for me to get to the clinic so he could help her. He said no. Told me he was leaving, that he closed at five. No matter how much I pleaded, he refused. That asshole doesn’t give a shit about anything but himself.”

“Did she make it?” Khloe asked softly.

“I had to drive to the emergency clinic in Christiansburg. She almost bled out by the time I’d arrived. She lost both eyes and they had to remove one of her legs. But by some miracle, she lived. She’s now an inside cat, is scared of her own shadow, and stays hidden under my couch when I’m not there.”

“And when you are there?” Khloe asked with uncanny insight.

Whip shrugged, looking away. “She likes to perch on my shoulder or curl around my neck when I’m on the couch watching TV…or doing anything, really.”

Raid couldn’t have been more shocked if someone had told him Whip Johansen was Santa Claus. There was a lot more to the bar owner than he’d—hell, anyone—had given him credit for.

“So,” Whip continued, clearing his throat, “you setting up a clinic benefits me. I want to see it happen as soon as possible. And getting rid of those two yahoos will make it happen faster. So I’m gonna do what I can to encourage them to go home. To leave you alone so you can hurry the fuck up and set up shop.”

“Their brother’s dog did die on my operating table,” Khloe said softly. “I couldn’t save her. I might not have been able to do anything for your cat either.”

“Bullshit. The vet said if he’d gotten Mittens into surgery faster, she might not have lost both of her eyes…and he definitely could’ve saved her leg. I’m not an idiot, I know you won’t be able to save every animal you treat. But you being here will give them a hell of a better chance than if we continue to have to drive half a fucking hour to the nearest vet who gives a shit.”

He wasn’t wrong. Raid turned to Khloe. She had tears in her eyes, and she was looking at Whip as if she’d never seen him before. He understood; he felt a little off-kilter himself.

“We’d appreciate your assistance,” Raid finally told him.

Whip’s gaze turned to him. “Not doing it for you, pretty boy,” he said. “I don’t much like you or your friends. I’m doing it for myself. And Mittens and others like her.”

“Right,” Raid said with a nod. He didn’t give a shit if this man liked him or not. He didn’t understand his attitude, but in the scope of things, it didn’t really matter.

“I’ll see what I can do to hurry the process of opening my clinic,” Khloe told him.

“Good. I’ll be watching out for those two. If they come back here, I’ll make sure they understand just how unwelcome they are.”

“Thank you.”

Whip didn’t say anything more, simply turned and headed for his bar. When the door shut behind him, Khloe let out a long breath.

“Holy crap.”

Raid couldn’t help but smile.

“Wait until I tell the others that Whip Johansen has a cat named Mittens that rides around on his shoulders,” she said with a big grin.

Raid couldn’t stop himself from touching her if his life depended on it. He stepped into her space and wrapped a hand behind her neck. He rested his forehead against hers. “That was intense. You okay?”

He felt her hands slip under his long-sleeve T-shirt and her nails dig into the skin of his lower back.

“Do I have the option not to be okay?” she asked seriously.

Raid lifted his head but didn’t let go of her. “Of course. You’re allowed to be pissed. To have a breakdown. We can go to my place and you can change into sweats, have a good cry, sit on my couch with Duke’s head in your lap, and drink that complicated coffee you like so much that I’ll buy you before we go home.”

“Or?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“We can go on that hike we’d planned. When we get home, you can call Finley and the others and tell them all about Mittens. Then you can talk to Drew about your finances and see about moving your timetable for opening Fallport’s first emergency vet clinic sooner rather than later. Then, after I make you a protein-rich dinner so you’ll have plenty of energy, you can take me to bed and have your wicked way with me.”

She chuckled. “Every time you say I can be in control, I end up on my back with your head between my legs, completely incoherent as you make me orgasm over and over again.”

“Are you complaining?” he asked seriously.

“Um…duh. No,” she said. “Have you ever seen that eighties movie Revenge of the Nerds?”

“Of course,” Raid said with a furrow of his brow. “Why?”

“Because there’s a part in it where Lewis, the geek and the hero of the movie, says something about how all jocks think about is sports, and all nerds think about is sex. I’m thinking he wasn’t wrong.”

Raid smirked. Then he sobered. “I’ve waited a long time for a woman like you.”

“Like me?” Khloe asked. “Crippled, moody, and snarky?”

“Beautiful, loyal, funny, able to hold her own when I give her crap, and who sees past my freakish height, bright red hair, and pointy elf ears.”

Khloe reached up and ran her fingers over one of his ears. “You’re perfect, Raiden. So much so, I have to keep telling myself this isn’t a joke. That you really do like me and that you aren’t just playing me.”

“I tell myself the same thing every night when I’m holding you in my arms,” Raid reassured her.

Khloe went up on her tiptoes and Raid lowered his head to meet her halfway. The kiss felt different from others with her in the past. It held a promise. A promise of many more days and nights to come.

When she pulled back, Khloe said, “I think I’ll pass on the nervous breakdown and choose door number two. But I’m reserving the right to have said breakdown in the future if things go to hell.”

“Deal,” Raid told her.

Then Khloe turned her attention to Duke. He was still standing at her side and a large line of drool was dripping from his jowl to the gravel at his feet.

“Who’s a good boy?” Khloe singsonged. “You are! Duke’s a good boy.”

His dog ate up her attention, but Raid couldn’t blame him. Finally, Khloe straightened and said, “So, are we gonna do this hike or what?”

She might not think so, but Khloe was exceptionally strong. Raid didn’t like that she’d called herself a cripple. Her limp might slow her down physically, but she had a spine of steel. There weren’t many people who could go through what she did and come out as well as she had on the other side.

Raid knew her struggles weren’t over. There would be days her leg pained her more than usual, when she’d have to deal with someone bringing up Alan and the trial, and possibly even years of the Mathers doing their best to harass her. But she was a survivor, and he was a lucky son-of-a-bitch to be by her side. He’d never take her for granted. Ever.