by K. J. Dahlen
Marnie groaned under his lips. She arched her lower body to his. Rubbing herself on him she felt her body responding. Before she could let it happen, she tore out of his arms and took a step away from him. Gasping for breath, she took a few minutes to gain control.
Deacon closed his eyes and reined his desire in. His body needed release badly but he knew now was not the time. A few deep breaths later, he finally asked. “So what do you do then?”
“I’m a councilor actually.” She had begun to pace in order to cool her body down. “I was hoping Cassie would give me a job.”
“She might at that,” he replied as he adjusted himself. “She’s going to be busy very soon with the baby and all.”
At that moment, Reva ran across the yard and ducked into the first cabin.
Marnie frowned and followed her to the door. When she heard a child’s cry, she went inside. “Benny, is that you?” she called out. “Are you okay sweetheart?”
When she rounded the corner, she found Ben in Reva’s arms.
Jack and Alaina we curled up on the other side of the bed. Alaina was holding Jack and both had a frightened look in their eyes.
“What’s going on?” Marnie asked.
“Benny had a bad dream,” Jack told them as he plopped his thumb into his mouth. “He woke up and didn’t know where he was.”
“It’s okay darling. I’m here,” Reva soothed the young child in her arms. “Bad dreams can scare a person can’t they?”
Benny’s arms crept around her neck and he held on for dear life. “I was scared. I didn’t know where you were.”
“I was just next door,” Reva told them. “As long as you guys are awake, would you like to meet some friends of mine?”
Alaina looked over at Marnie. “Can we?”
Marnie smiled. “If you want to.” She motioned toward Deacon. “This is Deacon, he lives here too.”
“Hey, do you ride a motorcycle too?” Jack asked. “Are you part of a gang?”
Deacon chuckled. “It’s called a club not a gang. We don’t hurt anyone.” He knelt beside Jack and Alaina. “I’ll bet you’ve never seen a tiger up close before have you?”
Alaina shook her head and Jack’s eyes got big.
“My niece Cassie painted one in the clubhouse and he’s beautiful. His name is Rufus.”
“Can we see him?’ Alaina asked.
“Sure can, come on. I’ll introduce you.”
Alaina looked over at Reva. “Can we go?”
Reva smiled. “Sure, Benny and me will be along right behind you.”
Deacon took Alaina’s hand and Jack grabbed onto Marnie. Together, they walked back to the clubhouse and went inside.
~* * * *~
When Jack saw the tiger, his eyes widened. “Wow, he’s huge!”
Deke and Gator had been sitting in the main room. They glanced up and Gator broke out laughing. They both turned and gazed at the tiger on the wall behind them.
“I think I like the lion better,” Alaina commented. “He’s prettier. The tiger looks kinda mean.”
Benny and Reva came in. Benny was in Reva’s arms and when everyone looked their way, Benny hid his face in her neck. Reva smiled gently at him and whispered something that made him laugh.
Gator’s eyes softened at the look on her face. He could see how much being with the kids meant to her and for a moment, his heart hurt that he could never give her the family she’d always wanted. He had to turn away from the domestic picture she made.
They all heard the honking of a car horn. Deke, Deacon and Gator rushed to the door to see Amos’s car waiting by the gate.
Deke rushed over, punched in the code and the gate opened.
Amos pulled into the parking area and before the car even stopped, Deke was at the back door. Gator closed and locked the gate while Deke reached in and pulled Cassie out of the car.
She curled into his arms and he walked her carefully inside. Making his way down the short hall, there were footsteps following him. Pushing the door to his room open, he carefully walked over to the bed. Peaches was there to pull the blankets down for him and he carefully laid Cassie down. “Are you okay?” he asked as he brushed her damp hair off her forehead.
Cassie sighed. “I’ll be okay. Amos took good care of me.” She looked over at Peaches, then back to Deke. “How did it go with Sullivan?”
“They found a video of the night Jeremy Talbot died. They thought it was you who beat him to death,” Peaches informed her.
Cassie closed her eyes. “Are they ever going to stop?” she whispered as tears rolled down her pale cheeks.
“Honey,” Peaches whispered. “Sullivan said he was going to dig into Robbie’s death.”
“Why?” Cassie frowned.
“Because I asked him to,” her best friend replied. “I also told them Janelle was the biggest god damn liar on the planet and not to take anything she said at face value.”
“Enough talking,” Deke ordered as he pulled the covers up around Cassie. Looking over at Peaches he said, “She needs to rest.”
“Okay,” Peaches whined. Leaning toward her friend, she pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Get better soon sweetie.”
Cassie smiled slightly as she closed her eyes. “I’ll see you all later.”
Deke waited after Peaches left the room for Cassie to fall asleep. He sat down on the bed and brushed the hair from her face. Before he left the room, he walked over to the window and looked outside. He’d stood here before without a clue as to what really mattered to him. Then he turned and looked at the woman in his bed.
She was what mattered, now and forever. He vowed to keep her safe for the rest of his life.
~* * * *~
There was man standing in the shadows behind the tree line just beyond the chain link fence surrounding the compound. The large man standing at the window couldn’t see him but Robbie could see him. He’d also seen him carry a young woman inside and he wondered if it was Cassie he carried.
He had followed the FBI agents all the way to the city of Troy, New York. He had found her after all these years. His eyes began to burn as he stared at the window. The large biker had moved away from the glass and Robbie smiled. He might not get close to her today or even tomorrow, but one day soon, he would stand right in front of her and he would end the torment she had put on him. He would end it by ending her life. He’d vowed that as a child and he always kept his promises to himself, even if no one else kept theirs.
He and began walking away. His car was on the other side of the woods. Each step he took was painful for him and that was another thing he had to thank Cassie for. His life had become hell the day she left…now hers would become hell too.
~* * * *~
When Cassie opened her eyes later, she felt rested. She turned her head slightly and found Deke sitting in a chair, head back and snoring slightly. She had to smile, that is until she looked toward the door and found a pair of curious eyes staring back at her.
They were pale blue and set in a face with high cheekbones and lips that smiled easily. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back. The woman just stared back at her. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Cassie whispered back. “Do I know you?”
“Not yet.” She smiled. The woman stepped closer and stuck her hand out toward Cassie. “I’m Maggie. I’m Morris’s sister and a nurse. The big guy…” She jerked a thumb in Deke’s vicinity, “…Asked me to come over and check on your condition.”
“Why would he do that?” Cassie frowned slightly.
“You’re kidding, right?” Maggie stared at her. “You were shot yesterday, remember?”
“Vaguely, I do seem to remember that part.” Cassie raised an eyebrow.
“Then you also remember Deke carried you out of the hospital against medical orders.” Maggie sat down on the edge of the bed. “From what I read of your medical chart before I left this morning, everything should be okay. Your abdomen should heal just fine but you did have a blood los
s and they did have to do surgery to stop the bleeding. Deke just wanted me to check your progress, that’s all.”
“You’re not going to make him take me back to the hospital are you?”
Maggie giggled softly. “Honey, nobody can make that man do a damn thing he doesn’t want to do.” She lifted the covers. “Come on sweetie, I need to see it.”
Cassie moved her hospital gown out of the way and watched as Maggie lifted the edge of the tape holding the gauze over her wound.
A few pokes here and there and Maggie lifted the covering completely off. Her wound looked clean, there were a couple of stitches, but the edges seemed all right. She applied a fresh bandage and shook out a couple of pills in her hand for Cassie. Handing her a glass of water she watched as Cassie swallowed them.
“What did you just give me?”
“Antibiotic. I picked up your prescription before I left work. Don’t worry they won’t hurt the baby.” Maggie nodded. “Everything looks good. I would suggest you give yourself time to heal, stay in bed for the next few days at least. Get up to go to the bathroom but otherwise…rest. You need time for your body to replace the blood you lost. Give it at least a couple days before you shower. I can give you something for the pain, if you like.”
“No, I don’t want anything for pain.” Cassie’s hands cradled her belly protectively.
Maggie smiled and her eyes twinkled. “So the big guy is gonna be a daddy, huh?”
Cassie nodded.
“Well, it’s about damn time.” Maggie grinned. Then she sat back and stared at Cassie. “I’ve been hearing some rumors around town.”
Cassie fidgeted with the edge of the blanket. “Oh, what kind of rumors?”
“Something about some kind of housing project for people down on their luck, needing a second chance sort of thing.”
“Oh, yeah?” Cassie plucked at the blanket. “What about it?”
“Well, if it were true, it would be a wonderful idea,” Maggie assured her. “A friend of mine, Joey, came back from the war on terror, a few months back. The things he saw and did for his country really messed the poor guy up. The VA couldn’t or wouldn’t help him adjust back to civilian life. He isn’t doing so well.”
“That’s tough isn’t it?” Cassie frowned. “You know something? I’ve met some other guys like that. Sometimes, being able to talk to someone in the same boat helps. Does Joey need a job? I can always use the help. Redemption House is nearly done but we have a ton of work to do before it opens. I also have several guys there, Joey could talk to. They wouldn’t judge him, they might even help him.”
Maggie had tears in her eyes. “All anyone wants to do with Joey is push pills on him and he doesn’t need that. He just needs somebody who understands where he’s been. He just needs to know that what he was made to do in the line of duty was out of his control.”
“Please tell Joey to stop by Redemption House and talk to Amos or Gus. If he needs a place to stay, some of the rooms are ready.”
“Can I take him there? Maybe have a look around?”
“Sure, we’ll be open in another month, thanks to him.” Cassie nodded her head at Deke. “He sent most of his crew to help with the remodeling.” She laid her hand over Maggie’s. “I really hope Joey will find his way in this. I know Amos and Gus and some of the others still have nightmares about what they did, but Amos told me once, talking about it does help somewhat to keep the demons away. He said just being around other guys that have gone through the same thing as he did, helps ease the situation. Maybe that would help Joey too.”
“Thanks, I’ll make sure he gets there.” Maggie patted the bed. “I am out of here. I need to go home. I can hear my pillow calling me.”
“Thanks for stopping by.” Cassie watched as Maggie left then turned her head to watch Deke. When she saw his eyes were open, she smiled.
Deke got up and came over to the bed. The mattress dipped when he sat down next to her. Leaning forward, his lips pressed on hers. When she gasped, he pushed his tongue into her mouth. When he lifted his body away from hers, both were breathless.
“Wow,” Cassie whispered.
“Yeah.” Deke groaned. “I want you so bad right now.”
“Me too,” she whispered back as she slowly licked her suddenly dry lips.
Deke kissed her again. He broke off the kiss suddenly and leaned back. “If we don’t stop right now, I’ll overlook the fact that you were shot yesterday.”
“Yeah, about that,” Cassie frowned at him. “Maggie just left. She said you asked her to stop in and check on me.”
“I did,” Deke admitted. “I didn’t want you to have to go back to the hospital. She’s a nurse.”
“Who the hell is Morris?”
Deke chuckled. “Morris is our tech guy, brilliant mind and he prefers to go by Zipper.”
Cassie nodded then plucked at the blanket. They had something to talk about and she didn’t know how to get the conversation started. “So…I need to know something.”
“What would that be?”
“How do you feel about the baby?” she swallowed hard.
Deke thought about her question for a moment before he answered her, “I love the idea of you having my baby. I never thought about it much before now. I’ve always been very careful about protection but with you, I didn’t really give it a thought.” He sat back and stared at her. “How do you feel about it?”
Cassie smiled sadly, then looked away. “I’m a little bit afraid, not of the baby or how I feel about you but I’ve never had anything in my life before that belonged to me. Janelle made sure of that. Even the clothes I wore belonged to somebody else first.” She paused then turned to him again. “I think I’d like us to be a family. I’ve missed that so much. I can’t hardly remember my mother anymore but I do remember she made me feel safe. When she held me in her arms, I knew nothing could touch me, or hurt me. I want that for our baby.”
Deke leaned close to her. “And I want that for you. I want you to feel safe around me and I want to build that for our kids.”
“Kids?” Cassie questioned.
“Yeah, I want more than one and less than a dozen.” He grinned at the astonished look on her face. “I want lots of sons and daughters and I want you as their mother.”
Cassie’s mouth popped open in shock.
Deke chuckled and kissed her open mouth.
~* * * *~
When Lance Sullivan reached his office in Boston, his partner Victor Shroder looked up from his desk. “Where the hell have you been?”
“I had to run over to Troy on a case, why?”
“We have another body,” Victor announced. “And this one was carved up really bad. Whoever this guy is he’s a sick fucker.”
Lance sat down in his chair hard. He almost didn’t want to know the details. Picking up the file on his desk, he opened it and groaned. The first thing he saw was a young woman’s body covered in blood. He glanced up at his partner and asked, “Is it the usual twenty three stab wounds?”
Victor sat back and nodded. “Yup, twenty three and he made a mess out of her back. This fucker really likes the pain. The coroner said all the wounds were before he ended her life.”
Lance began flipping through the photos when something caught his eye. The killer had carved the word whore on her back. He’d seen that before in the same disgusting way. He lifted his eyes to Victor. “Tell me something, did he carve the same word on all their backs?”
Victor threw his pen down on the desk and reached for the eight files sitting on the corner of his desk. Opening them, he saw where Lance’s question was going. “It seems so, why?”
“Because I’ve seen this before.”
“Yeah, every time we open one of these files.”
“No, I’ve seen this on a living victim.”
Victor looked stunned as he got up and walked closer. He looked down at the grisly photo in Lance’s hand. “You know someone out there with the word whore carved on her back?”
Lance nodded.
“Can we talk to her?” Victor was getting excited. “Maybe with her information we can stop this fuck head?”
“I have to check something first,” Lance told him as he keyed in his computer. He was looking for something specific. When he got the location of the file he needed, he got up and left the room. He returned a few minutes later, he sat down and opened Robbie Pierce’s murder file. He saw the photos and autopsy reports. Searching the photos, he could see the body of a child. The reports said Robbie was a fourteen year old boy. His body bore the signs of the recent attack but the bullet that took his life had all but destroyed his face. There was no way left to definitely identify who this body belonged too.
At least not without Cassie and Peaches’ help. If they were right, Robbie Pierce may not be the body in this file. He was going back to Troy in the morning and maybe finally…have some answers.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cassie snuggled into Deke’s heat. She didn’t remember him coming to bed but she was glad he was there with her. The last few weeks of sleeping alone had sucked. She’d missed just being near him. She knew they couldn’t have sex yet, but just being close to him was almost worth being so hot and bothered.
Deke shifted and wrapped his arm around her pulling her even closer. “Morning beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.
Cassie tilted her head and smiled. “Good morning.”
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Better now that I have you back.” She kissed his shoulder.
“Been thinking about something.”
Cassie closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear this or not. “What is that?”
“We need us a house,” Deke informed her. “The cabins are too small for a growing family and I’d like to build out of the city. There’s a spot on the other side of the clubhouse that would be perfect, all you have to do is tell me what kind of house you want.”
Cassie popped her head up, her eyes wide and surprised. “You want to build us a house? A real house?”
