He dragged his hands through his hair. “I had everything under control. This is what I’m trained for.”
“He had a knife… and a gun,” I countered. “And yours was on the opposite side of the room.”
“Yeah, he got a little jump on me, but again, I had it under control.” He took a deep breath. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that my man was in trouble and he taught me to shoot for a reason, and that reason was standing over him with a knife.”
“I also taught you to shoot to kill, not wing a man. He had plenty of time to shoot back at you.”
“I was aiming for his heart!” I snapped. “He moved.”
Just when I thought the fight was going to escalate, Dallas burst out laughing. “Fuck.”
“I don’t find any of this funny,” I said.
Dallas closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. “We’re okay.”
I nodded into his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m not going to apologize.”
“I know, baby.”
“Are you okay?”
He stroked my hair. “Couple of bruises, small cut on the arm. Nothing that won’t heal.”
“I think I need more target practice.”
“Probably. We’re also going to move into the Naito condo.”
“Not until after we’re married,” I said.
“Okay, baby.”
“Studies show that people who live together before marriage tend to get divorced.”
“I know, honey.”
“So, we have to get married first and then live together.”
He gave me a gentle squeeze. “Yes, I would very much like to live with you after we’re married.”
I burst into tears. “He had a knife. He was going to stab you.”
“It’s okay, Mace. I’ve got you. We’re okay.”
“He could have killed you.”
“Shhh. We’re okay.”
We stood locked in each other’s arms and I worked out my extreme emotions by soaking his T-shirt while he held me, stroking my hair as I cried.
I didn’t go to work and was glad for the time off. Dallas worked the rest of the day from home, sticking close to me as he took phone calls and typed up notes on his laptop to email to Brock later. I curled up on the sofa downstairs, a blanket wrapped around me, an unfamiliar movie on, while Dallas transcribed written notes, a stack of paper next to one thigh, my feet against his other.
I slipped in and out of sleep, the events of the night running through my mind until Dallas set his laptop aside, and slid behind me, pulling my back against his chest. “We’re okay, honey.”
“Who was that man?”
Dallas sighed.
I craned my neck to look at him. “You can’t tell me that?”
“I can tell you, I’m just not sure I should.”
“Yes, you should.” I rolled over to face him. “I want to know what you know. I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know you won’t.” He slipped my hair behind my ear and stroked my cheek. “Brock and Jaxon are currently speaking to Bruce about what he knows.”
“He was involved?”
Dallas nodded. “In the cover-up. Don, the man who raped you, was Mona’s uncle. Her grandfather’s third wife was younger than Mona’s mother, and they had two kids. Don was ten when Mona was born, so they were raised more like cousins and I guess he and Mona were the closest, but she also knew about his issues.”
“He’d done that before?”
Dallas nodded. “Multiple times. We don’t know whether or not he abused Mona, but I tend to think he probably did, which messed with her.”
“As it would.”
“Exactly. The reason Mona warned you away from Bruce was because Don had you on his radar.”
I stiffened. “What?”
“He saw a picture of you and Bruce somewhere, probably social media, and you became a fixation. By then, Mona had been estranged from that side of the family for a while, but I guess Don reached out to her again. After Brock killed him, Mona manipulated the AG’s assistant to change the file.”
“But why?”
“Because her husband’s running for mayor.”
“So, this was to try to bury the fact her family is totally screwed up. Okay, I guess I get that, but why would she feel the need to attack me? I have done nothing to her.”
Dallas scowled. “She didn’t.”
“She didn’t?”
“No. Bruce did.”
I sat up. “Why?”
“Because he’s an asshole.”
“That’s not the reason,” I snapped. “He’s been an asshole his whole life, Dallas.”
“He was pissed you dumped him and had plans for you.”
“Um, what kind of plans?”
“Not goin’ there, babe.”
I shot off the couch. “Yeah, you are. What did he have planned, Dallas?”
He sat up and dragged his hands down his face. “He thought that he could scare you into his life and then convince you to stay with him.”
“What?” I rasped.
“He’s not right in the head, Mace.”
I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. “But he knew I loved you. Knew I wouldn’t leave you.”
Dallas stood and pulled me against him. “Which is why he planned to kill me. And if he couldn’t kill me, then he was gonna kill you.”
“No.”
“Mace, it’s okay. He can’t hurt you.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I think this is enough information for right now,” he said.
I looked up at him. “How do you know?”
“The team found plans, photos, and diaries when they raided his place.”
“Ohmigod.”
“He’s been arrested, honey. He’ll be locked up for a long time and unable to hurt you. Trust me on that.”
“What if he gets off?” I asked. “They have that kind of money and influence, Dallas. What if he beats the charges?”
“He won’t.”
“What if he does?”
He didn’t answer.
“Dallas. What if he does?” I pressed.
“Then I’ll kill him.”
I blinked. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
“In a heartbeat.”
I had a couple of ways I could go with this information. I could freak out, make him promise not to do something so reckless, make him promise not to get himself thrown in jail for me. Or…
“Okay,” I whispered, and hugged him. “Okay.”
“Love you, honey.”
“Love you, too,” I whispered.
“Let’s make dinner and then we’ll relax down here for a while.”
I nodded and followed him upstairs, my heart lighter than it had been in a very long time.
Macey
“EVERYTHING READY?” DALLAS asked into his phone.
I didn’t know who Dallas was talking to, but he’d been acting a little weird all day. He was planning a surprise, I knew that for sure, but I just needed to find out what.
“Who was that?” I asked, as I ambled into the bedroom.
“Brock.”
“What are you getting ready?”
Dallas set his phone on the bureau. “It’s a surprise.”
“I figured that, honey.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Did you now?”
“Yep. What should I wear?”
“Something comfortable. We’re going to see a movie.”
“I already figured that out, too. As good as you are at your job, you kind of suck at surprises.”
“You’re right, babe. You got me.”
“Are you taking me to see Troll 2?”
“Shit, Mace. When did you figure it out?” Dallas sighed.
I grinned. “You don’t think I have alerts set up to ping me when it’s playing somewhere? Like at the Academy?”
The Academy Theatre on Stark was one of my f
avorite theaters to see cheap and often outdated movies. Sometimes they even played cult hits that never made it to the big screen.
“So much for my big plan.”
I suddenly felt like a bitch. “Dal, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have guessed. Now I’ve ruined it.”
“I just wanted to do something nice for you and you have to go and snoop!” Dallas complained. “Just once, why can’t you pretend you don’t know what’s going on?”
I bit back tears. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
He grinned, and I punched him in the arm.
“Ow!” He rubbed his bicep.
“You are such an ass!” I snapped. “I thought you were really mad.”
He chuckled as he slid his hand behind my neck and gave me a squeeze. “Babe, I knew you’d find out.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You sure I haven’t screwed everything up?”
Dallas smiled and leaned down to kiss me quickly. “You haven’t screwed anything up.”
“You’d tell me if I did, right?”
“Definitely.”
Choosing to take his word at face value, I nodded. “Are we eating before or after?”
“Up to you. Although, I think since you’re still not ready, we should eat after.”
“Fine by me. Shouldn’t we tell Brock and Bailey what we’re doing?” I asked. “And then we should absolutely give Payton the info.”
Dallas laughed. “You’re impossible. Who says any of those people will be joining us?”
“Let me fill you in on something. Payton has not called me once today,” I revealed. “Lots of texts, mostly one-worders, but no phone calls. Do you know how many times that has happened in our friendship? Six times, honey. Six. And every one of them was when something big was going down and she was supposed to keep the details from me. So, even if I didn’t have alerts on my phone, email, and Twitter about Troll 2, I would have known something was up just because of that.”
“Does she know?”
“That she gives it away every time?”
He nodded.
“Hell no,” I retorted. “She’s my link to information. Do you think I’d give her a clue so she can change her behavior? I am not an idiot.”
Dallas laughed. “God, I love you, Mace.”
I pointed at him. “There he is.”
“Sorry, babe. I’ve been a bit distracted, huh?”
“A little. But I’m okay with that. Honestly. I get it. I don’t mind distracted, just so long as you’re not mad at me. That I can’t handle.”
“Best woman ever.”
“Mother Teresa,” I quipped.
Dallas grinned. “Macey Gilbert gives her a run for her money.”
“Pretty sure she didn’t fornicate with my boyfriend before marriage.”
“Then she missed out on a lot of fun.”
I smiled. “You may have a point.”
“Finish getting ready and we’ll head out.”
“Okay.”
I did as he asked, and we drove in silence to the theater. Dallas was nervous. I could tell. He was a little more wired than normal and, although he smiled often, he was distracted.
Dallas parked the car and jogged around it to open my door, linking his fingers with mine and heading to the ticket window. He purchased our tickets and then led me into the lobby to find Payton, Brock, and Bailey in line for concessions.
After hellos and hugs, Dallas and I waited with them, bought popcorn and soda and then walked into the theater. I was surprised that the lights went dark almost as soon as we took our seats and the screen lit up.
But there were no previews and there was no movie. Instead, there was a rolling slideshow of photos of me, my family, my friends, and me and Dallas.
“What’s going on?” I whispered.
“Just watch,” he said, and wrapped an arm around me.
The slideshow ended, the lights came up, and Dallas rose to his feet.
“What are you doing?” I asked, glancing at Brock and Payton. “What is he doing?”
Payton giggled.
“Macey,” Dallas began. “Will you stand up, baby?”
I did and glanced at the crowd, my mouth dropping open when I recognized my grandparents and the majority of my friends.
“You know how much I love you,” he said. “As does everyone here.”
I forced back tears. “Ohmigod,” I whispered.
“Macey Gilbert, will you marry Dallas Stone?” the crowd asked in stereo.
I gasped as Dallas went down on one knee and opened a velvet box that was a little worn on the corners. Like it had been touched often.
“Baby, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asked.
I covered my face with my hands and nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”
He rose to his feet, slid the ring on my finger, and wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off my feet. Leaning down, he kissed me until the crowd started clapping. Then he let me go so everyone could gather around and “see the ring.”
As the people I loved most in life shared in my joy, I grabbed hold of Dallas’s hand, refusing to let go, and rode the wave of happiness we were experiencing.
After congratulations were done, my family proved their love even more by sitting through Troll 2, and then Dallas whisked me home, deciding to skip dinner all together. He surprised me with a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon, opening it and carrying it back to the bedroom.
As he made love to me, I sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the man of my dreams who had gone to hell and back with me and didn’t leave my side.
Life was about as perfect as it could get.
Copyright © 2018 by Trixie Publishing, Inc.
Alex ‘Hawk’ James has a sordid and violent past, one that, in part, leaves him the single father of a little girl. His only solace is the world he’s made within the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club.
Payton Williams has everything under control. Her neat little world is as she has made it and she’s happy with the life she’s leading. But when a chance encounter with a gorgeous biker upends her tidy plans, she finds herself confronting things she’d been happy to gloss over... until now.
Will Hawk and Payton’s different worlds collide in chaos, or will they come together and heal the wounds of the past?
Will a threat from someone out of Hawk’s past destroy the trust he and Payton are building?
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 regard 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 d
addy’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.
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