He went as fast as he dared without becoming a danger to others, the wind tearing prayers from his lips as he rode. Please. Charlie. He entered her neighborhood from the opposite direction he’d taken earlier and made a quick pass around the neighborhood. It was dark, but there were street lamps, porch lights…except at Charlie’s. Maybe her parents hadn't left any lights on when they left. If it had still been daylight outside, it was an easy enough mistake to make. He decided to take one more turn around the neighborhood, circling the block in the opposite direction. As he prepared to turn back toward her house, he spotted them. Motorcycles stashed in the trees on the other side of the highway that bordered Charlie's neighborhood.
Logan kicked down the stand and ripped off his helmet in one move, and his hands shook as he pulled out his phone. His first instinct was to call 911, but he stopped. No. Frank. His call went straight to voicemail. Evening services. Frank went to the same church as Charlie's parents. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he texted the deputy. He considered calling 911 again, but what could he say? That he'd seen a bunch of motorcycles a block away and across the interstate? There were no lights on. He started to walk quickly back toward Charlie's house, calling Liam as he went.
“Hey, I was just about to call you—”
“They're here,” Logan said, cutting him off.
“Who’s where?”
“Paulie's crew. They're here in Charlie's neighborhood. I couldn't get through to Frank. Tell Doc to call the sheriff. Lights aren't on at her parents’ house, and something's wrong.”
“Logan, listen to me.” Liam’s voice was steady. “She's going to be okay, but you've got to wait. There's too many of them, and you know they're armed.”
The sound of breaking glass reached him, and he started to run.
“There's no time for that. Just get everyone here as fast as you can.” Logan went into a full sprint, his feet slipping out from under him slightly as he rounded the corner into their driveway and his boots hit loose gravel. He slowed, moving into the deeper shadows of the main house. Two men with flashlights were circling her apartment while a third was working to unlock her door. Shards of glass glinted in the limited light. That was the sound he’d heard. They’d broken into her parents’ house. The carriage house was dark, too. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he crouched behind a bush before checking the text message. Charlie.
Someone's here. I can see men outside.
He texted back. Where are you?
My apartment. Hiding.
He peeked through a window and saw several more figures moving through the main house, flashlight beams waving around. He didn't have much time, but he shouldn’t need long. Charlie's parents had an alarm system. He remembered seeing it when they'd come to pick up the food. He didn't hear it so it must be a silent alarm, or they'd forgotten to turn it on when they left.
Did you call the police?
Yes.
Stay where you are. I'm here.
He’d never felt fear like this before. Not even during the trial or at his own sentencing. Not when he was in prison and Paulie's crew had tried to recruit him. The entry fee required taking a life. His pick, as long as their skin wasn't white. They hadn't taken kindly to his refusal, or the two gang members he'd sent to the prison hospital when they'd come for his cellmate. No, that fear had been nothing compared to this. He heard the faint beginnings of sirens. He just needed a little time. He felt around in the darkness until his hand landed on a decent sized rock.
Sorry, Charlie.
He threw the rock as hard as he could at Charlie's car. The back window shattered, setting off the loud keening alarm. The three men around her apartment turned and began to head his way. He slipped around the front of the house, then ran, looping around and coming up behind the carriage house. The phone in his pocket buzzed again, but he didn't dare check it. He pressed himself up against the side of her apartment and watched the others search for whoever had broken into her car. The sirens were louder now.
“Get the girl!” He heard someone call out. “Cops are coming!”
“Door’s locked, man.”
“Then break it down!”
He heard the unmistakable sound of a slide being racked on a gun. As they began to move back toward her apartment, Logan closed his eyes and whispered a quick prayer. Then he stepped up onto the porch, blocking their access to her door. More clicks as they drew their weapons and pointed them at him. He held up his hands, squinting as flashlight beams hit his face.
Please keep her safe. Please.
A pale stocky man with a buzzcut and a nasty scar running down one side of his face stepped forward, a lit cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.
“Logan Matthews.”
“Hey, Paulie.”
Chapter 22
Charlie wedged herself deeper into the corner of her closet and pulled a large suitcase in front of her, then tried to arrange the hanging clothes so that even if they looked in, they wouldn't see her. She took several slow breaths, trying to calm her heart enough to be able to hear something. Anything. Flashlights shining in through the cracks in her blinds lit up her room again. Logan said he was here. Father, please keep him safe. She heard someone trying to get in. Her front door rattled and shook but held. A few minutes later, she heard what sounded like glass shattering, and then the sound of her car alarm going off. The flashlights moved away from her house, and she dared to creep out of her hiding place to peek out the blinds.
She could see men moving through her parents’ house, and a few others gathered around her car. She crouched low beneath the window. She could try going out the back door, but what if there was someone back there? She could be walking right into a trap. Her breath came in short gasps. She'd never been so afraid. She placed a hand over her heart. Father, please keep me safe. My parents…keep them away. I ask Your hand of guidance and wisdom on the officers that are coming to help me. A thought hit her then. She paused. Please don't let Frank be among them. Please keep Frank away. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for another woman's loss of husband. The men were closer now.
“Get the girl,” one of them said.
She started to go back to her hiding place when she heard it. Logan's voice. He sounded like he was right outside.
“Hey, Paulie.”
Was he on her porch?
“You're not getting her,” he said. “You hear the sirens? They’re close. You go now, you might make it.”
Instead of going into her closet, she crawled into her living room. The sirens were closer now. So close. She could hear the other men saying something, but it wasn't clear enough for her to make out their words. They weren't backing down though, because as she reached her living room, she heard Logan speak again from just on the other side of her front door.
“I told you before, Paulie. I don’t share your hate, and your threats mean nothing to me. You can kill me, but I won't be missed. I've already lost everything worth losing, remember?” She was almost to the door now. She peeked out the side window. Guns. They all had guns. And they were pointing them at Logan. What was he doing? What was he thinking?
“Get out of here, Paulie,” he said. “Just go.”
The one who looked like the leader, the one Logan had called Paulie, took a step closer to her porch. The others turned and looked around as the sirens grew louder. Charlie thought she could see the first hints of flashing blue lights, but she couldn't process everything that was happening. What she knew was that Logan was on her porch. And there was a man out there determined to shoot him.
“See, I figure it’s already too late, Matthews. I’m caught. So now I’m thinking of how pleasant it’ll be to relive the moment I kill you, over and over again. They can’t take that away from me.”
No.
Charlie scrambled over to her door and began unlocking it as quietly as possible. First the chain.
“You don't have to do this.” Logan’s deep voice rumbled through her
door. Was he talking to her or the shooter?
She eased the deadbolt free, and the click deafening to her fear-heightened senses. She unlocked the door knob and turned it.
Breathe, Charlie. You can do this.
The sirens were suddenly louder and blue lights flashed through her windows. They were here. She watched as the deputies poured from their vehicles, guns drawn shouting, at the men to drop their weapons. She gripped the doorknob tight, and as the first gunshots echoed in the darkness, she whipped open her door, reached one arm out, grabbed a handful of Logan’s shirt, and pulled him backward with all of her weight. He tumbled back on top of her and into her apartment. She kicked the door closed as bullets ripped through it. He grabbed her and dragged her over behind the couch, putting as much furniture between them and the thin walls of her apartment as possible. As more bullets tore across, shattering the windows, Logan wrapped his body around hers, shielding her from the debris.
Chapter 23
Charlie's heart skipped a beat when she heard a knock on her door. Logan. She checked her appearance in the mirror one more time, ran a hand through her tumbling curls, then dashed to open the door. He stood waiting for her, a wide grin on his face.
“You ready?” he asked, his deep voice giving her butterflies.
“I'm ready. What are we doing?”
He’d told her early in the week to get ready for something special, that they were going on an adventure. She had no idea what that meant—or how one dressed for a date that was also an adventure—so she'd settled on blue jeans and a white embroidered blouse. Eyeing Logan's jeans and T shirt, she decided she’d made the right choice. He held up two helmets.
“I thought we'd start with a country ride.”
He looked a little uncertain. She was seeing that look less and less the longer they were together, but it always made her heart ache. She wondered if he'd ever really forgive himself. She hoped he would. He was the one teaching her about grace after all. He set one helmet gently on her head and fastened to the strap under her chin. She grabbed her thin leather jacket that he insisted she wear to protect her from…she wasn’t sure what…and followed him out to his motorcycle.
“Where are we going?”
“So many questions, Chuck.” He grinned at her again, and the butterflies returned. “You'll see when we get there.”
She nodded and climbed on behind him, wrapping both arms around his waist and leaning her head against his broad back. It taken a while for her to get used to riding on a motorcycle, but now she loved it. It was still a little scary, if she was honest, but she considered it an exercise in trust. And if he was still struggling to forgive himself, well, she was still struggling to trust he wasn't going anywhere. The motorcycle rumbled beneath them, and she smiled against his back.
Logan kept their speed low as they moved out of her neighborhood and toward a back-country road. Once they were away from the city traffic and most other motorists, Logan opened it up a little. Charlie lifted her head to feel the breeze against her face, and her stomach flipped at the thrill. It was exciting, but he was never reckless. If there was one thing she knew about Logan Matthews, it was that he would always stand between her and danger. He’d told her that early on and then proved it time and again. Even if it made it all the way to her front door, he’d be there.
They rode for about thirty minutes before she realized she had no idea where they were going. They passed a few houses here and there, but soon it was just trees and fields. Eventually the trees thinned too, and it became field after field of flowers. When they reached a field awash with purplish-blue flowers, Logan slowed and pulled off to the side of the rode. He dismounted and helped her climb down, then took her hand and without a word led her into the thick of the field. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the flowers, and Charlie took a slow breath. They smelled wonderful. She felt a deep peace wash over her as she looked around at the natural majesty surrounding them. Low mountains were just visible in the distance, covered by still-green trees and even more wildflowers. She smiled. It was the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.
She turned to see Logan silhouetted by the sun. He had that look on his face again. Open. Unsure. His grin was lopsided.
“Where are we?”
He chuckled. “I don't actually know who this land belongs to, so we are almost certainly trespassing.”
“Dangerous deed in Alabama.”
He nodded. “You remember that forest fire few years back? It burned right through here. Destroyed stretches of woodland that had stood the test of time, just razed it all to the ground.”
He looked off into the distance, then at her, then down at his hands. “After the fire came through, they thought the land was worthless. Dead. And maybe it was. But then a couple years later, a levee broke upriver, and this entire area was flooded for weeks. It seemed like just another disaster, you know? More damage to already destroyed land, people said. And for a while, it looked like they were right. This field had been burned and drowned, after all. But then things began to grow. Slowly at first. A patch of grass here, a weed or two there, a few flowers.”
He stepped closer to Charlie and took both her hands in his. “I'm not real strong on metaphors,” he said, chuckling over the last word. “But when I heard about this place, the story, I knew that's where I had to bring you today.” He looked up from their clasped hands and met her eyes. Charlie's breath caught her throat, and her eyes filled with tears.
“I love you, Charlie.”
“I love you, too.” The word was barely a whisper.
Logan cleared his throat. “We've both been through the fire—and the flood. We've been tried and tested. But when I think about our future, I don't see the fire or the scorched earth of my past or even the flood of recent events. I see flowers, Charlie.” He maintained his hold on her hands as he eased his way down on one knee. “I can't promise you there won't be more storms, but I swear you'll never face them on your own. I love you. Will you marry me?”
Tears streaming down her face, Charlie looked into his dark eyes and saw the future he described. They had been through trials by fire. Both of them. They had survived what felt like test after test, it was true. And they were changed by it all. But it was those changes that had allowed their love to blossom. She leaned over until her forehead rested against his.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, please.”
Logan rose to his feet and pulled her close, cupping her face in his hands. Then, as the sun began to dip behind the tallest trees and a breeze swayed the flowers around them, he gave her one more lopsided grin before leaning down to kiss her.
Epilogue
Charlie shifted in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs nervously. Beside her, Logan bumped her shoulder gently, then offered his hand. As she watched his long fingers close around hers, Charlie couldn’t help but smile. It didn’t get old. She hoped it never would. He lifted their clasped hands and kissed her knuckles before letting them rest gently on her lap. Her mother sniffled from her spot on Charlie’s other side, jolting her out of her temporary love-induced reverie. She was blissfully happy, but today wasn’t about her.
She focused her attention on the stage where her father stood with Frank and Ashley. Both sets of grandparents gathered around them, along with Ashley’s older sister Samantha. As Charlie’s father gingerly accepted baby Ella Mae, Charlie kept her eyes on Sam. Her friend looked poised and happy for her sister—which she certainly was—but there had to be sorrow in there too. It hadn’t been so long since Samantha found out she couldn’t have children of her own, and she was still grieving. Charlie’s heart ached for her friend, even as she felt so happy for Frank and Ashley. Bittersweet. Life had a tendency to be that way.
As her father led them in prayer, Logan leaned toward her until their bowed heads touched ever so slightly. If she loved him any more, her heart would burst in her chest, she was absolutely certain of it. Allowing herself to fall in love again was one of t
he hardest things she’d ever done, but the joy was worth it, and she wanted the same for Sam. Prayers of thanks echoed in her heart alongside blessings for the newborn baby.
Samantha stepped up to take her vows as godmother. Frank and Ashley were breaking tradition by not having a married couple as godparents for their firstborn, but Charlie couldn’t imagine anyone offering a single word of criticism on that score. Samantha would be an incredible godmother, and she wouldn’t remain unmarried forever. Charlie glanced around at the rest of the Prodigal Brothers seated in the nearby pews. They’d forgone their own services to be here this morning in support of Frank for all he did to help stop the men who’d been after her. They were good men, all of them. As her wandering gaze fell on one Brother in particular, Charlie grinned.
Maybe it was true what they said: married people love to play matchmaker for their single friends.
Well, she wasn’t married—yet—but she wouldn’t mind helping her friend along.
It was the least she could do for her future maid of honor.
She smiled.
The very least.
About the Author
Rose Macwaters is an emerging author of inspirational romance. She graduated college summa cum laude before attending graduate school to earn a Master of Arts degree in English. She now resides somewhere in the Deep South with her two cats, reads in every spare minute, and is still trying to find her way to Narnia. This is Rose’s first book.
If you enjoyed Faith by Fire, please consider leaving a review. You are also invited to join Rose’s mailing list for a chance at receiving an advance reader copy (ARC) of her next book!
Faith by Fire (Prodigal Brothers MC Book 1) Page 13
