“Yeah, probably. But you have an answer for that. We’re crazy for each other, we’ve been secretly seeing each other for a while, and we don’t want to wait. That’s the plan we made, right?”
“Yes. It sounded more reasonable a few days ago when I said it.” She laughed and shook her head. “She’s going to be sooo suspicious.”
He could have told her that, but she’d been determined. Now he was, too.
He stalked over to where she stood and put his hands on her slim hips. Pulled her into him and lowered his forehead to hers. “It will work, Kayla. We’re going to make it work. I care about you and Ana. I don’t have to pretend. I can pull off the crazy part.”
She was quiet. Then she raised her lashes, and he was pierced by the look in those pretty eyes. “I can pull it off, too. It’s not going to be difficult. You wanted to give Ana her own sweet little space. I’ll never forget how you made me feel when you took me to the paint aisle.”
He grinned. “Romantic guy, aren’t I?”
“A girl couldn’t ask for more romance than what you gave me tonight, Zach. I can’t tell you how important this was to me.”
“I’m glad you had fun. I did too.”
“I can’t wait to fix it up for her. Ana should have her own room. I always wanted my own room as a little girl, but I never had it.”
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “Because you shared with Bailey.”
“No,” she said softly. And then she said, “Sometimes. But a lot of the time we didn’t even have a room, Zach. We slept on the couch, each of us at one end, when we were smaller. Then we took turns on the couch and one of us took the floor when we were bigger. Sometimes we huddled together in the closet and slept on the floor if Mama and Daddy were bad off…”
His throat tightened. His parents were self-centered dicks, but that was nothing compared to hers. He’d never had to worry about where his next meal was coming from when he was a kid, or if he had a bed to sleep in. He and Lesley had bedrooms of their own. They had toys.
They didn’t have people who’d put their emotional needs first, but he’d survived. They both had, though it’d been harder for Lesley. He still felt guilty over leaving home to join the military when she was still in high school. But what could he have done to fix their self-absorbed parents and their toxic relationship long enough for Lesley to graduate and escape?
“I’m sorry, beautiful,” he said, his forehead still pressed to Kayla’s. “That sucks. I can’t fix it for you, but I can make sure you and Ana have all you need now.”
She ran her hands up his arms, looped them around his neck. “I know you will. I’m sorry for the way this happened, but I’m not really sorry it happened. I hope that makes sense. I couldn’t find a better man to be a father to my child than you.”
Her words kind of shocked him. He hadn’t thought of himself as a father but of course that’s what he was going to be. All in, balls to bones.
“It means a lot that you trust me to take care of you and Ana.”
“I do, Zach.”
He sighed. “I hate to say this, but it’s getting late. I should take you home.”
She hugged him tight, surprising him. He hugged her back, loving the feel of her lithe body in his arms. Remembering what it’d been like to hold her when they were both naked, bodies moving together in sync as he drove deep inside her.
“I wish I didn’t have to go. I wish this room was done and Ana was already in it.”
He wanted that too. So much it surprised him. “Move in with me. Tomorrow. You and Ana and me. We’ll finish the room for her, but she can stay in the master with you until it’s done. We don’t have to wait until we have a ceremony to move you and Ana over here.”
She pushed back to look up at him. “Really? You would do that?”
“Yeah, really. Let me start keeping you and Ana safe now.”
Kayla’s forehead scrunched. Then she beamed at him, and he felt like someone had socked him in the gut. So beautiful.
His.
“Okay, we’ll do it.”
Chapter Twelve
Kayla couldn’t stop thinking about Zach and painting Ana’s room together last night. He’d taken her home around ten. Ana had been asleep in the in-law apartment and Bailey had been at the small table with her laptop, doing homework.
Kayla hadn’t said anything about moving in with Zach yet, but she would this afternoon when she went home. It wasn’t going to be easy, and yet she wasn’t going to have any trouble convincing Bailey she was head over heels in love with him.
Oh, she was still coming to terms with it. Still figuring out the depth and breadth of all she was feeling. But she didn’t doubt it was love. She loved him because he was good and honest and, most of all, he’d thought about Ana first. A pink room for her baby girl.
She’d dreamed of a pink room when she was little. And a princess bed. She’d wanted one of those most of all. She’d also wanted her own bookcase filled with precious books that she could read over and over. She’d loved the school library and she’d spent as much time as she could there. But she’d never had a book of her own until she was an adult and bought one for herself. It had felt like the greatest indulgence to spend money on a book.
She hadn’t read a book in ages now, and she missed it. Maybe it was time to start again.
“Hey, girl. Where are you off to in your head?”
Kayla jerked at the sound of Chloe’s voice. “Oh, hi, Chloe. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“You’ve been standing there with that towel in your hand for a full minute,” Chloe said. “Is everything okay?”
Kayla looked at the towel in her hand. She’d been folding towels fresh from the dryer. She hurriedly finished the one she was holding and put it on the stack.
“Everything’s fine. Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow. “Zach?”
Kayla couldn’t help but nod. “Yes.”
Chloe grinned. “You have no idea how much I want this to work out. Zach is the second SEAL I ever met, and he’s always been terrific to me. Plus he compliments my cooking, so I’m predisposed to love him for that alone.”
“Zach is a great guy.” Kayla hesitated for a second, and then she decided she really needed someone to confide in. “Can I tell you something, Chloe? I haven’t even told Bailey yet, and I need to. But maybe if I practice on you…”
Chloe looked intrigued. And eager. “Of course you can, honey! Spill.”
Kayla took a deep breath. “Ana and I are moving in with Zach.”
Chloe’s jaw dropped. Then she closed the distance between them and wrapped Kayla in a big hug. “Oh that’s so exciting. I’m happy for you both.”
“I don’t think Zach has told anyone yet, so please don’t mention it to Ryan. I probably should have asked if that was a problem before I told you.”
“I won’t and it’s not a problem. I mean I really, really want to. But it’s not my secret to tell and it’s not the kind of secret that I shouldn’t keep from the man I love. It’s kinda like a surprise birthday party. When it’s time, he’ll know.”
“Thank you.” Relief flooded her, both at Chloe’s promise not to tell and at the fact she’d finally been able to share it with someone. Not that she’d told Chloe everything.
“Why haven’t you told your sister, honey? Are you worried she won’t approve?”
Kayla pursed her lips. “Bailey practically raised me and she’s very protective. She’ll probably think it’s too fast and I’ll get hurt. And maybe I will, but I’ve never felt this way for another man, not even Ana’s father. I want to be with Zach,” she finished in a rush.
Chloe’s smile was huge. “Oh, I’m so happy you two are in love. It’s amazing news. I mean it seems like it’s coming out of the blue, because you appeared to be avoiding each other ever since I’ve known you, but clearly there was a lot more going on beneath the surface than anybody knew.”
“There
was,” Kayla said truthfully, though she didn’t correct Chloe about who was in love with whom. “We had some things to sort out. But last night he took me to the paint aisle in Home Depot and told me to pick out a color for Ana’s room. Then we went back to his place and painted the first coat.”
“Gracious, that’s so romantic! And I’m absolutely thrilled you’ll be across the street. We can ride to work together sometimes, and I’ll watch Ana for you if you need me to.”
“Thank you, Chloe. That means a lot.”
Chloe smiled reassuringly. “I can’t claim to know your sister’s mind, but I think she’ll be touched that Zach thought of Ana like that.”
“I hope so. She’s probably going to be a little unhappy about the rest of it, though. I’ve been afraid to tell her.”
“I understand, but you’re going to have to, right? You can’t move out in the middle of the night. She’s going to notice you’re not there.”
“I know. I need to gather my courage and just tell her.”
And then invite her to a civil ceremony at the courthouse. Lordy.
The bell over the salon door chimed and then JoJo poked her head into the break room. “Man alert, ladies! There’s a Mr. Sexy Pants out here asking for Kayla. Lucky girl.”
Kayla’s pulse revved as heat prickled along the back of her neck. Zach had called her that morning and offered to go pick up the marriage license by himself. She’d agreed because she didn’t want to ask for more time off, and it didn’t take two of them to get it. She hadn’t realized he was coming by, though.
Chloe arched an eyebrow. “Taking you to lunch today?”
“I guess so.”
Kayla walked into the salon and stopped dead in her tracks. The man standing near the register wasn’t Zach. He was good-looking, but not in the way Zach was. He was tall like Zach, broad, but not as muscled. He had an earring and tattoos and he wore a cut. When Kayla looked beyond him, she could see a Harley parked in front of the shop. She took a step backward, but he looked her way at that moment and their eyes met.
She didn’t know him, but she knew what he was. Fear was an endless pit in her stomach.
The smile that crossed his features wasn’t friendly. “Hello, Kayla. I’ve been looking for you.”
Neo’s phone rang as he was leaving the courthouse. He’d picked up the license and made an appointment for Friday to get married. Now he needed to tell her. Lucky for him, she was already calling.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said as he trotted down the steps and strode for his Camaro. “I was planning to call you in a few minutes.”
“Zach.” He could hear the strain in her voice and he stopped, instantly going into alert mode, that tickle on the back of his neck unmistakable.
“Kayla, what’s wrong?”
“There was a man. He’s one of the Kings. Th-they’re rebuilding the club. He wants money, Zach.”
Blinding fury rushed through him. “Where are you? Did he hurt you?”
“At the salon. He was here, but he left. He didn’t hurt me. But he—he says he wants what I owe.”
Neo saw red. “How much?”
“Seventy-five thousand. That’s what he said Ana’s adoption was worth. If I don’t pay it, they’ll take her.”
“No they fucking won’t,” he growled. “Do you hear me, Kayla? No they fucking won’t.”
She made a noise and he realized it was a sob. The anger inside him turned incendiary. He’d kill for her. He’d use all his considerable skills to keep her from a moment’s fear over her baby. He wasn’t letting anyone take Ana away from Kayla. Or from him.
“I’m coming to get you.”
She sniffed. “No, you don’t have to. I have to finish work. It’s only three more hours and I need to be busy. I just… I wanted to tell you. He’s not coming back today.”
“Did he say when he expects the money?”
“He gave me a week. And he told me if I ran, they’d go after Bailey.”
He could hear the tears in her voice. Tears for Ana and Bailey. He wanted to pummel something. Preferably a biker.
“I’ll pick you up after work and we’ll go get your things together.”
“My car—”
“I’ll follow you. But don’t leave until I get there.”
“Okay.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Kayla. You and Ana are mine, do you understand?”
“Yes. And thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I said I’d protect you, and I will.”
She sniffled and it damn near broke his heart.
“Is he the same one who called you before?”
“I think so.”
“Where’s Ana today?”
“Bailey kept her.” She gasped as her thoughts tumbled forward. “Oh god, I need to call and make sure they’re okay—”
“Kayla,” he said as sternly as he could, and she subsided. “If he’d intended to go after Ana, he wouldn’t have come to you first. It’s a threat, but he hopes the threat motivates you to produce the money. It’s easier than stealing the child. Fewer complications.”
He could hear her pull in a breath. “You’re right. But if I can’t come up with the money, they’ll take her.”
“I won’t let them, baby.”
“I don’t have that kind of money, Zach. I’ve never seen that much money in my life.”
“I know. Even if you did have it, it’s not theirs to take. You don’t owe them anything, Kayla.”
“I’d still give it to them if I thought they’d go away.”
“They never would, honey. That’s the whole point. If they can bleed you for any amount of money, they won’t stop until they’ve gotten everything you have.”
“All I have is Ana and Bailey. I won’t lose either of them.”
His gut churned with hot anger. “You’ve got more than that, baby. You’ve got me.”
Kayla was mess of nerves for the rest of the day. Every time the chime over the door rang, she jumped. Chloe, JoJo, and Avery watched her with worried expressions. They hadn’t heard what the man had said to her, but they’d figured it wasn’t anything she wanted to hear.
She’d turned to flee into the stock room when he’d said her name, but he’d told her to stop right where she was. And she did because he’d had such authority in his voice. He’d reminded her of James and the time she’d spent with the Kings of Doom. She’d known the man was in a club based on the Harley and the leather cut he’d worn, but she hadn’t realized which club because she couldn’t see the patch on the back of the cut.
But when he’d told her they needed to talk about her debt, she’d known. He wasn’t from a rival club and he hadn’t come for a friendly chat. He was Kings of Doom, and he’d come for her.
She’d approached him warily, certain he wouldn’t grab her with witnesses who could identify him, but scared nonetheless. That’s when he’d told her, in low tones meant only for her, what he expected from her.
Seventy-five grand in one week, or he’d take Ana. Running wasn’t an option either. Not unless she ran with Bailey and Ana both, but she pushed that thought away as quickly as it formed. She was not ruining her sister’s life and happiness by even suggesting it.
She vaguely remembered the man from the Kings. He wasn’t someone she’d have thought would take over, but considering they’d been decimated after the SEAL raid on their compound, he was probably the most senior member left. And he was determined to reclaim the club glory and their territory.
She’d been trying to remember his name. It finally came to her when she was shampooing Mrs. Talbot. His name was Dal Gentry and he’d been a lieutenant during her time with the Kings. James had outranked him, which was why she hadn’t seen a lot of him.
Still, he was the boss now and he knew what he wanted.
“Sweetie, are you okay?” Chloe asked at one point.
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?” She tried to inflect her voice with mild surprise, but it came out soundin
g so falsely chipper it was painful.
Chloe saw through the act and frowned. “You were scared of that man. Who was he?”
“Nobody,” Kayla said, her natural instinct to keep everything close to her chest coming into play.
Chloe didn’t push her. “Okay, hon. But if you need to talk, I’m here.”
Kayla reached out and squeezed her hand. “I know. Thank you, but I’m fine. He’s a friend of my ex. He wanted me to visit James in prison. I refused,” she lied.
The frown lines on Chloe’s face didn’t dissipate. “I wouldn’t visit him either if I were you.” She hesitated. “You know you can count on me, right? I’ll help however I can.”
“I know you will, but there’s nothing to worry about. He only wanted to intimidate me a little bit, make sure I didn’t have anything more to say about the club to law enforcement. Since I already told them everything I know, I could honestly assure him I didn’t.”
Chloe studied her for a long moment. “I know that type of man, Kayla. My ex’s militia was filled with men just like that. They don’t let go easily or willingly. I don’t think you’ve seen the last of him.”
Kayla’s heart thumped. “I don’t think so either, but he’ll get the hint eventually.”
The hint? What a joke. Dal Gentry was determined to make her pay and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
When Zach came to get her, she nearly melted with relief. It was five-thirty and the salon was closed. Everyone was still there, cleaning up, when he arrived. Avery let him in the front door and Kayla’s throat closed up at the sight of him in his camouflage uniform with the SEAL trident over his pocket. She didn’t even think before she flung herself in his arms and held on tight.
He squeezed her to him and dropped his mouth to her ear. “It’s okay, honey. You’re safe. So’s Ana. I’m sorry, but I had to tell Camel so he could take care of his woman.”
Kayla pushed back to look up at him. Apprehension skated down her spine. “Bailey knows?”
“Not yet. I got Camel to promise not to tell her.”
“Oh thank god.”
HOT SEAL Devotion Page 12
