She hoped one day she could forget it.
She hoped one day she could move on.
From all that had happened. That night in the motel after the celebration, that last night at the lake. And her time with Magnum in between.
She didn’t think she could move on by continuing to work at the Gallo Marketing Agency. In fact, she knew she couldn’t and needed to do something about that.
Her bedroom door being shoved open and bouncing off the doorstop with a loud twang made her startle and shoot upright in bed.
Her father stood in the doorway, his big hands on his denim-covered hips, his green eyes narrowed and holding a whole lot of pissed off. “Get the fuck outta bed now. Get the fuck downstairs an’ sit at the goddamn table with your sisters. You’re freakin’ them the fuck out. There’s no reason you should be this fucked up because of two rich motherfuckers drownin’. None. What the fuck’s goin’ on with you?”
She swallowed, relieved he wasn’t busting in demanding answers about her and Magnum. She had done a good job convincing Regan that things were over between them. And they were never seeing each other again.
So really, Regan had no reason to say a word to Dawg.
Her father was the epitome of a biker. He lived in his jeans, some sort of worn shirt that usually advertised Harley Davidson or some biker rally. He was full of tattoos, wore clunky silver rings on his fingers, heavy boots on his feet, a huge DAMC belt buckle at his waist and a thick, longish beard covered his lower face.
Being a big, burly biker, he could scare the shit out of anyone.
Well, except for Emma, her sisters and her.
He could be rough on the outside, but if you were in the small circle of people he loved, he was nothing but a kitten on the inside.
That kitten must have gotten drop kicked this morning.
“Get the fuck up,” he barked, turning on the overhead light, then going to the windows and jerking back the curtains, letting in the morning sun to blind her.
“Dad.”
“Don’t you fuckin’ ‘Dad’ me.” He jabbed a finger toward her. “This is fuckin’ bullshit. Never seen you like this. Need to go see Rissa?”
“What?” Rissa, Mercy’s woman, was a sex therapist, but being a part of the club’s sisterhood, she got roped into being everybody’s shrink, if one was needed. “No!”
“Then get the fuck outta bed and act right,” he growled.
Act right.
Just like that.
She took a deep inhale and pushed the covers off, dropping her feet to the floor next to the bed.
“Downstairs in five. You ain’t down there, draggin’ your ass down there. Put on a goddamn smile and talk to your sisters, since they’re worried as fuck about you. They think you’re fuckin’ dyin’ or some such shit.”
She chewed on her thumbnail as her father turned on his boot heel and left the room, leaving her door wide open.
She normally loved her father, but right now, she wasn’t even liking him a little bit.
A few seconds later, Emma’s face peered around the edge of the door. She peeked inside, saying, “Looks like grumpy Papa Bear went downstairs.” She stepped inside the room and closed the door quietly behind her. “You have him really worried, Cait. Scared, actually.”
She frowned. “Sorry.”
Emma settled on the bed next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing them. “He loves you more than you know.”
No, she knew. “Thank you.”
Emma’s eyebrows rose. “For what?”
“For being there for him. For giving him Lily and Lee-lee. For loving him as much as you do.” She took a shuddered breath. “For being there for me these last ten years.”
Emma gave her a soft smile. “Well, I love you, too. You’re like my daughter. You are my daughter. You know that, right?”
Cait nodded and put her head on Emma’s shoulder, curling an arm around her stepmother’s waist.
“So talk to me,” Emma whispered. “This seems a bit extreme for the loss of two co-workers, Cait, even if it was tragic. Were you in love with one of them?”
She pulled away from Emma with wide eyes. “What? No!” Yikes.
“It’s like your heart’s broken.”
She stared at her stepmother. How did she know that? Maybe from when her daughter, Lily, was abducted by her biological father. That would be a valid reason to be heartbroken, not boo-hooing about a man telling a woman after a week it was “over.” She needed to get over the whole thing. Maybe Emma could help. “You can’t say anything to Dad.”
Emma’s lips parted for a moment. “Umm. I don’t keep anything from him.”
“I know. But if you want me to tell you, you need to keep this from him. Promise me. It’s better for him... And for me.” And definitely for Magnum.
The woman had the same shade of blonde hair as Cait and also the same complexion. The only difference between them was their height since Emma was shorter and the woman’s eyes were blue versus Cait’s green eyes which she had gotten from her father.
Most people thought they were sisters since Emma was only around fifteen years older than her. About a year or so younger than Magnum.
Cait grimaced.
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to tell Emma. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to tell anyone. But she needed to get out of this funk. And she was not going to Rissa. If she did, the fact she was seeing a therapist might spread through the sisterhood, causing concern.
She needed to protect Magnum no matter what. Because if the sisterhood found out she and Magnum had... She bit her bottom lip.
It would be bad. Disastrous, even.
Not that they would be upset with Magnum—they wouldn’t, they’d probably be thrilled—but because none of them could keep shit from their ol’ men and husbands. And as soon as one of the men found out...
Cait closed her eyes. “Emma, I need to speak to someone about this and there’s no one I trust more than you.” Except Magnum and Dad, she added silently.
Emma made a little noise of surprise. “I... Cait... That’s... Thank you for saying that. That means the world to me.”
“So, you’ll keep this to yourself?”
Emma’s face became troubled. “As long as what you tell me isn’t a danger to yourself or our family.”
Just her heart. “It’s not.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m in love with someone.”
Emma’s eyes flashed with excitement, then suddenly narrowed in concern. “I take it this is not something I should be happy about?”
It wasn’t the something but the someone she might not be happy about. “I think he loves me, too, but...”
“But he doesn’t want to admit it,” Emma finished with an exasperated expression. “Sounds like one of the pig-headed bikers.” Her eyebrows knitted together. “Oh my God. Is it Coop?”
“No!”
Emma dragged a hand over her forehead. “Phew. Your father would probably skin him alive if it was.”
“Great,” Cait muttered.
“I mean, any of the brothers would have to approach your father first and then Z...”
“Right.” Those archaic Neanderthal rules of women being property. And there were steps a member had to take if they wanted that property.
“But it’s not impossible. I mean, if you’re in love...”
“It’s not anyone in the DAMC.”
“Oh. Who is it?”
“Here’s the thing...”
“Oh God, Cait, you’re scaring me. Your father’s not going to like this at all, is he?”
“He may have a... few issues with this person. And... and none of that matters anyway. This person is afraid of becoming enemies with... or at least causing issues between...”
“Between?”
“Clubs.”
Emma’s spine snapped straight. “Clubs,” she repeated. “Which clubs?”
Cait’s heart thumped a rapid beat. “The DAMC
and his.”
“Who is he?” Emma whispered, her face now lined with worry. “We don’t need another war, Cait. Please don’t tell me he’s from the Deadly Demons.”
“No.” Actually, Cait was surprised Emma would even think she’d get caught up with one of the bikers from the Demons. They were an outlaw MC down in West Virginia.
“Blood Fury?”
She really only knew Trip from the BFMC, and he had an ol’ lady. “No.”
“Will you just fucking tell me?”
Cait’s head jerked back in shock when Emma cursed. She always made Dawg say fudge instead of fuck around his daughters and in the house. Though, he’d broken that rule just a few minutes earlier.
“It’s someone in the Dark Knights.”
“The Dark Knights,” Emma repeated in a whisper, confused. Until she wasn’t. Her eyes went wide, her mouth dropped open and she covered it quickly with her hand. “No.”
Cait said nothing.
“No, Cait! He’s as old as your father and he didn’t approach.”
Not as old but close. “I know.”
“Oh my God.” Emma jumped to her feet and began to pace. “I mean, I love Magnum. I do. He’s almost like one of us. But... But... he’s not.” She groaned. “Oh fuck.” She slapped a hand to her forehead as she walked the length of the spare bedroom. “Did you...? Did he...?”
Cait grimaced again.
“Oh shit,” Emma whispered, staring at her with wide blue eyes. “This is not good. Not good at all.”
“I’m not DAMC property,” she said weakly.
Emma’s eyes went even wider. “The hell you aren’t. Try telling that to Dawson.” She shook a finger toward the door. “You go down those steps and tell him that to his face.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Right, because you know what he’ll say.”
“I’m an adult.”
Emma laughed almost hysterically, her pace picking up as she moved from the wall on one side of the room to the other, like a caged tiger. “Sure you are.” She stopped abruptly. “It’s not just the fact he touched DAMC property without permission, Cait. It’s his age.”
“Do you think Dad will have a problem with that?”
She threw her hands in the air. “Hell yes! They’re practically the same age.”
“But that shouldn’t matter.”
“Oh, good luck with that. It doesn’t matter, Cait, until it’s his daughter. Then suddenly everything matters.” She began pacing again, one hand on her hip. “Trust me on that.” She suddenly spun on her and stopped. “Do you think Dawson hasn’t noticed the interest Magnum has shown you over the years? The interest you’ve shown him? Do you not think he hasn’t watched the two of you closely to make sure...” She blew out a breath. “He’s mentioned it to me, Cait. He’s mentioned...”
“What did he say?”
Emma’s blonde eyebrows shot up her forehead. “I... Uh...”
“Great,” Cait muttered. That was not good. But none of it mattered, anyway. “Doesn’t matter, Em, he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“Oh, that’s a crock of bullshit right there. Yes, he does. Magnum’s just being smart about it.” Emma raised a palm and shook her head. “He knows the problems it would cause. He’s the one being the adult, Cait. As he should be...”
“I can’t help who I love.”
Her blue eyes went wide again. “Better find a way. For your father. For Magnum. This could tear everything apart.” Emma returned to pacing, slower this time. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Cait. But... this is not good.”
“He said it’s over, anyway.” Every time she said that the knife in her heart twisted another turn.
“I’m sorry for that, too. But it’s for the best. You have your whole life ahead of you... You’ll meet the right man.”
“Emma,” Cait whispered, a heavy weight crushing her chest. “I never expected that from you.”
Emma’s face crumbled. “I know... I...”
“He’s not like a Shadow Warrior. He’s Magnum.”
“I know... I just... I’m sorry. Shit.” Emma wiped a rogue tear off her cheek and sniffled. “I want to be supportive, I do. But this scares me, Cait. Things are so good right now. I don’t want that to change.”
“Do you really think this would cause a war?”
Emma paused her pacing. “Yes, it could. You know why?”
She didn’t wait for Cait’s answer.
“Because your father will freak out and go after Magnum before he’s come to his senses. It’ll be a knee-jerk reaction. Both could be hurt or killed, and then the bad blood between the clubs will begin. There’s no way either club will sit back and take an attack like that without doing a counterattack. It’s stupid, but it’s the way it is. Diesel would never sit back and allow Magnum to do anything to your father, or even you, without some sort of price.” She shook her head. “The fucking pride and stubbornness in these men... It can be dangerous sometimes. We all breathed easier when the last Warrior was gone. Now...” She clawed at the neckline of her shirt. “Suddenly, I can’t breathe at all.” She dropped to her knees in front of Cait. “I can’t lose him, Cait. Your sisters can’t, either. Magnum would not allow your father to make him pay that price and not fight back.”
Cait rubbed at the deep ache in her chest. “I don’t want either of them to be hurt... or worse. I don’t want to be the cause of bad blood between the clubs. I know how important the Knights are as allies.” She dropped her head and blew out a breath. She lifted it and whispered, “But I love him.”
Emma closed her eyes but said nothing.
“He sacrificed himself for me, Emma. He could’ve died doing it. He risked his life for me. Dad needs to see that, but... I can’t tell him any of that or why. I can’t. It’s the reason I didn’t go to Dad or Diesel, or even Mercy, in the first place. I tried to protect them because I knew if I told them what I told Magnum, it would’ve caused a knee-jerk reaction, just like you said. A dangerous one.”
Emma opened her eyes and stared at her for the longest moment. Finally, she said, “I don’t know what he did for you and I probably don’t want to. But men who love their women do that, Cait. Your father would die to protect me and you three girls.”
And that had been one of her fears. That Dawg would go off the deep end, rush into the Gallo agency and kill Nate with his bare hands. “That’s the thing, I’m not a girl any longer.”
“You might be twenty-five, but you’ll always be his little girl. Don’t ever expect him to see you differently, even when you reach his age now.”
“I don’t know what to do about Magnum.”
“You do nothing. You move on.”
Her stomach churned as she whispered, “I don’t know if I can.”
Emma sighed, then gave her a sharp nod and squeezed Cait’s hands. “Then it’s time to get the sisterhood involved. That may be your only solution.”
A solution that might work if Magnum went along with it.
He very well may not.
Chapter Seventeen
Magnum followed his prez into the large building, the rest of his brothers on his heels as they moved single file through the door.
He was already on edge. He used to feel comfortable going to these things. Fundraisers, parties, pig roasts, anything with the Dirty Angels.
Today, he wasn’t feeling any kind of safe.
Their club had been invited to a fundraiser being held by Ellie Walker for the Walker Foundation, her charity that funded prostheses for those in need and who couldn’t afford it.
It was something his club always supported. Not only because it was a good cause, but because it had been started by Walker’s woman. And Walker, one of Diesel’s Shadows, was an amputee and a former Special Forces guy. Magnum and his brothers had the utmost respect for veterans.
Plus, D’s crew were the main reason the outlaw MC, Shadow Warriors, were no longer a huge pain in all of their asses.
It also wasn’
t a hardship to attend a spaghetti dinner and bake sale where they could all stuff their faces. They’d been asked by the DAMC prez, Z, to bring their sleds to help their club provide motorcycle rides for the kids and ladies in exchange for donations.
While it was getting to be blue ball season, none of his brothers were pussies, so they’d all brought their sleds.
It had been over a month since he’d last seen Cait. He knew she was very active in helping Ellie fundraise for the foundation. Hell, all the DAMC women were.
Which was a good reminder of who Cait was and what she belonged to.
The Shadow Valley Community Center had a huge building that could be rented for large activities like these and it was packed.
Not just with bikers from the DAMC, but with some members of the Blue Avengers MC, a law enforcement club that Axel and Mitch Jamison both belonged to as well as Nash’s husband/boyfriend/or whatever the fuck he was. Of course, Nash’s other half, Cross, wasn’t there, as he’d been banned from any DAMC activities until he retired his pig badge and dropped the word “oinker” from his resume.
When that whole thing between the two went down, it had caused a major cluster-fuck and Magnum understood why Nash had kept it secret for a while. It wasn’t the fact that Nash was bi and Cross was gay, it was the fact that Cross was a pig and didn’t belong in or around the DAMC.
Kind of like Magnum was feeling right now. Like the enemy walking among them.
Magnum’s gaze sliced over the crowd not surprised to find it filled with a lot of current and former military, as well as folks from around the greater Pittsburgh area. The Walker Foundation was a good thing and most people came out to support it, not caring that it was backed by the local MC.
He jerked his chin up at Zak standing across the room near his wife, Sophie, who was running the bake sale along with Bella and some of the other DAMC’s ol’ ladies.
He’d have to make sure to buy a dozen of her insanely addictive cupcakes before heading out.
But he was there to at least make an appearance. Support the charity with some scratch, fill his gut, satisfy his sweet tooth and then get the fuck out.
Hopefully, in one fucking piece.
He could do this. He could get through the next few hours and not let seeing Cait bother him.
Magnum: A Dark Knights MC/Dirty Angels MC Crossover Page 22
