Evie’s mother, Sunny, had greeted him with a welcoming hug, and her father, Gary, Damon quickly learned was the silent type unless he had something to say.
“So, Damon, how’d you and Evie meet?” Lucas, the EMT, asked in between bites of the most delicious meatloaf and mashed potatoes Damon had ever eaten.
He could handle this softball question. “Evie’s best friend, Quinn, is engaged to my brother, Austin.”
Across the table, her mom looked surprised. “Oh, Evie, I didn’t realize Damon was connected to Quinn. You’ve been quiet about your private life. Ever since John—”
“Mom, we don’t discuss the prick,” Mack said.
“Language!” she chided him.
Evie’s father grunted. “Give me a minute with the son of a bitch.”
Ditto, Damon thought to himself.
She stiffened beside him. “Let’s not discuss John. I don’t want to lose my appetite.”
Beneath the table, Damon grasped her hand and squeezed tight.
Josh shrugged. “Okay, subject change. Damon, how do you think Emerson is going to play for the first four games of the season?”
Evie groaned.
Josh shot her an innocent look. “What? Is there a subject that is good?”
Deke grinned.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind talking about it.” Damon had expected these kinds of questions. “I think the kid’s got a decent arm and he’s going to try his best. I’m hopeful.”
“Good. We’re a Thunder family,” Gary said. “So we’re obviously happy to have you at our table.”
“I appreciate that.” He turned to Lucas and Deke. “What’s it like to do rescue?” he asked the EMT and firefighter.
With his question, Damon distracted them, and for the next half hour, they talked about various calls they’d gone out on, saves they’d made, and even Mack and Evie’s dad shared a few of their more interesting adventures.
After they finished eating, like his mother, Evie’s mom had trained her boys to help at the table, so over her protest, Damon helped clean up and bring everything to the kitchen. Before he knew it, they were sitting back down with coffee and dessert.
“If you don’t get a lead on John soon, I decided I’m going to move back home,” Evie said.
Damon hadn’t seen that coming. Neither had anyone else, because every man at the table put his fork down, including Damon. Suddenly her brothers began yelling at once. Knowing it would only hurt his cause, Damon remained silent, which didn’t mean he supported her idea. He wanted her where he could keep her safe.
Evie braced her hands on the table, rose to her feet, and yelled, “Quiet!”
Her brothers muttered complaints but did as she said.
“I can’t stay with Damon forever. He’s been great, but if things go as we hope, he’s going to be back to practice soon. I’ll be alone, anyway.”
He heard the excuse for what it was. She was definitely using all her self-protection skills to make sure she didn’t put her heart on the line. Well, tough shit, he thought. He was in this with her and he’d damn well have a say. Just not in front of her family. She deserved respect for her feelings and opinions on how to live her own life.
“Honey, I know you want to prove you can handle yourself, but John’s mentally ill. He’s a sick man and we don’t know what he’ll do next. I felt better knowing you weren’t alone,” her mother said.
Damon rose to his feet. “I think,” he said, hating every word that was about to come out of his mouth, “that Evie knows what’s best for her. What if she agrees to install an alarm at the apartment? Will that calm everyone down?”
The brothers and her father grumbled their agreement. “That would be a start,” Mack muttered. “I could sleep on your couch and—”
The look Evie shot her brother was deadly.
“Fine.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Would you agree to wait a few days? Give me more time to dig and try and find the rock John’s hiding under?”
Evie glanced around at her family and nodded, accepting the compromise. “Fine.”
“I can’t believe you’re okay with this,” Mack said to Damon.
He wrapped an arm around Evie’s waist and pulled her to him. “I trust her judgment and her ability to take care of herself.” Which he did.
He just didn’t trust her bastard ex.
And what her family didn’t know was that Damon didn’t intend to let things get as far as her moving out. Not if he could help it.
But for now, she nodded at Damon, surprise and gratitude in her wide, beautiful eyes, and he knew he’d scored necessary points.
“Thank you,” she mouthed with obvious feeling.
He smiled back at her. By giving her the freedom she both needed and deserved, he planned to win the war for her heart.
* * *
The cool air conditioning blew on her face as Evie sat in Damon’s car on the way home. She leaned back against the seat and went over tonight’s meal, shocked by how well he’d done with her siblings and parents and twisted up by the fact that he hadn’t insisted she stay with him until John was caught.
On the one hand, she was grateful for his support and, on the other, a little disappointed he hadn’t insisted she stay. And didn’t that say something about her confused state of mind when it came to men in general and a relationship with Damon in particular.
“You held your own with my family,” Evie said, breaking the silence. “And thanks for not jumping down their throats when they asked about Emerson.”
Damon let out a low, sexy chuckle. “Hey, I expected the questions. I’d have asked them myself if the situation was reversed. Besides, I like your family. They look out for you and that’s what’s important.” He drove with one hand on the steering wheel, every so often glancing her way. “So, you dropped a bomb on everyone tonight.”
She curled her fingers into fists beside her. “And you stood up for me. That was also a surprise.”
“You didn’t think I’d have your back?” He shot her a look before glancing back to the road.
She shrugged, opting for honesty. “I thought you’d hit the roof. Be as worried and upset as they are.”
“Who says I’m not worried? And I’m guessing that’s why you decided to spring the news on me with everyone else at dinner. You didn’t want an argument if you told me when we were alone.”
She couldn’t help the small smile that lifted her lips at getting caught. “I don’t mean to worry you. Or them. I just can’t stay with you forever. And an alarm was a brilliant idea. I was going to ask my landlord for permission, anyway. I don’t mind giving Mack a few more days to do his job. I can’t think of where John would go, so I’m going to leave it to Mack and focus on getting you back on the field.” Make sure Ian had everything he needed to go to the league on Damon’s behalf.
Damon cleared his throat. “I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t think an alarm is enough of a solution, because I don’t trust that bastard John at all.” He paused before continuing. “But I do trust you. And you’re right. I can’t keep you locked away in my house for the rest of your life.”
She swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. Because in his house was exactly where she wanted to be. But trusting him not to change his mind later and hurt her wasn’t easy.
“I’m exhausted,” she said, bed calling her. After the long day she’d had, she needed to crash and deal with all her conflicting emotions in the morning.
* * *
Damon answered his door in the morning to find Ian Dare and Gregory Emerson on the other side. “Well, this is a surprise.”
“Sorry to just show up, but I figured you were going to want to hear what we have to say,” Ian said. “Mind if we come in?”
Beside him, Emerson appeared subdued and silent.
“Of course.” Damon gestured for them to step inside, shut the door behind him, and led them to the family room.
He’d have called for Evie to join them, but
she was showering upstairs.
“Coffee? Water? Anything to drink?” he offered the men.
“Nothing for me,” Ian said, taking a seat on the sofa.
“Emerson?”
The other man shook his head. “No, thanks. I’d rather get this over with.” He lowered himself on the far end of the couch.
Damon narrowed his gaze but he couldn’t bring himself to sit. “Okay then. I assume this is about you setting me up?” He clenched and unclenched his fists. This was something he hadn’t let himself deal with emotionally, because without proof, he had no way of getting those four games back. And that’s what he wanted, along with his reputation.
“When Evie called me and brought to light the connection between Greg’s father and Doc, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I knew something was off but I never thought Emerson was behind it.”
Damon’s head began to throb. “So, what happened exactly?”
Emerson lifted his gaze. “My old man happened. He did some digging and discovered Dr. Jonas owed the IRS a lot of money. He went to see him and Doc admitted to having gambling issues. My dad, who wants me to succeed any way he can, offered to pay Doc’s debt to the IRS—”
“If he dosed me so I’d test positive…” Damon shook his head but he actually felt sorry for the guy. Like he told Evie, he knew exactly what it was like to have a domineering asshole father. “How’d he know they’d test me? Those are random.”
Ian groaned. “This kid’s father has connections like you wouldn’t believe.”
“So this goes higher up?” Damon asked in disbelief.
“What can I say? It’s easy to find dirt on people, and my father has enough money to do it.” Emerson rose to his feet, hands in his sweatpants pockets. He looked beaten down. “I’ve already gone to the commissioner. He’s calling the cops. And I’m sure you’ll be reinstated soon.”
Although Damon knew he ought to be happy at the news and pissed at the situation in the first place, all he could feel was pity for Emerson, who’d had to turn his own father in.
A knock sounded and Damon turned toward the entrance to the family room, where Evie stood. Her gorgeous hair fell over her shoulders and her makeup-free face made him grin. She was dressed like Evie the PI, the real woman who made him burn. He was head over heels, that was for damned sure.
“Sorry. Am I interrupting?” she asked.
Ian, the only one left sitting, rose from his seat. “Come on in, Evie. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have made the connection.” He went on to explain to her how Damon had ended up testing positive for PEDs. “Congratulations. You cracked the case.” Ian extended his hand, and she bounced over to accept his shake before turning to Emerson.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Not your fault. I’m glad Captain was cleared. I understand if you want me out,” he said to Ian.
The team owner walked over and put a fatherly arm around Emerson’s shoulders. “Since when are we responsible for the mistakes of our parents? If that were the case, I’d be shit out of luck in life.”
Ian’s father, Robert Dare, had been a son of a bitch and probably would have gotten along well with Jesse Prescott. In Robert’s case, he’d had one legitimate family with a woman he’d married, Ian’s mom. Without anyone knowing, he’d had a mistress with kids on the side. After a lot of drama, the kids were all close now and estranged from their father.
“Apparently we can all understand asshole parents,” Damon muttered. “Emerson, I don’t blame you for what your father did.” He strode over and put a hand on the dejected man’s back.
“Thanks.”
“I have an appointment with a potential client. I need to go,” Evie said.
“I think my car is blocking yours. And we said what we came to say.” Ian nodded toward Emerson. “Ready?”
He nodded. “Sorry again.”
Evie met Damon’s gaze, her eyes alight with pleasure. Sure, she’d solved how Damon had been drugged, but he sensed there was more.
That she was happy for him.
Chapter Ten
After Ian and Emerson left, Damon called Austin and asked him to come over so he could fill him in. They sat on his back patio by the pool, and he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He’d be back with his team as soon as the suspension was removed, and his dignity and reputation would be restored.
“It sucks, man. I can see Jesse pulling such a dumb-ass stunt to get one of us an opportunity we either weren’t ready for, didn’t deserve, or hadn’t yet earned,” Damon said, speaking the thing he couldn’t get off his mind. “And Emerson’s going to have to live with what his old man did.”
Austin rolled his shoulders. “You got through it, but did you put it behind you?”
“I thought I did but this whole situation stirred up a lot of shit. After I tested positive, memories of how Dad would make me feel when I disappointed him ran through my head. Now this situation with Emerson and his father … I think it’ll always be with me one way or another. I’ve just started to realize that the blame lies on him and not me.”
Austin put a hand on his shoulder. “Good. You know I’m always here to listen. So is Uncle Paul. The man’s got a good heart, and I know if it weren’t for his counterbalance of Dad, life would have been harder.”
“Yeah, I know.” And Damon did. Some people weren’t as lucky. He stretched his legs out in front of him, letting the sun hit his skin.
“I’ve also got Quinn. She centers me.”
Damon felt his brother’s pointed stare and groaned. “Just ask, okay?”
With a shrug, Austin nodded. “Okay, what’s going on with Evie?”
He stared up at the blue cloudless sky. “I wish to hell I knew. I believe she feels the same way I do about her, but she’s got walls a mile high.”
“From what Quinn tells me, she’s got good reason to be wary, but damn, you’re solid.”
Frowning, he picked up a sports drink he’d left on the table beside him. “Hasn’t seemed to matter. Maybe once this shit with her ex is over, when he’s caught, she’ll let her guard down.” He took a sip from the bottle. “There’s also the little fact that I’ve never had a relationship. Maybe she doesn’t believe I can settle down.”
Austin chuckled. “Hell, if I did, you can.”
“Truer words, brother. Truer words. So, when is the wedding?” Damon asked.
“We haven’t gotten that far. You try planning with a baby.”
“Whoa.” Damon held up both hands. “Let me get the girl first, would you?”
With a shrug, Austin said, “It worked for me the other way around.”
Damon rolled his eyes just as his cell phone rang. He caught Evie’s name on the screen and took the call. “Hey, beautiful.”
“Damon, I’m at the police station. I had a run-in with John.”
Ice ran through him with no regard to the heat from the sun. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He told himself to relax but it didn’t work. “Text me the address. I’ll be right there. Then call Mack.” He disconnected the call and turned to his brother. “I’ve got to go. Evie had a run-in with the asshole.”
“Want me to tag along?” Austin rose from his seat, but Damon shook his head.
“I’ve got it, but thanks.” He pulled his brother into a brief hug. “Tell Quinn we’ll get in touch when I know what’s going on,” Damon said, knowing Austin’s next move would be to call his fiancée and Evie’s best friend.
He sped to the address she texted him, shocked he didn’t get ticketed on the way.
* * *
Evie pulled out of Damon’s driveway behind Ian’s luxury vehicle and headed to a Starbucks coffee shop a town away from Miami, about fifteen minutes from Damon’s house. A woman’s teenage daughter had run away six months ago, and the police were out of leads. She wanted to hire Evie to see if she could track her child down or find clues the police had missed. After an hour with the d
istraught woman, Evie was determined to help her.
Coming off the high of Damon’s case and success, her adrenaline was pumping through her veins. She bought herself a cup of coffee to go. Despite the summer heat, she liked her coffee hot, and she walked back to her car, parked behind the row of stores.
She’d forgotten to take her keys out of her purse and had to juggle her coffee, putting it down on the top of her car so she could dig through her handbag. Which wasn’t easy because, since living with Damon, she’d taken to carrying way too much around in her purse.
She was rooting around inside when she heard him.
“I knew I’d get you alone again.”
At the sound of John’s voice, she dropped her bag to the ground and reached for her gun, pulling it from her waistband. No sooner had she raised the weapon than he gripped her wrist in his big hand. Knowing better than to fight him since he was stronger, she released her grip, letting the weapon fall. She immediately swiped the coffee cup from the top of her car and flipped off the lid.
He’d sunk down to retrieve the gun, and she moved fast, throwing the steaming hot coffee into his face.
He screamed, his hands coming to his cheeks. “You bitch!”
They’d drawn a crowd but she didn’t care.
“I’m a bitch?” she yelled at him. “You’ve been stalking me for months, invaded my privacy, drove me out of my own apartment, and attacked me with a knife. Twice. And I’m a bitch?” She drew her leg back and nailed him in the balls just as a cop pulled up and a man she didn’t know put a hand on her shoulder to distract her before she went after John again.
Despite the fact that she was licensed as a PI and had a permit for the gun, she’d been taken to the police station to give a statement and press charges. Though she hadn’t realized there were witnesses before she’d made a scene, a man had seen John approach her first, and nobody was willing to admit to seeing her kick her ex in the balls despite John’s whining and claim. The coffee had been self-defense.
Luckily, her brother Mack was nearby on a call and said he’d meet her at the station where she’d been taken. And though she told herself not to rely on Damon, she’d called him first and wasn’t surprised when he came running in soon after Mack.
Dare to Tempt Page 14
