by Cindy Stark
She and Hannah rolled a few times, but luckily for Lily, Hannah was pretty drunk, and it only took Lily a few quick moves to pin her to the floor. Lily sat on her stomach, holding Hannah's hands tight to her chest, ignoring the throb in her wrist. Hannah squirmed, but she couldn't throw her.
Lily glanced at the crowd around them. Scott's brows had climbed closer to his hairline in surprise, while Milo watched with an amused expression. Sierra's mouth stood slack.
"Hey, keeper of the peace, shouldn't you do something?" Scott nudged his buddy.
"Let's see how this plays out. I won't let anyone get hurt." Milo nodded at Lily as though he approved.
Good, 'cause she had something to say.
"See this bruise on my cheek?" She waited until she'd received several acknowledgements before she continued. "I'm sure most of you are calling Luke Winchester a son of a bitch for doing this to me. Well, I'm here to tell you he didn't. He's not like that, and I think most, if not all of you in town would agree that he's a good man if you stop to think about it." A few nodded.
"Hannah made up that lie to hurt him and me."
Hannah made a big push that almost unseated Lily, but she quickly regained her dominance. "Tell them Hannah. Tell them how you lied."
"Bitch," she yelled at her.
"While you're at it, tell them how you also lied about Luke all those years ago."
Hannah narrowed her eyes, shooting a steady stream of visual daggers.
"I know you did." Lily shook Hannah. "Tell them. He deserves to be free from your lies. Everyone knows you lied about the bruise on my face. They're not going to believe anything you say any longer, so you might as well tell them."
"Never," Hannah shrieked and tried to buck her off.
"Lily." A deep voice called to her from behind, and she shifted her gaze to find the crowd parting.
Luke emerged.
Her heart flopped with a sickening thud. How much had he seen? How much had he heard? She froze, not sure how to react.
"Let her go," he said in a calm voice.
"No." She shook her head, frustration forcing her emotions to the surface. "She needs to fix this."
Luke held out a hand to her. "It doesn't matter anymore. She doesn't matter. As long as you believe in me, that's all I need."
Hannah shoved again, and this time Lily grasped Luke's hand, setting Hannah free. Hannah made a swipe at Lily's legs, but Milo caught her, hauling her to her feet.
"Come on, Hannah. Show's over. Let me give you a ride home."
Hannah struggled for a minute, and then crumbled in Milo's arms, crying. He led her out the back door as the volume of the crowd's whispers increased.
Luke wrapped an arm around Lily. "Let's get out of here."
Lily nodded, grateful to have him to lean on. The rush of adrenaline that had spiked during her brawl with Hannah evaporated, leaving her drained. Betty, who had found her way into the bar, grabbed Lily's hand as they passed, giving it a squeeze. Lily smiled. At least she had one friend in this town.
Darkness dominated the sky by the time they emerged. Quiet replaced the noisy atmosphere, and it was a relief to be away from everyone.
"I didn't mean for that to happen."
"It's okay." Luke took her hand and led her up the sidewalk toward her car. His truck was parked in a haphazard fashion alongside the road next to the parking lot.
"I wanted to confront her, but I didn't expect her to go after me like that."
Luke laughed then. "Hannah's been known for her temper, but it looked to me like you were holding your own."
Lily half laughed-half sighed. "I guess I was." She looked up at him, her heart full of emotion. "I didn't know I had it in me."
"Guess you have a little redneck in you, after all."
"Guess so," she said as she reached her Honda, the overhead parking lot light illuminating the grit on her white paint.
"What's this?" He traced a gentle finger over the bruise on her cheek.
She felt like an idiot. "I fell down the stairs, trying to chase after you this morning."
He widened his eyes. "No."
She nodded. "Call me Grace."
"I'm sorry. I didn't handle things all that well this morning."
"Me, either."
Luke glanced over her car and then frowned. "Where do you think you're going? Looks like you've packed up everything."
"There's nothing left for me here." She twined her fingers to keep from reaching out for him. Things seemed better now, but she wasn't sure to what extent.
"What about me?"
She tried not to get her hopes up. "You left town before I did."
He pulled her into an embrace, his eyes full of emotion. "I did. I'm sorry about that, too."
Her reserve melted. She touched his face, running her thumb over his raspy jaw line. She had her man back in her arms, and she intended to keep him there. "You had every right to leave. I hurt you with what I said, but I really want you to know that I didn't mean it. I was kidding around, trying to offer support to Hannah, but I hope you'll believe that I'm not the type of person to use people like that."
"I know." He hugged her. "Me, either, Lily. There was a short period of time when I liked Hannah, but I never slept with her, and I never meant to hurt her."
Lily put her fingertips on his lips. "Shh. I don't want to talk about her anymore, okay? She has issues she'll need to deal with, but they're not ours any longer."
"Agreed." He lowered his head, touching her lips with a tender kiss that quickly heated, leaving her breathless when he pulled away. "Where are you headed now?"
She shrugged. That was her biggest problem. "I don't know. I can't stay here."
He tightened his grip on her waist. "Why not?"
"First, I no longer have a home, and second, how would I ever live down the scene I caused tonight?"
He kissed her again, leaving his lips lingering on hers. "Stay with me," he whispered against her mouth. "I don't want you to go."
"What about all the rumors, all the gossip?" She couldn't get enough of the taste of his kiss and helped herself to more.
"Who cares? Let them talk." He took her face in his hands, running his roughened thumbs over her cheeks. He searched her eyes, gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Seriously, Lily, I've found the woman I want. Please give me a chance to love you. Living here might have its difficulties from time to time, but I'll stay if you'll stay."
Her heart fluttered in her chest, stealing her breath. "You love me?"
"I know it's hard to believe since we haven't known each other all that long, but I don't need more time to know what I know."
"Wow." She searched his face, unable to stop a grin from spreading across her lips. "I'm pretty sure I don't need more time, either." She didn't. Standing there in his arms was where she belonged, and she couldn't picture herself anyplace else. "I'll stay."
"Yes," he yelled toward the heavens and lifted her off her feet, turning her in a circle before setting her down again.
She laughed, not remembering if or when she'd ever felt so happy. "I love you, Luke, and if you let me, I'll stay forever."
Forever in their town. Forever in his arms. Forever in love.
THE END
Excerpt from Sweet Vengeance
CHAPTER ONE
She was nineteen and pregnant.
Could things get any better? Allie Jordan didn't think so. Excitement bubbled in her like the fizzy Coke she held in her hand while she waited outside the local bowling alley after finishing her shift. She watched for her boyfriend's face among the few stragglers who walked Chicago's darkened west-side streets.
Sure, her friends thought she was crazy for wanting a baby and a family right out of high school, but they didn't know lonely like she did. They had families who waited for them to come home. Allie was lucky her aunt still let her crash on the rotted couch in the basement. She desperately wanted someone she could love forever. Now, she'd found him.
Half the mar
quee lights above her were burned out, leaving a soft, protective glow around her. The summer temperatures had come early in May, giving warmth to the evening and coaxing the hoodlums out of their hangouts. Being out alone in that part of town was not for outsiders, but this was her small section of the city. She knew how to avoid the dangers. Besides, nobody messed with Joey Pagano's girlfriend.
She took a sip of Coke and rocked on her heels in anticipation. Once she told Joey about the baby, she knew he'd want to get married. Then she'd finally have the family she longed for. An odd kind of energy swirled around her, and Allie knew this was a night she'd remember forever.
Her heart rate jumped when Joey came in to view as he hurried toward her, his dark hair and jacket making him seem part of the night. "You're late again." Allie wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. His breaths were quick and deep from exertion, but he was there, and everything was perfect. The world lay at her feet, and she couldn't wait to grab it and run. "Someday—"
"Allie, stop."
The fear in his voice surprised her. Her happy mood dropped like a block of cement in the nearby Chicago River. When she looked closer, she realized he had a black eye and his beautiful lip was cut, leaving a bit of dried blood on his mouth. His injuries struck a chord of fear that had long been dormant inside her. "What's wrong?"
She'd never seen him with his dark eyes so full of anxiety. "We've got to get out of here," he said. "I'll take you home. You need to stay inside your aunt's house as much as possible. I don't think anybody will mess with you there." He pulled her along the street into a deserted alley, tugging her harder and harder until they were nearly running.
"What do you mean, nobody will mess with me?" The sound of their feet smacking the pavement echoed around them, leaving the other noises behind. "Is somebody messing with you? Is it Benny?" Anything that was bad, wrong or dangerous in Joey's life was because of Benny Trasatti.
Joey didn't answer.
He slowed as the eerie darkness enveloped them, allowing her to catch her breath. A cat dashed behind one of the few parked cars on the deserted street.
"You're not talking to me. Why won't you tell me what's happened?" Couldn't he see she was freaking out?
"I can't right now. Just—don't worry. Everything's cool."
They reached the end of the alley, and she wanted answers. She dug in her heels and forced him to a stop in front of Newman's Jewelry store, the place she'd intended to tell him about the baby. She'd dreamed about it all day. On their way home, she'd tell him her news. He'd propose. They'd look at rings, and her future would be set.
"Joey, please. I love you. Tell me what's wrong. Who hit you? Are you in danger?" She gestured with her hands, her fingers spread wide in frustration. "Please, I can't stand this."
Joey glanced in both directions before pulling her into his warm embrace. "It's fine. Just a little misunderstanding with the boys."
The boys. The term he'd given to Benny and his delinquent friends. The same boys who had deep family connections to the mob. Benny, himself, was the grandson of a notorious mob boss. And this was supposed to reassure her? "You know those boys are trouble. I wish you'd stay away from them."
He pressed his warm, firm lips to hers. "It's no big deal. As soon as I give 'em what they want, they'll be happy."
His words sobered her. "What do they want?" She recognized the threat to her future happiness. Benny dealt in drugs and guns, so it was pretty obvious he wasn't asking for Joey's lunch money.
"Nothing you need to worry about." He tried to kiss her again, but she refused to be distracted.
"You need to stay away from them, Joey. You're going to get hurt."
"Don't go losing sleep over this. Nobody's going to get hurt." He seemed to relax a little. "I've got everything under control." He touched the top of her breast where a fresh tattoo lay hidden beneath her bra. "Remember this." He put his palm over his own chest where he had an almost identical tattoo. "This means we love each other, and we'll always be together."
She let him pull her close this time, needing to feel the strength and security he offered. Maybe she should tell him about the baby now. It wasn't exactly the romantic declaration she'd dreamed of, but it might be enough to convince him to leave the life of crime he seemed determined to claim.
Allie snuggled next to his warm body as a passing car's headlights illuminated them against the jewelry store. Beyond Joey's shoulder lay the cutest gold band. The ring she hoped he'd buy her once she told him about the baby. "Joey, I think we should move away from Chicago. Let's pack up and go. Forget about what your boys want. We could leave tonight. My aunt's pissed at me, anyway."
She glanced up at his face, ignoring the stab of hurt she felt because he wasn't focused on her. She placed a hand on his cheek, trying to turn his face. "You can go to school, and I can get a job anywhere."
Joey's gaze followed the car before he returned his attention to her. "Easier said than done, Allie. You know things aren't that simple. Besides, if this works out the way I want it to, I won't have to worry about an education. We'll be set for life."
Allie's defenses went on high alert. It scared her to think about what he might be involved in. If it would take care of them for life, it had to be big, which also meant dangerous. "But—"
He sighed and looped his arm around her neck, pulling her head close to his. "I've told you before, Al. I'm not the college type." He kissed her, sending shivers to her core. "You don't need to worry about this thing with Benny's family. It's all good. I can handle myself."
Joey, handling a mob boss? A small breeze rustled down the sidewalk, sending her long hair skittering across her cheek. Now was her chance. It was time to tilt the world on its axis and make it spin in her direction. "Joey." She pulled back so she could catch his expression. "I have something wonderful to tell you. I—"
"Shit." Joey shoved her against the jewelry store, the rough brick scraping her jacket as he turned away.
"Hey." His actions caught her off guard, and it took her a moment to realize he'd positioned himself between her and another set of oncoming headlights. "Joey?" she whispered, her voice stumbling over the syllables as she watched him pull a gun from the back of his waistband. Oh, God. No.
"Get down." The force of his words was meant to set her in motion, but she froze as someone in an old green sedan lowered its passenger window and two shots exploded.
Everything became distorted. Time sped up, and yet moved at a snail's pace.
Before she could react, pain ripped across her arm as Joey knocked her down. She grunted as they landed hard on the sidewalk, Joey covering her for protection. Tires squealed away from them, and then all was quiet again.
"Oh, my God, Joey!" Her heartbeat went from zero to ninety in the space of a second. "We need to get out of here." She waited for him to move, to take her to safety, but he seemed as frozen from terror as she was. "Come on. They might come back."
Fear sluiced through her as Allie tried to move from beneath him. "Joey, come on." Hot tears puddled in her eyes. She pushed against his arm. Something wasn't right. He was too heavy, too lifeless. If she didn't get help soon, he would die.
With a panic-filled shove, she managed to free herself. Joey's beautiful face lay against the cold sidewalk, his features relaxed. She lifted a hand to clear her eyes, but the action only made things worse. She swiped and swiped with shaky fingers, but couldn't get a grip on reality.
"Joey?" Her lips trembled as she put a hand to his face. "Please, Joey." She leaned her head close to his, hoping to hear a breath or a whispered word. "We're going to have a baby. We need you." If anything would wake him up, that would. "I would have told you yesterday." Her words broke off on a sob. "I wanted this to be special."
No. No. No. The words kept repeating in her head. He was her family. Her precious future. She'd lost her mother, and now she was losing the only other person who'd ever truly loved her.
She laid her head against his ches
t to listen for a heartbeat. A warm wetness met her cheek. She jerked back. The realization that his black T-shirt was covered in blood was like a slap to her face. She whisked her hand down her cheek and recoiled from the dark red stain on her palm. Only then did she realize his open eyes hadn't blinked.
She tried desperately to catch her breath. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God." Everything in her began to shake. She needed help. Now.
She got to her knees as another car squealed around the corner. Her world shifted again. Instinctively, she knew they weren't coming to help Joey. Bright headlights glared at her, trying to trap her with their brilliance.
They were back.
Adrenaline kicked in. She pushed off the cement. Pain shot through her palms as broken glass sliced into her skin. In a brief flash of a second, she turned to the broken window of Newman's Jewelry, catching a glimpse of the gold band. At a moment when her world could end in a heartbeat, it seemed strange to notice the wedding ring still sat upon its velvet pillow, untouched, with the shattered display all around it.
Then she ran.
Her feet moved of their own accord, back down the alley. One after the other, they pounded on the pavement, keeping pace with the rapid beat of her heart. Air rushed past her face. She'd never run so fast in her life. Her arm ached where she had landed on it, but she didn't stop, didn't think beyond her next footstep. Faster. Faster. She had to go faster.
But it wasn't enough.
The side street lit up as the car turned to follow her, growling as it leapt closer. If she could make it to the next corner, maybe she'd get away.
An ominous black car with dark windows screeched to a halt several feet ahead of her. It wasn't the green sedan whose occupants had shot Joey, but it seemed just as dangerous.
She almost fell as she ground to a halt. The back door of the car opened. Before she could see who emerged, she turned and sprinted back toward Joey.
"I'll get her," someone yelled from behind.
