by Marie Harte
“What’s that look?” he asked.
“You. You’re my biggest challenge. Huh.”
“Is that a good huh or a bad huh?”
“Not sure yet.”
“It’ll be good. Trust me.”
“I do.” Mostly. But he hadn’t been tested yet. He hadn’t gotten tired of her and compared her to the latest bimbos wanting a piece of him. Like the groupies from the gym, or any of the millions of viewers who had a thing for Gear Blackstone. The thought of rough times coming worried her, but no sense in crossing that bridge until she came to it.
“Nah, you don’t really trust me, deep down.” He didn’t sound bothered by the fact.
“You think I don’t trust you, and you don’t care?”
“I figure it’ll take time to prove it to you. I got plenty of that.”
She didn’t believe him. “Sure. Keep thinking that. You’re already itching to do something with yourself. Me? I’d have taken the time off to go sightseeing.”
“Where?”
She shrugged. “Hawaii is nice. I visited once as a kid. Great holiday. Or Vancouver. I love Canada. They’re so polite up there; it’s like another planet.”
He grinned. “To you it would be.”
She flipped him off. “But this isn’t about me, Harrison. This is about you. What do you want to do?”
“Besides you?”
“Gear.”
He groaned. “I don’t know. I mean, I do. I want to build bikes and be excited each day to wake up and go to work. I want to be satisfied by my life. Like you’re satisfied.”
But she wasn’t. Not entirely. Because when Gear left to go home, she’d be lonely. And when they didn’t spend time together, she missed him. Somehow, he’d become a weakness she hadn’t known she’d had. The thought of coming home to him every day, of sharing her time and body and making a future with him, had become an intangible dream.
Hell.
“Sadie, I think I’m going to start a new shop. Small. Just me as the owner, the decision maker. Then maybe I’ll bring Smoke on. But that’s it.”
“You sure?”
“Well, Chains is cool. And he’s a master at Photoshop rendering. He’s also got a contemporary aesthetic that I like.”
She blinked. “Who are you? And what have you done with my gritty boyfriend?” Whoops. The b-word had slipped out.
But he only grinned. “What you’ve failed to realize is I really am the motorcycle god Elliot calls me when he thinks I can’t hear him. I know bikes. I know design. I’m just not as good with people.”
“Well, you know me. I’m good people,” she said, defending him.
His smile broadened. “Yeah, you are.” He stood and pulled her with him from the table. “You’re the best people, Sadie.” He nuzzled her neck, then kissed her. “The absolute best.”
She couldn’t trust the emotion shining in his eyes and chalked it up to pent-up lust. “So, ah, you want to go to the bedroom?”
“Why? I have all I want right here.”
She swallowed. “Okay.” Sure, if he wanted to bend her over the table and get their freak on, she was ready. Just thinking about it got her nice and wet.
Instead, they spent the next two hours playing a stupid card game while he cheated his way to victory. Or so she claimed while he beat the pants off her by getting all the good cards.
To her surprise, he left with a kiss that melted her bones, as well as a promise to come early to pick her up the next day.
“Huh.” She closed the door behind him, wondering if no sex was a good or bad thing. He’d been erect most of the night. He really did rock a pair of jeans with that impressive package. And he’d dropped the jacket, wearing a T-shirt that showed off his amazing torso and the tats she wanted to sigh and stare at all night. Something about a muscular man with a sleeve of tattoos really got her going.
Then she realized she hadn’t told him anything about her father aside from him owning her building. Oh well. She could text him, could call him. But then, she hadn’t had any prior warning about his folks. Time to see what Gear was really made of.
The thought made her smile.
Handsome tough guy Gear Blackstone versus Big Tony Liberato, accountant extraordinaire. The match of the decade—she couldn’t wait.
* * *
Gear didn’t know what to expect from Sadie’s dad. But the fact he was nervous about meeting the guy told him all he needed to know about his feelings for Sadie. They’d gone from admiration to affection to something much deeper, more serious, and all-consuming.
He’d asked Elliot for a few tips since Sadie refused to help him out when he’d asked that morning. The witch.
Hey, you never told me Otis would be there after we had sex. You’re on your own, Harrison, she’d texted. And I still want to know what the M stands for.
He smothered a laugh. Sadie could be such a pain. He wondered what it would take to get her to move in with him. And I’m already thinking about her moving in when I haven’t brought her home yet? Yeah, he had it bad.
But now, with him officially off the show, he thought the press had backed off enough to bring her by and let her see his place. Maybe tonight, if he didn’t alienate her father and family by acting like a dick.
He glanced down at his black jeans and brown sweater, safe clothes to wear to a meet-the-parent dinner, or so Iris had said. His sister still wanted to meet Sadie, but Gear was doing his best to keep them apart. Bad enough Sadie had had to meet Orchid with no warning. He wanted to convince her to take a chance on him before Iris and her positivity scared her away. Too much Orchid and Iris, and he feared Sadie might bolt. He had enough working against him with his gorgeous but nasty ex.
He didn’t like Sadie comparing herself to Sahara in any way. That one time she’d mentioned not being enough of a woman to manage him? Laughable. She owned his ass and had no idea. A smart move to keep it that way, no doubt.
He parked his SUV, a concession to Seattle’s often-crappy weather when riding a bike wasn’t comfortable, and had just gotten out to get Sadie when she exited her apartment building. She wore a knee-length skirt, leather boots that ended below her knees, and a formfitting dark-blue sweater under her gray coat. Her hair was down, her lashes seemed thicker, her lips a deep red.
He gaped as she neared, walking with a sexy swagger that had him aroused from her first step. “You’re wearing makeup? A skirt? Tell me you’re wearing panties, or this evening is over. We’ll be going back in your apartment and not leaving for hours.”
She smirked. “A matching bra and panty set. White lace, since I’m so innocent and virginal.”
He choked on laughter. And desire. “Damn, Xena. Just…damn.” He opened the door for her and closed it once she’d sat.
Inside the SUV, he studied her before starting the car. “What’s up with the outfit? Is it for me or your old man?”
“Please make sure to call him that. He’ll love it.”
He snorted. They drove in silence toward her dad’s house in Queen Anne. Apparently Mr. Liberato lived in a posh house with a view of the city. According to Elliot, the guy had expensive tastes. To look at him was to know he could buy and sell you several times over. Tony Liberato loved his family only slightly more than making money but would do anything for his kids. Joe, Rose’s husband, had practically had to sign a blood oath that he’d treat Rose right before Tony had given his okay for their marriage. And that was after two years of dating.
Okay then. No pressure to impress the guy, considering Gear was sporting bruises, had just been fired from his last gig, and recently dumped his ex in a public spectacle that had yet to fade from prime time. Oh, and he’d only met Sadie two weeks ago. Not that he was planning to ask her to marry him yet. Because if he was thinking about it, she’d say no.
Any sane, normal person would reject an off
er like that. Hell, any normal person would think twice about being with a guy who fell for a girl that quickly. He also knew if she’d give him a hint of a yes, he’d buy her a ring tomorrow. As big as she wanted. He glanced at her, thinking she looked as pretty in profile as she did full-on.
She raised a brow, blew him a kiss, then turned on the radio. Some nice techno off a satellite channel. “Nervous? Don’t be. He’ll hate you on sight.”
“You’re not helping.”
She chuckled. “I’m kidding. Dad’s a good guy. He’ll love you.”
“It matters to you what he thinks?”
She nodded. “He’s my dad. He’s annoying when he tries telling me how to live my life, or when he tries to be my friend and hang out. Ugh. But yeah, I love him. I care what he thinks.” She held his hand. “Don’t be scared, Harrison. I’ll protect you.”
“Screw you.”
She laughed.
Oh man. I love her like crazy.
I am so fucked.
* * *
Half an hour later, Gear found himself cornered by her father in the guy’s massive living room. It had wall-to-wall bookcases on one side, crammed with actual books. Not just knickknacks, but stuff the guy had actually read. Treatises on historical battles, nonfiction accounts of economic policies that had raised and destroyed civilizations, and a host of biographies of famous people. No fiction for this guy who didn’t seem to possess a sense of humor.
Gear would bet money that Big Tony had ties to organized crime. At least, from a few of the things the guy had said, it seemed he wanted Gear to believe that. He also looked like a Mafia thug, tall and bulked up. Where Sadie got her height, no doubt. Tony had dark eyes, short, perfectly styled hair, and olive skin tanned from a recent trip to Italy. He reminded Gear of Otis, oddly enough, with the ready stance of a man who probably knew how to use his fists.
He’d sized up Gear from their handshake, and Gear had the notion he’d failed without realizing he’d taken the test.
In the kitchen, where Tony’s personal chef had prepared a feast of lasagna, salad, broccoli casserole, and a few other appetizers Elliot was salivating over, Sadie, her cousin, Ava, and Ava’s fiancé, Landon, chatted and laughed, oblivious to the brutal inquisition about to take place a few steps away.
“So.” Tony had a deep baritone, rich and clear and demanding notice.
Gear waited.
“A reality TV star?” Tony sounded amused.
Patronizing bastard. “Nope. I build motorcycles.”
“Ah.” The guy stared, saying nothing. Over his shoulder, Gear saw Sadie looking concerned. Then she noticed him watching her and flashed him a smile and a thumbs-up.
More like thumbs-down as this imagined Roman emperor ordered his death in the sandy arena.
“Ever watched Gladiator?” Gear asked.
The big man started. “What? Why, yes, I think I have.”
“Huh.” Gear said nothing more, just smiled.
Tony’s eyes narrowed.
Great. Now he’d started a nonverbal war with Sadie’s dad.
“How did you meet my daughter? Elliot mentioned a party a few weeks ago.”
“Yep. Your daughter clocked my ex. Right in the face.”
Tony said nothing.
“It was beautiful.” Gear grinned.
“So you like watching women fight over you?”
“I love watching a bully get her ass handed to her, yeah.” Gear forced himself to be calm. “My ex hit Sadie, and Sadie defended herself. She’s a strong ch—woman.” Not chick. Woman. “Doesn’t need a man to rescue her.”
Tony nodded. “Her mother and I raised her right.”
“I’d say so.”
They watched each other. Gear had the hysterical idea to whistle, as if signaling the prelude to a Western gunfight. If he thought about it hard enough, he could envision tumbleweed passing through the living room, especially standing on that sandy plain where the emperor had ordered him disemboweled.
“It’s time to eat, Dad. Leave Gear alone,” Elliot called out.
Tony grunted and turned on the heel of his five-hundred-dollar shoes. Gear recognized them because Sahara had once tried to get him to buy a pair for a formal event. As if.
They all sat at a large dining table overlooking Lake Union. Gorgeous with the lights at night and the full moon out.
Tony, of course, sat at the head of the table. On his right sat Ava and Landon. On his left, Sadie, Gear, and Elliot.
“Giving you a hard time, eh?” Elliot murmured as Tony turned to Ava with a smile. The joy turned his features from hard to handsome, and Gear could see where Sadie got her looks. For all that she wasn’t as classically attractive as her siblings, she had an inner beauty and an inner fierceness she’d definitely inherited from her father.
“You could say that.” Gear frowned at Elliot’s grin. “Not funny, dude.”
“Oh, it is. You should have seen how he made my ex cry. You’re holding up okay. Don’t chicken out now.”
Gear snorted. “Please. I’ve never walked away from a fight worth winning.”
“What’s that?” Tony asked, his voice modulated, pleasant. But the look he shot Gear was anything but cordial.
Gear smiled through his teeth. “Oh, nothing, Mr. Liberato. Just talking to Elliot.”
“Call him Tony,” Sadie said, then elbowed her dad. “Right, Dad?”
“Sure.” He shot Gear a death glare. “I’m happy to be on informal terms with my daughter’s latest defiler.”
Ava choked on her water, and Landon coughed to cover what sounded like a laugh. Gear had gotten no more than a quick intro to Ava’s dude, but at least Landon seemed to have a sense of humor.
Sadie groaned. “Give it a rest, Dad. I’m not a virgin and haven’t been for many years.”
Gear would have said “You got that right,” but Elliot beat him to it. Plus, he didn’t quite have the stones to say that to his girlfriend’s father.
“Man. And I thought my parents were bad,” he murmured to her.
But Tony had heard. He raised his brows the way Sadie did, with an arrogance that fit him. “You met his parents?”
“Yep,” Gear said before Sadie could answer. “Right after she’d told them about marrying me for my money and being pregnant with twins, we all shared an amazing picnic together in a castle overlooking the mountains. It was magical.” He dug into his salad with gusto. “Man, this is good dressing. I’ll have to get the recipe for my mom.” He glanced up and saw everyone staring at him. Some in horror, some in awe. And Sadie with a mix of the two. “What? Was it something I said?”
Chapter 14
Sadie had known her father would verbally knock Gear around a little. He’d done it to all of his children’s—and even his niece’s—significant others. Joe had weathered the storm. Jason, Elliot’s ex, sure hadn’t. Ava’s Landon had passed muster. Mostly. But she knew her dad hadn’t let Landon completely off the hook yet. Marrying into the family came with a price.
But even for her father, Gear seemed to be on another level of “fuck with” entirely.
Her dad turned to her, sounding way too calm, considering the anger in his eyes. “You’re pregnant and married to this…man?”
She wanted to kick Gear. Great. Now she was in the hot seat. “No, of course not. I was messing with his parents because they were asking me a lot of questions, kind of like what you’re doing to Gear.”
“Standard parental behavior, particularly from a male authority figure in the family,” Dr. Ava said.
Elliot groaned.
“Uncle Tony is asserting his rights as your father to protect you. And Gear, an unknown, must prove his mettle to show he deserves you.”
Tony smiled. “Yes, exactly. Because from where I’m sitting, I’m not seeing much to recommend him.”
&nb
sp; Before Gear or Sadie could speak, Tony ticked off on his fingers. “He’s got no job. He’s a social media nightmare. He just had a fight recently; look at his face. He’s a thug with no education—”
“Now hold on there,” Gear said, no doubt swallowing down the old man he’d considered tacking on. “First, I’m self-employed. I’m also financially responsible, with a savings account, even. And hey, I know how to write checks too.”
“Gear,” Sadie cautioned and gripped his leg under the table.
Her father saw the motion and frowned, looking like a well-dressed grim reaper.
“Hey, I have a right to defend myself. He’s got legit concerns, so I’m answering them. Second, I did get in a fight, not my fault. I won, in case you were wondering.” He forced a smile. “You’ll probably see footage of it tomorrow, or whenever they air the stupid episode.”
Elliot leaned closer. “This is gold. So what else happened? Did B-Man break up with Sahara yet? Because that’s where I see the show heading.”
“Elliot,” Sadie snapped.
Gear continued. “My ex–business partner, the guy who went behind my back to steal my show and my fiancée—good riddance to her—tried to sucker punch me. Well, Blackstones aren’t meant to take a beating. So I showed him, and his weak posse, how to fight for real.” To Sadie, he said, “They got nothing on you, Xena.”
Her father frowned but didn’t speak. That was a good sign. Sadie held her breath.
“Third, I graduated from high school and have an associate’s degree in business. I also have a genius brother with an IQ higher than anyone at this table. And he’s my financial consultant. Plus my parents taught me all sorts of stuff that’s worth a hell of a lot more than a piece of paper with BS on it.”
Of course Gear couldn’t let it be. The BS obviously stood for bullshit.
Her father read between the lines as well as she did. He clenched his jaw as he regarded Gear.
She squeezed Gear’s leg, and he put a hand over hers and eased her grip, so that he was now holding her hand.
“But I think the real question is, what am I doing with your daughter?”
“See, Dad?” Elliot spoke up. “He’s not as dumb as he looks.”