Hart of Darkness

by S. B. Alexander

  The progress on finding Grace had come to a standstill. Maggie and I were on a friendship ride. My brother Duke was due back in town sometime today, and I couldn’t get Maggie out of my head.

  I hadn’t seen her since we returned from the prison five days ago. She’d been busy at work, and I’d picked up some shifts at the shelter to give Rafe and Hunt a break. Sure, I could’ve asked her to meet me at my house after work, but I wouldn’t have been able to keep my hands off her.

  The door to my office flew open. Norma panted, seemingly excited.

  My heart did a little dance. “What’s wrong?”

  “Angel is on the porch, talking to Norton.” She caught her breath. “You’re not going to believe it, but… he’s…”

  I went to grab my gun in the top drawer as she held up her hand.

  “No need to shoot anyone today.” She emphasized the last word as though I would need to use my gun at some point in the shelter’s existence.

  I stormed out before she could say another word. Even if the man appeared calm and sweet, alcoholics didn’t change overnight.

  The sun was high in the sky, and the air was still, as though Mother Nature had shut off the air vents. Angel sat in the swinging loveseat that Rafe had installed only days ago, while Norton rested against the porch rail, looking at his wife.

  I wanted to scream at her since I’d warned her to be careful.

  Her blue eyes shimmered. “It’s okay, Dillon. Norton isn’t drunk.”

  From where I stood, which was as close as I’d been to him the night he’d stumbled toward me with a gun in his hand, I could see she was right. I’d checked with Manny every few days, not necessarily to see how Norton was doing, but more to find out if my old man had shown up or even called Manny. To my chagrin, that was a negative. A son could hope, though.

  Norton held out his steady hand. “Dillon, I can’t thank you enough.”

  I helped women in need, but never a man. The feeling, though, was the same—warmth, elation, and a sense of relief, knowing that I could affect someone’s life in a positive way.

  I sized him up and down, mainly in awe of how he didn’t stink of booze. His hair wasn’t oily, his face was shaven, and he wore pressed clothes that appeared brand-new. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. Alcoholics had a steep hill to climb. But he had to start somewhere.

  His handshake was firm, which was another good sign.

  Angel sidled up to him. “I’m not going anywhere, Dillon.”

  She must’ve been reading my mind. My nerves quieted, knowing she wasn’t jumping back into the fire.

  “I’m staying at Manny’s for another two months,” Norton added. “I have a ways to go before I can say with certainty that I won’t touch alcohol again.”

  I didn’t want to burst his bubble that being a recovering alcoholic was a lifetime commitment and that it would take more than two months.

  “As long as you stick to the program, man,” I said. “You’re well on your way. But please do me a favor. Before you show up, call first. We have an eight hundred number. I can’t have you scaring my other guests. Angel, I’m not going to put demands on you, but if Norton shows up unannounced, I need you to get me or one of the staff members.” Norton could relapse and bring a gun with him next time like he had before. I couldn’t risk that, not only for Angel’s sake, but for anyone here or in the neighborhood.

  “Agreed,” they both said.

  They resumed their conversation while I went back inside. As soon as I crossed the threshold between the entryway and the common room, Maggie’s voice floated toward me.

  My stomach got this weird feeling that I couldn’t describe, remembering our wild night of sex when we’d made all kinds of music together.

  A hand grasped my arm. “Dillon,” Norma said. “Does your tummy feel like it’s spinning and flipping?” She tapped on my hand, which was resting on my abs.

  I jolted out of my stupor. “No. Why would you ask me that?”

  Women were so darn intuitive.

  She giggled. “Because you’re holding your stomach, and your face is rather pink. It’s good to see that Maggie brings out a side of you I haven’t seen.”

  I didn’t want to know what side she saw. “When did Maggie get here?” I didn’t see her VW Bug outside either. “Who is she talking to?” Rafe wasn’t due in to work for four hours, and Hunt had the late-night shift.

  Norma went back to her desk. “Kelton. He showed up about ten minutes ago. They’re both here to see you. I told them you were busy, but they wanted to wait.”

  My office was down a hall, away from the main area of the house. So I wouldn’t have seen or even heard them come in. “I was doing paperwork.” I wouldn’t call that busy. Now if I were locked in my office with Maggie, then I would classify that as busy.

  My groin tightened. I was losing my battle to leave my feelings at the door with her. Norma was right. Maggie had an effect on me that scared the hell out of me and made me want to shout to the world that I might have found a woman who met all my needs, and fuck if she didn’t meet my needs in the bedroom. Her stripping had to be the sexiest darn scene I’d ever laid eyes on, and I’d watched some good porn over the years.

  I padded through the common room, my hand whisking through my hair. My hands were always in my hair, and suddenly I wanted Maggie’s hands pulling on my hair like she’d done several times that night at my house.

  Stop torturing yourself.

  My self-torture turned into jealousy. I shouldn’t have been jealous of Kelton. After all, he had a girlfriend. Yeah, the same girl you kissed and the last woman you kissed. You didn’t even kiss Maggie.

  I couldn’t fuse my lips to Maggie’s. I couldn’t allow myself to feel that intimate connection, no matter how fucking hard I’d been dying to capture her tongue in my mouth and kiss her lights out while I pumped inside her. That would make me feel something other than the off-the-chart orgasms I’d had with her. I couldn’t test those waters, afraid she would leave me the way my mother left my old man.

  All thought left me when I laid eyes on Maggie and Kelton. The Maxwell god leaned over, resting his elbows on the island. Maggie stood across from him, mimicking his position. They chatted like two lovers who had finished having sex moments ago. I clenched my fists, wanting to throw the man through the sliding glass door.

  Kelton’s a flirt, and you know that. No matter how much I knew he would never cheat on Lizzie, I didn’t want him touching Maggie.

  Suddenly, my head cleared. I was jealous, like extremely mad jealous. I’d never been one to resent another. I’d never had low self-esteem. But that swirly feeling in my stomach soured.

  I was beginning to understand why Kade Maxwell sneered anytime a man other than his brothers dared to get near his girl, Lacey. I was beginning to understand why Kelton had wanted to ram his fists into me when I’d sheltered Lizzie from him. I was beginning to understand that maybe I had more than lust for the braided blond woman who had an ass that was mine. She was fucking mine.

  I cleared my throat because they hadn’t heard me. I didn’t expect them to since I was barefoot.

  Maggie’s head swiveled, and Kelton snapped up as if he’d been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

  “Hey, man,” Kelton said casually, wearing one of his infamous arrogant grins that I wanted to wipe off his face.

  My girl’s eyes filled with concern. “What’s wrong?” One thing I’d noticed when I was balls deep inside her was that her irises shifted from light to dark green, giving me the feeling that I was diving into the deep waters off some tropical shore.

  “Are you sure it was just drinking and dancing between you two?” I directed my question more at Maggie.

  Kelton rolled those dark-blue eyes that women loved. “Seriously?” He lost that flirty air about him as a snarl formed.

  Maggie stuck her hands on her hips and pushed out those breasts I wanted to play with. “You’re jealous?” Her full cupid lips curled. “Remem
ber, no feelings.” Her tone was light and devoid of any taunts or rudeness, even though she was throwing my words back in my face.

  A growl was stuck in my throat.

  Kelton tucked a hand in his pocket. “Whatever is going on between you two is none of my business. What is, though, is your brother Denim. Are you opposed to Maggie hearing any of what I have to say?”

  Denim’s case wasn’t in the least bit private. Yet I appreciated Kelton’s professionalism.

  “Shoot, man.” My gaze never wavered from Maggie’s.

  Kelton snapped his fingers. “Dude, I need your full attention. I’m on the clock here.”

  That statement got me out of my funk, even though I wasn’t paying him for his advice.

  My hands stuck to my hair.

  Maggie approached me like a cat slinking down the sidewalk, watching a dog come toward her—hesitant, but ready to use those claws—or maybe she was going to get the paddles from the table behind me.

  “I need to talk to Norma,” Maggie said. “So you two have the floor.” She stopped at my side, placed a hand on my abs, and batted those long eyelashes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  She left me dripping with the need to fuck her, and my balls were yelling for me to do just that.

  When she was out of the room, I didn’t lose an ounce of tension.

  Kelton let out a loud laugh. “I’ve seen that look before, man, on each of my brothers when they found ‘the one.’” He made air quotes around the last two words. “I can’t say I saw it on myself, but I sure felt it. Right here.” He tapped on his chest over his heart. “Give in to the feeling. Because love is one hell of a ride and one you don’t want to miss.”

  I pushed air out of my nostrils. “Says the guy who flirts any chance he gets.” I walked deeper into the kitchen until I was standing on the other side of the island, across from Kelton.

  “Maggie and I were talking. She was asking me about you, if you really want to know.”

  The way they’d been whispering had led me to believe they’d been reminiscing about their night at the club. On second thought, I believed him since Maggie had been laughing. “That can’t be good.”

  “Chill. She wanted to know how you and I met. I told her how you helped Lizzie and how you almost cut off my balls when I showed up at your house to talk to Lizzie.”

  “I was protecting Lizzie from you. Did you tell Maggie that?” Jealousy hadn’t played a role when Kelton had shown up that day, although I had been a little envious of how Lizzie had looked at him.

  “I told your girl that you’re a great man who has a heart of gold.” His serious tone matched his expression.

  Inwardly, I let out a sigh. “Sounds to me like you want to date me,” I teased.

  He plastered on his grin. “I don’t do men with long hair.”

  I stuck out my middle finger.

  We both laughed.

  “Back to Denim,” Kelton said. “I looked at his case file. I discovered something odd in it that might bode well for him. But before I go into detail, one of the senior partners will weigh in.”

  “You’re not going to tell me what it is?”

  He grabbed his keys off the island. “Sorry, man. Until I can prove I’m right, I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. So Maggie said something about going to a bar to follow up on a lead? Do you need some help?”

  I rubbed my chin. It was always good to have any of the Maxwell brothers protecting my ass, but I didn’t think the Crow would be dangerous. I also didn’t think I would find Grace there.

  “I’m good.”

  “I got to run,” Kelton said.

  “Thank you.” I had enough on my plate, so I didn’t push him for answers on Denim’s case.

  Kelton and I exchanged a manly hug before he left. I found Maggie and Norma whispering at Norma’s desk. I wondered where Debbie and the two new guests were. The house seemed quiet. Then again, the shelter wasn’t a prison.

  Maggie and Norma stopped talking. Then Norma got out of her chair. “I’m going to see how the girls are doing out back.”

  I guess I had my answer on where they were.

  When Norma was out of the room, I crossed my arms over my chest.

  Maggie rose from the chair near Norma’s desk and swung her hips over to me. “Still jealous?”

  I suddenly hated that word. I snatched her hand and guided her into my office. She giggled like a schoolgirl the entire way. Once we were locked in, I pushed her up against the door and planted my hands above her head.

  “We never talked about the night we had,” she said on a breathy sigh.

  I scanned her pretty face. “Do you want to talk?”

  She glanced at my couch then back up at me.

  I moved a strand of her hair that had escaped her braid off her ear.

  Out of nowhere, she cupped my dick. “Wow. Are you always hard?”

  “Only around you.”

  Instantly, her cheeks darkened to red. “Should we do something about him?”

  I traced a lazy path along her forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth, as if I were reading braille. She purred like a kitty cat wanting to be petted more. So I obliged, continuing my assault on her. Her tits were sticking out, and I would have bet her nipples were hard and ready. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell because she was wearing a bra.

  I slipped a hand up her shirt and under her bra. When I pinched her nipple, she let out a soft squeal.

  I leaned in, my crotch never touching her body, although she was rubbing my erection as though she were trying to get me off. I stifled any sounds or moans that wanted to break free. I didn’t want anyone to hear me, although Norma had said the ladies were out in the backyard.

  My lust was wiped out when my phone rang.

  Maggie jumped a little.

  I growled before I answered.

  “Will you accept a collect call from Denim Hart?” the operator asked.

  “Yes. Hey, bro. Are you all right? That must’ve been one hell of a fight if you’re just getting out of solitary.”

  Maggie perched herself on the arm of the couch and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Sorry,” Denim said. “I’m good, though. I asked the wrong question to the wrong guy. I only have five minutes to talk.”

  “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I found out that Grace could be alive.”

  Denim sucked in air. “For real?”

  “I’m working a lead tonight. I’ll give you more details later. So did you find out anything on the Black Knights?” I tapped the speaker button. “Bro, I got Maggie Marx in the room with me, and you’re on speaker.” After all, Denim was hunting for information for her, not me.

  “Maggie Marx,” Denim said. “Look, girl, stay away from the Black Knights. Only death can come from someone snooping around.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “Did you get any info?”

  I had a feeling I might have to tie Maggie up so she wouldn’t end up like Nadine.

  That isn’t happening, dude. The woman is on a narrow and tight road of revenge. It’s best if you keep her close.

  Denim chuckled. “I see you’re still a badass. Anyway, one of the rival gangs here slipped me a name. Does Dallas ring a bell? Apparently, he’s one of the pimps for the Black Knights.”

  Maggie’s pretty face twisted. “Not at all. Where can we find him?”

  “That’s all I got,” Denim said. “I have to go. Be careful. Both of you.”

  “Watch your back, man,” I said before the call disconnected.

  “Dallas,” Maggie mumbled. “That name isn’t a whole lot to go on. I could float it by Ted.”

  I thought about suggesting we finish what we’d started before the phone call, but her mind was on the Black Knights, and mine was on Grace. The Crow opened tonight anyway.

  Excitement stirred deep in my stomach at the notion that I could actually run into Grace tonight, despite the possibility that my sister didn’t want anything to do with me.

  I reached out to ta
ke Maggie’s hand. “Let’s do some detective work.”

  21

  Maggie

  Darkness crawled through the parking lot as Dillon and I wheeled in slowly behind the bikers rumbling in on their Harleys. One by one, each of the bikers parked in front of the stone facade that displayed a grand reopening sign above the entrance.

  The ride over had mostly been in silence. We didn’t talk about the flirtatious moment in Dillon’s office or our steamy night of sex, or what Denim had shared with us. I didn’t know anyone named Dallas. Honestly, I’d been silently swearing like a sailor that Denim hadn’t dropped Cory’s name.

  Dillon found a spot along a fence that backed up to a cluster of industrial buildings and cut the engine, keeping his attention straight ahead.

  With the dashboard lights on, I could see his hardened jaw and pinched features. Whatever was on his mind couldn’t have been good.

  He’d come close to a nervous breakdown at Skins and Needles the other day when he’d found out Grace had been alive six months ago. Even his father had seen Grace recently. Part of me believed that Grace might be into drugs and didn’t want her family to know she was an addict. Another part of me thought that she might be selling her body like Nadine had. Or she could have been afraid to contact Dillon for some reason, much like Nadine hadn’t wanted to go to the cops. Or worse, Grace could have been sold through sex trafficking.

  I reached over the console and grasped his hand. “I got your back.”

  He jerked his head at me and gave me a panty-dropping grin. “Good to know.” The diamond-studded nose ring sparkled when he twitched. “I’ve been thinking about what Denim said, and you need to watch your back. He’s right. If you go snooping around the Black Knights, you’re going to end up like Nadine. I know you can take care of yourself, but look what happened to Denim. That has to say something.”

  Letting go of his hand, I lifted a shoulder. In my experience, all gangs were scary, some more than others. I didn’t want to follow in Nadine’s footsteps. But I also had a job to do. “I appreciate your concern. I’ll be careful.”