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CHAPTER ONESister Abigail Eunice
I HAVE BEEN told I look like Mila Kunis, and you’d think this was a good thing, but in my line of work, it’s more of a hindrance. You see, I’m a nun. Admittedly, I’m not a very good one, but nonetheless, I am, in fact, a nun.Which (in a very roundabout way) led me to a tiny, hole-in-the wall bar at the edge of the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon, on a quiet Wednesday night.I was supposed to be meeting my friend, Laura, for dinner, but as I stepped off the MAX, I realized I’d gotten off at the wrong stop and, as was my luck, the small wet sprinkle coming from the sky quickly turned into a downpour. “Well, crap!” I slapped a hand over my mouth and mumbled, “Sorry, Lord.”Seriously, I was the worst nun ever.Unsure of which street I was on, I took shelter under an awning next to a building with a frog motif, but no other identifying information. Frustrated, I fished my phone out of my purse and tried to figure out where I was. I had a missed call from Laura, and a new voicemail, which I could only guess meant she wouldn’t be able to make it.“Hey, lady. I’m so sorry, I’m stuck at work and I can’t get down to the Pearl for another hour. Do you still want me to try or do you want to resched?” Yes, she said, “resched.” “Anyhoo, text me and let me know what you want to do. Love ya, ’bye.”Laura Chan was my oldest friend. She was actually the only one who knew me before the nunnery, and therefore knew me as Sadie Ross, not Sister Abigail Eunice. Laura’s parents had moved from China, and into the house next door, the summer before second grade. She’d spoken very little English, but we still managed to communicate and we roamed the neighborhood, inseparable until my parents’ death. I adored her, even though she wasn’t always reliable. Ever hopeful, however, I always gave people the benefit of the doubt, so here I stood, only slightly protected from the pouring rain. And it was pouring. I fired off a quick text to Laura, pressing send... just as my phone died.“Oh, holy mother of—” I pulled my sweater closer around me and stepped toward the building’s entrance so I could warm up and perhaps borrow a phone, but just as I moved away from the wall, something came loose from above, dropping a bucket’s worth of collected water on my head. I let out a quiet squeak and pulled off my now soaked veil, yanking open the heavy wooden door and slipping inside.“ID,” a gruff voice demanded.I nodded even though I couldn’t see anything in the dark space, reaching into my purse and pulling out my Oregon ID. A large hand swiped it from me then handed it back. “Sister Abigail, you look lost.”I let out a snort. “You have no idea. I’m stranded and my phone died.”“Ryder can call you a cab.”“Ryder?”“Owner.” He nodded toward the back of the building. “He’s at the bar.”“Do I really need to go to the bar?” I asked.“Lady, he’s got the number for the only cab company he trusts and if I let you leave in one from a company he doesn’t trust, he’ll be pissed.”I gave him a look of mock concern. “That sounds serious.”Bouncer dude chuckled. “Yeah, he’s got this weird thing about sweet women being protected.”“What about women who aren’t sweet?” I challenged.“Those too.” The bouncer laughed. “But the sweet ones always seem to get special treatment.” I smiled. “Okay, I’ll head to the bar.”“Good plan.”I walked past the pool tables, dartboards, and a jukebox playing something with a heavy drumbeat next to the bar, the counter of which ran the length of the building. There weren’t a whole lot of patrons, just a few who looked as though they paid weekly rent for their stools. However, I was surprised by the heart motifs hanging and taped up in a few key places. I guess it made sense... Valentine’s Day was tomorrow, so the bar was probably getting ready.A tall man with his back to me turned and I felt sucker punched. Like, as in, the breath left my body.His light-blue eyes met mine and seemed to peer into my soul. I froze, unable to take one more step under the weight of his scrutiny. He crossed his arms, keeping eye contact, and I was drawn into his tractor beam-like pull. I inched forward, one baby step at a time, taking in his light-blond hair, a full beard—not quite Portland hipster full, but still sexy-as-heck full. When my gaze landed on his lips he gave me this incredibly delicious sideways smirk, and Lord help me, I wanted him to kiss me.See? Worst nun ever.“You lost, Sister?”“How did you know I’m a nun?” Without my veil, most people just threw pitiful glances at my clothes as though I didn’t know how to dress in anything fashionable. I wore a sturdy black wool dress, black tights, and a gray button-up cardigan.“Couple years of Catholic school. ’Course, I never saw a nun who looked like you, but it’s your shoes that give you away. It’s always the shoes.”“Oh.” I bit my lip, glancing at my feet. “Well, you got that right. They call them sensible... I call them ugly.”“Not touchin’ that one.” Ryder smiled. “You need directions?”I shook my head. “I’m that tale of woe, I’m afraid. My friend couldn’t make our dinner date and my phone died.”“You need a cab?”“Yes, but do you mind if I just warm up for a minute?”“You want some tea?” I couldn’t stop a huge smile of relief as I sat on one of the stools. “I would love some tea.”“Give me your phone and I’ll charge it for you.”“No, that’s okay.” I waved my hand dismissively. “I doubt you’ll have a charger that works.”He chuckled. “You’d be surprised.”I pulled out my six-year-old flip phone and slid it to him.“Right,” he said. “Solve that one,” I retorted with a giggle.“Oh, you don’t think I can?” He pulled open a drawer next to the cash register. After testing several cords against my phone, he let out a, “Gotcha!” and faced me again, plugging my phone into the wall. “Found one.”“How is that even possible?”He laughed. “We never throw anything away and people leave shi—ah, stuff here all the time.”I raised my hands and gave him quiet applause. “Well done, sir. Well done.”He grinned and handed me a cup of hot water and a couple of tea bags. I was pleasantly surprised to see he had my favorite licorice flavor and steeped it in the water while Ryder went about his business. “You look like you’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day,” I said, and sipped my tea.Ryder shook his head. “Not my choice.”“Aren’t you the owner?”He chuckled. “Doesn’t mean I’m not ruled by my patrons.”“Ah, so not a romantic, then.”“Just think men should show their women they love ’em every day... not wait for one day out of the year. The whole holiday is a farce, in my opinion.”I smiled. Maybe he was a romantic.As he freshened my hot water, I wondered what my fellow sisters would think about the predicament I’d gotten myself into. Granted, they rarely left the abbey, but they also didn’t have jobs like I did. Being a fourth-grade teacher and working for the Catholic school next to our living quarters was a perfect setup for me. Lately, however, I’d been feeling restless and I know Reverend Mother noticed. In fact, I had a meeting with her in the morning and it sounded serious, so being late or tired would not be an option. Perhaps my ill-fated evening was cut short for a very good reason. Mother always says God works in mysterious ways.“You ready for that cab?”Ryder’s question pulled me from my thoughts and I smiled, shaking my head. “Is it okay if I stick around for a little bit?”“Knock yourself out.” He glanced at his watch. “But you’re outta here within the hour. It gets a little rowdy at night.”“Your bouncer warned me about you.”“Yeah?”I wrapped my hands around the cup, warming them. “He said you’re very protective of women.”He glanced behind me and then met my eyes again. “Bennie talks too much.”“Maybe so.” I shrugged and then sipped my tea again.“What do people call you other than ‘Sister’?”“Nothing. I’m Sister Abigail Eunice. Although my parents named me Sadie.”Now why did I share that? I hadn’t used my real name in years.He leaned against the bar. “Pretty.”My breath caught. “My parents thought so,” I said once I could speak again.“But not you?”“No, I like it fine. I guess I don’t really think about my name much.” I shrugged. “My students call me Sister and I don’t have many friends outside of... well, outside.” I shook my head. “Gosh, that sounds so narrow.”Ryder grinned. “Sheltered perhaps.”“That’s very gracious, Ryder.”He cocked his head. “Never been called gracious before.”Elbow on the bar, I settled my chin in my palm. “That surprises me.”“Of course it does. You’re a nun.”“Meaning?”“You’re gracious to everyone, so you assume others will be gracious as well.”“I’m not gracious to everyone. I’m a nun, not perfect.”Ryder shrugged. “Fair enough.”“I should go.”“Probably a good idea.” He grabbed his cell phone and put it to his ear. “Hey. Got time to drop someone home?” He faced me. “Where do you live?”“Beaverton.”“Beaverton. Great. Yeah, five minutes works. Thanks.” Ryder hung up and slid his phone back in his pocket.“You’re pretty friendly with the cab company, huh?” I took the last swig of tea and set the cup down.“One of my guys is taking you home.”“I thought you were calling me a cab.”“Can’t let a nun pay the cab fare all the way to Beaverton.”I frowned. “You don’t think I can pay for cab fare?”“Not what I said, Sister.”“Wow, you really take this whole I-am-man-hear-me-roar stuff, to a whole ’nother level, huh?”His gaze went to something (or someone) behind me and he nodded. “Ride’s here.”I decided not to argue; probably because it would do absolutely no good, and slid off my stool. “Thanks for the tea.”“Anytime, Sister.”Somehow, him calling me “Sister” felt lacking. I took a deep breath. Lordy, I was ridiculous... and I probably needed to confess, but I knew I wouldn’t. Again, worst nun award goes to... Ryder grabbed my phone and stepped out from behind the bar. “My number’s in there if you need anything.”“What would I need?” I asked, and took the phone from him.He shrugged. “You never know, Sister. It’s a resource. Feel free to use it.”What a strange thing to say.“Thanks for everything, Ryder,” I said, leaving my internal thoughts in my head.“No problem.” He nodded toward his friend. “This is Reese. He’s gonna take you home.”Reese was tall, dark, and handsome as they say, but he had an edge about him that made me a little nervous. His hair was longer than Ryder’s and kind of shaggy, and he was quite muscular. I was fairly confident he wouldn’t hurt me, but had I met him under different circumstances, I might have declined a ride.A warm hand settled on my back and I felt a shiver steal down my spine. “You okay, Sister?” he asked.“Yes, fine.” “You’re safe with him, yeah? You have any issues, you call me.”“Okay.” I stepped away from his touch and forced a smile. “Reese, it’s lovely to meet you. Thank you for the ride.”“No problem.” He waved his hand toward the door. “This way.”With a backward glance and smile to Ryder, I followed Reese out to the car, grateful he wasn’t a big talker. Our conversation consisted of him asking me for my address and me giving it to him. The rest of the ride strictly featured me gripping the door handle (as was my habit). I hated cars and avoided them whenever I could.It didn’t take long to arrive at the rectory and I thanked Reese and climbed out of the car, a little taken aback when he followed. “I’m fine from here.”“Ryder’d kick my a—rear if I didn’t make sure you made it inside safely.”“Right, his protection fetish.”Reese chuckled but didn’t comment.I led him up the brick walkway and to the back of the building where I unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Thanks again for the ride.”“My pleasure, Sister. Have a good night.”He walked away, and I closed and locked the door. 
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PROLOGUELily
A BLOODY NOSE.Never in my wildest thoughts could I have ever imagined that something as simple as a bloody nose would be the beginning of the end of “Liverick.” We were forever. I had just started my senior year of high school and my boyfriend, Maverick, was off fulfilling his first year of a full-ride athletic scholarship playing football for Notre Dame. It was our first time away from each other and we were miserable. But we’d concluded it was just one year and then I’d join him the following year and we’d be back on track. There was never any talk of me notmoving to Indiana to be close to him, even my parents were on board. If I didn’t get in, then I’d go somewhere else close to Mav. After all, we’d been together since I was five and he was six. This was it for us. Well, until…It was a Wednesday. It was raining and school had sucked. Ballet, however, had almost made up for my crappy day, but I was still late. I ran through the front door, yelling, “Hi, Mom, bus was late, sorry, gotta Skype Mav,” and rushed up to my room, powering up my laptop. Our black lab, Rex, followed, so I greeted him quickly, then I peeled off my wet clothes and changed into dry pajamas while I tried to connect Skype. Maverick answered on the second buzz. “Hey, gorgeous.”“Hi, Möosh.”He chuckled. I’d given Maverick that nickname one night when we’d been out at Frenchman’s Bar, lying on a blanket and making out like crazy. He was always saying the sweetest things and I always found it funny how the men in my sphere of influence were the romantic ones, while the women…not so much.“You’re so mushy,” I said, kissing him.“It’s because I love you.”“So, because I’m not as mushy, I don’t love you?” I challenged.He grinned, the crater on his left cheek melting me. Seriously, tall and muscular with longish dark hair, blue eyes and dimples, Maverick Quinn was the hottest guy on earth. He’d always reminded me a little of Superman. You’d never guess he was the son of a bad ass Motorcycle Club member, being way more jock than biker…but I suppose, you could say that about me as well. I was far more ballerina than biker chick. “Mom and Dad are the same way,” he pointed out. “So are your parents.”“This is true.” I giggled as he squeezed me. “I do love how you get all mushy and then you smoosh me, though. They just make out and play ass grab with each other. It’s weird.” I craned my head to look up at him. “But you’re totally my moosh.”Maverick laughed. “What the hell?”“I’m over ‘babe’ and ‘honey’ and ‘sweetie.’ From this point on, you’re my moosh.”“You already picked ‘Liverick.’”“Well, we couldn’t be Maly…that’s just silly.”He shook his head. “Well, if I’m your moosh, I want something cool. Something with umlauts in the spelling or some shit like that…like a bad European rock band.”I giggled. “Like m-ü-s-h?”“Huh-uh. I want m-ö-o-s-h. The second umlaut is silent.” I laughed so hard, I snorted, which was always Mav’s goal. “How was dance?” he asked, bringing me back to the present.“It was really good, actually. Your mom’s kicking my butt.”“As she should.”I sighed. “She wants me to do a showcase for the Portland Dance Company.”He leaned forward. “And what did you say?”Maverick knew how much I hated attention…good or bad. I was naturally shy and tended to stay in the background whenever possible. “I said I’d think about it.”He gave me a gentle smile. “Just tell her no, baby. She’ll understand.”“Outside of the fact, there could be scholarship money, I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”“Lil,” he said, his voice a gentle admonishment. “You won’t hurt her feelings. She’s asked before, right?”I nodded.“She’ll get it, babycakes.”“I’ll tell her tomorrow,” I promised. “How’s practice going so far?”“Easy. Which means the tough part’s coming.” He shrugged. “I’m ready.”“I know you are.” I sighed. “I miss you.”“I miss you, too. Less than six weeks and I’ll be home for Thanksgiving.”“I’m crossing the days off on my calendar.”“Me too, baby.” He leaned forward. “Lil, your nose is bleeding.”I touched my lip and my hand came away with blood. “Oh, gross. Hold on.” I rushed into the bathroom attached to my bedroom and grabbed a washcloth. Rex followed inside and sat beside me as I got the cloth wet. “Press it against your upper lip, just under your nose,” Maverick directed from the computer. “Give it lots of pressure.”I kept my head tilted back slightly and sat back down at my desk, peering at Maverick around the bloody washcloth. “So, video sex probably wouldn’t be attractive right now, huh?”Maverick laughed, shaking his head. “Lily! If your dad heard you say that, he’d have my balls.”I grinned. “He doesn’t know about us…you know.”“I’m sure he suspects.”“I’m sure he doesn’t,” I countered in a whisper. There’s no way my dad suspected we were doing the nasty, because if he did, Maverick probably wouldn’t be able to walk, let alone play football.Maverick and I had waited a long time to have sex…well, a long time by teenage standards, really. It was my seventeenth birthday and we’d been given permission to take my dad’s boat out for the day alone, provided we were home in time for the big blowout party my parents had planned. The whole day had been one of dreams. We’d made love, swam a little, made love some more. After that, I found it difficult to keep my hands off of him. Everything with Maverick was always perfect and I couldn’t wait until we could find time to be together again. Maverick smiled. “Well, I’m not telling anyone.”“Me neither.”“How’s your nose?”I pulled the washcloth away. “Seems good. That was weird.”“Probably allergies.”I nodded. “Probably.”“I have to go grab dinner with the guys. I’ll text you later, okay?”“Okay, Möosh,” I said, but it wasn’t okay. I wanted to keep talking to him. He smiled. “I miss you, too, babycakes.”“I know.”“I love you.”“I love you, too.”“I’ll text you before I fall asleep,” he promised.He hung up Skype and I headed downstairs. Hunter, my eleven-year-old brother, was in the family room, playing some Disney Infinity game with Cash my nine-year-old brother, so I patted their heads (they did not like to be interrupted during play time), and walked into the kitchen. Rex was attached to my side, so I once again laid my hand on his head.“Hi, Mom.”Payton wasn’t my biological mom, but she’d adopted me when she and my dad and had gotten married. She was my mom in all the ways that counted, especially considering my bio mom was a druggy and total waste of space.“Hey, honey. How was school?”I wrinkled my nose. “Um, totally sucky.”“Because it’s school or for a specific reason?” she asked, sliding something that looked a bit like a pie into the oven.“Because it’s school.”“Sorry, babe.” She opened the fridge. “I grabbed that cheese you like. Want some?”I had a small obsession with cheese. Okay, maybe not so small.“Yes, please.”She handed me the wedge.“Thanks. Cass asked me to do that showcase,” I said as I broke a piece of deliciousness off the triangle.“I know. She told me,” Mom admitted. “It’s five-thousand, baby girl.”“No pressure,” I grumbled.“I am sympathetic to your stage fright and discomfort having people watch you, but if you can put that aside and are chosen, it’s a nice chunk toward school.”“What if I’m not chosen? Then I would have done all of that for nothing.”“Valid argument,” Mom conceded. “But, the likelihood of you not being chosen is pretty low.”“I’ll think about it.”“That’s all we ask. You know, the collective ‘we.’ The mom and dad who work hard to pay for a great education…those two. The ones who could use a five-thousand dollar break?”I giggled. “I hear you.”“I appreciate that.” “Are you making a peach pie?” I asked, changing the subject.She grinned. “I am. Your dad requested it.”I clapped my hands. “I love your peach pie.”She chuckled. “So does your dad.”“Okay, gross. I did not need to know that.”“How’s Maverick?” Mom asked with a chuckle.I sighed. “Not here.”“I’m sorry, honey. This has got to feel like forever, huh?”I nodded. This was something I loved about my mom. She never minimized how I felt or told me things like, “It’s only a year, or a few weeks, or whatever.” She let me cry on her shoulder and validated every emotion, distracting me when things got really tough. I heard her gasp and then a towel was pressed against my face. “Your nose is bleeding,” she said.“Oh, yeah, that happened when I was talking to Mav,” I said. “It stopped for a bit. It’s probably just allergies.” I held the towel against my lip again and waited.“Maybe. I’m going to have Macey have a look. If she thinks it’s allergies, then I won’t rush you to emergency wrapped in bubble wrap.”I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. Macey was Mom’s best friend and a registered nurse. She used to work in the emergency room at the hospital, but had started working labor and delivery part time after she had babies. Mom called her about everything more serious than a hangnail. It was the running joke, but Macey was really good at her job and could usually tell if an ailment was something minor, or if a doctor needed to do tests, so everyone trusted her.I heard the garage door go up and then Dad walked in, throwing his leather jacket and cut in the closet. My dad, Alex ‘Hawk’ James, was Treasurer of the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club, and tonight was their club meeting, which they referred to as “Church.”“Hey, baby girl,” he said, and hugged me as he walked into the kitchen, nodding toward the towel. “What’s up with that?”“Hi, Daddy. Allergies I think.”He released me and pulled Mom in for a grosser than normal public display of affection which I avoided by turning around and looking outside. So much for my opinion they didn’t smoosh. In my need to avoid the PDA, I almost stepped on Rex who still hadn’t left my side. I settled my hand on his head again as I kept pressure on my nose with the other.“You call Mase?” Dad asked Mom.“She’s coming over to borrow a dress, so she can look at Lily then.”“Gonna go say hi to the boys.”“Okay, baby,” Mom said.Dad headed out of the kitchen and I faced Mom again. “What time’s Macey going to be here?”“I think she and Dallas are swinging by around nine.”“Okay, I have some homework, so I’ll work on that before dinner.”“Sounds good.”I made my way upstairs and started on my homework. Dinner was pretty uneventful, the peach pie was divine, and then my world imploded.Macey didn’t think it was allergies.Macey was right.

Maisie
IWALKED OUT of Lonnie’s salon and into the blaring heat of an unusually hot Pacific Northwest April. Squinting against the brightness, I slid my sunglasses on and headed to the Chinese restaurant next door for some takeout. Ten minutes later, order in hand, I was ready to go home and soak in the tub. It had been a long day and I needed a little down time. Only, when I climbed into my car, slid the key in the ignition, and turned… nothing happened. “What the—?” I tried again, but still nothing, so I climbed out and looked around. Lonnie’s lights were off, the closed sign hung on the door, and the parking lot was all but empty. “Just great,” I said, and groaned.I considered going back into the Chinese restaurant for help, but I’d had to repeat my order three times, so I had little faith they’d be able to understand my request for a jump. I grabbed my cell and called Triple A.“Roadside Assistance, how may I help you?”“Well, I’m in Orchards and I have a dead battery,” I said.“No problem, we can send someone out. What’s the address?”I rattled off my location, gave her my card number and other pertinent information.“We can have someone out to you in about an hour.”“Really? Nothing sooner?”“No, sorry. We’re really busy today.”“Okay,” I said. “Thanks.”I sighed and hung up, turning to find Lonnie walking out of her shop. “Hey, Maisie. You’re still here?”“I have a dead battery. I called Triple A, but if you have a minute, would you mind giving me a jump, please?”“No, sorry, I actually have to be somewhere.”I stared at her, so shocked by her unwillingness to help me I couldn’t even form a response. It would take maybe five minutes to jump my battery. I’d been loyal to her for more than ten years, even following her to this crappy part of town, and she couldn’t take five minutes to help me? I think my mouth was still slightly agape as I watched her climb into her car and drive off, smiling (and waving) at me as she passed.God! I’d just given her a thirty-percent tip. Not to mention, I always sent her a Christmas card (even though she neverreciprocated) and even sent her a gift on her birthday. Not cool!I sighed and leaned against my car, scanning the area. I lived and worked in downtown Portland and only ever came up here for my hair needs. But there had to be someone around who could help me so I wouldn’t be stuck here for another hour. I walked a few feet away from my car and looked around. Bingo.A little hole-in-the wall mechanic’s garage was across the busy street and three doors down. Concerned they wouldn’t be open, or would be manned by grease monkeys who liked to take advantage of women in need of automotive services, I shuddered, but trudged toward the shop anyway. If they were open, I figured they’d probably be able to help me, but if they weren’t willing, then I’d give them a nasty Yelp review. I should probably do that to Lonnie, but wasn’t entirely sure I was quite that brave. It took me years to find her.* * *Hatch
Connor ‘Hatch’ Wallace dumped an armload of parts onto the front counter of Bruce’s Specialty Auto Services, and pulled out his clipboard to check them off. His buddy’s shop was one of several he’d made deliveries to today, but luckily it was the last and the least amount… it meant he’d been able to carry everything in his saddlebags of his Harley Fat Boy. The day was too nice to be locked in a cage. He’d needed to ride. And now he wanted beer and pussy, not necessarily in that order, but he had to wait ’til he got back to the compound to enjoy either.“Hatch!” “Yeah?” he called back, still scribbling on the order sheet.“Hot one comin’.”Hatch glanced up to see a woman navigating the intersection and heading toward them. She wore a fitted light-blue blouse, tight, white jeans that hugged her shapely legs, and heels that looked like they cost more than his bike. Her long, blonde hair hung in straight sheets, but as a gust of wind caught her locks, she had to fight to keep the strands out of her face. She slid her sunglasses on top of her head, pulling her hair away from her face and Hatch’s breath left his body. She was like the first ray of sunshine after the rain. Damn, she was a knockout.She walked into the tiny customer area and gave him a tentative smile. “Hi,” she breathed out. “My battery’s dead and Triple A’s going to be a while. Is there someone here who’d be willing to give me a jump?”Hatch’s dick took notice of her sweet, British accent.“Yeah, sweetheart, I’ll jump you. Anytime, anyplace,” Bruce said, and Hatch watched her step back slightly, her face a little paler than before. For whatever reason, Bruce’s dirty innuendo made Hatch want to beat the shit out of his old friend.“Piss off, Bruce,” Hatch ordered quietly, then turned to face her. He was shocked by a sudden need to protect her, but he planned to help her and get her the hell out of his space. He needed a woman to protect as much as he needed a hole in the head, but he did have a sister and he’d never leave a woman stranded. “I’ll get you goin’ again. Where are you parked?”She pointed to the parking lot across the street. “Just over there.”“Bruce, where’s your portable jump pack?”Bruce grabbed it from the back room and handed it to Hatch. Hatch smiled at the woman and nodded. “I’ll follow you.”“Thank you.”“Be back, Bruce.” Hatch nodded to the clipboard on the desk. “Sign off on the delivery so I can get out of here, yeah?”“No problem, Hatch.”Hatch followed the woman to her car and she popped the hood, sliding inside the car to start it. After hooking up the jumper cables, he called out, “Okay, turn the key.”After several tries, they were still unable to get the Lexus going. She joined him at the front of the car with a sigh. “It’s not the battery, is it?”“Nope.” He dipped his head further inside and checked all the cables before facing her. “Do you mind if I check your fuse?”“I don’t know where that is, but sure.”He opened the front door, pried open the fuse panel and pulled out the troublesome little buggar. “Your ignition fuse is blown.”“Crap,” she said. “Please tell me you have one in the shop.”“It’s my buddy’s shop, so I’m not sure, but give me a minute and I’ll find out.”She nodded and Hatch called Bruce. “Hey man, you bang her yet?”Hatch turned away from the woman with a scowl. “Shut the fuck up, asshole. She’s got a blown fuse. You got one over there or not?”“Depends on what car.”“Ma’am?” Hatch asked. “Your car’s a 2015, right?”“Maisie.”“Sorry?”She smiled. “My name’s Maisie. I’d rather that than ‘ma’am,’ and yes, my car is a 2015.”Hatch forced himself not to react to the fuckin’ sexy ass name attached to the fuckin’ sexy ass woman as he rattled off the information to Bruce. But hell if he wouldn’t be conjurin’ up her image as he fucked some other pussy later on that night, wishin’ her sexy-ass voice was callin’ his name as she came.“Yeah, I think I got one,” Bruce said. “Let me find it and I’ll bring it by.”Hatch hung up and slid his phone in his pocket. He closed the hood of the car and turned to Maisie. “Bruce is lookin’ for your part and then we’ll get you on your way.” “Thank you.” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Despite her obvious politeness and confidence, there was a sadness about her. “You’ve kind of been my knight in shining armor today, I must say. I’ll just give Triple A a ring and cancel.”Hatch nodded and she pulled out her cell phone, canceling the truck just as Bruce jogged over, part in hand. Hatch replaced the fuse and Maisie’s car started without issue. “You’re all set,” Hatch said.“Thank you. How much do I owe you?”“Sixt—” Bruce started to say.“Nothin’,” Hatch interrupted. “You deserve to be paid for your time,” Maisie countered.“It’s all good,” he said. “Just drive carefully.”“Well, thank you, Mr. Hatch… and, ah, Bruce is it?” she said.Bruce’s head bobbed up and down like the douchebag he was, but Maisie didn’t seem to notice, her million-dollar smile back on her face. “Thank you again.”She climbed in her car and took off, giving them a sexy little wave as she headed toward the freeway.“Fuck me, that woman was fine,” Bruce sang out.“Shut the hell up, Bruce,” Hatch ground out.“You gonna pay for that part?”“Yeah, man, I’ll pay for the fucking part.”They headed back to the shop where Hatch grabbed his shit, climbed on his Harley, and headed for the only place he could get the beautiful woman out of his head.
* * *Maisie
“I’m sorry?” Alison, my best friend and business partner, snapped over the speaker. “She just left you there?”“Um, yes,” I said, and guided my car onto the freeway. Alison had called just as I hit I-5 and was now on hands-free.“Who does that?” she continued. “It’s woman code, bitch. Never leave your sister behind.”“I know! And I gave her a thirty-percent tip!”“Did you annihilate her and then tell her you were never coming back?”“No,” I admitted. “I was so in shock I lost my words for a period of time.”“Your British politeness was a hindrance wasn’t it?”I smiled. “You may have a point.”“Why didn’t you call me?”“Because it would have taken you an hour just to get over the bridge. I figured Triple A would be faster and in the end, the nice but scruffy man who helped me was even faster.”“Mmmm, scruffy good or scruffy bad?”I thought about that question for a second. Mr. Hatch had long, dark hair, pulled back into a partial ponytail, which was sexy as heck, and his beard was full and slightly peppered with grey, but not out of control. He obviously manscaped, which a woman like me appreciated. “Scruffy good.” I nodded. “Definitely good.”Ali giggled. “Only you would meet some hot guy after blowing a fuse.”“No doubt.” I smiled. “How’s Poppy?”Ali was watching my twelve-year-old daughter while I took some time for me. “She’s good.”“Hi Mummy,” she called in the background.“Hi Poppet.” I smiled. God, I loved that girl. “I should be there in about twenty minutes.”“Okay, we’ll see you then,” Ali said.Ali hung up and I continued down the freeway. My thoughts turned to Mr. Hatch, then almost as quickly to my very dead husband, Niall. It had been nine years, but I was still quite miffed with him for leaving me. We’d been in the States for about five years when he got cancer and beat it into remission twice.Unfortunately, third time was the charm in the form of a nail in his literal coffin, and he was gone. We thought we had more time. We didn’t. If Ali and her cop husband, Ryan, hadn’t been there, not only would I have crumbled, the business Niall and I had built together would have as well. Much to my family’s disappointment, I had no intention of going back to England and had sent my brother home alone despite his pleas for me to join him. Even my sister Kenna, whom I was closest to, couldn’t convince me to go back. I’d needed the distance.I could only thank God that Poppy was too young to remember, because truly, I think it would have broken her. It took me a good two years and two visits a week to a therapist to get to the point where I could get out of bed in the morning on my own. Currently, I was down to one visit a month for “maintenance.” I was now somewhat in control of my insanity and no one could be happier than me. Or maybe Poppy. Or Ali. I sighed. Now I was even rambling in my head. Maybe I wasn’t in control after all.I pulled up to Ali’s home and climbed out of the car, rushing up to the front door and letting myself in. “Mummy’s home,” I called.“Kitchen,” Ali returned.I headed through the large great room and into the newly renovated kitchen, where my daughter wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed. “Can I stay a little longer, Mum? Please?”“Sure, darling. Fifteen minutes, okay?”She let out a little girl squeal and went to find Ali’s daughter, her best friend, Grace. Ryan and Ali also had a twelve-year-old son, Merrick, who was probably lying in wait to torture his sister. I hugged Ali briefly, then pried off my heels and sat at her island. “You hungry?” she asked, pulling open the fridge and grabbing me a bottled water.“No, I have Chinese waiting in the car. Have you eaten?”“No. Kids did, but I’ll wait for Ryan. I did feed Poppy, hope that’s okay.” “You can feed my kid anytime,” I said with a chuckle. “She likes your food better than mine anyway… although, tonight it’s takeout. More for me.”She grinned. “Did you snap a photo of the hottie mechanic?”I shook my head. “I probably should have, eh? God, lovey, the more I think about him…” I sighed. “He was edible. Rollo from Vikings edible.”Ali joined me at the island. “So… not your type.”“How do you figure?”“Bad boy, sexy, edible.”“You may have a point.” I sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll never see him again. I’ve had my great love, so he’d only be a dalliance anyway.”“Which you would never do. You’re a one-man woman… and only do long-term.”I’d met Niall in kindergarten and it was love at first sight. He’d moved from Scotland into my neighborhood and, when we were old enough to walk alone, he started walking with me to and from school. We’d been inseparable ever since. I’d been so blessed to have a best friend who protected me with all of his being and loved me just as much. He was my first, my last, and everything in between.“You’re probably right.” I smiled and slid off the stool. “I should get the Poppet home. The bathtub is calling my name.” I stepped to the mouth of the hallway and called, “Poppy, love, we’re going.”“Are you still good if I come in late tomorrow?” Ali asked. “Ryan’s taking me to a few doctor appointments I’ve been putting off.”“Of course,” I said. “Anytime, you know that. I still have the gremlins this weekend, right?”“Yes.” Ali grinned. “Ryan and I need some sexy sexual time.”I giggled. “I think that’s a bit too much information, love.”“In our business?” she scoffed. “There’s no such thing.”“You might be right.”“Are you sure you’re okay with staying here?” Ali asked. “The kids can come to you.”“No, it’s fine. I love your home.”“I know, but I want you to be comfortable.”I smiled. “It’ll be less upheaval for your kids and Poppy loves staying over, so it’s perfect. As long as I have internet and can get some work done, I don’t mind where I’m at.”“This is one of the many reasons I love you,” Ali said, and hugged me again. “Ready!” Poppy announced, Gracie on her heels. Grace looked so much like Ali it was like she’d been cloned. They had the same long, dark hair and tall, lanky build. Her big blue eyes were the only difference. Ali’s were more of a periwinkle, whereas Grace’s were darker.“Thanks, love,” I said, and Poppy and I headed home.I left Poppy to watch a movie while I soaked in my tub, then after our bedtime ritual of reading a chapter from a favorite book (her choice tonight), I fell asleep dreaming of the scruffy Mr. Hatch.
* * *

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CHAPTER ONEKim
Two years ago(ish)...
About a week ago my best friend Danielle called to tell me she’d met her dream man. The same dream man who’d just blown up girls’ night. Needless to say, I was still trying to decide how I felt about Danielle’s new guy, Austin ‘Booker’ Carver.Danielle Carver had been my best friend for well past ten years. She was the only person on earth who knew everything about me...and I mean everything. Her family had bailed me out of more situations than I could count, and never once made me feel less than any of them. The night started off great. Dani and I were throwing back margaritas and relaxing until a couple of Class A douchebags slithered up to our table and refused to leave us alone. This prompted Booker and his biker buddy Mack to “rescue” us. It would have been nice if they’d just removed the douchebags and let us get back to our girl-time, but Booker had to pull the badass card and bust up our night. Which now left me seated beside the tall, built, blond piece of deliciousness, Logan ‘Mack’ Powell, in his very well-equipped BMW, on my way home. I didn’t realize bikers owned anything other than Harleys. Of course, I also didn’t realize they wore Armani suits (which Mack was certainly rocking), so perhaps my idea of a biker was incorrect.I knew Mack...sort of. He occasionally came into the bar where I worked, to grab a bite to eat or talk to my boss. I’d never had a conversation with him, just a smile from afar. He was gorgeous, yes, but totally not my type. Don’t get me wrong, I was all over tall and built, but I usually preferred my studs dark-haired.“How pissed is Booker?” I asked Mack as we drove.“He’s more concerned than pissed,” Mack offered.“He looked way more pissed than concerned,” I countered.“Babe, your girl’s in good hands with my brother. He won’t hurt her.”“He better not,” I said. “She’s fragile.”“And he’s protective.”“What about you?”He grinned. “I’m protective as well.”“Yeah, I kind of picked up on that.” I laughed. “But that’s not what I meant.”“I’m neither pissed nor concerned.”“Well, that’s good to know, I guess.”We pulled up at a red light and he asked, “You wanna grab a drink somewhere?”“I was just doing that with Dani,” I pointed out. “You and Booker kind of blew that up.”He nodded. “True, but I figured since I interrupted your night, we could go somewhere else...a little more fun than the places we work.”“As gorgeous as you are, Mack, I’m thinking the two of us wouldn’t be a good idea.”“Whoa babe, you’re rushin’ things a bit, huh?”I snorted out a chuckle at his joke.The light turned green and Mack grinned as we moved ahead. “What I’m suggestin’ has nothin’ to do with sex.”“Hmm,” I murmured as I cocked my head. “You have me intrigued.”Mack chuckled. “Trust me, babe, I know how to entertain, even platonically.”“Yeah? Prove it.” Within minutes, Mack pulled up in front of a non-descript building with an old west feel (leading me to believe he wasn’t planning on taking ‘no’ for an answer). He took my hand and guided me to the entrance and into...a honky-tonk. I shook my head and frowned over at him. “You’re joking.”“Trust me.”“No way.”He grinned. “Seriously, trust me.”“Ohmigod,” I groaned. “I hate country.”He chuckled and greeted the bouncer who waved us through without collecting the cover. We slipped through the darkened room and I grasped for his hand, as if it could protect me from the grating jingle of auto-tuned country music, which was far too loud for my liking. On the dance floor, men in barely-scuffed cowboy boots and giant pristine hats who’d probably never seen a horse, let alone ridden one, danced with dressed-to-the nines women, their hair in various stages of height. I wrinkled my nose as Mack pushed open a door marked private, and tugged me into a large VIP-looking room. A bar sat along the back wall, the outer walls had intimate booths, some barely big enough for two, others large enough to seat ten, and there was a dance floor in the middle. No one was dancing. Once the door was closed behind us, the music from the club ceased to exist and I let out a breath of relief. I noticed a jukebox over by the bar, and there was music playing (not as loud as in the main bar), but it was rock. Rock-n-roll I could handle.A lot of seriously gorgeous man meat were in attendance and, most in vests and jeans, milled around the room. Some were deep in conversation while smoking and drinking, others were in booths playing poker or making out with the few women who were there. I smiled at the calmer atmosphere. Now, this was my kind of crew. “Mack!” a grating, female voice shrieked.I cringed internally as a faker-than-fake blonde woman rushed up to Mack. “What the hell’s she doin’ here?” Mack grumbled under his breath.She threw herself against him and I tugged my hand from his so I wouldn’t get caught in the fray.“Hey, Tiff,” he said, setting her away from him as quickly as he could. “Meet Kim.”I hid a smile at her expression of surprise. “Hey,” I said.“Hey.” She schooled her features and smiled...a bit like a shark.“Come meet my brothers,” Mack said, and took my hand again, circumventing Tiff, and headed toward the tables.A man with well-worn cowboy boots met my eyes as we approached and my stomach flip-flopped. God, he was gorgeous. Tall, really tall. Probably six-and-a-half feet. Delicious. I was tall, six feet or more, depending on the heel, but it was hard to find a man who matched my height and who wasn’t a stick. This gorgeous piece of ass was built perfectly.His slow smile indicated I may have stared a little too long, but I didn’t really care as I smiled back. Mack was cute and all, but this man...he was someone I could have some real fun with...provided he quit looking into my soul. That was a little disconcerting.“Hey, Knight. Are you to blame for that?” Mack nodded to Tiff.Knight shook his head. “No. No one’ll claim her.”“She’s like a cockroach.”“Harsh,” I said with a frown.“No, babe, not harsh enough.”I couldn’t imagine what this woman could have possibly done to deserve this kind of treatment, but in the same breath, if she was regarded so lowly, why the hell would she hang around?“Knight,” the gorgeous man said, reaching out his hand, effectively interrupting my musing.“Kim,” I replied, shaking it.“That’s good enough.” Mack pulled my hand from Knight’s and I rolled my eyes.Irritation crossed Knight’s face, but not for long and the next hour or so was spent laughing, drinking, and dare I say, dancing (Knight and one other guy, Flea I think his name was, danced with me, but Mack refused). It was a blast...well, it was until Mack got a call from Booker and my night was blown up...again.“Babe, we need to go,” Mack said, ominously.I frowned. “What, why?”“Got an issue.”“Everything okay?” I asked.“You got a key to Dani’s place?”“Um, yes, why?”“We need to go and pack her a bag. She’s gonna be staying with Booker for a bit.”I grabbed his arm. “What’s going on, Mack?”“Problem?” Knight asked from behind me. So close, in fact, if I’d stepped back, I would have bumped into him.“Dani’s gonna stay with Booker for a while,” Mack said (to Knight, not me, jerk).Knight frowned. “Shit, seriously?” “What is going on?” I snapped.“How about I take Kim where she needs to go?” Knight offered. “You take Booker’s back.”“You okay with that?” Mack asked me.“Am I okay with what?”“Going with Knight. We just said that,” Mack said, sounding irked.Now I was pissed. “Oh, right, sorry. Obviously I didn’t understand the question the first time because you’re speaking as though I’m not here!”Mack gave me a quirky smile. “Right, so it’s all good.”“Jackass,” I hissed under my breath.“I’ll text you the info,” Mack said to Knight, clearly ignoring me again, and walked away.Knight smiled at me. “Ready?” I forced myself not to curse as I followed him out of the club. He opened the passenger door to a beat up old pickup truck and I slid inside, surprisingly comforted by the smell of horses. I had competed in several English equestrian events since I was four, and currently owned an Arabian gelding. My life could only have been described as tumultuous and horses had been my refuge and, on occasion, my savior. The smell instantly calmed me as Knight climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.“Waitin’ on Booker or Mack to tell me, sugar.”“Right,” I conceded. “I’m surprised you don’t have a bike.”He smiled. “I do, but outside of the fact it’s too wet to ride, I had a group class out at a dairy farm, so needed to bring more than the bike could carry.”“Group class?”He nodded, pulling out of the parking lot. “I’m in vet school.”“Oh, wow. Really? That’s cool.”“Yeah?”I nodded. “I ride horses. I compete with my Arabian.”“Great horses.”“Definitely. I’d never own anything other than an Arabian now. He’s the best.”“Where am I taking you?” he asked.I gave him the address for Dani’s apartment and we headed toward the freeway.“You ride English?” he asked.I smiled. “How’d you guess?”He smiled. “Shot in the dark.”“Do you ride?”“All my life,” he said.“Let me guess, you’re some kind of cowboy.” I nodded toward his feet. “I can tell by your boots.”“Nah, although, I’ve rustled some cattle in my day,” he said. “I ride mostly Western, but I’ve been known to put a horse through dressage or jumping exercises every now and then.”“Really? That surprises me.”“It doesn’t matter what tack you put on a horse, they should all be able to respond to your commands and move between both disciplines.”“I guess that’s true. Although, if you tried to put a Western saddle on my Arabian, he might kick you.”Knight laughed. “Sounds like he’s perfect for you.”“Because he’s ornery?”“Did I say that?” he asked in mock offense.I smiled. Tall, dark, handsome, and funny. I was in trouble.Despite my nervousness from not knowing what was going on, Knight put me at ease and I was a little calmer when we arrived. He followed me upstairs and into the apartment, closing the door behind us.“So, Booker said I’m supposed to pack her a bag?” I asked. “Any idea why or for how long?”“No...let me find out.” He sent off a text, and then we stood in the entryway, waiting. His phone buzzed. He studied it for a moment before saying, “Booker needs you to pack enough clothes and shit for a week or so.” “What’s going on?” I asked...again.“Honestly, I don’t know all of it, but Booker’s trying to keep her safe.”I studied him. “If you knew anything, would you tell me?”He sighed. “Probably not, sugar.”Him calling me sugar sent a thrill up my spine, but I ignored it and crossed my arms. “Well, since I don’t know you, I’m not handing over a bag of my best friend’s stuff. So, how about you get on that phone and find out why the hell I’m doing this.”Knight smiled, but I could tell he was trying not to. He pulled out his phone and put it to his ear. “Hey, brother. Kim wants to know why she’s packing a bag for Dani. Yep, refusing to do it until I fill her in.” He chuckled. “Yeah.” He quickly sobered. “No shit? Okay. I’ll let her know. ’Bye.”I bit my lip. His expression raised my blood pressure slightly.“Some guy named Steven has offered her up for some kind of ransom.”I gasped. “Steven…as in her ex, Steven?” Knight shrugged. “That’s all I know.”“It has to be. That fucking, piece of shit!”“Booker’s keeping her at his place so he can make sure she’s safe.”“Well, yeah, that’s the right answer,” I ground out. “I’ll be quick.”I couldn’t believe Dani’s ex had resurfaced. Asshole. I moved through her room, packing things I knew she’d need, then headed to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of bottles of her favorite wine. I had a feeling she’d need them.Knight carried the stuff down to the truck while I made sure everything in her apartment was locked up and turned off.* * *KnightUnable to get the gorgeous brunette off his mind, Knight had bugged Dani for information on her best friend. He knew going to Booker or Mack would raise questions, and in the end, get him nowhere, so Dani was his best bet and she didn’t disappoint.One week after meeting Kim, Knight walked into her bar. He’d never been there before, but the call of the pretty and feisty waitress couldn’t be ignored. Damn, she was gorgeous, not to mention funny as hell, and protective of her friend...all qualities he felt important. He just wished she wasn’t off-limits. The Dogs code wasn’t one easily bent or broken and since Mack saw her first, he had to discard her before Knight would even have a shot. He smiled when he saw her set drinks on a table by the bar. She might be off-limits in the romantic sense, but a platonic relationship would work...for now.She caught his eye and her smile widened. He gave her a chin lift and headed to an open stool at the bar. “What can I get you, handsome?” someone asked, pulling Knight’s focus from Kim. He turned his smile toward the pretty red-headed bartender waiting for his order. “Jack, neat.”“You got it.” She grabbed a glass and a bottle of Jack Daniels, giving him a little more than a pour. “Six bucks,” she said with a wink. He dropped a ten on the bar and she beamed when he refused change. “Thanks, honey.”He tipped his glass toward her and then sipped.A gentle hand landed on his back. “Hey, Knight.”He turned to face Kim with a smile. “Hey, sugar.”“What are you doing here? Is everything okay with Dani?”“You’d probably know more than me,” he admitted.“Oh, good, ’cause I just talked to her.” Kim relaxed. “You scared me a little.”“Sorry about that.”“So, if Dani’s good, what are you doing here?”He grinned. “I’m here, ’cause you’re here.”“Oh, yeah?” she said. “Trying to steal me away?”Knight chuckled. “From Mack, yeah, from here, no. You’re too good for Blush.”“FYI, Mack doesn’t have me, so I can’t be stolen from him, and I personally think the servers at Blush are really good.”Their ability to sling drinks wasn’t really what he was referring to, but she didn’t need to know that. “I’ll tell Booker you said so.”“Miss!” someone called and Kim grimaced.“I better get back to work,” she said, but she seemed reluctant to leave him.“I’m gonna finish my drink and do the same. I’ll find you when I’m ready to go.”“Sounds good.” Kim squeezed his arm and then headed back into the fray.

* * *KimSix months later...
I smiled at Train as he allowed me entrance into Blush. Gorgeous, tatted, but very, very young, Train was a recruit for the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club and I adored him. He was huge (hence his nickname) and gruff which scared most people, but he looked out for me and I loved him for it. Blush was the most exclusive club in downtown Portland, owned by the Dogs and run by Mack and Booker. Ever since meeting Mack, I’d been inducted into the Dogs family, and Mack had assumed the role of big brother...annoyingly so. The club might not be outlaw, but they protected their women like they were (to the point of irritation sometimes), and that meant he cramped my style far more than I liked. Of course, the bro code meant I wasn’t free to date anyone within the club unless Mack gave the specific okay, but I rolled with it. There was only one man I was interested in, and in some ways, Mack’s off-limits edict worked to protect me from inevitable heartache should he relax his “protection order.”Tonight, however, neither Booker nor Mack were working, so technically I shouldn’t be here, but I needed a distraction. I’d been dealing with some strange phone calls of late, along with notes and gifts left on my car at work. I’d asked Mack and Knight about them (in passing) and neither of them knew anything about it, so I dropped it, but now the gifts were getting weird and starting to freak me out. Sexy lingerie, sensual oils and such, and sex toys were left in obvious places for me to find. It was creepy.Maybe getting laid would help me relax and take my mind off things for a bit. This thought brought me to Knight and whether or not he’d be here. Now that’s a man who’d be able to take my mind off everything. His presence was a crapshoot, but I knew he’d had some group vet class out in Salem today, so he probably wouldn’t be back until way late. Fine by me since I wanted to have a little fun, and if he (and/or Mack or Booker) were working, that would be greatly squashed. Partly because he was also protective, but mostly because I’d be distracted with how much I wanted himin my bed instead of whomever I chose tonight. Knight was young, five years younger than me, and we would never work, but damn it if it wasn’t his face I saw when I came...either with my vibrator or a random cock. In fact, it had gotten so bad; the only way I could come was to imagine him there. I hadn’t slept with anyone in months. Every man was compared to Knight and they never measured up. Pathetic.Tonight that was going to change, however. At least, I hoped it would.I pushed my way through the crowd and slid up to the bar. Cricket was pouring and I grinned as I climbed onto a stool. The pretty blonde was relatively new to the club...her brother was a newly patched Dog and they’d just moved from the San Diego chapter.“Hey Kim,” Cricket said, setting a margarita in front of me.“Hey.” I sipped my drink and sighed. I loved that I didn’t even need to ask and it was always perfect. “Thanks.”“No problem.”I handed her my credit card to start a tab and took another sip. “Busier than normal, huh?”“Fuckin’ conference. It’s douchebag central tonight. Watch yourself...wedding rings are off.”“Oh, I love cheaters,” I droned sarcastically.Cricket nodded. “I’m messin’ with ’em. Don’t tell Mack.”I giggled. “Secret’s safe with me.”Cricket checked her phone and gave me a sympathetic look. “Speak of the Devil…Mack wants you in his office.”“What the hell?” I choked on a sip. “He’s not supposed to be here.”“Yeah, there was an issue, so he had to come in. Sorry, hon.”“I’ll just sit here for a bit.”“Your funeral.” Cricket smiled and left me to help a group of men at the other end of the bar. She returned a few minutes later and handed me a bottled water. “Hydrate.”I giggled. “Don’t talk to me like you know me.”She chuckled and grabbed her phone again. “Second request from Mack.”“I don’t care.” “He just sent a girl home and she looked happy. If she’s happy, he must be happy,” Cricket said. “Maybe he’ll loosen the reins a bit?”Mack loved sex almost as much as I did...however, he slept with far more women than I did men. There had been moments in the past when I wondered what it would be like to partake and see if he was as good as his discarded women swore, but sleeping with Mack would probably screw up my chances of bedding the man I actually wanted. “Not likely,” I grumbled. “He and I apparently need to have another conversation about boundaries.”“Good luck with that.”“Thanks.” I sipped my drink as Cricket did her job and I tried to avoid the inevitable. I was given enough time to finish my margarita and take two sips of water before Pug shoved a guy away from me and smiled. Pug’s nickname fit him perfectly because he looked like a pug. He was bald and tatted pretty much everywhere (that I could see) and like most dogs, it would probably take a good neutering to get his aggression issues under control. “Mack wants you.”“I heard.”“You gonna come now?”I scowled. “No.”“Babe, don’t fuckin’ do that, yeah?” Pug ground out. “I don’t have time for you asserting your independence right now.”“Piss off, Pug.”“Kim, seriously.”I let out a frustrated groan and slid off my stool. There was no point in arguing, I had no power here and I’d just drive myself crazy trying to dispute the great and powerful Mack. I squared my shoulders and headed toward Mack’s office at the back of the club. Flea stood sentry, but smiled as I approached and leaned down to kiss my cheek. “Hey, gorgeous,” he said.“Hey.”He didn’t say anything else as he pushed open the door and let me walk through. I heard the door close behind me and glanced back, grateful Pug didn’t follow.As I walked down the hall, Mack stepped out of his office, crossed his arms, and frowned. “Why are you here alone, Kimmie?”“I’m not alone. You’re here.”“Fuck me.” He dropped his head back with a frustrated sigh.“No thanks,” I said, brightly. “Babe, I get that you’re independent and shit but tonight is the worst fuckin’ night to be here alone.”“Why?”“You’re seriously asking me that?” he snapped.I waved my hand dismissively. “Club business, whatever. Outside of your forced protection of me, I have no ties to the Club, Mack, so I’m a free agent.”“That’s total bullshit.” Mack scowled. “So, I’m gonna ask you again. Why the hell are you here when you knew I wasn’t scheduled?”My resolve crumbled a little, but I needed this! I needed to forget, even if meeting a random guy in a bar wasn’t the best method. I think I might have chosen Blush because I knew I’d be protected. I sighed. Now I was psychoanalyzing myself...maybe Dr. Grace’s sessions were helping.“Kim—”“Mack, I love you. You know I do, but you can’t tell me what I can and cannot do,” I said. “If someone tried to tell you who you could screw, how would you react?”“That’s different.”I scowled. “Screw you, Mack.”He glared at me. “Kim, you’re fuckin’ out of control, babe.”“Because I love sex?” I snapped. “You don’t love sex, Kimmie, you just wanna piss me off.”I threw my arms up in the air. “Are you serious with this shit? Forget it. I’ll leave.”“I’ll have someone walk you to your car.” His smug expression made me want to smack him.“I took a cab.”“I’ll have Pug drive you.”“Don’t bother,” I said as I stalked out of the office and back down the hall. I stormed past Flea and detoured onto the dance floor, then toward the bar. If I was being forced home, I was goin’ home drunk.I slid up to the bar and Cricket handed me my credit card. “He cut you off, hon.”“Son of a bitch!”Cricket grimaced. “Sorry.”“You alone?” a deep voice asked from behind me.I turned, seeing he was kind of cute in a tight-ass, businessman kind of way, and smiled. “Yeah.”“Buy you a drink, beautiful?”I bit my lip, then nodded. “I would love a drink.”Before he could order, Pug sat on the stool beside me and shook his head.“Seriously?” I hissed.“Walk away, man,” Pug ordered.My admirer did exactly what Pug told him to do and stupid me (after Pug walked away), I accepted another offer for a drink. Pug showed up again and the man walked away.Damn Mack and his interfering. “Call him off, Pug,” I snapped. “Not gonna happen,” Pug said, and gave me a smug smile.“You’re such a dick, you know that?”“Yep.” He crossed his arms. “Come on, I’ll get you a cab.”“I’m going to hit the little girls’ room first.”“Knock yourself out.”I scowled at him and headed to the bathroom, pissed that my night had been totally ruined. As I dried my hands, my phone buzzed, and I sighed. It was Knight. “Hey.”“Hey, sugar. You okay?”I put on a fake smile and said, “Yep. What’s up?”“Just checkin’ in.”“Really? Did Mack call you?”“Pleadin’ the fifth, sug.”“Well, I’m leaving, so y’all can relax.”“We’re keepin’ you safe, Kimmie, you get that right?”I bit back frustrated tears. I don’t know why I expected him to be different that the others, but I wished he’d have a little more faith in my ability to keep myself safe. “Whatever.”“Want me to swing by and pick you up? We can go get a bite.”“No, I’m going to grab a cab and head home.”“You sure?”“Yep.”“I’ll call you tomorrow.”“Okay, honey.” My voice was sweet, but I was secretly flipping him off in my mind. “’Bye.”I hung up and slipped out of the bathroom. Pug was talking with a cute girl who obviously wanted free drinks, so I used the distraction to head outside. I was quite capable of calling for a cab without him breathing down my neck. As I stepped onto the sidewalk, I heard my name and followed the sound. “Kim! Hey!”I frowned when I didn’t recognize the guy waving at me. He caught up to me and smiled. “Hey.”“Hi,” I said. Now that he was closer he seemed faintly familiar, but I couldn’t place him. He was about an inch shorter than me, blond hair and hazel eyes, nothing really to write home about, but cute.“Brian Combes,” he provided. “I worked for your father four years ago.”My father owned the largest (and most prestigious) law firm in Portland...Oregon, truth be told. He was a fifth generation attorney and had expected me to follow in his footsteps, but after I found out about his multiple affairs, I decided I was going to do whatever the hell I wanted and he could go screw himself. I was so disgusted, and wasn’t entirely sure who I was angrier at...him because he was a pig, or my mother who turned a blind eye to his roaming. Unfortunately, I was not so brave to completely cut them out of my life. They had a way of making my life a living hell, so I played the game when it was necessary...like parties and such.Recognition dawned. “Right, weren’t you a junior associate? I met you at a holiday party the year you got hired.”“Good memory.” He smiled. “I can’t believe I saw you on the side of the street. Small world.”“Indeed.”He took my arm. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?”“No, I’m good. Thanks.” I tried to pull away, but he gripped me harder.“I’d really like you to let me go,” I ordered, but I felt a prick in my arm and gasped. “Ouch. Did you just…pinch me?”“Must have been my pin. Here, let me help you,” he said. Pin? The word blended together in my mind and I stumbled. “What the...?”He dragged me into the alleyway behind the bar and sneered as he slammed me against the wall. “Hey!” I squeaked.“You don’t even know who I am, do you?”“Brian…Combes,” I slurred.“That’s not what I’m talking about.” His hand grasped my throat and I couldn’t breathe. “Fuckin’ bitch.”He squeezed harder and I scratched at his arms, the adrenaline forcing a little of the haziness away, but my arms still felt like rubber flailing in water. Clothing ripped and something hard was between my legs, pressing against me. I cried out but he squeezed my throat harder with one hand and grabbed my breast with the other. Pain registered somewhere in the back of my mind as the cool night air told me I was now naked from the waist down. Then suddenly, Brian was yanked away. With nothing to hold me up, I slid down the wall, crumbling to the to the cold cement ground. Then everything went black.* * *KnightThirty minutes earlier...
“How far out are you?” Mack asked.“Just got home. You need me?”“Kim’s here.”“So?” Knight asked, wondering what the issue was. Mack was obviously there too. “Is there a problem?”“I don’t know what’s up with her, but she’s flirtin’ with every douchebag who looks her direction.”Knight sighed. Dani had told him Kim sometimes spiraled and went looking for trouble, but he hadn’t seen that side of her yet. Apparently now it was time. “Shit, seriously?”“It’s like she keeps cuttin’ her finger and dunkin’ it in the shark tank. They’re continually circlin’ her.”Blush was a favorite for escorts and johns, and as long as their activities didn’t draw negative attention for the Dogs, Mack and Booker allowed them to do business. It was the wrong place for a good girl to be looking for attention, however. “I’ll call her,” Knight said.“Good. I’m shuttin’ her the fuck down, so she’s gonna be pissed at me.”“Fine.” Knight put on his jacket and stepped into his boots. “I’ll be there soon.”“Okay.”Mack hung up and Knight called Kim. Mack was right, she didn’t sound right. After he rang off with her, he headed to Blush. He needed to get a handle on Kim. There was definitely something deeper than friendship between them and he wanted to explore it, but the timing wasn’t right yet. So for now, he needed to find out why she was so damn destructive. Her life seemed perfect. She had money, came from a good family, and had lots of friends who cared about her, so why the hell was she spiraling out of control?He parked his bike and threw his helmet in one of the saddlebags. As he rushed inside, he saw movement in the alley and heard a woman’s whimper. Wondering what the call-girl had gotten herself into, he veered off to investigate, stalling. It wasn’t a whore, it was Kim. Knight saw a man shorter than Kim, pushing her against the wall and he forced down rage at the visual of another man touching his woman, however, ice infused his veins when the asshole slammed her head against the brick. Fabric tore as the man ripped off Kim’s dress. “What the fuck are you doing?” Knight bellowed.With his heart in his throat, he made a run for Kim, praying he’d get to her before any damage was done. Reaching the assailant, Knight yanked him back, distracting him enough to stop beatin’ on Kim, but she appeared to be totally out. Knight grabbed the guy by the back of the neck and slammed him face first to the concrete. “You fuckin’ stay down or you’re eatin’ the curb,” he threatened, although, it didn’t matter, the guy was out cold.“Knight, man!” Flea called. “What the fuck did you do to her?” Knight shouted. He grabbed the guy by the back of the neck and slammed him face first to the concrete. He wanted to do a hell of a lot more, but the piece of shit couldn’t even take the first hit. Regardless, he gave the asshole a kick to the gut. “Knight, man!” Flea called. “Gimme a sec,” Knight shouted. He didn’t want anyone to see Kim with her ass hanging out, so he took off his jacket and laid it over her. “Okay, I’m good.” He checked Kim’s vitals as Flea approached. “Get that guy in the basement. I’ll get Kim.”“You got it,” Flea said.While Flea took care of the trash, Knight tried to wake Kim.
Pre-Order Links Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/gwxesh2Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/jgs2c3tiTunes: http://tinyurl.com/zw75uvzB&N: http://tinyurl.com/glpbtzlKobo: http://tinyurl.com/hpdnb9b
 

Mack

MACK’S PHONE BUZZED in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the display, smiling as Kim’s name came up on the screen. “Hey, babe.”
“Hi, Mack. Sorry I’ve been MIA,” Kim said. “I had a couple of shows.”
“Yeah? I thought maybe you were dead in a ditch somewhere.”
“Right, like you’d ever let that happen,” Kim pointed out. “If you’d really been worried, I would’ve been tracked, located, and the perpetrator killed before they had a chance to get to a second location.”
“Yeah, that’s probably true.” Mack chuckled. “What’s up?”
Mack met Kimberly Church when Booker claimed her best friend Dani and subsequently married her. Kim rode fancy-ass horses and, although Mack knew nothing about horses or that side of her life, he knew Kim enough to know she was up to something.
“A couple of friends and I wanted to come to the club tomorrow night. Will you be there?” she asked.
He frowned. “Booker’ll lose his shit if Dani comes without him, Kimmie.”
“It’s notDani,” Kim promised.
“Which begs the question, why are you plannin’ somethin’ without her?” he asked. “What the hell are you up to?”
Dani and Kim rarely did anything without each other. Mack always thought it was a little strange until he got to know Kim and her history. She’d had a rough beginning in life and Dani and her family had helped exorcise a lot of Kim’s demons. Not all of them, but enough for Kim to function.
“She’s busy.” Kim groaned. “Mack, seriously. She’s not part of this. Just a few friends getting together for a good time and if you’re there, I get to see you too. Bonus.”
He shook his head with a smile. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”
“Thanks, bud.”
“But no leaving with some random douchebag, yeah?”
“I can handle myself,” she argued.
He glanced out the one way mirror and down at the club floor unusually packed for a Thursday night. “Fuck me, Kim, you cannot. Do I need to remind you about three weeks ago?”
Kim had walked out of the club with one of their regulars, and he’d attacked her in the ally. He didn’t get far because Knight followed them and beat the shit out of the guy, but not before the asshole had ripped Kim’s dress down the front. She seemed to lose her mind when Knight was around and Mack knew his brother was getting fed up with her desire to find trouble.
She sighed. “No. You didn’t tell Booker, right?”
Both Mack and Kim knew if he did, Booker’d tell Dani immediately and then Kim would be screwed.
“No, babe, I didn’t tell Booker, but you keep up with this stupidity, I will. Better yet, I’ll tell Dani.”
Kim let out a quiet hiss. “Logan Reed, you better not!”
“I fuckin’ will, Kim, but for now, your secret’s safe.” He turned toward his desk. “What are the names of your friends?”
“Darien and Pauley,” she said. “I think Darien might bring a friend as well.”
“You’re bringin’ guys in? Not typically your style, babe.”
“No, they’re sisters. Their dad wanted boys, it’s a long story.”
“Okay.” He didn’t admit it, but he had a thing for girls with boys’ names. It was sexy as hell.
“Anyway, you’ve met Pauley. She’s the bartender at the restaurant.”
“Yeah, the hot redhead.”
Kim giggled. “Do you actually know the names of the women you meet or are they all classified by hotness and hair color?”
Mack chuckled. “I’m thinkin’ I’m not gonna answer that.”
“Chicken.”
“I’ll make sure you’re on the list.”
Kim sighed. “Thanks, Mack.”
“Hey,” he said, his tone softer. “I’m lookin’ out for you, yeah?”
“I don’t know why,” she grumbled.
“Need me to break it down for you?”
“No, what I need is for you to go back to being Mack the dawg instead of concerning yourself with my sex life. I know you’re watching out for me, honey. But outside of that, I’m good, okay?”
He gave a reluctant smile. She was right. He was inserting himself somewhere he didn’t belong. “Okay, babe. I’ll butt out.”
“Thanks. And thanks for the entry.”
“No problem. Talk to you later,” he said, and hung up.
* * *
Darien


I slid my leg under my bottom and settled my laptop squarely in front of me. Still no email informing me I was about to be published. Even so, I thought I might attempt to write something else. However, this was the third time I’d changed positions in an effort to shake out the cobwebs in my head.
“To sex or not to sex?” I asked, hoping someone might answer me. I was alone in the apartment I shared with my sister, but I was desperate.
I stared at the blinking cursor and tapped my fingers on my keyboard. It took me about thirty-two seconds to let out a frustrated groan and dump the computer on the sofa cushion beside me. My fluffy, snooty Llasa Aapso, Barney, raised his head but didn’t move any other part of his body, considering he knew Mommy had at least three of these outbursts a day. I don’t really know why I bothered, no one would ever want to read anything I wrote anyway.
“Don’t judge me,” I demanded.
Barney yawned and settled his head back on his paws. Damn him and his cuteness. I needed to focus, not coo at his adorability.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you, little doggle,” I said, and rose to my feet. Maybe some water would help... or a shot of tequila.
As I grabbed a glass from the cabinet, my sister walked into the apartment and dumped her purse on the kitchen counter. Pauley was tall, well, taller than me. She stood a whopping five-foot-eight to my five-foot-six. She and I had the same hair color, a deep, Irish red, but where hers was thick and glossy, mine was curly and unmanageable. We both had gray eyes, but that’s about where the similarities ended. She was glamorous and confident, fully in touch with her sexuality and could use it to her advantage.
Me... not so much.
“Hey, Pauley,” I grumbled.
“How goes the fascinating world of old people?” she asked, and opened the fridge.
“I know more about the bombing of Pearl Harbor than I ever thought I would.” I smiled. “But Mr. Akerman gets so excited when he’s telling his stories.”
I had started working at the nursing home pretty much right out of high school. Pauley and I lost our mother four years ago and there hadn’t been money for college, so we looked for jobs right away. I was lucky enough to find a position working with the elderly which I just happened to love.
“I envy your life.” Pauley pulled out a beer and twisted off the top.
I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm, especially considering, she was deathly afraid of old people. “How was the restaurant?”
“It was good.”
Pauley waited tables five days a week and tended bar two nights a week to help fund her ‘around the world trip in style’ she’d been promising to take since she was six. With the amount she made working weekends, she probably didn’t need her day job. But that was my sister. She was sexy as hell, friendly, and made more money in a day than I made in a week.
“Any word from the agent?” she asked.
I let out a pathetic groan. I finally finished the book I’d been threatening to write and sent it off to a couple of agents. One had requested the entire manuscript, but that had been six weeks ago and still no word. I was pretty much resigned to the fact it was obviously total crap and I’d never hear from her again.
“Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good. You probably should have let me read it before you sent it off.”
I shook my head vigorously. “And have you tease me mercilessly? No way!”
The truth was, no one but Millie had read any of it and I had sworn her to secrecy.
Pauley chuckled. “Have you yelled at Barney yet?”
I frowned. “I don’t yell.”
“Okay... have you snapped at Barney yet?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I apologized.”
Pauley giggled. “You know it’s weird that you talk to your dog like he’s a human, right?”
“You know it’s weird you think it’s weird that I talk to my human companion, right?” I poured water into my glass and smiled. “How much did you make in tips tonight?”
“Almost four-hundred.”
“Dollars?” I squeaked.
Pauley laughed. “No, pesos.”
“Ohmigod, sissy. I think I need to change careers.”
“You’re too sweet for this job, honey.”
“Suck it, Pauley,” I snapped. We’d had this conversation a hundred times over. My sister was five years older than me and took her “maturity” seriously. But I was twenty-two and paying half the rent and utilities, so I was getting a little sick of her seeing me as just her innocent baby sister.
“You know, you could always self-publish,” Pauley said. “Lots of people are doing it and if you find someone who can do a cover for you or whatever, it’d be a good way to find out what the masses think.”
“You might be onto something,” I said. I’d actually thought about self-publishing before, but I’d always wanted to do it right and that meant finding an editor. Easier said than done.
“Tell you what. If you want to do research and find out the costs to publish, I’ll put money in. Consider it an investment. You can pay me back when you make a profit.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, why not?”
I hugged her. “You are my absolute favorite sister.”
“I know that already.” She giggled. “Anyway, subject change. You said you and Millie got turned away from Blush a few weeks ago, so I wanted to know if you want to go with me and Kim tomorrow night?”
“We didn’t just get turned away, sissy. We were humiliated.”
More accurately, Iwas humiliated. The bouncer had looked me up and down and laughed before shooing me away like I was a stray cat begging for scraps. My best friend, Millie, on the other hand, was told she could enter; however, she showed solidarity and left with me.
“Honey, you’re a grown-ass woman, you’re not really still mad about that, are you?”
“Oh, now you acknowledge I’m a grown-ass woman when you just told me I’m too innocent to work as a bartender?”
“They aren’t mutually exclusive.” Pauley tipped her beer toward me. “But I’m a little surprised you’re still mad.”
I sighed. “I’m not mad, just a little irked.”
“Well, get over it and come out with us tomorrow.”
“And have them kick me out again? No thank you.”
“Kim knows one of the guys who runs it. She promises you’ll get in. Call Mill and see if she wants to come too.”
My curiosity beckoned. I’d always been the girl who wanted what was forbidden, but my need for self-preservation generally warred with that curiosity and I typically did the safe thing. Truth be told, I was the biggest chicken on the planet, but I wanted to know why this club was so exclusive and why it was so hard to get into... and more importantly, why I wasn’t good enough to be admitted.
“Okay, fine,” I said.
“Awesome. Kim said she’d come over around eight-thirty or so and help you... I mean, us, get ready.”
I let out a frustrated groan. “I can dress myself, sissy.”
Pauley didn’t respond.
“Suck it, Pauley.”
She giggled again. “Eight. Be showered and ready to be pampered.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I’m on the early shift, so I’ll be here around eight-fifteen to supervise.”
“You’re going to work for all day and then still be ready to go out?”
Pauley snorted. “Who are you talking to?”
“Right.” I smiled. “Forgive me, oh royal big sister.”
“Better.” She sipped her beer again. “Did you eat?”
“Hmm-mm,” I mumbled.
“Cheetos?”
“Don’t talk to me like you know me,” I responded.
“I brought home your favorite.” She glanced at the counter. “Shit. Left it in the car. I’ll get it.”
“I love you!” I called, as she grabbed her keys and headed out of the apartment.
* * *
Friday evening, I arrived home and fell onto the sofa. Barney gave an excited bark and jumped onto my back, leaning down to sniff my face. I was tired and when I say tired, I mean close to death. My phone buzzed in my purse and I answered it with a muffled, “Hello.”
“You don’t sound good,” Millie said.
Millicent Magrew had been my best friend since our senior year of high school. I think we would have been friends before that, but she transferred schools one week into the year, and had attached herself to me. I adored her.
I groaned, still unmoving. “I don’t think there’s a part of my body that doesn’t hurt.”
“Bad day?”
“No, not bad, per se. One of my ladies tried to get out of bed on her own and fell. I had to help her up and wacked my leg against a nightstand.”
“Where the hell were the orderlies?”
“They were busy.”
“Translation, Darien tried not to be a bother and overdid it.”
I sighed. “Probably. I have to say, despite the fact she’s almost ninety and her mind doesn’t work very well, she’s frickin’ strong and fought me until she remembered who I was. Now I just want to lie here and die.”
“So, no Blush?”
“Oh, right. I forgot,” I admitted. I pushed myself up to a halfway seated position, pulling Barney onto my lap and giving him a gentle squeeze. “I think if I can catch a quick nap, I can rally.”
“You’re going to nap at six o’clock at night?”
“I’m going to try and nap at six o’clock at night.”
Millie giggled. “Okay. Well, I’ll be at your place at seven-thirty.”
“Sounds good.”
“See you then.”
“’Bye.” I dropped my phone in my purse and smiled down at Barney. “Potty time for you, little beast, and then sleep.”
I took Barney out and then he curled up beside me on my bed and we napped until Millie’s banging on the apartment door (and Barney’s subsequent barking) woke me.
I pulled open the door to my best friend, the incomparably gorgeous Millicent Alissa Magrew. It really wasn’t fair that I was surrounded by women who should be on some form of a catwalk, not working day jobs and slinging drinks to dirty old men. Millie also worked off and on bartending, although, she was an accountant by day and only took bartending jobs if she wanted to save for something specific.
Millie was almost six-feet tall without heels and when she walked into a room, all eyes were on her. Her father was white, her mother was black, and she had this dark mocha skin that made every woman hate her and every man want her. She’d been named after her great-grandmother and I used to joke that her parents had to give her such a weird name; otherwise the rest of us peasants couldn’t exist with such perfection in our world. We would all combust.
“You look gorgeous,” Millie quipped as she gave me a quick hug and pushed into the apartment.
“Bite me,” I said, smiling as I locked the door.
Millie slipped off her flip-flops, and dropped her bags on the floor. “Shower.”
“No, hi, how are you? How was your nap?” I asked.
“Hi, how are you? How was your nap? Shower.”
I giggled and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table, before heading to the bathroom.
“Don’t wash your hair,” Millie called as I closed the door.
“Gross, but okay,” I called back.
I took extra time to shave my legs and exfoliate my skin, so by the time I slid a robe on and made my way into the living room, Pauley was home and Kim wasn’t far behind.
“I’m going to do your makeup and Millie’s on hair duty,” Pauley said. “But right now, you need to choose which dress you’re going to wear.”
“I was going to wear—”
“Nope,” Pauley said, cutting me off.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Millie said. “We’ve got two choices for you.”
She lifted a deep blue, one shoulder, cocktail dress that would barely cover my butt and another one shoulder, black dress with a skirt that flared slightly at the hem. I chose the black since it stopped just above the knee and would look great with my cherry red, strappy four-inch heels. Plus, it covered my ample rear-end and somewhat minimized it. Now, my boobs on the other hand were going to be a problem. “What am I supposed to wear for support?”
“This,” Pauley said, and held out a weird plasticky looking bra thing.
“Um... ”
Millie giggled. “It’s self-adhesive, hon. The directions are in the box.” Which she handed to me and I took a minute to look it over.
“Make-up, then dress, then hair,” Pauley said, and the make-Darien-hot-plot was on.
Kim arrived ten minutes into my makeover and I glanced at the three women helping me get ready and wondered why they bothered. With them with me, I wouldn’t be seen anyway. Kim was tall, almost five-foot-ten, with legs that I’d kill for... or, at the very least, maim for. She had long dark hair and big brown eyes, and tonight she wore dark red lipstick that drew focus to her full lips, especially since the rest of her makeup was minimal.
“I change my mind,” I grumbled. “I’m not going out with you three.”
“What? Why?” Kim asked.
“I think it’s pretty obvious,” I ground out.
“You’re an idiot,” Millie said.
“No, I’m not! I’m right.”
“What am I missing?” Kim asked.
“She’s feeling self-conscious because she thinks she’s ugly,” Pauley provided.
“You’re a fucking nut,” Kim said.
“I don’t think I’m ugly,” I corrected. “I’m just kind of plain looking compared to you.”
They looked at each other and then laughed.
“What?”
“It’s a good thing we made you our project tonight then, ugly duckling.” Pauley grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, turning me to face the full-length mirror.
“Holy crap.” I gasped. “What did you do to me?” I leaned forward. “I look hot!”
Pauley giggled. “Yeah you do.”
My dark red curls fell in soft waves around my shoulders, teased away from my face and made a little bigger... okay, a lot bigger... than I had ever worn it, but it gave me a sexy look that I was really digging. I had smoky eyes and a light lip, which drew focus to my eyes. Even though the silicone bra felt weird, it did what it was supposed to do (kind of) and the dress hugged every curve. Pauley loaned me the red clutch that matched my shoes and Kim had painted my nails the same color. To say I felt a bit like slutty Cinderella was an understatement, and I loved it.
“Feel better?” Pauley asked.
“Hells yes. I feel great.”
“Let’s go before she changes her mind,” Millie demanded, and we made sure Barney was locked in my room, and headed out.




“MACK, WE GOT a problem,” Train said over the walkie.
Mack frowned and replied, “Can you handle it?”
“I can if you don’t care about breakin’ the rule.”
“No fuckin’ breakin’ the rule, Train.”
“Even if it’s a friend of Kim’s?”
“Shit.” Mack dragged a hand through his hair. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to let Kim bring unknowns with her. “Let ’em in, after you get scans. Put ’em upstairs and I’ll deal with it.”
“You got it.”
Half an hour later, Booker pushed into his office.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?” Mack asked. “It’s your night off.”
Booker chuckled. “Dani got wind that Kim was comin’.”
“‘Got wind’ my ass,” Mack countered. “I have a feelin’ you and I have been played.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He walked to the window overlooking the dance floor. “I take it the rule breakin’ is due to Kimmie?”
“Yeah, I’m headin’ up there to deal with it.”
Booker glanced at him over his shoulder. “Good luck with that.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Nothin’. Since my wife wants some girl time, I’m gonna catch up on a few things. Call me if you need me.”
With a chin lift, Mack left his office and headed to the VIP section.
* * *
Kim’s best friend, Danielle, rushed into the VIP section with a squeak, hugging Kim and then each of us, even though she’d only met Pauley. “I can’t believe you got Darien past security,” she said.
“Me?” I asked. “What did I do?”
Dani grinned. “There’s one rule here at Blush and that’s that no one “innocent” is allowed in.”
“I’m not innocent!”
Pauley let out a rather rude snort.
“I’m not,” I continued. “Plus, how would they know who’s innocent and who isn’t? That’s the lamest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s an argument I’ve had with Mack more times than you can count,” Kim said.
“Austin says they just know,” Dani provided.
“Oh, so they’re all psychics,” I said. “What a load of crap.”
“Don’t feel bad,” Kim said. “Dani got rejected as well. Well, until she married Booker. Now she’s allowed in, but only when he’s here.”
Dani squeezed my hand. “You’ll meet Austin at some point tonight, but don’t let the suit fool you; he rides a Harley and thinks because he’s an officer in a motorcycle club he can boss me around. It’s kind of cute, really.”
“Is he going to kick me out?”
“No way, but we’re probably being watched.” Dani nodded to a couple of discreet cameras. “Don’t worry, Kimmie and I’ll deal with Mack.”
“Who’s Mack?”
“I’m Mack.”
My eyes flew to the man walking towards us, and I’m pretty sure my heart stopped in my chest. Literally stopped. Ohmigod, he was gorgeous. Tall with dark blond hair, he was clean shaven with a hint of stubble beginning to form, and deep-blue eyes that studied me with an odd expression. And he was built. And I mean built.Channing Tatum built, but wearing a dark gray suit that looked like it had been made for him. Like he stood in front of a three-way mirror while a tailor measured his inseam kind of made.
I stared at his full lips and couldn’t stop myself from licking mine. God, he was delicious.
“Hey, honey.” Kim distracted him by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a sensual hug. Mack lifted her off her feet a little, and I found myself suddenly pissed at the gorgeous brunette. So pissed, I wanted to scratch her eyes out.
I took a deep breath and glanced at Millie who regarded me with an annoyingly knowing grin. “Bite me,” I mouthed, and tried to find something to do with my hands.
Mack lowered Kim to the floor, but kept an arm around her. “Introduce me to your friends, Kimmie, and then you and I need to have a little chat.”
Kim rolled her eyes and went through the introductions, ending with me. “And this is Darien.”
I reached my hand out and Mack took it, lifting it to his lips. “Nice to meet you, Darien.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I breathed out, then groaned internally. Good God, the man was sexy and he smelled incredible, but that meant Dork Darien wouldn’t be able to function.
He kept hold of my hand as he studied me again and then, without a word, gave it a gentle squeeze and released me, turning to pull Kim aside.
“What the hell was that?” Pauley asked, as she, Millie, and Dani moved closer to me.
“Ohmigod, I’m so lame,” I complained.
“Not you, doofus,” she said.
Dani giggled. “You, my dear, appear to be the first person to put Mack on edge.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That’s the least he’s ever said,” Pauley admitted. “Granted, I’ve only talked to him a few times, but he’s never acted like that before.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, and peeked around Pauley to find him. “He seemed perfectly at ease.”
“Well, he looks pissed now,” Dani said.
“How do you know he’s mad?” I asked.
“I just do.” Dani smiled. “But don’t worry about it. He and Kim have a weird brother-sister thing goin’ on, and they fight like that weekly. Nothin’ to worry about.”
I frowned as I watched Mack and Kim as they spoke in the corner. How Dani could possibly know he was angry was a mystery to me. His back was to us, his jacket stretched across his wide back as he crossed his arms. Kim waved her hands in animation while scowling and shaking her head, but he didn’t move a muscle. Just stood there, his arms crossed, saying nothing that I could make out. She was animated, though, so I figured she didn’t really like what he was saying.
“Is she in trouble because she brought me?”
Dani shook her head. “No, pretty sure that’s not why she’s in trouble.”
I watched as Kim gave Mack a very calculated smile and then threw herself against him, hugging him tightly. He gave her a quick squeeze and then his eyes met mine. I gasped, but couldn’t look away. He studied me for a few seconds and then headed down the stairs.
* * *
Damn it! Mack walked back to his office deep in thought and royally pissed off. Stepping inside and closing the door, he dragged his hands through his hair and headed to the window, staring up at the VIP section. The woman with the pixie face had just set his world on end and he could not have that. “Fuck!”
He picked up his desk phone and dialed the office.
“Hey, Mack,” Eliza said.
“Hey, babe. You got the scans from tonight?”
“A few of ’em, yeah.”
“Send me the ones for Darien Aherne and Millicent whatever her last name is.”
“You got it, boss.”
Mack hung up and sat behind his desk. He found his eyes drawn back to the VIP section and narrowed in on Darien. “Shit,” he whispered.
Booker pushed into Mack’s office. “You met Kim’s friends, I take it.”
Mack turned to scowl at his closest friend who stood in his doorway with a shit-eating grin. “Did you need something, Book?”
“No, just wanted to see how you handled the introductions,” he observed.
“Fine. Why?” Mack challenged, not liking his friend’s ability to read him.
“Nothin’.” Booker laughed as he folded himself into the chair facing Mack. “But, I do see you got a couple of problems.”
“Yeah?”
Booker nodded. “One, you’re gonna get razzed for breaking the rule, especially considering you let Kimmie pull one over on you.”
“Fuck you, Booker.”
“Two...” Booker trailed off. “Nah.”
“Two?” Mack prodded, but Booker just shrugged. Mack narrowed his eyes. “What’s two?”
“Nothin’,” Booker said, and rose to his feet. “That one I’m gonna let play out.”
Mack flipped him off.
Booker laughed. “I’m gonna enjoy this. I’m gonna go talk to your woman, comin’?”
“She’s not my woman.”
“Sure ’bout that?” Booker retorted, and walked out the door before Mack had a chance to respond.
The ping of Mack’s email gave him something else to focus on, which meant a full background check on his pixie. He’d given his bouncers a heads up to scan the IDs of Kim’s friends. He didn’t do it for everyone, but he was glad he did tonight.
* * *
I stood by the railing sipping my margarita, which was amazing, and very, very strong, when a tall, dark-headed man crested the stairs and made his way directly to Dani. I assumed it must be Booker.
She was facing me, laughing at something Kim was saying when he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her neck.
“Ohmigod, Mack, not here!” she retorted.
I felt my stomach roil. She was obviously giving her husband a hard time, but it did something to me that I didn’t like. Stupid, considering I’d only met Mack tonight, but there was something about him.
Booker smacked her butt and frowned. “Not funny, Dani.”
“It’s a little funny.” She slid her hand to his neck. “Will you behave so I can introduce you to Darien and Millie?”
“Maybe.”
Dani giggled and waved me and Millie closer. “This is my husband, Austin.”
I smiled and shook his hand. He shook Millie’s as well with a nod. “Booker.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Okay, to me he’s Austin, to the rest of the world, he’s Booker.”
“I’m gonna steal my woman for a minute,” he said.
“We’re going to dance,” Kim declared.
“I’ll be there in a bit,” Dani promised, and Kim gathered the rest of us up and led us downstairs.
I followed the ladies onto the dance floor and lost myself in the music. I loved to dance and I’d had just enough alcohol to let myself go. I felt strong hands on my hips and startled, craning my head to find a gorgeous man with longish blond hair smiling at me. He moved his hips against my rear and I went with it. He wasn’t there for long and I turned to see him being escorted from the dance floor by one of the bouncers who let us in. I glanced at Millie who shrugged, so I did as well and moved closer to her again.
Admittedly, I was a little bummed. He was cute. This thought brought to mind Mack and I realized pretty quickly I wished he was here grinding his body against mine. I shook off the thought and tried to focus on the music again.
As we danced our asses off, I noticed an alarming trend. One that was starting to piss me off. I let it happen three times before I decided I’d had enough and followed the bouncer off the floor. He left my newest dance partner at the mouth of a hallway and walked away. I followed him through a door and into another hallway.
“Hey!”
The man turned, appearing a little surprised to see me, but then a slow smile crossed his face. “You need somethin’, babe?”
“Yeah. I want to know why you’re dragging guys off the dance floor.”
He chuckled, raising his hands as though to ward off a fight. “Not my call.”
“Then whose call isit?”
He closed the distance between us and crossed his arms over his gigantic chest. “Babe, I suggest you go back to your friends and enjoy the rest of your night.”
I leaned back (way back, because he was tall) and snorted. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?”
“’Cause there ain’t no way in hell you’re ever comin’ back here.”
I gasped, stomping my foot in irritation. “Excuse me?”
A low voice rumbled above the noise of the music. “Train.”
I peeked around the giant and saw Mack walking towards us and he looked irritated. Train raised his hands again, gave me a slow smile, and walked away.
“You’re the manager, right?” I asked, annoyed that my voice quivered like a love-struck teen.
Mack raised one side of his mouth in what I think was a smile. “Sure, babe, we’ll go with that.”
“I’d like to lodge a complaint.”
The other side of his mouth tipped up. “A complaint.”
“Yes. That man who just walked away has been very rude.”
“How so?”
“Every time I’d start dancing with someone, he’d yank him off the dance floor!”
“Train did that?” he inquired.
“Yes he did.” I huffed. “It’s unacceptable and I think you should talk to him about it. I mean, this is a dance club, right? We’re here to dance and drink and have a good time, right? If your sole purpose is to sell booze, then you can’t have one of your employees dragging away the customers! Those guys weren’t bugging me and they were good dancers. Do you know how hard it is to find guys who are willing to dance with you who can actually dance?”
“Enlighten me.”
“It’s hard!”
“Anything else, sweetheart?”
“Yes!” I was on a roll, so I didn’t process the endearment right away. “He told me I should have a good time because I was never going to be let back in! I don’t know what I could have possibly done to be banned, but I’ll tell you something, mister, I haven’t done anything to warrant being kicked out.” His face went from somewhat amused, to cold and lethal so quickly I shivered. Actually shivered, raising my hands to my arms in a protective stance. I instantly realized I may have gone too far. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. Alcohol lowers my inhibitions and my polite meter.”
“Fuck me,” he breathed out, but I could tell he was trying not to smile. “Polite meter?”
I bit my lip. God, I was an idiot! “I’ll just go back to my friends.”
I turned and made it about three steps before I heard, “Babe, wait.”
His voice was so low, I thought I’d misheard him, but I turned and he hadn’t moved, his expression conflicted and his eyes on my leg. “What the fuck is that?”
I followed his gaze and frowned. The bruise from my fight with my patient peeked out from the bottom of my skirt. “Um... ”
Mack closed the distance between us and raised my skirt a little. “Did that happen here?”
“No,” I answered immediately.
He glanced at me. “Did someone fuckin’ hurt you, Darien?”
He remembered my name? I couldn’t focus, considering his fingers were gently touching my leg.
“Darien?”
 I licked my lips. “Huh?”
“Did someone hurt you?”
“Oh.” I shook my head. “No. It happened at work.”
He frowned. “Someone hurt you at work?”
“No!” I said a little more forcefully. “I whacked it on a piece of furniture.”
“Babe, you need to fuckin’ tell me what happened.”
Because I’m Dork Darien, and because he smelled so delicious, all I could think about was licking him (no joke), and I told him everything that happened at work.
Mack stood with his arms crossed as I filled him in, but when I was done he sighed. “Fuck me.”
“Now? ’Cause I don’t really know you,” I retorted.
He stared at me for a second or two and then laughed. The sound made me shiver... in a really good way, and I couldn’t stop a smile.
“Go back to your friends, sweetheart.”
I nodded and high-tailed it out of the hallway and back into the club. I nearly slammed into Millie who grabbed my arm with a frown. “Where did you go?”
“Nowhere, it’s fine,” I said.
“Are you okay?”
“Yep, fine. Just went through the wrong door.” She studied me, but I was glad she let it go. “Are we dancing?”
Millie shook her head. “Huh-uh, we’re back upstairs. Booker bought us drinks.”
“Okay, cool.”
I followed Millie back upstairs and tried to put my weird interaction with the sexiest man on the planet out of my head. Admittedly, I failed, but I fell back into my comfortable belief that a man like Mack would never want a woman like me. I was safe there.

 Cassidy
Eight years ago…
“CARTER,” I WHISPERED, forcing back tears. “I have to go.”“Why, Cass?” he demanded. I stared up at my best friend and tried not to fold. “You’re leaving—”“I’ll be back in less than a year.”Carter had driven to my place, rather than heading home after work, and he now stood in my kitchen (after sneaking in through my bedroom window), his face contorted in frustration as I tried to explain in person what I’d tried to explain over the phone. My parents were still at work and my sisters were out with their boyfriends, so I had the house to myself…which almost never happened.“But if you’re not here, there’s no reason for me to stick around.” I smiled. “Who knows where the Air Force will take you?”He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. “Damn it, Cass. I don’t get this need you have to run.”I giggled. “You’ve known me since I was six. I have al-ways wanted to run.”Carter Quinn had been my constant shadow ever since my parents moved me and my sisters to the property adjacent to the Quinn farm eleven years ago. It had started on my first day of first grade when he put a cockroach in my hair and I calmly removed it and named it “George.” He was two years older than me, but ever since then, we’d spent pretty much every day together trekking through the wooded areas around our homes and lazy water “rides” on what he called the Quinn River. Of course, it was more of a pond, but it was safe to swim in and sometimes we would all take turns pushing each other in inner tubes in order to feel like we were all on some kind of rapids adventure. Silly kid stuff that I was going to miss.“That’s not what I meant,” he grumbled.“I know, buddy.” I sighed, trying once again to bolster my resolve.Carter was the fifth of six brothers, all rambunctious little boys who grew up to be gorgeous, strong, respectful men. They loved their Mama, and had a deep reverence for women in general, but that didn’t mean they didn’t take advantage of the fact they were all illegally good-looking. “I can’t believe you’re giving up your senior year.”“To dance in France, Carter!” I said for the umpteenth time.“You could dance in good old America,” he said, also for the umpteenth time. “What if you hate Paris and I’m not here to help you pack up and come home?”“You leave in a week.” I rolled my eyes. “You won’t be back for at least eight months, probably longer, and then that’ll be for what, a week or two? Then onto something else for ano-ther year or more, right? I’ll do my year in Paris and beat you back here either way. It’s the perfect chance for me to finish school and train with a prestigious ballet company…and take my mind off the fact that you’re going to be flying planes into combat. It’s a win-win.”He knew how much I hated school. I was never good with the politics of high school and once he left, I was bored…and a target. “Are you still dealing with assholes?”“Not since you forced your brother to stick close to me,” I said with a sigh.“I didn’t force him to do anything. You know he thinks of you like the sister he never had.”I chuckled. “Or wanted.”Carter grinned. “Aidan adores you. Just don’t let him know I told you.”Aidan was the baby of the family and one year younger than me, but you’d never know to look at him. He was six-foot-one and still growing, his best class was weight training, and, as was common with the Quinn brothers, he had a harem of girls who followed him everywhere.Once Carter graduated and I was left without my “shield,” Aidan took up the mantle and his harem didn’t like it, but I tried to keep my head down and ignore them as best I could. Easy to do for the most part since I was dancing more than going to classes my junior year.“My lips are sealed.” I tried for a goofy grin. “This isn’t a problem that you can make your bitch, buddy. We’re just going to have to let it all play out naturally.”Carter crossed his arms and studied me. “If you go, I’m gonna miss your eighteenth birthday.”“I’ll be back a full week before my eighteenth birthday, it’s you who’ll still be gone more than likely.”“You’re breakin’ our deal, Cass.”I scowled at him, my stomach churning. “You broke it first by running off to war!”“So, this is about getting back at me?”“No!” I snapped, and then took a deep breath. “No, seri-ously, it’s not. The deal was we would have a private wedding ceremony by the dead tree with Torbig the Troll as officiant when I turn eighteen, right? I’m not eighteen. So, as long as you’re back at some point before I turn nineteen, I will view the deal is intact. Unless of course, you find your forever love and marry her instead. At that point, I will admit that my heart will unequivocally shatter into a million pieces…” I let my sentence trail, hoping my joke would lighten the mood.Carter laughed. “Fuckin’ nut.”I giggled. “Says the bolt.”This had been a private joke I’d started back before I knew exactly what nuts and bolts were. At the time, he’d laughed hysterically, then explained the sexual connotation I’d inadver-tently voiced, but still, the joke had stuck and it had been our thing.“You’re coming back, right?” he pressed.“Are you?”“Yeah, Cass, I’m coming back.”I slipped my hands into my pockets. “Well, so am I.”He wrapped his arms around me and drew me close. I pulled my hands from my pockets and hugged him back. I loved him more than I would ever admit out loud, but that was a story for another day. For now, it was time to grow up and figure out how to live my life without my crutch. It was something my mother had urged me to do…figure out how to exist in a world without Carter Quinn, but I’d always brushed her off, thinking one day, I’d have him forever. That he’d see me for something other than his best friend. But when he’d been recruited for the Air Force and jumped at the chance to be a hero, I realized he’d never see me the way I saw him, so I knew I had to let him go. “I’m coming to the airport,” he said, his voice low with emotion.I squeezed my eyes shut. “You better.”“I’ll email you every day that I can and you better do the same.”I smiled and leaned back to look up at him. “Do not go get all emotional and shit on me.”“Don’t use that fuckin’ language. You’re too pretty for it.”“You’re a dork.” I laughed and shoved at him. “FroYo and a movie? I’ll buy.”“You’re not payin’, Cass, but yeah, FroYo and a movie’s good.”“Do you want to climb back down the tree or use the front door like a regular person?”We had a huge tree that happened to have a sturdy limb that was like a ladder directly to my room. Carter had snuck in on more than one occasion, mostly when I was mad at him and refused to answer his phone calls. I’d tease him because if he didn’t talk to me at least once a day, he couldn’t seem to function.“I didn’t know your parents would be gone,” he countered.I giggled. “Whatever. I personally think you prefer the tree. Of course, it’s the middle of the day, so you ringing the doorbell would have been perfectly acceptable.”He grinned. “Keep it up, buddy, and there’ll be no movie for you.”“Oooh, you scare me,” I retorted as I grabbed my keys and followed him out the door.* * *One week later, I stood with my dad and Carter at the end of the security line, not quite ready to say my final goodbyes as I headed to my next adventure. Daddy was flying to Paris with me and checking everything out before flying home, and Carter had offered to drive us so my mom could say goodbye at home. She was a wreck, so had readily agreed to do her sobbing in private. My sisters on the other hand had a life outside of me and were happy to wave at Carter’s truck as we were driving away.I was consumed with the fact that Carter was leaving in two days for his tour with the Air Force, which meant we’d maybe have a day or two to email or Skype, but then nothing was guaranteed.I had done a really great job of keeping my warring emo-tions at bay. I was excited to go to Paris. I mean, it was freakin’ Paris after all, but I knew I’d miss my family. We were tight. Like Carter and his family, only we were sisters, so we fought a little dirtier, but we loved each other and our parents rocked. But leaving Carter made me sick to my stomach. I didn’t know where he was going or where he’d be stationed…neither did he. The not knowing was the worst and if anything happened to him, I’d be the eighth to know, unless one of his brothers called me before my parents did. I blinked back tears at the thought, saying a silent little prayer to keep him safe.“You okay?” Carter asked.I forced a smile and nodded. “Yep.”“I think this is where we leave you, Carter,” my father said.Carter nodded and shook his hand. “Have a safe trip, sir.”My dad smiled and nodded, and I lost it, throwing my arms around Carter’s neck and sobbing against his chest. “Ohmigod, Carter, if you get yourself killed in some Middle Eastern country, I will hurt you.”He chuckled, hugging me tight. “I’m not so easy to kill, Cass. I’m going to be fine, okay?”I leaned back and he cupped my face, wiping my tears away with his thumbs. “Please stay safe,” I whispered.“I will. A bolt must return to his nut after all.”I rolled my eyes and nodded. “I love you.”“Love you too, Cass.” He leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. Not a romantic one, just one that reminded me he was my best friend and he adored me.Dad and I walked through the point of no return and as I was putting my shoes back on, Carter waved to me, and I know he waited until he couldn’t see me anymore before leaving. Don’t ask me how I knew. I just did.





Carter
CARTER WATCHED HIS girl walk with her father toward their gate, smiling as she blew him a final kiss and then disappeared from his sight. He stamped down the pain of losing her, reminding himself that he’d see her again in a year and he’d finally be able to tell her how he felt. He’d kept his adoration of her quiet because she was young, sheltered, and the epitome of a good girl. It wasn’t as though he was a bad boy, far from it, but he didn’t want to be the one to take her virginity before she was ready, especially since her father would kill him if he did.He wanted the timing to be right…when they were ready to make a life together. He’d dated a few girls, screwed a few girls, too, but it didn’t take long for him to realize there would never be anyone else for him. Cassidy Dennis was his. She had been since she was six and she would be until she was ninety-six. She was his best friend and he would wait for her as long as she needed him to.Arriving at his truck, he swore when he couldn’t get the door open. He’d lovingly restored his 1971 Ford pickup with his own two hands, and the occasional passing of a wrench or something from Cassidy. He’d always considered the truck just as much hers as his, considering they’d talked for hours while he worked on it, but he still had a few things he needed to fix, including a sticky lock.It took him a few minutes, but he managed to get the door open, and climbed inside. He started the engine and forced his desolation away. Cassidy would call him tomorrow, he’d hear her voice, and he’d know she was safe. He wished he’d been the one to go with her, but it didn’t surprise him that her dad had taken up that responsibility. Her family was close and Mr. Dennis wasn’t about to let his baby go out of the country without fully vetting where she’d be living, who she’d be living with, the faculty and school. Carter sighed. Cassidy had been gone fifteen minutes and his heart was heavy. As he reached for his wallet to pay for airport parking, his hand caught the chain he’d slipped into his pocket. At the end hung a nut and bolt, threaded together. He smiled and pulled it out, looping it over his neck. He’d kept it hidden from Cassidy because he’d had one made for her as well. A far more feminine version, granted, but matching all the same. He’d sneaked it into her carryon as she checked two bags at the ticket desk and he couldn’t wait to hear what she thought.His heart lightened as he headed home. He could do this. One year would go by quickly and they’d be able to pick up where they left off. It was their way and he knew nothing would change that.* * *I stared out the plane window and forced myself not to sob as we took off. Dad was on the aisle seat and we’d been pleas-antly surprised to find that no one was between us. “You okay, honey?” Dad asked.I grimaced and turned to face him. “Is it wrong to feel like my heart is breaking?”“Not at all.” He smiled. “I promise, you’ll be fine.”“But will Carter?”“He’s made of tough stuff, Cass. He’ll be fine too.” He took my hand. “Just focus on this year and if you’re meant to be, you’ll be. I know those are just words to you, but when you get some distance, things will be clearer.”I nodded, although, I knew he’d never understand. He was cursed (he said blessed, but I personally think he just replaced the word to convince himself) with a house full of women and womanly emotions, which meant drama was prevalent. Most things for my sisters, Shannon and Mia, were emo-tional tens (on a scale from one to…) when it came to boys and life. I was far more even-keeled, but that also meant I didn’t openly share my love of Carter with the world. I did to my mom, but Dad’s eyes would glaze over and Mom said he was going to his happy place when my sisters started in on their emotional blackmail, so Dad didn’t know about the extent of Carter.I turned back to the window and as soon as we were cleared to use our electronic devices, I pulled my backpack onto my lap and unzipped the front flap. Tugging out my iPod, I found a little wrapped package with Carter’s distinctive script scrawled on the front.I ripped it open and forced myself not to totally break down at thirty-five thousand feet. I pulled out a feminine but very sturdy silver chain that had a threaded nut and bolt, a pair of ballet slippers, and a mini dog tag hanging from it. It had been wrapped in tissue paper with a note.
“What’s that?” my dad asked.“A little surprise from Carter.” I handed the chain to him and he smiled before handing it back. “Clever,” he said.“That he is.” I secured it around my neck and found myself reaching for it several times during the flight. I couldn’t wait to call him and tell him how much I loved it and him. I didn’t care that I was leaving for a year. I wanted him and if I had to wait for him, I would. Now I just had to convince him I was the one for him. That would prove harder.Still, I had a smile on my face as I drifted off to sleep, my hand over the charms that had settled over my heart. Appropriate.Little did I know, my phone call to Carter the next day would be too short to tell him anything substantial and the last time I’d hear his voice until I returned to the States. In less than a year, my safe little world would be rocked to its core.* * *Eleven months later…
“Cassidy!” Pierre grinned and held his arms out to me as I walked into the practice room. “Vous êtes magnifique!”I chuckled as I accepted the double cheek kiss and hugged him back. I dropped my bag on the floor and pulled out my toe shoes. “Bonjour Pierre.”“Well done,” he exclaimed. “You might just be fluent by the time you leave.”“You never know.”I had been in Paris for about a week when I was introduced to Pierre Desrosier. Tall and lanky, albeit muscular, he had the perfect dancer’s physique and with his sexy French accent, I couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Almost from the start, he’d pursued me and I was flattered. What initially gave me pause was that he looked quite a bit like Carter. I couldn’t imagine dating anyone who looked like the love of my life unless it was the love of my life.Lately, however, I was beginning to wonder if I should find out if it would work with Pierre. Granted, I had less than a month before I returned home, but who knows? It could be fun and who didn’t love a power couple? Especially, when they were portraying a couple in art and happened to love each other in real life. Besides, Carter hadn’t contacted me in almost ten months and it didn’t seem as though he cared as much as he said he did. I had been in a constant state of fear after three months without a word, but when Aidan mentioned Carter was safe, that fear turned to anger and hurt. He’d managed to get word to his family, but not me? I was devastated and wondered if he couldn’t get past the fact that I’d left. “We will work on the transitions today, oui?”Pulled out of my melancholic thoughts, I nodded. “Oui.”When our time came to an end, Pierre hugged me tightly. “Beautiful, Cassidy. You were so uninhibited today. Finally. Parfait.” He stroked my cheek. “Have dinner with me.”I smiled. “Why not?”“Oui?”“Oui, Pierre. Dîner serait belle.”“I’ll collect you at seven.”“Perfect…um…parfait,” I corrected, and Pierre chuckled, kissing me on the cheek.I headed back to my dorm room and took a hot bath. We’d worked out hard today and my body was hurting, but it was my heart that was suffering more. The moment I’d said yes to Pierre, I knew I had to let Carter go. Irrational, perhaps, but I didn’t know if I could con-tinue to hold out hope that he would ever be mine and it was time for me to live a little. I hoped it was, anyway.After taking extra care with my hair and make-up, I opened the door to the handsome and incomparable dancer and let fate take my life wherever it led me.* * *One month later…
It was the beginning of October, and I had been home from Paris for just over a week and couldn’t get out of bed. For the most part, my mother had left me alone to my depression up until now, but the morning before Carter was due home, she pushed into my room and sat on my bed. The time had come to confess.“Okay, my sweet baby girl, I have given you some space, but now I’m really worried. I realize I have barely a week be-fore you’re eighteen and then I can’t technically make you go to a doctor, but will you please tell me what’s going on? Carter’s coming home tomorrow and I need to know why you’re not excited. I need my Sassidy back.”“I’m not feeling very sassy today, Mom.”“What’s going on, honey?”“I did something. Something bad,” I whispered.She slid my hair away from my face. “Cassidy, what could you have possibly done that would make you dread seeing the man you love?”I sat up and pulled the covers up to my chest. “I can’t tell you.”“Why not?”“You’ll hate me.”“Baby girl, there is nothing in this world that you could do that will make me stop loving you.”I tried to calm my churning stomach. “I slept with someone in Paris.”My mom took a deep breath. “Okay, honey. It happens. Was it someone you loved?”“Not really, no.” I shook my head. “Was it Pierre?”I nodded. “How did you know?”“Well, he’s handsome and you’d been spending a lot of time together,” she said. “Plus he looks a bit like Carter and I wondered if you’d be able to resist Carter with a French accent. I know I couldn’t.”I snorted. “Well, I should have because I’m pretty sure I slept with him for all the wrong reasons.”“Oh, honey, been there.” My mom smiled sympathetically. “Why do you think you slept with him?”“I was mad.”“At Carter?”I groaned with a nod. “I hadn’t heard from him and I was really hurt that he found a way to let his family know he was okay, but not me. I get that they are more important. It’s not like I thought I should know something they shouldn’t, but I was just so sad. Pierre was in the right place at the right time, I guess. Plus, I just thought I’d get it over and done with...the losing my virginity thing.” I swallowed down the bile threat-ening to spill and dropped my face into my hands. “But I regretted it the second it was over.”“What happened?” Mom pressed.“It was awful, Mom. I mean, sex wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be…it didn’t really hurt, but when I was naked with him he pointed out everything wrong with my body, and—”“Like what?” Mom asked, her voice had taken on a weird shrill quality about it.“My body?”“Yes.”“Um, I have a large butt, my thighs are a little thick and my breasts were bordering on porn sized.”“That little fucker.”“Mom!” I nearly choked, I was so surprised by my mother’s swearing. It’s not like she’d never sworn before, but I don’t know that I’d ever heard her use the F-word.“Well, he is. You’re beautiful, Cassidy. Inside and out, and if that little shit couldn’t see it, then good riddance.”“You’re supposed to say that, you’re my mom.”“I don’t have to say anything of the sort.”“Mom,” I groaned.“You didn’t sleep with him again did you?”“No, but not because of what he said. I didn’t know we weren’t being exclusive. Apparently, I was one in a line of many. I am just such an idiot.”“Honey, we all make mistakes, and it’s your time to make choices that push the limits. You can’t be so hard on yourself.”I burst into tears. “No, you don’t understand.”She gave me a gentle smile. “Tell me.”“I think I might be pregnant.”Mom gasped and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. “Oh, baby girl. Do you know for sure?”I shook my head. “No, but I haven’t gotten my period, and I’m sick all the time.”She stroked my hair. “When did you sleep with Pierre?”“Right after the showcase.”“Which is when you were finishing those antibiotics for your strep.”I nodded. “Is that important?”“They can make the pill useless.”I groaned. “But we used a condom.”“Which aren’t a hundred percent,” she said. “Look, let’s not panic just yet. I’m going to run to the store and grab a test and we can know for sure.”“Thanks, Mom.”She smiled and left me, returning thirty minutes later. “Go pee and we’ll see what it says.”I nodded and took the box from her, grateful we were alone at least for the moment. I did my thing, washed my hands and then met my mom back in my room. For a few minutes, I felt like this could all be a cruel joke, but then there were two lines and my world crashed down again. I flopped onto my bed. “How am I going to tell Carter? He’s going to hate me.”“I don’t think he’ll hate you, honey. I don’t think he’s going to be happy, but he won’t hate you.” She wiped away tears and shook her head. “Your dad on the other hand…”“Ohmigod, Mom, we can’t tell Dad.”“Well, how long were you expecting to keep it from him?” she challenged.“I can’t have Carter and Daddy hating me.”“Baby girl, neither of them will hate you. Daddy’s going to freak out, I won’t candy coat that, but he won’t hate you.”“I’m a total whore.”“Honey, you are not a whore.”“Why are you so calm?” My mom was taking this news way too well.My mom sighed. “Sometimes you do everything you’re supposed to do and shit just happens. Would I have wanted this for you? No. But it’s happening and now we need to decide where to go from here. This could have happened to me before I married your father, so I’m the last person to judge you, honey. You just got stuck with some consequences I didn’t.”“What does that mean?”“Well, I wasn’t always “safe” so to speak. I had a scare when I’d missed two pill days and had sex with my boyfriend at the time without condoms, so we’ve all been there, honey.” She patted my knee. “We’ll figure this out, Cass. It’s not going to be pretty, but we’ll figure it out.”“I can’t tell Carter, Mom. He’s only home for a week.”“Well, that’s up to you, honey. But we need to tell your dad…and then your sisters.”I knew she was right, but that didn’t mean I wanted to do it. In the end, we told my dad later that night and he said nothing. Not a word. Just stood and walked into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Mom followed and I was left to my thoughts, which turned me into a sobbing mess and kept me awake all night. If I lost the love of my father, I’d be destroyed.* * *“Cass?” Carter called, jogging up to me. He was shirtless and delicious, his matching nut and bolt chain hanging against his pecs. He had a new tattoo on his upper arm of the Air Force logo and it was hot. He was leaving again in two days and I was silently congratulating myself for keeping my secret. He would go back to base and I could deal with my predicament in seven months, give or take.“Hey,” I said. We were out at the pond, cooling off on a particularly hot June day. I was sitting under the shade of the canopy his parents’ had set up years ago, avoiding the sun.He flopped down beside me and grinned. “So, you gonna fill me in?”“On?” I asked.“Why you’ve been so quiet these past few days.”I faced him, grateful my sunglasses hid my panic. “Have I been?”“Cass, I know we haven’t seen each other in a year, but I still know you.”“Just missed you.”“I’ve missed you too,” he said, standing and holding his hand out to me. “Let’s go for a walk.”“Mysterious.” I took his hand and let him pull me up. “Where are we going?”We started toward the tree-line of our properties. “It’s a surprise.”I giggled. “I love surprises.”“I know.” He squeezed my hand. “I actually want to ask you something.”“Ask away.”“You know I love you—”“I love you too,” I said.“No, wait. Let me get this out.” He sighed. “Sorry. I’m fuckin’ this up.”“You’re doing fine.”“I love you, Cassidy. I have forever, and I want to know if you’ll marry me when I’m done with this next tour.”I felt the color drain from my face. “What?”He grinned as we arrived at the dead tree. “I have it on good authority Torbig the Troll will be available to do the honors when I get home…he told me himself…but I think maybe we should do the church thing.”“Wait. Carter.” I knew tears were escaping the safety of my sunglasses, but I couldn’t stop them.“Hey, babe, why are you crying?” he asked, cupping my cheeks.“I can’t…ohmigod, Carter…I can’t do this.” “Why not?”“Ohmigod.” I made an awkward attempt to walk away.Carter grabbed my arm and pulled me to face him. “Hey, what’s wrong? You can tell me.”I shook my head. “I can’t tell you this, Carter.”He gave me a gentle smile. “I love you, Cass. You can tell me.”“You’ll hate me.”“I could never hate you.”I flailed my hands at my sides in frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me before I left how you felt?”Carter frowned. “Because I wanted to wait until you were eighteen.”“No jailbait, got it.”“Whoa, that’s not what I mean.”“I know, Carter. Just ignore me.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I need to go.”“Fuck me, Cassidy. What the hell is going on?” he snapped.“I slept with someone. In France.”“O…kay,” he said slowly. “Are you still together?”I shook my head.“Well, then, what’s the problem?”I laid my hands over my belly. “I’m pregnant.”“What?” he whispered, chuckling as though he didn’t really hear what he heard.“I’m pregnant. I made a stupid mistake and now I will be paying for that mistake for the rest of my life.”Carter’s hands dropped to his sides and his face changed. I don’t think I will ever forget the expression, mostly because I’d never seen it before…not from him, anyway. It was one of pure unadulterated devastation…one of disappointment and sad-ness…and, yes, a little hatred.“I’m so sorry, Carter.” I turned and made a run for my house. That was the last day I saw him. The last day I talked to him. The last day I spoke his name. After giving birth to Maverick and realizing that if I didn’t get out of my tiny little farm town in Oregon, and away from the people who loved Carter Quinn, I would never escape him, so I moved. Not so far that I couldn’t drive to my parents’, but far enough that his name would never come up. I had a beautiful little boy to think about and he would never know that his mother’s heart had shattered irrevocably. He was my heart now and he was enough.

 Payton

I STOOD STARING at the copious amounts of wine choices in the downtown Portland Safeway store. My best friend Macey and I had been invited to a Dogs of Fire compound get together tonight by Danielle Carver who was a relatively new friend and married to one of the officers in the club. Funnily enough, she was a kindergarten teacher in the same school district I worked for. Different enough schools where we hadn’t run into each other, but we had quite a bit in common and I loved our occasional ‘solve the problems of the world’ conversations in regards to children.Her husband was not at all who you’d expect Dani to be married to, but when you met him, you also weren’t surprised. Austin ‘Booker’ Carver was gorgeous, sweet, and wholly devoted to his wife. She’d been kidnapped a few months ago, and he’d rained down hell on the people who did it and I liked that. Macey had a man like that and my sister-in-law had my brother, who was totally a man like that, so I figured there was hope for me somewhere in the world. If it started with meeting a few sexy bikers, I wasn’t going to complain.“Daddy!”I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of a little girl’s voice and thought nothing of it until she appeared at the end of the wine aisle, her blonde hair pulled into uneven pigtails and tears streaming down her face.“Daddy!” she called out, sobbing.I rushed to her immediately, dropping my basket and purse as I knelt in front of her. “Hi, sweetie. Did you lose your dad?”She nodded, her lower lip out in a cute but pathetic little pout. “What’s your daddy’s name?” I asked.“Daddy.”I forced myself not to giggle, because this little girl was unbelievably adorable, from her leather vest with pink flowers on it, right down to her little motorcycle boots. “Okay. What’s your name?”“Wiwy.”“Lily?” At her nod, I smiled. “That’s such a pretty name.”“Fank you.”“Okay, honey, let’s see if we can find your daddy.” I grabbed my purse, left the basket where it lay, and stood. Lily slipped her tiny little hand in mine like she’d known me forever, and we started to walk the aisles. It wasn’t long before I heard a deep voice calling her name, so we followed the sound. We turned down the coffee aisle and Lily tugged her hand out of mine and made a run for the best looking man I’d ever seen. Seriously. Ever. Tall and muscular with sandy blond hair and a handlebar moustache that rivaled Sam Elliott’s in pretty much every movie he’d ever made… except Roadhouse where he had more of a beard, but still the handlebar moustache is imprinted on those of us who love him, so you still saw that moustache even when it wasn’t really there. Yeah, he was sexy like that.“Daddy!”The man faced her and after a fleeting look of frustration and anger, his face melted into one of unconditional love as he bent down and scooped her into his arms. “Lily! I told you not to run off like that.”She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “I sowwy daddy.”Holy cow, this little girl knew how to work her cuteness. I was transfixed momentarily and turned to walk away when he caught my eye.“You found her?” he asked.I smiled. “She found me, actually.”“Yeah, she does that.” He gave his daughter a squeeze and then offered me a slow smile. “Thanks for helping her.”My heart raced and I was sure my panties were fighting to stay on as I nodded. “No problem. Okay, well, I should go.”“’Bye, babe,” he said, his voice low and sexy.“’Bye,” I squeaked, and continued to stand there.He chuckled and it brought me back to my body. “You got somewhere to be?” he asked.I didn’t answer. Just turned on my heel and made a rush for the wine aisle again, deciding I’d bring one to the party and buy another six to try to forget my inability to form a coherent sentence. Never… and I mean, never… had this happened to me. Not even when public speaking. I was a teacher and used to addressing crowds. People, no matter their age, didn’t scare me. I liked people. They fascinated me. It’s why I chose teaching. Impacting the lives of young people while watching them grow into useful members of society made me feel happy and fulfilled. It gave me purpose, and I believe it had given me a confidence no other job could have. I also had parents, not to mention siblings, who loved me. Nurtured me. Teased me mercilessly, but had my back and protected me always. Especially my brother, Brock.But in that moment, none of my training or love or confidence was of any use. In a matter of seconds, I’d turned into a blithering idiot because of a man. Gah! I couldn’t hate myself more if I’d stripped naked and offered myself to him in the middle of the store.Grabbing the wine, I hightailed it out of the store and into my car as fast as I could. I was comforted by the fact that since I didn’t live here, ergo didn’t typically shop at the Safeway in downtown Portland, it meant there was little to no chance of running into him again, and I was grateful for small mercies.Macey and I used to be roommates, but I moved out just before she married Dallas. Coincidentally, Dani and Booker lived in the same building, so we would all be going to the club together. I’d known Booker insomuch as we knew each other’s names and chatted while getting the mail, but until he’d met and married Dani, I’d never really had a conversation with him. All I knew was that he was the hot guy in 8C.After I’d moved out of the apartment, I moved back to Vancouver to live with my parents. It was supposed to be temporary, but I kind of liked coming home to my parents every night. Sometimes Mom even had dinner waiting. Sure as hell beat living in an apartment all by myself with no one but the walls to talk to, and as long as I followed the house rules (which were now pretty nonexistent now that I was an adult) and texted regularly so Mom knew I wasn’t dead on the side of the road kind of thing, it was an ideal situation. Especially since they charged me a ridiculously low amount of rent and I essentially had the basement to myself, provided I save. So I did. A lot. Who knew having no overhead meant I could save over a grand a month? Arriving at my old building, I used Macey’s code to the parking garage and slid into her extra space. Dallas was an FBI agent, along with my brother, and they were on an all-nighter, so we were going to the party and then I was going to stay at her place.Grabbing the wine, I rode the elevator to the lobby and checked in with the guard before being given clearance to head on up to my old place. One of the best things about the building is the safety… and the million dollar view of the water. Oh, how I missed that view.I had a key to the apartment but it was for emergencies, so I rang the doorbell and waited for Macey to answer. My phone buzzed and I glanced down to see a text from her. *Use your key* I rolled my eyes and dug my keys out and let myself in. “Hey,” I called.“Bedroom,” Macey called back.I locked up, set everything on the sofa, and headed to the master bedroom where I found Macey standing in front of the mirror wearing jeans and a bra and holding a shirt to her chest. “What do you think?”“What are you going for?” I asked.She turned to me and shrugged. “I’m married to a badass law man, so I’m taken and you better not mess with me or my man will fuck you up?”Macey could only be described as stunning. Long auburn hair, light blue eyes, and a body to die for, she was sweet and caring as well as beautiful. Her career as a nurse provided a flexible schedule for the most part, which is why she was able to join me tonight.I laughed. “I take it Dallas said something similar before he left?”Macey sighed. “Pretty much.”“I think you should wear your Jason Maxx T-shirt. Then no one will bug you.”She giggled. “Bikers don’t listen to country?”“I have no freakin’ clue, but I’d venture a guess if they did, they sure as hell wouldn’t listen to him.”“I don’t know why I’m even making an effort. I’m happy to stay home with wine and a movie.”“But I need my wingman tonight.” I grinned. “What did Dallas say on the subject?”“A lot,” she said. “But he likes Booker and I guess they had a conversation about making sure everyone knew I was off-limits.”“He didn’t!”“Ohmigod, he so did.” Macey opened a dresser drawer and pulled out her Jason Maxx T-shirt, pulling it over her head. “He also said something about me texting him every thirty minutes with an update of how I was.”“He’s ridiculous.”“Unbelievably,” she agreed with a grin. “Which is why—” Before she could finish her thought her phone pealed and she glanced at the screen. “Speak of the devil. Hi, baby.” She smiled at me. “Yep, she’s here. We’re meeting Dani in twenty minutes. Uh… yeah. Sure. Dallas, no. You’re an idiot. I love you, but you’re an idiot.” Macey gave me her ‘I might kill him’ look and took a deep breath. “Honey, I’ll be with Payton, Dani, and Booker. I’ll be fine. No. No, baby. Every thirty minutes is unrealistic. Well, then you text me every thirty minutes and let me know you’re okay, and I’ll respond,” she snapped. “Why yes you are kind of pissing me off, Mr. Stone.” She turned away from me, but not before I caught her blush. I left her to her conversation and headed to the kitchen. Opening the fridge I grabbed a pop and sipped, my thoughts turning to the hottie in the store. Silly, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t get him off my mind. “Sorry, Pay.” Macey dragged me from my thoughts as she strolled into the kitchen. I smiled. “No worries. All good with Dallas?”“Yes.” She giggled. “But he’s still ridiculous. I see you grabbed wine. Did you stop at Freddie’s?”I shook my head. “No, I went to Safeway down here.”“And?”“And what?”Macey grinned. “I feel like you’re holding back.”I sighed. “I just kind of met the hottest guy on the planet.”“Shut up.” She sat at one of the bar stools. “Tell me… details, missy. None of your vague, two-word answers.”“Don’t get too excited, Mase. He’s obviously married. His little girl got lost in the store and I helped her find him.” I groaned. “Why are all the good ones taken?”Macey wrinkled her nose. “Oooh, sorry, buddy. That sucks.”“Totally sucks.”“Well, maybe you’ll meet someone better tonight.”“I’m not sure skuzzy biker guy’s my thing, Mase. But maybe I can find someone to get a little freaky with.”“Ohmigod, Payton. Don’t say that out loud tonight!”I grinned. “Why can’t I just have fun once? One time, Mase.”She raised her hands in surrender. “Honey, if you want to make a quick change on who you are and have a one night stand, go for it. I will even hold you while you cry because you’re not a whore and your attempt to be one, just once, didn’t work out.”I let out a dramatic sigh. “I wish I had absolutely no morals whatsoever.”“Says the woman who made Brendon wait six months just to cop a feel.”She had me there. “Well, one day maybe I’ll find a guy that believes the same things I do, but I highly doubt it’ll be at a motorcycle club get-together.”Macey smiled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”The doorbell rang and Macey checked the peephole before pulling open the door to Dani who looked adorable in her classy biker look. She wore dark jeans, knee-high motorcycle boots and a tight T-shirt with a Harley and their logo across the bust.“Hey,” Macey said. “I thought we were meeting you.”Dani nodded and hugged her. “Austin got stuck at the club and I’m hoping I can grab a ride with you so he doesn’t have to drive all the way back to get me.”I grinned as Macey closed the door. “The more the merrier,” I said. “I’ll drive.”“Awesome. Thanks,” Dani said, and pulled out her phone. She sent a quick text and then slipped her phone back in her pocket.“We’re ready,” Macey said. “Should we go now or wait and be fashionably late?”Dani chuckled. “Now works. People arrive at all hours, but I’m pretty sure most of the crew is already there.”I grabbed my keys and purse and we headed down to the garage and, with the stereo blasting, made our way to the compound.
UNDER DANI’S DIRECTION, I pulled into the hidden entrance of Big Ernie’s Body Shop at the back, up to the sky high double gates, where she leaned out of the backseat window and entered a code into a keypad before the gates allowed us entry. “This is only the third or fourth time I’ve come this way,” Dani admitted.“Oh?” I asked. “How do you normally get in?”“The front, like normal people.” She giggled. “But Austin won’t let me go that way without him anymore. Says it’s safer to come this way for whatever reason.”“I can’t imagine many folks know this way even exists,” I said, and pulled into a parking lot filled with trucks and bikes.“Probably not. It’s only for the super secret members,” Dani said, and laughed again. “I’m just waiting to see if they have a handshake I’m going to have to learn.”“Maybe we should make our own up and make them learn it,” Macey retorted.“Chest bump included?” I asked.“And risk every man in the place getting a hard-on,” Dani said. “Probably want to skip the chest bump.”We dissolved into giggles as I parked my car and we piled out. Dani led us toward the large brick building, but before we reached it, the back door opened and Booker strolled out, reaching us and pulling Dani in for an intimate and passionate kiss. I had to look away or I was sure I’d combust… or need a few minutes alone with my battery operated boyfriend.“Hey baby,” he said.She chuckled. “Hey yourself. I take it you’ve been watching the monitors?”He raised an eyebrow. “That would border on stalking, baby. I would never do that.”“Hmm-mm, sure.” She grinned up at him. “Have you told everyone to be on their best behavior?”Booker smiled at me and Macey. “You ladies are safe in our presence. The bathroom has even been scrubbed by a particularly eager club who—”“Austin,” Dani warned.“Sorry,” he said. “Young woman.”I laughed. “Wow, the red carpet treatment. I like it.”“Come on in and get out of the cold.”Booker hung back so we could walk in ahead of him and I followed Dani and Macey inside. We walked through a professional kitchen that was well-equipped with the biggest appliances I’d ever seen… the fridge alone could probably hold enough food to feed a hundred people for a month. We dropped off the wine with a few of the women inside and, after quick introductions, Dani started the tour.We entered a large common room already packed with biker men and women. The space was filled with sofas, overstuffed chairs, a pool table, large flat-screen television, several smaller tables that children gathered around for board games, and three outdoor picnic tables, where people were already sitting down and eating.“Dani, Dani, Dani!” a little girl squealed and ran to Dani who scooped her up and gave her a hug. The little girl wrapped her arms around her neck and squeezed.I was momentarily stunned as I recognized the little girl, but it wasn’t until I saw the man walking towards us that my breath left my body. I blindly reached for Macey who was standing slightly behind me. “You okay, Pay?” She grasped my hand, even as I continued to stare at the man from the supermarket.The man’s slow smile as he reached us had me squeezing my legs together. “Hey.”He wore jeans that were obviously made for him, a long-sleeved black thermal shirt and a leather vest with several patches on it. He was delicious.I swallowed, nodded, and forced a smile. “Hi,” I squeaked.“You know Hawk?” Dani asked as she set Lily back on her feet.I shook my head. “Uh… no, not really.”“Lily found her in the store,” he explained as he continued to study me. “And she kindly found me.”Dani giggled. “You might want to consider a leash.”“A fuckin’ short one,” Hawk retorted.I held my hand out. “I’m Payton.”He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Hawk.”Lily patted my leg and I glanced down at her as I pulled my hand from Hawk’s.“You were in the stowa,” she said.I smiled and hunkered down in front of her. “I was at the store.”“You’re so pwetty.”I giggled. “Thank you, sweetie. So are you.”“Daddy thinks you pwetty too.”“Lily,” he said with a groan.I smiled. “I’m sure he thinks your mom is too.”She frowned. “I don’t have a mommy.”“Okay, trouble, it’s time you go play with your friends,” Hawk said, and picked her up, heading toward the kitchen.“For the record,” Dani said after he was out of earshot. “Hawk’s totally single. And his real name’s Alex James.”Alex. Sexy. It suited him. For whatever reason, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around ‘Hawk.’ Alex seemed more fitting somehow.“Babe,” Booker warned. “Don’t.”“You are not the boss of me, Austin Carver,” she said, and patted his cheek with her hand.“Fuck me,” he said.“Later,” she promised, and focused back on me. “You let me know if you want me to set anything up.”“Um, no,” I stressed. “No interference from anyone, thank you very much.”“Got it, babe?” Booker asked.“I got it, honey,” Dani said, and then smiled back at me. “But you let me know if you change your mind.”“I won’t.”She winked. “We’ll see.”I rolled my eyes. “I could do with some wine. Anyone else?” Macey squeezed my hand and I released my hold on her. “Sorry.”“I didn’t need that hand, hon. It’s all good.” She giggled and pulled me to a stop. “So that’s the guy?”I nodded.“He’s apparently single.”I nodded again.“And super, super hot.”I bit my lip and nodded. Macey grinned. “I’m all about Payton… remember that.”I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Thank you.”* * *HawkHawk settled Lily in the playroom and nodded to Ellie who was watching the kids along with another young club whore… he didn’t know her name. Didn’t really care to. All he knew was she was good with kids. He stepped out and almost ran into Booker. “What?”“She’s not a whore.”Hawk scowled. “I know she’s not a whore.”Booker crossed his arms. “Probably isn’t into your warped kind of sex either.”“Fuck off, Booker.”“Her brother’s FBI, her best friend’s husband is FBI.” He raised an eyebrow. “She’s protected.”“Fuck. Off.”Booker smirked. “Just so we’re clear.”Hawk scowled again. “Fuck you.”Booker nodded. “We’re clear.”He walked away and Hawk stood in the hallway for a few minutes in an effort to stamp down his irritation. The truth was Booker had picked up on something Hawk wasn’t ready to admit just yet. This woman… Payton… fuck, gorgeous name to go right along with the gorgeous woman… she was under his skin. Two encounters and the woman was already under his skin.Fuck!He dragged his hands through his hair and walked back toward the common room. As he passed through the kitchen, one of the newer hangers on, Laurel he believed, gave him an open smile. “Hey, Hawk.”“Hey, babe,” he said.“You wanna have a little fun?” she purred, laying her hand on his arm.Hawk forced his irritation down again. For the first time in years, he wasn’t interested in a little fun. At least, in a little fun with anyone but Payton. Fuck!He smiled and pulled his arm away. “Not tonight, babe, yeah?”Laurel appeared crestfallen. “You let me know if you change your mind.”He nodded and joined the rest of the group.* * *I stood with Macey, Dani, and a couple of other women, and surreptitiously watched Alex out of the corner of my eye. Good lord, the man was pretty… and popular. A particularly skanky woman was draped all over him and it was all I could do not to punch her in the throat. I bit my lip. What the hell was wrong with me? I didn’t know this man. Didn’t have any rights to him.“Pay?” Macey squeezed my arm. “You okay?”“Hmm?”“You okay?”“Oh… ah, yep.” I nodded. “I’m good.”She studied me before giving me her ‘we’ll talk later’ look. I formed what I hoped was a sincere smile and focused back on the conversation at hand. I couldn’t focus for long, as Alex walked toward us, his face impassive, but his eyes alit with something I couldn’t pinpoint. But it was sexy as hell, possessive beyond comprehension, and I felt it all the way through me.I licked my lips and Alex gave me a slow smile. Damn it! I must look away. I must look away.I didn’t look away.As he walked past us, he gently took my arm and, like a rat to the Pied Piper, I followed him. Macey watched us leave, but thankfully, she didn’t object.Alex led me outside, his hand still grasping my arm, before pushing me up against the brick of the building and covering my mouth with his. I was so unprepared for the gentleness of the assault, I dropped my wine in an effort to grab his waist to stay upright.As his tongue slipped inside my mouth, I sighed, leaning against his hand on my cheek. God the man could kiss!His other hand was at my waist and holding me against him, but when it slid up to my breast, it brought me to my senses and I pushed against his chest and broke the kiss. “Alex. Don’t.”“Fuck me,” he whispered, and dropped his forehead to mine. “I thought this would work.”“What?”“Kissing you.”I frowned. “I don’t understand.”“I know,” he said, his arm wrapping around my back. “I thought I’d get you out of my head, but I just want more.” He kissed me again, but this time I was prepared and forced my mouth away from his. “We can’t do this.”“Why the fuck not?” he challenged, his face inches from mine.“Um, gee, I don’t know. Maybe because we don’t know each other.”“Babe, you’re fuckin’ hot and I know you think I am, so what the hell’s stopping you?”I took a deep breath and fought back a few choice swear words. “Please let me go.”“What the fuck?”I shoved at his chest again. “You heard me. I’d like to go back inside.”“Babe, don’t play hard to get.”I gasped. “Oh my god, Alex, I’m not playing hard to get. I really am hard to get. Let me go!”He released me immediately and stepped back. I turned to go, but he caught my arm again. “This isn’t over Payton.”“I beg to differ.”He chuckled. “You call me Alex, you kiss me like that, and you look the way you do? Babe, I’m puttin’ you on notice. This isn’t fuckin’ over.”I couldn’t stop the shiver that ran up my spine, but I squared my shoulders and pulled away from his touch. “And I’m putting you on notice, Alex James. I’m not some whore that will melt at the sight of your pretty face, or the sound of your sexy voice. I own my own mind and I don’t fold easily. I’m also unlisted and I know for a fact, there isn’t anyone in that room currently who either knows where I live, or would tell you. So good luck with your pursuits, sir, but you’re going to get nowhere pretty damn fast.”He laughed.Laughed!“Fuck me, you’re hot,” he said, and pushed me against the wall again.“What are you doing now?” I demanded, and yet, I went with it. I couldn’t seem to help myself. I wanted him to possess me… so much for having my own mind.He grinned. “I need to explain somethin’ to you, baby. You challenging me only makes me want you more—”“Well, I have no intention of not challenging you, so it looks like we might be at an impasse.”“Shit, an impasse.” His grin widened. “That’s just gonna make this all the more fun.”I blinked. “I’m afraid you’re going to be stuck playing with yourself on this one.”He cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing along my jaw. “Gorgeous and funny. Baby, you’re just puttin’ the nail in your own coffin.”“Lovely,” I retorted. “You’re planning on burying me?”“The only thing I plan to bury is me inside you, so wrap your mind around that, Payton. You need a day to come to terms with that fact, then, I’ll give you the day. But I always get what I want.”“As romantic and appealing as that sounds, handsome, you’re barking up the wrong tree. But you feel free to fantasize all you want. Day after tomorrow when you still can’t find me, you’ll figure it out.”Alex lifted my chin, his smile softening from leering to sweet and sexy. Well, crap!“When I find you tomorrow, baby, you and I are going to have a very intense conversation before I share those fantasies with you. And as far as hard to get, I’ll be hard when I get you, but you’ll enjoy every minute of it.” He leaned down and kissed me again. And I let him. There was no way he’d find me tomorrow so I might as well enjoy the hell out of this kiss. I’d kissed a lot of men in my time, and by far, this was the best. After a few seconds, I smiled against his lips and patted his chest. “You can kiss, Alex, I’ll give you that. Hope that holds you over for a while.”“I think I can wait until tomorrow.”I chuckled and smiled up at him. “You won’t find me, bub. You can’t.”“Challenge accepted, beautiful.” He leaned down to kiss me again, but this time, I stopped him. “I’m going back inside.”Alex let me go and I walked back to the group. Macey and Dani were in the middle of heated debate about our favorite zombie show, while Booker watched with amusement at the varying opinions.“Back me up, Pay,” Macey demanded. “Daryl?”“Sexy as hell,” I said.“Ew! No way,” Dani said. “He’s so… I don’t know… just, no.”“What season are you on?” I asked.“Just finished the first.”I giggled. “Wait it out, Dani. You’ll see.”“I think we’ll stop where we are,” Booker said. Dani wrapped her arms around her husband’s waist. “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll never find anyone sexier than you.”He slipped his hand to the back of her neck and kissed her temple, but didn’t comment. From the size of her grin, I figured they’d shared something secret.“Um, can I confirm something with you?” I asked.“Of course.” Dani frowned. “Everything okay?”“You wouldn’t give my information to anyone, would you? Like my number or address?”“No,” Booker said. “Didn’t matter who asked. You don’t want your info out, we won’t give it out.”I nodded. “Thanks.”“You got a problem with someone I need to take care of?”“No. Thank you,” I rushed to say. “If you don’t share my information with anyone, there’ll be nothing to take care of.”Booker looked at something over my head and I turned to see Alex watching us. I turned back toward Booker and forced myself not to smile in triumph.“What have you done, missy?” Macey whispered.“I haven’t done anything,” I whispered back. “That’s the point.”She giggled. “Can’t wait to hear the story.”“I’ll share everything on the way home.”“Deal.” Macey raised an eyebrow. “Where’s your wine?”“Hmm. Must have lost it somewhere.” I grinned.“Well, let’s get you some more.”“Lead the way,” I said, and Macey grinned and headed to the kitchen.* * *“Oh my god, Pay. He said all of that?” Macey asked as I drove home. We’d slipped out when Alex had put Lily to bed. The last thing I wanted him to see was which car I drove. He could trace me through my license plate if he had that ability.“Yep.” I nodded. “Weird, right?”“Um, no, not weird necessarily.”“What?” I glanced at her when we stopped at a red light. “You’re not thinking this is romantic are you?”She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. As long as he doesn’t cross the line between romance and creepy stalker dude, then yeah, it’s kind of romantic.”“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”Macey laughed. “Dallas has reformed me.”“Remind me to hug him… or hit him next time I see him.”“You got it,” she said. “So what are you going to do?”“Nothing.” I drove through the green light and headed to Macey’s. “I don’t have to do anything, right? He can’t find me, so I’ll just see him if I go to another party, which I won’t for a while, by the way. So, it’s all good.”Macey giggled. “Okay, honey.”“What?”“Nothing,” she said, overly sweet and innocent like. “I’m just going to sit back and watch the show.”“I hate you so much right now.”“I know. And let me tell you, I’m loving that.”“Suck it, Mase.”“I plan to… when Dallas gets home.”“Ew! Mase! Ew, ew, ew.”She laughed and I pulled into the parking garage and into her extra space. I watched her as she continued to giggle, but she followed when I got out of the car, so I waited out her mirth which finally stopped once we’d walked into her apartment and poured wine.The rest of the night was gratefully not on the subject of Alex ‘Hawk’ James.

Danielle

I STARED DOWN at my dashboard console and willed the check engine light to stop the infernal red glow. How I got where I was, I had no freaking clue, which meant I had no freaking clue how to find the freeway entrance to get home. “You are an idiot, Dani,” I whispered out loud.As if on a mission from the devil, my nineteen ninety-nine Honda shuddered, then back-fired, slowing to a crawl as I inched forward down a non-descript side street. Why Portland didn’t have better signage was beyond me.I jumped as my cell phone pealed in the silence of the car. Without looking at the screen, because really, I was trying not to end up dead in some obscure place I’d never been before, I flipped it open. “Hello,” I whispered.“Why are we whispering?” Kim whispered back. My best friend of more than ten years giggled in the background.I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “I’m kind of lost and my stupid car won’t go over nineteen miles an hour.”“So, no different than any other day,” she quipped. “How did the date go?”“Sucked.”“How bad?” she asked.“Getting my eyeballs plucked out by crows while my fingernails were ripped off one-by-one would have been much more enjoyable kind of bad.”“Ew, sorry honey.” Kim still managed to giggle again. “Did you have dinner?”“No. I endured one drink and an appetizer and then faked a phone call. Seriously, Kimmie, the guy was a douche.”“So, online dating’s not for you.”“Dating, period is not for me.”Kim chuckled. “Where are you?”“I have no freaking clue,” I admitted. “Somewhere in Arbor Lodge I think.”“Holy crap, girl, you don’t want to be lost there when it’s almost dark.”“Thanks for stating the obvious.” I leaned forward to get a better view out of the windshield. “It’s totally deserted and I can’t find a street sign to save my life.”“What’s around you?”“Nothing.” I squinted trying to make out the light in front of me. The area was heavily commercial, so I wasn’t sure what business would be open past eight on a Wednesday night. “I think I see something. Crap. My contacts are killing me.”“Pull over and take them out, silly. You have your glasses, right?”“Yeah, but I don’t want to stop, Kimmie… what if I can’t get started again.”“What if you can’t see what you’re about to hit?”“Stop being so logical.”Kim sighed. “Please, Dani, be safe. Pull over, put on your glasses, and call your brother.”“Fine. I’m pulling over. Hold please.” Guiding my car to the curb, I put it in park. “Okay. I’m gonna hang up and call Elliot.”“Good. Call me when—”The phone went dead.“Crap.” I took a second to pull out my contacts and slide on my glasses before I glanced in my side mirror and put the car in drive again. “Okay, old lady, please get me somewhere I can find a phone.” I inched out into the street again and rolled about three hundred feet before my car let out a sputter and a hiss and the engine died. “Okay. Okay. It’s okay,” I chanted. “We’ve been here before, girl. You can do it.” I cranked the engine and although it turned over, I couldn’t get it to fully engage. I tried again, got it started, but had barely pulled further to the side of the road when it died again. “No, no, no, no!” I cranked the engine again, but still no luck, so I put it in park again.Grabbing my purse off the floor, I rummaged around for my phone charger, finding it and plugging it into the lighter, hoping for enough juice to call my brother. I pushed every button on my Nokia in an effort to power it up again, but it had been losing its charge quicker and quicker over the past few weeks and it was now officially dead. “Damn it!”I dropped my head to the steering wheel and took a minute to feel sorry for myself as I imagined the six-o’clock news headline, “Young woman murdered after car breaks down in sketchy area of Portland. It’s surprising since she comes from law-enforcement royalty. Another statistic? It certainly looks that way.”I’m not entirely sure how long I sat in my dead car and imagined my murder and death before a knock at my window had me squeaking in fright. I glanced out to see an extraordinarily gorgeous man leaning down with a sexy smile on his face. Tall with dark hair and a face that could only be described as beautiful, even with a day’s stubble, he looked quite a bit like Kevin Zegers, blue eyes and all. He wore a pair of faded jeans that looked like they were made for him, a white thermal, tight-fitting shirt that showcased his muscular chest a bit too well, causing my heart to race and my breathing to catch. A black leather jacket that cemented his sexy as hell look completed the ensemble. I cranked my window part of the way down… he couldn’t kill me if he could only get his fingers inside, right? “You lost, darlin’?”His voice washed over me and I squirmed in my seat as I tried not to sigh at the slight southern twang. “Um, yeah. A little.”“Not a great part of town for a pretty girl to get lost in.” He straightened, crossing his arms. “You got someone comin’ for you?”I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. “Both my car and my phone are dead. So, that would be a big fat no.”“Alright. Why don’t you come with me?”“No, that’s okay.”He smiled again. “Sweetheart, my club’s yard is right down the block. I’ll get some of my brothers to push your car into the lot where it’ll be safe and we can fix it for you tomorrow. In the meantime, you can get out of the cold and either make a phone call or I’ll take you home.”I bit my lip and pondered my options. The definite probability of dying of starvation and exposure before morning, or the potential of being murdered by the best looking man I’d ever seen were pretty much all I could come up with.“No one will hurt you, if that’s what concerns you,” he promised.“I wish that made me feel better,” I admitted. “I mean, I wonder how many women have gone off with some tall, gorgeous man because he said he wouldn’t hurt them, only to be murdered? Super murdered. We’d never know, right? ’Cause they’re dead.”His mouth quivered for a second before he burst out in laughter. “You’ve got a point, darlin’, but if you’re with me, no one’ll touch you.”“Including you?”He sobered, but his eyes were still alit with humor. “If that’s what you want.”I rolled the window back up and gathered my purse and keys. I had a feeling I’d regret this sudden trust I was feeling toward him, but I didn’t really have much of a choice other than to let him help me, so I unlocked my door and climbed out of the car.He held it for me and slammed it closed once I was on the sidewalk. I’d locked it before he closed it, not that it mattered… no one would steal a piece of crap car like mine and I kept nothing of value in it.The wind had picked up since I left the restaurant, and I pulled my coat further around me as we walked down the street. “I’m Danielle, by the way. Um, Dani, actually.”“Booker.”“Nice to meet you, Mr. Booker.”“Just Booker.”“You mentioned your club’s yard.” I frowned. “What kind of yard?”“This location’s our wreck ’n tow yard. Got other businesses in other locations,” he said vaguely. “Anything with an engine, we can tow, fix or build.”I nodded. “And you said ‘club.’ I’m assuming it’s not a sewing club.”Booker smiled. “Motorcycle club.”I stopped. It took him a minute to realize I was no longer beside him, which gave me a partial view of the back of his jacket. Dogs of something. Dogs of Wonder? No, that wouldn’t be right… a badass motorcycle guy wouldn’t have Dogs of Wonder on the back of his jacket.Well, crap!He walked back toward me. “You okay?”“Motorcycle club?” I asked.He nodded.“Like Hell’s Angels?”Booker smirked. “In theory.”I glanced up at him. “I should really go.”“Go where, darlin’? There’s nothing around here for over a mile in any direction.”“Clarify something for me. Are you a club because you have really nice bikes and like to hang out and drink beer on occasion, or are you like outlaws or something?”“Since that’s club business, it’s none of yours.”“Right.” I couldn’t seem to stop swallowing convulsively. “Just point me in the direction of the closest place I can make a phone call and I’ll get out of your hair.”“About twenty-five yards in front of you.”“You don’t understand,” I whispered. “I can’t go in there.”“Why the hell not?”“Maybe because my dad’s the freakin’ chief of police,” I snapped, before realizing I’d just spouted off something that could get me killed or kidnapped in a heartbeat, depending on whose hands that information was in.“You’re shittin’ me.”I shook my head. “I wish I was.”“Well, fuck me.”“No thank you,” I quipped. Retorts were my specialty, especially when I was nervous.He cocked his head. “You wouldn’t be disappointed, babe.”I pressed my lips into a thin line, willing my mouth to stay shut.Booker chuckled. “The shop’s clean, sweetheart. Totally legit, although, probably better I take you home than you have your daddy pick you up.”“It would be my brother, actually… or Kimmie. Kim’s my best friend. Not that you care who my best friend is.” I took a deep breath, rambling was not a good option right now.He smiled again. God, he had a nice smile. Of course, it was the panty-dropping kind, but for now, I wouldn’t react…my undies must stay firmly in place. “There’s only six of us here right now, so we’ll get your car into the lot, get your info, and I’ll take you home.”“I should call my brother.”“Then we’ll get your car into the lot and you can call your brother.”I nodded and let him lead me through a large parking lot surrounded by eight-foot high fencing complete with barbed-wire on the top. I followed him into the warmth of a sparse but clean waiting area. It looked like the waiting room in my local oil change place, which for whatever reason surprised me. I’m not sure what I was expecting. Maybe centerfolds from Playboy circa 1984 plastered on the walls?“Phone’s on the counter,” Booker said. “Dial nine for an outside line.”I nodded and picked up the phone, dialing as he pulled open a door and yelled, “Mack! Need you in the front.”“Hello?” Kim answered, sounding confused.“Kimmie, hey it’s me.”“Ohmigod, Dani!” Kimmie exclaimed. I could hear the sounds of the restaurant she worked at in the background. “I was worried sick. I take it your cell phone died again?”“Yeah.” I glanced to my right and could see Booker talking with someone across the room out of earshot. “It’s officially dead, dead.”“Where are you calling me from?” she asked.“Um, some wrecking place I managed to break down in front of.”“Of course you did,” Kimmie said with a chuckle. “Did you call Ell?”“Um, I can’t.”“How come?”“The shop is owned by a motorcycle club,” I whispered, and glanced at the door again to make sure Booker wasn’t listening.“So?” she whispered back.“Hello, I’ve seen that Sam crow show… they’re not entirely above board.”Kim burst out laughing, the tell-tale snort indicating she was unable to control her mirth.“Kimmie,” I hiss. “Ohmigod, Dani, you are precious. Truly,” she said, and laughed again.“Oh, shut up,” I snapped. “You know if I call Elliot, he’ll get all—”“Dani? Keys, babe,” Booker demanded.I jumped a little because I hadn’t seen him walk back over to me. “Um, hold on a sec,” I said to Kim, and rummaged in my purse for my keys. Winding the car key from the rest of my keys, I handed it to him and he nodded then left me again. “Okay, I’m back.”“Who was that?” Kim asked.“One of the men who works here.”“Um, he knew your name and he called you babe. I’m thinking you’re being purposely obtuse.”“His name’s Booker,” I said. “He sounds delicious.”“Meh,” I lied.“Call Elliot, Dani. Or I can come get you when I get off in an hour.”“No,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll call Ell.”“Good. Borrow his phone and call me when you get home, okay? I’ve gotta grab my orders.”“I will.” I was midway through dialing my brother when Booker returned, so I hung up and forced a smile. “You call your friend or brother or whoever?” he asked.“Kim. Yes. She’s still at work. I was just about to call my brother.”“Why don’t you do that and then you can give me some information while we wait for him.”I nodded and picked up the phone again. I got his voicemail. “Hey Ell, it’s me. I broke down in Portland and was wondering if you could come get me. I’m at… ,” I glanced up at Booker for assistance, and he handed me a card. I rattled off the address and phone number of Big Ernie’s Wreck ’n Tow, and then hung up again. “Voicemail.”“Picked up on that, babe,” he said.My cheeks heated. “Right.”Booker stepped behind the counter and handed me a piece of paper with Big Ernie’s logo on it. “Write down your address and phone number and I’ll call you when we know what’s wrong with your car.”“Are you planning to wreck it?”He smiled and shook his head. “We’ll tow it over to the auto repair shop and fix it there.”“One of the other businesses, I presume?”“Yeah.”I nodded. “I won’t be able to answer, but you can leave a message and I’ll call you with a good number.”He nodded and I scribbled down my information. I couldn’t imagine what the repairs on my car would be, but as a kindergarten teacher, I could pretty much guarantee they’d be out of my budget. I jumped again when the phone rang… I was seriously wound up with nerves that only a bottle of merlot was going to come close to calming.“Big Ernie’s,” Booker said, and then smiled at me. “Yeah, she’s here.”He handed me the phone. “Hello?” I said.“How the hell did you end up at a scrap yard in Arbor Lodge?” Elliot demanded.I watched distractedly as Booker and three other men walked outside and toward where I left my car.“No clue,” I admitted. “I was in the Pearl and thought I was going toward Vancouver, but I guess not.”“For someone so smart, your sense of direction is pathetic.”“Yes, I’m well aware,” I grumbled. “Where’s your phone?” he asked.“Dead.” I sighed. “Like as in dead, dead.”“I’m buying you a new one.”“You don’t need to do that,” I argued… for the umpteenth time.“I know, sis, but your stubbornness is starting to mess with my schedule,” he said. I smiled. I loved my brother, even when he was annoying. “Starting to?”He chuckled. “I’m in the middle of something; can you hang out for a while?”“No, it’s fine. I’ll grab a cab.”“Which will cost you the same as a phone,” he said.“Point taken big brother. I greatly thank you for your astute observation.”“Grab a cab to the station and I’ll drive you home from there.”“No, it’s fine. I’ll head home.”“Dani,” he said with a sigh.“Elliot,” I mimicked, and smiled. “Seriously. It’s all good. I promised I’d call you and I called you. I might work with five-year-olds, but I’m not one, so don’t worry.”“Oh, you’re funny. Are you sure you’re okay?”“Yes, I’m fine. Swing by later if you want. I’m just going home. I have to be at work early tomorrow, so it’ll be an early night for me.”“How about I grab you a burner and then I’ll order you a decent phone later.”“Thanks, Ell. I’ll pay you back,” I said.“We can argue about that later. I have to go.”“Okay, ’bye.” I hung up and slipped behind the desk in search for a phonebook.



“YOU NEED SOMETHIN’ darlin’?”I jumped (again) and turned to find myself practically chin to navel with the very large man Booker had been speaking to earlier. I looked up and grimaced. He was blond with deep blue eyes and a full beard that begged to be touched. I refrained. Instead, I tried for friendly. “Hi. I’m Dani.”“Hi, Dani,” he said, and smiled.“Hi,” I repeated, stepping back for space, but only managing to run into the lip of the desk. I refused to wince in his presence, but I did bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood.“You said that.”“Um, yeah. I did. Great observation skills.” Ohmigod, he is not a five-year-old. Get it together, Dani. “Um, sorry if I wasn’t supposed to be back here, I was looking for a phonebook.”“You’re looking for a phonebook,” he said, and stepped closer to me.I mean, really. Where the hell was I going to go? He’d just boxed me into a corner. I took a deep breath. “Yes. A phonebook. Do you have one? I need to call a cab.”“You need to call a cab.”I let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, I need to call a cab. My brother can’t pick me up. He’s still at the station.” Why did I feel the need to offer so much information?“Station?” Mack frowned. “As in police station?”Crap!I bit my lip. “Will you please let me by? You’re making me nervous and all I want to do is to call someone to pick me up and take me home.”“I’ll take you home,” Booker said as he walked back inside, a scowl on his face directed at “big biker man” in front of me. “And get the fuck away from her, Mack. You can see she’s freaked.”“Did she tell you her brother’s a cop?” Mack demanded.“Detective, actually,” I corrected and then dropped my head. I needed to shut the hell up.“Move the hell away from her,” Booker repeated. I took a minute to look at him and his expression was a little scary. He gave his friend a look like he would kill him if he didn’t do as he said. Instead of making me nervous, it made me feel protected. Another clear indication here was something inherently wrong with me.Mack grinned, raising his hands in surrender as he stepped away from me. I skittered around the desk and back out in the open, keeping my purse in front of me… for what I’m not sure. I just felt a little protected somehow.“Come on. I’ll take you home,” Booker said.“No, it’s okay. If you can just call me a cab, it’ll be fine.”Booker shook his head. “We’re closed, darlin’, and it’ll take a while for a taxi, so let me just take you home.”I swallowed.“What?” he asked.I glanced at Mack and then back at Booker. “I’m… um… aren’t bikes really dangerous?”Booker seemed to share another secret look with Mack before they both burst out laughing.I pulled my purse closer. “Well, if you’re going to stand there and laugh at me, then I definitely want to call a cab.”Apparently, I’m freaking hilarious when I’m scared out of my ever-blessed mind, because Mack laughed harder. “I’ve got my truck,” Booker said, once he’d sobered. “With or without a tarp in the back?”Booker frowned. “What?”“Nothing. Never mind.” I figured if he was going to murder me there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot I could do about it at this point. “Yes, a ride home would be much appreciated.”Booker nodded and waved his hand toward the roll-up door. “Nice to meet you,” I said to Mack and headed outside.“You too, babe,” Mack said to my back.Booker led me to his Ford F-150, and I turned to face him. “Can I borrow your phone please?”“What?”“Your phone. May I borrow it for a second?”He reached into his pocket and handed it to me. “Knock yourself out.”I stepped in front of the truck and took a photo of it, along with the license plate, texting the photos to Kim so she’d know who was driving me home and when I was leaving. At least if he did murder me, they’d be able to track down my killer.“Thanks,” I said, and handed the phone back to him.He smiled his sexy smile again and pulled open my door. I wasn’t expecting his gallantry as he waited for me to climb inside, but I covered my surprise. I didn’t realize badass biker men did that kind of thing. Booker climbed in beside me and started the engine while I buckled up. He didn’t say anything as he guided the truck away from Arbor Lodge and I took a moment to take in his ride. It was new with all the bells and whistles, so to speak. Leather seats, wood inlay, and a kick-ass stereo system… at least it looked like a kick-ass stereo system. It was currently off.About ten minutes passed and I had about all the silence I could handle. “Your real name’s not Booker, is it?” He glanced at me and shook his head before focusing on the road again. “Are you going to tell me your real name?”“Austin Carver.”“Oh,” I said, unable to hide my surprise.He smiled. “Not what you were expecting?”“Not really, no. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice name. Sweet sounding, but I guess I expected you be to Maverick or something like that.”“Maverick?”“What’s wrong with Maverick?”“Only a pussy would ever go by Maverick.”“What if that’s the name his parents gave him?” I challenged.“Then, if he weren’t a pussy, he’d change it.”I bit back a smile. “I won’t tell Maverick’s mom you said that.”“You know a Maverick?” he asked.I nodded. “He’s one of my kids. I teach kindergarten.”“Fuck me. Of course you do,” he grumbled, and pulled onto the freeway.I gathered my purse close to me again. For some reason, the fact he didn’t seem to like my choice of employment bothered me. It shouldn’t. He didn’t know me and he was probably a criminal for Pete’s sake, but I was the one who felt embarrassed. “What’s your group’s name?” I soldiered on, my inability to stay silent when I was nervous working against me.“My group?” He raised an eyebrow.“Your club. Whatever.”He studied the road again. “Dogs of Fire.”“Why did you pick that?” I asked.“I didn’t.”“Why did your group… I mean, club, pick that?”“Don’t know.”“You don’t know why they picked it?” I studied his profile and saw his jaw lock. “Sorry, not my business.”He neither agreed nor disagreed.“Do you need my address?” I was unbelievably desperate for conversation, apparently.“I have it.”“Right,” I mumbled. Of course he did. I’d written it down for him. I studied him again. God, he was beautiful. I licked my lips and focused back on the road. “So, do you work at Big Ernie’s?”“Sometimes.”“So, it’s not your regular job?”“No.”“You’re obviously not a mechanic,” I mused.“Why do you say that?”“You’re too clean,” I blurted out. “I mean, your hands aren’t caked with black oil and stuff. Sorry. Never mind. It’s none of my business.”He chuckled.“What’s so funny?” I demanded.“You don’t like silence, do you?”“I like silence… just not when I’m nervous. Crap. Never mind. Ignore me.”“Babe, I’ve been trying to ignore you since the second I saw your piece of shit car crawling down my street,” he said. I gasped, my irritation rising to dance with my nerves. “Well, you didn’t need to come and rescue me. I didn’t ask you to.” He chuckled again and I blinked back tears, feeling both angry and insecure at the same time. “I’m sorry if my talking bugged you. I was just trying to be friendly,” I continued, because, seriously, I was obviously a glutton for punishment. “It’s what nice people do when other people help them. They ask them about their life and find common ground in an effort to make conversation.”“Is that what they do?” he asked.“Typically, yes,” I whispered, and turned toward the window.I managed to keep my thoughts to myself as we drove into Hazel Dell and down the private driveway into my apartment complex. Not the greatest part of town, but also not the worst. It was what I could afford and it worked for now. “This is me,” I said, pointing to the stairway that led to my second floor unit.“I’ll walk you up.”“You don’t need to do that.”“I know,” he said, and climbed out of the truck. Gathering my purse, I pulled my jacket closer around me and pushed open the door. Booker stood on the other side and, again, waited for me before closing the door and walking me upstairs. I unlocked my apartment door and pushed it open, flipping the light on before stepping inside.“Thank you for everything,” I said. “I’ll call you tomorrow or Friday about your car.”Crap, right. I was going to have to pay for my stupid car to be fixed. “Yes. Um, I forgot to ask. Do you take credit cards?”He frowned, but then nodded his head. “Yeah, babe, we take credit cards.”I relaxed. “Okay, good. Thank you. Well, it was nice to meet you, Austin. Thanks again for everything.”He gave me a chin lift in response and turned and sauntered down the stairs. I know for a fact he sauntered, because I leaned out my front door and watched him leave. His long, muscular legs and perfect butt made me sigh, and I realized he probably heard me, so I ducked back inside and closed and locked my door, leaning against it to catch my breath.
* * *Booker
Booker was fucked. Royally fucked. The second he saw the pretty little blonde trying to force her car down the street, he’d known he’d help her. Couldn’t really stop himself. She was gorgeous. Petite, curvy, big tits, nice ass, and she smelled incredible, but it was the glasses that sent him over the edge. He could envision her in thigh-highs, pearls, and those glasses while she straddled and rode him.When he’d coaxed her out of her car and she’d started talking, her obvious sense of humor showing even though she was terrified, he’d watched in fascination as every emotion she was feeling showed on her face in real time. He couldn’t remember ever meeting a woman more beautiful… and fucking innocent. Kindergarten teacher and daughter of the chief of police. Shit.He dialed Mack’s number and then started his truck.“Yo.”“You got the car over to Ducky’s?”“Yeah,” Mack said. “It’s fucked up. Might need to rebuild the engine.”“Fuck.” Booker headed onto the freeway. “I’ll be there in twenty.”He hung up and stared out at the road in front of him trying to figure out how the hell he was gonna get out of this, and whether or not he really wanted to.


This has been a sneak peek of Road to Desire, Dogs of Fire Book #1
Road to Desire will be released on November 17, 2014, and is available for pre-order at the following places:
AmazoniTunesKoboSmashwords
Watch for it at Barnes & Noble the week of November 17th!