Always Love You

by Shirleen Davies

  ******

  “You still here?” Brooke poked her head into Amber’s office to find her still pouring over notes from today’s meetings.

  “What time is it?” Amber leaned back, stretching her arms above her head.

  “Almost seven. Pack it up and I’ll walk out with you.”

  “Kade’s not here?”

  “He and Jace are out of town looking at some mares for our breeding program. I don’t expect him until Thursday. You feel like Chinese takeout?”

  “Anything so I don’t have to go to the apartment and eat cereal.” Amber closed her briefcase, turned off the lights, and followed Brooke outside, noting the light still on in Eric’s office. “Does he work late every night?” She nodded toward his door as they passed.

  “When he’s in town. Sometimes he doesn’t roll in until late morning. I try not to keep up with his strange schedule. Follow me and I’ll show you the best Chinese restaurant in town.” Brooke slid into her red SUV and took off, Amber close behind.

  A mile from the office complex they passed a convenience center, the parking lot packed with choppers and people in leathers milling about. Brooke made a mental note to mention it to Kade. His past life as a DEA Special Agent had left them with some loose ends and she still felt a chill at the sight of bikers anywhere in Fire Mountain.

  “Did you see those bikes?” Amber asked after they’d ordered and taken seats. “Some of them were amazing.”

  “You could tell from driving by them at night?”

  “A few were under the lights. I’d love to take a closer look sometime.”

  “Do you ride?”

  “I sold mine before leaving Denver. Now I wish I’d kept it. Guess I’ll need to check out what’s available in town, see if there’s a place selling used bikes.”

  She’d always been fascinated by them, although she could never explain the attraction to her parents. When she moved to Denver and met Dana, her interest sparked again. Dana owned a bike during high school in Wyoming, selling it to buy a larger one when she went to college. She’d brought it to Denver and rode with a local group at least one weekend a month, cracking Amber’s last bit of resistance.

  Amber bought a small bike, got her license, then plunked down the money for a larger motorcycle, which she rode with Dana and her friends.

  “You know Kade, Mitch, and Eric have bikes. Mitch bought one when he moved from Montana after Christmas.”

  Amber shifted toward Brooke, her eyes wide. “I didn’t know that. Do they ride often?”

  “Eric and Mitch ride their bikes to work much of the time. Kade has the most experience. All three try to ride on weekends.”

  “Okay, it’s time you tell me more about Kade.”

  “You already know some of it and how we met. Kade used to ride with one of the worst motorcycle clubs in the country as part of his DEA work. He won’t tell me much of what went on, just bits and pieces, but from what I do know, they’re into some bad stuff.”

  “Here you go.”

  They looked up at the young waitress who handed them their bags of takeout. Amber glanced at the girl then at Brooke.

  “Is it all right if we go ahead and eat here?” she asked, wanting to hear more about Kade’s experiences. “If that’s all right with you, Brooke.”

  “Of course. I’m starving.”

  They dug in, each taking several bites before Amber broke the silence. “Tell me more about what Kade did.”

  Brooke spoke of his time in Special Ops and transition to the DEA. She knew little of what he did during his undercover assignments, except the work impacted him more than he’d let on.

  “There’s still one case hanging out there which still bothers me.”

  “Which one?” Amber asked.

  “His last undercover assignment with the motorcycle club. They arrested the founder and national president, plus a handful of his top people, and based on Kade’s testimony, the DEA is certain they’ll go to prison. The gang remains in existence with the son taking on the national president role. He’s been in the number two spot for a long time and, according to Kade, has been waiting for his father to step aside.”

  “The father going to jail accomplished that.”

  “True. According to what Kade’s been able to learn, the son had put a reward out for him.”

  Amber’s chopsticks stopped midway to her mouth. “You mean like a hit?”

  “I believe so. Kade is still connected with the DEA because of the case, and they keep him in the loop on anything that impacts him. I overheard him talking with J.D. Montalban, a DEA agent who was pulled from another assignment to keep tabs on the gang. He’s the one who warned Kade of the threat.” Brooke shrugged, trying not to seem alarmed.

  “When did he learn this?” Amber asked.

  “On Sunday.”

  “The day after you got home from your honeymoon. Great timing.” Amber’s brow furrowed as she absorbed what Brooke had told her. “What does he plan to do?”

  “He’s alerted Heath, Jace, Cam, Mitch, and Eric, plus everyone who works around the ranch house. He’s also notified the police chief and sheriff. They were both involved in what happened last summer. The DEA is trying to learn what they can to substantiate the threat. Until they do, their hands are tied as far as sending out anyone to cover him. It’s not the best situation, although if anyone can deal with it, it’s Kade.”

  “It makes sense to get the sheriff and police chief involved. What I don’t understand is how Heath and the others can do anything against an attack by a gang.”

  “You should’ve been here in the fall. Kade extended his leave to recuperate from an accident and talked Heath into working with everyone on their shooting and self-defense skills. Even the women had to learn. He called it a mini-boot camp,” she snorted. “It wasn’t mini as far as I could tell. Unless traveling for business, everyone attended all day every Saturday for a month, plus he worked with individuals at night. And this was long before he’d heard about the threat.”

  “It’s good he’s taking the danger seriously.” Amber thought of her own pathetic attempts to learn to shoot. She’d never taken a self-defense class, deciding a canister of mace in her purse would serve the purpose. Now she wondered.

  “Guess who’s next on the training schedule?” Brooke’s mouthed curved into a smile.

  “Me? Oh, no. Besides, I don’t live at the ranch and I’m not part of the family. There’d be no reason to come after me.”

  “Kade already talked to Heath and Jace. Since you’re friends with the Sinclairs, and will most likely spend some of your free time with us, they believe you should be prepared—just in case. Don’t feel too bad about it. Mitch had to go through the same training when he came to Fire Mountain. You start this Saturday.”

  “This Saturday?” Amber groaned out the question. “I’d planned to look at bikes this weekend.”

  “Perfect. You can talk to Kade about where to look and who to talk to while he’s training you. Trust me. It’ll be fun.”

  ******

  “How’s your schedule on Saturday? You have time for a ride?” Eric nursed a beer, keeping an eye on the new waitress at The Tavern, a locals hangout and sports bar.

  “Can’t. I’m working with Amber.”

  Eric’s head snapped away from the waitress toward Kade. “Working with her how?”

  “Shooting, self-defense. The same stuff I put you through last fall. She is a looker.”

  “Who? Amber?” Eric asked, narrowing his eyes on Kade as his body stilled.

  “Well, yes, she’s outright gorgeous. I’m talking about the waitress you’ve been eyeing since you came in,” Kade snorted.

  “Uh…yeah, she’s pretty. So, why would Amber need training?”

  “Heath and Jace believe since she’s a friend of you Sinclairs, she needs to be prepared. No big deal. A few Saturdays. Brooke plans to join us when she can. You might want to stop by, get a refresher.”

  They both knew Kade’s commen
t was in jest. Eric learned to shoot at a young age, progressing from shotguns, to rifles, and handguns. He, Cam, and their father had taken a couple of hunting trips each year until Kit Sinclair passed away. Eric always bagged his limit. He still went to the range each month, practicing and keeping his skills at a top level. Kade had once told him his talents were wasted in searching for real estate when he could be a deadly force hunting bad guys. Eric had laughed at the suggestion.

  Eric stared at the half-empty glass of beer, losing the desire to finish it. He pushed it away and threw some dollars on the bar. “Can’t. I have plans.”

  “Well, when you get finished with your plans, feel free to stop by and check her progress. At some point you might want to take over, help with her shooting skills.”

  “Not likely.” Eric slapped Kade on the back.

  Kade watched him leave, noting how he’d forgotten all about the waitress he’d been so focused on a few minutes before.

  Chapter Five

  Appleton, Texas

  “He’s gone, Robbie.” Swinger hated giving his Prez bad news.

  “What do you mean, gone? DEA agents just don’t disappear.” Robbie Morgan stood, pushing away the half-dressed woman who’d been sitting on his lap. “Get out,” he snarled, motioning toward the door. She stumbled away, grabbing her blouse, not bothering to slip it on before slamming the door behind her.

  “Explain.” Robbie reached down to pick up his vest, revealing club colors tattooed on his back. He punched his tattoo covered arms through the openings, not bothering with the t-shirt crumbled at his feet.

  Kade Taylor had once ridden with them, become a full patch member of Satan’s Brethren, been a confidante of Robbie’s, and had the respect of the leadership. He’d been welcomed as a fellow brother and one percenter, signifying his status as a member of an outlaw motorcycle club. Kade and Robbie had spent many nights drinking until they couldn’t stand while club whores knelt before them.

  He’d been one tough S.O.B., doing everything they’d asked, and never once giving a hint of his true affiliation. Turned out he worked for the DEA. Special Agent Taylor now had a target painted on his back, and the Brethren would be the ones to claim the kill before disposing the body in a place where no one would ever find it. No body, no crime.

  “You called us back to Texas for other business right after he gave his deposition in San Diego. Now the boys can’t find him.” Swinger planted his feet, arms crossed, watching with narrowed eyes. “Hell, we didn’t get the word from Sonny to go after him until a couple weeks ago. He could be anywhere.”

  Swinger had become the national enforcer after Robbie’s father, the founder of Satan’s Brethren, Sonny Morgan, was arrested, along with his top lieutenant and three other officers. It had been a miracle Robbie wasn’t with them. Instead, he’d been meeting with a Satan’s Brethren support club, setting up a hit on a rival gang encroaching on their territories.

  His father had gotten word out he’d step down, letting his son take his place to take out the DEA agent who’d put him in jail—Kade Taylor. Robbie had been tapped to do what was needed to carry out the orders.

  He’d sent several brothers to San Diego to confirm Taylor’s location before finalizing his plans. He wanted all details nailed down tight before riding west with Swinger. Over the objection of each of his officers, he’d made it clear he’d be the one to carry out the hit—personally.

  The news of Taylor’s disappearance created a major problem. Even though Robbie held the national president position, his father still pulled considerable weight and more than a few people owed him favors. Several doubted the younger Morgan had the balls to the fill the position and build alliances, but didn’t fight Sonny’s decision. Robbie knew he had to prove them wrong.

  He let out a loud curse before grabbing a cold beer and downing half of it. He needed this win to earn the trust of the chapters.

  Swinger grabbed his own beer and paced toward the opposite wall, glancing out the dirt-encrusted window. “I can have the brothers follow Taylor’s partner, Clive Nelson, and his buddy, Salgado.”

  “The U.S. Marshal?”

  “That’s the one. We’ve got four boys in San Diego, plus we can pull from the local chapter. It wouldn’t take long to see if he shows up, or persuade the agent and the marshal to provide his whereabouts.”

  “Hell, Swinger, why don’t you just send up a fuckin’ flare, let everyone know we’re looking for the guy? Roughing up his brothers will serve no purpose except to bring more heat down on us. We need to locate him without anyone knowing about it.” Robbie took a long swallow of beer.

  Although he didn’t like it, Swinger nodded. “I’ll pull our boys and have the local chapter watch the marshal and agent. Hands off—just follow them and report to me what they find.”

  Robbie nodded in agreement. “As I recall, he had a good hookup in Arizona. Some woman he’d been protectin’. Send the boys there, have them snoop around, see if they can find out if he’s still connected with the broad. We can’t wait until we know if Sonny and the others will go to trial.”

  “It may take some time.” Swinger tossed his empty can in the trash.

  “The trial could be months away. Find him and figure out what needs to be done. I want to know everything before riding out. You’ll need to arrange an accident, something that can never be tied back to us. But, Swinger, I will be the one to finish this.”

  “Understood.” Swinger grabbed the door handle. “And what do you want me to do about the other issue?”

  “My daughter?”

  Swinger nodded.

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?”

  Robbie had waited twenty years to start a search for the daughter he gave up on Sonny’s command. He’d never risked his father’s wrath trying to locate her before, not even taking the chance of contacting his friend, Crystal, in Wyoming. Now that Sonny sat in jail, and most likely would be on his way to prison within the year, Robbie wanted to find her. It would have to wait a little longer.

  “We’ll find her, just not yet. We have more important matters to deal with, such as DEA agent, Taylor.”

  “Right.” Swinger turned to leave.

  “And Swinger.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Send the whore back in.”

  ******

  “Widen your stance a little. That’s right. Now aim and squeeze the trigger.” Kade stood behind Amber as she held the Glock 9mm.

  Although she’d spent much of her life on her parent’s ranch in Colorado, she knew the basics of using a firearm and not much more. Her early years included learning to ride and care for horses, eventually leading to some amateur barrel racing, the same as Heath’s daughter, Cassie MacLaren. Amber’s parents had sold their ranch her first year in high school, deciding to move to California to be closer to relatives. That’s when she’d met Eric.

  “I missed,” she groaned and looked over her shoulder at Kade.

  “By a hair. Try it again. We have plenty of time.”

  She went through the motions again, this time piercing the outside ring of the target.

  “I got it!”

  “You did. Now do it again until it’s empty.”

  Amber finished and released the magazine as the sound of an approaching motorcycle drew her attention. She shielded her eyes from the bright sun, watching as the rider brought the bike to a stop near the ranch house. He removed his helmet, shook his head, and turned toward her. Eric.

  He hung the helmet on the handle bars, crossed his arms, and leaned against the bike, never letting his gaze leave hers.

  “Will he bother you?” Kade asked, not wanting Amber to lose her concentration.

  “Of course not. What’s next?”

  “Load the magazine and do it again. Three more times, then we’ll break for lunch. Afterwards, you’ll use a rifle.”

  Forcing herself to concentrate, Amber went through the rounds, improving each time. Even though her arms ached, she felt a huge
sense of satisfaction when they broke for lunch.

  “Great job.” Kade clasped her on the shoulder.

  He retrieved the target while Amber picked up the extra ammunition. They walked to the house as Annie came out and stood by Eric.

  “I thought I heard you ride up. You’ll stay for lunch, of course.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Have you eaten?”

  “No, Mom, I haven’t eaten.”

  “Good, because I have plenty. How’d she do?” Annie asked as Kade and Amber walked up.

  “I can definitely hit the side of a barn,” Amber joked.

  “You can do a lot better than that. Look here.” He held up the targets showing her improvement with each round.

  “Looks good, Amber. Now, all of you, come on inside. I’m sure you’re starving.”

  Eric followed them in, wondering why he’d decided to stop by. Mitch had other plans, so he decided to go alone. He’d ridden for two hours before taking the turn toward the house. He could’ve gone another route to his place and avoided seeing Amber work with Kade. Instead, curiosity won out. Now he’d be forced to spend more time around her, being cordial. He’d done enough of that at work all week.

  No matter his resolve to never let her get close to him again, he couldn’t stop his body’s automatic reaction to her. After all these years, she remained the one woman who could heat his blood with a glance. Seeing her each day at work was torture. He’d taken to working out an extra half hour in the company gym to get his body back on track. Then she’d walk by or be in the same room and he wanted to take another cold shower. After just one week, his frustration had hit a boiling point. He knew it would never work for them again, not ever. Too much baggage and bad memories. If only his body would accept it.

  “When’s your next trip?” Annie asked Eric, who sat beside her.

  “I fly out Wednesday for Austin. Hope to be back sometime Friday.” The mention of Austin brought an image of Jax to his mind. Perhaps he’d call her, see if she wanted to spend time together Thursday night. She may be just what he needed to purge Amber from his thoughts—at least for a while. As time passed and he adjusted to her being around, he had no doubt his reactions to her would change and she’d be just another colleague.