by Skye McNeil
Rubble’s eyes grazed over her. “The goddess Macha was a warrior. Legend tells she was also very sensual. The club tends to merge these two when it comes to the nymphs. Before you arrived, Doc was rarely without a nymph or two at his side.”
“Lovely.” She picked at the apples in the bowl. No matter what transpired between her and Doc, he’d always return to his playboy ways. Any sort of future with him will be the same. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she stood abruptly. Suddenly, not even cinnamon apples could settle her nerves.
She hurried from the room, grateful no one tried to stop her. Reaching the dual staircase, she took the steps two at a time until she made the top. She promptly sat on the step and massaged her head. “This would be so much easier if I didn’t sleep with him.”
“Ah, now don’t go back on your own advice.”
Isa whipped her head up to see Rubble standing a few stairs down. “What?”
He easily ate the distance with his long legs and plopped next to her. “You can’t avoid Doc because you don’t understand him.”
She let out a disgruntled huff. “There’s nothing to understand. He prefers a different woman every night. Seems rather cut-and-dried.”
Rubble sighed and laced his fingers together over his knees. “He’s scared too. You’re a first for him.”
“First what? Irish lass?”
“Nah, I’m sure—er, that’s not what I meant.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “You’re the first woman to give him a hard time. You don’t fall at his feet and beg him to kiss you.”
“In my dreams I do,” she mumbled.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.” Isa straightened her back and took a cleansing breath. “But you’re right. I need to take my own advice.”
“Good, glad that’s settled.”
“I didn’t say I would start with Doc, though.” She heard him sigh but didn’t respond, merely stood and made her way back to the haven of her room.
Doc could be solved another day.
If ever.
30
Isa
“So, tell me everything. I’m dying to hear something other than what Ms. McKellen had for breakfast every morning.”
Isa stared at her best friend’s face on the phone. She’d once thought they’d end up old maids together. That was until Niall finally gave up pretending he wasn’t head over heels in love with Orla.
“It’s a mess,” she admitted. “I’ve never been good with men.”
Orla pursed her lips. “You don’t say?”
“Shut it. I can’t help if Mum kept me chaste.” She crossed one leg over the other and stared at the bedroom door. Doc wouldn’t barge through it anytime soon. She’d heard him in the hall earlier before heading to church. “But I don’t want to talk about it. I want to hear all the town gossip.”
For the next ten minutes, Orla dished on the locals and the new couples who’d emerged since Isa’s departure. The shop managed to make rent, pay bills, and earn a bit in excess. The weather was rainy, but a bit of sun was out today. How she desired an Irish breeze through her long hair!
“But I told Niall I wasn’t about to up and move in with his parents. Could you imagine? Me sipping tea every morning with his mum? Not happening. Ever.”
“At least you have someone to sip a cuppa with. No one here can brew a good one.” She stood and started wandering the halls. “And they call themselves Irish.”
“Love, they’re Americanized.”
Isa reached the main floor and made her way to the kitchen. The scent of cinnamon twists still clung in the air. They instantly pulled her back to the previous morning she’d spent with Doc. Blinking back tears, she opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water before slipping out of the room. Suddenly, kitchens were her enemy.
Isa pushed open the door to the back patio and plopped into a chair by the pool. A warm breeze tickled her arms and legs, the sun beating down on her alabaster skin. Her Colorado vacation had given her a tinge of a tan but nothing to call home about.
Focusing back on the conversation, she heard Niall in the background. The door shut and she noticed Orla roll her eyes. Doc would have a heyday with her. The thought chilled her. The only person she wanted Doc to play with was her.
The sound of the shop bell clanged, and Orla hopped off the counter and set the phone down. “Damn man forgot to lock the door again. Oy, we’re closed.”
Isa narrowed her gaze when no answer came back. “What’s going on? Who’s there?”
A scuffle of feet and the sound of a vase crashing to the floor brought Isa to her feet. The muffled scream sent her stomach into a nosedive. “Orla! What’s happening? Are you all right?”
Heavy boots clomped toward the phone. A man wearing a ski mask filled the frame, and Isa stood frozen. She made out a leather cut on the man’s body. “Sorry, lass, your chums won’t be opening tomorrow or the next day.” He chuckled and grabbed the phone. “Tell Macha we’re coming for you next.”
The video call went dead, black staring back at her. The man was clearly from the Twelve Brothers MC. Reality crept in, and she raced toward the lodge.
Flinging open the door, she cried, “They have Orla and Niall!”
Heads popped up from every direction to look at her. Boots clambered on the stairs, and before she made it to the kitchen, the entire Macha crew stood before her.
“What happened?” Doc asked, trying to meet her eyes. She wouldn’t let him. She could barely see anything other than the image of the man in black.
“I was talking to Orla, and somebody came into the shop.” She managed to fill in the rest of the details. When she was done, every face surrounding her was grim.
“Oh God. They’re going to kill them!” she shrieked, grabbing a fistful of Doc’s cut. “This is all Macha’s fault. If my father wasn’t in your club, none of this would be happening.” She hit his chest hard, the impact hurting her fist more than him.
“Get her upstairs,” Reaper directed, taking control of the situation. “Rubble, take Hawk and Snoopy down to Snowshoe. Tell our boys there to be ready. We’re going into lockdown. Brewer, take Dolly and track down the nymphs in town. Get them up here before nightfall. Cueball, go grab the rest of the kids at school. They’re missing a few days.”
Bodies rushed this way and that, no one talking directly to her but rather at her. Childish cries and manly hollers overwhelmed her already short circuits. She sank onto the floor, bringing her knees up to her face, and covered her ears with her hands. Tears snaked down her cheeks as her body shook.
“Isa?” Doc crouched down and lifted her chin. “Dammit, baby, I’m sorry.” He scooped her into his arms and barked orders at two prospects. She couldn’t understand what they were saying. His heat enveloped her, and she buried her face in his chest. Despite being safe for the time being, panic crept in and overtook her weary body.
31
Doc
Sitting and not doing anything quickly wore on Doc’s patience. Reaper ordered him to stay with Isa, but he felt out of touch with his brothers. They needed him just as much as she did. He stopped pacing the bedroom and sat in the chair near the window. Her steady breathing calmed him momentarily. She’d passed out and slept through dinner. He wasn’t sure if he should wake her or let her stay in dreamland. It’s safer there.
After their fight at the bar, he hadn’t wanted to speak with her until he could figure out what the hell he was doing. He’d never wanted something deeper with a woman, but he did with Isa. It scared the living daylights out of him.
He typed a message to Rubble on his phone. The sergeant at arms wouldn’t answer; he was too busy making sure their club was ready for an attack. Doc bounced his left leg up and down, eyes fixed on the tree line. The lodge was secure and even offered several tunnels in case of dire emergencies. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change his life.
“What time is it?” Isa asked, sitting up. Her voice was groggy with sleep, and tearstains
streaked her cheeks. His gut pitched at the sight. He hadn’t been able to protect her from her friends’ abduction.
“Just after seven.” He laced his fingers together and rested his elbows on his knees. “Are you all right?”
“Bugger. Is there any update?”
“No. I’m sorry.” He watched her fight back a new wave of tears. “Hawk and Cueball are keeping tabs on the situation in Belfast. A couple brothers over there are attempting to find where Orla and Niall are being held.”
Isa sat up and gathered the blanket to her neck. In that moment, she looked so small and vulnerable. There was more wrong than just the kidnapping. He could sense it in the way she wouldn’t keep eye contact.
“We should talk about last night.”
“I don’t want to.”
He let out a frustrated huff. His woman was equally as stubborn as him. More so even. “Baby, look at me.”
She flicked her head up and glared. “There? You happy?”
The combination of her Irish accent and her fiery words only reiterated his thoughts. “If it’s about what we argued about… I’m in uncharted waters here.”
She rolled her eyes, and he fought back pressing that particular nuance of her personality. Pushing her too far too fast would only cause more pain.
“Princess, I’m not used to this.”
“Why don’t you just leave me alone?” she snapped. “You did your job. Congratulations, you fucked the woman you were tasked to protect. You can officially brag to the boys that you got the Irish virgin.” She sniffled. “Do you feel better now that I’ve completely fallen for you? Bloody wanker.”
Doc wasn’t sure which part of her rant to focus on first. He went with the obvious misunderstanding. “What do you mean? I don’t sleep with any woman under Macha protection.”
Her gray eyes might as well have been daggers to his heart. “Of course you do. Dolly told me all about it. I suppose it makes sense. Who better to fuck than a woman who’ll leave after the danger’s gone?”
He steepled his fingers over his nose. “Jesus Christ, Isa, it’s not like that and you know it.”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “Oh sure. It makes sense to lure women into your bed and say it’s for their protection.” She crossed her arms. “How many have there been? Two? Five? Twenty?”
Laughter erupted from him before he could stop it. He shook his head and let the situation play out in his mind. Isa glowered at him, and he wished he could show her how adorable she looked all flustered. His Irish princess was one hell of a jealous woman. Her sentiment warmed him. Half the time, his one-night stands didn’t give a fuck about him. That all changed with her.
“What’re you cackling about? This isn’t funny.”
He held up his hands. “It’s not to you, but to me, it really is.”
“Sure, laugh about how I caught you in your stupid little trick for all naïve women. Laugh it up, twat.”
“Baby, I don’t sleep with any women Macha protects. They’re off-limits.” He licked his bottom lip. “Swear on my mother’s grave. Crossing that line is unprofessional, and Macha could kick my ass out for doing it.”
Her rage slowly tapered. “Then Dolly was wrong?”
Searching her face, Doc saw her uncertainty. “Yes, Dolly was wrong.” He quickly stood and walked to the side of the bed. Leaning down, he gripped her chin, forcing her eyes to stay latched on him. “You are the one and only woman I’ve ever crossed that line with, princess. I don’t regret it, either.”
“Oh.”
The magnitude of her wariness urged him to not stop until she was wholly compliant. “You’re in my blood, Isa. You’re in my very heart. The thought of anyone else by my side makes me want to lie down in front of my bike going full speed on the highway.”
“But—”
He kissed her roughly and only pulled away when she grasped the front of his cut. “I love you, Isadora Walsh. I’ve loved you from the first moment I heard you talking to yourself in the terminal.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, but they weren’t sad ones this time. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Dolly was wrong about a lot of things.”
He frowned and made a mental note to chew out the madam later. At present, all he wanted to do was show Isa how much she meant to him. “Don’t listen to her about shit.” He sat on the bed and cuddled her to his chest. “I’m the only one you need to talk to about us. If you have questions, worries, rants, whatever, I’m here for you, and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Bloody hell, you’re good.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “For a moment, I thought maybe it was chemical for you.”
“It’s a lot more than that.” He nipped her top lip. “I’m also very attached to the sounds you make when you come.”
Her blush was well worth the cheesy line. Being a player was in his past. He only had eyes for Isa as long as she wanted him.
Her fingers danced along his jaw, the overgrowth of hair reminding him of the vast change his life took. Instead of a clean-cut EMT, he was a long-haired biker. Life’s funny like that.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, kissing his cheek.
“I didn’t go anywhere.”
“In my mind you did.” Her lips drifted down his neck. “Don’t ever leave me.”
“I swear I won’t.”
“What about holding back? I don’t want you to.” She kissed his jaw. “I want all of you, Doc T. Not the edited version.”
Cupping her face, he nuzzled her nose. “Okay, babe. You’ll get all of me, but we gotta go slow. I can’t bear to hurt you.”
“Neither can I.” Her hands dipped under his shirt, and he closed his eyes. I don’t deserve this woman.
“Doc, we got a situation,” Hawk yelled, banging on the bedroom door.
Cursing under his breath, Doc hurried to the door and pulled it open. “What’s wrong?”
“The Twelve Brothers crew is in Snowshoe, but it gets worse,” he shared, green eyes alight with worry. “Cueball and Snoopy were on their way back when it started to rain. They wiped out on the side of the mountain. They have kids with them.”
“Shit.” He glanced to Isa, her face scrunched in worry. “I gotta go. Stay with Queenie.” After grabbing his gun and kissing her fast, he followed Hawk down the stairs and out into the darkening night. With the storm overhead and the Twelve Brothers gaining ground, he hoped he lived long enough to see the dawn.
32
Isa
Stretching to her toes, Isa listened to the classical music through her earbuds, the storm raging outside. It’d come over the mountains quickly, and she was glad to have remembered to grab a pair of earbuds. A crack of lightning illuminated the sky. She glanced to the window and worried her bottom lip. Somewhere, her biker was out in the elements, helping his fellow brothers out of a sticky wicket.
She slowly stood and rolled her shoulders. Queenie kept her busy for the first hour, preparing the croissants for breakfast. It kept her mind occupied, but her thoughts were never far from Doc or her kidnapped friends in Ireland. If only I could see them to know they’re okay.
Following her baking venture, she’d sought out Reaper and begged for an update. Sadly, he had none. They video chatted with her father, but the search was ongoing for Niall and Orla.
Dolly and her nymphs made an appearance for dessert. The cherry tartlets made with club-grown cherries didn’t tempt Isa’s palate. No food did.
She ignored the nymphs and their madam and explored the labyrinth of the lodge instead. History oozed out of every plank and sturdy wall. She could only imagine how many lives had been affected by this biker club within these walls over the years.
Isa lifted her leg onto the sofa arm and leaned over until her head nearly reached her ankle, stretching her hamstring. This was as close to graceful as she got. Her mother insisted on ballet lessons until she was a teenager. With her tall stature, she’d failed more than succeeded in the ornate art
. The one thing she took away from the classes was stretching. She did it every night before bed. When I remember. It soothed her mind and allowed her to focus on something other than herself. Normally. Tonight, her thoughts raced with the possible outcomes for Doc and her friends.
He loves me. His words had rotated in her mind all afternoon. She smiled absently. He’d said it so easily, almost as if he was always meant to say those three words to her.
And I didn’t bloody tell him I love him back. Isa cracked her neck and cursed silently. The words would’ve flowed if Hawk hadn’t interrupted them. It was the reason she couldn’t fall asleep without seeing Doc. She needed to tell him.
“I’m heading upstairs,” Queenie said above the hum of Mozart.
Tilting her head, she paused her music and smiled at the MC mother. Queenie’s brown hair was pulled back in a messy bun on top of her head, a tattoo poking out from her sleeve. “Okay. Have you heard anything?”
Queenie shook her head. “Sorry, sweetie. I’m sure Doc and the crew will be fine. They’d call if they ran into any trouble. That boy knows his way around an injury.”
Isa smiled and stretched her left leg next. “He does. I’m still amazed he never finished medical school after his mum died.”
“Sometimes life has a way of showing you what’s important. For Doc, family became his number one priority. It’s why he came to Colorado and joined the club.”
“I thought Reaper asked him.”
“In a way, yes, but it was Doc’s decision.” Queenie gave her a hug. “One he made after weighing all the options. I think you’ve known him long enough to realize my nephew doesn’t jump into something without thinking.”
“No. I guess he’s special in that way.”
Queenie chuckled. “Hell, I’m glad you came around when you did. Doc’s not the same man who patched.”
