Well, not with me, but in the same town as me. Would that make it easier or worse? Would he actually talk to me?
I had just learned his fucking name. Colt, a shortened version of his last name, was probably his road name. I was hopelessly in love with a guy and I didn’t even know his name.
Tequila burned my throat as I downed the shot that Theresa handed me earlier.
The crowd was still roaring and guys were making toasts when I realized something.
“I shouldn’t be here.” I threw my red plastic cup in the garbage and smiled at Bettes. “Thanks for inviting me, it was good to see you. But I think I should go.”
She protested. I could hear her through the mess of voices as I made my way to the door. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t go through it again. Knowing Tate, strippers were gonna be walking through the door in a few minutes and I wasn’t gonna be there.
I was happy for Colt, but I needed to be happy too. I was never going to be happy with my new life if he was always hanging around, just beyond my reach.
“Hey, little lady, where are you running off to? The party is just getting started.”
The widest man I’d ever seen had his hand on my shoulder. They probably had to kill an entire cow just to make his cut. He was strong, not an ounce of fat, just wide.
“Hey. Hands off, Maori.”
I closed my eyes. Fuck. I was caught. It was Colt.
“Is this your lady?” The heavy pressure of the man’s hand lifted. “Swear to god I didn’t know. Congratulations, man.”
I dared to peek and Colt was staring at me. He gave me a little smile, then turned back to the other guy. “Thanks, man.”
They shook hands and I took that as my cue to flee. I yanked open the door and gulped in the cold December air. I ran as fast as my sensible low heels could carry me.
“Wait! Krista, stop!”
Colt was close behind. I knew from experience that he could outrun me or catch me, or tackle me to the ground. Slowing my pace until I stopped, I faced him.
“Here.” I held the keys out to him. “All the rest is still in my account. I never spent it. Just tell me where to send it, okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and dangled the keys between us, waiting for him to take them.
He folded my fingers around the keys and then closed his hand over mine. “It’s yours. The money too. I just wanted to take care of you. Make sure you were safe.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to be taken care of, I don’t want you to feel responsible for me. I just want to be loved.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. Whatever he was going to say next was gonna hurt like hell and I couldn’t put myself through this again.
He rubbed my arms and I looked away. I needed to protect myself from him. If I didn’t, I was going to end up even more broken than last time.
“I thought we were on our way to something good and then everything happened and I woke up and you were gone. You left me, Colt. And now you’re back and you think we can be some sort of friends?” My hands were shaking, my head was shaking. “No, I can’t do this. I can’t do this!”
The second time, I yelled it. I needed escape, needed to let my anger out. I had been remembering only the good times, but now that he was here in front of me, I remembered the bad times too. There were so many. In fact, they outnumbered the good times.
He put his arms around me and crushed me to him. He smelled like leather and sunshine. Goddamn me, I caved and sobbed against him. I’d dreamed for weeks of him holding me like this. I’d dreamed that he would take me in his arms and tell me he loved me. Tell me he always wanted to be with me.
“Yeah. I did. I left you. I was a fucking asshole about it too.” Letting go of me, he walked to his bike. He pulled a bouquet of wilted yellow daisies out of his saddlebag. “They’re a little beat-up, I bought ’em when I got out of the joint, because I love you, Krista, and I want to have a life together.”
“You love me?” I wiped my tears and stared down at the nearly dead yellow flowers. “Where the hell did you go? No word for months. Nothing.”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to do this right, not in the middle of a parking lot. And these—” He grabbed the flowers out of my hands. “They look like shit. I should have gotten you something nicer. They were the first thing I did when I got out. I bought them and drove straight up here.”
I wasn’t about to let go of the flowers. So we both held on to their limp stems and stared at each other.
“I was in jail.” He searched my eyes as if he didn’t know what to say. “After I visited you at the strip club, the cops picked me up for assault on Robby. That’s why I never came by. The charges were dropped, thanks to Tate, but my parole officer knew I was out of state. I made a deal to spend a few months in prison if they would transfer my parole up here to Seattle.”
Oh god. His silence had been his way of planning for our future. I took the flowers away from him and sniffed them. They smelled like exhaust—it was beautiful.
Leaning close, he whispered into my ear. “I was afraid too. Afraid that you wouldn’t love me. When I came up here, I hadn’t felt anything in a long time. This had stopped.” He picked up my hand and put it on his chest, right over his heart. “But the second I put you and Becky on the back of my bike, it started again. It beats so hard now that it hurts. Will you let me try? Will you give me a chance?”
Once upon a time, I had hoped that Robby would be my husband and Becky’s father. But I realized now that Colt was my true partner.
I moved close to him and cupped his face. “I love you. I want to try a life together.” I wanted to spend Friday nights on the couch with him and Becky watching annoying kids’ movies, I wanted to spend Saturday morning curled up in his arms. I wanted him to be in my life. Our life.
I pulled him down for a kiss. “I want to try too,” he said, just before his lips closed over mine.
Epilogue
Krista
The boys had just come back from a run, so I was pouring whiskeys by the dozen. It was nice that I was no longer wearing a bikini or bustier. Just jeans and a pair of boots. My workday at the accounting firm was over and Becky was at a sleepover with a friend.
Skeeter had done something silly on the run and everyone was taking turns making fun. We all laughed and I looked up. Colt was smiling at me. He winked and tilted his head. Upstairs.
After pouring the drinks, I made sure no one was watching and snuck up to my old room. It had been redecorated now. The room was now just a single guest room.
As I opened the door, Colt lounged on the twin bed. “Hey, babe.”
The door shut behind me as I walked over to him. Straddling his legs, I sat on his lap and put my arms around his neck. “Hey.”
He pulled me to him and kissed me. We’d done this a few times before and it always led to some pretty hot sex on this tiny little bed. But after just one kiss, he pushed me away.
“I’ve got something for you. A little present.”
I laughed and grabbed for his dick. “I’ll bet you do.”
He caught my wrist and grinned. “The present is in the closet.”
He was definitely up to something. I got off his lap and walked over to the closet.
The only thing hanging was a black vest. There was nothing on the front, but when I turned it around there was one patch.
Property of Colt.
He’d been living with me for the last six months. I knew it was serious between us, but this was the first time we’d ever really discussed it.
“What do you think?”
I was quiet and just ran my fingers over the leather. It was beautiful. It was also a little scary. Being together was great, but this was permanent.
He walked up behind me and put his arms around me.
“
There’s something in the pocket,” he said against my neck.
I fished through the pocket of the vest and found something. It was a key. But it looked funny. The shaft was all smooth, with none of the notches you see on a regular key. Turning to face him, I held it up, confused.
“It’s a key to our house. Well, it hasn’t been cut yet, because I haven’t found a house. I thought you’d want to pick it out. Something with a yard, a fireplace for Santa. Whatever you want. I just want to love you.”
I nodded as I kissed him.
“Let’s pick it out together.”
* * * * *
The Demon Horde Series continues with REBEL CUSTODY and OUTLAW RIDE. Don’t miss them!
Coming soon from Sarah Hawthorne
and Carina Press
in the Demon Horde Series
Rebel Custody
Outlaw Ride
About the Author
Sarah Hawthorne lives in the Pacific Northwest and drinks coffee in the winter and champagne in the summer. She enjoys writing, gardening and planning vacations. Please visit Sarah at www.sarahhawthorne.com.
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ISBN-13: 9781488024412
Enforcer’s Price
Copyright © 2017 by Sarah R. Hall
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