Saving Love

by Jen Talty

  She couldn’t live with that.

  Quickly, she checked on Wyoming. Still sound asleep.

  She peeked her head out the door, in search of the dog. In the few weeks she’d lived in the house, she’d still not gotten used to the damn dog, but Buster certainly had become accustomed to her living there. “Oh, for Pete’s sake. Why do you have to sit by my door every morning?”

  The dog thumped his tail and whined.

  “Buster, get back here,” Dakota whispered.

  Stupid dog jumped to his feet but didn’t race off toward his master. Instead, he nudged the door with his snout.

  “Wyoming is still sleeping, now scoot.”

  “I’m sorry,” Dakota said as he padded down the hallway wearing nothing but flannel pajama bottoms and a white V-neck undershirt that fit tight across his firm chest.

  A moan got caught in her throat, remembering his naked, tight body. Heat raced to her cheeks.

  “My dog seems to like you more than me,” he said with a wink and a smile.

  “I wish that weren’t true.” She sidestepped both dog and owner, making a beeline for the kitchen and a fresh pot of coffee. The one thing the apartment didn’t have was a working stovetop and oven, something Dakota promised to have fixed within the month. But until then, she was given free rein of his kitchen, which made sense because during the school week, she needed to feed the girls breakfast and dinner. “But at least I know he’s not going to eat me.”

  Dakota laughed. “Hey,” he said, curling his fingers around her forearm and turning her to face him. “Happy birthday.”

  She let out a long breath. “I was hoping you’d forget.” Her stomach growled when she inhaled a mixture of bitter coffee and sweet cinnamon.

  “No way.” He tilted his head, looking down the hall. “All clear.” He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. It caught her off guard, and she had to fist his shirt in order to keep herself from falling over. “Mind going back to bed? The girls are making you breakfast.”

  “I told you I didn’t want a fuss.”

  “It’s just breakfast. And well, a romantic dinner tonight with just the two of us because it is Valentine’s Day.”

  She opened her mouth in protest, but he shushed her with his finger.

  “We’ll talk about that later. For now, the girls are about done with the feast,” he said.

  “I’m doing this for them, not you.” She poked him in the chest. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint Sky and River. “And tonight isn’t going to happen. We don’t have a babysitter.”

  He laughed. “We won’t be needing one, but we’ll discuss that later.”

  “Ma Ma,” Wyoming wailed.

  Dakota gave her a little shove toward the apartment. “You get back in bed, and I’ll go give the little man some cereal.”

  “I’m only doing this for the girls.” She cocked her head and glared, giving him her best I’m not thrilled but I’m taking one for the team look. “Otherwise, I’d be taking my coffee and going to my room to spend my day off alone.”

  He cupped her chin.

  Her breath hitched.

  “Only a half day. Don’t forget I have to go into the office this morning.”

  She groaned. “To talk about me?”

  He chuckled. “Hank and I will have a conversation, but I’m on research duty for a case Maddog is working, and he needs me to do some things.”

  “Go ahead and work all day, if you need to. No need to do anything for me tonight.”

  “If you really want to be alone, then I’ll cancel the plans, but that will make me sad.” He scooted past her and scooped Wyoming up into his arms.

  “Dada,” Wyoming said.

  “Da-ko-ta.” Dakota batted Wyoming’s nose.

  “Dada.” Wyoming buried his head in Dakota’s neck.

  “You.” Dakota pointed to the bed. “Get back in that. The girls will be back with your feast shortly.”

  She kissed her son and then climbed into the bed and snagged her Kindle off the nightstand. She pulled up the mystery novel she’d downloaded earlier in the week. Her goal had been to finish it today, if Wyoming would let her.

  “Good morning!” Sky carefully entered her room carrying a tray of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and fresh coffee. “Happy birthday and happy Valentine’s Day!”

  “Why, thank you,” she said as sweetly as possible. “I hope you got my cards and chocolate that I left out for you last night.”

  “We did, but Daddy said we can’t have it until after lunch,” Sky said with a pouty face.

  “Probably a good idea.” Alabama placed the tray over her lap and raised the mug to her lips and took a sip. “Your father makes the best coffee.”

  “He makes the best pancakes too,” Sky said. “But I made the eggs and bacon.”

  “And I picked out your gift,” River said as she skipped into the room. The child didn’t walk anywhere. Her energy and enthusiasm were intoxicating and contagious. She plopped herself on the bed holding out three wrapped gifts. “This one is from me and Sky. That one is from Daddy. And that one is from Wyoming.” River leaned in. “I picked that one out too. But Daddy’s present is the best. I’d save it for last.”

  “River. You’re supposed to wait for Dad to finish feeding Wyoming. Besides, if she opens the gifts now, her food will get cold.”

  Alabama blinked back the tears that threatened to flow like a raging waterfall. When she first drove onto this ranch, she never in million years would have thought she’d become part of a family. She’d planned on living out her life, just her and her son, without having any close personal friends. She couldn’t afford to risk it.

  Only, she’d already given her heart.

  And her son’s as well.

  She dived into her breakfast, focusing on all the flavors and not the emotions swirling around in her soul.

  “This little guy doesn’t want to miss out on the fun,” Dakota said as he strolled into the bedroom. He set Wyoming on the bed before he removed the tray and joined everyone else…on the bed.

  Buster whined at the foot, but thankfully, didn’t jump up.

  “It’s present time,” River said, holding out one. “Start with Wyoming’s.”

  “All right.” With shaky fingers, she ripped off the paper and pulled out a bracelet that had two heart pieces. One with her name and one with her son’s name. “Oh. This is so beautiful. Thank you.”

  “Thank Wyoming. It’s from him,” River said with a proud smile, holding out a second gift. “This is from me and Sky. Open it.”

  “Give her a second to breathe,” Sky said.

  Alabama’s heart beat out of control. She couldn’t believe they went to all this trouble. “Oh my. This is beautiful.” She swiped at her cheeks, hoping no one saw the tears rolling from her eyes. Back in the day, she had a fetish for all things designer handbags. She wouldn’t think twice about dropping a couple thousand dollars on a single bag. Now, anything over twenty bucks was out of her budget, and why would she need more than one?

  “We saw you looking at that purse when we were in town,” Sky said. “So we called Daddy, and he picked it up for us, but we paid for it with our own money.”

  “That is so sweet. You two girls didn’t need to do that for me.” Alabama remembered admiring the bag and being shocked it was only twenty dollars.

  “But we wanted to,” River said.

  Alabama held out her arms and hugged both girls. Of course, Wyoming had to get in on the action.

  “Okay, little man.” Dakota lifted him off the pile of girls. “Time for your mama to open my present. Dakota rested Wyoming on his lap while his girls handed her the last gift. “Now, this isn’t just for you. It’s for Wyoming as well.”

  “Da Ka. Da Da.” Wyoming cupped Dakota’s cheeks and gave him a big kiss.

  Watching her son with Dakota and the way their bond grew stronger and stronger each day created a tug of war inside Alabama’s soul. She knew deep down how good it would be for Wy
oming to have a father figure in his life, especially with a man like Dakota.

  But he wasn’t his father, and she still didn’t know if she could or would stay.

  “Sounds like he already knows what it is,” she said.

  “He does,” Dakota said with a slight chuckle. “And for the record, this wasn’t just my idea. The girls also agreed, but we thought it might help with your fear.”

  “My fear of what?” She held the gift in her lap and stared at Dakota. “Because the only thing I’m scared of right now is you and what you might have gotten me.”

  “Girls, go get the box. Uncle Maddog left it in the garage early this morning.”

  “It’s here?” River jumped off the bed and twirled around. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “Just go get it,” he said, taking the box from Alabama. “This is really just for show. All that’s in here is a picture of what I got you.”

  Buster started barking and running in circles at the end of the bed.

  “Sit down and relax,” Dakota commanded.

  Buster didn’t listen.

  “Sit. Now,” Alabama said.

  Buster did as commanded.

  “That’s impressive.” Dakota shook his head. “You’re a little traitor dog.” He waggled a finger at Buster.

  “I’m just glad he listens to me,” she said. “The other day he was running at me so fast I thought if he didn’t stop, he’d knock me over.”

  “He’s gotten better as he’s gotten older,” he said. “We got him when Sky was little. She was terrified of dogs, and we thought this was the best way to help her overcome her fears. And it worked.”

  The sound of tiny yelping caught her attention. She whipped her head around. “Oh. No. You didn’t get me a puppy. What the hell am I going to do with a puppy?” She smacked her hands against her cheeks.

  The girls set a box down on her bed, and this cute chubby black bundle of fur sat and glanced up at her with floppy ears and a cocked head. Its little tail swished back and forth against the cardboard.

  “His name is Apollo,” Sky said. “He’s a German shepherd. They are good, loyal dogs who are pretty mellow. Maddog had a whole litter of them. He said this is the best one.”

  “The best part is he’s basically housebroken,” Dakota said. “But I can help train him, and there is a good training class we can sign you up for.”

  Alabama glanced between the puppy glaring at her and Dakota. “You got me a dog? What am I supposed to do with a dog?” There were a lot of possible gift ideas that went through her mind that he could have gotten her, but a pet hadn’t been one of them. As a kid, she’d always wanted a pet, but dogs terrified her, and her parents didn’t like cats, so she had a goldfish.

  When it died, she decided pets weren’t her thing. The older she got, the more spoiled she became, and the idea of being around dirty animals made her cringe.

  Looking at Apollo and Buster, she realized animals weren’t necessarily dirty, but she was too closed-minded and too much of a snob to be bothered. She reached into the box and patted the puppy on the head twice before snatching her hand back when he tried to lick it.

  “Girls, why don’t you take Wyoming into the main family room and you can watch a cartoon for a bit.”

  “Daddy, we want to play with Apollo,” River protested.

  “There will be plenty of time for that,” he said.

  Ignoring the puppy’s sharp fang-like teeth, she lifted Apollo out of the box and set him on her lap. He got all excited and wiggly and kept trying to climb up her chest to lick her face.

  “He likes you,” Sky said as she lifted Wyoming into her arms. “Come on, buddy. Let’s go find something fun to watch.”

  Alabama stared at Apollo, who stared back at her with the same curious expression that she figured she sported.

  “You have to admit he’s adorable,” Dakota said.

  “Yeah. But I know this kind of dog. They grow to be big and vicious.”

  “They can be.” Dakota pushed himself to the head of the bed. He stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles. “They make for good watch dogs for their owners. Buster makes a lot of noise when people come to the house, but all he’d ever do is lick you to death. Not that you want a dog that would ever hurt anyone, but having one that would protect you, well, that might give you some peace of mind.”

  “You got me a dog to watch over me?”

  “If you ever decide to leave me and the girls, I’d want you to have your own warning system, so to speak,” Dakota said. “And this will help you overcome your fear of dogs in general.”

  A guttural sob caught in her throat. She covered her mouth. No one in her adult life had ever done anything so kind and thoughtful. Most people she’d known while being married to Josh cared only about their padded bank accounts and whether or not they had the newest, latest and greatest gadget and the most expensive car on the block.

  “You don’t have to keep him if you don’t want to. Maddog has a long list of potential owners.”

  “No. No.” She lifted Apollo and brought the puppy to her shoulder, giving it a big hug. “I want him. Thank you.” She set the puppy back in the box. “If you don’t want me to put you on a pedestal, you need to stop doing things that make you out to be Mr. Wonderful.”

  “I’ll work on it.”

  Chapter 9

  Dakota checked the time. He’d promised Alabama and his girls he’d be home by three. He didn’t often work on weekends, but Maddog’s case had taken a weird turn and he needed help, which Dakota was happy to do.

  When Dakota first came to the Brotherhood Protectors, Hank had made it easy for him to work, take care of his kids, and help his wife battle cancer. Even when it became apparent that his wife wasn’t going to win, Hank made sure Dakota had everything he needed, and that included work when he wanted.

  After Lunar died, Hank, and everyone else in the Brotherhood, was there to help him pick up the pieces.

  Nothing had changed, and Dakota would do anything for any member of the team. This was the family he chose.

  His work cell buzzed, flashing a private number. That usually wasn’t a good sign.

  “Dakota here,” he said.

  “It’s Chauncey. We’re secure?”

  “I’m at the office surrounded by empty desks waiting for Hank to discuss my situation, so, yup.”

  “You could have just said yes,” Chauncey replied with a short laugh. “Sorry I’ve been MIA and what little communication I’ve had hasn’t been direct. I’m being overly cautious.”

  “I appreciate that,” Dakota said. “Do you have a straightforward answer for me?”

  “I didn’t know who she was until the night before her scheduled departure. You know me. I don’t want to know who I’m dealing with, but I saw something on television regarding the case, and then I remembered a conversation I had with a person before she arrived, and it made me wonder who else might have figured out who she really was. That’s why I sent her to you.”

  “So, you don’t know for sure if there’s been a breach.”

  “I’ve spent a couple of weeks trying to find that out, and I still can’t be sure one way or the other. From what I can tell, her abuser has been staying in his own world, but I have heard through the grapevine that he’s heading to Vegas today for some big nightclub grand opening.”

  Dakota pinched the bridge of his nose. Chad and his father were headed to that event. Or at least they were bragging around town that they were invited. Dakota pulled his laptop closer and sent a message to Trish asking her to find the guest list for the event. If Chad or his father were actually invited, then that would be a cause for concern. Otherwise, merely a coincidence.

  Something Dakota didn’t believe in.

  “What else can you tell me?” Dakota asked.

  “I don’t really know anything else, but I will give you a piece of advice. Just remember that a man like that isn’t going to send someone else to do his dirty work. He’s going to want
to deal with her himself. You know the enemy; now just watch for him.”

  “You make it sound like you know he’s coming.”

  “I wish I could say I believed she’d be safe forever, but if I thought that, I wouldn’t have sent her to your backyard, now would I?”

  “I suppose not.” Dakota saw Hank enter the building. “Thanks for the help.”

  “Anytime, man. Watch your back and take care of that lovely lady and her kid. She’s good people.”

  “You know I will.” He set the phone on the desk. “Hey, Hank. Thanks for meeting me.”

  “Anytime,” Hank said. “Do you really think I’m on the need to know right now list?”

  Dakota nodded. “Especially now that I’ve actually spoken with Chauncey.”

  Hank snagged a chair and pulled it close to the desk. “I have a feeling I’m going to need to be sitting down for this one.”

  “Alabama is really Amanda Brolin. She’s Josh Brolin’s wife.”

  “Holy fuck,” Hank said with his jaw slacked open. “Of all the people I thought it could be, she was not one of them. To be honest, I figured Josh killed his wife and kid. I know there a lot of people who believe that theory.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s alive and well and living in my house.”

  Hank let out a long breath. “She’s a wanted felon.”

  “Alleged felon.” Dakota felt the need to correct that statement. “Chauncey doesn’t know for sure if her identity has been compromised, but he did inform me that Josh is headed to Vegas today.”

  “The grand opening of his cousin’s nightclub, who happens to be married to someone who is somehow related to the Hookers,” Hank said as he ran a hand over his face. “That’s too close to home for me.”

  “Do we have anyone in Vegas?”

  “Boomer is there picking up a witness. I can have him do a quick visual until I can get someone on Josh, but putting a tail on him, as good as we are, is dangerous.”

  “Not putting one on him is worse,” Dakota said. “I need to know my family is safe.”

  “Family? Are we including Alabama and her son in that statement?”