Saving the Preacher's Daughter (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter #1)

by Piper Davenport

  I’d never thought being joined to someone forever would be so darn fun, especially, since the little issue of my life being threatened was dealt with.

  Spike and his cohorts were currently serving twenty-five to life in the state penitentiary and the Torrance group had gone to ground. No one had been able to get Percy Aljets on anything legally, but according to Doc, he was laying low and on his best behavior, especially since he wasn’t able to completely get Brad off the hook in the prostitution ring.

  Life could have only been described as blissful at the moment, and since we made the drive up to Atlanta every two or three months, Dash was much more settled on where his place was in the world.

  I smacked his hands away. “Don’t get me riled up right before I have to go and teach third graders... I need to be focused.”

  “I’ll make up for it tonight,” he promised. “Get you focused back on what’s important.”

  “Can’t wait,” I said distractedly while I threw random things I thought I might need into my bag. I smoothed my hands down my brand-new jeans and bit my lip. “Do I look okay?”

  “You look hot.”

  I sighed. “But do I look... teacherly?”

  “Honestly? You don’t look like any of my teachers in third grade. If I’d had you, I’d have been walking around with major wood all day long.”

  “Gross, Dash.”

  “Hey. You love my wood.”

  “Stop.” I raised my hands in surrender and couldn’t stop a giggle. “I have to get into teacher mode, not rip the clothes off my husband and take him on the kitchen floor mode.”

  “I could make that happen, baby. Just say the word.”

  I threw my hands in the air. “I give up.”

  Dash grinned. “You look beautiful and you’ll be the best third grade teacher in that school... can’t wait ’til our kids are goin’ there.”

  “Me too, honey.”

  “Come on, Mrs. Lloyd, it’s time to face your students.”

  I grinned and grabbed my bag, taking a deep breath.

  “I’m really proud of you, Willow,” he said, kissing me. “You did everything you set out to do, and I’m in awe of you for it.”

  I stroked his cheek. “Thanks, honey. I’m pretty darn proud of you too, you know.”

  He smiled. “Yeah, you’re good about telling me.”

  “I will never take you for granted.”

  “Ditto.”

  I kissed him again. “Okay, we need to go or I’ll insist on you taking me back to bed.”

  “Got the keys, baby. I’m ready.”

  As I led him out of the house and he locked up, we climbed into the car and my man drove me to work. If you’d told me after everything that had happened three years ago, that I’d be married to my dream man, sporting a matching tattoo to cover our matching gunshot wounds (little band-aids with each other’s names inscribed), and living the life of a biker’s woman, I’d have laughed in your face.

  But it was true and it was perfect.

  Unedited Excerpt ©2017 Piper Davenport / Trixie Publishing, Inc.

  PROLOGUE

  Poppy

  Devon Wallace is my hero.

  He’d just bailed me out of a potentially life-altering embarrassment, and I couldn’t love him more. Maybe I could, but since I’d been in love with him since I was twelve, I was totally and completely besotted with the man. He was my step-dad’s nephew, so I saw him almost daily, and we’d become really good friends.

  “Poppet?” Mum called through the door. “Devon’s here.”

  “Be right there.” I checked myself in the mirror and bit my lip.

  Tonight was the National Equestrian Club ball and it would be my last, since I had just turned eighteen and heading off to college in less than a month. My best friend Grace and I were heading to Atlanta where I would study anthropology and she was doing a liberal arts degree while dancing as an apprentice with the Atlanta Ballet Company. Gracie lived and breathed ballet and I was so glad we would be close.

  Atlanta had also been approved because the Dogs of Fire had a chapter in Savannah, so my parents felt more comfortable having back-up so close. What I’d ever need back-up for, I couldn’t tell you, but they approved the university (and were paying for it), so I was just happy to get away and start my life. Or just get away from the temptation that was Devon Wallace.

  I needed to get some distance and perspective, because I wanted him in my life forever. Whether or not he felt the same way about me was a mystery, but tonight was a step in the right direction, in my opinion. Unfortunately, with our almost three-year age gap, Mum had put the kibosh on anything outside of friendship. Well, at least in the past. Now that I was eighteen, however, those rules no longer applied.

  Which brought me to today and why Devon was my hero. Michael Sulkin, one of the guys from my club, had asked me to go as his date and I was super excited (’cause he was hot and could ride a horse like a boss), but then two days ago, he’d bailed on me. Out of the blue. No explanation, nothing. I’d been devastated...until Devon had offered to take me instead. And let’s be honest, I wanted Devon like an addict wanted a needle, so the fact he was willing to take me to a formal dance and dress up, gave me a funny feeling in my vagina.

  My dog, Sparky, gave a little whine and I scratched his ears. “Don’t you start judging me, too, mister.” He let out a quiet yip and I giggled. “Come on then. Let’s go see Devon.”

  I shoved my nerves down into my fluttery tummy and headed downstairs...stalling on the second to the last step, gripping the handrail because I was in serious danger of tripping...or melting into a puddle of goo. Sparky made a run for Devon and he scooped him up and pulled him close, smiling up at me. I swallowed convulsively as I took in the man in front of me. He wore a dark blue tailored suit, crisp white button up, a paisley tie, and motorcycle boots. Ohmigod, the motorcycle boots did me in. So sexy.

  “You look gorgeous,” he whispered, and again, my lady parts thrummed. I squeezed my legs together for a second, then forced myself to walk down the last two steps.

  “Oh, lovey, you look amazing,” Mum said, effectively jolting me out of my erotic haze.

  I smiled. I wore a floor-length, ice blue gown, that had a halter neckline and rouching at the stomach. I might be cold walking to and from the car, but I was willing to take that chance because I felt beautiful in it.

  “Baby girl,” Hatch breathed out as he wrapped an arm around my mother’s waist. “You’re stunning.”

  I blushed. “Thanks Sid.”

  My biological father had died of cancer when I was little and I didn’t really remember him anymore. Mum always did her best to show me videos of him and keep him alive in my mind, but when she met and married Hatch, he’d adopted me and had been more of a father to me than I could have ever wished for. He’d also been super respectful of the memory of my father and I’d nicknamed him “Sid.” He was my Stand In Dad, after all.

  “Back upstairs,” he said.

  I frowned. “What? Why?”

  “I’ll find you something more appropriate to wear.”

  “Oh, stop it!” Mum ordered. “Ignore him, poppet.”

  Hatch turned to Devon. “I’m gonna get you a gun.”

  “Hatch!” Mum admonished. “Stop being so melodramatic.” She took my arm and guided me into the living room. “Let’s get some photos. You stand next to Poppy, Devon.”

  Devon said nothing as we took the obligatory pictures, but then it was finally time to escape, and I took the jacket mum shoved at me (but refused to put it on). After hugging my parents, I followed Devon to the car and slid inside as he held the door for me.

  “You look really nice,” I said as he backed the car out of the driveway.

  “Yeah? You like this?”

  “I do,” I said. “Especially the boots.”

  He grinned. “Even cleaned ’em for you.”

  I tried not to sigh like a love-sick school girl, but that was seriously sweet. “You clean up n
ice, Dev.”

  He chuckled.

  “You haven’t been around much lately. Is your dad overloading you with work?”

  His dad owned a construction company and it was busy all year round, so Devon worked for him when he wasn’t doing ‘Club shit.’ Devon was also a recruit for the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club...Hatch’s club...so he was super busy.

  “Sure. We’ll go with that.”

  “It’s not ‘that’?”

  He smiled, his eyes on the road. “We’re here.”

  I was so excited to be going out with Devon, I didn’t notice he hadn’t answered my question. He parked the car, then walked to my side and opened the door. His chivalry was on-point tonight and I smiled as he took my hand and helped me out of the car.

  “Your jacket, Poppy.”

  “I don’t want it. It ruins the dress.”

  He rolled his eyes, but closed the door and locked the car, before shrugging off his suit jacket and slipping it over my shoulders. “Don’t want you catching a cold.”

  I bit my lip, unable to speak (lest I blurt out how badly I wanted to have his babies), and snuggled into the warmth. He took my hand, linking his fingers with mine, and we headed inside.

  Once we hit the lobby, I handed him back his jacket and was disappointed when he didn’t take my hand again.

  “Poppy!”

  I turned to the sound of my name and smiled as Finley Adams rushed toward me. “Ohmigod, you look amazing,” she exclaimed.

  “So do you.” I smiled, hugging her.

  “Hi Devon.”

  “Hey, Finley.”

  She focused back on me. “Did you hear what happened to Michael?”

  “No, what?” I asked.

  “He got jumped. I think it’s why he bailed on you.”

  “Shut up, seriously? Is he okay?”

  “I think so. But his nose got broken and his ribs are bruised. Derek said he was pretty messed up.”

  Derek was Finley’s brother and a few years older than us.

  “Oh my god, that’s awful. Who did it?”

  Finley shrugged. “No idea. He said he didn’t see the guys.”

  “We should probably get inside, huh?” Devon said, and laid his hand on my back.

  I didn’t want to do anything that would make him remove his hand, so I nodded and we headed into the event space. “Wow,” I breathed out.

  The hotel ballroom had been transformed into a starry night theme, complete with twinkling stars on the ceiling.

  “Super cool, huh?” Finley said.

  “Yes, it’s gorgeous.”

  She giggled. “Well, considering we had to pay over a hundred bucks a ticket, it should be.”

  I smiled. “This is true.”

  Finley led me to our table and Devon followed, keeping contact with me, but that didn’t last long as we took our seats and I engaged with my friends. Devon was polite, and cool as hell, having draped his arm over the back of my chair, but for the most part, he didn’t say anything. Just watched and listened. It might have been a little disconcerting if I didn’t know him, but I still wanted his touch and knew I probably wouldn’t get it again.

  The rest of the night was spent gabbing with friends, eating really good food, and dancing. Devon refused to dance with me, but it wasn’t lost on me the fact he didn’t like it if I danced with other guys. The second anyone of the opposite sex got anywhere near me, Devon was there to shoo him away.

  It was annoying, but also gave me hope, because maybe...just maybe...Devon liked me as much as I liked him.

  * * *

  Devon

  I was gonna fuckin’ kill these assholes if they kept tryin’ to grind up on Poppy. Goddammit, they were relentless. Didn’t help that she was smokin’ hot in her blue dress. The second I got a glimpse of her, I was rock hard, and the way she looked at me, fuckin’ gutted me. I knew how she felt about me. It was written all over her face.

  But I’d never go there. Couldn’t go there, no matter how much I might have wanted to. She was my uncle’s step-daughter and he’d made it perfectly clear she was off-limits.

  But fuck me, I wanted her. From my head, to my heart, to my dick, I ached for her, and the older she got, the worse that ache got. So much so, that despite the amount and sheer variety of pussy being offered at the Club, she was in my head when I fucked another woman.

  It had gotten so bad, I’d stopped going to the Club unless absolutely necessary, considering I didn’t want to look like a pussy turning down every woman who offered herself to me.

  Poppy was the only one I wanted and since she wasn’t available, my hand got a steady and regular work-out, imagining her face as I jacked off several times a day.

  Fuck! I needed some relief and I needed it soon.

  “Last dance, folks,” the DJ said over the PA, and I was relieved this fuckin’ night was gonna be over soon.

  “Dance with me,” Poppy said, holding her hand out to me.

  I hesitated for a second, because she looked so fuckin’ cute, her face flush from exertion, her eyes bright with excitement, and I wanted to remember her this way to file away in my mind.

  “Dev, come on. It’s the last song.”

  I rose to my feet and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor, and pulling her close. God, she smelled good. She looped her arms around my neck, slid her hands into my hair, and I tried not to react, but it was fuckin’ impossible. I wanted her hands in my hair when I ate her out, not when we were fully clothed and in public.

  The song ended and I separated myself from her as quickly as I could. “You ready to go?”

  “Um...sure. I guess.”

  “Hatch wants you home by midnight.”

  “Right.” She sighed. “Let me just say goodbye to a few people.”

  I watched her as she hugged her friends, then we headed back out to the car and I drove her home.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Golden.”

  “Then why are you all stressy?”

  I gripped the steering wheel in an effort not to snap at her. “Didn’t realize I was ‘stressy.’”

  “Well, you are,” she grumbled. “Your body’s all rigid and your face is all...well...stressy.”

  “Just don’t wanna be late.”

  “It’s barely eleven-fifteen, Dev, and we’re, like, two minutes from my house.”

  I didn’t respond as we pulled onto her street. I parked at the curb, then went to her side of the car and opened her door. I wasn’t prepared for what happened next, and it was something I’d regret for a really long time.

  Poppy climbed out of the car, and gripped the lapels of my jacket, standing on her tiptoes and settling her mouth on mine. For a few seconds, I didn’t think...I just reacted...sliding my hand to her neck and tilting her head back, then pressing my tongue against her lips so she’d open for me.

  She sighed as she touched her tongue to mine and I was lost. But then sense hit me like fuckin’ Mack truck and I pushed her away and dragged my hands through my hair. “Goddammit, Poppy! Why the fuck did you do that?”

  Her face fell. “I...ah...”

  “Come on,” I said, and started toward the house. When she didn’t follow right away, I turned with a scowl. “Poppy. Come on. I’ve got shit to do.”

  She squared her shoulders and walked up the driveway, shoving past me, and unlocking the door. Pushing it open, she turned to face me and I didn’t miss the tears in her eyes.

  “Thanks for taking me, Devon.”

  Without further comment, she shut the door and I heard the locks turn.

  Goddammit!

  Everything was different now, and I was royally fucked.

  * * *

  Poppy

  Ohmigod, I’m an idiot.

  “Poppy, is that you?” Mum called from the kitchen.

  “Yeah, Mum. Super fun night, but I’m totally knackered...can I fill you in on everything tomorrow?”

  She walked into my line of sight and smiled. “Sur
e, love. Where’s Devon?”

  “He had shit to do,” I said, using air quotes around ‘shit to do.’

  She chuckled. “He’s a mini-Hatch, that one.”

  “For sure.”

  “Hey, are you okay? You look a little off.”

  “I’m great,” I lied. “I just danced a lot, so now I want to take my makeup off and crash.”

  “Okay, darling. Sleep well.”

  I kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mummy.”

  Having successfully gotten rid of the parental, I rushed upstairs and closed and locked my door. Rummaging in my clutch for my phone, I dialed my best friend Grace, and flopped onto my bed to kick off my shoes.

  “So, how did it go?” Grace said...not hello, just the question she’d been promising to ask for a week.

  “It was awful,” I admitted, tears now flowing unbidden down my cheeks.

  “Oh, no, how come?”

  I filled her in on the evening...ending with the kiss. “He was so mad at me, Gracie. He shoved me away like I was disgusting. I can’t believe I kissed him and it grossed him out. Am I gross, Grace?”

  “Not even a little bit. I’d totally make out with you.”

  I groaned, dropping my head into my hand. “Now it’s going to be weird.”

  “It can’t possibly be weirder than it’s been, right?”

  “You didn’t see his face.”

  “I’m pretty sure you’re overreacting,” she countered. “Devon adores you.”

  “Not the same way as me, though.” I shook my head. “I will never be seen as anything other than family.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t know why I expected anything different, but now I know, I guess.”

  “True,” she agreed. “But try not to be sad, okay? We’re going to be roomies at school and we’re gonna take on the world. Screw Devon Wallace and his inability to see you for what you are...which is amazing.”

  I smiled, wiping my tears off my cheek. “You’re right. We will take on the world.”