Dare to Love (Maxwell #3)

by S. B. Alexander

  A group of people came toward us as George went back to his bouncer’s station. I tugged on my hair. I wanted to touch her, run, hide, and kiss her. I could run and hide, but feeling her body against mine, or tasting her sweet lips, wasn’t going to happen, and not only because she didn’t want anything to do with me. I couldn’t risk my own heart. I couldn’t risk getting hurt. I couldn’t risk taking that chance of falling for someone, especially Lizzie. She was my forbidden fruit. One touch, one taste and I’d never be the same. I wouldn’t dare allow myself to take the chance on love again. I had one problem though. I had questions that needed answers.

  I blew out a long breath then punched the wall.

  George glanced over his shoulder. “Do you want me to get Kade?”

  Fuck, no. If he found out Lizzie was in town, he’d start preaching. You can’t get involved with her. You can’t bring her home. And you can’t let Mom and Dad know she’s in Boston. It would tear Mom up if we brought up the subject of the Reardons, and if she saw Lizzie she could fall back into a deep depression.

  It didn’t matter what he said. My fears aside, I had to talk to her. I had so many questions about the past and present. She doesn’t want anything to do with you. She’s with Dillon. Yeah, maybe it was for the best. Talking to her without being able to touch her would be near impossible. It would be like the time my parents took me to the zoo. “Okay, son,” my father had said. “You can see the giraffes, but you can’t touch them. They could bite you.” Well fuck me now. I’d love for Lizzie to bite me. The problem with that reasoning was her bite would hurt and feel fantastic all at the same time.

  Confusion made me dizzy. I needed to drown in liquor or bury myself in a woman.

  I trudged back into the club, barely registering the music. I plowed through the crazy hip- swinging, arm-flailing people. I would settle for a quick lay since getting a drink would be near impossible if Kade was working the bar. He was a stickler for the drinking age, and I wasn’t twenty-one yet. Now I just had to snag a willing lady who I could take into the bathroom for a quickie. When I finally made it through the sweaty dancers, the bar came into view. Leo was working tonight. Pay dirt! He always let me down a beer or two when Kade wasn’t watching. A drink first, then I’d find a lady.

  I came up alongside Lynn, one of the waitresses at the drink station on one side of the bar.

  “Christ, what happened to you?” she asked, her frown full of concern. “Please tell me you didn’t just have sex in the bathroom.”

  I smirked. “Not yet.”

  She punched me lightly in the shoulder. “Kelton, I have to clean those bathrooms. I’m closing tonight.”

  “Don’t freak. I always clean up after myself.” I acknowledged Leo, the tattoo-laden bartender, with a flick of my head.

  She punched me again. “If you’re looking for Chloe, she’s in the office with Lacey and Kade.”

  Chloe was the last person I wanted to see. I wasn’t in the mood for her sweet attitude or her ability to coax me into a quickie, which she usually did when I was frustrated. She was all about feelings, and I wanted raw and rough with someone who didn’t want anything from me except a good time. Not to mention, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t lead her on.

  Lynn checked her notepad. I snatched a shot of tequila from her collection of drinks. As I knocked back the alcohol, she lifted her head and immediately slapped my hand.

  “For fuck’s sake, Kelton. Are you trying to get me fired?”

  “What’s he doing?” Kade appeared out of nowhere.

  “I took one of her tequila shots.” I didn’t want to get Lynn in trouble. She was a single mom and needed this job to support her two kids.

  Kade popped me in the back of my head. “I’ll throw your ass in jail if you take another drink. Now, what the fuck happened to you? And don’t tell me you got into a fight again.”

  I shrugged. “I won’t tell you I got into a fight again.”

  “George filled me in. My office. Now!” Rage was stamped all over his face.

  Fucking great!

  Lynn gathered her tray of drinks and left. Kade glowered at me, crossing his arms over his chest. The music changed from head-bobbing to slow and moody. Which was just the right speed to set up Kody, who sang depressing songs. I checked the stage opposite the bar. Kody was hooking up his guitar. Several girls gathered around him to watch. My brother was doing something right. He always had girls at his feet.

  “I think I’ll hang here and wait for Kody to start his set.” I wasn’t in the mood for big brother to yell or tell me what my flaws were and that I should work on fixing them.

  “Fuck you will. If you don’t get in my office, I’ll drag you.”

  I laughed. “Go ahead. I dare you.” I was itching for a fight. I’d only gotten one punch in with Dillon. I could’ve used several more to release the tension.

  “Stop being a dick.” He grabbed my triceps, his strength stopping the blood from flowing.

  Normally, I obeyed my big brother—or had up until I started college. I loved him and would die for him, but I was on my own, living in a condo with a roommate, and having the time of my life. For the past three years, I didn’t have to hear him being the parent, which he had been for most of my childhood with our mom’s mental illness and our old man deployed on military missions. Out of Kody, Kross, and me, I was the triplet who’d given Kade the most grief.

  He let go. “Five minutes.” His tone was less irascible.

  “You can reprimand me here.” I glowered at him. I wasn’t about to hear him chastise me in front of Lacey and Chloe.

  “Lacey took Chloe home.” He gave me a half smirk. “Lacey coaxed her to come down here. Then as soon as Chloe got here, she was throwing up.”

  “Is she okay?” I didn’t want to marry Chloe, but I wasn’t a complete dickhead.

  He nodded at someone.

  I tracked Kade’s line of sight to find George ambling down to the other end of the bar.

  I shouldn’t be surprised since Kade wrote their paychecks when Mr. Robinson wasn’t around. He’d opened up another club not too far from Rumors.

  “She said she ate something that didn’t agree with her.” He began walking away. “Let’s go.”

  The faster I got this over with, the faster I could find a sexual partner for the night. I followed like a good brother. When I rounded the corner into the hallway, I ran right into Trudy Davenport. She smelled like an enticing plate of sex, sex, and more sex with her strawberry fragrance. I sized her up while she giggled. She wore a tight-fitting miniskirt, showing her long-ass legs, with a top that made her tits scream, Touch me.

  She mashed those dick-hardening tits right into my chest. “I was hoping to find you here.”

  “Mmm.” I stared at her breasts like a complete dick.

  “I talked to my dad about your résumé. He said he’d look it over and call you Monday.”

  “Sweetheart.” I bit my lip. “I don’t need your help. But I wouldn’t mind—”

  A hand landed on my neck. “Kel, office. Now,” Kade’s hardened tone zapped the lust that was making my dick swell to huge proportions.

  She ran her soft hands up under my T-shirt. “If you need a friend later, I’ll be listening to your brother.” She winked and sashayed away.

  I watched her hips sway then shook off the thoughts of tapping her ass as I met Kade in the office.

  Once the door was closed, Kade said, “Sit.” He tipped his head to the red couch underneath the small window.

  I rubbed my bruised knuckles as I went to the fridge and removed a can of Coke and chugged half of it. After I let out a burp, I straddled the arm of the couch.

  Kade scrutinized me with one of his blank expressions that Lacey hated. He was either picking his words or deciding where to begin his dissertation. “George tells me you punched Dillon Hart. Why?”

  “Just come out and ask me what’s really on your mind.” Kade was immune to fights. They happened in the club at least on a
weekly basis, according to him. Besides, the bouncers took care of removing anyone causing any disruption. No, Kade had something else on the tip of his tongue. I gulped down the rest of the Coke.

  “George said it was about a girl named Elizabeth Reardon. You want to tell me more?”

  I burped loudly then tossed the can into the metal trashcan adjacent to Kade. It clanged for two points. I sauntered to the door. “There’s not much to say.” I wasn’t ready to discuss the girl from my past. I wasn’t even ready to believe she was here in Boston.

  Kade pinned me up against the door with his hand on my chest. “Is it Lizzie?” His face reddened.

  “Chill, bro. It’s not.” I never lied to Kade—or any of my brothers. We were all tight. We told each other everything. At that moment, I couldn’t tell him the truth. I was having a hard time believing the dark-haired beauty was Lizzie Reardon. The Lizzie I knew was tough but sweet. The girl tonight was different—cocky, badass, and she seemed to have a chip on her shoulder.

  “Seriously, Kel. Tell me the truth. I know how fucked up you got when she left Texas. And you know you can’t get involved with her. Any mention of the Reardons in our house—”

  I pushed him. “It’s not her. Okay?”

  Kade stumbled, running both hands through his hair. “I swear, Kel.” He sneered.

  “I’m twenty years old, not thirteen. Give me a fucking break.” I stormed out. As soon as I did, a wrecking ball hit the pit of my stomach. I hated to lie to my brother, but before I could come clean, I had to talk to Lizzie. First, I had to find out where she was staying.

  7

  Lizzie

  After thirty minutes of stoplights and side streets, we drove up to a three-tenement house in a suburb of Boston. The bald guy who had followed me to the restroom sat shotgun while his buzz-cut crony drove. I sat in the back seat with Dillon. The tension between us was as thick as the ocean fog on a dark night. Dillon and I had argued when we’d gotten into the SUV. I’d wanted him to take me back to the hostel. When I said hostel he’d done a double take. Then he’d instructed the driver, who I learned was Rafe, to proceed back to the compound. Yep, compound. Whatever that meant.

  I almost jumped out of the SUV at one of the stoplights, but I needed Dillon for more than a weapon. He’d proved to me that he had my back. He’d had Baldy watch over me, though I still wasn’t sure why. Dillon had distracted me from a person I’d called a creeper. He also had a soft side that told me he could be a good friend. He certainly was a good kisser. Most of all, my curiosity was piqued about who exactly Dillon was and what he did other than sell guns.

  Rafe pulled into a skinny driveway between two houses. Once he cut the engine, he and Baldy jumped out as if they had to put out a fire.

  “So, are we having a sleepover?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

  “Do you want to sleep with me?” Dillon asked, searching me with his gaze much as Kelton had.

  I let out a nervous laugh. Maybe if my heart wasn’t for someone else. Although the last time I had been intimate with anyone was over a year ago with some guy I’d hung out with at a party. I remembered two things from that rendezvous. One, we’d agreed no names, and two, the sex had been surprisingly slow and sensual. The hunky guy wanted to take care of my needs first, which I thought was sweet considering we didn’t know each other. Usually, one-night stands were fast and furious.

  “Why am I here? I have a place to stay.” I glanced out at the two-car garage. “And you probably don’t want to do business with me anyway.”

  Leaning on the armrest that separated us, he rested his chin on the backs of his fingers. “A hostel. Are you broke?”

  Yep. “None of your business. And there’s nothing wrong with hostels.” The place was a hotel, just on the cheap side.

  “Tell me about Kelton Maxwell.” His gaze dropped to my lips.

  “You seem to know a lot about him. And me. Care to share?”

  He laughed. “I do my homework on people I’m about to do business with. And don’t forget—”

  “Yeah, Russian mob and all that. I get it. How did you get intel on me?”

  “Tell me how you know Kelton.”

  “For fuck’s sake. I’m not going to the Russian mob. I’m not marrying Kelton.” Although I always thought I would. “And, like you, my business is my own.” I jumped out of the car, slammed the door, and started for the street. I didn’t have time to discuss my life, and I didn’t care to. Plus my bladder was screaming at me now. Before we turned onto this street, I’d spotted a gas station at the corner. I headed in that direction.

  Three-tenement houses dotted the neighborhood, and cars were parked along the curbs. I had no idea where I was or how to get back to the hostel. I shoved my hands inside my jacket, tucked my chin to my chest, and set my sights on the Chevron station. Not surprisingly, the area was quiet at one in the morning. The bright lights of the main thoroughfare shone in the distance. Maybe I could get a cab back into the city or find the “T” after I used the ladies’ room. As I walked, I blew out all the anxiety that had built up inside me, and with it a lone tear escaped. I brushed it away, but all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and have a good cry. But wallowing in my sorrows wasn’t going to get me my money back. Maybe I could seduce Terrance Malden into giving me what was mine. I scratched that idea. He’d probably use me and still take off with my million dollars. I could use a knife to threaten him instead of a gun. I could also take his son as a hostage. Now I was getting somewhere, although it would be easier to threaten Zach with a gun.

  I smiled at my newfound plan. I’d cozy up to Zach, get him into a place I could hold him hostage, then call his father and demand my money. If I did that, the cops would be involved. I would get arrested. On the other hand, if Terrance stole my money, he was breaking the law, too. So he wouldn’t involve the cops. Either plan involved a weapon. I had to turn around and make nice with Dillon. Well, after the gas station.

  I was a block from the bright Chevron sign when a car’s engine rumbled. I squinted at the headlights as the car wheeled slowly down the street toward me as though the driver was searching for a particular house. I was crossing over a driveway when the car braked in the middle of the street.

  “Hey, darling, do you know where I can find Dober Street?” a deep male voice asked.

  I kept my sights on the lighted sign, increasing my pace as the hackles on my neck rose. Maybe walking alone at the wee hours of the morning in an unknown town wasn’t such a great idea.

  You think? I silently screamed at my inner voice just as someone wolf-whistled.

  Taking longer strides, I peeked over my shoulder. A guy wearing a knit cap was hanging out of the car window, watching me. Beyond his car, I spied another vehicle coming toward us. With the bright lights in my face, I couldn’t make out if it was Dillon’s car or not, and I wasn’t hanging around to find out. When I turned back, I noticed a ring of rocks around a tree in the yard I was passing. I hastily grabbed one before continuing in the direction of the gas station.

  A car door shut, and two men argued while footsteps pounded the pavement. My adrenaline spiked, flooding my body. A male figure got closer. Instinct told me to run, but my screwed-up stubbornness wanted to throw the rock that was securely in my hand. In one beat, I whirled around and threw.

  The man ducked, shouting, “Fuck, Elizabeth!”

  “Dillon?” Dillon’s body came into view.

  “Girl, if you had a gun, I’d be dead.” He bit his lip, his wavy brown hair blowing in the wind.

  I snarled then spun on my heel for the gas station.

  “Wait. Where are you going?” He ran up to me.

  “I have to pee.” And puke. Then down a bottle of moonshine to coat my nerves.

  He laughed. “You can pee at my house.”

  Crossing the street and into the lot of the gas station, I snorted. Hearing Dillon say the word pee was funny. He came off as a pierced, long-haired badass. “Your house isn’t this close.” I pointed
to the store. “Who were those guys in that car back there?”

  “Two morons trying to cause trouble. Rafe took care of them. Don’t worry. You’re safe,” he said as he nodded to a man filling up his gas tank.

  He’d rescued me again. It was odd for me to have a guy I barely knew and who wasn’t the law protect me. The last time anyone saved me was an off-duty cop. I’d been out with girlfriends at a club in Miami when I got separated from them. I was about to take a cab home when two men jumped out of a car and grabbed me. If it weren’t for that off-duty cop, I wasn’t sure I’d be alive. My heart warmed at how Dillon cared.

  I darted into the store and hurried down a short hall in the back. Once in the bathroom, I quickly emptied the contents of my bladder. After I washed my hands, I splashed water on my face then glanced at myself in the mirror. Christ, I was losing my tan after just a week of being in the freaking cold. Either that, or the week had caught up with me, making me as white as the sink. The paleness of my skin made the dark circles beneath my grayish-blue eyes stand out like a raccoon’s. I needed to sleep for a month. Yeah, that wasn’t happening. Not when I had work to do. I grabbed a paper towel, patted my face, then wiped my hands.

  Once outside, I found Dillon with one foot pressed to the building, reading something on his phone. Snow started to fall.

  “Can you call me a cab or show me where the ‘T’ is?”

  He straightened. “No. You’ll stay with me tonight. It’s late.”

  I opened my mouth to protest.

  He held up his hand. “Hear me out. No strings. You’ll have your own bed. In the morning we’ll talk business.”

  I licked my chapped lips. “You mean you’re still doing business with me even though I know Kelton?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.” He waved his hand in the direction of his house. “Shall we?”

  “Do you have a girlfriend that’s going to show up?”

  He chuckled. “No girlfriends. Come on. It’s freezing out here.”

  I was cold, tired, and could use a place where I didn’t have to hear anyone yelling, playing loud music, or having sex. My intuition was telling me I could trust Dillon. “One condition. Tell me how you knew it was me in the club?”