MONTGOMERY
A Bad Boys of Dry River Novel
Susan Fisher-Davis
Erotic Romance
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
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A Secret Cravings Publishing Book
Erotic Romance
Montgomery
Copyright © 2015 Susan Fisher-Davis
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63105-589-3
First E-book Publication: May 2015
Cover design by Dawné Dominique
Edited by Sue Toth
Proofread by Renee Waring
All cover art and logo copyright © 2015 by Secret Cravings Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
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Dedication
To Allan Spiers for the amazing photo.
www.allanspiersphotography.com
To James Joseph Pulido for being Montgomery
To my readers. You are all amazing.
Thank you.
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MONTGOMERY
A Bad Boys of Dry River Novel
Susan Fisher-Davis
Chapter One
Isabella Lofton ran down the steps from the Governor’s mansion. She was late for her hair appointment but she spun around when she heard her mother calling for her.
“Isabella! You still have to pick up your dress for the ball tonight.”
Isabella smiled. “I know, mom. I’m going to pick it up after I get my hair done. I’ll be back in plenty of time.” She gave a wave, and then hopped into her car and tore down the driveway, stopping only long enough for the gate to swing open. She pushed the gas pedal down and drove down the road.
Glancing in the review mirror, she shook her head when she saw the black SUV behind her. No matter how many times she stressed to her parents she didn’t want security, they refused to listen. There was that constant reminder. She was the Governor’s daughter and she needed protection. It had been her main reason for moving to Oregon. Only a few people knew who she was there and she didn’t have to think about the men following her everywhere she went.
The small law firm knew about her identity but no one else did, and she intended to keep it that way. Isabella was never one for the spotlight. She smiled at the thought of truly being in the spotlight but that was the future, since she intended to become governor one day, following her father’s example.
It was early May. The air was crisp and the sun was shining down from a cloudless sky. The nights were still chilly but it was Wyoming, after all. She sighed, remembering how she really hated these dances at the mansion, but she’d promised her parents she’d be there. Her parents had been in politics for as long as Isabella could remember. She’d watched her father start his career as a lawyer and move up through the ranks to the grand post of Governor of Wyoming.
She was so very proud of her father. It was what he’d always wanted.
He stood for law and order, and he’d put his share of criminals away over the years and made a lot of enemies. One in particular made her stomach churn. Jonas Barkley was one of the meanest men around. He dealt in anything illegal, from drugs and prostitution to murder, and when her father put him away, he’d sworn he’d kill him and his family when he got out. Barkley would never get out though. He was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder with no possibility of parole. That had been five years ago when Isabella was twenty-one. She’d never forget the look on his face when he stood in the courtroom and threatened her father, and then when he’d looked her way, he’d smiled. She’d almost gotten physically sick.
Barkley had murdered her best friend’s family so Isabella wanted to be there to see him get what he deserved. Only he hadn’t, not as far as she believed. She thought he deserved the death penalty for what he’d done.
She shook his evil grinning image from her head. That was a long time ago and thankfully, she’d never have to see his ugly face again. Her best friend Randi left Wyoming, never to return, which had broken her heart. They kept in touch, but it was getting fewer and further along between emails. First, the phone calls stopped and now the emails were fading. Isabella was sure it was because there were too many bad memories in Wyoming, and connected them with her. She wished it wasn’t so, but she knew it must be because they’d been friends at a time Randi’s world fell apart. Isabella didn’t blame her, but she did miss her very much.
Isabella pulled up in front of the hair salon and after parking her car, she strolled inside. Casey, her stylist, smiled at her and had her sit in the chair at her usual station. Isabella smiled and told her to work her magic. Casey laughed and did just that.
An hour later, Isabella stopped at the dress shop to pick up her dress and make sure the alterations were fine. She tried it on quickly and laughed as she twirled in front of the mirror. The long blue gown was strapless and had a tight bodice, the waist cinched, with the skirt flaring out from her hips to the floor. The color matched her blue eyes to perfection, a dark shade of blue resembling indigo. Her eyes were the first thing a person noticed when meeting her or looking at her for the first time. Her long red hair was set in waves flowing over her shoulders. She was a very beautiful woman but never thought of herself in that way. She’d always had a great sense of humor and a vibrant personality. She didn’t pride herself on her looks and had made her way on her skills as an attorney, not her family’s name.
Five years ago, she’d made the decision to become a lawyer, following in both of her parents’ footsteps. After watching Jonas Barkley not getting what he deserved, she’d decided to make sure it never happened again. She knew she had a long way to go to get the big cases, but she was ready.
Isabella put the dress in her car and headed back toward the mansion. She had her own condo, which she used when she was in town, but she planned to dress at the mansion so she’d be ready when the ball started. She frowned at the thought of having Sean Jones as her escort, but he was a nice man, and her parents liked him. Her parents wanted her to marry the up-and-coming Assistant District Attorney but she didn’t like him enough to date him, let alone marry him. He just didn’t float her boat. She chuckled. Then again, it wasn’t her boat that needed floating.
She ran into the mansion and on up the stairs. The place was like a castle to her with the big double door entryway and large chandeliers hanging everywhere. There were marble floors and mirrors everywhere you looked. It was too gaudy for her liking, although she’d have to put up with it when she became governor. She’d prefer a nice home with a few acres, where she could have horses and dogs. Being the animal lover she was, she volunteered at the Humane Society any weekend she was free. She’d adopt them all if she had a place big enough for them, a nice quiet place, maybe, where she could pursue her writing career too. Other than wanting to become an attorney, she’d always wanted to write a book. If her political aspirations didn’t work out, she planned to write. She kept a small journal of her writings, which only her best friend ever saw. Isabella hadn’t even let her mother see it. Isabella loved romance and she wanted it for herself. A man who would love her more than anything. A man who would stand beside her and love her in spite of her faults, as she would love him.
Closing the door to the bedroom she was staying in, she placed her gown on the bed before strolling into the adjoining bath to turn the water on in the tub. The large stained glass window above the tub let the sunshine in, making prisms dance along the opposite wall. She planned on a long bubble bath before she had to get through the next few hours. After filling the tub with hot water, she slid down into the comforting warmth and groaned as the water engulfed her. Leaning her head back, Isabella closed her eyes and wished the night were already over.
* * * *
Three hours later, her toes were aching. Sean was no dancer. He apologized time and time again. Isabella smiled and suggested that it might be better if they sat down. As they took a seat at the table, she glanced around. It was a good crowd. A good, but boring crowd. She hated these things, but she loved dressing up, even if the ball itself was nothing to get excited about. She’d love, if just once, for them to have a good country band. She almost laughed. Wouldn’t all these stuffed shirts just have a fit if a country band were playing? A little line dancing would make it much more fun. She sighed. That wasn’t going to happen any time soon. When she became governor, she’d make sure that was changed. Sean left to get them something to drink and returned with a couple of drinks far quicker than she’d wanted. He took his seat beside her. Sipping at her drink, she kept watching the crowd.
“What are you thinking about, Isabella?” Sean asked her.
“How boring this is.”
He almost choked on his drink. “You can’t be serious? This is great. I’d love to be governor one day and have all this.”
She smiled at him. “Oh, Sean, you can’t be the governor if I am.”
He burst out laughing. Isabella knew he thought she was kidding. She smiled slyly and sipped her drink. She made a face when she saw Rebecca Jennings heading their way. The tops of her breasts were popping out of her dress. Glancing down at her own chest, she sighed woefully. Hers were just peeking.
“Hello, Sean. Isabella.” Rebecca had always been jealous of Isabella but Isabella didn’t care for her either.
Sean’s face turned beet red. “Hello, Rebecca. How are you?”
Rebecca leaned forward, showing more of her cleavage. “I’m just wonderful, Sean.”
Isabella snorted. Rebecca glared at her. Isabella shrugged and looked at Sean.
“Why don’t you dance with Rebecca?” She stood and started to move past Rebecca but halted beside her. “I think you should make sure a dress is the right size before buying it,” she whispered so only Rebecca would hear her.
Rebecca gasped and glared at her. Sean sputtered as Isabella glided across the dance floor toward the bathroom. She’d love to see the look on Rebecca’s face the first time Sean stepped on her toes, so she stopped at the door and turned around. Watching the couple enter the dance floor, the shocked look on Rebecca’s face when he stepped on her toes almost immediately was worth all the boring time Isabella had just spent with him. She laughed happily and entered the bathroom.
Inside she touched up her make-up and was about to head back out when she heard the distinct sound of gunfire. Anxious, she quickly headed toward the door. Opening it slowly, she peeked out and saw four men in dark clothing with ski masks on. Closing the door softly so as not to be noticed, Isabella turned the lock and leaned back against the door.
Dear God! What was going on?
She knew there was only one way out. Maybe if she just stayed quiet, they wouldn’t look in the bathroom but she knew that was probably wishful thinking on her part. They must be here to rob everyone, which meant they’d look everywhere.
Sh
e started shaking. Oh God! Her parents were out there.
Her mother was probably terrified. Isabella heard women screaming and men yelling. Gunfire went off again and someone was shouting. Isabella slowly opened the door again.
“I will start shooting people if someone doesn’t tell me where the governor is!”
The masked man who stood in front of the other men shouting had to be the leader. He kept gazing around. His eyes stopped on every man in the place, and then he yelled out for everyone to take a seat at their tables.
Isabella looked for her parents but didn’t see them. The men who guarded them must’ve gotten them out as soon as the trouble started. Isabella sighed with relief. The sheriff’s department had several men at the ball for protection due to all of the important people attending the event at the mansion. She watched the man walk to one of the tables and point his gun at Harrison Washington.
“Where is he, Washington?” he demanded using Harrison’s name.
“I have no idea,” Harrison Washington told him. The man hit him with the butt of his gun. Isabella cringed, covering her mouth to keep anyone from hearing her fearful moan.
“I will kill you. Do you understand me?” He leaned down close toward Harrison.
“I know that, but I wouldn’t tell you if I did know. The police got him out of here when the shooting started. Maybe you should talk to your cohorts. They let him get away. You should’ve gotten better men to help you, Barkley.”
Isabella gasped audibly and quickly clasped her hand over her mouth.
Montgomery Page 1
