“Okay, I need to know how she got your man card?”
“She changed my tire.”
Rome cut his eyes at Dalton. “You let a woman change your tire? Sure, she’s almost as tall as I am, but she’s still a woman.”
“Jealous?”
“A little, but yeah you need to turn in your card.”
“I chopped wood for her.” Dalton tried to reconcile his loss of manhood. “And I beat up her ex-boyfriend.”
“Both things are worth a few points. You’re on probation.”
“I’ll take it.” Dalton closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest. “You heard if they’re going to suspend me?”
“Nope, but you know the union won’t let them without charges being filed. Hell, they might not even if they are.” Rome slapped the back of his hand on Dalton’s chest. “And I doubt Cuemark lends his plane to a man he’s going to trade.”
“Who’d pick me up? I signed a new contract before I flew out to Denver.”
“Contracts are based on skill, man. You didn’t miss a step today.”
“Yeah. Matty only had a few rushes from my side.”
“Look, you want my opinion on Willie for real?”
“Yes.”
“There’s only one question you have to answer. Do you love her?”
The plane landed an hour later and when they returned to the practice facility Dalton waved goodbye, tossed his bag in the back of his truck and picked up his phone. It was completely dead, so he plugged it in and started his truck. Heading south, he wasn’t sure if he was going home or to O’Hare in hopes of a flight to Reno. Picking up his phone, he turned it on after it got to five percent of battery. It linked with his truck’s Bluetooth.
“You have new messages.” The computer voice carried through his truck. Fiddling with the buttons on his wheel, he started the program to read them while he drove. Three messages in his truck spoke the words he’d been praying for. “Message from Sexy from Saturday eight fifty-three p.m. I’m home, all I need is the word and I’ll be yours today, tomorrow and always.”
Dalton sped up, cut through three lanes and made his way to the exit as horns blared and tires squealed behind him. Blowing through the stop sign at the toll exit, he made his way across the bridge and back onto the interstate heading straight north. He’d be to Willie’s before eight easy. Barring being pulled over, he might be there before seven. Either way, she said all that mattered and he was going to get his woman.
Chapter Eleven
“You staying for the night game?” Trap asked while holding the nozzle for the pop she’d been drinking.
“Shoot me,” she commanded like a seasoned drunk only to get the non-alcoholic drink she’d been enjoying. Although she enjoyed talking with her brother, she felt safe in the bar with the other patrons. Not many, but still she wasn’t about to be approached by a stranger to the area without getting questioned.
“I’m warning you now, I’m going to have to cut you off soon.”
“Why?” she laughed.
“You’ll be up all night. I hate feeling guilty like that.”
“This is a close game.” Her hand extended to the TV and the zero-zero score. “I’d hate to fall asleep before I knew what happened.”
“It’s kick off.” Trap crossed his muscular arms and Willie picked up the plastic cup while pointing with her index finger. “You need to bone up on the rules.”
“Who’s playing tonight?”
“Why, you really living here today?”
“I have two other options. Sitting on Stan’s couch or in my cabin by myself. Although Stan is a charmer, he’s a bit mad at me and wants a full recounting of my past.”
“He’s not the only one.”
The deep voice of Dalton made her spin on her barstool to see him standing over her. Without so much as a word, his hands cradled her face and his lips captured hers. Her fingers curled and clutched at his t-shirt. Heat emanated from his large frame as he fell between her legs.
“I got your text,” she said in a hushed whisper as her lips grazed his.
“Back at you woman.” Dalton brushed along her cheek and he nipped at her ear.
“I watched your game.”
“Here?” he questioned and took in the new décor.
“There are worse places.”
“Get your hands off her,” Randy bellowed with a trembling voice.
“Sorry about this,” she said as she stood and put her hands up to keep him from being an ass. “My brother’s just discovered his duties.”
“Brother?” Dalton questioned then squared his shoulders. “How is that?”
“My older brother.”
“That’s right,” Randy replied with the bravery of alcohol to aid him. “I’m her brother. You need to tell Willie why you left her in Reno alone.”
“They wouldn’t let me see her.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Willie asked with her hands still on Randy’s chest.
“The cops, the doctors. If I wasn’t being stitched up or tended to, the cops were questioning me. They said we couldn’t see each other.”
“Stop,” she commanded her brother who’d turned into a little pit bull. Snapping and barking making even her give him the you’re crazy face. “I need to have a conversation with him alone.”
“You break her heart be ready to enter the thunder dome, bitch.”
Willie grabbed her coat, put her hand on Dalton’s shoulder and they walked outside.
“Did he go from angry drunk to crazy one?” Dalton asked in his normal gentle tone.
“He’s weaning or something. No hard liquor.” Willie shook her head to move on to the more pressing matter. “How did you find me?”
“You said you were at home,” Dalton reasoned. “But you weren’t. I’m surprised to see you here.”
“My brother and I have come to an understanding.”
“That is?”
“I’m the only blood he has left and that’s enough for him to start to sober up.”
“He starting that anytime soon?”
“Jury’s still out on that. He’s a lot like my dad and needs a bit of hand holding to get it done.”
“That mean you wouldn’t be willing to come back to Chicago with me?”
Her heart skipped as she took in her gentle giant standing in ten degrees with only a t-shirt and dress pants on. The same ones he’d worn as he walked into the stadium. He didn’t complain about the cold. In this moment, she was his only focus.
“What happened in the diner—it’s not me. You know that, right?”
“Yes, it is,” she said with a smile as she put her arms around his neck and he encircled her waist. “You’re my protector.”
“Today, tomorrow and always, babe. Today, tomorrow and always.”
Epilogue
“This trial seems to have gone on for longer than the prosecutors first estimated,” the news commentator said as Dalton made airplane noises with a baby spoon with mashed pumpkin on the end.
Going around and around had his son giggling while his twin sister’s big deep brown eyes blinked. “Who’s gonna get the big bite?” Charlotte, his daughter wasn’t sold on the whole solid food thing like his son Gilly, Gilbert for his dad, was. Nope, she was watching the plane and telling him the runway was closed. “Lottie, you’re missing out on some good stuff here.” With a swoop, he landed in Gilly’s open mouth.
“Well with the defendant having to be healthy enough to attend the trial, mixed with all the testimony I wasn’t surprised how long it took to present the case,” the second commentator stated. “Willeen Gresham’s emotional description of the assaults aside, Hector Molina’s reaction to her betraying him as he called it, had the jury petrified. The only thing I was confused with was why it took three weeks for them to come to a verdict.”
“True, I’m not sure either. With the mountains of evidence, you would think a plea deal would have been advised.”
Dalton kept his ear traine
d on the TV while his eyes were on his babies. The twins were a surprise to both Willie and him since neither had them in their family. A welcome surprise that had them both overwhelmed and wanting to expand their family more for some strange reason. Willie was in Vegas for the verdict and sentencing. Jurors had been intimidated and tampered with to the point they were afraid they would declare a mistrial. Now, all of Hector’s thugs were behind bars and the empire he believed he had was being run out of cell block C or some shit.
Gilly slapped at the tray for his high chair while letting out a howl.
“Alright, Chunk,” Dalton said as he reloaded the spoon. No longer needing the plane to carry the precious cargo, his son with rolls on his arms ate away.
Not that Lottie didn’t have cheeks mimicking the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man, she kept looking for her mother. More sensitive than Gilly, she knew something big was happening.
“Mama will be back tonight, Lottie and she wants you to have a full belly.” He went for a train this time to get her to eat. Instead of her mouth opening wide, Gilly leaned to the side as if he could reach far enough to block his sister’s head and steal her food. A true lineman with only one focus. Food! Now! Placing a few Cheerios on her tray, he finished feeding Gilly as if there was an end to that process.
He wanted so badly to be by Willie’s side, but she told him she didn’t want the babies there. Her mother would be by her side and she wouldn’t be able to sleep if the kids were being watched by a nanny and not him. Crumbled empire or not, Willie was a mama bear even the GOGs learned not to incite.
“The jury has entered the court room.”
Dalton cleaned up Gilly and warmed a bottle for Lottie. He couldn’t tuck them both into one curled arm anymore so he passed Lottie her bottle as he carried one in each arm. Flopping on the couch in the family room, he turned the volume down and watched as they scanned the courtroom where Willie sat in an outfit handpicked by Dani who flanked her along with Rachel and her mother. The camera then went back to the judge.
“Have you come to a verdict?”
“Yes, your honor,” the forewoman said.
Dalton’s heart lifted with each guilty verdict. The whole process took over ten minutes with the judge stating the charge and the forewoman responding. Hector made threats that had him removed from the courtroom and when the forewoman’s face paled in fear, Willie stood up. The woman resumed her duty and Hector was sentenced to death row.
“Did you watch?” Willie asked when she called on her way back to the airport.
“Yes, babe, I did. I’m so proud of you. I wish I could be there with you.”
“Training camp starts in two days. You know this wasn’t an option.”
“I still can’t believe we’re not hitting the strip for a minute,” Rachel’s voice called over the phone. “We should be celebrating.”
“How about this year’s bye week we drag the Bishops out and dust them off?” Willie suggested.
“Yes, please,” Rachel pleaded into the phone. “We still exist you know.”
“Tell her sure,” Dalton said. “And to leave you alone.”
“He said yes,” Willie assured. “I’m walking away now. How are my babies?”
“Lottie still doesn’t trust solid food, but they are both sleeping on their favorite pillow.”
“Hey, that’s my favorite pillow,” Willie whined.
“And it will be here when you get home.” There were worse things than being everyone’s favorite place to lay. “Make it quick. You know I don’t like sleeping without you.”
Hanging up, he saw the mess from playing with the babies all day. Scattered on the floor were learning toys and mats that made different noises, had mirrors and various fabrics. He knew he should pick up the mess, instead he flipped to the talking heads as they mock drafted their favorite fantasy team. With Gilly and Lottie on his belly, he found a blanket and draped it over the three of them.
When Willie finally made it home, the babies were up and active with the toys on the floor.
“Tell me something?” she said as she sat on the arm of the couch. “Who’s having more fun with those toys?”
Lottie let out a happy scream when she heard Willie’s voice and she happily scooped up the infant.
“I plead the fifth,” Dalton said as he belly crawled his way to Willie and pushed up to kiss her. The sweet taste of her lips warmed him as everything that mattered in the world was within an arms reach.
Other Books by Michel Prince
Long Ranch Series
“Cowboys and love mixing it up.”
One Last Rodeo-Novella
One Last Sunset ****
The Last to Know
The Last Laugh
At Long Last
Chrysalis Series
“The hardest part of growing up is learning you are worth more.”
Chrysalis*
The Beam
Not Even Death
Unto Us
The Growing Strong Series
“Biology is the last thing that makes a family.”
The Guardian’s Heart**
The Queen’s Heart #
The Politician’s Heart #
The Teacher’s Heart
The Frozen Series
“If your heart is frozen in time, can it still beat?”
Shared Redemption
Redemption of Blood
Stolen Redemption
Love by the Yard Series
“Tackling love one down at a time.”
First and Ten
Second and Short
Third and Long-Releasing 3/17
Fourth and Goal-Releasing 6/17
Single Titles
Silly Girl**
Unwrapping a Marriage-coauthored with Reana Malori
Mask of Fire
Kiss from a Rose
Triple B Baking Co-First Book in Hearts of Braden Series
Love in the Land of Lakes- An Anthology-Her Stranger
Festivals of Love-An Anthology-Tightly Wound
Snowy Knights-An Anthology-By the Light of a Blizzard
*Winner 2014 Sweetest Romance IRAE
**Nominated for Book of the year 2013 LASR
***Nominated for a RONE 2014
**** Nominated for Best Contemporary IRAE 2015
# Best Seller on AllRomanceEbooks
Contact the author at:
Website: www.MichelPrinceBooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michel.prince.39?fref=ts
About the Author
Michel Prince has a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science, but found her true calling as an author, writing new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.
With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!", she tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they have to wait their turn. She knows eventually they will find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them.
She has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers 2013, 2014, won 2014 Sweetest Romance from IREA for Chrysalis and is a PAN member of RWA.
Michel resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, and new puppy. When she can suppress the voices in her head, she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. Michel’s success has been a group effort; one she thanks her family for as they continue to be in her corner and especially her husband, who supports her every dream and never lets her give up.
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