by Chiah Wilder
The coppery taste of blood flooded her mouth.
“You fucking asshole! I’m not responsible for what happened to your dad—he is.” Another punch to the side of her face made her teeth clack and her head rattle.
Ashley scratched at him, tried to throw punches, but she was no match for his strength. She cried out, screaming as loud as she could until he clamped his hand over her mouth. Grabbing her hair at the temples, he slammed her face into his knee, knocking her back and onto the floor as he let her go. Lying there, helpless, he began kicking her, and all she could do was curl up and cry out in pain with each blow. Feeling like she was blacking out, she was vaguely aware that he ran into the kitchen. She heard drawers opening and closing, and rummaging through the utensil drawer. Terror seized her as she realized he was looking for a knife to kill her.
I can’t die. I won’t die.
“You living life like nothing happened has been festering inside me for too long. You’re on trial, and I’m judge and jury. I find you guilty.” Laughing, he slammed a drawer shut. “Your sentence is death. The Grim Reaper is coming to get you, bitch. Don’t say I—”
A deep grunt, a gurgle … staggering footsteps, followed by a loud crash, reverberated through the room. Something clattering across the kitchen floor. Gripping the edge of the coffee table, pain flared through every inch of Ashley’s body as she struggled to stand up. Sweeping her hair away from her battered face as best she could, she looked toward the kitchen.
At first, it didn’t register what had happened, but after the shock of seeing Tanner’s lifeless body on the floor, lying in a pool of blood, and Mark Ames standing over him, it was too much to take in. The tears she’d been holding in streamed down her face.
Mark looked up. “I had no choice, Ms. Callahan. He was going to kill you.”
Ashley shifted her gaze to one of her large butcher knives. Her stomach lurched, and she thought she was going to be sick. Trying to take a deep breath, she dropped into the chair behind her.
“I heard you screaming, and then I heard him yelling. I knew something wasn’t right.”
Pressing her hands against her belly, she asked, “How did you get in?”
“Zach sent me the code to the garage door yesterday. He wanted me and Gage to replace the motor. He said you’d complained it was acting up.” He looked back down at Tanner. “I’m glad I showed up when I did.”
“Me too. I’m sorry for calling the police on you.” She tipped her head toward Tanner. “He was harassing and stalking me, but I didn’t know who it was.”
Mark held up his hand. “I understand. No explanation is needed. You don’t look so good. I better call an ambulance.”
Ashley started to protest, but a throbbing head, a cold sweat breaking out all over her body, and the overwhelming nausea stopped her. She kept drawing in deep breaths to steady herself, while images from her attack assaulted her mind. I can’t believe Jared was Tanner. I wonder if he followed me up here. He dyed his hair, and did something with his eyebrows.
“The ambulance is on its way, and so are the police,” Mark told her.
“Thank you.” And the guy I thought was the craziest turned out to be my savior. Who would’ve thought it?
“Gage and I will take care of things here. Don’t worry about anything but getting better.”
She smiled at him—or she thought she did—and closed her eyes, hoping that when she woke up, this would all have been a horrible nightmare.
Ashley woke up to feathery kisses across her temple. The scent of leather, fresh air, and sunshine wrapped around her. Smokey! She tried to open her heavy lids, but it was too painful.
“Are you awake, darlin’?” His voice ran over her senses like a sea of warm honey.
Stabs of pain prevented her from opening her mouth. Instead, she put her hand on top of his.
“I rode as fast as I could, but I didn’t get there in time.” The anguish in his voice was hard to miss.
Shaking her head no, she squeezed his hand, feeling his soft lips lightly brush against her split ones.
“You’re going to be fine. I spoke to the doc, and he said you’ll be able to go home in about a week. Once you’re out, I’ll take care of you. When you’re stronger, we’ll ride this new trail I discovered in Telluride.”
She heard the tenderness in his voice, as well as the regret, and she loved him for it. She wanted to tell him that she loved him with all her heart, that she had found her home, and that it was safely in his arms. She loved Smokey with a fire that could never be extinguished, and it killed her that he was blaming himself for what happened to her. Once the pain subsided, Ashley would tell him how she felt.
“I missed you something terrible,” he said. “When Whitney called me, I hauled ass, but it was too late.”
Again, she shook her head no.
He chuckled. “All right, I get it.” He took both of her hands in his. “I want to tell you something I’ve been feeling for a while now.” He cleared his throat. “I love you, darlin’, and every time I see you, I want to hold you in my arms and never let go. You fill all the dark places in my heart. There’s no way I can imagine my life without you.” Small kisses peppered her hands.
Her body smiled all over. Slipping her hand from his, she pointed to herself, then to her heart, and then to him.
“Fuck, that’s awesome.”
Ashley felt his head against her shoulder, his warmth wrapping around her like a favorite blanket.
Smokey was home, and he loved her.
Even in pain, all was right again in her universe.
23
One month later
“So you’re not coming back?” Nicole said as disappointment laced her tone.
“No. My life is here with Smokey,” Ashley replied. “But we’ll still see each other. Denver isn’t that far, you know.”
“I know, but it won’t be the same. Is he taking good care of you?”
Ashley chuckled. “Like a mother hen.”
“I still can’t believe that Jared wanted to kill you. I almost went out with him.”
Ashley shuddered. “I’m glad you didn’t. You know, right from the start, I got a bad vibe from him. ”
“Your instincts were right. Only a psycho would follow you to Pinewood Springs for revenge. I still can’t wrap my head around it.”
“Me neither. He even legally changed his name so he could get the job at Blue’s Belly.”
“And you didn’t recognize him?” Nicole asked.
“When I first met him, there was something vaguely familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. But he changed his appearance, and I hadn’t seen him in several years.”
“The whole thing gives me the shivers,” Nicole said.
“I’m just glad that it’s all over, but I feel awful for Jeffrey and Janice—they lost their son. I’m sure they hate my guts.”
“It wasn’t your fault. If that handyman hadn’t been there, you’d be the one dead, not Jared.”
A chill skittered down her spine. “I know,” she said softly.
She heard the sliding door open, and she looked over her shoulder. Seeing Smokey, her stomach fluttered. He’s so damn handsome.
He came over to her, bent down, and brushed his lips across her forehead. She gripped his forearm and squeezed.
“Can I call you back? Smokey just walked in.”
“Sure—no rush, though. Take care of yourself,” Nicole said.
“I will. Talk to you soon.”
Before Ashley could put the phone down, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Looping her arms around his neck, she leaned into him.
“I’m glad you’re home,” she murmured.
“Me too, darlin’. Where do you wanna go for dinner? I have a hankering for steak.”
“I’d rather stay home tonight. I’m kind of tired.” She brushed her mouth across his collarbone. “I can make you a steak and baked potato.”
Smokey gently tugge
d her hair so her head tilted back, then he kissed her. “You make the dinner and I’ll provide the dessert.” He winked and squeezed her ass.
She playfully smacked his chest, then pulled away. “And because you took such good care of me, I’ll fry up some mushrooms.”
“That sounds good.”
“I’m going to get a glass of wine. I’ll bring you a beer and a shot of Jack.”
A grin spread across his face. “You know me well, darlin’.”
Ashley went inside the house they were renting and ambled into the kitchen. After the attack, she couldn’t live at Zach’s place anymore; each time she’d walked into the kitchen, the image of Tanner’s body in a pool of blood invaded her mind.
Smokey found a rental in town, and he had his friends help with the move. When he’d brought his things over, she couldn’t have been happier, and they’d been living together ever since. The place was temporary, and they were working with Baylee in designing their home.
Ashley had liked Baylee the moment she’d met her at Steelers. The restaurant and bar was a favorite among the Insurgents for family night. At first, Ashley had been nervous about meeting the old ladies, but Smokey had reassured her that she’d fit in fine with them, and he was right. The women were nice and welcoming, and she and Baylee had hit it off almost immediately. They were both career women who were in love with outlaws, and Ashley admired the way Baylee juggled her career, her son, and her man so seamlessly.
“I brought out some cheese and crackers too,” she said, setting the platter on the table.
She settled down into a chair and brought the wineglass to her lips.
Reaching over, Smokey snagged two crackers, two slices of cheddar, and a few green olives. “I talked to Brady today about the fundraiser in July. He had the fuckin’ gall to tell me that he wants you to come back to the shelter.”
A ripple of surprise went through her at his words. She never entertained the idea of volunteering again at Mount Vista. The way Brady had acted with her left a sour taste in her mouth. But she did miss working with the kids.
“I don’t trust him. The way he acted at the office, and then stalking me at my house, I don’t know if I want to go down that road again.”
“I don’t blame you. Every time I see the pansy-ass, it takes all my willpower to keep my fist outta his face.”
A small laugh slipped through her lips. “You’re always trying to slay the dragons as they come at me.”
Smokey brought his shot glass to his lips. “Damn straight.”
“One of the volunteers I’m friends with told me that he’s dating one of the women in the office. I hope it works out for them. He was looking for companionship and a mother for his kids. The problem was he went about it the wrong way.”
“You should volunteer with Bikers Against Child Abuse. The club puts on a fundraiser for them every Christmas. Cara is the chairwoman, and all the old ladies get involved with the planning. You’ll be part of that this year.” He scooped up some more olives from the platter.
“That sounds like a lot of fun.” Am I an old lady now?
“It is. Give Cara a call and she’ll get you started.”
“Okay.” She took a sip of her drink. “How’s Ryan doing?”
“Pretty good. He’ll be out of rehab at the end of next month. I hope he can stay sober, but who knows? Willy’s got a job waiting for him.”
“He’s going to need a lot of support,” she said.
“And he needs to get his own place. My mom’s so damn negative and bitter that being around her is toxic.”
“Does he want to move out?”
“Yeah. We’ve talked about it a lot.”
Ashley picked up a cracker and a slice of cheese. “That’ll be hard on your mom. She’s never been alone.”
“Ryan won’t abandon her. He’ll drop by and shit like that. I’ll check in on her too.”
Smiling, she put her hand on his. “You’re a good son. You look out for your mom even though she didn’t do it for you and your brothers. You have a generous heart.”
Shrugging, he looked away. “Willy’s been a good influence on Gavin. I knew he would be. He’s got a gift for helping screwed up kids.”
“He’s awesome. He told me that Gavin can’t stop talking about riding on your motorcycle. He really looks up to you,” Ashley said.
“Yeah. I see the look in his eyes. It was the same one I had whenever Willy would take me on his bike. I’ll bet Gavin ends up prospecting for the MC. It’d be the best thing for him.”
“Is his mom still in rehab?”
“It’s a damn revolving door for her.”
She smiled. “I’m glad he has you and Willy in his life.”
“He’s a good kid. Who’ll never guess who I bumped into today.”
“Who?”
Smokey took a long pull of his beer. “AJ. The fucker almost shit his pants when I came up to him. I wanted to know if he was the one who tried to attack you in your garage.”
“I’d be surprised if he was.”
“He wasn’t. He admitted to flattening your tires, egging your car, following you a couple of times, and, of course, throwing the rocks against your window. I still can’t believe that fucker did that shit.”
“People do a lot of crazy things for love.”
“Yeah, well he’s not with the bitch anymore. I guess he figured out she was using him. Anyway, all the rest of the shit was on Jared or Tanner, or whatever the asshole’s name was.”
“I still can’t believe it. And I was so wrong about Mark.”
Smokey laughed. “You went from thinking he was an axe murder to having me put him on the construction crew to build our house.”
She giggled. “I know. I’m grateful to him. But, I have to admit, I still think he’s an oddball.”
He laughed then cupped her chin in his palm and kissed her deep and slow. “I love you.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
Smokey was the last man she ever thought she’d be in a relationship with, but he swept her off her feet when she least expected it, and she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
For a second only their heavy breathing filled the air, and they were frozen in the moment, suspended in reality, existing only in each other’s gazes. Then Ashley traced her finger over his brows, down his nose, over his cheeks, and across his lips until he caught it in his mouth and sucked it lightly.
“You’re my heart and my life,” she murmured.
“And you’ve stolen my heart and blew my world apart in the best fuckin’ way. I need to ask you something. Are you one hundred percent okay about walking away from the partnership?”
Without any hesitation, she replied, “Absolutely. I know Zach’s angry at me, and probably kicking himself that he didn’t send Tyler to do the marketing campaign for your company, but I’m happy with my decision.”
“But your whole focus was on making partner. It’s what you’ve been working for all these years.”
Ashley raked her fingers through his hair. “You’re my focus. Before I met you, I thought being a partner of the firm was everything I wanted, but I was wrong.”
“I just wanna be sure you won’t regret it.”
“I won’t. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting my own marketing company. There are a lot of companies in the county that could use my expertise.”
A wide smile spread across his face. “That’s a damn good idea. You need to do it. I’ll help. You can keep your office at the company and work from there. I’ll have Pearl and the rest of the staff help you out. This is perfect, darlin’.”
The excitement in his voice and the sparkle in his eyes were all the proof she needed to
confirm that she’d made the right decision in turning down the partnership.
“You’re my forever,” he whispered.
A small smile danced across her lips. “I like the sound of that.”
He kissed her again then pulled back. “I want you to wea
r my patch—be my old lady.”
Tears sprang into her eyes as she looked into his love-filled ones. “I’m so damn happy right now. I’d love to be your old lady even though I’m not really sure what that means.”
Smokey let out a loud guffaw. “You’re so fuckin’ cute.” He wrapped his arm around her and tenderly squeezed her shoulder. “Being my old lady is a serious thing. It means you belong to me and I belong to you.”
“Is it like an engagement?”
“More than that—we’re fused together. We’re each other’s forever, and there’s nothing we can’t love each other through. When times get tough, and they will, we’ll stick together because our love and commitment are stronger than anything.”
“Sounds wonderful. You are my soulmate.”
“And you complete me like nothing ever has in my life,” he said.
Crushing his mouth on hers, he kissed her deep and rough and hard. Her body hummed with happiness, love, and desire.
After a long while, she broke away from him, and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. A comfortable silence fell over them as she looked at the town’s lights twinkling in the darkness.
Then a low growl came from her stomach and he laughed.
Looking up at him, she grinned. “I better get dinner started.”
Smokey stood and helped her up. She picked up the platter and walked across the patio and into the kitchen. Carrying the empty glasses, Smokey followed behind. He placed them in the dishwasher, then put his arm around her waist and snagged her to him.
“Let’s start with dessert,” he said as he nuzzled her neck, licking her favorite spot right under her ear.
Smiling, she took his hand and led him into their bedroom. Once there, Smokey scooped her up in his arms and placed her on the bed. With his lips on hers, he slowly peeled off her clothes. He pulled back and sucked in a sharp breath as his gaze traveled over her.
“So fuckin’ beautiful,” he rasped.
Locking his intense gaze on hers, he quickly undressed, then hovered over her. She tugged him closer to her and kissed him, parting her lips to allow his tongue in. And he kissed back. Wet. Deep. Hard.