(Fireside #2)His to Protect - Stacey Lynn

His to Protect is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. A Loveswept Ebook Original Copyright © 2016 by Stacey Lynn Excerpt from Worth It All by Claudia Connor copyright © 2016 by Claudia Connor All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Loveswept, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New Y ork. LOVESWEPT is a registered trademark and the LOVESWEPT colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC. This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming book Worth It All by Claudia Connor. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition. ebook ISBN 9781101967966 Cover design: Caroline Teagle Cover photograph: © kiuikson/Shutterstock randomhousebooks.com v4.1 ep

Contents Cover Title Page Copyright

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Epilogue Acknowledgments By Stacey Lynn About the Author The Editor’s Corner Excerpt from Worth It All

Prologue Trina I left a week ago. One week of constantly looking over my shoulder while I walked down the sidewalk. One week of keeping one eye on the road and one on my rearview mirror while I drove away from Kentucky. One week since I had been free, yet I still felt caged. Antsy. Paranoid. Yet in one week, I had learned things about myself I didn’t know before. I was stronger than I thought. I was braver. I was done. Done being his punching bag. Done being his perfect wife in our perfect home in our perfect neighborhood with our perfect friends. I never wanted to be perfect again. I wanted to figure out who I was now, without him. Without the chains that used to keep me in my elegant prison—a home that was designed before I ever entered his perfect little picture, waiting for me to move into as soon as he slid a giant rock onto my finger. I would never return. I just had to make sure he never found me. Because if he did, I knew I would not survive.

Chapter 1 Trina The air was crisp, the lingering stickiness of summer’s humidity changing into the first hints that fall was just around the corner. With one hand on Boomer’s leash, I tugged him along the sidewalk, pretending we were out for a late-night stroll through the cobblestone streets of Latham Hills. I hadn’t intended to stop so close to Kentucky. Detroit was only a day’s drive from the home I’d fled just last week. But as soon as I arrived there, intent on heading to Canada and leaving my past behind, something about the little area on the north side of Detroit spoke to me. It was old and beautiful, rich with a history I wanted to understand and explore, and that’s what so much of this journey was about for me. Figuring out who I was and what I loved. So even though I was close to crossing the border into a new country, I felt drawn to stay awhile. Heal. Wait for the bruises on my cheek to fade, and my ribs to cease aching when I moved too suddenly. Then I’d move on to Canada, where, hopefully, Kevin wouldn’t be able to reach me. “Come on, Boom.” I tugged on his leash again and led my boxer into the alley, where I’d been giving him food from the leftovers of restaurants for the last week. Leaving my old life with a small supply of cash forced me to stretch my budget in ways I never had before. Dog food wasn’t expensive in the grand scheme of things, but I only had a few hundred dollars left and I was trying to save every penny I could. I’d make it up to Boomer with a bag of his favorite gourmet food as soon as we got settled somewhere. Besides, he didn’t seem to mind eating leftover burgers from the sports bar that we walked by on our first day. I won’t lie. The delicious aromas that drifted into the air had called to me more than once, too. It’d been ages since I was “allowed” to sink my teeth into a juicy burger, but a good meal was just one more thing I couldn’t afford right now. It had been gas station hot dogs and pizza slices for me, something else I hadn’t been allowed to eat before. Although now they were something I didn’t want to eat again. With a cautious glance down the sidewalk, I ensured no one was watching before Boomer and I headed into the alley. There were lots of restaurants along this main stretch of road in Latham Hills, but few alleys where I could hide while I let Boomer nosh on grilled beef.

“Come on, pup,” I whispered, and gave another quick tug on the leash. He followed me eagerly, already licking his chops while his wild tail flopped back and forth. My dog could understand basic commands; because of his size, I worked hard to train him properly. But even at six years old, he still acted like a puppy most days. He began to whine with anticipation as I led him over to the dumpster, where I dropped his leash and told him to sit. He listened immediately, his tail thumping against the pavement, while I pulled myself up to the top of the dumpster. Dumpster diving. If only my mother or Kevin could see me now. I almost snickered at the idea even as I was grunting. My required Pilates and cardio routines had done little to build the muscle needed to lift the heavy metal lid. With a final push, I used all my strength to shove the top open, cringing when the metal banged against the brick wall. I dropped to my feet, waiting for any sign of life as the sound echoed in the dark, narrow alley. Next to me, Boomer began to whine, his large, pink tongue drooping from his mouth. “Hush,” I whispered, and gave him a quick, calming rub. “Just another minute, boy. Now, stay.” His face rubbed against my thigh and I quickly pushed him away before I climbed back up on the dumpster and reached in for a bag of garbage. Shame slithered through me as I grabbed the first black bag I could get my fingers on. A week ago, I was coming home from a manicure appointment and running twenty minutes late for dinner, and I knew exactly what was in store for me. Now, my chipped nails were clinging to plastic bags of garbage. I had no idea what the future held. Even with the shame, this life felt better. The bag slipped from my grip just as I lifted it over the edge and fell to the ground. “Crap,” I muttered, looking at the mess of spilled garbage at my feet, and felt my cheeks heat with fear at the small infraction. I was so tired of jumping at every mistake I made, quickly looking over my shoulder to see if anyone noticed. If he noticed. I also didn’t swear. It’d been ingrained in me that a lady cursing was completely unacceptable, even if I used to curse all the time when Kevin and I first began dating. He quickly cured me of the horrid habit once we married with a backhand to my cheek when I yelled “Shit” one night after dropping a vase. I only dropped it because he’d yelled at me for not having the dinner table properly set by the time he came home. It was the first night he hit me. It most definitely wasn’t the last. Boomer growled and I quickly squatted down to tear open the bag. Another shiver of shame rippled through me as I realized what I was doing, what I’d

become. Dirt was visible under my chipped fingernails. I tried not to think about it as I dug through the bag until I found a plastic container filled with what I assumed was a patron’s forgotten leftovers. I opened it to find exactly what I was looking for. I reached out to hand it to Boomer when a bright flash of light caught my attention right before a loud clanging sound reverberated through the alley. “What in the hell is going on out here?” I jumped backward, falling to my backside, and quickly scrambled behind Boomer. In front of me, a monstrous shadow filled the doorway just down from the dumpster. I couldn’t see anything except the black outline of a large figure, but it was clear he had his hands on his hips. In front of me, Boomer looked up at the stranger and let out a loose growl before he dropped his head and went back to eating. Some guard dog. I’d have scolded him for it if I hadn’t been so terrified about the stranger, who reached down and picked up something that looked like a brick. “I’m sorry,” I stammered, and began searching for Boomer’s leash, but he must have been sitting on it. Typical dog. He wouldn’t leave until he was good and ready. “I’m so sorry,” I said again and scrambled to my feet. At five six, I wasn’t exactly short, but I had nothing on the man in front of me. “We’ll go…it’s just…he needs to eat, but that’s no excuse, I understand…” My voice trailed off as the man dropped the brick in the doorway, propping open the door to the restaurant, and stepped into the alley. “You’re the one who’s been digging through the crap in my dumpster?” He took another step out of the doorway. With the light off to his side, I could just make out his features. Shaved head, tanned skin, sharp jawline. Big as a truck. Nothing about this said it was safe for me to be here. I wrapped my fingers around Boomer’s collar, fruitlessly trying to pull him away from his food. He whined and jerked forward. I stumbled from his sudden movement and hissed in pain. My other hand wrapped around my ribs as I flinched. “You hurt?” the man asked and stepped closer. “Stop.” I thrust out my hand and looked away from him and down at my darn dog who wouldn’t stop slurping up french fries. “We’ll go, I swear, and we won’t come back. I just…” Darn it. This was horrifically embarrassing. I never actually planned what I would do or say if I got caught digging through trash. Tears welled in my eyes and I shook my head. If I turned now and walked away, I doubted this mountain of a man would follow me. Or he would, but if I let Boomer go, he’d slow the man down. Not with his teeth and a vicious bite. He’d probably lick the man to death. Or tackle him,

wanting to play. My stomach rumbled, practically vibrating off the brick walls, and I pressed my hand over my stomach to silence it. “Sounds like you need a meal.” “No, thank you,” I said brusquely, and took a step toward the street. “We should be going.” The man took several steps forward before I could blink. He might have been big, but he was darn quick, and he was now directly in front of me with one hand outstretched. I flinched back immediately, throwing my hand in front of my face before he cursed. “Fuck.” I cringed again and peeked at him, looking with one eye through my separated fingers. He was standing back with his hands up, palms facing me. Despite his fierce scowl, he hadn’t meant his gesture to be threatening. Unfortunately, for far too long, I’d been around men who thought it was okay to intimidate a woman with their size and their fists. It had become instinct to protect myself, even if it usually ended up getting me in more trouble. “Sorry,” I gasped when I realized what I’d done. “I won’t hurt you,” the man said and gestured toward the door. “Let me feed you and your dog. He can’t come in, but we can tie him up out here.” I realized my hand was still raised and lowered it to my side, still balled into a fist, as if I could do damage to this guy. “Why?” He rubbed his jaw and shrugged. “Because I can’t keep cleaning up my alley and you apparently need to eat.” Then he nodded and pointed at my dog. “So does it.” “Boomer,” I corrected him. It always bugged me that Kevin referred to my dog as an it. I should have known that a man who couldn’t love an animal could never love a woman properly. “Right.” I saw a flash of white teeth as he smiled, and then it disappeared. Something about that, the way it seemed he was trying not to laugh at me, had a disarming effect. My pulse, which had been elevated since he terrified me by appearing in the alley, began to slow and my shoulders dropped. “You’re really just offering a meal?” I asked, sucking my bottom lip in between my teeth. Heat suffused my cheeks when I added “For free?” My stomach knotted at the thought. I had the money to pay. I just really needed to save it. Taking off with only a few hundred dollars wasn’t the smartest decision, but I figured the less that was missing, the less suspicion it would raise, giving me more time to get on the road before Kevin realized I was truly gone. “What else would I be offering?” he asked, his brow furrowed. He dismissed the question with a swish of his hand. “Forget it. You coming?” My lips pulled to one side and I looked down at Boomer. The harmless dog. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth and he was panting as if he’d just eaten a feast. A quick glance at the emptied container told me he had. Now he was eyeing this strange brute of a man with

excitement. A new friend to jump on. His eyes were wide and black and his tail thumped against the asphalt. “Can we keep the door propped open so I can keep my eye on him?” “Yes,” he answered immediately and nodded. It had become instinct in me to cower from men, thanks to hits I’d taken from Kevin. But I had stayed and tolerated it for a purpose, all the while planning to escape when the time was right. I could have been more frightened than I was of this man and his offer, but his apparent desire to make me comfortable made me relax. “Okay, then,” I said and began following him to the door. Once we got there, I let go of Boomer’s collar and pointed. “Down.” With my palm out, I said, “Stay,” and watched as Boomer listened. “He won’t go anywhere, no need for a rope,” I told the man as he watched from the doorway. He was so close to the light, I could see him clearly now, and my pulse began increasing all over again. His skin was tan, his shoulders broad, which I already knew, but what I couldn’t make out in the shadows outside were the dark-brown eyes and the chiseled jaw and the slight hint of deep-black scruff along his cheeks and chin. With his shaved head and large muscles he appeared to be more akin to a bar bouncer than a restaurant owner. My feet halted. “You work here?” I asked, looking over his shoulder to see if there was someone else inside. It suddenly hit me that this could be quite possibly the dumbest thing I’d done since saying “I do” to Kevin Morgenson five years ago. I took a small step back. The man walked farther into the restaurant, as if to give me space to make my decision. “Name’s Declan James. The Fireside Grill, which you’ve been pilfering garbage from for the last week, is mine. I own it myself and there’s no one else here but me. Closed it down a few hours ago and have been cleaning and waiting to catch the rug rats who have been messing up my alley.” His lips spread into a smile then. A full one, so wide it stretched his cheeks and a dimple popped in his right one. My pulse fluttered for an entirely different reason now, and I swallowed. I shouldn’t have been noticing this man. First, he was everything I was trying to get away from, meaning men in general. But secondly, he had muscles and anger and scowls and fists that looked like they could break bones. But he seemed to be doing all he could to set me at ease and for that, I decided a meal—one hot meal before I left town—was worth the risk. I’d just get on the road sooner than I’d originally thought, now that someone could recognize me. “Trina.” I shortened my formal name of Katrina on a whim. I’d always been Kat or Katrina, but never just Trina. I never wanted to hear the name Katrina again. Declan stepped further into the kitchen, giving me plenty of room, so I exhaled a slow breath and stepped forward into the back of what was obviously the kitchen and prep area. Stainless-steel counters shined along the length of one wall and two metal doors were at the far end.

“I’m Trina,” I said again when he didn’t acknowledge me. Instead of saying something, his eyes dropped and scanned my body. I waited for him to finish assessing me, which was what he seemed to be doing instead of leering. I knew what he saw. Not a woman who looked like she should be digging in dumpsters. More like a woman who belonged at a country club. I was wearing jeans and a short-sleeve shirt and my favorite pair of Pumas, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that I was not wearing thrift-store clothing. Even if I did only pack one bag full of yoga pants and jeans and tees, leaving behind the dresses and ball gowns, it was still obvious that my clothes were expensive. His eyes were blank when they met mine again, though. “Nice to meet you. Now what are you hungry for?” He turned and walked away from me, clearly expecting me to follow. I shot one last look at Boomer. He lifted his head and stuck out his tongue, panting sloppily before he yawned and lay back down, closing his eyes. I shook my head and walked toward the kitchen.

Chapter 2 Declan I walked away from the woman—Trina—before I did something asinine like demand she tell me who gave her the fading bruise on her cheek. I noticed it and felt the overwhelming urge to pummel someone as soon as she stepped into the light in the doorway of the restaurant. Figuring she wouldn’t like seeing my hands balled into fists, I tamped that anger down with every ounce of self-control I possessed, and scanned the rest of her body. When I did, I noticed several things all at once. She wasn’t homeless. My ex-wife, Mara, spent enough hours at the salon getting her hair and nails done, and then bitching about roots showing and chipped polish, for me to instantly see that this woman lived a lifestyle that Mara had craved. Trina’s clothes were high-end. No cheap pair of jeans could hug a woman’s hips and thighs, and most likely her ass, as well as the ones this woman wore. A flash of her throwing her hand up in front of her face when I went to stop her from running pierced my mind, and I fought the urge to growl. No, she wasn’t homeless, as I originally assumed when I saw her crouched over a ripped-up bag of garbage handing scraps to her dog. She was hiding. Running. And for some damn reason, I had an overwhelming instinct to take care of her. For a meal, I reminded myself. I had enough shit going on in my life that I didn’t need to take on this additional cause. Saving my restaurant, which hadn’t turned a profitable month all year, was my priority. And while the fall and football season generally meant more business, I still had more problems than solutions. I didn’t need any more. “You decide what you want?” I asked, turning on the grill. Focus. I needed to focus. Feed her, get her out of here, go home and have a stiff drink, so I could wash away the memory of what I thought when I first saw her. Protect her. When she didn’t answer, I twisted my neck to see her hovering by the doorway. She was keeping an eye on the door to the alley and her dog, as well as me. I didn’t blame her for being scared of me. Women either wanted to fuck me or skip to the other side of the street when they saw me coming. I couldn’t help it. I’d been addicted to

sports since I could walk and throw a ball. Four years of college football only increased my love for being in shape. The few minor bodybuilding competitions I did after I graduated cemented it. Lifting weights and working out relieved my stress. I carried enough on my shoulders on a daily basis that lifting was no longer a hobby, but an obsession. “I can get you a menu,” I told Trina when she didn’t answer me, just sucked her lip between her teeth. “Salad,” she muttered and blinked. “No, wait…” I tried to keep my expression blank while she chewed on that damn lip. Not because it was sexy, but because between the lip biting and the fidgeting she was doing with her hands, I could tell she was still nervous. Over a damn meal? With a nod, she looked at me, meeting my gaze for the first time. “I want a burger. With cheese. Two slices…oh.” Her face lit up, her smile widened. I felt like I’d just been punched in the gut. “And with fried onions.” “Onions?” Her head snapped back at my question and that lip found its way between her teeth again before she looked away. “I mean, if that’s okay. Or if it’s too much work, I’ll just take the salad.” Her shoulders slumped as she turned back toward the dog. I got the feeling that request was about way more than food. I watched her as she shifted on her feet, eyes focused on the door like she was ready to make a run for it, but then her fingers brushed against the yellowish bruise on her cheekbone. Something inside me ignited, like a lit match had been thrown on a fire. “Trina,” I snapped and then inhaled a breath, blowing it out slowly as she turned my way. “I’ll cook you whatever you want,” I said, trying to soften my deep voice, even though inside I felt like boiling over. It was a damn burger. This stranger shouldn’t ignite something like this inside me. But damn it. She’d been beaten, that much was obvious. And I was beginning to think she’d taken more than a physical beating if her fidgeting and uncertainty was any indication. I quickly walked away from the stovetop, hoping like hell she’d stay where she was when I moved toward the office. I grabbed a spare barstool and carried it back, setting it down close to her, but trying to respect her personal space. She jumped as the wood scraped on the cement floor and her hand fell from her curly blonde hair. Not platinum blonde and obviously fake like Mara’s was. Trina’s was darker, but with streaks of light that told me she didn’t just get her hair highlighted…she spent a large amount of money on it. My curiosity about her was piqued. “Have a seat,” I said, keeping my voice soft. “If you want a salad I can make that. But if you want a burger with extra cheese and onions, it’s honestly no big deal. I told you I’d cook you a meal and if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get.” My eyes dropped to her throat as she swallowed, and then my gaze zeroed in on one small

mole she had right at that tender, fleshy area at the base of her throat. I pulled my gaze away from where I could see her pulse thumping. “That’s very kind of you.” Her voice was raspy, still quiet. All her earlier confidence had dissipated into the air and, damn it, for some reason I wanted her to get it back. I slid a menu onto the countertop near her before I walked to the refrigerator and took out everything for the burger she’d requested. While I was inside, I also threw together a salad because hell…maybe she really liked salads, too. Although I doubted it. Something told me she lived on vegetation because she thought she had to. She was fairly tall and thin, and she didn’t need to lose weight. When I got back to the work area, Trina was sitting on the stool, absentmindedly tapping her fingertips on the menu, while one of her feet bounced up and down on the lower rung of the stool. In the few seconds I watched her, I could tell that she was singing a song in her head before her lips began moving. A soft smile graced her lips before she noticed me and jerked her head up. Her smile disappeared and I had to, again, fight the urge to scowl. I set down a garden salad. “Here’s the salad if you want it. Help yourself.” She stared at it and her top lip curled. I looked away before she could see me smile. I knew she hated salads. — “This is delicious.” Trina made another moaning sound that seemed to tumble from deep in her throat with every bite she took. It was the kind of sound that could drive a man insane. That’s what it was doing to me, even though I was trying to fight it. It wasn’t even purely sexual, although the way her full lips pressed together as she chewed made me think once or twice—or a dozen times in the span of a few minutes—about what her lips would look like pressed somewhere else. But I was a guy, and that was a natural reaction to have with a beautiful, albeit injured, woman sitting in front of me, moaning over food I prepared just for her. She hadn’t spoken since declaring my burger delicious. I tried to give her the space and quiet she clearly needed, but it wasn’t easy. A thousand and one questions raced through my mind as I turned off the grill and spent the last several minutes cleaning it all over again. When the quiet, pleasured groans began, I went to the fridge to cool down before I decided to make her a sandwich for tomorrow. Having a feeling that the greasy burger with extra greasy onions was an indulgence she rarely enjoyed, I whipped up a grilled chicken Caesar wrap for her. It was probably nothing like the fancy food she usually ate, but I bet it was healthier. While she pretended not to watch my every movement, still keeping her gaze divided between my general area and where her dog was still lying in the doorway, I took her lunch for tomorrow into the office and slid a twenty-dollar bill inside, along with a note telling her to get her dog some food. I brought it to her and tapped the closed Styrofoam lid. “Food for tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” she muttered, staring at the small, white container. As she took another bite of her burger, the questions in my mind began to overwhelm me and I turned to her, resting my ass against the counter behind me. I flipped the towel onto my shoulder and curled my fingertips around the countertop edge to try to look less intimidating. “You been on the road long?” I asked, unable to keep the tightness out of my voice. The burger froze an inch from her mouth as her eyes widened. She blinked and shook her head. “No.” Looking away while she chewed her food, frustration began to bubble inside me. It shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t bother me that Trina didn’t want to talk to me. It was none of my business. Yet, she was here, accepting my help, at least for a meal. “Do you know where you’re headed?” She nodded and some of the knotted tension inside my chest began to loosen. At least she had a plan. Or she was lying to me, but considering she met my gaze dead on, I doubted it. “I don’t really want to talk about it.” She wiped her fingers on a napkin before taking a sip of the water I had gotten for her while her food cooked. When she finished eating, I took the completely emptied plate back to the dishwashing area. By the time I returned, she was already at the back door, one hand scratching the area between Boomer’s ears and the other holding the food container I left for her. With my keys in my hand, I began turning out the kitchen lights until there was only the light on right by the back door. When she jumped to her feet, eyes slightly widened again, I spun my key chain around my thumb before catching it in my fist. “I’ll walk you out.” “You don’t need to.” She reached down and took a hold of Boomer’s leash. He groaned, stretching his front legs and sticking his butt in the air before doing the same with his hind legs. He moved with a lazy manner, so very different than the excited dog I saw earlier. “Come on, Boomer. Let’s get going.” He followed her lead and they began moving, not waiting for me to close the door behind me and lock it. She was at the street by the time I caught up to her. Without speaking, I fell in step next to her and watched as her lips twisted into a pout. “I meant it when I said I’d see you out.” “You did.” She turned away from me and gestured to the alley. “And now we’re out.” I huffed. “I meant I’ll walk you to wherever you’re going. A woman, even with this beast of a dog, shouldn’t be out this late alone.” It was well after midnight now and the streets were pretty much deserted. Latham Hills was typically a safe area, but that didn’t mean it was smart for a woman to be alone. She picked up her pace and I rolled my lips together to stop from smiling. Something told me she wouldn’t like the fact I found her bravery amusing.

“My car is just up here.” She pointed, defeat in her tone. I looked to where she pointed and saw a shiny, black Audi parked beneath a streetlight. It was an older A5 convertible with the top up. When it was bought, it had to cost more than just a pretty penny. The fact this beautiful but beaten woman drove a sleek convertible didn’t surprise me, and she showed no embarrassment when she beeped the locks, the lights flashing and the sound echoing in the quiet air. Everything about her—her money, her bruise, the fact she was hiding from something, or someone, most likely—told me to walk away. I had done my good deed. My heart didn’t get the message my brain was shouting because I found my mouth moving and listened to myself ask, “You need a place to stay?” Her shoulders tightened and her back straightened. “I thought the burger was free.” Her tone was accusing and she stepped away from me, putting space between us. I held my hands up, fighting a smile. She couldn’t be assuming what I thought she was. “I just meant a safe place to lay your head. I’ve got an extra room, and I don’t fuck where I shit.” Her face twisted into confusion. Perhaps disgust. That was pretty blunt, even for me. “I mean, I don’t have sex in my house. Ever.” “Ever?” Her brows jumped up her forehead and her eyes widened. That time, I did laugh. “Not since my ex-wife. Call it baggage or whatever. My point is, I don’t bring women home to have sex with, and I’m not that kind of man. You’d be safe there.” I hadn’t even had sex in the six months since Mara left. Hadn’t felt the desire to, either, but the rule about not fucking where I shit had been arbitrarily created in my mind, should the desire ever present itself. Mara had figuratively stabbed me in the chest with her stiletto heel on her way out the door, leaving only a note written on her personal stationery. It was stationery she’d had since before we married and she’d never ordered new stock with her married name. Apparently her stash got low, and it was either order more with my name on it or leave. She clearly chose the more convenient option. I was in no place to consider putting myself back in that situation, and I figured when I did start wanting to screw everything that moved in a clichéd rebound maneuver, women wouldn’t enter my home. “I’m at a hotel.” I pulled out my wallet and removed a business card that had my cell number on it, holding it out for her. “This has my number and you know where I work. If you need anything while you’re in town, call me—or if Boomer needs a yard to run in.” Her eyes flicked down to her dog and I saw her consider the idea for a brief moment. She licked her lips when she looked back at me, taking the card before stepping away. “Thank you. But we’re good.” I shrugged and slid my hands into my back pockets. “Your call.” “Thank you, again, for the dinner.” She held up the container of food I gave her. “And for this.” “Anytime.” As soon as I spoke the word, I realized I meant it.

This woman was a puzzle and she had secrets. I didn’t really care. I watched her climb into her car, shoving Boomer into the backseat before he quickly climbed over the console and took a seat in the front passenger side. I couldn’t help but brush my finger along my bottom lip when she pulled into traffic. Her hand lifted in a quick but hesitant goodbye, and I mirrored her movements before my finger settled back on my lip. I wanted to help this woman. There was something about her vulnerability, despite trying to be strong…it called to something inside of me. Something my dad taught me when I was a kid and drilled into me as I grew up. Men were protectors. We may fight each other, but we didn’t fight our women. We protected them and cherished them and honored them. And I knew, as Trina’s headlights faded away when she turned right at the next corner, that she hadn’t had that. At least, not for a very long time.

Chapter 3 Trina Despite my recent past, I knew not all men were like Kevin. I knew that just because I married a man who ended up being a monster—a man who hid his lies behind a perfect smile—it didn’t mean there weren’t still good men in the world. Some were decent. They had to exist. Some loved their women and their wives. My father, as misguided and distant as he was, never spoke an unkind word to my mother or myself. He certainly never raised his hand in anger. In fact, he was so levelheaded that I don’t think I’d ever even heard him raise his voice in anger. Except for the time I snuck out and took his brand-new Mercedes for a joyride just weeks after getting my license. My high school friend Kelly and I ended up wrapping that beautiful piece of steel around a telephone pole when, driving way too fast, I slid through a puddle that was deeper than it appeared, broke too hard, and popped a curb. That night was the first time I heard my father shout, and even then it was, “My new car!” When he turned to me, fists at the back of his neck, a vein pulsing in his temple, I cowered behind the wrecked car and stared at the man in awe as he took five cleansing breaths. Then he lowered his hands and, with disappointment clear in his eyes and his voice, asked, “Are you okay?” He pulled me into his arms, held me way too tight, and made me promise I’d never break the speed limit again. Or steal his car. Or sneak out. I would have promised him anything that night. In fact, I did. I promised him I would always listen to him. So when he introduced me to Kevin Morgenson, son of Kentucky’s beloved Senator Morgenson, at a fundraising benefit, and insisted we were perfect for each other, I didn’t think twice about it. He wanted the best for me. I was sometimes thankful that he passed away before he could see what my relationship turned into. I learned after I said “I do” that there were strings attached when you became involved with a senator’s son, one who had his eyes on his own campaign in the near future. You stopped being a woman. You began being a possession. Even before the first backhand to my cheek, I was exhausted from trying to maintain a

facade. At the Fireside Grill, slightly lost inside my own head, eating dinner in the kitchen of what appeared to be a typical sports bar, I felt more like myself than I had since I was twenty-one years old, when my palm slid slowly into Kevin’s and we shook hands, and he said his first hello. I didn’t realize how much I had changed, how much of myself I lost in the last eight years. How I had become someone I barely recognized when I looked in the mirror. I wondered if that’s what Kevin had planned. Small, insignificant changes over a long period of time, to erase the woman he’d dated all those years ago. He wanted me to stay home and raise our children someday, and frankly, I thought it was a great idea. I’d never wanted anything more than to become a mom. I’d never seen a bigger purpose in life than raising a tiny, helpless infant into a person of character and strength, who would then pour their goodness into the people around them. Some thought the idea of being a stay-at-home mom was antiquated. I believed it was honorable. So when Kevin and I were married, I saw no problem with quitting my job at a publicrelations firm in the heart of Louisville, despite the fact that I loved my coworkers and my boss and my work. When Kevin suggested I begin working out to occupy my time, and perhaps volunteer at the hospital, I saw the value in his suggestions. When he ran his hands through my hair and smiled with a wistful look on his face one night after we’d made love and whispered, “I wonder what you would look like as a blonde,” I wanted nothing more than to give him what he wanted. But when I came home late one night after going out for drinks with some other volunteers at the hospital and hadn’t had time to prepare his dinner, his glass of scotch flew by my head right before his hand connected with my cheek, and I knew nothing would be the same again. He stole my hopes and my dreams with one slap. When I went home the next day to cry on my mother’s shoulder and ask for advice, she dealt a crushing blow when she admitted to me that she’d just been diagnosed with leukemia. Because of my parents’ poor retirement planning, she didn’t have any money left to cover her medical bills. She begged me to stay with my husband in order to help her. Naive and desperate, I wanted to believe Kevin when he apologized, wrapped me in his arms, and promised it would never happen again. But Declan, the man who assessed me and stood away from me tonight, careful to stay out of my personal space as soon as he clocked the bruise on my cheek and glanced away, didn’t seem to be that sort of man. His offer to feed me, and taking it upon himself to make me a lunch, suggested the same. The fact that he walked me to my car and offered me a place to stay confirmed it.

He was not a man like Kevin—who was truly no man at all. Declan was better. He appeared to be a man in every sense of the word, completely insane physique aside. Not that that wasn’t enjoyable to look at, with his tight shirt stretched so thin across his back I could see his muscles flex with every movement. Plus, I had never seen a man’s backside look so good tucked firmly into a pair of faded and well-worn jeans. Perhaps if I were more daring, if I didn’t have so many secrets and so many piles of insecurities built up inside me, I would have taken him up on his offer. If I was staying longer, if exhaustion wasn’t soaking into my limbs from the delicious and belly-filling food, I might have considered it. As it was, I only planned on staying in Michigan another night, since Declan could now identify me if it ever came to that. I had already wasted enough time, but I had been enjoying my time in Latham Hills. I liked that I could walk the streets and browse through shops without a timeline because I needed to be home. For the first time in years, I was enjoying myself, despite constantly feeling like I had to look over my shoulder. It was time to go, though. In a week, Kevin would know I hadn’t gone to the spa I told him I was going to, and he’d realize I wasn’t returning home. He’d come looking for me then, and I wanted to be long gone before he did. With a new plan solidified, I pulled into my parking space at the Extended Stay Lodge on the northern fringe of Latham Hills. It was a ramshackle place with chipped bricks and old paint peeling from the outside walls. The interior wasn’t much better, and I desperately wanted to go purchase my own set of sheets. I still held out hope, though, that I would soon be in a new place, an apartment slightly better than the hotel, so I saved my money. I might not own anything besides my dog and my car and the few belongings I brought with me, but I did have a brain and a college degree. I did have a plan on how to start over once I was in Canada, far past the border. It was that thought that made my lips tilt into a smile as I pulled a snoring Boomer from the front passenger side of the car. Grunting as I tugged, I looked up at the hotel and froze just as Boomer let out an annoyed yawn. “Shh,” I hissed and looked back up at the second-floor walkway. All the rooms could be entered from the outside, and I quickly counted the doors from the stairway inward, hoping I wasn’t seeing what I thought I was. The door to my room was ajar and a low light leaked from the opening. Ice flooded my veins and I shivered. “Boomer,” I whispered and gave him a firm tug on his leash, pulling him out of my car. I looked around to see if there was anyone outside, or any cars that looked like they didn’t belong, but I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The same run-down vehicles that had been there all week were still there. My car was the only one that stood out.

I swallowed while I watched the blinds in my hotel room for movement. I already knew the front office was closed. I had no one to ask to check on my room for me. The business card that Declan handed me just a while ago was in my back pocket. He seemed like the kind of man who would come to a woman’s rescue, but if there was someone inside my room, it could take Declan too long to get to me. Besides, he was a nice stranger, but he was still a stranger. I couldn’t pull him into my drama. Deciding against calling a man who just fed me a meal and offered to help, I dug through my small purse to find the pay-as-you-go phone I’d picked up from a RadioShack just before the Ohio border. No one had the number and I hadn’t used it yet, but I knew it wasn’t smart for a woman to travel alone without an emergency phone. I felt the cool plastic with my fingertips and pressed it into my palm, before my shoulders fell and I dropped it back inside my Michael Kors bag. If Kevin or someone he sent was inside my room, getting the police involved would only create more trouble for me. — My heart thumped wildly and I could feel my pulse beating in my wrists and at the base of my throat. I had waited by my car for what felt like hours to see if I could detect any movement in the lit hotel room before making the trek up the metal outside stairs, careful to step slowly and not make a noise. The person was either still as a statue or the room was empty. As I reached for the door with one hand, the thought briefly flickered through my mind that perhaps I didn’t lock the door on the way out. This hotel was so old it didn’t use plastic key cards, but regular locks. Yesterday, I went for ice and didn’t lock my door. Perhaps I had done the same thing again. Yanking my hand back from the door, I stayed out of sight and closed my eyes, trying to remember how I’d left it earlier. But no, I vividly remembered turning back to lock the door. Boomer had caught sight of a pigeon at the end of the walkway and tugged so hard on his leash that I had to yank him back. “Okay,” I whispered, wishing that Boomer had a mean streak to him. Something more akin to an angry rottweiler than a dopey boxer. His tongue hung out of his mouth and he slobbered. I shook my head. “Some guard dog you are,” I muttered and pushed against the door with my free hand. It creaked as it opened, and I stood against the outside wall waiting for any sign of life inside. With my heart pounding in my chest, I took one large step and stood directly in the doorway, quickly surveying whatever I could see. I gasped as I took in the room. It could have been declared a disaster area. The mattress had been flipped over and all the bed coverings were thrown on the floor. My

duffel bag, which had been at the side of the bed, was now emptied, and my clothes and meager belongings had been tossed all over the place. Little hairs stood up on my arms and the back of my neck as I took a slow step inside the room. “Hello?” I called out, glancing behind the door and then toward the bathroom. The door was open and the light was off. Someone could still be hiding, so I left the door to my room wide open and took another step inside. If someone came out of the bathroom, I wanted to be able to escape quickly. Dropping Boomer’s leash, I moved toward the small table at the side of the bed. His ears perked up as he sat, back straight, and my lips twitched. The crazy dog must have sensed my tension because he was as alert as I’d ever seen him. “It’s okay, Boom,” I whispered and watched his left ear twitch in acknowledgment. With another look at the bathroom, I slid open the drawer. My heart sank straight from my chest, down my body, and into the horribly worn shag carpet beneath my feet. “Crap,” I muttered, feeling tears well in my eyes. They spilled down my cheeks before I could wipe them away. My hands shook as I opened the cover of the Bible in the drawer. I already knew what I would find. Or wouldn’t. I never should have been so stupid as to leave my things inside the room. Because where I had stored my passport and my remaining cash except for the twenty dollars I had in my wallet, there was nothing. — “Ugh.” I flipped down the front visor and cringed at my reflection. A night of sleeping in the car, if you could call all the tossing and turning I did sleeping, left my eyes red and swollen. It also could have been from the tears I shed off and on throughout the night. After realizing that everything I needed to get to Canada was gone, I quickly threw the rest of my belongings in my bag, and took off from the hotel. I drove around the Detroit area for hours, alternating between tapping my thumb on the steering wheel and chewing the side of my thumbnail. Eventually, I pulled into a park near Latham Hills and flicked the business card I removed from my back pocket. Declan James. Owner of The Fireside Grill. One helluva decent cook. And hopefully, the decent man I assumed him to be. Although my ability to judge someone’s character was highly questionable, given who I had married. It didn’t matter now, though.

With the sun beginning to rise, I was now parked outside the Fireside Grill, debating what to do for the next several hours until it opened. I barely had enough cash to get breakfast, and there wasn’t enough change in my cup holder for a decent cup of coffee. Without a shower, my hair was soon going to be a greasy, tangled mess, and no amount of dry shampoo, which was packed in my duffel bag, would tame it. This was certainly not how I wanted to look when I took Declan up on his offer. But I had to. I had no other choice. No other options. Perhaps if he could give me a place to crash for a night or two, I’d be able to think clearly and figure out what I needed to do next.

Chapter 4 Declan Friday mornings were my busiest mornings at the restaurant. That morning, I was more tired than usual as I sifted through my accounting program, doing payroll. I fully understood how to cook a burger and take care of a kitchen and keep a restaurant stocked with alcohol and food, but payroll was a bitch. All of this office shit I had to take care of myself until I could hire someone to do it for me made my head pound like I’d spent all night with a bottle of tequila in one hand. The headache was worse today, though, and it wasn’t just from payroll problems and a printer that was currently refusing to print the checks correctly. I needed to upgrade to direct deposit, but again…expenses. “Fuck it,” I muttered and dropped my head into my hands, elbows propped on my desk. Rubbing my head, I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to erase the memory of Trina—and the way she looked so vulnerable as she pulled away from me last night—from my mind. It’d been a fruitless endeavor ever since I climbed into the cab of my pickup and made the short drive home. I pressed my fingertips against my closed eyes, trying to push her out of my memory, but when I opened them, I saw the stool she’d sat on and the menu she’d perused and tapped with her finger. Pushing back from my desk with more force than necessary, I snagged the inventory clipboard hanging from a nail on the wall, and decided payroll could wait. I needed to be focused and I was anything but. “Hey, Declan,” one of my prep cooks, Matthew, called out as I walked by him. “Yeah?” He tilted a green basket in my direction and frowned. “Almost out of tomatoes.” I made a grunting noise and scribbled a note on the spreadsheet in front of me. We didn’t have enough to last us the day if I was judging correctly. “I’ll get you cash and you can head to the store to pick some up.” Matthew’s eyes widened briefly with concern before he set the basket back down. “Sounds good.” Normally, I had the art of inventory and ordering down to a science, but there were always weeks where something randomly came up short. If only I were psychic and knew what customers would order. I never would have guessed we’d have a surge in lasagna orders this week. I chalked it up to fall setting in, and the cooler

days and chilly nights making more customers want comfort food. Then I made a note on the inventory sheet and I wished I could hide in the dry-foods closet until the Friday afternoon lunch rush, when I could lose myself in cooking instead of planning and worrying. — “Come in,” I called out when I heard a knock on my office door while I sealed the last payroll envelope. After finally fixing the printer jam, I was now officially caught up on paperwork. “Declan?” I looked at Emily in the doorway as she stuck her head in. “Yes?” “There’s someone here to see you.” Her blonde brows knit together and she opened the door further. Stepping in, she looked back toward the kitchen doors before lowering her voice. “She, um…well. I don’t know who she is. She won’t tell me.” Trina. I pushed back from my desk and got up, then led Emily out of my office with my hand on her lower back as she turned. “Thank you, Emily. I’ve got this.” “Um, she looks not okay.” My gaze cut to hers and I stopped walking. “What do you mean?” Emily had been at Fireside from the beginning. She was much younger than me at only twenty-two, and worked as a hostess and waitress to help pay for college. She was always on time and responsible, and was the kind of woman who would stop on the side of the road to pick up stray animals. Or people. I saw her worry for Trina increase with every passing second. “Is she hurt?” I asked and looked out through the small glass window in the kitchen doors at entrance to the dining area. As I expected, Trina was in the entryway, hands clasped in front of her. Her eyes roamed the area without stopping. Without really knowing her at all, I could tell she was tense from the flickering of her eyes and the tightness of her shoulders. “She has a bruise,” Emily whispered, looking toward the cooks, who were efficiently preparing late lunch orders. “I know. I saw it.” “You know her?” “Met her last night,” I replied, walking around her. “She’s the one who’s been making a mess in the alley.” I heard Emily’s shocked gasp as I pushed through the doors. The sound grabbed Trina’s attention and her head snapped in my direction. For a moment, all I could think about was why she was here. Why did she walk away from me and everything I offered her the night before, only to return looking like a rumpled mess?

That same strange sensation I had last night sparked in my chest when I reached her. “What happened?” I snapped, and cursed myself when she flinched. Taking a step back, Trina’s gaze flickered around the restaurant before coming back and meeting mine. “I, um…” She paused and sucked her lip between her teeth, worrying her flesh before letting go. “I thought maybe you could help me.” Her voice was soft. Meek and scared. It made me want to growl like a fucking animal. I almost did when her eyes became wet with unshed tears. Without thinking about scaring her, I wrapped my hand around her bicep and pulled her toward the bar. She flinched from my quick grip and I let go, feeling like a grade-A asshole. “Sorry. I think we should talk by the bar. There’s less noise.” And more privacy, because it was empty, which wasn’t rare early in the afternoon. It’d be packed on the weekend. Detroit doesn’t have the best NFL team, but fans were still rabid. And that was a tame description when it came to the U of M and MSU fans that flocked to bars to watch the two college football teams battle it out. With Detroit being just far enough away from Ann Arbor and Lansing, a lot of people in the area didn’t make it to the games as much as they wanted to. But they did appreciate my ninety-six-inch projection television on the far wall of the bar. It was the best place in town to watch a game, and one of the only reasons I hadn’t gone bankrupt yet. “Charlie.” The young bartender looked up and grinned when I called his name. “What can I do for you, boss?” I nodded my head toward Trina. “Get lost and give me five minutes out here.” He frowned, but the kid was too friendly all the damn time to care that I just kicked him to the break room. “You got it,” he said and tossed his towel by the sink behind the bar. “You want privacy with your lady friend, I’ll let you have privacy.” The sexual innuendo laced in his voice was as obvious as the sky was blue. I felt Trina’s embarrassment heating the small space between us. “Get the hell out of here or you’re fired.” “You threaten me with that at least once a week.” He walked away and let the hinged panel of the bar slam down, instead of closing it slowly. One more thing I could fire the guy for. Except women thought he was cute and he knew how to flirt. It was good for tips and business. Plus, I actually liked the little shit. “One of these times I’m going to mean it.” “Promises, promises,” he sang teasingly as he walked away. Shaking my head, I couldn’t suppress a small grin. I gestured to Trina. “Have a seat and talk.” She listened and something inside me liked the fact that even if I scared her some, even if she was uncertain, she still listened without challenging me.

There was a time when I liked that about a woman. Someone who trusted me. Not only with her heart, but her body. But that was a long time ago and I had learned too much about women since then. Mostly that they held on to their bitterness and concealed it behind happy smiles well enough that you never knew anything was wrong until they decided to strike. Then you were filling out divorce paperwork and discussing how to move on from a decision you had thought was permanent. And wow…that was a pathetic leap to somewhere I never let myself go anymore. Shaking my head, I slid out a stool next to Trina, then pushed it back to put more space between us. “Where’s Boomer?” I asked when Trina let too much time pass and hadn’t started talking. This close to her, I could see more than just dark circles beneath her eyes. Her skin was pale and makeup-free, making her healing bruise seem even worse. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail high on her head, but still fell well past her shoulders. It was messy, as if she threw it up in a hurry. “He’s outside. Out back, actually.” She jerked her head away from the television showing an afternoon talk show and cringed. “I didn’t think you’d mind. But he’ll stay there. He’s tied up.” I waved her off. “He’s fine. I’ll have someone bring him some water in a minute.” She responded with a twitch of her lips, and her shoulders relaxed. She blew out a breath between pursed lips, and when she spoke again, she shocked the living hell out of me. “I thought I could take you up on your offer.” My eyebrows lifted. “Offer?” “Last night. You offered me a place to stay. I’d like to accept as long as…you know…you meant the other thing you said.” Her cheeks pinkened and she looked down at her lap. I had to fight back a laugh. The “no fucking where I shit” rule. Of course. “Why?” Another beat of silence that lasted too long. She twisted her fingers together, cracking her knuckles, and said nothing. “Trina. If you need help, you’ve got it. No strings, I swear, but I need something from you here, too.” Her head snapped up. “Like what?” “Like some honesty. What changed between last night and this afternoon?” Her gaze darted around the room again, and I stiffened for a worst-case scenario. Like, the asshole who beat her had come back. Why else would she come to me? “A sudden change in plans,” she finally said, giving me a truth that dripped with hidden secrets. Which would normally be fine, but… “If you’re pulling me into the middle of some domestic drama, I think I have a reason to

expect the truth when I ask for it.” My tone was firm. Deep. My voice a bit raspy. I got a flash of the last time I told a woman to get on her knees for me, using that same voice, and then another memory as the thrill of her obedience washed over me. My skin began to prickle with heat at the thought, at the memory, something Mara never appreciated. I tried to push that thought away, to focus on the woman in front of me. The abused woman. Reality splashed over me like the old ice-bucket challenge. She nodded and licked her lips. When she opened her mouth to speak, her words came out in a barely audible whisper. “I’ve been planning on heading somewhere far away…where doesn’t matter, I don’t think.” She arched a brow and paused. I waved a hand telling her to continue. Where she was going didn’t matter. “Last night I got back to my hotel and it had been trashed. All my cash and my passport were gone.” Her chin trembled…and fuck… “So,” she said, fighting the tears filling her eyes. “I need a place to crash. Somewhere for a few days so I can figure out what to do next.” “Did you call the police?” I asked, and watched the blood drain from her cheeks. “No. No cops.” “Trina—” She lifted a hand and stopped me. The seriousness in her expression was the most confident I’d seen her yet. “No, absolutely no cops. I can’t.” I raised my hands in surrender. “That’s all you need, then? Just a place to crash? How will you get money?” She shrugged and her lips twisted. “Haven’t figured that out yet. But I will, and I swear I won’t be an inconvenience or any trouble. Honest.” As much as I wanted to believe her, I couldn’t. She might not have planned on being any trouble for me, but I had the sinking feeling I was about to walk into a situation that would end up being one huge disaster. Not just because she was clearly running from someone, but because of how she made me feel… Tempted. Aroused. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. But even knowing I was about to jump straight into a heap of trouble I didn’t need, I still found myself grinning softly, and said, “Told you last night. Anytime you need help, I’m here.” — “Your place is really nice,” she said as she walked in. Next to her, Boomer was on a leash, his tail whipping back and forth with excitement. “It’s not much,” I admitted, dropping my keys into a ceramic bowl Mara had picked out and

left behind. Purple fucking flowers. I hated the thing, yet hadn’t gotten rid of anything she bought yet. Not for sentimental reasons. There was nothing sentimental about my feelings for Mara. I hadn’t had the time. Seeing another woman walk into my home for the first time in six months made me want to find the time. Why? Who the fuck knew? I sure didn’t. She turned and looked at me, and her wistful expression and soft eyes tightened my chest into knots. I knew exactly what she saw, because my home was like most of the homes in Latham Hills, especially those closest to the downtown area. It was a small, three-bedroom two-story. It was also old, with curved and arched doorways and cramped, small rooms. Open-concept wasn’t a thing back in the late forties when the house was built, so all the rooms were walled off. “Backyard is this way.” I pointed past the living room and all the decorations that Mara had bought, thinking that if I sold everything, I could probably pay the lease on Fireside for at least two months. The woman had expensive tastes and had never adjusted to a tight budget. I allowed it because it made her happy. At least I’d thought it did. When I reached the sliding-glass door, I pulled open the vertical blinds, the clatter of plastic on plastic the only sound in the room until Boomer began to whine and press his nose against the glass. I flipped on the outdoor lights and slid the door open. “It’s fenced in,” I said, watching Trina try to maintain control of her excited dog. “And the gates are padlocked. It’s safe for him.” “It’s beautiful.” She bent down and unclasped Boomer’s leash from his collar. He sat at the door, whining for his freedom, but waited for Trina’s command before he took off. Her soft laugh filled the air. “Thank you for this.” She turned to me with an appreciative smile. “It’s been a long time since he’s been able to run free.” “Yard’s small.” I shrugged and slid my hands into my back pockets. “It’s perfect.” She turned to look out back and I took a minute to figure out what she saw. The yard was small, but mostly private. In the back corner, I had a small triangular area of pines and other bushes that not only offered privacy, but a spot for the fire pit I built last summer when Mara wanted to roast marshmallows. She refused to do it over our charcoal grill, so I spent the weekend building her her own private area in the backyard. I’d feel like a pussy for it now, being so whipped, but my dad would still do the same crazy shit for my mom if she looked at him the right way, asked him in the right way. The problem I had, that I’d learned since Mara walked away, was that she didn’t look or ask the right way—the right way being nicely. She just demanded and nagged until it got done, erasing the joy of providing something for her that would make her happy. I shook my head and stepped back from the doorway as Trina slid the screen door shut. Outside, Boomer barked. “I’ll give you a quick tour if you want,” I told her, and headed toward the kitchen.

She gave another glance at the dog running in the backyard. I didn’t hide my smile as I watched Boomer jump into a small spread of dead leaves and roll all over them. With a wave of my arm, I gestured toward our right. “The kitchen is that way. You saw the living room and we’re in the dining room. Follow me and I’ll show you your room.” I heard her soft steps tapping on the tile floor behind me as I headed toward the staircase. It turned halfway up the stairway and when I reached the corner, I looked over my shoulder to ensure she was still following me. “You okay?” I arched a brow. Her bottom lip was sucked between her teeth again and there was a rosy glow to her cheeks. When her eyes met mine she glanced at the floor and nodded. I frowned at her sudden nervousness. She was probably second-guessing if this was the best decision. Because of that, I stopped at the doorway closest to the stairs and waited for her. “You can sleep here.” I reached forward and opened the door, but I stayed in the hallway. The room wasn’t much. A small double bed with a plain, white comforter. The walls were a pale yellow and the bed frame was some gray metal thing Mara bought. The room was totally girly, but this was where my parents usually stayed when they came up from their retirement home in Scottsdale, Arizona. The roof slanted on the far end where the bedroom window overlooked the backyard. I rarely came in here because I had to duck almost as soon as I was fully inside. Since Mara moved out, the door to this room had stayed closed. Her chest brushed against my shoulder as she leaned forward, and a small electric jolt buzzed along my skin when she stepped past me. I took a step back into the hallway and gave her space to look around. As she did, her eyes softened. That wistful look was back after she’d spun in a complete circle and stood in the middle of the room, looking directly at me. “You have the best home ever.” She couldn’t possibly mean it. She probably grew up in mansions with servants…probably a lot like my buddy Tyson’s girlfriend, Blue, whose dad was a legit mafia king, until Tyson put the asshole in jail. But I still found myself nodding my appreciation before I gestured down the hallway. “My room is at the far end of the hall. I have my own bathroom, so you can have the one in the hallway. Between us, there’s a third room that I use as an office. You can use the computer if you want, but ignore the mess.” “I’m sure it’s not too bad.” “Sure.” I shrugged and slid my hands into my front pockets. “If the equivalent of a grenade exploding in a nine-by-nine room could be considered not too bad, I’m sure it’s fine.” Her lips twitched at the edges. It was the first hint of a smile I’d seen on this woman since I’d met her. I wanted her to keep it, even though I knew I was about to make it evaporate. “Trina,” I said and stepped forward, resting my shoulder against the door frame. “Do you want to tell me who hurt you?” I was right. Her smile vanished along with the softness in her eyes. She blinked and looked away before shrugging. “Someone who I will never let do the same

thing again.” Her voice quivered, belying her feigned strength and courage. It didn’t matter. I didn’t have to know who hurt her to admire her. She was strong enough to walk away, to decide enough was enough. This could have been the first time it happened, but I doubted that, too. Somehow, this pulled me to her. Even knowing that letting this woman into my home was going to be a complete mind-fuck, it still didn’t change the fact that the more I saw her, the more I wanted to learn. I wanted to know who hurt her so I could beat the living shit out of them, even as my brain screamed at me to stay far, far away. She was exactly like Mara. A woman used to having everything and doing nothing to work for it. As I felt my lip curl into a sneer at the thought of my ex, I forced myself to remain calm. “I need a drink. Want anything?” “Water. Thank you.” I nodded toward the stairs. “Come on down when you’re ready.” — “How long have you lived here?” she asked, sitting down on the living room couch. Boomer had curled up over her feet on one of the cushions after I’d assured her I didn’t give a crap if the dog got up on my furniture. The first time he jumped up, her face paled as she pushed him off to the floor. The second time it happened, she visibly stiffened when I caught her gaze. Based on the terror flashing in her eyes, I realized this was most likely considered a punishable offense by the person who had beaten her. I also figured, based on the tan line on the ring finger of her left hand, that that person was her husband. I actually didn’t want the slobbery, shedding mess of a dog on my couch, but I assured her it was fine. Mostly, I was damn tired of her flinching and cringing away from me. I’d buy a fucking better vacuum to get rid of the dog hair if I had to. “A few years. Mara and I…my ex,” I clarified, when she arched a brow, “bought this house just before we were married two years ago.” I pressed my water glass to my lips and took a sip. “She took off just over six months ago.” “Is she coming back?” I snorted. “Not bloody likely. She’s back in Chicago trying to find a sugar daddy.” “Oh.” Trina drew the word out and looked away, as if lost for words. I didn’t blame her. I didn’t talk about Mara to anyone except for maybe Tyson and Aidan. Our other friend David was in the middle of finishing up his ER residency at a hospital in Chicago, so he was too busy to talk to any of us frequently, although he did know that Mara left.

We got drunk one night via Skype on one of our infrequent nights off and toasted heartless women. David’s own girlfriend since college had recently broken up with him after deciding that she was tired of being alone all the time. Not that he blamed her. Being a resident was hard work. He put in even more hours than I did in the restaurant, and I knew Mara got sick of being alone all the time, too. The difference was that I thought this was something we were building together, but apparently, I was wrong. Someone banged loudly on the door, making both of us jump at the sudden sound. Sitting on the couch, Trina’s fingers dug into Boomer’s fur, and her eyes shot wide open. “I’ll get it,” I said and pushed up off the chair. “But, Trina.” I waited for her to look at me as I walk past her. “While you’re here, no one will hurt you. You have my word.” “Thank you,” she whispered and I looked away, frowning while I tried to figure out who could be here. “Aw, hell,” I muttered and dropped my head back as I reached the door. “It’s fucking Friday and I totally forgot.” “What does that mean?” Trina said from behind me. “You’ll know in just a minute.” Because it was Friday night at nine o’clock, and I’d promised Aidan that his son Derrick could crash at my place. At thirteen, he was old enough to stay alone at his own house for the night, but Aidan still wasn’t comfortable with that. And since Aidan rarely dated, too busy being a single dad and owning his own construction company, I always let Derrick stay here on the nights I was off from the restaurant—which was about as often as Aidan dated. “You ready for company?” I asked Trina, turning to see her standing behind me. “Because shit’s about to get interesting.”

Chapter 5 Trina Interesting? I didn’t have time to consider what Declan said when realization began to dawn as he opened the door. He had a date? My jaw dropped at the thought of a woman coming to get him for a date, then that idea was blown to smithereens as soon as I heard masculine voices drifting inside. “I totally fucking forgot, Aidan.” “Jesus, Declan. Watch your language.” “Not like you don’t say it, Dad.” Dad? I moved away from the entryway as the door widened and Declan stepped back, still explaining. “The last few days have been crazy and I’ve got some company.” “You’ve got a date?” the older male voice said. Something inside my chest warmed and flipped at the question. I wasn’t on a date. Neither was Declan. “No,” Declan said, “A friend…staying for a while.” “I know all your friends, Declan,” the male voice continued to say as he pushed his way in. I saw a flash of dark brown appear from behind Declan’s shoulder and then those eyes widened. I could barely see him, but based on the way his eyes then crinkled at the edges, he was also smiling. “Well, hell. I don’t know this friend though, do I?” “Watch yourself,” Declan growled, his voice low and thick. His friend’s eyes darted to Declan before he nodded once. The smile disappeared as Declan took a step back and waved them in. “Trina,” Declan said as the guy and his son—a teenage son—walked in. The boy had a bag thrown over one shoulder and his eyes were glued to Declan’s. “This is Aidan and his son, Derrick. I feel like an ass—” “Language,” Aidan interrupted. “Heard it all from you,” Derrick muttered, his lips twisting into a grin. Side by side, the two guys look almost like spitting images of each other. Derrick was lanky, a young boy growing into a man, whereas Aidan had filled out…much more nicely. He was attractive in that blue-collar, hard-worker kind of way, and his smile was friendly

when he held out his hand. “Trina, huh?” He grinned. If I were that kind of girl, or looking for that kind of guy—or any guy—I might have felt that smile down to the tips of my toes. “Didn’t know Declan had company tonight, but it’s nice to meet you.” I shook his hand, much less tentative than I would have for Declan. My eyes shot over to see him standing with his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze fixed on where Aidan’s hand was wrapped around mine. I yanked my hand out of his grip and stepped back, nodding. “Sorry. I was sort of—” “A last-minute surprise,” Declan said for me. “And I’m sorry. I totally forgot about tonight,” he finished, turning back to Aidan. Aidan gave me a look I barely caught before meeting Declan’s gaze. “I need to cancel?” “You okay with Derrick hanging out here tonight?” Declan turned to me and I frowned, uncertain why he was asking. It was his house. “Want you comfortable,” he explained, his voice lowering, although there was no point. Aidan and Derrick both gave me a strange look that I felt more than saw. “It’s fine,” I muttered, taking a step back into the living room. And it was. In fact, it was better. A teenage boy in the house meant Declan and I wouldn’t be alone, and while I saw and felt that he was a decent guy, and so far had treated me with care, that didn’t mean a night alone with him would be comfortable. “I can go.” “No,” Declan said, pinning me in place with his voice. “You stay. And if you’re okay with Derrick being here, he’ll stay, too. This happens sometimes when Aidan has a date.” “I can reschedule,” Aidan chimed in, although the way he said it said he wouldn’t be happy about doing it. “You don’t get out enough.” Aidan smirked. “Pot meet kettle.” Something simmered between the two of them as they stared each other down. The tension sparked and crackled, and I jumped when Derrick dumped his bag on the hard floor. “You got pop, Declan? Because Dad’s all out and I’m thirsty. I’m also ready to kick your ass tonight.” At my expression, whatever that might have been, Derrick simply said, “Call of Duty. It’s a game we play when I’m here.” He walked by me, disappearing into the kitchen, and shouted loud enough for us all to hear, “Although it’s a bunch of crap because I am thirteen and old enough to be on my own for a night.” “Yeah,” Aidan muttered, grinning at his feet. “Except I remember what I was doing when I was a few years older and since Derrick there is the result, no way in hell is he ever staying alone.” Aidan looked so young that I’d figured he must have been a young dad, but at that surprise, a laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. Both men looked at me. Aidan shrugged his shoulders, unashamed of his actions or the result, and Declan’s eyes went soft, soft in a way I didn’t fully understand. This whole situation was overwhelming and awkward. “All right,” Aidan said, clapping his hands.

That must have been what finally got Boomer’s attention, because all of a sudden he barked and I heard his paws hit the floor. He rounded the corner, his tail wagging like it did when he was excited, and before I could stop him, his front paws were on Aidan’s chest, shoving him back into the front door. “Holy fuck,” Aidan gasped, his hands immediately flying up in the air. “I’m so sorry,” I gasped, and tried to jump toward Boomer to grab his collar. Declan beat me, his large fingers wrapping around Boomer’s collar before I could get to him, and something about that quick motion made me snap. “Get off him!” I shouted, and lunged forward, somehow shoving Declan out of the way. “Get your hands off him!” My hands wrapped around Boomer and I yanked him down, pulling him to my side. When he was back at my feet, I heard a harsh whisper. “What in the hell?” “Cool it, Aidan,” Declan said. He crouched in front of Boomer, hand out, palm up, completely nonthreatening. “Trina.” I didn’t catch the concerned tone in his voice. All I heard was my name, and I knew my dog had done something wrong. Again. I flinched and curled myself around the animal when a shadow fell over us. I pressed into Boomer’s fur harder until Declan whispered, “It’s okay, babe.” Babe. That one word echoed inside my head and I realized what I’d just done. I’d just made a complete fool out of myself. Blood rushed from my face and I stepped back, protecting Boomer at the same time. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my limbs beginning to shake. “I don’t know…I just saw you reach for him…” Tears blurred my vision and before either man said anything, I gripped Boomer’s collar and turned to rush him outside. I completely ignored Derrick, who I barreled past on our way to the sliding door, but once the door was opened, I shoved Boomer through it and then my back hit the cement wall. I slid down until I was sitting on the cold cement, my feet pulled up to my backside. I dropped my forehead to my knees while my body shook and trembled. Would I ever stop being so afraid all the time? — A shiver rolled through me when the quiet latch of the sliding door disengaged and opened. I sensed Declan step outside and felt his body lower down until he was crouched low, next to me. When I turned my neck, resting my cheek on my knees, he was squatting down, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together, looking out at the yard where Boomer was trying to catch the bugs that flew near the solar lights around the fire pit area. “I made a fool of myself in there.” He said nothing, just watched my dog with a blank expression. The only indication he

heard me was a slight tic in his jaw. “It’s just a dog, Trina. And it was just an accident. No harm done.” I thought of how I must have looked when I shoved Declan’s hand off Boomer’s neck, crazed about my animal because someone touched him. “I’ll leave if you want. You were kind to give me a place to crash, but I don’t know you or your friends, and it’s probably not smart —” Without looking at me, Declan interrupted. “I’m going to be straight with you.” I flinched and pushed myself to my feet. Declan mirrored my movement, taking a step to the side and putting that distance between us that I appreciated. Was he aware he always seemed to give me more personal space than should be necessary? “I’ve gathered from the faint tan line on your ring finger there”—he stopped and pointed to my left hand—“that you’re either married or very recently separated. I’m also guessing that the asshole who put that ring on your finger is responsible for the bruise on your cheek, and I’m willing to bet it wasn’t the first time he did that. But because of that, you need to know that I have never…would never…raise my hand to a woman or an animal. Especially over something as pointless as a dog being a dog, which means he might do something stupid. I wouldn’t do that, and my friends wouldn’t do that. “I also wasn’t bullshitting you when I said you’re safe here, so if you want to fucking leave, I can’t stop you. But don’t do it because you’re afraid of being in these walls. “Now, I’m going to go blow shit up with Derrick on the PS4. You’re welcome to join us or watch. If not, you can go take a bath or a shower and relax, or do whatever the hell else it is you do when you want to just chill out.” Chill out. I couldn’t remember the last time I did that. And a bath sounded heavenly. Still, I found myself saying none of that. Instead, my mouth moved before my brain could catch up and I blurted, “You swear a lot.” My mouth dropped open, awareness that I’d just corrected him hitting me. Kevin wouldn’t stand for that, and I stepped back, bracing myself, when Declan smiled. If he saw me flinch, he chose to ignore it. “Yeah, babe, I do. Probably a fuck of a lot more than I should, but I gotta be honest. If my mom hasn’t broken me, my brother, or my dad of that habit since the day I was born, the chances of it stopping now are about zero.” He winked, and something warm blanketed my skin. He was teasing me, or taking the time to explain something, and he had a point. I learned the hard way men didn’t change no matter how badly you wanted them to. Still, I had another brain-to-mouth malfunction when I suggested, “You could start a swear jar. Especially when Derrick is here, since even Aidan says he doesn’t want you cursing around him.” He threw his head back and laughed. The sound was rich and deep, and that warm blanket wrapped around my skin, heating me further, in a way I hadn’t experienced in possibly ever. I looked away, afraid he’d see me

blushing. He just shook his head and walked away. “You want to start me a swear jar while you’re here, go for it. I’ll do one better,” he said and looked at me over his shoulder in the doorway. The light from inside the house hit his face, making him seem bright. “All the money you collect, you can take with you when you fucking leave.” My lips twitched when I realized what he’d done. “That will cost you a dollar.” “No shit?” “That’s two,” I whispered, feeling my lips stretch in a smile. It was genuine and real and felt foreign on my own skin. “Well, hell,” he said and turned to walk away. “I’ll need to hit the damn ATM tomorrow.” He gave me one last look as my smile grew. “Those aren’t really so bad,” I told him, knowing exactly what he was doing. He was finding a way to give me money without me having to ask…which I wouldn’t, anyway. “Is Aidan gone?” “Yeah. Derrick will take the couch tonight, which works because we’ll be up late playing games. Like I said, you can join us or not, whatever you’re comfortable with. Aidan will be here tomorrow around nine to pick him up.” He stepped inside, closing the sliding door behind him, once again giving me space. I turned back to Boomer and looked up at the dark sky that held the slightest haze of clouds. I wondered what my life would have been like if I had seen Kevin for the kind of man he truly was before we were married. Would I have been able to have a man that seemed as kind as Declan, willing to hang out with his friend’s teenage son while the dad went out on a date? Would I have had the small but warm house that felt cozy and lived in, instead of massive and sterile like mine? I felt like I’d lost my time. I would never know, because there was no way I would ever truly be free of Kevin. He would never grant me a divorce, regardless of where I ended up. At least not without a fight, and he had the resources to make that fight nearly impossible for me to win. Which left only one option—I had to figure out a way to get myself someplace safe, where he couldn’t find me… And figure out a way to live the rest of my life alone, knowing I’d lost out on the dreams I’d had since I was a little girl. — I sat up with a start and my hand flew to my chest. My heart beat erratically against my mostly healed ribs. There was only a slight pain from the sudden movement as my eyes took in the strange room. I wasn’t in my bedroom. I wasn’t in the hotel. I was in a bed that was at least a thousand times more comfortable than that ratty, lumpy mattress. After taking several breaths, I remembered where I was.

Declan’s house. He was essentially a stranger with a wicked scowl and large muscles, but with a kind voice, which I figured could sometimes be scary too, if he wanted it to be. Not that I had seen or heard that. With my heart rate slowing, I tried to remember the dream that caused me to wake up so abruptly. As I tried to grasp it, I came up short. I was left with the lingering sensation of fear, and an echo of a woman’s voice screaming “Never again!” but that was all I could recall. It took me several more moments to realize Boomer was no longer in the room with me, even though the door was still closed. I also caught a quick whiff of bacon, and heard masculine voices downstairs. I didn’t know whether to be scared that someone had been in my room and took Boomer out, or grateful that for the first time in a week, I didn’t wake up to my dog licking me to consciousness. Digging through my bag, I pulled on a pair of pink-and-blue pajama pants and threw a baggy but comfortable sweatshirt on over the pink cami top I slept in. After using the restroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, I headed downstairs, walking slowly and focusing on the noises coming from the kitchen. “She’s pretty, though,” I heard Derrick say. My feet paused before I turned the corner into the kitchen. There was a clink of silverware before Declan replied, “She’s a friend and in trouble. I’m just helping.” “Yeah, but my dad says you haven’t been out since Mara left, and now you got a hot chick in your house.” Before Declan could respond to that, I hurried into the kitchen, hoping that my cheeks weren’t as flushed as they felt. “Good morning!” I chirped, and glanced around for the coffeemaker. “Hey,” Declan said from his chair at a small two-person table in the tiny eating area. He shot Derrick a quick glare, and I watched as the young teenager shoveled his mouth full of eggs before he grunted a hello in my direction. I shook off the unease of the conversation they were having and asked, “Do you have any coffee?” “You bet.” Declan pushed back from the table and walked the short distance to a corner I hadn’t been able to see from the doorway. When he turned around, he handed me a simple black mug and stepped back. “There’s more bacon in the pan on the counter,” he said, gesturing toward the stove. “Do you take cream or sugar?” “Black is fine,” I muttered, still not fully awake. “Where’s Boomer?” I asked when I saw two bowls on the floor by the fridge, one filled with water. A strange warmth fluttered in my chest as I realized Declan had fed and taken care of Boomer, something Kevin never did, and made clear he never would. If I wanted to bring the damn dog into the house with me when we were married, he wasn’t doing a damn thing to take care of it. His words, not mine. “Outside,” Declan said as he sat back down at the table. “He was whining when he heard

me up this morning, so I let him out so you could sleep. Figured you needed it.” My mouth went dry for a moment before I found my voice. “That was nice of you. Thank you.” He seemed to understand more about my situation than I had told him. Perhaps he had some uncanny sixth sense. Perhaps he was a secret superhero. Whatever it was, it started that strange, warm, fluttering feeling all over again. I filled my mug and stood in the corner of the kitchen chomping on a piece of bacon. We all ate in a silence. It felt strangely comfortable. Watching them give each other a hard time while they played videogames last night probably helped. I had enjoyed watching Declan playfully shove Derrick around when the kid beat him, or toss him a high five when he did something great. Declan might be large and muscled and intimidating on his own, but when he was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the young teen, he radiated excitement and friendliness. Probably why I wasn’t scared, knowing he’d been in my room this morning. From the short time I’ve known him, he seemed to be a man worthy of trust and honor. A knock from the front door jolted me out of my thoughts and I looked at Declan. “Probably my dad,” Derrick said, and grabbed his plate from the table. Just as he was sliding it into the sink, Aidan’s voice bellowed from the front of the house. “Hello? You losers up yet?” “In here, Dad!” Derrick tossed me a smile as he headed out of the room. “I’m going to go grab my stuff. Thanks for the games last night, Declan. Nice to meet you, Trina.” “You too,” I mumbled, my coffee mug pressed against my lips. I watched him go and then watched as Declan rose from his chair. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he said. “You can hang back, but there’s something I’d like to talk to you about once they’re gone.” Unease swirled in my gut at his tone. Not demanding, but serious. I watched him leave the room, knowing whatever he had to say was something I wasn’t going to like.

Chapter 6 Declan Damn, she was pretty. Even thinking it might make me an asshole, but as she sat across from me in the living room, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation we were about to have— one that needed to happen—I couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty she looked when she was still half-asleep. Freckles dotted her nose, making her seem more innocent and naive than I knew she was. Legs that were every man’s wet dream. A chest that was just the perfect, small handful, and lips that could make me think only one thing—how good they would feel stretched around my dick. I scooted forward, unable to tear my eyes away from Trina’s pretty body and her hesitant look. She wasn’t beautiful in a glamorous way, it was more in the sweet, Southern way. Based on her accent, I assumed that’s where she was from. I cleared my throat and forced myself to forget my obvious physical attraction. I had told her the truth. She was safe in my house and I wouldn’t touch her. I had to stop looking at her that way. “We need to talk,” I said and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. Her lips pressed together and she looked away. I continued, for my safety as well as hers. “You know I want you here and I want to help, Trina, but there’s a few things I need to know.” Her eyes fixed on mine and her arms crossed defensively over chest. “I need to know if you’re in trouble,” I began. “And before you jump up and assure me you can leave, I want you to think about one thing.” “What?” “Where are you going to go without any cash? I mean, you can sell your car. It’ll give you a nice safety net, but I’m guessing you don’t want the paper trail that will follow, and then how are you going to get anywhere?” “You just have this all figured out, don’t you?” She looked away and that niggling feeling that I was being an asshole returned, but there was too much at risk here for me to stop. “I’ve asked a woman I don’t know, who could be some major scam artist or in huge trouble with the law, into my home. I’m doing this taking the chance that you’re neither of those things, but you have to understand why I need to know, Trina. I would have asked you this last night when we were talking, but Derrick was here and it wasn’t the right time.”

I forced my voice to soften and leaned back in the couch, hoping I was showing her that I wasn’t a threat. I didn’t mean to turn the tables on her, let her think I’d brought her into my home out of the goodness of my heart just to trap her, but I hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true, either. “I’m not in trouble with the law,” she whispered, and sucked her lip in between her teeth. “Just running from the man who hurt you?” She nodded and her chin quivered. I closed my eyes and imagined finding the prick, throttling him with my bare hands, and then beating the shit out of him so he felt more pain than he’d ever inflicted on this woman. The strength of the protective instinct I was feeling was scary. Even around Mara I’d never felt the overwhelming urge to pummel some asshole for looking at her the wrong way. I had a feeling that the first leering glance some guy gave Trina, he’d have my fist in his face before he could blink the vision of her cute, tight ass out of his thoughts. “My husband,” she admitted, eyes blinking rapidly. I had figured that out on my own last night. “I left him a week ago.” “Is he going to come looking for you?” Another chin quiver, another bite down on her lip as she refused to meet my eyes. “Not trying to hurt you, Trina. Not trying to push you, either, but I know someone who might be able to help you.” Her head jerked and our gazes met. “Who?” she drawled, slowly and suspiciously. “I got a friend, Tyson Blackwell. He lives in town now, but he works for the FBI.” “No.” She jumped to her feet. “No cops. No law enforcement of any kind.” Shaking her head wildly, she paced toward me and pointed. “I’ll leave. I don’t know what I’ll do without the money, but you have a point. I do need to get rid of my car. I’m not sure how yet, but I’ll figure it out. You’ve been kind, I swear. But this…this isn’t going to work.” “Woah.” I stood and held my palms out, eyes wide. “I don’t know what just brought that freak-out on, Trina, but are you forgetting some asshole not only broke the law by almost breaking your face, but you’ve also had shit stolen from your hotel? You don’t think those things are connected? I’m just suggesting having Tyson look into it.” “They’re not connected.” “How can you be so sure?” “Because.” She laughed coldly and sat back down. As I watched her try to get comfortable, I returned to sitting on the couch. “Because I left a note for my husband telling him I went on a spa trip.” Her eyes flickered to mine, but the look I returned showed how confused I was. When she spoke again, her voice was softer…sadder. “It’s what I usually do…well…after… when I can’t be seen in public. He’s not even expecting me home until tomorrow.” She sucked her lip between her teeth and I knew we both realized she’d said too much. What in the hell did this guy do, where his wife had to leave town when she was too bruised to be seen in public? Something important, that’s what. I didn’t let on that I thought there was anything strange about what she’d said. Instead, I asked, “He hasn’t tried to call?”

“Don’t know.” She shrugged. “I threw my phone out before I crossed the city limits, and I bought one of those pay-as-you-go ones before I left the state, but he hasn’t done that in three years, so I’m not sure why he’d do it this time.” “What was your plan when you hit the road?” “Canada,” she whispered after a prolonged silence. “Figured he can’t do anything to me if I leave the country.” I arched a brow. “But he can if you stay here?” Her face paled before she sighed. “I’m guessing it’s not lost on you that I come from money,” she stated, almost as if she hated it. I wondered if it was the money she loathed, or her circumstances. Perhaps it was the loss of money that made her lips twist with disgust. “My husband is important and powerful, and has an incredibly wide sphere of influence. He’ll be able to find me wherever I go, which is why I was planning on crossing the border. At least there, his influence is less.” The demand to know what her prick of a husband did for a living was on the tip of my tongue. “And you won’t let me ask Tyson even to just check and make sure he’s not looking for you? It could buy you time to stay put and make some money before you head to the tunnel,” I said, referring to the Windsor Tunnel, the way most people got to Toronto from Detroit. “I think the less people who know, the better.” “For who?” I demanded, my frustration leaking through in my tone. “For him or you?” “Both,” she snapped, and stood up. “You ever hear about the Mafia family, the Galeckis, that were arrested in Detroit this past summer?” Confusion flared in her eyes, but I kept speaking. It was on every news network, national and worldwide, for weeks. There was no way she hadn’t heard. “Tyson was responsible for that. His girlfriend, Blue, is a Galecki, and they dated—have a longtime history between them—but they dated while Tyson worked that case and she never found out until she had to. Tyson can be circumspect, Trina, I promise.” “You’re friends with them?” she asked, recognition widening her pretty, brown eyes. “And she goes by Blue, now?” “Long story.” A grin twitched at the edges of my lips, because, yeah, it was a strange-as-hell nickname. But it was also because she refused to go back to ever being called Gabriella again, and her middle name, Bluejay, was something she’d always loved. “I won’t force you,” I lied. I was calling Tyson the minute I could. She might hate me for it one day, but I wanted to protect her and Tyson could help. Her eyes flicked to Boomer, passed out on the floor. Apparently, the big brute of a dog could only hack chasing squirrels in my backyard for so long before he was drained of all energy. “I’ll think about it,” she conceded. “Good. It’s all I ask.” I slid my hands into my pockets and let her think I was giving up. “Now, I have to get to Fireside this morning and start getting ready to open up. You want to come hang out there today or stay here?” Or take off?

We were both thinking about her doing that. My breath caught in my throat while I waited for her to decide. Why did I want this woman close to me? It made no sense, I just knew that’s what I wanted. “Can I come with you? Maybe help out or something? I think I’ll drive myself crazy if I’m here all day with nothing to do.” A thought came to mind and I grinned. “How good are you with computers?” — “You’re a fucking genius,” I told Trina. Her eyes sparkled in a way I hadn’t seen before. As if she had to summon the strength to sass me, she bit her lip before saying, “I think you’re up to ten dollars now.” I grinned. Last night, when she’d looked terrified at the realization she’d talked back to me, I couldn’t help but make a joke to ease her fear. The thought that she hadn’t been able to speak her mind unnerved me, further increasing my rage toward whatever asshole had been married to a sweet piece like her and abused it. My old man always said you could take the measure of a man by who he chose to stand by his side. I’d never doubted that saying until now. Trina seemed like a hell of a woman, and proved it all day as I showed her my accounting software and the piles of shit on my desk. Within hours, she’d whipped my office into shape. I planned on paying her for her time, even if I couldn’t afford it. “Saturday nights are busy nights,” I said as a knock came on the office door. Moving to open it, I looked back at her. “You’ll hear a lot fucking worse before the night is over.” Her lips twitched, like she wanted to add up my tally, but stayed silent. Emily stood on the other side of the door, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. She was early for her shift, which wasn’t a surprise, but her pale skin concerned me. “What is it?” I asked, opening the door further and letting her in. When she caught sight of Trina sitting at the desk, her eyes widened further. “Trina, Emily. You two saw each other yesterday,” I said by way of introduction. As soon as both women said hello, Emily turned to me. “I’m so sorry to do this to you,” she said, her hands twisting together. “But I just found out my older sister is in labor. Her baby’s coming three weeks early and her husband is still deployed. My mom is stuck at work, so my sister is headed to the hospital on her own.” “Go,” I told her, not needing hear any more. “We’ll figure it out.” “Are you sure?” I nodded and waved her toward the door. “Do what you have to do. Don’t worry about it.” She nodded quickly and exhaled.“Okay. Thank you, Declan. You’re the best.” “Just go help your sister.” She turned around and hurried out of the kitchen, hitching her purse over her shoulder as

she walked away. “Shit.” It was thirty minutes before her shift started and it was going to be hell finding a server to replace her on such short notice. Our afternoon server, Maggie, had to head home soon to be with her kids before her husband left for his night shift at one of the auto plants, so she couldn’t stay. A snicker behind me caught my attention. “So, now that we know you’re good on computers,” I asked, grinning, “any chance in hell you know how to take orders or seat people?” Trina rolled her eyes and pushed her chair back from the desk. “When I suggested hanging out here today, I didn’t realize I’d be put to work.” It was the first time she’d outright teased me. “I’ll pay you. Plus you’ll get to keep whatever tips you make.” “It’s not a hardship, Declan. I did do some waitressing in high school, so I’m sure I can figure it out.” Pressure eased from my chest at her words. I turned to call out to Maggie. “Mags!” She slid an order of food onto her large tray and smiled at me. “What’s up, Dec?” Trina followed me to the counter. “Trina’s going to help on the floor tonight. Any chance you can show her the computer system and a menu before you go, to give her some time to get comfortable?” She smiled easily. “Of course. That’s not a problem at all.” While Fireside Grill hadn’t been turning a profit over the summer, I was fucking lucky as hell that I had great employees. All of my people were hard workers and genuinely friendly. “Sound okay to you?” I asked, turning to Trina. “Yeah.” Her eyes drifted down the length of Maggie’s petite but curvy frame before she looked at me. “I’m not sure I’m dressed right, though.” She had a point. Her green tank top and black yoga pants weren’t exactly Fireside Grill material. “I’ve got more shirts in the break room. I’m sure one them will look fine with your black pants.” “Okay, then.” She turned to Maggie and smiled. “Show me what to do.” — “Is working in a restaurant always this exhausting and painful?” Trina asked as she stretched her back, hands low on her hips. She let out a groan that made me think of a handful of things I could do to get her to make that sound somewhere else. Some of them involved the use of my hands. I hadn’t been able to stop myself from thinking those thoughts all night long. Watching her working, smiling at customers, and eventually, giving my head cook, Javier, a bunch of crap for teasing her about one of her messed-up orders, made me admire the hell out of Trina.

She had worked her butt off. Now, at just after two in the morning, except for Javier going through his closing duties in the kitchen, we were the last people here. “You get used to it,” I muttered, before moving to the next table as we got ready to close. She helped place another chair on the tabletop so when Maggie opened in the morning, it would be easier for her to vacuum and get the floors cleaned. “I haven’t worked this hard for years.” She grunted as she lifted a chair. I ditched my own table to help her when I saw the exhaustion in her limbs. “What’d you do before?” I let the question casually slip out and continued to flip chairs onto tables, waiting for her to answer. I acted like it didn’t matter if she answered me, although for some reason it did—I actually wanted to get to know her. “Public relations and marketing,” she finally said. I froze, chair halfway to the table, and looked at her. She did that bottom-lip-chewing thing and turned away. “Did you like it?” “I guess. I mean, yeah, I enjoyed my job, I just never really wanted to work for a living.” The thought made me scowl, which I tried to hide. Mara had always said the same thing. She wanted to be a stay-at-home wife. The hard labor of the restaurant was too much for her. The life we’d talked about starting was too much for her. I closed those thoughts down. There was no point in comparing the two women. Already Trina had shown herself to be a harder worker than Mara ever was. “Why did you quit?” “My husband thought my time was better spent at home,” she finally mumbled after another strained silence. This time when I looked at her, she didn’t seem worried or fearful, just sad. An ache pinched my chest and I forgot about the next chair I was reaching for. I walked toward her slowly, giving her time to know I was coming closer. When I reached her, I placed my hand on her shoulder. Warmth spread from my palm on her skin all the way up my arm to my chest, forcing me to take a breath. She tightened her shoulders, but didn’t pull away. “I might not know specifics, Trina, but I think you walking away, you making this choice for yourself to be safe, is quite possibly one of the strongest fucking things I’ve ever seen a woman do. You should be proud of yourself.” She chuckled softly and shook her head. “Thanks, Declan.” I squeezed her shoulder once and dropped my hand before I did something stupid. Like run my fingertips down the inside of her arm, touching her soft skin until I could feel her pulse racing at her wrist. Or leaning in and brushing my lips against her cheek, where the bruise was just barely visible through her makeup. “We should head home,” I said, hearing the gruffness in my voice.

It couldn’t be hidden. I had just gotten turned on by touching her through the fabric of her shirt. My body reacted like I was a teenager who couldn’t keep his pants zipped. Whatever was happening with me needed to be shut down. Immediately. “Yeah,” she said, shaking her head as if she were clearing a haze. “Boomer probably needs to eat.” “I bought him food this morning,” I told her as we headed out of the dining area and back to the kitchen. The lights were off over the grill, which told me Javier was long gone now. “You did?” The surprise in her voice made me turn to look at her. “Dog needed to eat, Trina. What’d you think I fed him?” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Eggs?” My lip curled as I bit back a laugh. “Not sure I want to be cleaning up egg vomit.” “You’re probably right.” She walked up to me, and this time she reached for my hand. Her petite fingers curled around mine and she squeezed once before letting go. “Thank you. You’ve been really kind and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay you.” I licked my lips, dropping my gaze to her plump and perfect ones. I could definitely think of a way she could make it up to me. Asshole. “Don’t mention it.” I turned around and walked to my office, where I made quick work of shutting down the computer, grabbing her purse, and turning out the lights. When I met her at the back door, uncertainty flickered in her eyes as she glanced away from me. Her cheeks were pinker than they should have been and I had to bite back a groan. And I knew in that moment that the trouble of having Trina around just got a hell of a lot worse. Because I wasn’t only attracted to this woman, physically… I actually liked her. Wanted her. She was quite possibly the worst thing I could want right now. But I also recognized, as the corners of her lips turned into a soft smile and she looked at me as if I were the only one who could keep her safe, that while she might be wrong… She was also right. I didn’t want to just keep her safe from her asshole husband. I wanted to make sure no one hurt this beautiful and kind woman ever again.

Chapter 7 Trina I should have returned home from the Arizona Spa three days ago. If Kevin didn’t know I was gone before, he certainly knew now. My stress levels were through the roof, and as each day went by, I found myself looking over my shoulder more often, becoming jumpier at every small sound. I searched the Internet repeatedly to see if there was any mention of my name or his. I knew that if he suspected I’d left him, he would have kept it from the media, but the fact that he wasn’t in the media at all made me more nervous than not. It was only a year before the presidential election. Presidential hopefuls were campaigning, traveling the country and attending state fairs all over the Midwest. While candidates didn’t generally come to Kentucky’s state fair, we got a fair share of conservatives trying to push their agendas and slogans and basic political fodder down our throats at this time of year. Kevin was usually swamped, attending press conferences and meetings, as well as rallies and dinners. That I hadn’t seen him in photos from any of them concerned me. It had also been three days since I started working and helping Declan at Fireside Grill. The work was often mind-numbing, but I found my body sore in that good, hardworking kind of way when we left the restaurant after closing up. Sometimes I helped him with his computer system, and not only did I figure out his payroll system, I simplified the process and made it more user-friendly. I also spent time getting Declan caught up on all of his filing and accounting for the quarter. I planned on tackling his filing system, because trying to slide receipts and invoices into his current system—which lacked any true organization—almost caused more than one migraine. Sometimes he called me out of his office and had me work a few tables. Sometimes I helped the bartender on busier nights, even though I could only help with bottles and drawing drafts. Other times, I worked at the hostess station. Emily was still out, spending time with her sister, who had not only delivered three weeks early, but had had a complicated delivery. Emily wanted to spend as much time with her sister and new niece as possible. Declan told her to take her time and be with her family, and that I would help him out in the meantime. I didn’t truly believe he needed me at all, but the fact that he was giving me jobs where I could pocket cash was wonderful. Surrounded by people who had no idea who I was, what my past was like, or what I was running from, I was beginning to relish living without constantly wondering if every move I

made was being judged or criticized. But at all times, in the back of my mind, was the niggling whisper warning me that I needed to leave soon. Unfortunately, every day I spent at Fireside, around Declan, not to mention his friendly staff and even friendlier—and generous—customers, I listened to that voice less and less. It wasn’t possible for me to stay in Latham Hills forever. It was probably the worst idea ever. Yet I hadn’t been able to bring myself to leave, either. “You going to be okay here, on your own?” I was sitting on the couch and the question startled me. I jumped. I twisted around to face the stairway Declan had just descended, and I watched as he twirled his key ring around his thumb. Next to me, Boomer’s head jolted up. He sniffed and then began panting before he leapt to his feet and trudged over to Declan. Not only was I not excited about leaving anytime soon, I suspected Declan had been providing Boomer with a plethora of treats over the last few days. Every time he entered the room, Boomer was right there at his feet, sitting patiently in a way that was rare for him. Perhaps leaving the stress of our home had been good for him, too. I ignored the way this made my chest feel warm and tingly and nodded. “I’m just going to take Boomer for a walk and then chill out here. Get caught up on my television.” At Declan’s insistence, I wasn’t going in to Fireside today. He demanded I put my feet up and rest. After years of having no one care about me or my needs, I decided to ignore the warm tingle that sent to my chest, too. Declan was becoming dangerous for me, for reasons antithetical to the reasons Kevin was. My lips twitched as I watched Declan scowl. “I don’t like the idea of you out walking by yourself.” “It’s not even dark out.” It was only three in the afternoon and night wouldn’t fall for hours. I would have thought that after being controlled for so long by Kevin, this overprotectiveness would bother me. Yet, with his concern, that silly warmth suffused my blood and made it pump a little faster. “You’ve got the phone numbers for Fireside, right? And my cell?” “Yes.” I waved him away with a quiet laugh. “Go to work, Declan. We’ll be fine.” His lips pressed together as we stared at each other, neither one willing to back down, before I finally saw the fight leave him. “Fine.” His shoulders dropped and he reached for a North Face jacket. “But call me if you need anything. Or if something happens.” “I will. Promise.” I wouldn’t, but the small lie seemed to make him feel better. With a quick brush against the top of Boomer’s head and a command for him to take care of his mama, Declan gave me a quick wave goodbye and headed out the door. Once he was gone, Boomer let out a sad, high-pitched whine. “Come here, boy,” I said and slowly got to my feet. I’d been sitting on the couch reading a

book for the last few hours and my legs were cramped from the position. “Let’s go for that walk.” “Woof!” His tail thumped against the floor and he began jumping against the front door. With another quiet laugh, I grabbed Boomer’s leash, slipped on my shoes, and headed out for a quiet walk in the brisk afternoon air. It surprised me how fast fall hit in Michigan. In Kentucky, the weather stayed in the eighties through most of September, sometimes into October. But the temperatures had been in the low seventies, and last night I heard on the news that the leaves of the trees would be changing their colors soon. It seemed as if everything weather-related here happened a few weeks earlier than I was used to. “C’mon, Boomer.” I tugged on his leash, getting him next to my right hip where he generally walked with ease, and we headed out. We walked for almost an hour, while I kept track of streets and turns so I could find my way back to Declan’s without any problems. The last thing I wanted to do was get lost. When we returned to Declan’s house, my limbs ached with the immediate aftereffects of a decent workout. My shirt stuck to my back, slightly damp from sweat, and while I chugged a bottle of water, I watched Boomer lick his water up from his bowl as if his very life depended on it. “Woof!” I laughed softly. Drool dripped from his jowls, making me crinkle my nose. “Gross,” I muttered and patted him on the head. “I’m going to head up and take a bath. You take care of the house while I’m gone. Deal?” “Woof!” — I was curled on the couch, in what had become my standard position, resting against the right armrest. Next to me was a plate of nachos I’d nuked in the microwave and a glass of red wine. My body was slightly tender from the workout, yet relaxed from the combination of the long bubble bath and the wine I’d been sipping while I flipped through channels. As I was flicking through the numerous sports stations, my finger paused on the channel button when I saw a familiar football stadium. The University of Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium was on the screen, shown in all its beautiful glory. I wasn’t raised to be a football fan, but somewhere along the way, as happens to most people born and bred in Kentucky, a love for the Wildcats got into my blood. It was in part because that’s where I went to college—to my mother’s chagrin, because she attended the University of Louisville, Kentucky’s greatest rival. That was how my family started our playful football rivalry. It might also have been because those were the last pure, good, happy memories I had of my mother and father, before he passed and my heart began to ache. My college years were the last years of my life when I felt free, and as I stared at the television screen, watching the game between the Wildcats and the South Carolina Gamecocks begin, I let the roar of the crowd in a stadium that seated almost seventy

thousand crazed fans seep into my soul. Memories of a life when I was carefree and full of joy came rushing back. Like sorority rush week. That first week of classes as a freshman, when the campus felt too large, and I walked around feeling more lost than ever. Yet it hadn’t taken long for that campus, and the dorm room that I shared with a girl named Rachel Evans—a girl who chose a competing sorority house, which pitted us against each other from the very beginning—to become my home. I cried at the end of my freshman year when I had to go home for the summer. I had wanted to stay on campus instead of going back to my hometown, a hometown that had always been good to me. I hadn’t wanted to leave the security and connections I’d found on campus. And when I returned for my sophomore year and moved into my Alpha Chi sorority house, it was with a larger smile and a confidence I’d never had before. I grew in college. I became stronger, more assured of myself. I learned how to handle drunken assholes and escape parties without being taken advantage of. I learned the meaning of overnight cram sessions and showing up for finals with eyes feeling like they’d been scoured with sandpaper. I learned who I was. And somehow, just a year after graduation, I threw that girl away and became someone I never wanted to see again. A forceful puff of breath left my lips as I shook off memories that came after all the good times. I didn’t want to think about Kevin. Not in Declan’s home, where for the first time in my life since those college days, I finally felt safe again. With a quick shake of my head, I clicked the button on the remote, changed the channel to the movie station, and settled in to watch Sweet Home Alabama for the umpteenth time. I was just getting to my favorite part, where Reese Witherspoon walks into the small-town bar for the first time in her quest to get a divorce from her husband, when my phone began to ring with a shrill tone. Everything in me chilled as I pulled my eyes from the television screen and stared at the light flashing on my cellphone. Declan was the only one who had the number. His cell and the number for Fireside were the only numbers programmed into it. I didn’t even know why I had it sitting next to me instead of tucked away in my purse where I usually kept it. I must have tossed it there after my walk. It vibrated and rang again, and I reached out to grab it. It was just a wrong number. The thought didn’t bring me comfort as I pressed the Connect button and lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?” I asked, my mouth suddenly dry.

A deep, familiar chuckle echoed through the line and my blood turned frigid. “Hello, Katrina. Surely you didn’t think I wouldn’t be able to find you.” I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I knew this whole time that I was fooling myself. I jerked the phone away from my ear, hit the End button, and threw it at the wall. It bounced off, undamaged, luckily, but I started shaking, terrified. I stared at the phone as if Kevin himself was going to materialize through the plastic contraption, and another tremor vibrated through my body. “Holy shit,” I gasped. He had done it. How did you even get the number for a phone bought at a random RadioShack? Security cameras? It didn’t matter now. I pushed myself to my feet and rushed upstairs, running like the flames of a fire were nipping at my heels. I vaguely heard Boomer thumping up the stairs behind me, but I paid him no attention as I reached for the bag I’d stashed at the bottom of the closet. I began tossing all my clothes inside, ripping them off hangers and letting the hangers fall on the floor in a pile. Then I hurried to the bathroom where I scooped all of my bathroom supplies into my arms and rushed back to the bedroom. I had to get out of there. Canada. I’d continue with my original plan. With the couple of hundred dollars I’d made in tips, plus the car I could eventually sell, I had enough to get another trashy hotel room. I just had to say goodbye to Declan. The thought made me pause as I dumped my bathroom things on top of the clothes in my bag. I didn’t have to say goodbye to him. I could just leave. I had known him a week and didn’t owe him anything. But he was so damn nice to you and the least you could do was call him so he didn’t worry. And he would worry. I knew it. It was that whisper of conscience inside my head that made me head toward the phone in his bedroom. I’d ignored this room since I’d been here, and yet now, knowing it was the only time I’d be inside his room, I couldn’t stop my gaze from taking in everything. A rich-gray comforter flung haphazardly over the pillows, blue walls that almost looked gray. They weren’t too dark or too girly, but the perfect masculine blend. It matched the rich, dark wood of his headboard, nightstands, and dresser. Clothes weren’t strewn all over the floor, but they spilled over a hamper in the corner of his room just outside a door, which I assumed was his closet.

He was clean. Not stuffy and precise, but clean and picked up. A lump lodged in my throat as I moved on what felt like wooden feet to the far side of his bed, where a landline phone rested on the nightstand. I’d heard it ring in there before, the only way I knew there was a phone in his room. My fingers shook as I reached for it and dialed the number to Fireside before I could second-guess myself. It was after seven and the dinner rush wouldn’t really have started yet, but I still didn’t expect him to answer. He had to be busy. I only needed to push the Call button on the phone to speak to him. Or I could leave. I glanced out his window, saw his fenced-in backyard, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I’d enjoyed being here. This small house felt like more of a home than the mansion I’d lived in for years with Kevin. Thinking his name sparked me to action. I pressed the Call button and my stomach rolled with nausea while I waited for someone to answer. “Thank you for calling the Fireside Grill, how may I help you?” a perky voice answered, and I instantly recognized Maggie. She always answered the phone the same way. “Hey…” I paused and cleared my throat, willing myself to speak without emotion. “Hi, may I please speak with Declan?” “Certainly,” she chirped. “May I tell him who’s calling?” “Trina,” I whispered. “It’s Trina, Maggie.” Her voice softened. “Oh. Are you okay? He said you were staying home tonight.” “I’m fine, please. I just…I need him.” I blinked rapidly and cleared my head. “I mean, I need to speak with him.” But I did need him. The reality slid inside me and around me, making me shivery with fear and warmth at the same time. In less than a week, I’d become dependent on another man. Only more reason to leave. “Trina? What’s wrong?” Declan’s deep and demanding tone snapped me back to the present. I was still reeling from the realization that I might need Declan too much, that the only words I could think of to say were… “He’s found me.” “We’ll be there in five minutes.” I shook my head, barely registering his words. “I’m leaving, Declan. I just…I wanted to say thank you.” “Don’t go,” he snapped, and I heard him bark at someone in the background, the command

muffled by the receiver. “We’re coming. Don’t you dare leave before we get there.” He hung up before I could answer, and I was left staring out the window, somehow unable to move. We? Who in the heck could he possibly mean?

Chapter 8 Trina I should have been gone before he returned home. I didn’t know if it took me longer than five minutes to gather the rest of my things and carry my bag downstairs, as well as collect all of Boomer’s things, or if Declan moved with supersonic speed when a woman was in trouble. Regardless, as I zipped my bag, Boomer next to me, his tail thumping maniacally on the carpet at my heels, I heard the front door burst open. “Trina!” Declan yelled my name at the same time he appeared in the living room. He stopped suddenly and my fingers froze on the zipper. My jaw dropped open and I stood up. “You didn’t have to come home.” Home. It wasn’t even my place. I’d become too attached, too secure. I leaned down and finished zipping the bag, stopping only when his hand covered mine. “Don’t go,” he said quietly, almost a whisper, but not quite. “Tell me what he said.” I shook my head and then jerked my chin up when movement behind Declan caught my attention. “Who are they?” I asked, pulling my hand from Declan’s grasp. He looked behind him, and my eyes followed his until I was looking at a man in dark-blue jeans and a black T-shirt that almost matched his dark hair. His blue eyes were fixed on me with unspoken and unknown intent, and as I took in the handsome, incredibly muscled man, my gaze went to the woman next to him. He had one hand in a front pocket, and she slid her hand through the crook of his arm and pressed closer to him. She was beautiful, with inky-black hair that fell down past her breasts, and wore a simple, light-blue dress that hit her just below the knees, with sleeves that came down just past her elbows. She was elegant and casual, and as I lifted my eyes to hers, she seemed friendly. Her blue eyes narrowed as her lips spread into a cautious smile. “Hello. I’m Blue.” It took only a moment for me to recognize the name, and my gaze snapped to Declan, turning into a scowl before I turned back to the other man. Tyson Blackwell and Gabriella Galecki. FBI agent and ex-Mafia princess. I hadn’t forgotten what Declan said about them. I also remembered the news story being

on television for weeks. “You’re law enforcement,” I said to Tyson. “Tyson Blackwell,” he said, “I’m with the FBI. And you’re running from an abusive husband.” He stated it so simply. He knew. My eyes flicked to Declan’s. “You said you wouldn’t tell him.” Blood boiled in my veins. As if Boomer could sense my anger, or my fear, he got to his feet and for the first time in my life, backed up against my hips. He let loose a low growl, his eyes directly on Tyson. I reached out and rested my hand on Boomer’s head, letting him know it was okay. Of all the times for him to turn into a guard dog. I almost laughed, but the room was too tense, the air too thick. “I need to go.” I looked Declan in the eye, letting my feeling of betrayal show in my gaze. I let him see the pain I felt that he’d done this. I felt no victory when he flinched. “I think he can help you,” he said, making no apologies. “I wouldn’t have told him if I couldn’t trust him implicitly. And Tyson and Blue were at Fireside tonight when you called.” “How convenient.” Declan shook his head and took a small step toward me, but stopped when Boomer let loose another warning growl. “Don’t do this, Trina. You don’t have to run, not tonight. Let us help you.” “Why would you do that?” He shrugged, as if he were uncertain, but when he spoke again, his voice sounded almost sad. Resigned. “I just have to.” I saw the honesty in his expression, mixed with his own confusion. My heart rate began to slow. As much as it’d be the best decision to grab my bag and walk out that front door, I hesitated. This man made me feel safe. “We’re on your side,” Blue said, stepping in front of Tyson. “Please. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but no woman should be afraid of her husband.” She shook her head and pressed her lips into a frown. “I’m sorry you’re scared, I really am, but we’re only here to listen. Tyson has said he’ll do everything he can to keep you safe.” Reality pressed down on me, forcing me to face the facts. If Kevin knew where I was, I only had a small amount of time to find somewhere else to stay. I needed to ditch my car first, and it was too late now on a Saturday to do anything about that. I also had to get a new phone number. It’d take me until Monday to get a different car. I felt my window of opportunity closing with every passing breath, leaving me with no other choice.

“Okay,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. My gaze went to Declan’s and his shoulders sagged with relief. Pulling in a fortifying breath, I took my hand from Boomer’s head and gave him a soft pat. Then I looked at Tyson. “What do you need to know?” — I held the stem of a wineglass gingerly between my fingertips and stared at the crisp red wine, trying to figure out how to piece together my story. I went from being no one to someone, and hated every second once I got there. Some people would look at me and think, Poor little rich white girl. On paper, I had it all. In my heart, I’d been waiting for the moment when my mom was healthy enough to return to work, so she could take care of herself. Not that we had contact anymore. She was the one who encouraged me to stay with Kevin and for that—for not being the mother I needed when I needed her—I doubted I would ever forgive her. Memories of my earlier days with Kevin flashed through my mind as I took a small sip of my wine before dragging my tired eyes to Blue. For some reason, it felt easier to tell my story to her. Declan was sitting next to me, one arm thrown over the back of the couch, his hips turned toward me. His arm behind me made me feel protected. Safe. Across from us, Tyson was sitting next to Blue. They leaned forward with anticipation, Tyson’s brow furrowed in concentration, as if he’d remember every word I spoke without needing to write a single one down. “I was born into a family with a father who became a self-made success in Kentucky,” I began. “His business became so popular that he also became a huge donor to political campaigns. It was at one of these campaign fundraisers that I was introduced to Kevin.” I paused and pulled in a shaky breath. Behind me, Declan’s hand fell to the back of my neck, and through my hair, draped over my shoulders, his hand squeezed me, encouraging me. Warming me in ways it shouldn’t. Not then. I blinked several times and focused on Blue. With a small smile, she nodded, giving me the courage to continue. “My husband is Kevin Morgenson. He’s the son of Senator Morgenson.” At their blank expressions, I almost laughed. Liberal Yankees. We were only ten hours away, but a far cry from the conservative and Republican South, where the Morgenson name was revered, whispered in awe when any of them, myself included, walked into a business or home. I hated the name. “Kevin’s father, Kevin Morgenson Jr., has been a state senator for thirty years. He has held his position longer than any other senator south of the Mason-Dixon line.”

“Shit,” Tyson muttered and his lips twisted to one side. “Which explains why you want to head to Canada.” I raised a shoulder and dropped it. “Kevin, both of them, but my husband in particular, have a strong influence all over the country. I figured if I could leave the country, then I’d be safer.” “From what?” Tyson asked and lifted a hand, when a low growling sound emerged from Declan. “I need to ask, man. I know what you’ve told me, but I gotta know the story, too.” A sudden desire to soothe Declan’s bubbling anger suffused me. I placed a hand on his thigh and squeezed. It was the first time I’d touched him. Heat from his strong, firm, and muscled leg seeped into the skin of my fingertips, singeing them. Before I could move my hand away, Declan’s other hand covered mine. He didn’t squeeze it. He pressed his hand into the back of mine as if he wanted to mold my skin to his. I tried to push down the emotions it brought forth in me, the comfort it caused to boil in my own veins. I dragged my eyes off of our hands and back to the couple across the room. When I did, another soft smile tugged on Blue’s lips. That time, though, it was because she was staring at our connected hands. I tensed under Declan’s touch and cleared my throat. “The first time he hit me it was because I’d gone out for drinks, lost track of time, and hadn’t prepared his dinner on time.” “Asshole,” Declan muttered, his muscles tensing beneath my hand. “There were too many to count after that,” I admitted, feeling the familiar shame weighing down my shoulders. I pulled my gaze off of Blue’s sympathetic expression and focused on the glass of wine in my hand. I twirled the delicate stem with my fingers and tried to find the desire to continue. To them, I was a beaten wife. A woman who knew better, who knew it would continue and stayed anyway. I didn’t even want to know what they thought of me. I hadn’t had time to consider it further when Declan squeezed the back of my neck again and leaned forward, his lips almost at my ear. Then he whispered, in the softest, deepest, and most rumbly voice I’d ever heard. “There’s no judgment here, Trina. And you can stop at anytime.” Trina. He didn’t even know my name. “Katrina,” I whispered, forcing myself to turn toward him. Our lips almost brushed and I pulled back, but his hand on my neck stopped me. A slight hint of a grin twitched at one corner of his lips. “I hate the name,” I told him. He leaned forward, pulling me to the side and closer. I fought a shiver when I felt his breath along my jaw before it moved back to my ear. “It’s beautiful.” Then he let me go, and I was left wondering how I could bottle that ragged, deep, sexy voice so I could pop it open and have him speak to me like that every night before I went to sleep,

and remember how he was looking at me right now. As if he meant every word. I lost my fight with the shiver and let it flow down my spine, feeling heat hit my cheeks. A throat clearing caught my attention and both of us snapped our heads in the direction of the noise. Blue was no longer looking sympathetic, but amused, and Tyson no longer looked concerned, but angry. It was that expression that spurred me on. In part because I didn’t want Declan’s friend mad at me, if that was the cause of his sudden shift in demeanor. Also because I was angry. And I had every right to be. The people closest to me, who loved me, let me down. It’d been the kindness of strangers in the last week that showed me what a life without the Morgenson name attached to it could be like. And it was so much better. It was a life I realized I wanted to keep. “My name is Katrina Morgenson,” I told Tyson. “I’m sure if you pull up my medical records you’ll find various hospital stays all over Kentucky, and when I say all over, I mean everywhere. I wasn’t allowed to go to hospitals often. I was usually treated at home with a paid-off doctor, but when I did go, Kevin always made sure to give some excuse, some reason we were in town, and I never argued.” “Why?” Tyson asked, although the question was a surprise. I rolled my slumped shoulders and looked him square in the eye. “After my first beating, I went home to my family. My father had recently passed away and while I was crying on my mother’s shoulder, she declared that I should return home and find a way to not upset Kevin.” “Jesus Christ,” Declan muttered. I ignored him and continued. “I didn’t know it at the time, but learned later that while my father was wealthy, we weren’t millionaires, or anywhere close to the same league as the Morgensons. And on top of finding out my father’s business was actually going under, and his heart attack might have been ‘self-induced’ ”—I paused and used air quotes, because while it was never determined, given our personal financials and those of the company, it was highly likely that my father had taken his own life—“my mom had just been diagnosed with leukemia.” “And she had no money,” Blue filled in, figuring it out quicker than I would have anticipated. “And Kevin did,” I replied, nodding confirmation of her assessment. “You stayed to take care of your mom even though she sent you back to be with that monster.” “And when she received her six-month clearance, just less than two weeks ago, I declared myself done. Figure I’ve done my daughterly duty.” I let the silence, the weight of that statement, settle around everyone.

Blue grinned at me. “You might be the strongest person I’ve ever freaking met.” Despite the heaviness in the room, despite the fact that Kevin could be outside the house that very minute, and despite the fact that I’d shared more in the last hour than I ever had with anyone in my entire life—and I was still not certain it was a good decision—I threw my head back and laughed, while Blue joined in. Next to me, Declan chuckled and pulled me closer to him. And it felt really, really freaking good. — I wrapped my hand around the warm wrist as my back was lowered to the warm, plush bed I’d been sleeping on for the last several days. With my eyes still closed, I knew Declan was pulling away from me. He’d just carried me up the stairs after I fell asleep on the couch. After I told the rest of my story to Tyson, including specifics I’d never wanted to mention to anyone, I had leaned my head on Declan’s shoulder and closed my eyes while I listened to Tyson, Blue, and Declan murmur quietly. He felt warm and safe. The gentle brushes of his thumb on my shoulder sent tiny tremors through my body. I tightened my grip on his wrist. “Please,” I muttered with a garbled voice. “I don’t want to be alone. Not tonight.” “Trina.” His voice sounded strained as he pulled his wrist out of my grasp. He brushed hair off my forehead in a way that made me lean into his touch. So soft. So gentle. So much the opposite of how I’d been touched for the last several years that I felt my body craving that tenderness even though I knew I shouldn’t desire it. “Not sure that’s a good idea,” Declan said, his thick voice a bit raspy. “Please,” I whispered again, opening my eyes to see him. The outline of his body was barely visible in the darkened room, and slightly blurred because of my sleepiness. After what seemed like several minutes passing, Declan finally nodded. I shifted on the bed and then watched as he fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans. He sat on the edge of the bed, his back to me, and removed them. The bed dipped as he lay down next to me, his T-shirt still on, and rolled toward my side. One of his arms slid under me and he pulled me to him until my head rested on his shoulder. His hand settled on my lower back, and I felt the warmth of his light but still possessive touch soak into my skin through my shirt. His other hand rested on his stomach. Closing my eyes, I shifted my body against him, trying to get as close as possible. His whole body was tense, rigid. My body felt like it was waking up for possibly the first time. We lay there silently while tension rippled in the air around us, both of us feeling it, neither of us acknowledging it. I had almost been lulled back to sleep by the slow movement of his chest as he breathed, when he turned his head toward me and brushed his lips across my forehead.

“Go to sleep, Trina. We won’t let him hurt you.” I pulled in my last deep breath before sleep claimed me, and fell asleep knowing that Declan believed his own words 110 percent. I fell asleep cradled in Declan’s embrace, feeling safer with this almost-stranger than I had since the day I said “I do.” I fell asleep with my life a mess, my future unclear, but I knew one thing for certain. I never wanted this feeling to fade. Ever. But when I woke up? I was all alone. Just like always.

Chapter 9 Declan I hadn’t slept since Trina curled herself into me and fell asleep quickly after. I hadn’t been able to close my eyes without feeling pure rage. I could only take so much time being next to her, breathing in her soft, clean scent, and touching the delicate curves of her body. I had to fight the urge to run my hand down her side, feeling her curves. My fingers itched to explore her body, to travel beneath the layers of clothing separating my skin from hers. Between the warmth of her body, the slow rise and dip of her chest, and the way she had practically pleaded with me to stay with her, I couldn’t stop having inappropriate thoughts of inappropriate things I wanted to do to her. Hours after she fell asleep, her quiet, little puffs of breath hitting my chest and driving me to the brink of doing something insane—like waking her up and covering her skin with kisses —I finally pulled myself away from her, careful not to wake her, and got the hell out of there. Making only a whistling noise to get Boomer’s attention where he slept on the floor by Trina’s side of the bed, I shut her door quietly behind us. For a dopey-looking dog that generally seemed to care only about chasing squirrels and filling his stomach with food, he guarded her well. As Boomer trudged behind me, the sound of our steps on the carpet the only noise in the house, I carefully made my way through the darkened living room and into the kitchen. I started a pot of coffee, knowing that if I hadn’t fallen asleep yet, I most likely wouldn’t at all. Scratching sounds came from behind me and I looked to see Boomer clawing at the sliding door. I opened it just enough for him to slip through and flicked on the backyard porch light so I could see him. My yard was fenced, but the fence was only three feet high. If Boomer was ever motivated enough, he could easily clear it. As I closed the door, I jumped back from the quick rush of cool air breezing inside, chilling me to my bones. It was September and already getting too cold for shorts. It was times like this I thought my parents had it right. Move south. Visit the North to escape the dastardly evil summer heat down there, but avoid the snow at all costs. Thinking of my mom made me grin. I hadn’t talked to her much recently and I knew she’d have a lot of opinions when she learned I’d invited a woman into my home. She never liked Mara, but never said anything. It was simply obvious with her quiet hums of displeasure, or the looks she’d shoot my dad when Mara and I were around them. At the time, I figured it was just because I was the baby of the family, the last to settle down, and my mom was having a hard time letting go.

Now I knew it was just her sixth sense about the eventual destruction of our relationship. Moms really did know everything. Except for Trina’s. My lips curled into a growl as I walked back to the kitchen and filled my coffee mug with fresh coffee. That woman. What I wouldn’t give to demand she apologize to her daughter for forcing her to live through something so vile. She had thrown her daughter to the wolves for money, and I found it difficult to summon any compassion for her, even if she did it because of her illness. My mother would never do anything like that. She’d given up her career to stay home and raise us as soon as my older brother was born. She lived through raising two boys—two hellraising, football- and hockey-playing sons—with a husband who was just another large kid to take care of. Yet she never seemed to mind. In fact, she always said that looking back, the best days of her life were when her laundry room was overflowing with sweaty socks and piles of sports equipment. If my mom were to get sick like Trina’s had, I had no doubt she’d move heaven and earth to see that my brother and I were taken care of, even if it was at her own expense. She was just that kind of mom. If it wasn’t so damn early, or the middle of the night in Arizona, I’d pick up the damn phone and call her just to let her know how much I loved her. Yeah…I might be a bit of a mama’s boy. That was only because she showed her family what love was. I was an idiot who settled, far too soon, for a woman I let pull the wool over my eyes because her pussy tasted sweet. I sneered and looked outside to see Boomer meandering back to the door. I met him there, quickly slid the door open, and closed it behind him when he came in. He gave me a dopey look. I swear he was almost grinning as I fed him. I left the kitchen to the sounds of Boomer slopping up his food while I went to the living room and turned on the news. But as hard as I tried to erase the thoughts about what Trina told us that were still clamoring inside my brain, it was entirely futile. I had completely misjudged her when I first saw her and when I first invited her into my home. Even with the fading, fancy hair color and the polished, manicured nails, she was nothing like Mara. Trina might have had money, but the more she spoke last night, the more she seemed to loathe her wealth. At the very least, she despised what it could do to people. I should have known from the first night I saw her. No woman who looked like her, who had the money she clearly did, dug through a dumpster to find her dog dinner. Now that I knew the truth, had seen her for who she really was, I wasn’t sure I could stay away. I was definitely sure I didn’t want to.

There was something about this woman, with her southern drawl and kind eyes, that made me despise any man who would lay his hands on her. She was the kind of woman you cherish. The kind of woman you wanted to protect. And hell if I didn’t want to do both of those…while also acquainting my hands with her soft and curvy flesh. I didn’t even care if it was the right time to start something with her. She had loads of baggage I would need to help her unpack, and that had nothing to do with the duffel bag she was trying to haul out of here last night when I returned home. But as I sat and stared at the early-morning news broadcast, not actually hearing anything I was watching, I no longer gave a shit. No good relationship was without its share of troubles. We’d just have to fight our battles early on and hope for smooth sailing later. — My breathing was ragged when I finished my morning run. I had used all the frustration inside me and pushed myself harder and faster than I usually did. It was necessary, and the results were worth it. I no longer felt like slamming my fists into something hard and unforgiving as I unlocked the front door to my house. Before Trina, I would have left it unlocked. Since Trina began staying with me, I was doing a lot of things differently. Like keep her safe, as if it were some inherent instinct inside of me. Knowing the truth about who she was, where she came from, and what she’d endured only strengthened that desire inside of me. Fortunately, she told us that Kevin had only called her phone number and goaded her by asking if she really thought she could run away from him. Since she also told us that she had ditched her old cellphone and bought the pay-as-you-go phone before she left Kentucky, there was still a good chance he didn’t have a clue where she could be. I’d managed to get her to agree to stay until Tyson could look into things a bit further, to figure out if Kevin really knew where she was. I was careful to open the front door quietly, in case she was still sleeping. It was early, before seven, and I’d learned that Trina was not a morning person. She often zombie-walked her way down the stairs around nine. Between the stress she was under and being at Fireside until the early morning hours, I figured her body needed to adjust to a new routine. Plus, I suspected sleeping in wasn’t possible for her before. From what she’d said, she had been expected to wait on her husband for every one of his needs and wants or face the consequences. I believed her, too. Not only did she not have a reason to lie to us last night, but the fear in her eyes was evident as she relived some of the times where Kevin used a hand, or foot, to

reprimand her. The thought made me growl and, at the last second, I thrust the door open harder than necessary, making it bang against the wall. I cringed at the sound and then at Boomer’s bark as he barreled around the corner from the kitchen straight into me. His front paws hit my chest, forcing me to brace myself to keep from taking a step back. “Boomer!” Trina shouted from the kitchen. “I’ve got him,” I called back. With my hand on the top of his head, I gave him a playful shove. “Down, boy.” “Woof!” His tongue lolled to one side of his mouth as he pranced in place, waiting impatiently for me to shut the door. When I turned back to him, dropping my phone, earbuds, and keys on the small table with the ugly purple bowl, I rubbed his head again. “I’ve already fed you,” I told the dog, and walk passed him. The rich scent of bacon assailed my senses and my stomach growled. I generally had a protein shake before I headed out for my run and workout, but this morning I had extra adrenaline to burn off and I didn’t waste the time. I was not only starving, but sweating like a beast. The shower could wait, I decided as I headed toward the kitchen. When I got to the doorway, I was stunned speechless when I saw Trina at the stove, frying bacon wearing a tight, fitted tank top and a pair of even tighter shorts. She twisted to place bacon on a plate, and I could see her leg muscles flex. Words lodged in my throat. She was sexy. Curves and muscles in all the right places. My fingers itched to trace the line of her exposed collarbone down her arms to her fingertips to the inside of her wrist where I wanted to feel her pulse. Would it race as fast as mine currently was? “Good morning,” I barked out, sounding rude and rougher than normal. “Morning,” she muttered, keeping her eyes fixed on her task. Bacon grease spit into the air, and I knew she was concentrating, but I still scowled when she refused to look in my direction. It had been a couple of days since I’d seen that tightness in her shoulders, or the way she avoided me. “You okay?” I asked and walk past her for a fresh cup of coffee. The pot was full again, which meant she recently brewed some more. “You had a rough night last night.” I watched her back. “Yeah. Sure.” She paused and looked at me over her shoulder. “Why? Did I say anything?” I sipped my coffee and shook my head. “No. Do you normally?” She turned around and I watched as one shoulder lifted then fell. “Sometimes.” She reached out and turned off the burner, plating the rest of the bacon. “Bacon’s ready if you’re hungry.” Still without meeting my eyes, she wiped her hands on a towel and turned to leave the

room. My kitchen was small and U-shaped. With one adult, there was barely room to move around. With two adults and a large oaf of a dog, we should have been tripping over each other. Instead, she was trying to keep as much distance as possible between us. “Trina?” She paused but still didn’t face me. My brows knit together as I tried to figure out why she was avoiding me. Whatever the reason, I didn’t like it. “You avoiding me?” “No. Of course not.” Her cheeks flushed pink and her gaze dropped. The involuntary actions belied her words and I set my mug down, taking a step toward her. “You embarrassed about last night?” I asked. “No. I don’t care that you know about Kevin.” “I’m not talking about Kevin, sweetheart,” I whispered, and unable to stop myself, I lifted my hand to press her hair behind her ear. Small bumps prickled on the side of her neck and I watched her body’s reaction to me, even as she tried to fight it. But she was fighting it. Which meant the attraction wasn’t one-sided. Something warm, like pride, or the thrill of a victory, surged inside my chest. “I’m talking about me sleeping next to you in your bed.” She made a choking sound and looked toward the dining area. Away from me. I didn’t know if I should push this or not, but I did. I didn’t think it was embarrassing at all that not only did she need me last night, but that she’d had the guts to ask. She might have been half-asleep and not fully aware of what she was doing, which might be a blow to my ego if I believed it. Luckily, I have a large ego—among other things. “Why should that embarrass me?” she asked, her voice slightly scratchy. The pink was back in full bloom on her cheeks and my hand, which had been resting behind her ear, moved until I brushed her cheekbone with my thumb. “It shouldn’t,” I told her. “And if you’re embarrassed, or upset that you woke up alone, it’s only because you felt so good in my arms and next to me that I had to leave before I did something we might regret.” “You…” Another garbled sound escaped her throat before she looked up. “What did you say?” I chuckled softly, just once, and slid my hand down to cup the side of her throat. My fingertips pressed gently into the skin at the back of her neck, holding her firmly. “I’m attracted to you, Trina, and I like you. I also know you had a lot of emotional stuff to deal with last night, and you have to deal with your husband, too. I’m not pushing anything”—I paused and grinned—“yet. But I want you to know that I want to explore something with you, and lying next to you all night, your warm, tight body against mine, not

pushing you into something you might not want, or might not be ready for, had my selfcontrol at its limit.” She blinked several times and her lips parted. She looked so damn cute, so utterly confused. I had the urge to kiss her. Here. Now. But I didn’t. I took a step back and then another before I turned and reached for my coffee. When I looked back at her, she was finally snapping her mouth closed. I shrugged and took a sip of coffee. “Just think about it. Let me know what you decide. No pressure.” A bit of gentle nudging in the right direction—my direction—might occur, though. After several beats of silence, she muttered, “I need to shower.” She walked away and I couldn’t help chuckling while she did. “Woof!” I looked down at Boomer sitting at my heels. His tail flopped against a wooden chair leg and his big dopey eyes were fixed on mine. He almost looked like he was smiling. “Yeah, I know, boy. I think she likes me, too.”

Chapter 10 Trina “It’s completely packed out there,” I said, brushing stray hairs off my sticky forehead. With the sudden rush of afternoon customers—most of them men drinking beer as if Prohibition began at midnight—and the heat from the kitchen, my black Fireside Grill shirt was sticking to my back and my makeup was smearing more every minute. I looked like a wreck. I felt even worse, in that bone-numbing sort of way. I was exhausted. “It’s football Sunday,” Declan said, shaking his head even though he was smiling. He’d been doing that all day. Flashing me an impish grin whenever he caught me looking at him. Which, admittedly, had been a lot. I was still trying to figure him out, flesh out his motives, or a fuller understanding of what he meant this morning. I had felt so flustered as I walked away from him, and so distracted in my shower, that I nearly forgot to wash my hair. Fortunately, since we’d opened this morning, the crowd had been nonstop, coming and going and needy. These football fans were so very stinking needy. All of the activity kept my mind from lingering on the tender way Declan brushed my hair behind my ear this morning, or the simple way he stated that he was attracted to me. Me? The woman who was not only still healing from physical bruises but was an emotional basket case? If he was attracted to someone like me, he had a few screws loose, as my nana used to say. “People should be at church and brunch,” I muttered, letting my southern accent flow nice and strong. “It’s the Lord’s day. Don’t you Yankees know that?” Declan threw his head back and laughed, taking a quick break from flipping beef patties on a full grill. These football fans could eat and drink in serious quantities. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” I said and punched in another order for nachos and buffalo burgers. There were three computers in the restaurant where we could make our orders, but I was using the one in the kitchen. I needed a quiet place to get some space, away from all the mayhem going on out front. No one had complained, either, even though I didn’t think it was common for servers to use it. “Wait until hockey season strikes,” Declan replied, “You haven’t seen rabid fans until we

have a bar full of Red Wings fans.” My nose scrunched up. Hockey wasn’t my thing. At all. It always seemed so unnecessarily violent, what with men being tossed into walls and beaten with sticks. “Yeah. We’ll see,” I whispered, more to myself than Declan. Come hockey season, I might be in another state. Or another country. Despite my agreement not to do anything rash last night, after Tyson assured me that he would spend some time looking into Kevin and see what he could find out about him looking for me, I hadn’t altogether dismissed the idea of just taking off. My cellphone seemed to burn inside my back pocket. I tried not to check it to see if Kevin had tried calling again, but I couldn’t help myself. His phone call last night reminded me that there really was a risk to staying. Now I wasn’t only risking myself, but Declan. Yet seeing Declan this morning, admitting that the reason he left my bed last night was because it was too hard for him to not touch me, lit a small spark inside me. Desire. That was what I felt when I looked at him. I couldn’t remember feeling anything like that since perhaps my wedding night with Kevin, when I still thought I was Cinderella and my Prince Charming had just slipped the glass slipper onto my foot. I certainly quit desiring anything to do with Kevin weeks later, when he hit me for the first time. Not that his physical desire for me waned any. I shuddered at the thought, and then jumped when Declan’s hand reached out and slid along my shoulder. “What just happened?” “What?” I asked, turning to face him. At the same time, I took a step back, moving away from him. His hand hovered in the air before he crossed both arms over his chest. “What do you mean?” “I mean you just turned white as a ghost.” His eyes narrowed and I felt my pulse kick up in my throat. I swallowed and squeezed my eyes closed. “Nothing. I was just thinking.” His lips pressed together, forming a tense, straight line as he evaluated my truthfulness. “About?” “Nothing, Declan. I swear.” I lifted up my order pad and nodded toward the kitchen door. We were too busy for either of us to be standing around chatting. Plus, I wanted to avoid this particular conversation for as long as humanly possible. “I need to get back out there and help Katie.” “You’ll tell me later.” “Let it go,” I said, pleading with my eyes. He wouldn’t. I already knew it. If there was one thing I was beginning to learn about Declan, it was that he took protecting someone to extremes. He nodded once and his arms dropped to his sides. “For now, I will. But you’ll tell me, once I’ve earned your trust.” That small, impish grin came back, along with a sparkle in his rich-brown eyes, like he’d

already decided he knew he was going to get it, and he didn’t care how long it took. The fact that he was probably right, that he already did have my trust, wasn’t something I felt like sharing at the moment. But as my cheeks heated under the weight of his knowing gaze, I couldn’t help but feel another shudder run through me as I headed out through the kitchen doors. Except that time, the shudder was much more pleasurable. And it made me think it wouldn’t be dangerous at all to toss caution to the wind and admit to Declan that I wanted him, too. — “I still can’t get over how busy today was,” I told Declan as I helped him close out the cash registers in the bar. It’d become our nightly ritual when he was letting me fill in or work the floor. He sent the bartenders home early and then he and I stayed behind to close out the tills. “Yeah. I needed this football season more than ever to hit as hard as it did.” I frowned and lost track of the twenties I’d been counting. I’d seen his accounts and he wasn’t lying. The Fireside Grill was struggling to stay in business. Although that day had been busy, the rest of the week had been pretty slow. From what I’d seen in his computer reports, the last several months had been slow. “Does it typically slow down in the summer?” “Some. Most people head north to their weekend places and go on vacation, but this summer was worse than any other I’ve seen.” “What have you done with advertising?” I asked and turned my back to the register. I hadn’t worked for years, and the work I did do was more public relations than advertising, but ideas began slowly rolling through my mind. He shrugged and slid a rubber band around a stack of tens. “Ad in the paper. That sort of thing. We get enough foot traffic that I haven’t done too much more.” My lips twisted to one side as I fought to not tell him how wrong he was with that kind of thinking. As far as I could tell, the businesses in Latham Hills would all prosper if they banded together and marketed themselves as a whole. Detroit was a huge metropolis with lots to do and even more places to eat, but a lot of those places were downtown, where the tourists went to watch the professional games, see the theater shows, or visit the museums. Out in Latham Hills, they needed to be louder. “What is it?” he asked, turning to look at me. One thick black brow arched over his eye. “You’re thinking of something.” “Again?” I smirked. “Heaven forbid I get caught doing that twice in one day.” A flash of concern radiated from his eyes before they crinkled at the outer edges and his lips pulled into a smile. “Teasing me? I didn’t think you had it in you.” My smile faltered. “I haven’t had much to joke about lately.” “Shit.” He tossed the money he was counting onto the counter and walked toward me. I threw up a hand and stopped him, shaking my head. “I didn’t mean that, Declan. But I do have some ideas for you, a few that might help get attention, some that won’t cost you anything.”

“Like?” His curiosity piqued, he stood with his hands on his hips. “Well. Does Latham Hills have their own fire department?” The building where Fireside was located seemed to be an old, renovated firehouse. “Yeah. We have three stations, but most of the firemen are volunteers.” His brow furrowed. “Why?” “Well, I was thinking, they probably do a lot of fundraising. I know back home they do. Unfortunately, while the fire departments and EMT services are some of the city’s most important assets, they’re not always funded accordingly.” When I realized I hadn’t answered his question, my excitement growing as I had a batch of new ideas I desperately wanted to write down, I explained. “You could host a fundraiser here. It’d be cool to have it in a place like this, with all its history, and the memorabilia you have hanging on the walls. Maybe a bachelor-fireman date auction. Or…” My face lit up and my eyes widened. “You could host a photo shoot for a fireman calendar.” He scowled. “A calendar? An auction? You mean with, like, half-naked men around?” “Think about it.” I leaned in closer to him, like I had a secret, even though there was no one else around to hear us. “Yes! It’d be perfect. Your restaurant would be in the background. We could do a group shot outside or something. So when people are flipping through the calendar, and trust me, those sell like my nana’s peach pie at a church festival, they see your place in every shot. Women will line up—and some men,” I added with a wink in response to his growing scowl. “And they’ll want to come here to see if they can spot any of the firemen. An auction will bring in tons of people, women mostly, for a night of drinking and food. You can increase your clientele on days when there is no game, easily.” He was silent for a moment, appearing to think it over. “I’ll think about it.” “Okay.” I shrugged. It was a long shot, and I was a bit rusty with my ideas. Maybe meatmarket auctions and sexy calendars were too passé. “What other ideas do you have, though?” “Lots,” I said, and let out a breath when I realized he wasn’t completely blowing me off. He really did want to hear my ideas. By the time three in the morning rolled around, the tills were finally counted and we were just locking up the restaurant. My head was spinning with more ideas, even as I explained the ones I’d already thought of. Declan and I had both been jotting down notes for the last hour. While he double-checked to make sure the door to the alley was locked, I had to cover a loud yawn. But we had at least a half-dozen inexpensive marketing and advertising ideas to follow up on in the next few days. “So you did this kind of thing before?” he asked, resting his hand on my lower back. I let him guide me to his black pickup. He waited by the open door while I slowly climbed in. “Sometimes. I did more public relations and helping business with their image, not as much marketing. It feels like it was in another life though.” I wasn’t even sad to admit it. It was simply the truth. My life before I began kowtowing to Kevin about everything seemed like another plane of existence.

“It’s too bad you quit,” Declan said, watching while I buckled the seatbelt. “You’re damn good at it.” I turned to him and smiled. I didn’t know if he could see it in the darkness, but I did know he couldn’t see the butterflies that were stirring in my stomach from the simple compliment. Because whether Declan knew it or not, that was the first compliment I’d been given in what felt like years. “Thanks, Declan,” I replied. His smile in return told me he knew exactly what he’d done. As I watched him walk around the front of his truck and climb in, then start it and pull into the empty street with ease, I wondered how it was that he seemed to know me so well. When I hardly knew who I was anymore. — My eyes jerked open and I blinked when the truck stopped moving. I jolted awake to find myself sitting in the cab of Declan’s truck in his narrow driveway. He was already walking around the front of his truck to get to my side. He opened my door before I unbuckled myself. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.” He held out his hand for me to take hold of. “It’s late. Or early, depending on how you look at it.” I smiled and placed my hand in his, letting him help me down. “It’s a four-block drive.” He laughed softly and let go of my hand, then set his at my back and ushered me toward the front door. “Takes a while to get used to this kind of schedule,” he said as he unlocked it. We stepped in, me going first, and I couldn’t help but suck my bottom lip in between my teeth. His hand on my back felt so good. Warm. Comforting. Delicious in a way that shouldn’t be possible. Perhaps I was still slightly sleepy. Boomer trudged around the corner, welcoming us back home, as he tended to do every night. He slid his front paws forward, sticking his butt up in the air while he stretched, and then yawned as he reversed the move. My hand covered my mouth as I fought my own yawn. “Let me help you up the stairs,” Declan said. He guided me toward them before another yawn forced its way out of my mouth. “I’ll take care of Boomer once I’m done.” I didn’t know what made me shiver—knowing he was taking care of me, or that he was also taking care of my dog. Boomer and I had lived a life surrounded by people for the last several years, yet it had been a lonely existence. In a week, Declan managed to begin chipping at my walls of seclusion, forcing me to open up, and yet it hadn’t seemed forced at all. I was giving parts of myself to him freely, and I knew that whatever I gave him, whatever small pieces I felt comfortable sharing, he was taking care of them.

He was taking care of me, and he was taking care with the bits and pieces he was giving me. It all left my body feeling energized. Wanting something. And when was the last time I’d wanted anything except freedom? “Declan?” I turned to face him as we reached the doorway to my bedroom. “What is it?” I swallowed my trepidation and my nerves. For once in my life, I was going to go after what I wanted. What I desired. Something good for me. Consequences be damned. I licked my lips and watched his eyes drop to follow the movement, and then I took a shaky step forward. “I want you to know,” I whispered, rolling onto my toes and placing one hand on his shoulder to steady myself, “that I want to explore this with you, too.” Before he could respond, I brushed my lips against his cheek, tasting him for the very first time. It was like what I imagined a first hit of heroin would be. Head-spinning. I was even more unsteady as I let him go, rolling back off my toes. I’d taken one step away when his arm snapped out and was at my back, pulling me flush against him. “Can’t tease me with just a tiny taste like that, sweetheart.” One side of his lips curved up just as his mouth descended, slowly, giving me time to pull away. I didn’t. I leaned closer, my breath coming in short, panted spurts. “What do you want, then?” I whispered. “Just a kiss. Just one more kiss.” His head tilted and his lips brushed against mine. I gasped on an inward breath at the delicious way his slightly unshaven beard scraped my heated skin. His lips were soft but firm, gentle but commanding. Then his lips pressed against mine more firmly. And I was tasting him, the tip of his tongue brushing against mine. I was floating on the clouds, falling…flying. “Declan,” I whispered, finding my hands gripping his waist. A rush flowed through me. I savored every moment, every taste of him, and every touch of his tongue against mine. It was the best kiss. It was the best feeling in the world when a low groan slipped from his throat. I was affecting this large, powerful man. I shivered, pressed myself more firmly against him. His hands at my back glided upward until they were clasped at the back of my neck. I melted into him, loving the feel of his hands on me. So strong and possessive, yet so gentle. As if he knew exactly what I needed and wanted nothing more than to give it. To me. The kiss went on far too long, and ended much too soon. I swallowed and opened my eyes to see Declan’s dark-brown eyes on mine. My gaze

dropped to his lips as he licked them. “I think I’m going to need more than that,” he said, lips stretching into that grin I’d been seeing all day. “But for now, you need your sleep.” He reached around me, wrapped his hand around the doorknob, and pushed open my door. “In you go, before I go back on my word and push you further than we should go tonight.” My lips twitched, fighting a grin, and my fingertips pressed against my lips. I wanted to seal the taste of him into my skin. I looked at him, opened my mouth to tell him that if he walked through that door with me, he wouldn’t be pushing me past anything I didn’t want to give him, but I changed my mind at the last moment. The kiss was huge. It changed everything. If we decided to move forward, I wanted to ensure I wasn’t making another colossal mistake. “Good night,” I whispered, shuffling past him into the room. “I’ll bring Boomer up to you after I take him out.” I nodded my thanks and peeled my eyes off him when he lingered a bit too long in the doorway, as if walking away from me was a physical weight he didn’t want to move. “Good night, sweetheart,” he finally said, and stepped back, pulling the door closed. I barely had enough energy to strip off my clothes and change into my pajamas before I collapsed on top of the bed. I fell asleep before I could rethink the most beautiful kiss I’d ever received. When I woke up, Boomer was sleeping at the foot of my bed, and I was no longer on top of the covers, the way I was when I fell asleep, but tucked firmly under them, making it clear that even while I was sleeping, Declan wanted to take care of me.

Chapter 11 Declan “This better be good,” I grumbled into my cellphone. I’d just been woken up by my obnoxious ringtone, and my voice was scratchy and dry. Tyson’s chuckle vibrating in my ear made me perk my ass right up. “What is it?” “You are in deep shit,” he said, the laughter evaporating with a breath. “What the hell are you talking about?” I swung my legs over the side of the bed and jumped to my feet. Not even forty-eight hours ago, Tyson left my house after promising he’d do what he could to look into Kevin Morgenson III. Damn, what kind of narcissistic prick actually had numbers after his name? Arrogant name aside, I hadn’t been expecting Tyson to call me about him this early on Monday—just hours after I’d finally fallen asleep. And I was more than pissed that he’d just interrupted the dream I was having of Trina. Her thighs straddling mine, her head thrown back in pleasure as I sank into her from beneath her. Her nails digging into my chest. Her hips rocking against mine. The curve of her back when I took her from behind. The brief kiss we shared last night had unleashed deeply buried desires I’d been harboring, but hadn’t let myself admit. When I finally fell asleep, they rushed through me with hurricane-force winds. Hell, I even had to take a cold shower before finally climbing into my bed. My dick had hardened at the sight of her sprawled on her stomach on her bed. The soft little noises she made when she was totally passed out made it impossible not to think of sex and fucking. Touching her to move her under the sheets almost snapped my self-control. “I called in some favors first thing yesterday, and my contacts have filled me in on a wealth of information about your precious Trina’s husband.” I sneered at the word. He was no husband. I rubbed my hand over my head, feeling the prickle of hair that needed to be shaved, and clasped the back of my neck. “And?” “And the guy’s a fucking piece of work is what. But all the bullshit he’s pulled and then gotten hidden by state police over the years isn’t why I’m calling.” I pressed my tongue against my teeth to keep from snapping at my friend. Patience was never my strong suit.

“Listen,” he said, quieting his voice. “I gotta ask before I tell you this. You sure this is the woman you want to throw down for?” “What the fuck do you mean by that, Blackwell?” I growled. Hell. I didn’t know if it pissed me off that he had the guts to ask me that, or if I was pissed that I’d thought the same exact damn question after hearing about her husband. Trina didn’t come with baggage. She came with a convoy of troubles, and probably issues I hadn’t yet discovered. Unwrapping her, getting her to a good place—a safe and emotionally healthy place—could take a long time. But that fucking kiss. That kiss last night itself was enough to make me know what I wanted. “Morgenson’s in the wind.” All my breath whooshed out of my chest in one large exhale. “What the fuck?” “Yep. Asshole’s gone. No one has seen or heard from him in a week.” Fuck. “Which means he’s looking,” I said, knowing that’s where Tyson’s train of thought was headed. “We’ll find him.” Confidence rang rich in his voice. It did little to quell the rage that was beginning to build in me. Fear. Not for me, but for Trina and what would happen if she ran into the asshole again. “But it’s going to take some time. You got somewhere you can take off to for a while? Maybe Arizona to see your parents?” Beautiful idea. Not gonna happen, but I still grinned when I thought of my mom meeting Trina. She was the kind of woman my mom could relate to. “I can’t get someone to cover the restaurant that long,” I admitted, my reluctance clear. “But I can get her away for a couple days.” “Not sure that’s gonna help, but I’ll pressure the guys here to start searching. Maybe we’ll get lucky.” Pressure in my chest. Uncertainty a stampede in my gut. I felt sick. “Yeah.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck again before dropping my hand. It curled into a fist as if danger was knocking on my door. “Thanks, man. I owe you.” “I’m putting myself at risk of deep shit for this, Dec. I gotta ask again. She worth it?” I wanted to throw in his face that he got involved with Blue when she was his damn undercover target. Was she worth it? Not that I said shit then. I saw the man before he introduced her to me. Just the way he said her name was proof enough. The certainty in Trina’s eyes last night when she stepped toward me and said she wanted what I did popped into my mind. There was no other answer to give except, “Yeah, asshole. I’m sure.” “That’s all I need. Let me know where you’re going and when you’ll be back once you get a plan together. Based on how long Morgenson’s been gone, I wouldn’t wait.” Fucking hell. Before I could reply, he ended the call and silence echoed in my ear.

I hit the End button and tossed the phone onto my bed before heading to the shower and getting ready for the day. I’d give my assistant manager, Mac, a little bit of time to wake up before I gave him a call to let him know I’d be out of town. I hoped that by then I’d know where we were going. And that Trina had agreed to come with me. — “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Trina asked, her knee bouncing in the passenger seat. My hand curled around the steering wheel of her old convertible as we drove west on I-94, headed directly for Chicago. I shrugged, twisting my hands around the wheel again. Fuck it. I needed to touch her. Soothe her. Comfort her. The more I was around her the more it felt like this was what I was meant to do—protect this woman. “Mac can handle Fireside Grill,” I said, reaching over and taking her hand. I tried not to cringe about that phone call I had to make this morning. My assistant manager essentially gave me the same shit Tyson had, with only one-tenth of the information, but it’s not as if people hadn’t figured out I had a soft spot for Trina, with her working in my office and serving tables without actually being hired. I figured being the boss gave me the right to break a few rules here and there. “I meant taking off like this.” “Chicago’s a bigger city,” I explained, although we’d been over this. My plan was a quick, two-day, three-state trip. Sell her car in Chicago. Take the train to Milwaukee. Ferry back to Michigan and drive home. With the cash from selling her car at whatever shady car lot we could find, she was going to buy a new car in Milwaukee. At the very least, selling the car in Chicago would send Morgenson hours out of his way if he’d had any idea she was in Detroit. “I can’t believe you’re doing all this for me.” Her surprise made me cringe. This wasn’t a big deal. Any decent man would do something like this, even if he wasn’t thinking about getting into a woman’s pants. Or under her skirt, since Trina came out of her room today dressed in some flowing, floorscraping, skirt-dress type of thing. I had no idea what it was called, but it kept her almost fully covered. I despised it. I wanted to rip it off her. Her disbelief at a man’s kindness was just one more reminder, a red flag, that Trina hadn’t had a decent man in her life to show her the way, though. It was that thought that made me grit my teeth together, and I glared through the windshield. “And Boomer will be okay?” she asked, turning to face me. Fear and exhaustion lined her eyes, and it wasn’t from lack of sleep.

This woman was tired. Tired of her life, tired of running. I didn’t blame her. “I swear to you, sweetheart, Blue is always at Tyson’s house and will treat the large oaf like he’s her child. She doesn’t have an unkind bone in her body.” “You’re right.” She sucked in a breath and squeezed my hand, entwining our fingers together. “I’m just worried.” “I know, but Boomer isn’t something to be worried about. He’s in good hands and he’ll be safe. Just like Tyson and I will ensure you will be, too.” She rolled her lips as if wanting to say something, then changed her mind. With her free hand, she leaned forward and began flicking through the radio stations. I let her have the distraction. “What are you doing?” I asked when she settled on a station that sounded like squawking. Horrific, tinny, squawking. Squawking like a flock of birds dying a slow and painful death. “It’s country music.” “Uh, no.” I was teasing her. I couldn’t care less what she listened to, even if I might need to bleach that sound out of my brain later. “Uh, yes,” she said, turning to me with wide eyes. “You drive, I choose the music. If you’d let me drive—” “No chick drives a car when a man is in it. It’s un-American.” “Then the passenger gets to choose the music. It’s only fair, and fortunately for you, you’re in luck,” she teased back. “Because I’m patriotic and country music is the most American thing you can listen to.” I thought of a thousand rock bands that were more American than the crap making my ears bleed. The Doors, Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rolling Stones, just to name a few off the top of my head. “Whatever. I’ll deal.” I looked back out the front window, keeping my eyes ahead. But a smile stretched my lips as her light, tinkling laughter filled the car, making the country bullshit she was forcing on me bearable. Almost. — Trina eyed the check in my hand and I watched her fighting back tears. “This is the smartest thing you can do.” I draped my arm over her shoulders, pressing her to me. “If he’s following you, you know he’s got someone trying to find your car.” “I know.” She sniffed and nodded, swiping her fingertips over her cheek. “I’ve had that darn car for so long, it’s hard to say goodbye.” She looked up at me, eyes glimmering with more tears, and whispered, “Boomer and that car are the only things I have…from before.” Which explained why she was driving a car several years old and not brand-new. I would have thought Kevin wouldn’t want her in anything except the best. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe she drove something better around town in Kentucky. But the fact that she kept hold of this one thing just proved how much fight she had in her when it was important. I never wanted

to ask about the car before, but hearing it from her then made it feel like a wrench was tightening around my heart. I held out the check we’d just gotten for her car. With as much as it was, she could buy anything she wanted. “Think of this as a fresh start. Leave everything behind”—I smiled —“except for Boomer, and move on from the past.” “Right.” A spark of determination gleamed in her shining eyes and she wiped away more tears. “We’re moving on.” I pushed down my smile. “Yeah, we are.” Because we were. Together. At least for now, and if she continued to make me feel the way I had every minute since I’d met her, I was hoping it was for a lot longer than just a brief moment in time. A taxi pulled into the run-down dealership we’d found in East Chicago. I hadn’t wanted to go too far into the city with the car, and I figured that if she’d come up this direction from Kentucky, she would have been on a similar route. I was hoping that once we sold her vehicle at some dumpy dealership willing to give us half what the car was worth, it’d make it that much more difficult for Kevin to find her. So we ditched the car, but needed a way to get to the Loop in downtown Chicago, where we would catch a train to Milwaukee at Union Station. It was only three o’clock, and the last train to Milwaukee didn’t leave until eight at night, giving us some time to kill in the city before we headed to our next destination. We could have rushed it and tried to catch an earlier train, but I also wanted to take some time—even if it was just a few hours—to give Trina a break from the worry and fear I knew she was feeling. “So,” I said, dropping my hand from her shoulder to grab her hand. I started walking toward the waiting taxi and looked down at her. “Is there anything you’ve ever wanted to see in Chicago?” She shrugged, one side of her upper lip curling. “Not really. I’ve always pictured it as a big, dirty, cement jungle.” I barked out a laugh and pulled her against me. She almost tripped, and her free hand landed on my stomach. “What?” she asked, eyes wide and looking up at me. The sun hit her eyes, making her light-brown eyes sparkle like they were spun from gold. “Chicago’s not ugly.” I pushed down the burgeoning lust I felt every time she smiled at me and opened the rear door of the taxi for her. “It’s beautiful and perfect. The best city anywhere in the world.” “Even better than Latham Hills?” Her eyes lit with wonder and amusement. God, I loved that she loved my city. “Trust me,” I told her, leaning in and brushing my lips against hers. I didn’t know if she felt the same need and desire as me, but I hadn’t been able to keep my lips off her today. Small, teasing brushes of my lips against her skin, anywhere I could taste her. She hadn’t pushed me away, though. “Let me prove you wrong.” She squeezed my hand with hers and leaned in, our noses brushing against each other. “I do trust you,” she finally whispered, her lips lingering just a breath away from my own.

And it was that moment, with the taxi pulling into Chicago’s rush-hour afternoon traffic— because it was always rush hour here—and her golden eyes fixed on mine, letting me see the pure sincerity in her four simple words, that I completely fell for her. — The outside of Reglatti’s Pizzeria was less than impressive, but it was the location and food inside that kept the small restaurant crammed full at almost all hours of the day. Just a half block south of Wrigley Field on Ashland Avenue, Reglatti’s was famous to local Chicagoans for their delicious, deep-dish pizza, as well as their own form of Sicilian pizza that had an exceptionally light crust. Just before four on Monday, the place had a steady stream of customers and very few tables available, although there wasn’t yet a line. Give it an hour. Even with the Chicago Cubs playing an away game, there would still be a line of customers wrapped around the corner of the building waiting to eat a Monday-night slice of pie while they watched their beloved Cubs on the big screens scattered throughout the restaurant and cheered them on. A twinge of jealousy hit me in the chest while I glanced around the packed restaurant. This was what I wanted Fireside Grill to become. A beloved icon in a city with a fanatic customer base in a small area of Detroit where people took pride in their community. I just had to figure out how to bring them in. I shook off the thought and focused on Trina. She took another bite of her first slice of deep-dish and closed her eyes. “So what do you think?” She groaned, swallowing the large bite. I’d been fighting to keep my dick from going hard the entire meal, yet hadn’t wanted to stop the quiet, pleased sounds she made. Grinning, she wiped her lips with a napkin. “It’s not too bad.” I glanced down at our almost fully devoured pie, then back at her. “You’ve eaten twice as much as I have.” Her cheeks paled and I pressed my lips together, watching as the fear and embarrassment flooded her features. I swore. If I ever ran into Kevin Morgenson III, I was going to wring his fucking wiry neck. She opened her mouth and I knew an apology was on the tip of her tongue. I cut her off. “Don’t you dare apologize,” I said with a quiet voice, biting back my desire to rage like an animal. “I was kidding. Eat however much you freaking want, Trina.” Her breathing faltered before she took a sip of water. “I know…some things are hard to forget.” She licked her lips and looked away, ashamed. I suppressed the growl rising in my throat. “Tell me about Kentucky,” I said instead, changing the subject. Based on the way her shoulders dropped, relaxing, it had the desired effect. She looked directly into my eyes. Light brown mixed with flecks of a darker color around her irises. I almost forgot to breathe when she tilted her head to the right. So innocent. Pure.

Damaged, but fighting. “Like what?” “Anything you want. Weather, what you did, what you liked.” I gave her time to think and picked up another slice of pie and dove in, chewing while she appeared to run through her memories until she found the best one. A strange burning sensation lit in my chest. I didn’t realize that I had needed that. I didn’t realize that the entire time I was with Mara, I didn’t have that…someone who cared enough to take the time to give me the best parts of herself. I saw it in Trina’s eyes as she worked her way through her memories. When she finally grinned and set down her pizza, that burning in my chest grew deeper, more fierce. Because I knew I was looking at a woman who would give me her best, every day of her life, as long as I deserved it. I’d never wanted to fight for anything more. As she spoke about high school, telling me about being a cheerleader and homecoming queen, shopping trips to the malls with her friends and visits to amusement parks, I soaked up every word, my thoughts never straying. I never lost interest, and hung on every word. While doing so, I picked up little nuances, storing them in my memory bank. Like the way her grin went a little lopsided when she was truly excited. The way she ran her left index finger against the corner of her lips when she thought. How her hands became more animated—long, thin fingers and small palms waving in the air like twinkling stars—the more into a story she was. She was uninhibited in her freedom. She was absolutely stunning. She was perfection in the most beautiful package. Attraction, beyond just the physical, shouldn’t occur so quickly, yet I couldn’t resist the pull she had on me. “Let’s go,” I said when we’d finished our pie and she’d just finished a story about fishing in the pond on her grandpa’s farm. The fact that this girl could fish, bait her own hook and everything, made her more attractive. She didn’t mind getting dirty, and I couldn’t help but think of what other ways she wouldn’t mind getting a bit messy. “There’s more of the city I want to show you before we go.” “Do we have time?” She nervously glanced around for a clock. “Plenty. Downtown will take us closer to the station anyway.” With that decided, I paid the bill while she used the restroom, and then we walked the two blocks to the closest train station. “Kentucky is cleaner,” she mused, looking out the window of the train as we watched the city zip by. “Hotter and more humid, but I miss the fresh, crisp scent in the air. I don’t feel that here.” Her hand was on my thigh, my palm pressing against the back of her hand, and while she spoke, I trailed a fingertip across her hand, tracing her handprint. She shivered from the slight touch. “What else do you miss?” “Nothing.” She turned to me and flashed me one of her lopsided smiles. And those damn

eyes, so full of vitality despite what she’d gone through. “Absolutely nothing.”

Chapter 12 Trina The wind in Chicago was brutal. Between my hair whipping across my cheeks and the throng of people on the platform when we stepped off the train, I was unsure of my footing, and felt jostled by the hectic pace of a city that felt much too large, much too active. A firm hand cupped my elbow, and I flinched for just a brief moment before I realized it was only Declan, guiding me closer to him. “Thank you,” I said and leaned toward his large frame for support. I wasn’t typically a claustrophobic type of person, but in the last few years, for good reason, unexpected touches from random strangers made me uncomfortable. “Stay close,” he said. His eyes focused straight ahead as he hustled us closer to the stairs, weaving us in and out of the other travelers with practiced precision. From what I knew, Declan had always lived in Detroit, only leaving for a few years to play football at Central University, where he met Tyson and Aidan. He seemed so comfortable in Chicago, knew so many specific places to go, that I couldn’t help but wonder how often he’d been here. He was certainly not an occasional visitor. I opened my mouth to ask him as we began heading down the stairway, when I felt a sharp jab in the side of my stomach. I jumped from the sudden contact and the sting of pain. I lurched forward, wrapping my arm around my waist and pulling my arm out of Declan’s grasp. The quick movement made me lose by balance and the toe of my shoe caught on a bump on the metal stairs. Before I knew what was happening, I fell forward and reached out to brace myself against the stranger in front of me, when someone else bumped into my side and I tripped again. A piercing ache slashed through my ankle as it twisted in the space between the stairs, and right before I face-planted on the metal railway, strong hands wrapped around my waist. “Shit!” Declan cursed as he began lifting me back to my feet. “Ouch.” I cringed as my foot twisted again and slid out of the gap. Curling my hands around the metal railing, I pulled myself upright. Declan’s hands on my waist created a cascade of warmth that tumbled through my body, everywhere, except for where there was a fiery pain, beginning in my ankle and traveling up to my knee. “It hurts really bad.” Tears welled in my eyes from the harsh pain, and I squeezed my eyes closed.

I had learned not to cry. It didn’t help anything. “Are you okay?” Declan asked. I hissed a breath between my teeth and pressed my lips together. Around us, people continued their journey to wherever they were going, not bothering to give either of us a second look. Declan was jostled from the back and the side as he stood in a way that protected me from the crowd. I overheard a few murmurs of displeasure tossed in Declan’s direction for blocking the already narrow staircase. With the way he was looking at me, deep, dark eyes narrowed with concern, I doubted he heard them. “What hurts?” he asked and his eyes roamed over my body. That look soaked into my pores like the richest lotion, soothing and softening me. It shouldn’t be right, how good he made me feel. Yet there was no escaping it, either. Every look, every brush of his fingers against mine, every touch of his skin on mine created a craving inside me, made me want more. “My ankle,” I said, shaking my head and trying to focus. I set the toes of my injured foot on the stair to apply pressure, but it made me yelp in pain. “We need to get you looked at.” He glanced down at my foot and quickly back up when I snapped, “No. No doctors. No hospitals. There’ll be records.” “Fuck,” he muttered, and ran a hand from his forehead to the back of his neck, squeezing. I watched as muscles bunched at the sides of his throat before he ran his tongue along the front of his teeth. “Not a problem. I’ve got an idea. It’ll just mean we miss the train to Milwaukee.” Before I could argue that it wasn’t a good idea, that I’d be fine—I could just ice it on the train—he pushed people out of his way and scooped me into his arms. One of his hands went under my knees, the other behind my back. “I look ridiculous,” I said, not surprised at all that he carried me with ease. He was well over six feet tall, and even with my smaller frame in his arms, his muscles showed barely any strain from the effort. “I’ll be fine. Really.” I knew what a severe injury felt like. I’d had enough of them. “You’re not,” he insisted as I cringed when I was jostled in his arms. “But you will be.” His hands burned my skin, his fingertips pressing against my lower back where my shirt had ridden up. Yet I didn’t enjoy it. The pain was increasing, throbbing from my toes up to my knee. “We’ll get a cab and get to a hotel. I’ve got a friend we can call.” He set me down and pulled me to his side, keeping one arm fully wrapped around my back to support me. With his other hand, he gestured in the air for a cab. “You have a friend in Chicago?” “Yup.” He nodded as a cab pulled over. He reached for the rear door and helped me in, as I hopped on one foot, looking ridiculous. Once we were seated, he explained. “David. He was one of my roommates all through Central. He’s just finishing up his residency at Chicago General.”

“Wow,” I murmured, cringing from the pain. It explained how he was so familiar with Chicago. He must have visited David often, based on how well he knew the city. I listened halfheartedly as Declan rattled off the name of a hotel, a Radisson down on Michigan Avenue, and then he sat back and reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze to get my attention. “You doing okay?” My mind swirled for a moment. The pain burned, but it was the mention of a hotel room that made my head spin. “We’re supposed to go to Milwaukee tonight,” I reminded him. “We’ll go to tomorrow, Trina.” “But the car…” “Will still be at the dealership in the morning.” He reached out with his hand and brushed strands of my hair behind my ear. I expected him to let go, but then his thumb grazed the side of my neck and stroked my collarbone. The grazing touch sent a cascade of emotions through me, along with creating a gentle throbbing between my thighs. As if he understood what he was doing to me, his lips tilted into a grin and his eyes went to my lips. “We’ll get you checked out tonight if David can get away from the hospital for an hour or so.” His brows knit with concern. “He works all the time, basically. I didn’t think of that.” “I’ll be fine,” I assured him, reaching up to his hand, still brushing along my skin at the top of my shoulders. His touch was distracting. “It’s not a big deal.” “We’ll still have David come look at you.” Decision made, without any input from me. I fought not to scowl. I wasn’t pleased that he wasn’t taking me seriously, that I was being dismissed, but then his hand squeezed mine and he leaned forward, brushing his lips over my cheek. “I’m just trying to take care of you. I don’t like the idea of seeing you hurt, and I don’t want to take off, in case it’s something major. For my peace of mind, let’s wait until David can look at it. We can spend the night here, take the train early tomorrow morning, and we’re still home tomorrow night, just on a later ferry.” Something knit itself back together inside my chest while I stared into his large, dark orbs. It felt as if he were healing me, from the inside out. I knew not all men were like Kevin. Not all men beat their wives for the smallest infraction. I also knew some were worse than Kevin. He preferred to use his hands. I knew some men did more damage to women than Kevin ever did to me. What I had never realized until this moment was, regardless of how intimidating Declan sometimes seemed, with his muscles and his size and his obvious physical strength, underneath all that was a good man. A man who was better and kinder than anything I had ever imagined. He wanted to look after me. I decided to let him. I exhaled, letting the stress from the last several minutes out into the air, and my shoulders relaxed, along with the tension in my jaw. “Okay. Like I said, I trust you. Your friend can

check me out.” He scowled. “He can check out your ankle…not check you out.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “You know what I meant.” “Yup.” Declan nodded and then grinned. “I meant what I said, too.” I laughed and looked out the window, watching as we flew through the streets of downtown Chicago. Passing between the tallest buildings I’d ever seen in my life, it felt like we were traveling through a tunnel. As we neared Lake Shore Drive, traffic almost came to a standstill. While other drivers honked their horns and shouted obscenities, I watched the waves of Lake Michigan lap against the shoreline. My thoughts drifted like the waves, pushing and pulling in conflict with one another. Because while Declan seemed bossy and gruff, sometimes harsh and demanding, he was the most protective person I’d ever met. No one, not a single person, ever cared enough to have me seen and looked over when I’d been hurt. This was a simple accident, one he could have easily pushed me past in order to keep us on our original schedule. Yet he dropped everything in order to ensure that I was okay. “Thank you, Declan,” I whispered, pulling my eyes off the dark, black waves and bright, white caps. “No one’s ever done this for me before.” His lips curled almost into a sneer and his nostrils flared. “It’s such a shame,” he muttered, and glanced out the window behind me. “What is?” “That you met Kevin and I met Mara before we met each other.” He glanced down at our hands still entwined on the seat between us, and with his free hand, he skimmed his thumb over the veins on the back of my hand. “How much less injured and screwed up would we both be,” he said, speaking more to himself than me, “if we didn’t have that past clinging to us?” I was at a lost for words as he continued tracing the back of my hand, tracing the light freckles on my skin as if they were a connect-the-dots diagram in a coloring book. I watched him for several minutes, saying nothing. Even if he expected an answer, I didn’t have one. All I knew was that if I had met him before I ever met Kevin, I wouldn’t now feel so broken, so scared all the time. I had a feeling that if Declan had walked into my life five years ago, I would have clung to him as if my life depended on it, knowing that I had just found the best man in the entire world. — I hobbled into the room, my shoulder tucked in under Declan’s. With one arm wrapped around my waist, he helped hold me up and keep pressure off my injured ankle. He held our small overnight bag in his other hand like he’d done all afternoon. For a normal man, I imagined this would be awkward, if it were even possible.

For Declan, it seemed like nothing. That was my last clear thought before I took in the room he had checked us into. My eyes settled quickly on the bed against the far wall. The one bed. A large bed, roomy enough that we could share it without brushing up against each other while we slept. Yet I knew, as a familiar warmth tingled in the best of places, that was the last thing I wanted—injured or not. I tensed against him at the thought. His arm still around me, Declan moved us farther into the room. I heard the thud of the bag hitting the carpet and then the loud click of the door closing behind us. “They only had a king bed available,” Declan said, his tone apologetic. By the way his eyes roamed over my face, taking in my appearance, he’d misread my thoughts entirely. Or he’d read them correctly and he was letting me down in a polite way. Which would be just like the gentleman he’d shown himself to be. With that sobering thought, I stepped away from him and made the short walk to the bathroom. “Excuse me for a moment.” I flinched from the pain in my ankle, but hid it as I took several small steps, then stopped when Declan called my name. Turning to look at him over my shoulder, I watched his eyes flicker from mine to the bed and back again. I caught the slight tightening of his jaw, and then he raised his phone. “I’m going to call David.” I tilted my chin down and closed the bathroom door behind me as I heard Declan’s deep voice rumble, “Hey, dickhead. How’s it going?” I laughed softly, and did what needed to be done in the bathroom. While I was there, I made another decision that was probably idiotic. Using the complimentary mouthwash, I rinsed out my mouth, freshening my breath. I also fluffed my hair, even though with the day we’d had and the wine we’d drunk it still looked disheveled, and not messy in a looking-forward-to-what’s-to-come sort of way. I was pinching my cheeks, bringing life back into them, when a knock on the door made me jump. “Just a second!” I shouted, and gave myself one last look in the mirror. I looked like I’d spent the day in the car, stressed about selling that same car, eaten good food, ridden a train, and then almost fallen down a flight of stairs. Essentially, I looked exhausted and worn-out. Not bed-worthy in the least. Especially to a man like Declan, whose entire body silently screamed passion and control. To make matters worse, the realization that we were not here on some sensual couple’s getaway slammed into my gut, knocking the breath from me as another knock vibrated against the door. “Trina?”

“Coming!” I choked out, and then moved as quickly as I could to open the door. “Did you talk to your friend?” “I did.” He nodded and flipped his phone in his hand. “He’s working a few more hours. Said if you can hang in there a little bit longer, he’ll stop by on his break.” “I can. That’s fine, thank you.” “Are you okay?” he asked, and this time, he lifted his hand and pushed some of my freshly fluffed hair behind my ear. I leaned into his gentle touch. “I’m fine. Just tired.” “Of course,” he muttered, even as one side of his lips kicked up before he dropped his hand and took a step back. “I’ll run to the pharmacy, get you an ice pack and ibuprofen while we wait for him.” I shook my head. “It’s not necessary.” “It is. Get off your feet and I’ll be back soon.” Something else flashed in his eyes, something I didn’t fully understand, but I knew I’d seen that look before. It was the same thing I saw in his hallway last night when he told me to stop kissing him before he pushed me further than I wanted to go. All my earlier doubt and fear vanished into the thickening air. I opened my mouth to tell him that that wasn’t possible, when I felt his lips at my ear. “Get some rest while I’m gone, Trina. You’ll need the energy later.” My jaw fell open. I was too stunned, in the best of ways, to speak. And then I wasn’t given the option, as he turned and I watched his beautiful backside saunter out of the hotel room, the door shutting behind him. — “Nice legs,” I heard a male voice murmur. Another male voice, one I recognized, growled, “Eyes on the ankle, asshole.” The unfamiliar male voice chuckled, and I struggled to open my eyes, realizing I was being woken up by Declan and his friend David. “Still. She’s nice. Pretty.” A long pause caused my heart to stall in my chest as I waited for Declan’s reaction, then David continued. “Way better than Mara.” “Two aren’t even comparable, dickhead.” At their quick burst of laughter—which I felt in my chest, because I could tell that was a compliment, and that the negative thought about Mara was definitely a good thing—I opened my eyes and made it completely obvious that I’d woken from my nap with an exaggerated yawn and stretch. “Hey,” I whispered, my throat dry from sleep. Declan was on my side of the bed, standing close. I could sense the other male in the room, but I couldn’t see him. “What’s going on?” Declan grinned and leaned forward to brush my hair off my forehead. He was always touching me there. I liked the sensation way too much to consider investing in cheap hair ties anytime soon.

“David just got here. He needs to see your ankle before he goes back to the hospital.” I nodded and shifted on the bed, feeling a warm weight slide off my ankle as I sat up. When I looked down, I saw an ice pack. I turned back to Declan with a questioning look in my eyes. “You’ve been out for hours. Came back from the store and set the ice pack on you.” It was not a big deal. Yet it was. Huge. Emotions threatened to overwhelm me at the simple gesture, something that probably wouldn’t seem unusual to anyone who’d had people care about them when they’d been hurt. When I thought my voice wouldn’t be shaky, I grinned. “Thank you.” But even then the grin and the two words were shaky. “David, meet Trina.” Declan gestured with one arm and I turned to see a handsome guy standing near the foot of the bed. He was dressed in typical pale-blue doctor’s scrubs, stethoscope still draped around his neck. Not only that, but he was handsome in a clean-cut, nice-guy sort of way. He was tall and lean, square jawed, and had short, sandy-brown hair that could either be light brown or dark blond. It was trimmed nice and short, professional looking. His jaw showed no hint of stubble, telling me that he took the time to look nice and neat. Small lines at the edges of his eyes said he lived a life of either high stress or a lot of laughter and emotion, or possibly both. His appearance, along with his kind smile, was immediately calming. “Trina, David.” “Nice to meet you,” David said, walking forward and holding out his hand. “Declan’s told me all about you.” I shook his hand, noticing his warm, firm grip, before I twisted to look at Declan over David’s shoulder. “Not everything,” Declan said, and David’s brow furrowed. “Get her looked at, David, so you can get back to work.” “You have to go back?” I asked, shock evident in my voice. “On for fourteen hours. This is just my dinner break, but it’s the quickest I could get here,” David replied, moving to the foot of the bed. When he reached out toward my ankle, I flinched away from his touch, anticipating the pain. I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth. “Sorry.” His eyes flashed to Declan’s before coming back to me. When he met my gaze, his lightblue eyes softened. “I’m going to sit next to you and test your ankle. Okay?” I nodded, still feeling embarrassed, more so now because of the understanding David seemed to have regarding me. I briefly wondered how long they had spoken while I slept, how much Declan had shared with David about me. I tensed when David gently cupped my ankle in his hand and slowly turned my foot toward him. I grimaced from the dull pain that began throbbing. “Hurt?” he asked, his eyes on mine, not on my ankle. “Just a bit,” I admitted unnecessarily. “But better than before.” “Have you taken any pain meds?” “She was out when I got back from the store. Just gave her the ice pack but she’s been sleeping.” Declan filled in the information without looking at either David or me. His gaze

was glued to David’s hands on me. My lips twitched, fighting a smile at his protectiveness, before David turned my ankle the other way. He set it down and I sucked in a breath when his fingers began prodding my skin. He alternated between watching my expression and where his hands were moving. When he finally stopped examining with his hands and his eyes, I felt like I could breathe again. I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until I felt the pressure ease in my chest. I hated feeling under the microscope. “It’s just twisted. Minor sprain, but nothing bad.” My eyes flickered to Declan’s and I grinned. “Told you so.” “Better safe than sorry.” His dark eyes showed no hint of amusement, so I wiped the grin off my face and turned back to David. His eyes showed a great deal of amusement as he watched me. “I think you’ll be fine by the morning. It’s swollen, but not too bad. Take some ibuprofen every four to six hours if you need it, but you should be good to go.” “Thank you for taking the time to check on me. It sounds like you’re a busy guy.” He stood from the bed and tugged on the ends of his stethoscope. “I’m never too busy for a friend.” He nodded his head toward Declan without taking his eyes off me. “Plus, this asshole can be unbearable when he doesn’t get his way.” My lips twitched again and I coughed to smother my laugh. “I wasn’t aware he could be an asshole.” Behind him, Declan made a choking sound. David burst out in laughter. “Then it appears you don’t know him well at all.” My eyes slid to Declan’s and I licked my lips. I couldn’t contain the breathiness in my tone when I said, “I think I know him well enough.” “Right.” David cleared his throat, his humor obvious. “Then I’m going to take that as my cue to go.” He stepped toward me, hand extended. “It was nice to meet you, Trina.” When I placed my hand in his, he held it firmly and then leaned toward me, squatting at the same time, until his lips were by my ear. My eyes stay pinned on Declan’s as he scowled, watching his friend dip close to me. “And I’m kidding about the asshole comment. He’s the best guy I’ve ever met. If you need someone, he’s the guy who will take care of you. You got me?” I nodded, breathless and speechless at the same time. David wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel Declan’s annoyance with his friend rising every single moment David spent close to me. When his lips brushed against my cheek as he pulled away, Declan growled. David squeezed my hand before he let it go. “See?” He raised a brow and turned to face his friend. “What’d I tell you? Asshole.” I didn’t bother to cover or hide my laugh this time. “I’ll walk you out,” Declan said, walking toward the two of us and putting himself between David and me. I was still laughing quietly when David peeked around Declan’s shoulder and

winked at me. “David,” Declan growled. His hands balled into fists, making David laugh even harder than me. “Jesus Christ, dickstick. Take a fuckin’ joke. I gotta get to the hospital anyway, but before I go, do you need anything? A chill pill?” “Funny.” Declan snorted and I laughed louder. It felt good. A full, stomach-rumbling laugh that hurt my sides and made my cheeks hurt. “And careful with the swearing. Trina makes me pay her a dollar every time I cuss.” David joined me in laughing, and as we laughed, I didn’t miss the way Declan turned to look at me over his shoulder. His expression immediately changed and his eyes softened as he took in my laughter and my smile. “Be back in a minute, Trina.” “Okay,” I replied, smothering my laughter but not my smile. “Bye, David,” I called out when I heard the door open. “See you soon, Trina! Stay off that ankle tonight and don’t take this guy’s shit.” I heard another growl from Declan before I watched him push his friend out the door of the hotel room. Declan followed, and then the door slammed closed.

Chapter 13 Trina “Thank you,” I murmured, half into the glass of water pressed against my lips. “I’m feeling better, though.” Declan stood over me and watched me swallow the pills he’d just handed me along with the water. “David said every four to six hours.” “It’s just an ankle,” I reminded him, fighting to keep the edges of my lips from quirking up. If I’d learned anything this afternoon, it was that Declan didn’t like seeing me hurt in any way. One side of his nose twitched and he nodded when I handed the empty glass back to him. “How are you feeling, for real? Be honest.” “I feel well rested, but tired. And my ankle is sore, but not in a painful way, just tender.” He searched my face as if examining me for any hint of untruth before he nodded again and walked away. I watched as he headed to the small bathroom and rinsed out the glass before he shut the door. While he used the restroom, I rolled to the other side of the bed to the nightstand, the only other furniture in the hotel room besides a small chair pushed up to a tiny desk in the corner, and grabbed the remote. I’d just turned on the television when Declan exited the bathroom. As soon as I saw him, my breath stopped inside me. He had taken off his shirt and I couldn’t stop staring at his chest. He was cut. Ripped. Holy crumb cakes, the man was a serious work of art. My eyes followed him as he sauntered around the bed, almost as if he’d slowed down when he noticed my eyes were stuck to his body like glue. Then he sat down on the bed next to me. Next to me! My eyes bugged out when he kicked his feet up on the bed, crossing them at the ankles, his back at the headboard. Then he reached over to me, slid his arm around my waist, and pulled me to him as if I were light as the pillow he rested against. “Um. Declan?” His arm tightened around my waist until I had no choice but to rest my head on his shoulder and my hand on his stomach. Without speaking, he plucked the remote out of my hand and started flipping through channels.

“You’ve had a long day, and you’re tired,” he said, before I felt his lips press against the top of my head. “Had a lot of ideas in my head today, of how we could move forward with exploring whatever’s going on between us, but that’s going to have to wait.” Um. My blood began pulsing and heating. A throb began, and not in my injured ankle, but in a much more pleasurable area. I couldn’t stop my fingers from flexing against the taut skin of his abdomen, which was covered by the sexiest dusting of hair. I wanted this. I wanted whatever he originally wanted to explore. I wanted to explore him…and his body. I wanted him to explore mine. Not having had a lot of partners, only a few before Kevin, I’d never needed to take that first step and let a guy know what I wanted. In my limited experience, young guys were pretty blunt about what they wanted and expected. Still, I gathered whatever confidence I had and tilted my head back, twisting so I was looking at Declan’s jaw. His jaw was tight, his eyes straight ahead on the television. “Declan?” I whispered, adjusting as best as I could so I was sitting up further. His fingers on my hip held me in place. “What if I want to explore…um…you tonight?” His eyes turned to mine and his jaw tightened further. “You’re hurt.” I looked up at the ceiling and opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off by dropping the remote, then cupping my cheek with his warm, large, calloused hand. “When I take you, Trina, and I promise you I’m going to, I want to know that everything I’m giving you is pleasure. And tonight, I can’t know that for certain. I don’t want to be worried that you’re hiding pain in your ankle when I’m making you feel good in other places. But trust me, it’ll happen. This will happen between us, when I can know that I can take you and not hurt you.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. The surprise I felt at hearing his words, along with the taste and feel of him, his lips surprisingly soft, made my lips part and he slid his tongue inside my mouth. Tasting me. Gently. But fully and completely. I mewled into his mouth as his tongue touched mine. Sparks ignited, running down my back. But I didn’t push against him. I didn’t force anything to happen. I trusted him. I trusted him completely, and somehow I knew that he needed this. He needed this time and he needed to know I was okay. So I let him continue sliding his tongue against mine, our kiss and our breaths mingling together, and I let him slowly pull away until our lips were barely touching. And then I smiled. “Do you understand what I said, Trina?” I nodded, giving him that. “We can wait, Declan.” His thumb slid along my cheekbone, his eyes dropping to watch the movement. “You taste as beautiful as you look. As beautiful as you are.” I swallowed, fighting the emotion threatening to spill over. I never expected a man as large

and intimidating and strong as Declan would be the guy to give me this, but he was. I knew in that moment, as I whispered my thank you in the shyest way possible, feeling like the strongest person in the world when his eyes sparkled in answer, that as much as Declan wanted to give me something good, something pure, I wanted to give him everything he’d ever wanted. “Go to sleep,” he finally said, turning back to the television, but keeping one arm around my waist, the other hand on my cheek. “We’ve had a long day and we’ll have an even longer one tomorrow.” I let him gently press my cheek against his shoulder and my eyes slid to the television. My arm was draped all the way across his stomach, my fingers pressed into his side to hold him to me, like he was holding me to him. Then I closed my eyes and inhaled his clean scent, with its hint of spice, as he settled on a baseball game. I was asleep before the inning was over. — Morning pulled me from sleep, and I felt the heat beneath me. Before I opened my eyes, I knew where I was. I was next to Declan, practically draped over his firm body. We had somehow shifted in our sleep, and I was once again under covers I didn’t remember crawling under. One of my legs was pressed up against Declan’s, my other draped over his thigh. My arm was over his stomach, where I remembered placing it before I fell asleep, my other hand was under his shoulder, and my head was resting on top of it. I was essentially an octopus, my limbs all over him, attached as if by suction. I had no desire to move, either. I did, though, have an insatiable desire to somehow be closer to him. To taste him. I hadn’t felt desire for anyone in years, and as it came at me that morning, my sex beginning to throb and pulse with heat and need, I succumbed to it. I turned my head and pressed my lips to his exposed skin, running my hand along his stomach, through his short, coarse hair. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the way he’d looked last night when he exited the bathroom. A smattering of hair between his pecs, peppered down the center of his abs, thickening as it reached his waistband. I had a sudden, overwhelming desire to see what rested beneath said waistband. With my lips pressed to his chest, I tasted his masculinity. The hard muscles beneath his skin tightened as my hand continued slowly wandering across his abs. I felt my nipples tighten beneath my tank top, and as my breath quickened, my tongue darted out, sliding along his skin. His hand flexed on my lower back where he held me to him, his fingertips pressing into my skin. “Trina?”

His voice was a deep, raspy murmur. It did crazy things to the already wet area between my thighs. I wanted to hear his voice, every day, say my name just like that. “Hmm?” I murmured, pressing my lips against his skin again. My fingers gripped his shoulder, as if I were trying to hold him to me so I could explore him. I wanted him more than anything. “You awake, sweetheart?” I nodded, keeping my eyes closed and my exploration slow, savoring every inch of him. It was soon no longer enough. Declan’s chest began to rise and fall at a faster pace. His hand continued pressing me against his body and my hips began to move against his thigh of their own accord. I was grinding on him, and he was letting me. He was giving me control in this moment as if he somehow knew I desperately needed it. I did. I also wanted to lose it. “You feel so good,” I replied, my voice a hoarse whisper. “When I’m next to you, I feel safe.” “Aww, sweetheart.” His hand tightened on my back and he shifted his weight, rolling to the side and holding me against him. The move made me straddle his lower thigh, and my hips pressed into him. “You’re still hurt.” “I know.” I was. I was hurting everywhere, but it wasn’t my ankle that was throbbing. To show him what I meant, I slid my hand to his hip and tried to pull him closer to me. “I want you, though.” I felt him shudder as he exhaled deeply, and I finally opened my eyes. His hand slid up to the back of my neck and he tilted my head, forcing me to meet his gaze. His dark-brown eyes were heated, full of desire. I watched his throat dip and move as he swallowed, seeming to decide what to do next. “I want this, Declan.” I strengthened my voice. I wanted him to know that I wanted the same things he did. To explore what we were feeling as adults. It didn’t have to lead to forever; I just wanted to enjoy it for now. He pressed his other hand to my cheek, pushing back my hair and tucking it behind my ear. “You always do that,” I whispered, a small smile tilting my lips at the corners. “Why?” His eyes watched the movement of his hand. “Because you always seem so soft and I can’t help but touch you.” “Then do it,” I challenged him softly. “Touch me.” His forehead fell to mine. I felt his chest heave against me and he closed his eyes. “If I start, I wouldn’t want to stop, Trina. Not until every inch of you is mine.” His. His need to claim me didn’t scare me. Not like it would have coming from someone else. Not like it did when Kevin said I was his. There was a difference. Kevin wanted to control me, to make me a possession.

Declan just wanted me at his side. I wanted to be beneath him. Or maybe on top of him. “Please,” I pleaded, my hips rolling against his leg again. “I need this.” And so did he, based on the bulge I felt beneath the fabric of his boxers. He groaned as I shifted my hips and rolled them again, pressing into him. “Jesus,” he grunted. “I can feel how wet and hot you already are.” My fingertips dug into his shoulders. “Please, Declan. Don’t hold back with me. Not like this.” I felt his fight to be safe leave him with another rolling breath that rippled down his abs. His hand on my cheek cupped me more firmly and then he was pulling me closer to him, sinking his lips to mine. I instantly mewled against him as his hands began to move. He explored my skin, my arms, and my back beneath my tank top, and then that was being removed as I was rolled to my back. “So beautiful,” he said, leaning over me, already between my spread thighs. His large, warm hand trailed down my chest, sliding between my breasts and running along my abdomen. The sincere and intense way he looked at me prevented any embarrassment from seeping into me. His hand drew circles on my skin, creating a wake of goosebumps as the circles grew smaller and then larger again. With every swipe of his hand just above the waistband of my shorts, I arched into him, silently signaling what I needed. He ignored me and kept his eyes on my face, watching the reaction I was having to his touch become obvious. I bit down on my bottom lip to contain my moans and to stop myself from pleading again. He knew what I wanted. I’d already asked enough. His eyes met mine and narrowed. “I want to be gentle with you, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to.” I shook my head. “Don’t. I want you, however you come.” He must have seen the sincerity and the need in my eyes, because his hand stilled at my hip, and he leaned forward. “I haven’t even kissed you yet,” he murmured, his lips stretching into a grin. “How forgetful of me.” I laughed softly as his lips met mine and I opened to him immediately. Our tongues tangled together, increasing my need like a wildfire ignited deep inside me. As our kiss grew more intense, Declan’s hands went to my pajama shorts and he pulled them down, no longer seeming to hesitate about what he wanted. His hand slid up my thigh and I moaned into his mouth. His touch was sure and confident, but gentle at the same time. I arched into him, spreading my thighs wider. I gasped as he trailed two fingers through my wetness and spread it around. I squeezed my eyes closed, dug my fingers into his back.

“Yes,” I whispered, already feeling my clit begin to pulse. I was swollen and hot and wet, and so much more turned on than I could remember being before, or at least, for years. I needed this. I needed the physical release as well as the emotional one. I was cheating on a husband I’d left only weeks earlier, but this didn’t feel wrong. It felt nothing less than perfect. As Declan’s fingers continued sliding through me, dipping inside me and teasing me, pulling out and running over my clit, perfection continued to increase until I felt ready to explode. “Declan,” I gasped again, pushing my head into the mattress. My head began to thrash from his light ministrations, and my breath came too quick and harsh to continue kissing him. Fire burned along my inner thighs and a shiver rolled through my entire body. “I’m so close.” “Let me see you,” he whispered, dipping down and pressing his lips against the column of my throat. “Let me see what I do to you.” I shattered immediately, my entire body going up in flames as the climax he’d so quickly pulled from my body rolled through me, making me lose the control I so desperately clung to. While I shouted his name and chanted “Oh my God” repeatedly, I swooned at his praise, his compliments, as he called me beautiful, perfect, so soft…so hot and wet. As my breathing returned to normal, Declan was already reaching down to the floor beside the bed and digging in his discarded jeans from the night before. He came back with a condom in his hand, not wasting time before he ditched his boxers and wrapped his hand around his length. He was beautiful everywhere. Thick and veined, his erection was just as large as the rest of him. I sat up and took the condom out of his hand, then took it from the wrapper and rolled it down his length. His shaft jerked in my hand, hot silk over steel. I had a vision of my mouth wrapping around his erection sometime soon. I had never wanted to taste a man before. I wanted to know what every single inch of Declan felt and tasted like. He undid me in ways I never thought possible, and it wasn’t because he knew how to expertly use his hands on my most sensitive areas. “Stroke me again,” he grunted, and I looked at his face to see him concentrating on my small fingers sliding up and down his shaft. “Harder.” I listened. I squeezed him tight, following his commands until his hand covered mine. Then his hands went to my hips and he rolled onto his back and pulled me over him. “I want you to ride me. Take what you need from me.” My lips parted. He’d already given me everything I needed. Somehow, the last few weeks with Declan had returned my confidence. I felt stronger. I felt more like a woman than I had in years. It had nothing to do with this moment in bed. Everything I needed, Declan had already provided with his respect and his kindness and his patience. Tears pricked my eyes. He had come to mean so much to me in such a short time. I didn’t want it to end.

But I listened. I climbed on top of Declan, wrapped my hand around his erection, and slowly began to ease it into me. And then I showed Declan with my actions what my overwhelmed self couldn’t express with my words. I began to tremble on top of him, our hips meeting in perfect rhythm, and as he took me to the precipice again, we came together, chest to chest, our hands entwined, my heart beating against his and his against mine. I knew in that moment that nothing would ever be the same again. I didn’t want it to be. I wanted to hold on to this incredible man for as long as he’d let me. — The fall air was brisk as the ferry pushed through the swells of Lake Michigan. I didn’t know what to expect when Declan first brought up the idea of this trip ending with a ferry ride across one of the Great Lakes. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been nervous. The idea of being on a boat on a huge lake was more than a bit frightening for someone who wasn’t all that thrilled with large bodies of water. This was more than cool, though. The ship was large, and seemed to be three stories high. Below the passenger decks, my new-to-me, but older-than-dirt Ford Explorer safely sat with dozens of other cars and trucks. We’d done it. We hadn’t heard from Tyson if he’d been able to find any information about Kevin yet, but I was choosing not to think about that today. Not after the incredible morning Declan and I had. A smile formed on my lips as the wind whipped my hair behind my shoulders. “You still grinning about getting your way with the Ford?” Declan wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me toward him. I turned to him, putting the boat’s railing behind me, and faced him fully. My smile widened. “I wasn’t. But I am now.” He shook his head and I couldn’t help but laugh again. I’d been laughing about our argument at the dealership for the last several hours. When we pulled into another run-down dealership’s parking lot early this morning, after we’d finally untangled ourselves from the sheets of our bed, caught the train from Chicago, and then took a taxi, my eyes immediately fell on a gray Ford Explorer. It was basic and nondescript, and would blend in easily, because I always saw Explorers on the road. It was also cheap enough that I still had a couple of grand left over from the check from the sale of my convertible, which Declan had deposited late last night. Declan immediately steered me toward a newer Tahoe. I dragged him back to the Explorer. Thus a tug-of-war over two different vehicles began in the parking lot, leaving the salesman more than a little frustrated with the way Declan and I bickered like an old married couple.

But it had felt good, knowing I could speak my mind and fight for what I wanted and not worry about consequences. A part of me still wondered if that was why Declan allowed the ridiculous argument to continue for as long as it did. Just to prove I was safe with him. Eventually, he sighed and looked at the sky. With an exaggerated eye roll, he then said, “Your money, your car, but it’ll be in my garage getting fixed and repaired more than it’ll be on the road taking you where you need to go.” I didn’t think the idea of having my car in his garage, which would mean spending more time with him, was such a bad thing. “You’ll fall in love with Betsy someday.” I tipped my head back so I could look Declan in the eyes. Taking one hand from the rail, I pressed it against his chest. “Christ.” He looked down at me. “You’ve named that hunk of junk Betsy? She’ll break down on the side of the road and leave you stranded.” My fingers curled into his shirt and I pulled him forward. After making love to Declan this morning, I couldn’t keep my hands off of him. In one way or another, we’d been touching since we walked out of the hotel room. I liked that he seemed to feel the need to touch me just as often as I wanted to touch him. His hand settled on my waist and his fingers curled into the thin fabric of my tie-dyed maxi dress. “Then you’ll just have to save me.” His eyes darkened and he licked his lips. “Speaking of that—” “I don’t want to talk about it today,” I said, interrupting him. His thick, dark brows came together. “Trina, we have to.” “Did Tyson find anything yet?” The way he glanced at the water behind me told me everything I needed to know. “Then there’s nothing to talk about.” My fingers curled into his shirt harder and I tugged him toward me until his attention was focused on me again. I could see the blue water and the bright sun reflecting in his concerned eyes. “We’ll figure it out, but I’m not going to run from Kevin anymore. I’ve been thinking that as soon as I get back, I should find an attorney, or make some calls to Kentucky, so I can figure out how to start the divorce process.” A muscle jumped in his cheek and his gaze narrowed. “You sure you want to do that?” I had to. Leaving Kevin officially wasn’t just an option, but a necessity. “At the very least, once he hears that I’m doing this, it will bring him out of the woodwork. Until then, though, I’d like to not talk about him. Spend more time thinking about us.” “Us?” His eyebrow rose, along with one side of his lips. The anticipation in his deep voice erased any nervousness I might have had, which was minimal anyway. Declan made it clear this morning that he wanted me. “I’ve been thinking that maybe heading to Canada isn’t such a great idea.” His shoulders fell, and I knew he’d been worried about this, about me still choosing to leave him. Instead of answering with words, his forehead dropped to mine and his hands squeezed both my hips, pulling me as close to his body as I could get. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek to his chest. “I’ll keep you safe, Trina. I swear it.”

I didn’t have to respond. I already knew he would. So I answered him much the same way he had answered me. I pulled him close, held him tight, and hoped like the dickens that we figured out a way to get me free and clear of Kevin before he found me.

Chapter 14 Declan Only seen you look at one woman like that before…this one deserves to be looked at like that. Fuck. When David said that to me as I walked him out of the hotel room, those words had pierced my chest strong and true. He’d seen my relationship with Mara from the beginning. Aidan had, too. While Aidan had never said much about Mara when she was my girlfriend and then my fiancée and then my wife, David had quietly objected to our relationship from the start. When we got engaged, David made it completely clear that he thought it was a bad idea, that he didn’t think Mara was really willing to sacrifice everything she’d had to settle down with a guy whose dream was to own a bar, but then he shut his mouth, after I shut it for him—with my fist. It wasn’t the first time we’d come to blows, but it had never happened over a woman before. Fortunately, David never mentioned it again, and even stood up as a groomsman at my wedding. That one night, that one argument, hadn’t changed our friendship in the least. When my marriage ended, and I was shaken by the fallout, David had been there for me as much as possible, and never threw my decision in my face. He never mentioned that he’d been right. The fact that Trina gained his approval in such a minuscule amount of time made me even more confident in my decision to be with her than I already was. The way her body felt in my hands that morning cemented that decision further. Her body was made for my hands to touch. She fit me perfectly. Even when we were arguing. My hands wrapped around the steering wheel of her new SUV. I smirked. Betsy. I shook my head and looked around the interior. Gray Ford Explorer. Boring. Safe enough. She had called the rust stains over the rear tire well and back bumper “character.” I wanted her to get the Tahoe. Bigger. Safer. Cleaner. She’d smiled at me, even while looking like she wanted to stomp her foot on the pavement. I eventually yielded because a quick Internet search on my phone proved there were more Explorers on the road, and her goal was to blend in as much as possible. She didn’t want flashy, and no way would Morgenson expect his wife to be driving around in a rust-speckled Ford. I yielded because I was quickly learning that when Trina smiled it made me want to give

her whatever I could, so that I’d keep seeing those smiles shot in my direction. I yielded because I knew, without her even saying it, that she hadn’t gotten to make a lot of decisions over the last few years, and what in the fuck did I care what kind of car she drove? When it broke down, which this piece of metal was certain to do, frequently, it meant she would be in my house or my garage while I worked on fixing it back up. I was learning that I not only wanted to see her smile and to hear those laughs of hers that hit me in the gut every time she let one loose, I wanted her close. All the time. Now she was thinking of not leaving for Canada. Worked for me. “I’ve been thinking,” I said, and reached for the volume knob to turn down the shrieking noise. She’d been quietly humming along with the radio for the last…too damn long. “Sounds like it might have hurt you.” I flashed her a grin. She was teasing me more often, becoming more comfortable around me. The fact she was teasing anyone at all told me she was shedding her fear—one laugh, one sarcastic comment at a time. It fucking thrilled me that I was the one bringing it out of her. “Shush.” I reached over, placed my hand on her knee, and gave her a firm squeeze. She covered my hand with hers and laced our fingers together. “I’m thinking that you shouldn’t work whenever I need you at Fireside anymore.” When I glanced at her again, taking my eyes off the road for only a few seconds, a line furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?” she asked. “You had some great ideas with the marketing and promo, shit I don’t know anything about, plus you’ve saved me hours by working in the office. I want to bring you on part-time. You can fill in on the floor when we need extra hands, but when we don’t, you can figure out how to save my restaurant.” “That’s a lot of responsibility,” she said, her voice a bit softer than normal. When I glanced at her again, though, I didn’t see fear. I saw hope. She was already thinking of ways to prove herself. “You in? I don’t know if I can pay you much. You’ve seen my accounts.” “It’s fine,” she said. “I mean, whatever you can swing would be great, and I’ll still get tips…” Her voice trailed off and her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip. When her hand on mine loosened and she started to pull it away, I gripped her tighter. “What is it?” “Well.” Her lips twisted to the side. Something inside me twisted and turned along with them. “I’m thinking that if I’m staying, I should probably look for a place to live.” I didn’t want her going anywhere. I liked her in my home, settled and safe. “But there’s no way I can get approved for something, not now, anyway.” She frowned and looked out the window. I instantly detected her sadness, mixed with an anger I hadn’t previously seen. “I hate him,” she whispered. Her quiet words were clipped with fury. “I was always taught not to hate because there’s good in everybody. But the only thing good about Kevin is his wallet, and even that’s tainted and worthless if it’s in the pocket of the kind of man he is.”

I knew she was talking more to herself than to me, but I couldn’t deny the pride that surged through me at her quietly confident words. “Blue,” I said, an idea instantly blooming. Her head jerked and she twisted toward me. “What?” “Blue. Tyson just asked her to move in with him, and she’s got a great pad at an apartment complex in Latham Hills. Gated entrance with twenty-four-hour security guards. Tags for resident’s cars, outside security cameras, and an indoor alarm system in all the units. I bet she’ll let you sublease if you want, until you can find something else, wherever you want to go, but you’ll be safe there.” Her head tilted and that frown increased. “You think I should do that?” No. Absolutely not. I wanted her in my bed. In my house. I liked waking up to her. I liked it when I came back from a run, or came up from my gym in the basement, and the first thing I saw was her, drinking coffee, reading the paper, or frying bacon at the stove. Took my breath away every time. “I want you to be where you’re most comfortable. I want you at my place,” I admitted. “I like you there.” I squeezed her hand to reassure her. “But if you want your own place, something to call yours, then I don’t see why that would be a problem.” “Unless they don’t allow dogs.” “They do,” I told her. “You decide and we can talk to Blue when we get home if you want. But I know that she was going to have to find someone to cover her lease or else pay the penalty fee for canceling early. Plus, this way, she can probably leave her furniture for you, since Tyson’s got everything.” She smiled and a wistful expression flashed in her eyes. Fuck. She was thinking about this. She wanted this. A place to call hers. I couldn’t blame her, either. A slow breath parted her lips and then she licked them, looking down at our clasped hands before dragging her eyes to meet mine. When she did, she gave my hand a small but firm squeeze. “I’ll have to think about it.” I wanted to talk her out of it. But just like with the Explorer earlier, Trina needed to be the one to make this decision. She had always had someone telling her what to do, where to be…who to be. I couldn’t be that guy. I did it once with Mara and it ended in disaster. And I already knew I wanted Trina more than I could ever remember wanting Mara.

Chapter 15 Trina “This place is really nice,” I said, spinning in a slow circle. The apartment wasn’t anything special. Plain beige walls, a kitchen with a walk-in pantry, and a short bar area leading to a small dining area where Blue had a circular glass table with only two chairs. That led to the living room, where I was standing. Through the windows I saw the complex’s large outdoor pool and the nearby hot tub, both of which were already closed down for the fall and winter. The thing I liked about the apartment was the way Blue had decorated. Shabby-chic pieces mixed with vintage pieces that she’d found at thrift stores or refinished herself spread a calming sensation, a “homey” feeling, into every corner, onto every piece of furniture inside this cookie-cutter apartment. I loved it. I wanted it. I wanted to have something just like this someday, with my own furniture, where I could enter the house, drop my purse on the floor, kick off my shoes just inside the doorway, and curl up on an overly plush couch with an even softer chenille blanket. I wanted to end a hard day of work with the satisfaction that came from knowing that not only did I work hard, but that I enjoyed myself, in a place that was comfortable and safe. “Yeah,” she said, a bit softly. “I had fun getting this place just the way I wanted it.” She shrugged and took a seat on the couch. “But, you know, Tyson’s place is nice, too.” It was, and it was close to Declan’s. I saw Tyson’s small ranch last week, when we dropped off Boomer before heading to Chicago. Tyson’s house and Declan’s were only a few streets away from each other. “Don’t you want to take the furniture with you?” She looked around the small but gorgeous living area and sighed. “Eventually, maybe. Tyson says I can bring anything I want as long as it doesn’t have pink in it.” She smiled and ran her hands over a homemade quilt next to her. My nose crinkled. “That’s salmon, not pink.” She chuckled, and when she looked at me, her blue eyes were lit with humor. “That’s exactly what I told Tyson. He’s not buying it.” “Men.” I smirked. “Speaking of men,” she said, leaning forward. “Tell me more about you and Declan.” I felt my cheeks and neck heat and looked out the window. It’d been so long since I’d had friends who allowed me to dish about guys. Not since college. Heck, it’d been since college

that there’d been a guy I wanted to discuss. Before I could answer, Blue said, “I’m surprised you’re interested in my apartment.” At my confused expression, she stood up and headed toward the kitchen. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re here. And if you want this place, trust me, it’s all yours. I just thought things were going well for you at Declan’s place.” “They are.” And they were. Yet there was something about being at his house, and being in his bed, where he’d wanted me every night since we returned from Chicago a few days ago, that had me terrified. I just left one horrible, nasty marriage, only to fall in bed with the first guy that came along. He was a great guy. The kind of guy I wanted, but some mornings I woke up and wondered if I needed to take a step back. Be by myself for a while. I explained this to Gabriella, hesitantly at first, since she was dating one of Declan’s best friends, but the words began to flow quickly with the encouragement of her understanding and compassionate gaze. When I was done, she simply slid me a glass of the Pinot Noir that she’d uncorked and allowed to breathe while I spoke, and then poured her own. “I get it. I do,” she said after taking a sip. “Yet I also know that the first time Tyson and I ran into each other this spring, I knew he was the one for me. We were separated for months, partly due to my own stubbornness, and while we’re fine now, I still sometimes wonder where we’d be if I hadn’t just believed in what I felt for him.” “I guess the problem is the last time I felt anything good for a man, it didn’t end so well.” I took a sip of my wine and glanced away from her. There was a difference between compassion and pity, and I didn’t want to risk seeing the pity that might be in her gaze. “Besides,” I continued, “You and Tyson had a history. He was your high school boyfriend, too.” “True. You and Declan are different, but that doesn’t mean you two aren’t also the same, in other ways.” “We’re not in love. It’s too soon.” She cocked her head to the side. “Is it?” Yes. Absolutely. I’d known Declan for, like, a minute. Less than a month, in real time. Still, I couldn’t imagine there was anything else I could I learn about him that I didn’t already know. Not when it came to the type of guy he was, how he handled problems, how he cared for women and the people in his life. A warmth suffused me, making my skin itch. It would have been nice to blame the feeling on a sudden sulfite allergy due to the red wine. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on perspective, I knew that Gabriella was right. We hadn’t known each other for that long, and perhaps it was too soon for us to be declaring our love for one another…

But that didn’t mean I wasn’t, at the very least, beginning to fall in love with him. The thought was sobering and I set my glass down on the countertop. “What do you think about the apartment?” Blue asked, breaking my train of thought. “Do you want to move in?” I looked around the apartment, and imagined myself coming home after a full night of work at Fireside Grill, or after a date with Declan. I imagined him bringing me here after a date and us having a lazy Sunday morning before he went to work, relaxing in the large, soft bed I’d seen earlier, or watching the news with coffee mugs in our hands, feet entwined as we curled up next to each other on the couch. My imagination painted a perfect picture…with only one blemish. If I moved into this apartment, it meant saying goodbye to Declan at the end of dates and watching him walk away, leaving me all alone. And while it was small and cozy and warm…it wasn’t the same as being at his house, knowing that when he came home and I was asleep, he’d be crawling into bed behind me, pulling me into his arms and against his chest. A soft smile tipped the ends of my lips up and I looked back at Gabriella, whispering, “I’m going to have to think about it.” Her smile was large and wide. “I thought you might.” “I should probably get going,” I said, just as my phone began ringing in my purse. “I have to be at Fireside in a few minutes to help Declan with payroll.” I reached into my purse and curled my fingers around my phone, assuming the caller was Declan, and answered without looking. “Hey there.” A voice that made my blood chill and my jaw drop replied, “Well, hello to you, too, Katrina.” “What do you want?” I snapped. I heard Kevin’s sickening chuckle, and I flinched. From the corner of my eye, I saw Blue reach for her phone. I started shaking my head, telling her to stop, when Kevin said, “You’re smarter than I ever gave you credit for, Katrina, but I’m tired of this game of cat and mouse. You’ve thrown your hissy fit, but it’s time to return home.” “Yeah…I think it’s him,” I heard Blue saying in the kitchen. While I was looking at her, she covered the phone and whispered, “Tyson says keep him on the phone as long as you can.” I nodded, feeling my hands tremble. “I’m not coming back to Kentucky, Kevin. In fact, I met with a lawyer yesterday. I’m filing for divorce.” “Yeah, call Dec, too,” Blue said, and set her phone down. I flashed her big eyes and mouthed, “No.” She shrugged and continued listening to my conversation. “You will do no such thing, Katrina Morgenson. You’ve sold your car, you’ve made your point. Now get home and face the consequences of your foolish decision.” Oh, God. My car. He knew. Of course he knew.

Tears sprang to my eyes and I saw Gabriella walking toward me, arms outstretched. I stepped back, shaking my head. “This isn’t a tantrum, Kevin,” I stated calmly, more calmly than I was currently feeling with a riot of emotions coursing through me. Fear. Anger. Hatred burned brighter than either of them, though. “I also haven’t lied.” And I hadn’t. Yesterday, I had a meeting with Tyson’s grandfather, who specializes in family law. He agreed to find an attorney in Kentucky who could handle my divorce. “I will not ever be returning to Kentucky, nor will I be returning to you. I don’t know how you got this number, Kevin, but lose it. If you find me, you’ll regret it. You can’t hurt me again.” His cold laugh made me cringe. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Katrina. You’re mine. You became mine the day we were married, the day you took my name, and I can do anything I want to you, whenever I want.” “Then come find me, asshole. And show me what you’ve got.” I threw the phone down, and watched as Blue picked it up. I watched as she pressed the button to end the call and set it back down. “Four minutes and twenty-eight seconds,” she murmured before looking at me. “Long enough that Tyson should be able to track it.” I barely registered any of what she said before she pulled me into her arms and held me tight. “Are you okay? That was intense.” My entire body was roiled with shakes and shivers. My arms hung loose at my sides and I was unable to answer her. Was I okay? I just threw down the gauntlet for the world’s most evil man. He’d find me. And I had no doubt that when he did, he would try to make me regret the words I’d just spoken. — “You swore?” Declan’s look of surprise would have made me laugh under other circumstances. I’d just listened while Gabriella told Declan everything that happened during my phone call, after he showed up at her apartment, almost breaking the door down with his bare fists. As soon as he saw me, I was scooped up in his arms and carried to the couch, where he sat down with me on his lap. He said one word, directed at Blue, that word being “Explain,” before she did exactly as she’d been commanded. His arms around me flinched and tightened. One of his hands ran through my hair. I was still trying to replay the conversation in my mind, because I wasn’t even sure if Blue

was exaggerating for effect, or if I truly did swear. “Yeah,” I whispered. “I think I did.” “Proud of you,” he said and pressed his lips against my forehead. As much as I wanted to relish the feeling of being in his arms, along with the comfort and strength they provided, I wanted to forget about this. I wanted to do everything I possibly could to not only erase the memory of Kevin’s phone call, but his entire history from my life. “Take me home,” I whispered, murmuring into Declan’s neck. His fingertips pressed into my lower back before he stood up, gently setting me on my feet. I didn’t know what I’d just said or done to cause the softened look in his eyes, but when his smile tilted at the edges and his lips brushed against my forehead, I realized. “Okay, Trina. We can go home.” Home. That’s what I just called his house. And he seemed to like it. An hour ago, I’d thought that, more than anything, I wanted to be on my own, living it up in Blue’s beautiful shabby-chic apartment, but as Declan grabbed my purse and handed it to me, then slid his hand into mine, I realized that I’d been terribly wrong. I didn’t want to be anywhere he wasn’t. “Actually,” Blue said, interrupting whatever tenderness I felt passing between Declan and myself, “I think this is the perfect night to introduce Trina to the girls.” Next to me, Declan sighed, and I tilted my chin to face him. “What girls?” “Yeah, a bunch of us always meet up on Thursdays, at least once a month, for girls’ night out. But tonight definitely calls for immediate girl time. We drink margaritas and eat our weight in nachos.” “Sounds, um, fun?” It sort of did, but it didn’t change the fact that just minutes ago, I was shaking on the couch with Declan’s arms around me. I wasn’t sure tonight was the night I wanted to meet a bunch of Gabriella’s friends. She laughed and reached out for my hand, then squeezed it. “I’m sorry. I know we don’t know each other at all yet, really. But when I was new to town, these girls reached out to me and took me in. I’d like to do the same for you. The girls are cool, honest. Well, except Paige. She’s a bit nutty, but the rest are normal.” Her face scrunched up and she shrugged before letting loose an easy grin. “Mostly.” “Um. Okay?” Declan’s arm squeezed my shoulders. His voice was deep, tinted with laughter when he said, “When I took off, Mac said he’d cover for the night, but I could always go back. Maybe you should go, Trina. Make some friends and forget about all this shit.” “Yeah.” Blue’s eyebrows wiggled. “Plus, they drool over Declan, so you’ll be, like, the star of the night. They’ll want to know all the good stuff about him.” Declan frowned. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea.” Blue pulled me toward her, forcing me out of Declan’s hold, and wrapped her arms around

my shoulders. “Oh, but it is. Because you’ll get to take her back to your place…and she’ll be all tipsy drunk.” His lips twitched. “Point made. Just don’t tell Suzanne anything. The suspense will kill her.” “You’re a lot nicer than you look, you big ol’ brute,” Blue scolded, wagging her finger at him, “but that’s just mean.” Declan crossed his arms over his large chest and smirked. “Suzanne?” I asked. Declan rolled his eyes. Blue giggled. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Chapter 16 Trina Gabriella was right. Her friends were not only incredibly welcoming, seemingly some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met—which was saying a lot, considering I was from the South, where everyone was nice to everyone—they were also a little bit crazy. As soon as Gabriella introduced me to the group, everyone treated me as if I had been meeting them for emergency girls’ nights out forever. From Paige’s happy-go-lucky attitude, and from the things she said about her husband, I figured the girl believed Snow White was brought back to life with a kiss from her true love. Chelsea was soft-spoken and kind, and Camden seemed to be the only woman who held herself back a little bit. Her deep-auburn hair was pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her neck, and even her straight-line skirt and professional blouse made her seem like she needed to loosen up a little bit. I liked that about her, though. I had never been an open book myself. Suzanne looked at me all night as if she had a burning question on the tip of her tongue, but was waiting to ask it. As drinks were ordered, stories told, introductions made, and food delivered, it seemed like the wait was practically killing her. Being thrown into a group of women who had known each other for years made me more nervous than the time I was at a fundraising dinner and met the president of the United States, three years ago. Somehow, shaking hands under the watchful eye of Suzanne intimidated me more than shaking the First Lady’s under the discerning glare of Secret Service. But those first few minutes of introductions quickly led to margaritas by the pitcher, nachos by the platter, and conversation that quickly dissolved into laughter. It was a friendly atmosphere I hadn’t experienced since college. When I mentioned my marketing and promotion idea about having a firefighter calendar shot on the Fireside Grill property, inside and outside, both Paige and Suzanne jumped in and explained that their husbands knew several men who worked in the department, and they’d be all for it. It took less than ten minutes for them to make some phone calls and plan a date. The only thing that remained was finding a photographer, but Camden spoke up and said she might know someone willing to help on our tight budget. I had never known such a supportive group of women, not to mention completely hysterical. I was loving it.

“So what’d you think about the apartment?” Chelsea turned to me and said as she set her glass down on the tabletop. Blue had mentioned that I was staying with Declan for a while, but hadn’t explained why, for which I was grateful. But I saw the questioning look in all the other women’s eyes as Chelsea asked the question. “It’s really beautiful.” “But?” I chewed on the inside of my lip, debating how much honesty I wanted to spew forth with a group of women I liked, but didn’t really know. Besides, some of them, Suzanne in particular, seemed a bit possessive about Declan in a way that confused me. From what I’d already learned, she’d been married since right after college. “But I like being at Declan’s.” The tequila in my drinks must have loosened my lips. At that, Paige giggled, Blue grinned, Chelsea and Camden smiled, but it was Suzanne who leaned in from across the round table, her hands braced on the tabletop. “Finally!” she exclaimed. “Now we’re getting somewhere with you.” My head jerked back in shock and Blue’s grin turned into a laugh. “Declan tried to warn you about her.” “I don’t get it.” I shook my head and looked at everyone at the table with wide eyes. Paige and Blue laughed harder. “You’re staying with Declan. The man of all men. And you’re considering leaving that hunk alone at night? You’re either crazy or stupid, and you don’t look dumb, so you must be insane.” Suzanne’s tirade made my eyes widen further, and before I could say anything, although for the life of me I couldn’t find words to say, she continued. “If that man wanted me with him, no way would I be walking away.” “You’re married,” Camden chided her, but even I could see the playfulness in her richgreen eyes. “Happily married, remember?” “Suzanne forgets everything when Declan is around,” Chelsea supplied, teasingly. “Um.” I took a drink of my margarita. “Do you like him?” Suzanne asked. Next to me, Blue snickered. “You should see the way they stare at each other.” “What?” I turned my head toward her. She rolled her eyes. “Come on, you look at him like he’s your real-life hero, and he looks at you like he’d be willing to step in front of a grenade if it’d keep you safe.” “Yes!” Suzanne shouted. “That’s the kind of guy he is. Exactly, and with his looks…and come on…that body, you have to like him.” “Have you been with him?” I asked, my brow furrowing. At the question, the entire table burst out in laughter. Suzanne lifted her hands, palms out. “No way. I’ve known Dec since we were kids. Lucas is it for me, as in it for me, but I’d be blind if I didn’t notice how incredible Declan has turned out to be, and not just his body, but in the kind of guy he is. Lucas is amazing. Protective and

kind and sexy as hell, but Declan…that man is on a whole other level of awesomeness.” “You’re sort of freaking me out,” I replied. Her words also confirmed the kind of guy I had already assumed he was. “So tell us, then,” Chelsea said, cutting in. She pushed a hunk of blonde hair behind her ear and smiled. “What’s going on with you and why wouldn’t you want to stay with him?” I paused for a moment, trying to decide again how much honesty they could handle, when Blue whispered, “We might be loud and crazy, but I can guarantee you that these women will never speak a word of anything you say to anyone else. You can trust them.” I blinked rapidly, my eyes stinging a bit from the kindness they were showing me. “I just recently left my husband who hit me,” I admitted softly. Harsh inhales of breath echoed around the table and I found it difficult to lift my eyes to meet their gazes. Regardless, I soldiered on. “Declan’s been helping me. I like him, I really like him, but I’m having a hard time trusting myself, leaving one guy to fall for the first guy I meet, even if he is a good guy. And yeah, I think he likes me, but I’ve been under someone else’s control for so long that the idea of being by myself, living on my own for a while, is appealing. Yet that means having to leave Declan’s house.” “But not Declan.” I lifted my eyes to Suzanne’s and shook my head. “No, it wouldn’t mean leaving Declan.” “Just his bed at night.” I chewed on the inside of my lip. Since we’d been back from Chicago, we shared a bed every night, but we hadn’t been intimate again. I thought being with Declan in Chicago would change that aspect of our relationship, but it seemed as if Declan was taking a step back. At the very least, he hadn’t pushed us forward. I simply liked sleeping with Declan’s arms around me. I liked being with him, even if I still worried it was too soon. But the fact that Declan hadn’t touched me again in anything more than a comfortable way had me worried. Was he having second thoughts about us? Second thoughts about me? As if sensing my nervousness or my embarrassment, Blue spoke up. “You’ll decide when you know what’s right. But I’m with Suzanne on this one. Since I’ve known him, Declan seems like the best of the best, and if he’s said you can stay at his place, he means it. He doesn’t throw bullshit around and say what he doesn’t mean. He’s not that kind of guy. But if you need to live on your own for a while, feel the independence that most women want, he’ll get it. Based on what I saw today, it won’t change anything about the way he feels for you.” The way he felt for me. The words rattled inside my brain and made me dizzy. I wanted to ask her what she meant by what she saw today. Based on Declan’s behavior the last few days, I had my own questions, yet I was too chicken to ask. Maybe she saw what she wanted to see, not what was really there. I bit my tongue, shrugged, and took a sip of my drink. “I’ll figure it out soon, so you can find another sublet if you need to.” She grinned. “No worries. We’ve got time.” I opened my mouth to ask her when she was planning on moving in with Tyson when,

from across the table, Chelsea cursed. “Ouch! You brat!” Paige giggled and I looked up to see Chelsea scowling at her while rubbing her bicep. “What?” Blue asked and then turned her head in the direction of the bar, looking where Paige pointed and where Chelsea’s eyes were fixed. I twisted around, following the movement of the rest of the women, and saw Aidan and Derrick standing at the bar. Derrick reached for a stack of food containers while Aidan slid his credit card toward the bartender. As Derrick grabbed the food, he turned in our direction and immediately spied all of us staring at him and his dad. He looked back at Aidan and said something before turning back to us. “Hey, Miss Dwyer! Hi, Trina!” I lifted my hand and smiled as Aidan himself pushed away from the bar. His eyes scanned the table and he dipped his chin to acknowledge us. I might have been crazy, but I swore his eyes lingered a little bit longer on Chelsea. “Hello, Derrick,” she replied, and waved to Aidan. “Mr. Devereaux.” “Miss Dwyer.” He glanced around the table again. “Trina. Ladies. Have a good evening.” He flashed us a soft smile and patted Derrick on the shoulder, silently telling him to grab their food, I figured by the way Derrick moved. He picked it up and turned back to us. “See you at school tomorrow, Miss Dwyer!” He turned his back and all of us watched the men leave. When they were gone, Chelsea glanced at me. “You know Aidan and Derrick?” I took my chance, based on the awe in her voice, the blush on her cheeks, and replied. “You have a crush on Aidan?” Paige choked on her margarita. Suzanne snorted. Camden threw her head back and laughed. “Yeah, she does. She has for years, but for some crazy reason refuses to do anything about it.” “Derrick is a student at my school. It wouldn’t be right.” “But he’s not your student,” Paige said. “He’s just a student, and you’re the librarian.” Chelsea shook her head in an exasperated way. I assumed they’d had this conversation many times before. “It still wouldn’t look good.” Her head came up and she smiled. “How do you know them?” I figured telling her that Aidan dropped Derrick off at Declan’s a couple weeks ago for an overnight visit wouldn’t go over well. I went with the easiest half-truth. “They stopped by Declan’s one night, and I met him then. They seem really great.” “They are.” “Enough about Aidan and Chelsea being too sissy to do anything about her unending crush,” Suzanne said, cutting in and grinning at me like she just ate a canary. “Tell me more about Declan and what he’s like in bed.” This time I choked on my drink. Paige giggled. And all the women’s eyes landed on me, as they waited with bated breath.

— “Thanks for getting them home safe.” Declan muttered this to Tyson in a deep voice as he walked into Tyson’s house, where Blue and I were hanging out on the couch. I should have passed out hours ago, but I wanted to wait for Declan to come and pick me up after the restaurant was closed. Tyson had showed up hours ago and brought Blue and me to his house. Since then, Blue and I switched to drinking water and spent the last few hours sobering up a bit. It appeared that in some ways we had a lot in common. A family who didn’t exactly care for us, choosing their own selfish desires over what was best for their daughters. I learned the entire last ten years of Blue’s story, including time she’d spent on a goat farm in Colorado with her hippie aunt. Envisioning someone as beautiful and calm and collected as Blue slopping around in the muck was still making me chuckle, which brought Declan’s eyes to mine. The dark-brown eyes flickered with humor and he smiled. “You ready to head to bed?” It was an innocent question. It still sparked heat inside my body. “Yeah…” His smile disappeared with my response and his gaze dropped to my mouth. “Right, then. Let’s get the fuck out of here.” He didn’t wait for me to answer, just slid his arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest. “Your purse,” Blue called out from behind us, and I felt the leather straps slide into my palm. “Have a good night.” “Thanks for the invite tonight.” I looked back over my shoulder and smiled. “I had a lot of fun.” She smiled and I watched Tyson’s arms slide around her waist from where he stood behind her. He held her just like Declan was currently holding me. “We’ll do it again. Lots.” Sounded perfect. Declan led us out the door and ushered me into his truck, keeping a firm grip on my waist until he was forced to let me go so I could climb into my seat. Once I was settled, he closed the door behind me and then walked around the hood before climbing in on his side. “You had fun?” “I did.” “From where I was in the kitchen, sounded like you did.” My eyes widened. “You heard us?” “Hard not to hear six women wasted on margaritas. My guess? The entire block heard y’all laughing your asses off.” My lips twisted, and for just a brief moment, I felt ashamed of my behavior, and how loud

I’d been. But then I thought about how much fun I’d had—possibly the best time in my life since I was a sophomore in college—and quickly decided that I didn’t care. I glanced over at Declan and saw him looking at me with the same wary expression I must have worn just a moment ago. I shrugged. “I don’t care. I had a freaking great night.” His laugh was my reward, as was the way he slid his hand onto my thigh and squeezed. “I’m glad, Trina.” We were in his driveway and then inside his house in a matter of minutes. As Declan entered the house behind me, reaching over my shoulder to flip on the lights, I turned around and faced him once the door closed. “Declan,” I asked, fighting the uncertainty in my voice and in my body. I hadn’t stopped thinking about him. I hadn’t been able to stop remembering the way it felt when he slid inside of me in Chicago. I lifted my hand and pressed it against his cheek, hoping he understood. “You’ve been drinking.” His eyes slid to my mouth again and I saw his pulse jump at his neck. “I sobered up hours ago.” Our voices were whispers, barely audible. I took a step back into the living room and he followed me. I heard Boomer’s paws pounding toward us on the carpet. He bumped into my leg, almost throwing me off balance, but Declan wrapped an arm around my waist. “Chill, Boomer.” I looked down at my dog and scolded him with my glare. My dog was ruining my moment. The moment. “I’ll put him outside.” “Wait.” Summoning all the confidence I’d been trying to find to tell him this, I inhaled a deep breath and watched his eyes narrow. “I have something to tell you.” At our hips, Boomer whined, and I shushed him. “What is it?” I swallowed thickly, feeling the words, the full shame of my past lodge inside my throat. Before I lost the courage, I spoke, told him something I’d been thinking about since Chicago. “I quit wanting my husband just a few weeks after we returned from my honeymoon. But that doesn’t mean he stopped wanting me.” Declan growled as he began to understand my words, but I pressed on. “I didn’t tell him no, ever, because that would have been worse.” “Are you telling me your husband raped you?” he said, growling again. I felt the fury beginning to build inside of him, felt his rage sparking heat in the air between us. I wasn’t afraid of him, though. Because Declan wouldn’t hurt me. “I’m saying that I did my wifely duty when it was required of me and it wasn’t all bad, it just wasn’t all enjoyable either, and it certainly was never something I wanted. But last week in Chicago…” I breathed in a ragged breath and forced myself to blink. “I wanted that. I wanted you and I haven’t wanted anything—anyone—in a really long time, so thank you for

giving that to me. If it was just a one-time thing, I guess…I just need you to know how much I enjoyed it.” Declan’s fingers on my waist dug in, and my hand on his chest felt his harsh, deep breaths through the warmth of his shirt. His lips twitched and a muscle jumped in his cheek. “I haven’t wanted to push you,” he finally admitted. “That morning was intense for both of us, and you still have a lot on your mind. I told you that we’d go at your pace, explore this in a way that’s good for you.” My lips fought a smile and lost. “I’d like for our pace to move a bit faster.” His lips mirrored mine and then he looked over at Boomer, whining at the back door. “I’m going to let the dog out.” He took a step back, not taking his eyes off me. For a brief moment, I wondered if I’d flubbed this, if telling him about Kevin and our sex life was being too honest, if telling him that I wanted to have sex with him again was being too forward, too blunt. My questions were erased when he said, “I’ll take care of Boomer. I want you to go get ready for bed. And when you’re done doing that, I want you to end up in my bed. You want to move forward, we’ll move forward.” Nerves ignited in my stomach. The best kind of nerves. “You want me, Trina?” I could only nod. Declan flashed me a salacious grin. “Then be a good girl and do what I’m telling you.”

Chapter 17 Declan After I let Boomer out, my house felt deafening in its silence. I should have been able to hear Trina banging around upstairs in her bedroom and bathroom. I should have been able to hear footsteps headed down the hallway toward my room. On a normal night, I would have heard all of this. Instead, all I heard was a thundering in my ears. It was the middle of the fucking night, after three o’clock, and I was bone weary from closing the restaurant. But nothing would stop me from getting Trina in my bed and showing her how much I wanted her. The last few days, since we’d been back from Chicago, had been fucking killing me. I meant what I’d told her. I was taking this at her speed. The fact that she wanted me to speed things up was A-fucking-OK with me. My lips stretched into a grin as I watched Boomer do his business and sniff around the backyard for a few minutes. I gave him his time outside, knowing he’d been cooped up, probably sleeping all over my couch for the whole day. I also needed a few minutes to calm down. Get in control. I wanted to thrust inside Trina so powerfully she’d never forget what I felt like. Earlier, she’d been a wreck in my arms, and I wanted to make it good for her. Take it slow. Pleasure her. Especially considering what she just told me. Sometimes I wondered if I should have pushed us forward. She was still technically a married woman. Under any other circumstances, I would never go for another man’s woman. But Morgenson wasn’t a man—he was a snake and a coward. I had no doubt we’d find him before he found her, as long as Tyson kept calling in favors, as I knew he was doing. Until then, I’d trust Trina. A difficult concept after Mara broke whatever trust I had in women. But so far, Trina had been honest. She’d told me what she needed and what she wanted, and hadn’t given any indication she wasn’t the woman she’d shown herself to be. At the very least, she was learning to ask for what she wanted, and learning it was okay to

be whoever she wanted to be. And I couldn’t stop the masculine surge of testosterone in me that came from knowing that, in part, that new confidence of hers was because of me. “Boom,” I called out quietly after I slid the back door open. “Get in here.” The dumb animal looked up at me and, swear to God, his lips formed a pout, and then he trotted inside, head down, bummed out of his mind. “Go to bed,” I told him. As if he understood, he lumbered up the stairs ahead of me. Without stopping, he headed directly to Trina’s bedroom and I heard him jump from the wood floor up onto her bed. Since she didn’t say anything when her dog jumped up on her bed, I knew she wasn’t there. She’d listened to me. Another surge tightened my chest and I closed the door to her room, shutting Boomer inside. The last thing I wanted in the next hour or two was to be interrupted by the dog. I forced myself to walk slowly as I took the few paces to my bedroom, but I felt my pulse kick up a notch or twenty when I saw a faint bluish light peeking out from beneath my slightly opened bedroom door. With one hand, I pushed the door open and my eyes immediately snapped toward the bed. Everything inside me froze. Then ached. Then burned with desire. Because Trina wasn’t just in my bed where I told her I wanted her… She was lying on her back, head propped up on a bunch of pillows, and she was butt fucking naked. Words caught in my throat as I took her in and stepped inside my room and closed the door behind me. “You listened.” My voice was ragged. Strained. Much as my cock currently was against the zipper of my jeans. Holy shit, she was beautiful. Her blonde hair was curled and splayed out all over the pillows behind her, some flowing over her shoulder, hiding her breasts from my view. Her stomach, trim and toned, raised and dipped with every one of her quickened breaths. And her legs. Damn. Those long, lean legs of hers shouldn’t be allowed anywhere except wrapped around my hips. She licked her lips and I saw them tremble as she forced them into a smile. “You didn’t say if you wanted me to be wearing anything.” She shrugged and her eyes widened slightly. “So I chose not to.” I cleared my throat and took another step forward. “Good choice.”

She let out a soft laugh that made my dick harden further. Everything inside me hardened and tightened. Hell. I didn’t know where to begin. I didn’t know what to say. For the first time in my life, I was speechless in front of a naked woman. I like to talk during sex. I want my women to know what they were doing to me, want them to know how much I enjoyed them. And the talking involved a lot of cussing. I had no doubt that by the time morning came the swear jar Trina started for me was going to be overflowing. Something that didn’t bother me in the least. “Tell me something, Trina.” I took another step toward her at the same time I reached to the back of my shirt and pulled it off. “What do you like during sex?” Her eyes widened and she blinked several times. For a moment, I thought she was speechless from staring at my chest, but then I realized it was because she had no idea what to say. Her face went blank when our gazes met. I took off my jeans and closed the distance between us until I was crawling up the bed by her feet. Her legs separated and I braced myself above her, before slipping down to feel her heat press again my groin. Fuck. She was already hot. I could feel her center throbbing against my cock. “Trina?” I asked, bracing my weight on one elbow and running my other hand through her hair. “What do you like?” “I don’t…” She blinked again and looked away from me. I took my hand from her hair and pressed it against her cheek. “Don’t look away from me,” I whispered, fighting the anger boiling in my veins all over again. “I don’t know what I like because no one’s ever taken the time to let me explore.” My head fell until my lips brushed against her chest, just above her breasts. I stayed there, brushing my lips against her skin, grazing on the curves of her flesh. Her hands slid over my head until her fingertips dug into my shoulders, getting my attention. “I know that I want to explore you.” Her heart rate increased as she spoke and I lifted my head. “You will. What else?” Her lips rolled together. “I like to be on top. I had never done that before Chicago.” My hips rolled into hers on their own accord. Fuck. Me. This woman was going to kill me. She looked so sweet. So innocent. So perfectly made for me.

“You want to be in control?” I asked, already sliding down her body, dragging my lips over the skin between her breasts. “That’s usually my role in the bedroom.” “I don’t have to,” she said, and let out a breathy moan when I kissed her belly button. “What else do you want to do?” My hands slid down her hips, feeling her everywhere. She was so soft, yet firm. Blood rushed to my head while I thought of all the ways I wanted to use her body. She was silent for a moment—too many moments—and I looked up at her again to see her worrying her lip between her teeth. My arousal increased. “You know you’re safe in this room with me, right?” She nodded and let go of her lip. I crawled back up her body until I was aligned with her again. “Then what is it you want?” “I’ve never…” She swallowed and exhaled. “I want to taste you.” “Fuck,” I groaned and squeezed my eyes closed. I didn’t think there was anything a man could like in the world more than a blowjob. One done by any woman was good enough to get off quickly. One done by a woman who might not have the most finesse, but had the most desire and energy was sometimes more incredible than good sex. I rolled off her, and brought her with me. She gasped in surprise and then straddled me. My hands wrapped around her back, and I slid one hand up to her neck and pulled her against me. “You taste me,” I said, our lips almost brushing against each other’s. “Then you ride me.” Her eyes lit up with excitement and I pushed my head back into the pillow, letting out another groan. I didn’t give her time to think of an excuse not to, or a reason why I might not have wanted this. I pulled her toward me and pressed her mouth against mine, sliding my tongue inside her mouth, and rocking into her to show her that the idea of her having her way with me was the biggest damn turn-on I’d ever felt. Then I lay still while she explored my body. Her lips brushed against my skin, following the trails and dips of my abs. She pressed her soft lips down the length of my arms before tasting me right above my hip bones. With every brush of her lips against me, my skin burned until I thought it would combust. My fingers curled into the sheets beneath me, as I forced myself to allow her this control. To give her what she wanted. I let loose a groan when she wrapped her lips around the tip of my cock for the first time. The pleasure was so intense it was almost painful. And when I finally yanked her off my dick, set her on top me, and then watched as she sank herself down onto me, I was certain there would never be a woman more perfectly made for me. We came together, her fingers clinging to mine on the bed, and our shouts were explosive enough to be heard throughout the entire town. I didn’t give one single fuck.

When we exhausted ourselves, I held her in my arms until she fell asleep. I fell asleep with a smile on my face because I had been right. Tomorrow morning, her swear jar would be overflowing, and it was worth every single fucking dollar to shout and curse and groan while I let her have her wicked way with me.

Chapter 18 Trina Had to get to the restaurant for deliveries. Don’t leave the house or unlock the door for anyone. Call me when you wake up. Last night was perfect. ~D I pressed the flimsy, wrinkled receipt to my chest and sighed. His commands and bossiness would bother me if I didn’t know they came from a place of concern and caring, instead of a desire to rule over me. At my feet, Boomer curled up on his side and sighed. I did the same thing, burrowing back under Declan’s covers, but reached for the cellphone. I had an order to follow. And I had learned last night, that while he gave me a semblance of control with our bodies but still continually told me what to do and how good it felt once I did it, when Declan ordered to me do something, there was always pleasure at the end of it for me. — “I hope the photos turn out well,” I said, turning toward Jorge Rivera, the photographer Camden had talked into doing the fireman-calendar photo shoot on short notice. He was a five-foot-five-inch gay man whose partner worked at a small accounting firm with Camden. He worked at an investment firm, but was trying to begin his own photography business, so he was hoping this calendar brought him attention and clients. He had even volunteered to do the shoot for free in order to build his portfolio. When I met him earlier and asked if he was certain he didn’t want to be paid, he placed his hand on my shoulder, grinned, and said, “Honey, please. I get to look at wet, half-naked men all day. That alone is payment enough.” And really…he was right. Because the day had been full of wet, half-naked men draped all over one of their smaller engines, which was parked in front of the restaurant. Traffic on Main Street had been slowed down for hours. Fireside Grill hadn’t received a single complaint.

They had, though, had a lot of people coming in, after stopping by to watch the shoot. Inside, we had half-off appetizers and beer, and it surprised me how many women had taken a look at the attraction outside, then headed inside to cool off with a beer and a side of potato skins. Apparently staring at half-naked men made women thirsty as well as hungry. “These photos will be spectacular,” Jorge said, looking through the viewing lens on one of the three different cameras he used for the shots. Before the restaurant opened, he had even gotten a bunch of photos inside Fireside Grill, which made the servers giggle with amusement. It also made Declan scowl, every time he caught me looking. It was business. Mostly. Some of the men were attractive. But none could hold a candle to Declan and his body, which I’d become very accustomed to over the last week. “How long until you can get through edits on them?” I turned to face Jorge, forcing myself to stop looking at the firefighters as they threw T-shirts on over their rippled muscles. He clicked through a few more photos, smiling wider with every click. “By the end of next week.” He turned to me and smirked. “Something tells me I won’t be able to stop thinking of these men…err, photos…once I get started.” I laughed with him and reached out to shake his hand. “Thanks again for making this so successful. If you ever need a reference, let Declan know and I’m sure he’ll give you a great one.” “No problem.” He crouched down and began packing up his camera equipment, which I took as my cue to leave. “Excuse me,” a woman called out as I opened the door to enter Fireside. “Ma’am?” I turned around and found a woman walking quickly toward me, waving something small in her hand. “Hi,” she said, a bit breathless when she reached me. I let go of the door and stepped out of the doorway. “Hi. Can I help you?” Her eyes went to the firemen behind me and back to mine. “I hope so. I’m Kate and I’m in the process of opening up a baking shop just a few businesses down from here. Are you the woman who organized this shoot today?” “I am.” I held out my hand for her to shake. “Trina Winston.” “Kate. Kate Simpson.” She shook my hand and held up a business card. “I talked to a few other women around here earlier today. I think…Chelsea, she said her name was. Anyway, she mentioned that you were in charge of this and some new promotions for Fireside Grill.” “Yes, that’s me. How can I help you?” “Well I was wondering if you and I could meet sometime in the next week or so. My shop is opening in mid-November and I’m trying to find some new ideas to market to the area. Is that something you’d be interested in? Or have time for?” My eyes widened as I held her business card in my hand. I had to make a conscious effort not to crumple it in my palm. “I’m sorry,” I began, and watched her excitement diminish. Darn it. “I’d love to, I would. But I don’t exactly have an office or a company. I’m just doing

this to help out the owner.” “Oh.” Her expression fell further before perking up. “Well, I’d hire you anyway. Or maybe you’d be willing to sit down and talk with me? Point me in the right direction? I had a firm all hired, but they’ve been lagging on their deadlines and promises, and I’ve been sinking money into something that just hasn’t worked out. Like I said, I open in a few weeks and I’ve been flipping out.” I was too overwhelmed to think straight, but even so, ideas for a bakery immediately began percolating in my mind. “Why don’t we get together later in the week. Meet for lunch here, maybe?” I nodded toward Fireside Grill. “I’m here most of the time working with Declan. We can talk about what you’re looking for, and I can let you know if it’s something I can do. In the meantime, I’ll spend time researching some PR firms with decent rates and reviews so I can have some other options for you.” “Thank you,” she gasped and clasped her hands together. “Can we do lunch on Wednesday?” “Works for me.” I’d been at Fireside every day of the week lately, and it wasn’t like I had much else going on in my life. “Perfect. Thank you, Trina. Honestly. And I swear, I’ll pay you what I’d pay anyone.” I smiled politely. She wouldn’t choose me. I just did this as a favor for Declan to help him out, but I was in no position to start my own firm or anything like that. “We’ll talk about it Wednesday.” “Sounds like you’re starting your own business.” Declan’s voice behind me made me jump. I spun on my heels until I was facing him. “How much of that did you hear?” He shrugged and slid his hands into his pockets. I watched the movement, unable to look away. If I wasn’t touching him, or he wasn’t touching me, I wanted it to be happening. I almost pouted when his fingers slid into his pockets and not to my waist. His chuckle told me he knew what I was thinking, and he leaned in, bending down until his lips were at my ear. “You just had my hands all over you this morning, and you already want more?” A week ago, I would have blushed furiously at the suggestion. But I’d learned a lot in a week. Mostly that Declan seemed to like me however I came. I was also learning to shed my skin of insecurity. “I can’t help it,” I whispered, taking a step toward him and setting my hand on his hip. “I like the way you touch me.” He growled into my ear and pulled me to him, giving me exactly what I wanted. “What’d that woman really want?” “I thought you heard everything.” “Enough to get the idea. Not enough to know who she is.” His eyes lifted and he watched Kate as she walked away. We hadn’t heard anything more from Kevin in the last week, and Tyson had been calling in favors as much as he could. But considering who Kevin was, and who his dad was, Tyson had to be particularly careful not to

arouse any more suspicion than necessary. However, the fact that Kevin hadn’t shown up made me hope that he couldn’t find me. I also hoped he wouldn’t be able to find me before I filed divorce papers, which I was planning on doing early next week. It was time to stop hiding and start moving on with my life. “She’s opening a bakery next month and has had some problems with the people currently doing her marketing. She wants to talk to me about ideas. Chelsea talked to her earlier today.” “Sounds like a great opportunity.” I shrugged in his embrace. “It could be fun, but I’m not looking to do anything. It’s not like I really can right now, anyway.” “Maybe not now.” He pulled back and ran his hand through my hair, pushing it off my shoulder and down my back. “But maybe like Jorge with his photography, it could be a good way for you to get some clients if you do decide to go that route once you’re settled.” A frown twisted my lips. I liked working with Declan in the office and on the floor when I was needed. I liked waking up with him, spending my day with him, and then going to bed next to him. But maybe he didn’t feel the same. Maybe he wanted some distance between us. Which made sense. Just over a month ago, we were strangers. Now we were together practically every hour of every day. “Maybe,” I muttered, feeling a bit deflated as I considered this possibility. Declan reached out and cupped my cheeks with his palms, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Why are you frowning?” I opted for honesty. Declan liked it when I was upfront with what I wanted—in bed and out of it. “I’ve been having fun being here with you and helping you.” A puff of breath left his lips and he gripped me more firmly before pressing his lips to mine. “How is it possible,” he said when he pulled back, “that you keep getting more perfect for me, every single day?” I smiled before I realize I was doing it. Those flutters that tended to hit my stomach when Declan was around were alive and strong. “I want you to do what you want, honey, regardless of what that is. You want to stay at Fireside, build this with me, I want that. You want to spread your wings and do your own thing. I’ve got your back one hundred percent. This is your time to figure out you…we’ll figure out us together.” I was left breathless, but not incapable of moving, so I rolled to my toes and kissed him, showing Declan how much I appreciated not only his faith in me, but in whatever we were building. “Same goes for you, Declan. I’ve got your back, always.” “Good.” He pulled back and wrapped his hand around mine and pulled me inside. “Now let’s get you inside and away from all these men who have been drooling over you all morning long. They stick around here much longer and I might end up on the front page of the news in a way that wouldn’t be good publicity for Fireside.” I snickered at his deep, irritated voice and followed him inside.

— A breath escaped me as I walked into Fireside Grill with Declan behind me. A warmth I had never felt before permeated me, spreading throughout my body as I looked at the small crowd of people at the bar, all welcoming me with warm, friendly smiles. I shivered from the sudden heat in my body. “You okay?” Declan asked, his hand firm on my lower back. I peeled my eyes off the people at the bar and looked up at Declan while he guided me forward, a deep line between his brows. Then I looked back at everyone who’d been around for most of the day. Tyson and Blue were standing in the center. To Tyson’s left, I saw Aidan and Derrick, and to Blue’s right, a small circle of women—Chelsea and Camden, along with Paige. Suzanne had to spend the afternoon with her husband’s family celebrating his parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary, but even without really knowing Suzanne, I knew that had she been able to make it, she would have been here completing my new group of friends. Unshed tears glistened in my eyes as I inhaled a shaky breath before expelling it slowly. I’d never had this. I’d never had friends who would spend an entire day doing nothing but hanging out and being supportive. And, yeah, I knew Paige was here for the man candy, Camden probably because they dragged her along, and Chelsea because she was super sweet and kind. And the men were here for Declan, their friend for several years, but the other reasons didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were here. Supporting him. Supporting me. I’d never felt anything so beautiful. My feet paused and I faced Declan again, allowing thankfulness to shine in my enamored expression. “Thank you,” I whispered with a choked voice. “I’ve never had this. Never had friends and this kind of life. Thank you for giving that to me.” Declan’s gaze went to his friends—our friends—and then returned to mine. That line between his eyes disappeared and several more appeared at the edges of his eyes as they crinkled. He laughed softly and pulled me to him, brushing his lips across my forehead and then down to my ear. “They’re not here for me, honey. They’re here for you, because you’re you.” A full body tremble rolled through me. I took a moment to let that soak in. Was it possible these people were all there because of something good I’d given them— after only a few meetings, at most? My chin quivered and I pressed my forehead to his chest, allowing him to wrap his arms around me. “Come on.” He curled his hands around my shoulders and pushed me away from him, reaching out to tip my chin up. “Let’s go celebrate a good day and pray like hell this brings in some money.” I looked around the restaurant and saw the tables packed with customers, mostly women, and laughed. “I think it’s working already.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and spun me toward our crowd of waiting friends.

“Let’s fucking hope so.” “That’s another dollar.” “I don’t give a shit.” I looked up to see him grinning. He flashed me a wink before he led me toward the bar and had Charlie hand me a glass of white wine. I sipped it slowly while the girls came and congratulated me on what appeared to have been a successful day for the restaurant. I got sucked into conversation with everyone, and didn’t think anything of it when I saw Tyson pull Declan off to the side and begin speaking to him in a hushed voice no one else could hear. I was sure it had something to do with me. Possibly Kevin. But I didn’t want to think about him today, refused to allow him to spoil a good afternoon spent with even better people, so I turned away and found myself face-to-face with Aidan and Derrick. They were almost mirror images of each other, with their square jaws and tall frames. Though he was only thirteen, I could already tell that Derrick was going to grow up to be just as tall, if not taller, than Aidan, who was clearly over six feet. Their black hair was exactly the same, as was the friendly sparkle in their rich-brown eyes. “Hi,” I said, jumping slightly. I hadn’t realized how close they were to me until I almost smacked Aidan in the chest with my wine glass. His gaze moved from somewhere over my shoulder to meet mine. “Looks like you had a good day today.” I shrugged, still unfamiliar with having this many compliments tossed in my direction. “We’ll see if it brings repeat business, I guess, but it was fun.” He nodded as if he understood, and his eyes returned to someone behind me. I didn’t have to look to know who he was looking at. I sipped my wine and tilted my head to the side. “Been on any more dates lately?” He coughed and shook his head. One hand scrubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, no.” He blinked and dipped his chin. “That’s not a frequent thing for me, Trina. I want you to know that.” “It’s none of my business.” “No, I suppose it’s not.” “However.” I grinned slyly. “If you’re interested in one of my new friends, then I can promise you that not only will I not tell her how we truly met, or what you were doing that night, but that it makes me feel good to know that she’s not interested in a player.” He blinked rapidly several times and then his eyes flickered back behind me. I laughed softly and regained his attention. “Chelsea?” he asked, almost stunned. “See, Dad?” Derrick said. “Told you she wants you. She always gets this funny look on her face when she sees you.” I chortled into my wineglass. Aidan speared his son with a glare. “Don’t you have a videogame to play?” Derrick scowled. “You grounded me from them when I didn’t clean my room.”

“Right. Then call Shane and go skateboarding or something.” Derrick’s scowl turned into a look of exasperation. “And how am I supposed to call him if you also took my cellphone?” I laughed harder while Aidan shook his head. “Kids these days. They have the memory bank of a gnat,” he muttered and reached for his own cellphone in his back pocket. He handed it to Derrick. “Go do something that won’t end up with you in jail.” I watched Derrick walk away, fingers clicking away on his dad’s phone, and turned back to Aidan. “Excuse me for a moment, Trina.” I was stunned by Aidan’s sudden departure, but I turned to watch him walk directly toward Chelsea, who noticed him as soon as he got close. But at the last moment, right after he nodded in her direction and her lips turned up in a shy smile, he walked around her and continued on to where Tyson and Declan were still talking at the far end of the bar. Hmph. Perhaps both Aidan and Chelsea needed a firmer push in the right direction—that direction being toward one another. I smiled into my wineglass and giggled to myself. Look at me, happy with one guy, and already trying to fix up new friends. “You having fun?” Declan whispered into my ear, and I swallowed the last of my wine. “Yeah, but I’m going to head out back and check on Boomer.” “I fed him about an hour ago.” “Okay. Then I might just take him for a quick walk or something.” He reached for me, brushing his hand over mine, sitting on top of the bar. “Listen, Tyson said—” I shook my head. “I don’t want to hear it.” “Trina—” “No.” I shook my head again. “Today has been really good, and I don’t want to think about anything else. I just…I’m feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed with all the attention and everything. I need a few minutes to catch my breath.” He frowned, but slowly nodded. Leaning toward me, he brushed his lips against mine before he pulled away. “Stay close, though. I’m serious. We’ll talk about Tyson’s news later.” I caught the seriousness mixed with concern in his expression. Doom and gloom settled inside my chest like a rain cloud. “Just a quick walk around the block. I’ll be back in five minutes, okay?” He leaned forward and whispered, “Five minutes and then I’m coming looking for you.” I showed him I was willing to comply with his request by rolling to my toes and kissing him firmly on the lips. “I’ll be back soon. Stop worrying.”

Chapter 19 Trina I sensed something wasn’t right as soon as the metal door to the alley clanged shut behind me. “Boomer?” I called his name as I took a step toward him. He stood with his whole body tensed, his ears back, staring at the large dumpster, making small, quiet whimpering noises. “Boomer?” I said again and took another step toward him. He continued ignoring me. His tail stuck straight out behind him, not wagging in his typical easygoing manner. “What is it, boy?” I ran my hand along the top of his head when I reached him, and was surprised to hear him release a low growl. My dog didn’t growl. Except when he was being threatened. Anxiety sparked in my veins and I wrapped my fingers around his collar, pulling him back toward the restaurant. “Come on, boy. Let’s go inside.” Declan would be furious, but I didn’t care. I also figured he’d get over it. I yanked Boomer’s collar again when he let out a fierce bark and lunged forward, but the leash that I’d installed for him jolted him backward. A sickening laugh echoed in the alley and I immediately jumped back. “Seems to me that your fucking mutt hasn’t learned anything in the weeks you’ve been gone, Katrina.” My blood chilled as Kevin stepped out from his hiding spot. My eyes widened and I stepped closer to Boomer, seeking protection from my husband. With his perfectly styled blond hair and narrowed blue eyes, he looked exactly like the man who beat me up just weeks ago. Evil. Sick. Cowardly. That’s what he was. Always had been. “What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice strained and my words thick. My hand on Boomer’s back trembled with fear when Kevin began walking toward me, and I noticed the gun in his hand. He had a gun.

“You’ll be coming with me.” He spoke as if we were talking about the weather, or an upcoming dinner. So calm and collected, but I’d seen the darkness that raged beneath his perfectly chiseled looks and designer suits. “I told you last week that this game of yours is over.” I shook my head rapidly, pulling Boomer toward me while I stepped back, keeping him in front of me. “You’ll stop right there.” Kevin lifted his hand, aiming the gun at Boomer, and I froze immediately. “I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.” “I’m not leaving with you. I told you over the phone, Kevin. I’m never returning to your home, or to Kentucky.” He tilted his head to the side. “But you’ll stay here? Slumming it with a bar owner? You’re better than that.” “I’m better than you,” I sneered, anger and fury beginning to replace the fear I should have been feeling. I wasn’t afraid. Not of Kevin hurting me. Not anymore. I had learned too much about myself, tolerated his abuse for far too long, to allow myself to be cowed by him and his threats. “You’re nothing without me,” he said and began walking toward me again. “And if you won’t come with me willingly, then I’ll have to convince you.” Without warning, he pointed the gun down and I jumped as a loud bang echoed in the alley. “What the hell!” I asked as I watched Boomer fall to the ground. His whine pierced me and tore my heart in two. “No!” I dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms around my dog, and tried to lift him, but he was too slippery. Why was he slippery? I clung to Boomer, understanding but not admitting what I knew had just happened. He’d shot my dog. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I sobbed, pulling at Boomer, but he was so heavy. And wet. “Enough!” Kevin shouted, and yanked me to my feet. “You shot my dog!” I screamed, and then I felt the brick wall hit the back of my head as he slammed me against it. “You’re a fucking monster, Kevin, and I hate you!” “I said enough!” His spittle hit my cheeks, and I squeezed my eyes closed. I couldn’t believe this. My eyes went to Boomer but Kevin was squeezing my throat, making it difficult to breathe. “I told you to never leave me, Katrina. I warned you what would happen, and your damn dog on the pavement there is only the first thing that’s going to happen. Now quit fucking around. We’re going home. You have apologizing that you need to do.” My lips twisted and I cringed back against the wall. That small movement allowed me time to draw in a breath. “Never. You’ll have to kill me first.” I barely got the sentence out before metal was pressed against my temple.

My eyes widened and I clenched my hands into fists. Amazing, really. My life began just weeks ago in that alley, and at that moment, I felt as if it could end there. “Tell me, Katrina.” Kevin leaned forward, so close I could smell his breath and his cologne. “Have you enjoyed yourself, whoring around and fucking a man who owns a sleazy joint like this damn local bar? Is that the kind of woman you’ve become? A slut who spreads her legs for any willing man?” “Yes,” I said, seething. I had nothing to lose. Blood rushed to my brain and my temples pulsed, but I refused to back down. “I like fucking him, Kevin, because it’s good. Best I’ve ever had. He doesn’t take what he wants, but he gives me what I need and—” “Shut the hell up, you lying fucking whore!” “What the—” Kevin and I snapped our heads toward the intrusion and my eyes almost bugged out of my head. “Go inside!” I shouted at Declan even as he opened the door further. It took him a half second to take in the situation in front of him and his gaze fixed on me. “Get out here,” Kevin said, taking the gun off my temple and waving it at Declan, who still stood in the doorway. “Now.” Declan’s eyes dropped to where Boomer was lying on the ground. I saw him flinch before he obeyed Kevin and stepped into the alley. “Don’t do it—” Kevin’s hand tightened on my throat, cutting off the end of my sentence. Tears blurred my vision as Declan brought his eyes back to me. “You hurt?” he asked, stepping into the alley and letting the door close behind him. He lifted his hands and took several steps away from us. Away from me. Away from the crazy guy with the gun. Not that I could blame him, but somehow it stung. “Don’t talk to her.” Kevin pressed the gun against my temple again, but kept his eyes on Declan. “Here’s what is going to happen,” he said, enunciating each word. “My wife and I are going to leave and you’re going to stay there, doing nothing.” Declan tilted his head to the side and smirked. “I am?” Kevin grinned, a sick-looking, cold, twisted grin that made bile rise in my throat. “You are. Because if you so much as move a foot toward us, I have no problem shooting this gun at either you or her, or her dog,” he chuckled and looked down at Boomer. I couldn’t. A sob tore from my throat as he laughed at my dog, bleeding on the ground. “Again.” “Take her,” Declan said, and I caught the tail end of his shrug as I looked at him. “You can have her.” I searched his face for any clue that he was lying, that he didn’t mean what he just said. The he wasn’t just handing me back over to this sick prick I’d called my husband. He didn’t give anything away, and I closed my eyes after I saw nothing hidden in his dark eyes. He looked like he meant it.

“Declan.” “It’s been fun, Trina,” he said. I opened my eyes at the way he said my name. His lips were pulled into a tight line and his dark eyes were on me, expressionless. “But I didn’t sign up for this.” “See?” Kevin sneered, shoving me into the wall to get my attention. “Just a whore who spread her legs.” The reality of the moment seeped into my lungs and I choked out another sob as my knees buckled. Kevin gripped me tighter and pulled me toward him, my back to his chest and his gun at my temple, using me as a shield. “We best be getting on home then, shouldn’t we, darling?” I stared at Declan, waiting for some clue that he was going to fight for me, fight for us… what I thought we were building. What did he just say a little while ago? Take the time to figure out you…we’ll figure us out together. I recalled the way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me. How could he be so cold now? So unaffected? I sniffed and licked my lips. “Don’t let him take me,” I whispered in a hoarse voice. “Please, Declan.” “Shut up,” Kevin hissed in my ear. He jerked me to the side, and as I flinched, I caught it—a small tightening around Declan’s eyes. It was just a flash of a movement, but I saw it nonetheless. He was not unaffected by this. He was just trying really hard to hide it. I didn’t know what hurt more. That he didn’t care, or that he did, but was still willing to throw me away. “Mr. Morgenson.” Tyson’s voice rang out from behind us, forcing Kevin to take a step away from Declan. Kevin’s back was almost to Declan as he shifted to see someone new enter the alley from behind the dumpster. “Fuck,” Kevin whispered, taking several more steps back. “I wouldn’t move any further,” Tyson said, making himself seen. A breath forced its way out of my chest. Tyson held a gun, aimed directly at Kevin and me, and in his other hand, he was holding out a badge. Relief began to replace my fear. “Who the fuck are you?” Kevin asked, pressing the gun harder into my temple. My body began to shake as adrenaline coursed through me, and I lifted my hands to wrap my fingers around his arm at my throat. “Agent Blackwell, FBI. I’m going to suggest you drop your weapon and you won’t get hurt.” “Take another step and I’ll blow her fucking brains out.” “No you won’t,” Tyson said, with all the confidence in the world. My gaze leapt to Declan and, as our eyes met, he quickly mouthed, “I’m sorry.” I saw the pain in his eyes and relief strengthened my resolve. I realized what I should have

known earlier. He wasn’t willing to let me go, he just knew Tyson was coming. A sob bubbled in my throat as I tried to stay in the present. Kevin wasn’t going to hurt me. Not again. I gasped and pressed my fingernails into Kevin’s arms. “See, we have a problem here, Kevin Morgenson III,” Tyson said, and my gaze went back to his to see him smirking. He looked like he was enjoying this, calm and collected with his gun still trained on Kevin. “Seems to me that you wouldn’t want to be charged with first-degree murder, which would surely be added on to the embezzlement charges that you’re currently being investigated for.” What? My eyes widened as I listened to Tyson. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” “I do.” Tyson took a small step forward. Kevin must have been too focused on what he was hearing, too fearful, because the gun at my temple began to shake and his hold loosened around my throat. I inhaled a deep, much-needed breath and closed my eyes. If I pushed forward, I could shove him off me. Could I do it before he shot me? “See, it pays to have friends who owe you favors, and I have loads of them. And since we’ve come to know Trina, and knew you were looking for her, I’ve been trying to find you. In doing so, I’ve uncovered a slew of charges from your past that have been dismissed. Unfortunately, I don’t think stealing over five hundred thousand dollars from your current law firm is going to go over well.” “Lawyers,” Declan muttered, shaking his head. “Always a bunch of assholes.” Tyson snickered. “You assholes don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I know if you don’t take that gun off Trina in point five seconds, you’re going to end up with a bullet between your eyes,” Tyson said. I saw muscles tense on his arm as his hold tightened on the gun. He wasn’t kidding. “You aren’t taking me in,” Kevin snapped. The gun returned to its painful position at my temple. I squeezed my eyes closed, knowing this could be it for me. He adjusted his hold on me and I snapped my eyes open. He put me directly in front of Tyson and began tugging me backward, toward the street. In the distance, I heard sirens, but they were all background noise. Kevin continued jerking me backward, so roughly that I almost tripped over his feet, but I righted myself. Tyson followed us, but kept his distance. “Mr. Morgenson,” he called, but Kevin didn’t stop. “This will end easier for you if you give up now.” Kevin laughed. He sounded maniacal. When had he become so crazy? My mind was

swirling with the accusation Tyson had thrown at him when Kevin laughed again and said, “You don’t know anything. You’ll never take me in. I won’t allow it.” The sirens grew louder as we moved closer to the street. Hope unfurled inside my chest. There was no way Kevin was getting out of this. I just had to survive it. Forcing myself to go limp, I relaxed into his hold and whispered, “Kevin.” My eyes darted to Declan, walking behind Tyson. Muscles were bunched in his shoulders and his hands were balled into fists. The intensity in his expression scared even me. “Let me go, Kevin,” I whispered. “Do it, and I swear I’ll be with you.” It was my Hail Mary pass, the only thing I could think of to promise him. If I left with him, if I agreed to, if he didn’t see me as a threat or a hindrance to getting away, perhaps I could buy myself a chance. “I know you will, darling,” he said, loud enough for Tyson and Declan to hear. “No man is getting you. Remember? You’re mine. Always.” I swallowed down the bile I felt rising in my throat and nodded. “Always. I know.” Declan flinched and I knew he’d heard. I didn’t care. I was doing this for us. For me. We reached the street just as the sounds of sirens and squealing tires surrounded us. A door slammed and I tensed in Kevin’s hold. I turned to Declan and, without thinking, mouthed, “I love you.” His eyes widened and his lips parted. “Freeze!” It seemed as if a dozen voices shouted at once. Kevin jerked me around and it felt as if time stopped, or we were moving in slow motion. I heard him curse. Felt him jerk. And then his arm was gone from my waist and I was falling forward. My hands smacked the warm cement just as a loud bang went off behind me. “Trina!” I heard Declan shout my name as my forehead slammed against the pavement.

Chapter 20 Trina When I opened my eyes, I immediately flinched away from the blinding light, cringing and twisting my head to the side. “You’re awake.” Slowly, I opened my eyes again and then gasped when I saw Declan sitting in front of me. My eyes stung and I squeezed them shut. “Trina,” he said, and reached for my hands. “I’m okay, and you’re okay.” Shudders racked my body. Opening my eyes again, I licked my lips. “I almost got you shot.” “No,” he said. “Nothing happened to me.” I tried to tug my hand from his but he tightened his grip. “All of this was because of me.” My chin wobbled. I tried to look away, but he reached out with his other hand and pressed it against my cheek. “This was not your fault, Trina. And Kevin is no longer an issue for you, or for us.” I struggled not to look away from him. “Are you really okay?” I asked, trying to sit up in a bed that I didn’t recognize. It was only then I looked around the room and noticed I was in a hospital bed. Curtains were drawn around the left side of the bed and in front of me. My eyes opened wider and I sat up with a jerk. “Hey…,” Declan said in a soothing tone that did nothing to calm me. “Where am I? And why am I here?” “You’re at Detroit General,” he said. “You passed out in the alley and were brought here for shock. They gave you something to help you sleep. They thought you might have a concussion from how hard you went down, but you don’t.” I shook my head rapidly. “I don’t…I don’t remember that. Just…oh my God…Boomer.” Tears spilled down my cheeks and I brushed them away. “He was taken to a vet, honey. Calm down, okay? Just give yourself some time to wake up and we’ll talk about everything.” There was no time to talk. I had to get out of here. I needed to leave…and go…somewhere. My breath came in small ragged pants, and I began pushing the scratchy sheets off of me. “Hey.” Declan stopped me, one of his hands on my hip and one on my wrist. “Trina. Calm down for a moment. Nurses will be in here if your heart rate skyrockets any further.”

“Kevin?” I asked, not feeling calm in the least. The last thing I remembered was his gun at my temple. Declan’s eyes softened minutely. His voice was even gentler than his expression. “He shot himself, sweetheart. As soon as cops jumped out of their cars with their guns aimed at him.” I squeezed my eyes closed. I hated the man. Hated how I had stayed with him for so long, and tolerated his abuse for longer than I should have. He shot my dog, threatened to kill me and Declan. I despised him with an undying passion, but did I want him dead? It seemed so…ugly. So final. I shook my head, unable and unwilling to think about Kevin. In the days to come, I knew I would, but at that moment, I was just grateful to be alive. “What time is it?” My eyes flickered around the small space. I pressed my hand to my chest and felt my heart racing. Boomer was shot. Declan and Tyson could have been injured. Kevin killed himself. And all of it was because of me. How could I calm down? Declan’s hand smoothed my hair and he cupped the back of my head, pulling me so close to him I could only see his eyes, lips, and mouth. Which began moving, slowly. “It’s just after seven, sweetheart. You’ve only been asleep for a few hours. Please, take a deep breath.” I swallowed, unable to listen to him. “Breathe, sweetheart.” That time, I did. I pulled in a breath and let out a sob. “That’s it, sweetheart,” Declan crooned, pulling me closer. “Breathe.” I did again, and then again. And soon, after listening to his calm, soothing voice, I blew out a shaky breath and my forehead collapsed onto his shoulder. “I almost got you shot,” I cried out, feeling my shoulders begin to shake. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me toward him until I was on his lap. “Nothing happened to me.” “But—” “No buts, Trina. You’re not to blame here.” “You could have died!” I cried out louder. “Or Tyson. And Boomer!” “Shhh.” He pulled me tighter and one of his hands began rubbing large circles on my back, his warm hand pressed against my skin. “Blue’s been talking to the vet hospital. We think Boomer’s going to be just fine. The bullet lodged in his stomach and he’s in surgery.” A sob racked my chest and I pressed myself more firmly into Declan’s embrace. “And I’m fine, but there’s a silver lining here that you haven’t seen yet.” I rolled my forehead back and forth against his shoulder. “What?” He chuckled softly, his breath tickling my collarbone, then he pushed me away from him

slightly. With both hands, he framed my cheeks. “You’re free from that asshole, forever. He can never hurt you, never scare you again.” I let that settle inside me, too afraid to believe it. “But he’s dead.” I hiccupped, unable to be happy that a man I hated a few hours ago was now dead. The reality crashed down on me and I pulled away from Declan, wiping tears off my cheeks. “I should go.” His eyebrows snapped together. “What?” “Leave. I mean, go somewhere. You don’t need this. You don’t need my baggage or my history or the reminder of what Kevin’s done, what I brought to your doorstep—” His lips hit mine powerfully and I sucked in a breath. He stole the rest of my words from me when his tongue slid inside my mouth. His hands clamped around the sides of my neck, pressing me against him. “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled, breaking the kiss and leaving me panting for more. “But—” “But nothing. You think I’m going to let the woman I love walk away from me after everything that happened today? You’re nuts.” I blinked rapidly and my lips parted. “What?” Declan smirked. “You heard me. You think I’m letting the woman I love walk away? No way in fucking hell.” “Um.” “I love you, Trina.” I swallowed and blinked again. This wasn’t happening. I was too stunned to speak. Did he really just say that? He tilted his head to the side and his smirk turned into a grin. “Anything you want to say back?” “I—” I had nothing. No words. Nada. Zilch. “Right.” Declan nodded and leaned forward to push a button on the side of my bed. “Then we’re getting you out of here. I’m taking you home and I’m not letting you out of my sight.” “What happened to giving me time to figure out me?” I asked stupidly. “That was before you almost got shot, before I saw a gun pressed to your temple, and I faced the idea of losing you. Never gonna happen. You’re not moving into Blue’s pad, you’re moving into mine, and with that asshole out of the picture, we’re free to move on and do our thing, together.” “This is a lot to process, Declan.” Not the least of which was that he loved me. Because I’d already figured out that I was in love with him. I figured it happened the first morning I woke up in his house and he’d let me sleep in, and took care of Boomer. But saying it now wasn’t right. Not after today. It had to be his adrenaline making him crazy.

“I know it is.” He cupped my neck and pulled me closer to him, sliding his lips across mine before he shifted me off his lap and back to the bed. “But I’ll help you through it, every step of the way. And then I’m going to take you home and make love to you fiercely until you’re screaming out that you love me, too. I already know you do. You told me.” I did? I didn’t remember, but as I saw him grin when my lips twisted, I knew I had. I blinked again. My eyes must have been malfunctioning. Or my brain, because I again opened my mouth and stupidly said, “That’s um…well, that’s a lot of pressure.” His lips twitched and he laughed softly. “Nothing to worry about. But I plan on reminding you what you mouthed to me on the sidewalk. And I plan on doing that in my bed, with you beneath me. Or maybe I’ll let you do all the work.” — “Declan,” I called out while my orgasm was still rolling through me. Tonight I was learning that Declan was a liar, at least he was when it came to me doing all the work. Because while it may have started with him lying on his back in his bed, he quickly grabbed my hips, pulled me off him, and settled me right on his face. He’d already given me one orgasm, but the second one had my entire body shaking and shivering from his unrelenting touch. “Say it, Trina,” he taunted, and went back to tasting me. My palms pressed against the wall above his headboard and my head fell back. “Fine!” I shouted. “I love you!” His tongue slid through my wetness and his fingers dug into my waist when I tried to move away from him. His deep laughter rumbled before he began pressing kisses against my inner thighs. “Knew I’d get it out of you eventually.” He pulled me back and I placed my hands next to the sides of his head, on the pillow beneath him. My heart was racing. He’d exhausted me to the point where I couldn’t be angry with him, not that I wanted to be. His weight shifted and he rolled, taking me along with him until I was on my back and he was on top of me. “Help me inside you, Trina.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I also couldn’t deny this request. I slide my hand between us and wrapped my fingers around him. Just the thought of him inside me had my body warming all over again. “Declan.” I whispered his name as I placed his tip at my entrance and he slowly pushed in. “Tell me again.” I blinked and tried to focus on him but it was difficult. He felt so good inside of me. He stopped moving when I didn’t say anything and my fingers dug into his hips, trying to push him forward. “Tell me, Trina.”

I dragged my eyes up to his and smirked. “You first.” He dropped one elbow next to me and his hand pressed against my check, sliding his thumb over my lips. “I love you, Trina.” “Wow,” I sighed. “You’re good at that.” I was shocked at how I could tease him. Between the day we had and the overwhelming sensation those words caused, I was still having a hard time thinking clearly. “Sweetheart,” he murmured, leaning closer to me. I was the one who benefited from this change in the way he leaned his body, because it forced his cock deeper inside me. “Yes.” My eyes began to roll back and I slid my hands from his hips to his back, holding him to me. “I love you, Declan. So much. Thank you for taking care of me.” “Always,” he grunted and pushed himself in until he couldn’t go further. “I’ll always take care of you.” Then he began to move, and after another orgasm, he cleaned us up and climbed into bed with me, pulled me to his chest, held me close, and proved that he was always going to take care of me when he quietly whispered, “Nothing will ever hurt you again, and tomorrow, when we’re rested, we can talk more about what happened today and what’s going to happen next.” I was so sated from the multiple orgasms, drunk on not only admitting that I was in love with this man, but realizing that he loved me too, that I couldn’t say anything except, “Okay, honey.” His arms tightened and he kissed the top of my head. And on a day when I’d witnessed the most horrific things I’d ever seen in my life, I was somehow still able to close my eyes, lean in closer to Declan until I draped myself all over his body, and fall into a restful sleep. Because I knew that no matter what happened, regardless of my future, I knew that Declan would be there for me. We’d walk through whatever difficulties life brought our way together. I just hoped that walk grew easier than our beginning had been.

Chapter 21 Trina It was after breakfast the next day, after Declan took a call from Tyson and the local police officer working the case, and after he’d made a phone call to Gabriella checking in on the status of Boomer. Declan had told me to sit down, eat, and take a load off, and that he’d take care of everything, which he did, and then he turned to me. “If you’re full and ready, we need to talk.” I took a sip of my coffee. “Okay.” “First, Blue spoke to the vet hospital this morning and Boomer is still sedated, but he’s going to be fine.” A forceful breath left my lips, loosening a tightness in my chest. “Oh my God,” I gasped, and pressed my hands to my chest. Tears stung my eyes, but I fought them back. “Can I see him?” Declan nodded. “Later today we can go in, but he’s going to have to stay at the hospital for a few more days so they can keep an eye on him.” I didn’t hear anything after “later.” My dog was okay. Kevin hadn’t hurt him too badly. I pressed my lips together and swallowed to get rid of my tears. “First, though, we have to head to the police station so you can give your statement about what happened yesterday.” I flashed him wide eyes. “I do?” “They just need to know what happened before we got there, and I’ll be there with you.” My brow furrowed. “Do you have to give a statement?” “Told them everything I could while you were sleeping in the hospital.” He reached out and slid his hand to my neck and squeezed. Immediately, my pulse began to slow. “I still can’t believe this is happening. What did Tyson mean yesterday about the embezzlement charges?” In all the mayhem, I’d completely forgotten about all that. Not that it was high on my priority list by any means, but I was still curious. “That was one of the things Tyson told me he’d uncovered, that some men were looking for Kevin. It was all started very quietly, so he didn’t become suspicious, but I suspect that along with the suicide, that this will be public knowledge soon.” “Public knowledge,” I muttered and once again my heart began racing. “Public? As in media?” “Relax, sweetheart. Nothing will harm you. I won’t let them.” “But the media. Senator Morgenson. Oh my God. Are there reporters here?”

I’d seen what happened when someone connected with a public official caused a scandal. That Kevin died would make all of this so much worse. Declan’s lip twisted and he cursed. “His father has been notified and, last I heard, he’s on his way here.” My hand flew to my chest. “No.” “We can keep you from them as long as possible.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “I can’t see them.” “We’ll hold that off for as long as possible.” Several moments passed with us staring at each other, me freaking out slightly, Declan calmly taking my pulse and measuring my reaction. “Is that it?” I asked once I calmed down and decided to trust him. If Declan said he’d protect me from Senator Morgenson, I believed him. He smiled. “Vet visits, police-station visits, reporters and in-laws heading into town?” “Well when you put it like that…” He stood up and dropped his hand from my neck. I felt the loss as my skin cooled. “No.” My eyes jumped open. “No?” He grinned. “My mom called. She and my dad are on their way here, too. They’re flying in later and should be here by dinner.” I jumped out of my chair. “Your parents?” “Their son was almost shot yesterday, sweetheart. You didn’t think they’d come see me? Plus, they want to meet you.” His grin was larger. He looked so damn sexy dressed in his typical faded jeans and simple white shirt. With one hand holding a mug of coffee, he looked delicious, too good to be true. And too amused. “You think this is funny?” I shrieked. Yes, shrieked. I pointed my finger at my chest. “I could have gotten you shot and now they’re coming here? And I’m going to meet them? They’re going to hate me!” My hands flailed out at my sides before slapping against my thighs. “This is horrible.” He laughed and I glared at him. “This isn’t funny.” Setting his coffee cup down, he failed to wipe the smile off his face as he stepped toward me and pulled me into his arms. “What I think is funny is that after everything else I just told you, you freak out the most about meeting my parents.” “They’re going to hate me.” And it was important they didn’t. I already knew they didn’t like Mara. “They’ll love you because I do, and they’ll see that. Talked to them this morning before you woke up and it’s all good, Trina, swear to you. Trust me.” “I do.” “Then go get ready, we’ve got a full day ahead of us.” Right. Police station. Vet hospital. Just a typical Sunday.

“Okay,” I muttered, and dropped my forehead to his chest before stepping out of his arms. He didn’t let me go, though. “You forgetting something?” he asked. I was probably forgetting a lot of things. Like my sanity, which had somehow been misplaced. “Um.” “Kiss me.” I was given no time to comply before his hands slid up my back to my shoulders and then wrapped around the sides of my throat. Declan’s lips hit mine and his tongue slid right in. I succumbed and kissed him back, pressing my chest against his, and holding on for dear life. When I ended the kiss, Declan’s eyes were soft as he looked at me. “Love you, sweetheart.” “You too, honey,” I replied, feeling slightly dazzled. His eyes softened further before his hands dropped from my neck and he dipped his chin in the direction of the doorway. “Go shower before I have to call the police station and tell them why we’re going to be delayed.” I flashed him wide eyes and watched his lips curl into a seductive grin. “I’m going.” I held up my hands and took two steps back before I turned and ran out of the kitchen. Behind me, all I heard was Declan’s laughter. And I couldn’t stop a smile from spreading on my cheeks. Only Declan would give me something like this. In the face of something horrific, something horribly scary, he not only made me safe…he made me feel safe. He was taking care of me and making things easy for me, and I knew he didn’t mind, because he wanted to do it. And while I was in the shower, trying not to think about everything that was going to happen later, I decided that as long as he was willing to take care of me, I was willing to let him. Because while I didn’t make him safe, the way he did for me, I knew that I gave him other things he needed, and that was the true measure of a healthy relationship: knowing what your partner needed and breaking your back to give it to them; knowing that they were breaking their back to give you what you needed, so you both ended up fulfilled and satisfied. I might not have had a lot of healthy relationships in my life, but I was determined to make this relationship with Declan the best one that either of us had. And I hoped like hell we’d learned from our mistakes in the past, so we could make our relationship better and stronger. — “He’ll be okay, though? You promise?” Dr. Klaus tugged at the ends of his stethoscope and gave me a reassuring smile. “He’ll be just fine. Like I said, keeping him here for the next few days is just a cautionary measure. We’re fortunate that when the bullet struck him, it didn’t hit any major arteries.” I sunk into Declan’s side and closed my eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” “When he gets home, though,” Dr. Klaus said, “don’t forget that he won’t be able to jump on furniture for a few weeks until his stitches are removed. We’ll go over further instructions

when he’s ready to go home, but if there’s anything you need to do to make his life easier for the next six weeks, I like to give owners time to do that.” I nodded frantically. “We will.” He headed for the door and gave me another smile. “Take all the time you want with him, just try to keep him calm. He’s still coming out of sedation and shouldn’t get overly excited.” I was the one who was in danger of becoming overly excited. In one of their recovery rooms for dogs, something that looked like a miniature hotel room in a four-foot-by-six-foot kennel, complete with doggy bed and pillow, Boomer was lounging lazily, his tail barely wagging. Even his jowls seemed more droopy than normal. Declan gave me another squeeze and shoved me gently in Boomer’s direction. “Go sit with him and hug him. You know you want to.” I smiled because he was right, but Declan didn’t see it, because I was already moving, getting down on my knees in the short doorway in front of Boomer. He had a large gauze bandage on his chest. Dr. Klaus had told me there was another bandage on his stomach, but I couldn’t see it. He had a total of ten stitches in two locations, the entry wound and the incision necessary for the surgery. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered hoarsely as my hand rested on top of his head. Boomer’s tail tapped against the bed twice before settling down. “I’m so sorry I got you shot, buddy. But I swear to you, you get home and get better and I’ll be the best doggy mommy anyone’s ever seen.” His cold, black nose nudged the palm of my hand and he licked it once before setting his face back down on the pillow. I stayed with him for several minutes, gently running my hand from his head to his tail until his eyes closed and I knew he’d fallen back asleep. Leaning forward, I kissed the top of his head. “I’ll be back to see you tomorrow, I promise.” Pushing back up to my feet, I headed out of the kennel to see Declan’s soft eyes on mine. He held out his hand and took mine, and pulled me to him. He kissed the top of my head and I smiled, because it was so similar to how I’d just kissed Boomer’s. “You’re already a great doggy mom,” he whispered. “And he’s going to be just fine, too.” “I know.” My chin wobbled but I held my emotion in. Between the vet and the police station I was too exhausted to shed any more tears today. “Ready to head to the airport?” No. No, I wasn’t. I’d already spent an hour at the police station giving Officer Mars my statement, telling him everything I could remember from yesterday. He had been kind and patient with me, but I still left there feeling ragged and drained. The entire time, all I could think of was getting to Boomer. Now that I had seen him and been assured he was going to be just fine, I wanted a nap. A really long one. Possibly another bubble bath. The look on my face must have expressed my thoughts for me. A low rumble sounded in my chest and Declan snickered. “They’ll like you, I promise. And if they don’t, I don’t care.”

“I want them to like me.” He pushed me back from him, his hands framing my face. “And they will, because they’ll see how happy you make me and how incredible you are. Swear it.” “Okay,” I muttered, somewhat petulantly. This only made Declan laugh a little bit harder as he guided me out of the recovery area of the veterinary hospital. I wanted to believe him. But I could only imagine what his parents must be thinking and feeling right now. If I was ever in their shoes, I would certainly not be excited to meet a woman whose husband showed up outside their son’s place of business and aimed a gun at their son before killing himself.

Chapter 22 Declan “Stop fidgeting,” I muttered, even though her nervousness was making it difficult not to laugh. Next to me, Trina ran her hands down the sides of her skinny jeans, which were tucked into a pair of dark-brown boots. I’d rolled my eyes earlier, when she came downstairs dressed in jeans and boots and a simple, white, V-neck T-shirt, asking if we could stop by a mall and do some shopping for a better outfit. Like my parents gave a shit what she wore. And right now, dressed as simply as she was, she looked beautiful. Her blonde hair was braided down her back, and I knew it was more than just the nerves making her cheeks flush. She was excited at the same time. And once again, I was fucking grateful that I could give her something to look forward to, something to help erase all the shit we’d gone through in the last twenty-four hours. But I was even more thankful that she could at least be excited about something, knowing that just yesterday, her husband held a gun to her fucking head. I held her last night as she slept. I hadn’t slept for a single second, because I kept expecting nightmares to wake her and I wanted to be there to comfort her. Other than the shock from Boomer being hurt, though, she seemed to be doing okay. Or she was burying it in a deep pit of denial, and it was all going to overflow when she least expected it. Which meant that for the next few days, or weeks, I’d have to keep a closer eye on her. Not that that was a hardship. She was beautiful and I wanted to look at her every day for the rest of my life. Which, surprisingly, wasn’t at that all scary to think about, considering that up until about six weeks ago, I was dead set on the idea of never getting married again. Now, not only had I practically forced Trina to move in with me, I couldn’t wait to see my bling decorating her ring finger. As if knowing what I was thinking, even though she’d think I was crazy for it, she brushed against my side. I wrapped one arm low on her waist, loving the way she fit so perfectly next to me. “I can’t help but be nervous,” she said, her voice just above a whisper, and tipped her head back. I covered her hand with mine and scowled. “Stop thinking about it.” “I can’t help it.”

“My parents are good people, Trina. They’re kind and they’re open. My dad is going to punch me in the shoulder, my mom is going to roll her eyes and hug me, fussing over the fact that I could have been hurt, and then she’s going to hug you and welcome you to the family.” “They’re going to investigate what kind of crazy woman you’re connected to.” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and tugged her closer. “We’ll see.” My foot began to tap impatiently. I was beginning to grow anxious, not about seeing my parents, but about proving Trina wrong. When I called my parents last night, just to give them a heads-up once Tyson had reminded me that this disaster would probably hit the media at some point—and soon—after the shock wore off, all my mom said was, “You happy?” When I told her yes, I could almost see her smile through the phone line before she said they’d be on the soonest flight out. My eyes scanned the new crowd of people coming down the escalator toward the baggage claim. Being a head taller than everyone else had its perks in situations like this, and it didn’t take me long to spot my mom and dad on the escalator. His full head of hair seemed grayer than it had just a few months ago, when I saw them last, but his amber eyes were the same. I watched as he placed his arm around my mom’s waist and pulled her to his hip in a way that was similar to how I was holding Trina. His eyes scanned the area. Like father, like son. His chin lifted in acknowledgement when our eyes met, and I got Trina’s attention. Gesturing with my index finger, I pointed to where my parents were and she rose to her toes. “They’re here.” She turned to look for them, and I grinned as my dad began pushing his way through a small throng of people without appearing to be rude while doing so. He just had that way about him, and at six foot two and over two hundred pounds, he was smaller than me now, but he still was not a guy to mess with. Years of being in the Army Reserve and working as a firefighter had made him a man no one wanted to mess with. “My boy,” my mom said when she saw us. Immediately her hands framed my face and she pulled me to her. I inhaled the familiar scent of jasmine before her lips brushed against my cheek. “Hey, Ma.” She let go of my face and smiled. “What am I going to do with my boys?” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and nodded toward Trina. “Ma, this is Trina.” I didn’t have the time to introduce Trina to my mom before she threw her arms around Trina’s shoulders and she yanked her from my hold. “Oh, you poor thing! I can’t imagine everything you’ve gone through. Are you okay?” My shoulder jerked back with the force of my dad’s punch and I lifted a hand to rub the sore spot. “What’s up, old man?” I looked at Trina to see her eyes wide and amused.

I flashed her a wink and nodded toward my dad. “Dad, Trina. Trina, this is my old man.” “Old man, my ass,” he muttered and reached out to take Trina’s hand in his. My mom released Trina from her hug, but she was fussing over Trina like she was her very own longlost daughter. Trina’s eyes grew wider when my dad brushed his lips across her cheek, looked back at me, grinning, and said, “She tastes delicious. I can see why you like her.” Trina’s face paled. My mom slapped my dad on the back of his head. He shrugged. I threw my head back and laughed. “See?” I pulled Trina into my arms when my dad left to go grab their luggage. “Told you they’d like you.” — “This is absurd,” Trina proclaimed as the door shut behind her. She unwrapped a scarlet scarf from her neck. Outside the door to my house, I could still hear shouts from reporters, and through the window, I could still see the flash of lights. They’d been camped out for the last forty-eight hours, and if Trina hadn’t insisted that our new life continue as normal—meaning going back to work at the restaurant between visits to the vet to see Boomer, and spending some time with my parents before they left town this morning—I would have wanted to just keep her inside the house until the chaos died down. It didn’t take long at all for Kevin’s death to become national news. The fact that the senator had flown in increased the media that descended on Latham Hills. Blue and Tyson spoke to us immediately. Blue had pulled Trina off to our bedroom and told her how to handle it, based on what she’d gone through only months before. The fact that Blue, formerly Gabriella Galecki, was seen in connection with Trina increased the attention on both women. At least the madness had caused traffic to pick up at the restaurant, even though I knew it would be short-lived. The number of people who flocked to Fireside wanting to see an actual crime scene, even though it’d been cleaned up and the yellow tape had been removed, amazed me. I was hoping that now that Kevin’s body had been transported back to Kentucky, interest in Trina would begin to die down, despite the speculation about why she’d been shacked up with another man since before Kevin died. News that Kevin had been abusive had been released, and Senator Morgenson made several public statements denying any knowledge of his son’s behavior, saying that now, so soon after his death, was not the time to look into such matters. And while Trina had initially been maligned in the papers, the senator, surprisingly, had also fervently supported Trina, saying that if this news was true, he was deeply sorry for the way his son mistreated someone so special. It’d been difficult for anyone to call her horrific names after such a public show of support,

and I knew it wouldn’t have happened if Trina hadn’t had the courage to face both the senator and his wife when they showed up in town the night after we took my parents to dinner. As I’d promised, my parents fell in love with Trina pretty much the moment we met at the airport. My mother continued to shower her with familial affection for their entire visit. By the time they boarded a plane to Arizona, I figured my mom was already planning a bridal shower and picking out colors for a wedding that hadn’t been planned yet…but it’d happen. It was only a matter of time. For now, I still wanted to take care of Trina and get her through the fallout of Kevin’s death with as much ease as possible. Even it if was three o’clock in the morning and reporters were camped out on my lawn. “You doing okay?” I asked, and pulled her into my arms once she removed her coat and draped it over the side of my couch. The last three days had seemed to go on forever. I was exhausted, but as soon as my hands brushed the skin at her back beneath her shirt, everything south of my waist perked up. “Yeah. I’m good.” “Kevin’s funeral is tomorrow.” I watched a deep line form between her eyes. A weight compressed my chest. “We can still head down there if you think you need that.” I’d mentioned it several times and should already have known her answer, but a part of me thought she needed the closure. That maybe she needed to go back to Kentucky and say goodbye, now that she wasn’t fleeing out of fear. But she still didn’t want to return unless she had to. “I don’t want to go.” “You’ve been sleeping all night.” She tilted her head to the side and frowned. “Is that a problem?” “No. I just figured after the week you’ve had, after you started realizing the truth of everything that’s happened, you might not sleep so well.” Her downturned lips turn upward. “Not sure how I can go to bed and not feel safe and protected from everything going on when your arms are around me and you’re holding me so tightly I fall asleep listening to your heart beat.” And there it was. I’d found a woman who trusted me implicitly, even when she slept. I’d fallen in love with a woman who not only loved me, but loved the life I’d built and the restaurant I wanted to grow. She not only loved it, she jumped right in, loving the work and the long, hard hours, right along with me. After Mara left, I might not have admitted it, but I sometimes wondered if I’d ever find a woman—a good woman—who wanted to be with a man who owned a simple, local sports bar. But just like Trina believed I could keep her safe and protected from everything that could harm her, I’d found a woman who, simply by being herself and all that she was—good, kind, pure, sexy as hell, and hilarious when she remembered she could tease people—had healed the parts of me Mara had wounded, and healed them so well there wasn’t even scar tissue left behind. Just a fresh newness inside of me that I couldn’t wait to share with her.

Of its own accord, my finger drew a circle around her ring finger. Her tan line was still there, the faded mark of her former ring still visible. I couldn’t wait to cover it up with my own diamond. It would no doubt be smaller than the one she’d had before, but I knew that she wouldn’t care. “I know things moved fast for us,” I whispered against the top of her head, pulling her close to me, “and I hope this doesn’t scare the hell out of you, but I can’t wait until I can make you mine.” Her soft laugh warmed my chest. “I’m already yours, Declan. Everything I am and everything I have is yours.” She tilted her head back, eyes sparkling with honesty and admiration. I loved this woman. I silenced her, pressing my lips to hers, and then I picked her up and carried her upstairs and into the bedroom, where I dropped her in the center of our bed. My body fell on top of her and her legs wrapped around my hips as I sank inside her, and I spent the next hour making love to the woman I knew would always be by my side. We’d already experienced darkness and rough times, and now, hopefully, it would only be smooth sailing from here on out.

Epilogue Trina SIX MONTHS LATER I scanned the full, but not packed, restaurant, and smiled. The lunch rush was over, but it was a Friday afternoon, and in the last several months, there had hardly been an empty table. With spring break starting soon, and the spring air bringing freshness and the hope of new beginnings, the Fireside Grill was doing better than it ever had, according to Declan. My grin stretched larger as I finished bussing a table and headed back to the kitchen. Declan was where I always saw him. At the grill, flipping burgers and barking orders to the other cooks. There was never a dull moment. Declan would give me the credit for his increase in business, due to all the hard work I’d put into the advertising and marketing for the restaurant. Some days, if someone came in and their eyes got slightly hazy when they met me or saw Declan, I still worried that some of the attraction was from what happened in the alley months ago. Most days, when I was able to forget, I believed Declan. He never lied to me. He still looked at me as if I was the most important and treasured thing in his life. He was still a bit bossy, he was still overprotective, but I knew his protectiveness came from a place deep within a soft and loving heart. Needless to say, the last several months had not only been busy, but some of the best in my life. Shortly after the media attention died down, I had tried one day to think about going forward with my plan to live on my own and move into Blue’s apartment. I knew, based on the look Declan gave me, that he’d let me. He probably would even have encouraged me to do it, because he always seemed to be willing to do whatever made me happy. But then I’d gone to bed with him, fell asleep with his strong, muscular arms surrounding me, and knew that I was never going to leave. I loved him too much to want to spend a moment away from him. And I realized that I could still grow, I could still be me, and I could do it in Declan’s house, even if moving in with him after the drama we’d had and the way we’d met seemed crazy to some. I quit caring what people thought and said about me the moment my photos were splashed across newspapers and magazines nationwide.

No one knew the full story except for those who experienced it. And their opinions were the only ones that mattered to me. Fortunately, in the last several months, I had also found a great network of friends who I now considered family. The girls I’d met on that girls’ night so many months ago were now more like sisters I’d never had and always wanted. We still drank too much on Margarita Thursdays. We still laughed loudly enough to disrupt the entire restaurant, and Suzanne still ogled Declan every moment she could. Fortunately, I’d also spent a lot of time around her husband and Paige’s, and was fully assured that her jesting and teasing was all in good fun. My life was perfect. It was that thought that had me moving straight to Declan. I waited while he plated several meals, his movements so sure and quick that he seemed to do it all at the same time, and then I rolled to my toes, pressed my hand to his shoulder, and kissed his cheek. “I love you,” I whispered, before moving away. He didn’t let me get far. His arm snagged me around my waist and he held me against him, looking down at me with dark eyes and a full smile. “I love you, too. How’s it going out there?” I grinned. “Busy.” “You still up for a night off?” My grin grew. Declan was taking me out to dinner tonight, downtown. I didn’t know the restaurant we were headed to, but I had seen the dress he bought for me to wear laid out on our bed this morning after I woke up. It was black, lacy and satiny, fit me perfectly, and I couldn’t wait to wear it. I had also seen a pretty, red-velvet ring box in the drawer last week when I was putting away his laundry. I knew that tonight was going to be special. Declan would make sure of it. I couldn’t freaking wait. “Yeah.” I sighed and my gaze softened when his eyes went glassy. “I can’t wait to see you tonight.” All that muscle dressed up in a suit. I hadn’t yet seen him wear one. My thighs tightened at the thought…but I was thinking more about taking it off him later. My phone began vibrating against me in my back pocket and made me jump out of his hold. “I love you, Trina. More than I ever thought possible.” “Love you, too,” I whispered, reaching into my back pocket for my phone while he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. Had the phone not vibrated in my hand, I might have forgotten I was getting a phone call. Declan’s kisses still did it to me. They made me forget there was a world outside of just us. “Hello?” I said as soon as I answered the phone. I was already so turned-on by the brief kiss from Declan that I hadn’t looked at my caller ID. “Trina? Oh my God, Trina. I need your help. I need Aidan’s phone number.”

My heart immediately dropped to my toes when I heard Chelsea’s panicked voice coming through the phone. “Chelsea? What is it?” “I can’t. Oh my God. Trina. Aidan. Can you call him? Or Declan? It’s Derrick.” She sobbed into the phone. “Chelsea. Take a deep breath.” I looked at Declan and his brow was furrowed, tension already tightening his shoulders. “Tell me what’s going on.” “It’s Derrick!” she cried, and I watched Declan’s head snap back. He’d heard her. “I’ve called the ambulance. But there’s been an accident. I need Aidan!” “Oh my God,” I whispered and my eyes went wide at Declan’s expression. “Call Aidan, honey. He needs to get to—” “Detroit General,” Chelsea supplied. “Oh shit, Trina. This is bad. It’s so bad.” I already felt tears welling in my eyes. Not Derrick. “He’ll be okay, Chelsea. Tell me what happened.” “Skateboarding accident. Right outside my house. I’m here with him. But Trina…I can’t. It’s so bad. I’m so scared.” I tried to calm her with soothing tones as her words rambled on. I barely felt Declan’s hand on mine as he ushered me out of the kitchen and into his office. I saw his mouth moving as he spoke into the phone, but didn’t hear the words he said. I only hoped, as Chelsea described what she’d heard and what’d she seen, that Declan was talking to Aidan. It sounded bad, and tears rolled down my cheeks. He snapped the phone closed and looked directly at me. “He’ll meet us there. As we were on the phone, he got a call from Shane’s mom, too.” “Chelsea?” I said, trying to talk over her cries and her murmured words of comfort to Derrick’s friend, who was with her. “We’ve gotten a hold of Aidan. We’ll meet you at the hospital.” As I spoke, I heard sirens through the phone. “Okay. Okay, Trina. Thank you.” “Take care of yourself, Chelsea.” Another sob came through the phone. Voices echoed in the background. “I have to go, Trina. They’re here.” “We’ll be there soon.” I didn’t know if she heard me. I just knew she’d hung up. My eyes went to Declan’s and his hands came to my shoulders. “What happened?” I shook my head, already feeling more tears in my eyes. “Skateboard accident on the hill outside Chelsea’s house. It sounds bad, Declan.” “He’ll be okay.” He pulled me to his chest and hugged me. “He’ll be okay.” I didn’t think the second statement was for me. I figured he was more trying to reassure himself. “We need to go,” I told him. His arms squeezed me tight before he let me go and I grabbed

my purse. I pulled the strap over my shoulder, entwined my fingers with Declan’s, and followed him out of the restaurant to his truck. And then I prayed the entire way. Because I knew…I knew that based on what Chelsea told me over the phone…it would take a miracle for Derrick to be okay.

Acknowledgments I have been a part of the book-writing community for just over three years now, and I’m so thankful for the incredible friendships I’ve made with authors and bloggers and readers. Some of you, you know who you are, have become my dearest friends. I can’t begin to express how much I value all of you. Thank you to my agent, Michelle Johnson, for always believing in me. I love that you’re in my corner, helping me with any crazy question or idea that I have. I can’t wait to see what else we can do together. To Sue, thank you for totally getting this series. Your kind words and support help keep me going. Thank you to Shannon, my PA, for keeping me organized and on track. You’re the bomb to my diggity. To all my ladies in BACP and FTN, thank you for always being there for me. When I’m ready to bang my head against my computer, when I can’t get the scene to do exactly what I want, it’s always wonderful to know there’s someone who understands, someone who can help…and someone who will drink with me. To all the readers and bloggers who leave a review, send me a message, or share my books with their friends, thank you will never be enough. You’ve allowed me to turn a hobby into a career, and I’m always so incredibly grateful for you. And because I like to save the best for last, thank you to my family. Your unconditional love and support and random brainstorming sessions are everything to me.

BY STACEY LY NN Fireside His to Love His to Protect His to Cherish (coming soon)

PHOTO: © MAE I DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY

STACEY LY NN lives in the Midwest with her husband and four young children. She can usually be found lost inside her own head, trying to bring her characters to life. When she’s engaged in the real world, she’s spending time with her family, drinking large amounts of coffee, and eating Skittles by the handful. staceylynnbooks.com Facebook.com/staceylynnbooks @staceylynnbooks

The Editor’s Corner Looking for the next romance that’ll give you the feels? Our fantastic selection of books will definitely satisfy. You’ve never read bedtime stories like the sensual forbidden fairy tales in Sharon Lynn Fisher’s Loveswept debut, Before She Wakes. And speaking of debuts, don’t miss New York Times bestselling author Kelly Elliott’s Searching for Harmony—a gut-wrenching story of a love that transcends all odds. Vonnie Davis’s Her Survivor welcomes readers to Wounded Warrior Falls where beating the odds is what it’s all about, while Bound Beneath His Pain kicks off a deeply sensual new series from Club Sin author Stacey Kennedy. Diana Quincy continues her Rebellious Brides series with a tale of forbidden love between a socialite and a scholar in A License to Wed. Wedding bells are ringing—and tempers are flaring—as Marquita Valentine’s Take the Fall series continues in the sweet and sexy Hard to Fall. The Brothers of Mayhem MC ride again in Carla Swafford’s explosive novel, Full Heat. Ashley Suzanne follows up Raven with the next round in her scorching Fight or Flight series, Cutter. The third book in Beth Yarnall’s Recovered Innocence series, Reclaim, is brimming with angst and sensuality. And don’t miss the next book in Stacey Lynn’s deeply emotional Fireside series, His to Protect. Or the story of a war hero fighting to remember the love he left behind in Serena Bell’s emotionally charged To Have and to Hold. Then Shawntelle Madison’s seductive Surrender to You follows two career-oriented friends with benefits. And finally we have a cold case that leads to blazing-hot temptation in Kathy Clark’s romantic suspense Almost Forever. Until next time ~Happy Romance!

Gina Wachtel Associate Publisher

Read on for an excerpt from

Worth It All by Claudia Connor

Available from Loveswept

Chapter 1 JT ignored the gym stink and the matches going on in the rings to his right and left and the grunts at the red punching bags. He shook the sweat from his hair, ignoring the heckling from Simon’s home crowd, and motioned with his gloved hands. “Come on, big man. Bring it.” Two hundred fifty pounds and six and a half feet of tattooed Polynesian muscle circled him on the elevated mat. Simon moved in and JT landed a quick jab to the man’s shoulder, smiling when it made him take a step back. Simon was built like the tanks he used to drive, and he had a right hook that could make a man see stars if he didn’t pay attention. “You’re going down,” Simon said, a big-ass grin splitting the scar that ran across his cheek. “You know that, right?” JT smiled right back. He might be a couple of inches shorter, a little lighter, but he could hold his own. “Not happening. And cocky doesn’t look good on you.” “Losing, however, looks really good on you,” Simon said, coming in for a strike. “If you two don’t stop yapping like little girls, I got better things to do.” Simon’s eightysomething-year-old grandfather and owner of this paint-peeling and duct-taped-together gym stood just outside the ring. As small as Simon was massive, he had that old-man, raisin-inthe-sun look, and was still very much the boss. They obeyed like boys, put in their mouth guards, and got serious. JT bobbed and dodged, his below-knee prosthesis moving like an extension of his body. The recent changes he and his team had made to their newest model of the next-generation powered ankle seemed like good ones. The sensors in the ankle sampled real-time motion while the artificial intelligence continuously analyzed the data and calculated the best response. They circled each other, each getting in a few good licks. Thanks to an IED in Afghanistan, Simon wore a similar style below his right knee and an above-the-knee prosthesis on his left. With the A.I. and automatic stumble recovery in their latest microprocessor knee, Simon was actually at an advantage. Ten minutes later when neither man had gone down, Pops called it in JT’s favor, much to the dismay of the handful of spectators who’d put their dollars on Simon. Breathing hard and dripping sweat, JT held the ropes apart for Simon, then slipped carefully through himself. He patted the old man’s shoulder. “Good job, Pops.” Pops grumbled, then turned to the group as he walked away. “All right. That’s it. Everybody back to your business or get out.” Simon pulled at the Velcro at his wrists and worked his gloves off. JT did the same, and they both grabbed towels on their way to the locker room that smelled even more gritty than the gym. He wanted to record his notes while the information they’d just gained was still fresh. After getting his hands unwrapped, JT grabbed his tablet from his bag and sat on the

wooden bench. Neither spoke while they took a few minutes to get down their notes for design improvements. This was his sixth trial and already the adaptive capabilities of this smart device far exceeded last year’s model. Simon finished first and put his tablet in his bag. “The hot brunette pretending to work the bag was watching you again. Black bike shorts, red top barely containing the important parts. That’s as far as I got.” JT switched out the bionic foot at the end of his prosthetic for the one he wore in the shower. “You think she’s hot, go for it,” JT said. “Or don’t. If she works out at this gym, you’re probably related to her.” “I happen to know I’m not. She’s one of Layla’s friends. But she wasn’t looking at me, pretty boy, she was looking at you. Doing nasty things to you with her eyes,” Simon added, rolling a polyurethane cover over his left leg. JT stood and peeled the sweat-soaked shirt over his head. “Well, if she’s one of your sister’s friends, then it’s a definite no.” “Right. Because you don’t do serious. You’d rather eat my mom’s leftovers and watch Jeopardy! with your dog.” “Boulder prefers Wheel of Fortune, if you must know, and he’s damn good,” he added with a smile, then dropped his shorts and stepped into the shower. Resting his hands against the tile, he let the hot water beat at his back and his smile fell away. Not even Simon knew he’d been serious once and what a disaster that had been. His best friend had lost his legs being a hero. He had not. Ten minutes later, he was dressed in jeans and a plain black T-shirt. He sat on the bench again to get his shoes. He tied one, attached the other. They finished packing up and passed through the gym, giving a wave to Pops. Everyone continued with what they were doing, including the hot brunette in the black bicycle shorts. JT pushed against the glass door and the thick air of Southern California smacked him in the face. The summer sun was just dipping below the horizon, and he guessed it was still a balmy ninety-five degrees. “You want to come to Ma’s for dinner? You know you’re always invited.” “Not this time, but tell her I said thanks. I’m going to grab a quick bite around the corner, then head back to work.” “I’ll tell her, but it’s no good eating alone. Neither is human avoidance.” “It’s called dedication, so you can also tell her I work harder than her son.” Simon huffed, then raised his hand in a wave and moved on to his own car. JT was just climbing into his SUV when Simon stopped and turned back. “You know, I think I’ll come with you. It’s early. I can always eat twice, right?” JT felt the slightest hesitation. Maybe he did prefer eating alone, but he gave Simon the simple directions, and pulled out of the lot. He made a left at the corner as the West Coast sun slid down into an orange ball of fire, backlighting the tall palms. A medium-sized city, Corrino was twenty miles southeast of Los Angeles. A good place for their company base and conveniently close to Simon’s family, even if it was about as far as he could get from his own and still live in the continental U.S.

Twenty minutes later he and Simon were seated at the counter with drinks and burgers. Simon was giving a detailed account of his future brother-in-law’s latest faux pas— overflowing the toilet at Simon’s parents’ house—but JT’s attention was on their waitress walking away. You could learn a lot by watching a person work. Watching a person do anything when they didn’t know you were looking. He’d seen her pick up a pacifier from the floor and offer to wash it off. Seen her reassure a lone mother with four kids when one of them spilled their milk for the second time. Her name was Paige and even now she stood at the other end of the counter, helping an older gentleman struggling to read the menu. He’d seen her five times, she’d waited on him three of those, and they’d still only exchanged a handful of words. It was just looks and smiles and for some reason that was a lot. What did it say about him that just seeing a woman he had no intention of ever making a move on was the highlight of his week? “When are you going to make a move?” At Simon’s question, JT jerked his gaze from the waitress and picked up his cheeseburger. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Simon mimicked. “Don’t be a pussy.” “Fuck you,” he said, taking in his friend’s amused gaze. “I’m looking. I’m a guy. She’s pretty.” “She’s pretty. You sound like freakin’ Mr. Rogers.” JT laughed softly and shook his head. His longtime friend and business partner wasn’t known for holding back. “How’s your burger?” “It’s good. I can see why you come here, though I’m beginning to see the food’s not the only reason.” Simon was still chuckling when their waitress returned and stopped in front of them. Pretty didn’t cover it and JT’s pulse jumped in his throat. She was long and slim with wispy blond hair pulled back at the nape of her neck. A tiny green four-leaf clover hung on a gold chain against skin almost as white as her blouse. “Can I get you anything?” “No, thanks,” he said, catching her shy smile and feeling something silent and invisible pass between them. “Actually,” Simon began, lowering his drink down. “My friend here—” He kicked Simon’s titanium leg hard enough to knock his foot off the rung he’d propped it on. “Everything’s good. Thanks.” Her blue-green eyes met his. “Okay.” Probably a good thing she didn’t hang around for whatever asinine thing was about to come out of Simon’s mouth. “God, you’re mooning over her like an eight-year-old with a crush on his teacher. It’s painful.” “Whatever.” But he felt like he was eight years old when he looked at her. Way out of his league and just a little lost. “So ask her out.”

JT raised his glass to his lips. “I don’t think so.” “Why not?” Maybe because she looked too sweet, too easily disappointed. Not the kind of girl he dated, though Simon had a point. He didn’t really date. He met women when he wanted to, and if they were willing, had sex when he wanted to. Sporadic and meaningless acts that did nothing but relieve tension and leave both parties mutually satisfied. “I don’t know what you have against taking a woman out on a date,” Simon said. “A little one-on-one time. Some candlelight and conversation.” He didn’t have anything against it, in theory. Simon’s phone vibrated and he read the text. “Shit. I forgot I promised my sister I’d help move some furniture. She wants all her stuff in the condo before the wedding so they don’t have to mess with it after the honeymoon.” He nodded. “Makes sense.” Simon finished off the last half of his burger in three bites and drained his glass. He scooted out of the booth, taking his time to stand, and reached for his wallet. “I got it,” JT told him. “Thanks. I’ll get you next time.” Simon grabbed the last couple of fries from his plate. “Make a move, before someone else does.” He started to turn, then paused. “Oh, and my mom says if you aren’t dating someone else, she’s going to force you to take Layla to the wedding.” “Why the hell would your mom want me to go out with your sister?” Taking a woman to a wedding definitely fell into the category of serious. “Beats me,” Simon said with a grin. “Later.” Simon left and JT took his time finishing, watching Paige as he did. There was an inherent sweetness in her smile and the cheerful humming he’d noticed when she hurriedly wiped down tables. But then there were times, like when she slowed to refill a soda or wait on a customer to count out change, that she seemed a million miles away. Like if she stopped long enough, the weight of her thoughts settled over her like a wet blanket. He’d like to know what those thoughts were. She grabbed more plates, loading up a heavy tray. Thanks to Simon’s hassling, he now had a vivid image of sitting across from her, watching her eat, being served instead of serving. He could picture Paige smiling shyly at him across the table. How the soft glow would reflect off her hair and dance over her cheeks. She was a woman made for candlelight, she was— “I have a turtle.” JT angled his head toward the child on the other side of the now-empty seat beside him. The little girl didn’t look up, her tiny hand moving deliberately over a sheet of white paper. Was she talking to him or just talking? Were kids supposed to talk to strangers? She slid the paper a few inches toward him and tapped on a green oval. “His name’s Eric. He’s a turtle.” “Ah.” He raised his brows, nodded, and swallowed the food in his mouth. “Classic turtle name.” She pulled her paper back in front of her and picked up a blue crayon. “I thought so.” She had that deep, scratchy kind of little-kid voice that seemed at odds with her white-

blond hair hanging in thin, wavy pieces to her shoulders. A butterfly clip thing clung precariously to a few strands near her ear. She swung one foot hard enough to tap the counter in front of her, the other was tucked beneath her short purple skirt. He glanced around for a supervising adult. She looked really small to be left alone, but what did he know. The line cook turned, a big grin on his face, and slid the little girl a mountain of fries. “Okay, Miss Casey Bell. Think you can eat a whole plate of Mr. Mac’s fries today?” “Yep.” She gave a determined nod. “We’ll see about that,” he said with a wink and chuckle. “But I need ketchup.” Mac was already back to his burgers so JT reached for the bottle, holding up a stack of napkins in front of him, and slid it over. “I can eat a lot,” Casey said to him, flipping open the cap on the bottle. JT had some doubts, as the mound of fries was as big as her head. She squirted here and there, making a series of ketchup piles until the bottle hit a pocket of air. She slid him a sideways glance and giggled. She squeezed again and giggled, then grinned up at him again like they were sharing some secret joke, and a smile pulled at his lips. He got a text from work, an update on a trial he had some techs running, and shot back a reply. From the corner of his eye, he caught the girl swimming her fries through the ketchup. Her face resembled the plate, stark white and smeared with red. Paige brought him a drink refill and laid his ticket beside his plate. “Whenever you’re ready.” “Thanks.” Their eyes held for a beat before her attention turned to the child beside him. “Good?” “Yep.” She poked three more fries into her mouth and Paige rounded the end of the counter and out of view. With no real reason to hang around, he grabbed his ticket and moved to the register. A break in the counter divided the checkout on the left from Casey in her seat at the end on his right. He watched her dot ketchup around the edge of her plate before Paige met him and took the ticket he held. “Everything okay?” Paige flashed him a bright smile and his gut twisted like it did every time he saw her. “Yeah. Great.” “It’s twelve even.” He handed her a twenty, and when she held out his change, their eyes met, and there was such an overwhelming feeling of rightness, the air backed up in his chest. It was true, he wasn’t looking for serious for so many reasons, but he thought of spending time with Paige, listening to her without distractions, drinking in every detail without her rushing around, and suddenly, for the first time in a long time, he felt like taking a leap. “There’s a new Italian place.” The statement was barely past his lips and he was still formulating his next when the little girl held up her drawing.

“Mommy, look at Eric!” Mommy? Her gaze swung to the little girl at the end of the counter and so did his. Same creamy skin, same mouth, same blond, blond hair. He was still staring as she lifted the girl, her daughter, from the stool and held out his change. “Here you go.” Seconds ticked by with neither of them moving and he had the sinking feeling something was slipping away. Talking to someone over a plate of lasagna was one thing, starting anything with a woman with a child was something else entirely. Especially for him. There were some things you didn’t get a second chance at. Or shouldn’t. She was still holding out his change while he stood there like an ass. “No, keep it,” he finally said. She glanced at the large tip in her hand, then back at him, her expression unreadable. “Okay. Thank you.” The she turned and headed for the swinging door behind the counter. Casey smiled and waved at him over her mom’s shoulder, and he waved back, and that’s when he saw it. Propped on Paige’s hip, her purple skirt spread out and over her knees. But her left leg hadn’t been tucked under her. It ended a few inches below her knee. Just like his. — “Stupid,” Paige muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes at herself. She pushed through the swinging door and into the back of the restaurant. To the right was the kitchen, to the left a good-sized space that served as the employee break room. Casey leaned back to see her face. “What’s stupid, Mommy?” “Nothing, sweet pea.” Just that, for a second, she thought he was about to ask her out. And even more stupid that, for a second, she’d wanted him to. “I have to go to the bathroom,” Casey said. “Okay.” Paige lifted her most precious baby a little higher on her hip and kissed her neck, making her laugh. They got to the bathroom just as her cousin was coming out. “Hey, Casey Bell,” Jenny said. “Hey, Jenny Penny.” Paige helped Casey get situated in the bathroom, then stepped just outside the door to wait out her daughter’s newly asserted independence. She wasn’t wearing her prosthesis today, nothing new. Though with kindergarten approaching, it was becoming a new worry. “That was one hot man sitting in your section. Again,” Jenny added with an eyebrow waggle. “Two, actually, though I only got a glimpse of the other one before he left.” Paige turned her face to hide any remnant of disappointment that might be lingering. “He doesn’t know my section.” She peeked through the crack at Casey. “I need privacy, please,” Casey said. Paige smiled and walked a few steps away to join Jenny at the skinny floor-length mirror leaning against a wall.

Jenny slid out the wand to reapply her mascara, bringing even more attention to her big doe eyes. “Mmm. Just lucky I guess. But even you have to admit he was hot. And don’t act like you didn’t notice.” Of course she’d noticed. She’d only been here a few weeks, but it was impossible not to. He’d never said more than a few words to her, always polite, always quiet, but his brown eyes and easy smile were hard to ignore. “So hot.” Jenny sighed dramatically and leaned in, whispering, “The extremely gorgeous, rock my body, please let me touch you kind of hot.” “Mmm. I wouldn’t know.” “A travesty.” Jenny stretched her face out to the mirror and raised the mascara to her other eye. “You know he’s been coming here for weeks and not once have I seen him talking to anyone. Until now. Until Casey.” “Casey could coax a rock into talking.” “What are you going to do when he asks you out?” “Do you really think I have time for a man? I barely have time to pee.” It was true. She didn’t have time for a man in between her daughter, two jobs, and school. But if he had been about to ask her out, and then hadn’t because she was a mom…She’d always be a mom. Or had it been Casey’s leg? She hated to think that. There were generally two reactions to her four-year-old daughter’s amputated leg. People either stared, seeing the missing part before they saw her and all her perfection, which hurt, or they pretended not to see her at all. That hurt too. Paige tightened the hair band around her thin ponytail while her cousin fought with her long, wavy mass. Jenny with her thick, dark hair, olive skin, and voluptuous breasts. A direct contrast to her own small breasts and hair as pale as her skin. She was like the anti-California girl. Plain. Unnoticeable. Overall unexceptional. Her second cousin, twice, maybe three times removed, was a flirt, a bottle of sunshine and great with Casey, if a little flighty. She was the fun girl. The kind of girl a man would ask out without hesitation. Had she ever been that girl? Even before Casey? “Can you still watch Case tonight?” “Sure, Miss College Girl.” “Thank you. I couldn’t do this without you.” She gave Jenny a quick side hug as she passed. “Yeah, yeah. Just be careful you don’t burn out.” “I won’t.” If anything, she needed to work harder. “As soon as Casey starts kindergarten, things will slow down. I’ll be able to take a couple of classes during the day. You know, you could go too,” Paige said, watching Jenny continue with her hair. “Just take a few classes. See what happens.” Jenny smiled. “No thanks. That’s your dream.” True, it had always been her dream. And now they were here. Operation New Life was taking off. “I’m done,” Casey called. “Okay, baby.” When she lifted Casey to the sink, she smiled at her daughter’s sweet face in

the mirror. She wouldn’t have those tiny baby teeth much longer. Paige gave her a tight squeeze, holding on an extra second until she wiggled free. “I put your leg beside the blue beanbag, okay?” “Okay.” Casey could put her prosthesis on by herself. She could also take it off, which is what she preferred lately. She’d never pushed the issue of wearing it. Now she wondered if maybe that had been a mistake. She got Casey settled in her hangout and put in a children’s DVD. Big Mac had converted the large storage closet for his granddaughter years ago. Complete with beanbags, a small table, paper, crayons, and puzzles, Casey loved it. It was just for a few hours while she and Jenny’s shifts crossed paths. It wasn’t a perfect situation, by any means, but it was the best one she had. Soon Casey would be in kindergarten and knowing her daughter was having fun at school while she worked would relieve a load of guilt. “Okay, I have to go back to work now. It’s just for another hour, then Jenny will take you home. All set?” “Yep.” “Hey, Mommy?” Paige paused at the doorway. “What, baby?” “I’ve been thinking and I decided something.” This ought to be good, she thought, smiling down at her angelic face. “What have you decided?” “I’ve decided not to go to kindergarten.”

Love stories you’ll never forget By authors you’ll always remember eOriginal Romance from Random House randomhousebooks.com

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