What the Outlaw Craves Read Free Page B

she had expected was to be standing there in front of someone as good looking as he was. Her heart was pounding and she noticed something in him light up, too.
    “I’m Lacey,” she finally managed to speak. “I’m here for Charlene.”
    He laughed and sat back in his chair and kicked his big heavy boots up onto the desk before reaching for his cigarettes and lighting one up. He had long dirty blonde hair that fell softly around his eyes, and Lacey was surprised at how young he was compared to the other men at the clubhouse.
    “Lay-cee,” he over-pronounced both syllables. “Well, I’m Matt,” he flashed her a menacing smile, “I’m in charge here.”
    “I know,” she stammered.
    “Why did Charlene send you?” he asked angrily.
    “Charlene doesn’t have any money,” Lacey said nervously. “I’m here to pay you what I can to help her. She doesn’t want any trouble, and she will get your money back.”
    “How do you know?” he exhaled two plumes of smoke from his nostrils.
    “Because she promised me,” Lacey said naively.
    He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair. He turned back to her and stared at her so intensely, it almost felt like he was undressing her with his eyes. Lacey fought the urge to cover her chest, as if she stood there naked in front of him, trying to save her modesty.
    “I haven’t been running things here for long, but one thing I know for sure is that girls like Charlene, they never make good on promises,” he smiled at her, baring his teeth. One of them had a gold cap.
    “I just want to help her,” Lacey said quietly. “I don’t like seeing a friend in trouble.”
    He clicked his tongue and took another drag on his cigarette.
    “How much you got?” he asked.
    “I have a thousand dollars for you,” she said stepping forward and reaching into her purse for the envelope. “Here.”
    He took it from her and looked inside before he flicked through the notes and nodded.
    “Well, that looks about right,” he said.
    “So, will you leave off Charlene for a while? She will get you the rest. She just needs some more time.”
    He leaned forward so his eyes were level with hers before he blew another two plumes of smoke out of his nostrils. He was so frightening, but at the same time there was something about him that was pulling her in. She didn’t know if she was imagining it, but it felt as if they had an instant connection. His eyes were big and deep and she was getting lost in them. She pinched her arm to snap herself out of the trance.
    “I’m not taking your money, sweetheart,” he said sternly. “That bitch can pay for herself.”
    Lacey took a step back, shocked and completely uncertain about what to do next.
    “But, please,” she stammered. “Please take it.”
    He handed the envelope back to her and walked around the front of the desk. He motioned for her to sit down and sat on the edge of the desk in front of her. Lacey nervously sat down, her hands shaking as she clutched onto the envelope.
    “She owes me money for drugs,” he said. “Why would you pay for her to never learn her lesson?”
    Lacey felt as if she had been slapped. She sat up straight and looked at him. She had never thought of it that way before.
    “I just thought I was helping her,” she said.
    “I’ll tell you what,” he said warmly, his eyes crinkling around the corners as he smiled, “I’m not going to take that money… But there is something you can do to help your friend…”
    “Anything,” Lacey said. “I just don’t want her getting hurt.”
    He took another drag on the cigarette and put his hand on her knee.
    “You can come back here tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have a drink… Maybe we’ll get to know each other a little better.” He was looking down at Lacey’s chest and she knew what he was thinking.
    “I… but…” she tried to hold the envelope out again, but he just pushed it back to her.
    “I’ll be here at noon,” he said, “If you don’t show,