Accidental Knight: A Marriage Mistake Romance

by Snow, Nicole

  Bella’s cheeks flush pink as she glances at me. At least she’s backed herself into a corner, right alongside me.

  Fuck. I’m not sure if she’s sorry she took it this far, or for passing the ball to my court.

  “It’s on order,” I say quietly, fighting the urge to palm my face when Erin’s eyes light up. “Hey, listen. We’re gonna make a formal announcement to the town sooner or later, but we’d appreciate it if you’ll keep a lid on it. We want to do it right. Can you keep a secret, Erin?”

  She bites her lip, holding in a squeal. “Ohh, all right! For you, Drakie – for this – mum’s my middle name.”

  Bella’s cheeks turn redder, and I take a bite out of my burger. She senses the heaviness in my tone.

  Erin’s breathless excitement is so great it’s got her swaying next to us. Damn, I might as well have taken an ad out in the Dallas Tribune already.

  “Secret or not, this is the best!” she exclaims, leaning over, giving Bella a quick peck on the forehead. “The absolute best. However long you guys hang onto this, I’d better get a look at that ring. Lord have mercy! Bella’s back and here to stay! The entire town’s going to be so happy to hear about this, knowing old Jonah wasn’t the last Reed in town.”

  Bella manages a smile. “I’ll be around for at least the next six months. Beyond that...we’ll see.”

  “Oh, God, anything helps. You have no idea, Bella. Everyone’s been worried sick what would happen now that Jonah’s gone and Gary’s at the helm – or they thought it was him. The only hope anyone had is that you’d keep him from selling out. The end of North Earhart would be the end of this town.”

  My jaw clenches as I turn, eyeballing the crowd in the diner. For all my efforts, swearing her to secrecy, it might be for nothing.

  Erin’s excitement has gained attention. Lots of it.

  Damn near every person in the diner stares at our table, and a low rush of murmurs fills the room.

  “That won’t happen,” Bella says, leaning closer to me. “Not on our watch. North Earhart isn’t going anywhere.”

  The murmurs grow into a mild roar.

  I wait, hoping Bella won’t say she inherited everything. If that gets back to Jupiter, we’ll have jackals aplenty stalking around.

  “I know how important this town was to Gramps,” she says, “and it’s just as important to me. Dallas has always felt like home.”

  A bell dinging draws Erin’s face toward the window to the kitchen, where more plates of food are waiting. “That’s been the hope. I gotta get those.” She gives us a wink. “You two eat up while it’s hot, and thanks for making my day. For making everybody’s.”

  Bella watches as the waitress walks away and then flinches as she looks up at me. Her face wrinkles in as she whispers, “Oops.”

  I shake my head. “More than an oops, darlin’.”

  She grimaces again. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take it so far,” she whispers. “Mom can drive me so crazy sometimes. Guess I’ve just never, well...never had an opportunity to...” She sighs heavily. “How do I even say it without sounding spiteful?”

  “Get back at her?” I ask. “She had it coming.”

  “I guess.”

  The remorse in her tone makes my jaw tighten. My commitment to her grandfather is also a commitment to her.

  Jonah wanted her to not only have the time to figure out what she wanted, but the strength and confidence to go for it, dammit. He said she had it in her, but that it’d been squelched for years.

  I agree, and now that she’s finally taking the initiative, I can be the man to help pull her out of her shell.

  I pick up my cheeseburger. “I’d say you won round one. That’s worth something. We’ll deal with the rumor mill.”

  She frowns.

  “Can’t deny I’m looking forward to round two.” I give her a wink as I take a bite.

  “Oh, Jesus. Can you even imagine?” A smile slowly forms on her face. “I like the way you think, Drake. You’re a fighter. That’s worth something huge.”

  Huge might be the understatement of the year as her little hand returns to my bicep.

  I nearly choke on my food at the shock that hits my balls, unleashing a hard-on that could rival Mount Everest. Fuck.

  Apparently, what fight I’ve got goes right out of me when it comes to controlling my own body around her. That’s a whole new worry that’s never interfered in my missions before, and it won’t be an easy one to win.

  Bella’s too cute. Too innocent. Too tight and small and warm.

  Too tempting, too teasing, too likely to make me stupid in ways neither of us can afford.

  Jonah was right. She needs me. But I can’t believe the price, the toll, she’s forcing me to pay every second we’re partners in crime.

  I chew my food, hoping at some point it’ll put a leash on my dick again.

  After we’re done, I toss a couple twenties on the table, and we leave.

  Holding the door for her to exit the diner, I notice her parents’ BMW parked across the street, and the black SUV next to it. My fingers instantly close into fists.

  Avery Briar.

  He’s got his window down, and so does her ma. They are talking, and both go quiet, noticing us walking out.

  I make a point of pretending not to notice them and grab Bella’s hand, leading her to her side of my truck. All the street parking is diagonal and they’re directly across from us, but she hasn’t seen them, thankfully.

  I stepped around her, making sure she doesn’t by blocking her view.

  We’ve had a month’s worth of worries jammed into the last forty-eight hours.

  She glances up me, smiling, after she climbs into the passenger seat while I hold the door.

  Damn. If I move too fast, I know there’s a risk she’ll look past me, and see the sinister happenings across the street. I can’t let that happen.

  A new idea strikes so hard and fast, I instantly take action.

  Cupping the side of her face with one hand, I lean down and cover her mouth with mine.

  She’s startled at first.

  Her tiny hands land on my chest and go smooth against it, as if to push me away. But the rest of her is an open invitation.

  The first second of our kiss is pure sugar rush. Tasting Bella Reed – really fucking tasting her – sends hot lava through my system, urging me to conquer.

  My lips claim hers, gently at first, coaxing her to relax and fall the hell into it.

  Just enough pressure so she can’t pull away.

  It’s a hot minute before her lips move, catching up to mine, giving in to this insanity. Her arms shift up, folding around my neck, and with her fingernails grazing downward, I deepen the kiss.

  Her lips part. My tongue finds hers and goes the hell to work.

  I’m chasing, taming, and teaching her in one sweet blow. Somehow, knowing she’s never been kissed, at least not like I’m laying it on, just makes me fucking throb.

  This could be virgin territory. Uncharted and ripe for the taking.

  In another life, this could be mine. Tender young flesh begging for a man, begging for a mark, begging for me.

  Goddamn.

  I tell myself it’s all for show to strap my brain back together.

  My body’s already gone, lost and sucking greedily at the sweetness of her mouth. It’s like an itch, this urge to reach down inside her, light her the hell up, burn her the hell down, then tongue-fuck her back into this honey puddle of Bella that’s mine to drink in as long and as fierce and as hard as I want.

  I take the kiss as far as I can, delicious and deep. But the instant she moans, I have to tear myself away, before I push the seat down and take her right the fuck here in front of the Dallas evening crowd.

  Even I’m not that insane.

  It’s hard, giving her up when that softness boiling up her throat tells me she’d do more than tongue fencing.

  The desire to kiss her longer, harder, sets the beat of my entire pulse.

>   As our lips part, I give her one last kiss, growling as my head snakes back.

  Her eyes open, and she looks at me with wonder. I recognize that look.

  It’s all shock and awe and what the hell just happened?

  I wish I had an answer. I wanted to distract her from seeing her folks and that jackal, yeah, but I also know one thing: I’ve never had this manic, animal urge hit me like it did before I had to taste her.

  It struck deep, pure primal oil, this muck in my veins urging me to ruin my own mission by hauling her to bed.

  It’s a place I haven’t been for a long time, too. After Dad and Angie and Winnie, it’s a place I never bothered going to again.

  There’s also no mistaking the dilemma right in front of us. She’s got questions forming on her face, ready to pour out, and the second I move, there’s still a chance she’ll see her folks. What if she thinks this kiss was just a distraction? Just using her, and nothing more?

  Shit, this was a bad idea. I can’t have that, and I can’t have her walking away insulted.

  Sighing, I break eye contact, then glance at her again and say, “Bella, listen up. Your parents are across the street with Briar, watching us.”

  Disappointment and shock ripples across her face, at least that’s what it looks like, but only for a second. Then she smiles.

  “Oh. Oh, well, in that case...” She reaches up and pulls my head down and then I’m on her lips again.

  Goddamn!

  I kiss her back with the fury of a thousand suns, letting this torrid confusion and rhythm slapping my blood like Odin’s hammer have its fill.

  If she wants to believe this is a game, let her.

  Let her believe she’s in control.

  I tell myself I’m not feeling anything, too. Not enjoying the force and enthusiasm she demonstrates, pressing her little body against mine, dangerously close to an erection that’s about to rip through my denim.

  Obviously, I’m not a great liar.

  Not kissing her back is about as tough as not savoring it. But I don’t push for more when she eases out of the kiss. A triumphant grin appears on her face as her arms slip off my neck.

  With a full, saucy smile, she winks at me and whispers. “Guess we’d better head home.”

  Fuck.

  Honestly, I don’t know if those words are a relief or something new to worry about because I don’t know what happens tonight. I don’t know what might happen, what seems inevitable, when we’re cooped up together at the ranch over the next six months – six fucking months – sharing a place that’s too big and too emotional for us and has too many beds.

  I close the door and tell myself I know what I’m doing, walking around to the driver’s door.

  She’s looking in the rear-view mirror. My side mirror reflects her mother’s leg, sticking out of an open car door, and Avery leaning out from his vehicle, surely telling her something. I get a sense that Molly was about to march over here, or worse, but Avery stops her.

  Son of a bitch.

  I have to shift in the seat to relieve the pressure of my dick straining in my jeans. She has one hell of a knack for acting, and one hell of a mouth.

  If today’s any indication, it’s gonna be a long six months.

  * * *

  “I don’t like him,” Bella says.

  She’s still looking in the rear-view mirror. I glance in it once as I back out of the parking space. I know who she means, and he’s still there, watching us with a calm and coolness Molly Reed will never possess. “Briar?”

  “Yeah. There’s just something about him. He makes my skin crawl.”

  I’m glad to hear it, honestly. Glancing in my side mirror, I see Briar motioning, then Molly pulls her car door shut. She listens to him, but orders Gary around like a dog. Interesting.

  “Your ma appears to have made friends with him.”

  “Of course. He has what she wants. Money, money, money for North Earhart Oil.” She twists in her seat and glances over her shoulder. As she turns forward, she asks, “Did he say where those men almost ran him off the road?”

  I pause, fingers gripping the wheel tighter. “Not that I recall, why?”

  “Because those men were at the ranch hours after he left, remember? What was he doing hanging around long enough for our prowlers to almost run him off the road and give him a chance to chase them down?”

  Good fucking question.

  I’d wondered about it myself and planned on having a conversation with the sheriff later, in private. Until I know more, I can only speculate, but I don’t want her to. “He didn’t say it was near the ranch.”

  “No, but he said he knew Gramps was having trouble with trespassers. Something about theft and damage?” She’s quiet for a moment, waiting. “Was he, Drake? Is that why you put up all those cameras?”

  I question how much I should tell her.

  There’s no good reason for her to be scared, not with the precautions I’ve put in place. At the same time, she’s in this deep, fighting at my side. She deserves to know how serious things are sooner or later. Fine, I’ll throw her a bone.

  “Jonah knew he had prowlers. Nothing was ever stolen, but there was plenty of evidence. Prints in the mud, a few old fence boards pulled apart, cigarette stubs that couldn’t have been left by visitors he’d have around. It stopped after I moved from the cabin to the house.”

  “Is that also when you put up the cameras?”

  I nod, and then, because we’re almost to the edge of town, I ask, “You need anything before we head back?”

  “No.” She leans back in her seat. “But we can stop if you need to.”

  “I’m good.”

  She slumps in her seat, folding her arms, giving me too good a view of those pert tits. “Did you recognize those guys from their mug shots?”

  “No. Never seen ’em before.”

  It’s true. I’d barely glanced at the pictures because I’d planned on calling Wallace later today.

  He’ll tell me more in person than the pictures ever would.

  “Not even the one with that creepy tattoo?” She shoots me a look.

  A creeping, wet cold settles over my shoulders. “What tattoo?”

  “You didn’t notice it? Behind the guy’s ear? You could only see it on the side view.”

  Every nerve in my body kicks in. “What was the ink? Did you get a good view?”

  “I’m not sure. It might’ve been a dragon.”

  My jaw goes so fucking tight I might bust a tooth.

  “Dragon? You’re sure?”

  “Yeah, a big one breathing fire. Or maybe it was just a scary looking snake with its tongue sticking out. It was blurry, like it was old or not done quite right.”

  Goddamn, I could kick myself. Why didn’t I look closer at those mug shots?

  It could be him.

  The living, fire breathing past catching up with me. The man I tried like hell to stop and couldn’t. The bastard who made me fail Winnie.

  And if it is, Wallace won’t be able to hold him in jail. He’ll be out in a hot second, one way or another. I’ve always suspected he’s got an ace in the hole.

  Avery Briar.

  That soulless, two timing, criminal shit. Also the asshole I believe is responsible for bringing that demon into the world.

  Still, something doesn’t add up.

  Why the hell would Avery have had his own son arrested? Why would he squeal on his boy when he’d just covered for him before?

  He wouldn’t. But he had, assuming Bella’s pretty eyes are right about the man with the ink.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks quietly.

  I stare straight down the road. “Nothing, darlin’.”

  “Funny, your version of nothing looks awfully pissed.”

  Don’t I know it. A blind man could sense the tornado churning in my guts.

  Trying to cover up the fury building, I say, “Because those fucks got on the property. That never should’ve happened. I should’ve paid c
loser attention. Should’ve seen them pull in.”

  That won’t happen again. I can’t fucking let it.

  They wouldn’t have stopped with Edison. He was just a test, probing our defenses, trying to leave us alone and isolated so they could pick us off, one by one.

  They’d done the same shit with me and Jonah. But we were always ready. Can’t count the times that old man burst out the door a second ahead of me with his shotgun primed, before the cameras were installed.

  Trouble is, there might be a worse fate in store if we’re dealing directly with Dragon.

  It might not end with being hauled off and shaken down by Avery Briar.

  I know Briar’s son. Know he’s a savage with an instinct for doing much worse.

  “You were in the kitchen, Drake. The back of the house. You can’t see the driveway from there. It’s not your fault. I didn’t see them either, or hear them, and I was in the office. I should have.” She sighs. “I just can’t figure out why they tried to take Edison.”

  A dozen hellish scenarios fly through my mind.

  Because they’d wanted him as bait. They’d wanted me to follow, hoping I’d leave her there, alone. Or they’d planned on trying to run us off the road once we took chase. Or they thought I’d left the shields down, and Edison was just the start before they came for Bella, and then for me.

  Fuck.

  After Bella locked herself in the office, I’d pulled my truck into the huge garage, which I never do. Guess I half expected the cops to show up after she thought I was swindling her.

  I usually leave it outside, or park it in the pole shed, but only when it’s snowing.

  Her Jeep was the only vehicle in view that night. Maybe someone thought she was home alone.

  “Can you?” she whispers, looking at me. “There has to be a reason they wanted him.”

  “No,” I answer. “No good reason for anyone to steal Edison.”

  Realistically, I’m sure nobody ever planned on stealing that horse. They’d planned on drawing her outside, using him dead or alive, whatever it took to create enough commotion to flush her out of the house.

  That’s Dragon’s M.O. Evil as it is obvious.

  My brows furrow, diving into my eyes, imagining how easy he could’ve made her disappear. Just like Winnie.