by Romi Hart
That whole war had led to Zeke being injured, almost killed, and he’d met the love of his life in the hospital. Leigh was a feisty one and had done a great job of nursing Zeke back to health, mentally and physically, but not before that had nearly ended in tragedy. Zeke, being dumb as a box of rocks about the whole thing, had pushed Leigh away, telling her he didn’t want to be together, in an attempt to save her from Gomez and his threats. What he’d managed to do was leave her unprotected so she fell right into the Ravens’ hands. It had taken unwarranted faith in the new president of the Diamond Kings to straighten out that situation.
And then there was Eli. At least he’d had the sense to try to avoid the tag-a-long Rory, who showed up when Leigh became a fixture around the clubhouse. That girl was trouble from the start, and eventually, Eli had fallen for her. And still, he’d tried to walk away, until Rory had gotten shot trying to protect Skye. Shot! And rather than running for the hills, Eli had been devastated, determined to commit before he lost her. Of course, now she was about to pop with not one but two kids in that beach ball belly of hers, and Eli had gone from quiet and brooding to sunshine and roses as he prepared for his children to arrive.
But Harrison was the worst. Falling in love with a stripper was all fine and good. And Skye was a classy lady who’d ended up stripping due to bad circumstances. But drinking yourself into alcohol poisoning and landing in the hospital to avoid facing feelings for someone took the cake, as far as Corey was concerned. Beating someone to within an inch of his life for touching the stripper wasn’t so brilliant, either, and could have come back on the club. And dealing with a stalker that ran Skye off the road? Well, Corey hoped it didn’t come to that, but with David around, it was possible.
Before they’d settled down, every one of those men had been roughriders, gruff and fearless. They’d taken significant risks and celebrated their triumphs with an excess of women and liquor. Now, they had their own little group in the corner whenever there was a party at the clubhouse with women seeking adventure. And they were far more cautious, especially when it came to the dangers of riding out, whether to protect someone else or to fire away at the Ravens.
As for Corey, he didn’t want anything holding him back, especially when they were so close to victory against the Ravens. The massive effort of negotiating with so many different clubs across multiple states was exhausting, and they’d thought they were keen on Gomez’s tail more than once. But this time, he’d seen the monster in his lair with his own eyes, and he’d vowed to himself that, with all the torment Gomez had caused his own men as well as so many others, the rat bastard wouldn’t escape. Corey was going to take him out, if it meant he had to go down, too.
Those decisions came easy to him, and he’d never questioned them. Until now. As sleep evaded him and he watched Regan resting peacefully, he wondered if she’d mourn his death, or whether she’d feel his loss on an intimate level. And he also hated the idea of dying without knowing, and of leaving this earth when he finally had something to look forward to.
He didn’t like the direction of his thoughts, but he couldn’t help himself. He even had a new reluctance to ride out at all. What if, while he was gone, David came back? Could he trust the members of his crew that would be left behind to keep Regan safe? After all, to pull this off, he and every other MC involved would be riding out with their best and most ruthless men to get the job done. Corey handpicked the men going with him, and he hadn’t left much behind.
He had, unfortunately, conceded Eli’s participation, since the man had a wife at home who could go into labor at any time. It killed him because Eli was one of his most effective warriors, but he couldn’t have the man checking his phone every five minutes during a firefight. And while Eli was great at coordinating security, he was definitely distracted, and Corey didn’t think he could take on another job, watching over Regan, while they were gone. Chances were that, despite wanting to be with Rory, Eli would be anxious about the mission and on edge waiting for news of victory, too.
All signs pointed to the merits of dropping Regan and this wild ambition of trying to balance a relationship with the career he’d made of running the Devil’s Flames. He had suddenly begun to understand Zeke’s logic, god help him. How fair was it to take someone so innocent and kind and beautiful and drag her into the pit of doom, in which a crazed lunatic hovered overhead with the imminent threat of death and destruction? How could Corey ever forgive himself if something happened to Regan because of him? If Gomez got word that the president of the Devil’s Flames was into some woman, there was no limit to what that man would do to Regan to get under Corey’s skin. Killing her would be the least of the terrible ideas he had.
But then, she already faced similar danger from her own ex-husband. David was no Gomez. He wasn’t just power hungry and evil. He was smart, calculating, and delusional. The three traits added up to serious potential, and that potential could be deadly for Regan. It had already had her in the hospital and on the run for years. Men like David didn’t give up, and nothing would stop him short of his own death.
Or Regan’s.
So even if his heart would allow him to walk away from her, Corey knew his need to protect her wouldn’t, despite not wanting to be involved in another dispute. This one was personal now, and he was determined to see it through.
And the truth of the matter was, his heart was already too attached, Regan’s name permanently etched into it right next to the Devil’s Flames. There was no walking away without ripping off that piece of the delicate organ and risking the consequences of the damage it would do to his soul. In a way, he regretted ever giving into the urge to sleep with the woman. Hell, he almost hated that he’d ever met her.
But then, the fatalist in him thought of how much he would have lost and missed out on had he never gone into the massage clinic. Had he never felt Regan’s touch, or the way her voice crawled down his spine and eased his tension. Had he never experienced the awakening of that piece of him that could love and feel and need another person the way he did when they made love.
Damn, that was the thing, wasn’t it? She’d already changed him. Corey would never have used the term ‘make love’ for anything he’d ever done with any other woman. But it seemed like that had been the case from the very start with Regan. Label it what you would, even in the roughest, most violent moments of sex with her, he felt the emotions rolling through him.
Regan stirred and blinked up at him with a bleary smile. “Hey, you. Is it morning already?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m just having trouble sleeping.”
She purred like a cat as she stretched. “Wow, I would have thought I’d worn you out.”
Corey chuckled softly and brushed a tendril of hair off her forehead. “It’s not that. Physically, I’m exhausted. I’ve just got a lot on my mind. Plus, I like watching you sleep.”
She burst out laughing. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that was creepy.” She lifted her head and kissed him softly. “But it’s fine. You want to talk about any of it? I can make some coffee, toast some bagels.”
He started to argue that it was too early, but he realized as he glanced at the window that, somewhere in the middle of all his musings, the sun had risen. A quick look at the clock told him it was actually almost eight, and he hadn’t slept all night. That could be problematic, considering the activities planned for the day.
And if he didn’t at least address some of his concerns, he would never get a few winks in before it was time to ride out. “Sure. Do you mind if I take a quick shower?”
“Go ahead,” she told him, then winked. “But be quick or I might be tempted to join you.”
Part of him wanted that, but he also knew that he needed to be real. This wasn’t time to drag her back to bed and keep her there all day. He needed to force himself to rest, and before that, he owed her a little bit of an explanation for his mood. So, he rushed through his shower and pulled on the clothes he’d worn the night bef
ore, glad they were still fairly fresh, and then he joined her in the kitchen.
He hadn’t expected to see her dressed to go out, and he frowned. “Where are you going?”
She gazed over at him, and he nearly winced at the bruises on her face. “I work today.”
He gaped at her openly in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”
“Why not?” she asked, casually bringing the tray of food and drink into the living room. “A girl has to pay rent.”
“After last night, you’re just going to go to work, like nothing happened?” He didn’t want to mention the damage to her face and how obvious it was that something had happened.
She stood tall, crossing her arms in a way that was precious, showing both determination and vulnerability. “I told you, I’m not going to let David rule my life, in one way or another. I have to do this to prove to myself as much as anyone that I can stand tall and face my fear.” She gestured at her face. “I can put on enough makeup to cover most of this. And if anyone asks, I’ll say I had an accident. Because that’s really what it was. I accidentally missed the signs that he was around.”
Corey rolled his eyes. “You’re beautiful, Regan. I’m not questioning the way you look. But what if he manages to sneak into the clinic?”
“Then I scream for help and run out to your man that you guaranteed would be looking over me. Or has that changed?”
Corey had no response for that. He just nodded and scrubbed a hand down his face. “I just worry that something is going to happen to you while I’m away.”
She stared at him, and he could see fear in her eyes. “You have a ride out?”
And it could be his last. But he didn’t say that out loud. Regan had enough to worry about. “I do. And it’s a big one, one we’ve been waiting for a very long time. It’s going to be the end of an era for a few people because they’ve caused problems for long enough. And it’s a dangerous ride. But I’m worried about your safety. I can’t let anything happen to you.” He emphasized the last words, putting all of his unspoken emotion into them. He wasn’t going to tell her he loved her when he couldn’t promise he’d be back. But he needed her to understand he was at that point.
She didn’t answer right away, but eventually, she nodded. “I understand your concern. I’ll be cautious, and I’ll make sure that whoever you have tailing me knows everything I’m doing and everywhere I’m going. I won’t try to slip away or anything. Okay?”
That eased his mind a little. “That helps.”
She smiled and came over, taking his hands in hers. It felt good, like a mother’s reassuring touch, and Corey realized how much he missed the comfort his mother could offer in the worst of times. He’d never been particularly open and emotional, but she’d been able to read him pretty well. It seemed that Regan could do the same. “I don’t want trouble, Captain. I don’t ever want David to put a hand on me again. And I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure that doesn’t happen. Now, let’s eat. I’m starving, and those bagels smell fabulous.”
He had to agree, they were calling his name, and he felt a modicum of relief at having talked to Regan. He admired her strength and resolve, as well as the way she reassured him. He also liked that she was reasonable about accepting and working with the protective detail he’d ordered. So many other women would have been irrational and tried to sneak away.
But most of all, he noted that she respected his privacy when it came to the MC. She simply accepted him at his word, didn’t ask for details or demand to know anything about the mission, and moved on, even if she was obviously nervous about it. That went a long way in showing extreme trust, and he realized he returned that trust implicitly.
But he couldn’t look too deeply into that now. He had business to tend, and he wanted these few minutes with her untainted by concern and introspection. Maybe, if he survived this ride, he could think about the possibility of a future, or even of at least confessing how he felt. But he was going to do everything possible to avoid leading her on when he couldn’t make promises.
So, he sat down and dove into the food, focusing on keeping conversation lighthearted and positive.
12
Regan didn’t take off the oversized sunglasses as she entered the clinic, Lena already at the front desk. She didn’t need the girl to notice the light purple bruising that she couldn’t quite make disappear, despite a stellar makeup job and start rumors. Which was also why she’d asked her detail to follow her in. He was young, hot, and caught Lena’s eye with a jaw-dropping expression.
“Thanks, Mike,” she said meaningfully, waving at him as he saluted her, winked at Lena, and stepped back outside to spend his day keeping watch over her.
“What, are you just making the rounds through the whole crew now?” Lena asked, still straining her neck to ogle Mike’s rear as he positioned himself in front of the glass wall.
“Oh, no, not at all,” Regan said flippantly. “That’s Mike. He works for Corey, who has some things going on right now that make him paranoid in regards to any location he frequents. Mike is single, and he’s into you, but don’t distract him too much, or you’ll get him fired, okay?” Knowing that would keep Lena occupied all day, and that no one else paid that much attention, Regan felt certain she wouldn’t get a lot of questions today, and that suited her perfectly fine.
She stuffed her things in her locker, forcing herself to remove the glasses and put them in her purse, and headed into the small kitchen to grab yet another cup of coffee. She’d had probably more than a pot since Corey had come back last night, and if someone slit her wrists, she’d probably bleed brown. But the stimulation only managed to keep her from toppling over, supporting her physically. It did nothing for her mental state, considering she’d gotten maybe three hours of sleep.
And those had been corrupted with nightmares.
Corey had gotten even less sleep, as evidenced by his being awake every time she snapped out of one of those wretched dreams. She didn’t let him know she’d woken, not wanting him to worry. After all, just having him there had made it easy to go back to sleep, feeling the safety of his warmth at her side. But the devastating events that had led to such sweet, reassuring moments had also taken a toll on her, and today, her brain was fuzzy.
She’d tried to be casual this morning over breakfast, but she didn’t know if she’d pulled it off. Making idle chit-chat when all she could see in her head was David storming into the clinic, busting up the place, and holding a gun to her head wasn’t a walk in the park. It was a strange vision, mostly because David had never owned a gun. He was the epitome of a pacifist in most instances, or at least, that was the role he’d played. He’d never seemed at all dangerous, and that was why she’d thought he would make a perfect match. He was supposed to be the yang to her yin.
Still, she’d definitely underestimated him, thinking he would have left her alone after all this time. Or that he would have at least been willing to listen to reason. Instead, he’d grown more erratic and delusional, and she had no idea how to handle it.
Maybe she should have just let Corey go after him.
But then she wouldn’t have had that wonderful night that they’d shared before her nightmares had gotten the best of her. And she wouldn’t have been able to kiss him goodbye this morning before he headed out on some ride that even he seemed nervous about. She didn’t know what exactly he was going to be doing, and she knew enough not to ask. But damn if she couldn’t read his sudden hesitancy, a reaction he never had to anything.
So, despite her bravado, Regan had been terrified to come to work today. She had a bad feeling about David coming after her here, where she would feel obligated to do what he said to avoid harm to her coworkers. But she she also had a very bad vibe about this ride of Corey’s and his safety. She didn’t like the way the subject seemed to shake his confidence, and she wondered if Rory had any insight on what was going down that could have Corey so uncertain. She decided to give the girl a call after work, especially
since it was entirely probable her husband was on this same ride.
Thinking about having someone to talk to who understood her dilemma to at least some degree helped her get through her morning routine and set up for her first client. Rather than going through the motions on autopilot, she focused on each task, aiming for perfection and slowing down from her normal pace to help keep busy and moving. She thought less when she had more to do.
Thankfully, her two morning clients were big talkers, and they kept her concentrating on not just the procedure but also the topics that seemed to come out of nowhere as they rambled on for the full hour of their treatments. After her second patient, she stepped out into the lobby, feeling a bit compulsive as she gazed out to make sure Mike was still stationed there.
She watched as Lena handed him a coffee and chatted with him a moment outside, laughing and seeming to make him chuckle. Apparently, Regan’s plan had worked. And even better, Mike seemed to eat it up without dropping the ball. He was still looking around, eagle eyes scanning every which way, while holding a flirtatious conversation with the office manager who couldn’t seem to stop ogling him. Good, he was a focused soldier, and that meant the world under the circumstances. Relieved and refreshed, Regan went back to work, taking a few minutes to hydrate and snack before washing her hands and meeting her next patient.
But as the day went on, and there was no word from Corey, she worried more. She hadn’t exactly expected he would be in touch. In fact, from the sound of things, it could be several days. But she was used to messages from him, and it unnerved her to hear nothing, knowing he was headed into the snake pit, so to speak.
When she’d finally seen her last client, she rushed through her cleanup process and hurried out the door, sunglasses in place, with barely a wave at Lena, who was fortunately speaking to someone about a missed appointment. Mike had been lounging against the wall but stood immediately, ready to go. “So, where to now?” he asked brightly.
