Leather and Sand (Riding the Line Series) by Jayna Vixen

master’s side as Turtle approached, almost as if he was ushering the man to her. Then, he plopped down on the sand, his head bobbing back and forth between the two adults as though he was trying to be part of their conversation. Funny dog. He acts almost like a person.
    “Any news?” It was a question she routinely asked him, but usually the answer was “not yet.”
    “There’s been news, yes.”
    Adrenaline swept through her veins. Turtle was looking at her intensely, the usual humor absent from his eyes. His gaze swept up and down her body as though he was searching for something. It wasn’t a creepy look, just a shrewd, searching one that made her decidedly uncomfortable. I do not need more uncomfortable! Rhee leveled her gaze and stared right back at the imposing local.
    “What? Is it about my sister? Tell me!”
    Turtle didn’t reply right away. First, he nodded at the only man in the group who surpassed him in size—a man who ironically went by the name of Tiny. Although his enormous, tribal tattoo-covered body made Rhee’s heart jump the first time she met him, Tiny was a gentle giant. Sirena had taken to the man right away. From the time she was a colicky infant, she calmed instantly in Tiny’s giant arms. The big man was always delighted to play with the little girl, offering his enormous pinky to her. Sirena grasped it without hesitation, chattering happily in her toddler-speak to a man who weighed at least three hundred pounds more than she did. The odd-looking pair made their way to the water’s edge, out of earshot.
    Rhee turned back to Turtle, feeling the anxiety she had been trying to hide begin to overtake her fried nerves. Even Axl stood at attention, as if to signal the importance of what he was about to say. If her friend was acting odd and sending away her daughter before he disclosed whatever information he had, it couldn’t be good.
    “What happened?”
    “Perhaps you should tell me.” Turtle’s hooded gaze swept out to the shimmering waves beyond.
    Rhee looked at him quizzically. Huh?
    “Your boss, Rina. My cousin told me that Darren Shepard was dropped off in front of the clinic early this morning. Broken rib, broken nose. At first, he said he was jumped, but now, apparently he isn’t talking. Refused to file a police report. My boys know nothing about it. I know he was with you last night at the benefit. Rina?”
    Rhee was shivering even though it was a balmy eighty-five degrees on the beach. Trying to avoid thinking about Dax meant that she had altogether ignored the Darren issue. She was supposed to report to work the next morning and Rhee had no idea what she was supposed to do.
    “Rina?”
    He touched her arm gently. “What happened last night?”
    Rhee felt her eyes well up. She focused on her daughter, the light bouncing off of her gilt-colored hair as she giggled and splashed Tiny at the water’s edge. This place was so beautiful, so perfect. It was her Garden of Eden. A place where no evil could touch her. Until now. Rhee had a sinking feeling that no matter what she did, the safe walls of her haven were about to crumble.
    Finally, she looked up. Turtle was patient. It seemed to be a characteristic of the people here. “Last night.” She took a deep breath. “Last night, Darren came on to me.”
    Turtle stiffened. She could see the anger in his eyes even though he kept his voice calm and level. “What did he do? Are you okay , tita ?”
    “I’m okay. Um, I think I’m jobless.” Her chin quavered briefly, and then Rhee managed a smile.
    “What happened exactly?” His voice had taken on a hard edge.
    Turtle wasn’t one to let things go. He’s a lot like Dax in that regard, Rhee thought. No, Turtle didn’t let things slide. Especially if someone got jumped on his turf. It was one of the reasons he had so much influence. Turtle’s boys knew everything and anything that was going on—everywhere.
    Rhee’s sense of intuition prickled then, but she wasn’t sure