Royal Engagement

by Chance Carter

  Wes was chatting excitedly to me the whole way up, but I only caught snippets of it. Something about how he nearly stabbed some guy in the crowd for looking at me the wrong way, and how he was going to take me out to the fanciest restaurant in town tonight and treat me like a real lady. I was too distracted to listen. I could still feel Shane’s mouth on mine like a brand. I could still feel his hands on me, holding me, grabbing me. Wes had no idea that all this was going through my head but if he felt my pulse, he’d find my heart still racing. I worried that he might somehow read my thoughts, that I’d give Shane away just from the glassy expression in my eyes. I had to rein myself in before we reached Preston because if anybody was going to be able to tell, it would be him.

  Wes knocked on Preston’s door, and a second later it opened. Rob peered at us and nodded, permitting us entry.

  Sasha was there, sure enough. She was on her knees behind Preston’s desk, wiping white powder from her nose. Preston held a rolled up bill in one hand and was about to lean over the remaining line on the table, but instead paused as we came into view. His eyes were hard and focused as they took in my robe and heels combo. I could always tell when he was on coke because his gaze cut like knives down to the deepest part of me. He was looking at me like that now, and it couldn’t have been a worse time for me to have a secret.

  Sasha barely noticed that we’d entered. After she finished rubbing her nose, her hands disappeared under the desk and Preston, still looking straight through me, smirked. Thankfully we stopped far enough away from that I couldn’t see what she was doing.

  “How nice of you to visit us,” Preston said. “Would you care for a refreshment? A little nose candy, perhaps?” He held the makeshift straw aloft.

  I shook my head. “No thank you.”

  “Why not?” He grinned malevolently.

  “I’m watching my figure,” I replied in a flat tone.

  Preston laughed.

  Sasha rolled her eyes. “You’re such a bore.”

  “I agree. Why not have fun with us?” Preston asked. “Just this once.”

  White-hot irritation flashed through me.

  “I’m not interested, Preston. And for the record, no amount of cocaine would make me hate you less.”

  Sasha, determined not to let me hog the spotlight, dropped her head into Preston’s lap. He glowered at me for a second, then grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled her away. “Go make me a drink.”

  Sasha eagerly rose to her feet and hurried over to the bar while Preston adjusted himself.

  “Dad, we actually—“

  “Shut up.” Preston’s gaze flicked to his son for less than a second before returning to me. I didn’t like the look in his eye but refused to look away.

  Fuck. I’d pushed him too far. Preston was obviously in a mood, as well as high and most likely drunk. The more fucked up he got, the more he felt like a god. And gods demanded tribute.

  Preston stood and stalked toward me, grinding his teeth. I felt like slinking behind Wes but held my ground.

  “Dallas, my patience is wearing very thin. We’ve been doing this dance for long enough now, don’t you think?”

  Before I could say anything, he snatched me by the arm and yanked me toward the desk. I stumbled and slammed my palms down on the edge of the desk to keep from falling into it face first. Preston dug his fingers into my hair and dragged my face toward the line of coke. I tried to stand, but his grip was too firm. He shoved the rolled up bill just below my nose.

  “We can do this the hard way or the easy way, dearest,” Preston growled. “Make your choice before I make it for you.”

  “Why are you doing this?” I shrieked, fighting back tears. I was powerless against him, and nobody was going to help me. Unless Shane busted through that door with the A-Team at his back, I was about to get my first taste of cocaine. That wasn’t what terrified me the most. Preston was enjoying this, and my ultimate submission would please him even more. He already had a taste for it. Who knew what Preston might force me to do next?

  “Get off of her!” Wes cried. “She’s mine!”

  Preston pulled me upright, hand still tightly wound in my hair. He turned until we faced his son, who looked positively murderous.

  “Is she?” Preston sneered. “You haven’t even sealed the deal with her yet. The way I see it, she’s up for grabs.”

  I was wise enough to stay silent, even though I despised them talking about me like a piece of property. I was too rattled to form a sentence anyway. This was the closest I’d ever been to seeing Preston snap, and I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

  “That’s none of your fucking business,” Wes snarled.

  “Isn’t it? Everything you have you owe to me, including this little piece. I’ve watched her drag you around by your balls for long enough. When are you going to man up?”

  “When I’m good and ready!” Wes spat. “That doesn’t change the fact that she’s mine and what I say goes.”

  “I think somebody’s in love,” Sasha cooed from behind me.

  Wes’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t respond. He just glared at his father, who finally released me, and shoved me toward him. Wes wrapped a protective arm around me and it was the first time I’d ever taken comfort in his touch.

  “Fine. Fly away then, lovebirds.”

  Preston’s booming laughter filled the room, but Wes was already leading me away, his hand rubbing gentle circles on my back.

  Chapter 26

  Shane

  I woke up to the sound of the office door opening and cracked an eye just as Jake lowered a steaming cup of coffee onto the table beside my head.

  “Good morning,” he said in a sing-song voice. “It’s a beautiful March day! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the homeless guy on my couch is snoring.”

  “Good morning to you too.” I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What time is it?”

  “It just turned seven.”

  I was surprised I’d slept in so long since I was used to waking up at six or earlier without having to use an alarm. It must’ve had something to do with kissing Dallas. That kiss had finally fed a three-year-long craving, and not having that gnawing at me sent me into a deep and restful slumber. Even with a lumpy couch at my back, I suspected the only way I could have slept better was if she were beside me.

  “What kind of trouble did you get up to yesterday? I came around last night to see if you wanted to play Super Smash, but you were gone.”

  I grinned and picked up the coffee cup, letting it warm my hands. “I went to Satan’s Perch,” I told him.

  “Idiot.”

  “Trust me. It was worth it.”

  “Did you figure out a way to free Dallas?”

  My good mood stumbled. “No. Not yet.”

  Jake’s ginger brows knitted together in concern and he leaned back in his executive chair, hands folded together in thought. His Rowland’s Hardware uniform contrasted with the polished black leather, giving the scene a comical air.

  “Did you at least come up with any ideas?” Jake asked.

  “Still at a loss,” I admitted. “Neither Dallas nor her father are willing to put the other in danger, and there’s no way for me to get my hands on that kind of money.”

  “You could ask Preston nicely,” Jake suggested, curling his lip.

  I rolled my eyes. “To which I’m sure he’d nicely pump me full of bullets.”

  “If only bravado counted as a currency,” Jake mused. “Do you think Preston would accept store credit? He seems like the kind of guy who appreciates a good saw.”

  I grimaced and shook my head, taking a drink of coffee. As I swallowed, a thought hit me.

  “Hey, maybe you’re onto something.”

  Jake raised his brows, genuine surprise spattering his face. “I’m not sure I could get my dad to sign off on giving away that much store credit...”

  “No, no. That’s not what I meant.” I sat forward, cogs whirring in my head. “I wonde
r if there’s anything Preston would accept instead of money to pay off the debt. Maybe I could work for him or...” I trailed off, trying to think of what I could offer Preston that would be as tempting as over a hundred grand in cash.

  “If working for him was enough, Dallas would be out debt right now.”

  “I know. That was just an idea,” I replied. “There’s got to be something though, don’t you think? Preston’s got a lot of money already.”

  “But what have you got?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, shrugging. “I guess I’ll just have to ask.”

  “You’re joking right?” Jake shook his head. “You wouldn’t get within five feet of Preston without having your head blown off.”

  “I never said I was going to ask Preston.”

  “Then who the hell are you going to ask?”

  I scrubbed a hand through my hair, face pinched in thought. “I dunno. Someone close to Preston, but who maybe doesn’t idolize the jerk the way the rest of his goons do.”

  Jake cocked a quizzical brow and then laughed. “Good luck with that. Can’t you just ask Dallas?”

  “I don’t think she would know. It seems like Preston and Wes keep her in the dark about most things. Besides, I don’t want her to know what I’m up to until I have a solid plan. I’d like to keep her out of this as much as possible.”

  I dug through the couch cushions to find my phone, intent on texting my mom to make sure everything was groovy down in Oregon. I was surprised to see a text from an unknown number. It was from Dallas and had come in after I fell asleep. She wanted to make sure I made it out of the club okay. I texted back and said that I had, and asked if things went okay with Wes, then went back to brainstorming.

  “What about—“

  Jake’s sentence was cut off by the abrupt beeping of my phone. It was Dallas’s reply.

  “Who’s that?” Jake asked.

  I scanned the message, frowning. She was fine, it said. Wes turned out to not be the problem. Preston and Sasha tried to make her do cocaine with them, and Wes had to intervene.

  “Dallas. Apparently, Sasha’s turned into a real piece of work.”

  “Right, I forgot that Sasha followed Preston around like a lost puppy.” Jake’s eyes lit up. “What about asking her? She would probably know.”

  “That wouldn’t be a bad idea except Sasha hates me, and if she’s that obsessed with him, I doubt she’d do anything to help us.”

  He frowned. “It’s a better idea than any you’ve come up with.”

  “True. But I think you’re on to something,” I said thoughtfully. “Everyone from Wes’s clique in high school seems to be involved in the Gromley empire somewhere. I’ve already seen Rob and Nelson...” The thought was at the tip of my tongue, and I grasped at it, finally victorious. “Paul! Is Paul still around?”

  “Paul Chesterfield?” Jake questioned.

  “Yeah.”

  He nodded. “He’s still part of the crew, yeah. You think he’d talk to you?”

  “I do,” I replied. “I always got along better with him than any of the other guys.”

  Jake nodded thoughtfully and shrugged. “Sounds like your best shot.”

  “Do you know where I can find him? I haven’t seen him yet.”

  “Probably because he doesn’t hang out much at the Perch. I’ve seen him here and there at the Buck’s Head when football’s on.” Jake pulled out his phone and fiddled on the screen a little bit. “And it looks like there’s a game on tonight. You might be able to catch him there.”

  I lounged back and drank some coffee, thoroughly satisfied. Meeting with Paul would be the first step on a road that I’d been told time and time again was unpassable. After that kiss the night before, there was nothing I couldn’t or wouldn’t do to help Dallas. That kiss had brought me back to life.

  I remembered the hunger in Dallas’s voice as she begged me to fuck her, and the way I struggled against myself to do the right thing. All I wanted to do was rip that sexy outfit off and have her right there, but I meant it when I said her first time should be special. She had been denied so many things because of this debt, starting with her prom, but a romantic first time with a man who loved her was something I was uniquely qualified to provide. She wouldn’t have to miss out. Not this time.

  “I need your help with something,” I said to Jake.

  His expression flickered with worry. “If it’s to talk to Paul, I don’t think I can do that, man. I can’t get involved, not with the business and my parents...”

  “God no,” I said, waving a hand dismissively. “Not with Paul. Not with Preston. There’s something I want to do for Dallas.”

  “Is it free her from unjust pseudo-slavery at the hands of a tyrant? If so, I think we may have touched on this already.”

  I shot him a flat look. “Har har.”

  “Hey, I doubt there’s anyone nearly as funny as me in the army.” He spread his arms. “Take it in while you can.”

  “Are you going to help me or not?”

  “Depends what you need,” he replied. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Well, first of all...” I trailed off in thought. How could I make this day as special as possible for Dallas? Where could I take her that wouldn’t have a Gromley stamp ruining it?

  The idea hit me.

  “You said it was sunny out, right?”

  Chapter 27

  Dallas

  I parked my bike around the back of Rowland’s Hardware, just like Shane told me to, and killed the engine. I looked for him along the side of the building but couldn’t see him, so I took off my helmet and waited, letting the sun warm my back through my leather jacket.

  All his text said beyond when and where I should meet him was that he had a surprise for me, and I was dying to see what it was. I’d had plenty of surprises over the years, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a pleasant one. Surprise! You belong to a psychopath and his egomaniac son now! or Surprise! You’re coming to dinner with a bunch of old assholes who are going to ogle you while they talk about you like you’re not there.

  I couldn’t think what kind of fun we could accomplish at a hardware store, but I trusted Shane. I’d always trusted him, I realized, it just took me a little longer to get back to it this time around.

  Skepticism and cynicism had been my natural bodyguards for so long that I forgot what it was like to give someone the benefit of the doubt. I forgot what it felt like to be optimistic.

  A metallic screech drew my attention to a door off to the right. It opened, and Shane stepped outside, scanning the parking lot until he turned and found me. He grinned.

  “I thought you were too scared to ride one of those death traps?” he teased.

  I smacked my ride, a nineties-era Suzuki sport bike that my dad fixed up and gave to me just after my eighteenth birthday. “She’s never let me down. Besides, I’ve come to enjoy the taste of danger on my tongue.” I flashed him a devious smile, hoping he remembered the moment I was referencing.

  His responding grin told me he did.

  Shane had two helmets in his hand but tossed one back inside before stepping out. He was deadly handsome in his black leather jacket, unzipped to reveal a tight black t-shirt underneath. The bright sunlight picked out the definition of his abs through the cotton, and I had to drag my gaze back up to his face before I became too obvious. Shane was clean shaven, accentuating the definition of his muscular jaw. He approached me with a sly tilt of his lips as if he could read my mind. I thought a few extra dirty things just for him.

  “Ready for your surprise?” he asked in a smooth, deep voice.

  I hopped off my bike. “More than you know.”

  He chuckled darkly. “Good to hear. Turn around.”

  I cocked a brow, but all he did was twirl his finger in a circle. Sighing, I turned around and crossed my arms, waiting to see what came next.

  Shane stepped up behind me. His jacket zipper scraped along my back, and a second later his arms
encircled me. I leaned back into him, smiling. It took a second for me to notice what was in his hands.

  “Is that a blindfold?” I asked.

  Shane nuzzled his lips against my ear. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He kissed the side of my face and stretched the blindfold between his hands, wrapping the black material around my eyes and tying it behind my head.

  I could still see a little light peaking out on either side of my nose, so I closed my eyes to get the full effect. Birds chittered in the trees at the back of the lot, but for me, it was the dead of night.

  Shane moved away from me but I held my spot. I didn’t trust myself not to trip over a rock and ruin the fantasy. He returned a moment later and slid my helmet on, then grabbed my hand and led me to the side of his bike. I managed not to kick it over as I got on, and in no time we were riding off into the unknown, my arms securely wrapped around his waist and my heart vibrating with happiness.

  It was exhilarating, not being able to see where we were going. I remembered the first time I’d ridden with him, how it felt like I was flying. I hadn’t been able to capture that exact feeling again until now. The world whipped past me, and each turn made my belly quiver. I never wanted to stop.

  Of course, we had to stop eventually, particularly since I doubted the blindfolded ride was the main event. Shane pulled over on gravel a while later, and I breathed in the scent of pine and moss with a dreamy smile on my face.

  He helped me off the bike and removed the helmet, careful not to disturb the blindfold.

  “Are you ready?” Shane asked.

  “For what?” I asked with a light laugh.

  He stroked his thumb down my cheek, and my hand instantly went to the front of his shirt, desperate to connect with him in any way I could. The memory of our kiss had consumed my every waking thought since I left Preston’s office the night before, and the fact that he hadn’t kissed me yet was killing me.

  “I’m going to take you back in time, before any of this mess ever happened,” he said.