Pin

by Hope Stone

  I leaned back, looked up into his beautiful face, and took a deep breath.

  Twenty-Seven

  Pin

  The minute I saw Claire in Wreck’s filthy hands, my entire world stopped.

  It froze, suspended in time, as I saw my woman being manhandled by the worst piece of scum I knew. Then, when it started moving again, all I saw was red. A fury rose from somewhere deep inside me. It was a primal wrath that came from the need to protect what was mine.

  If Claire hadn’t called out my name, I wouldn’t have stopped beating up Wreck. It had almost been too easy to take him down, thanks to Claire’s pepper spray. It was pretty classic, I had to admit. Leave it to Claire to do half the work.

  I knew that I was still mad at her. What she had done didn’t just disappear. But the urgent situation had forced that aside for the time being. Some things were too important. Claire’s safety was too important.

  Even back in the Blue Dog Saloon, I couldn’t let her go. I had to reassure myself that she was whole and solid in my arms. I had envisioned so many awful scenarios on that ride over, I had to feel the physical proof to make sure she was ok.

  She leaned back and looked up at me, but I didn’t take my hands off her shoulders. She kept her hands on my waist as well. I hated looking at her face, where a bruise was growing on the side. It looked like he had only struck her once, but that was one too many times. I would never forgive Wreck for this. I would make sure Las Balas never had a day of peace for the rest of their sorry existence.

  “Pin, I have to tell you some things,” Claire said. “I know you have no reason to listen, but is it ok if I tell you some things?”

  I nodded. This time, I wanted to listen. I had been going in circles all day after our fight, and the only thing I was sure of was that I needed to hear her side of things.

  “I got the assignment after we had slept together the first time,” Claire said. “You can ask my boss or Veronica, ask anyone you need to, I want you to know the facts.”

  “I don’t need witnesses,” I said.

  “No, you do,” Claire said. “Or you deserve the truth, and I hate that I didn’t tell you the truth from the beginning, so now I want to make sure you have it.”

  I nodded. I would check with her boss if she wanted me to, but I could see in Claire’s eyes that this was the truth.

  “I just want you to know that the first time we slept together, it was because I wanted to,” Claire said. “I liked you, and yes, I thought of it as a casual hook-up, but it had nothing to do with my job or anything.”

  Claire took a trembling breath, and a single tear fell from her eye. I reached up and wiped it from her cheek. Claire’s lips formed a soft smile at the tender touch.

  “Then I got the assignment, and it was the kind of case I had been craving,” Claire said. “It was big and complicated and important, so I texted you to hang out. The parents suspected Outlaw Souls, and I was desperate to get information. “I need you to know that I didn’t intend to go very far with you. I’m not – I wouldn’t –”

  She stammered for the right words, and my heart went out to her. She wasn’t defensive or angry like she had been this morning. She was laying herself bare.

  “I would never sleep with someone I didn’t want to,” Claire said. “That’s not me.”

  “I know,” I said. “I should never have called you what I did this morning, and I’m sorry.”

  “Stop!” Her eyes were wide and she had put on an indignant face. “You have to let me finish my apology.”

  I had to smile, her expression was so funny. I nodded to indicate that she should go on.

  “You were so easy to talk to that night, and the next morning was so fun,” Claire said. “I felt so guilty, but I also was consumed by the case. Then you invited me to the barbecue, and I knew that night the Outlaw Souls were clean. I could tell by the way everyone operated and acted that it couldn’t be you guys.

  She breathed out, tears welling up. “And I know you might not believe me, but that’s ok. I know I fucked up by not telling you about the investigation that night. If you walk away and never talk to me again, that’s fine. I just have to tell you that what we did and said that night meant something to me. It was real and it was the first time I’ve ever felt anything like that.”

  Claire was crying in earnest now. Tears poured from her eyes, and her cheeks and nose turned red. I had never seen Claire lose control. She was always so quick and composed. Her cries made me want to bundle her up in my arms and hold her for days.

  “I was going to tell you in the morning,” Claire said. “I made up my mind that night that in the morning, I would come clean. I would explain everything and beg you to forgive me for lying, and then I hoped you might even help me. But it was so stupid of me to think what I had done was forgivable.”

  She took a great heaving breath. Then she pulled away to wipe her tears from her face. My arms instantly ached with the desire to hold her again.

  Fear, sharp and intense, raced through me. She was going to walk away now. She had confessed, and now she recognized that too much had happened for her to stay. She was going to leave, and I was going to miss her, because I wanted her.

  I couldn’t deny it anymore. She had done what she did because she was Claire. She was passionate about her work, she was ambitious, and she led that misguide. But she always recognized her errors. She was the woman for me, and I couldn’t condemn her for being herself.

  “I love you,” she said.

  For the second time in an hour, my entire world stopped.

  “I know it can’t fix anything, but it’s the truth,” Claire said. “I fell in love with you, and that’s why I went after Las Balas. I had to at least try and make things right. I know you might need some time, but I want you to know that I love you, and I want to fight for you.”

  She clasped her hands in front of her chest and took one last breath. When she looked up at me, there was only one answer I could give.

  I grabbed her to me and kissed her as hard as I could. It was fierce and messy, and I could tell Claire was shocked by her sharp intake of breath, but I needed her to know how much I cared. I pulled her against my chest, and Claire tipped her head back as she wrapped her arms around my neck and clung to me like she would never let go.

  At last, I pulled away and looked down at her. Her lips were parted in a little O of surprise.

  “I love you,” I said. “Everything you did – it’s forgiven, as long as you can forgive me for what I said this morning. I shouldn’t have stormed out, I should have listened.”

  “Pin,” she gasped. “Are you – ?”

  “I’m sure,” I said. “You are the only one for me, I knew it as soon as I left you, but I couldn’t admit until I saw you pepper spraying Wreck.”

  Claire burst out laughing. I couldn’t help but smile along.

  “You really shouldn’t find it so funny,” I said.

  “I know,” Claire gasped. “I was terrified.”

  Her laughter trailed up as she looked up at me. “But then you came. And I wasn’t scared at all.”

  My heart swelled as I leaned down to kiss her once more.

  “I love you,” I said. “I’ll never stop.”

  Epilogue: Clair

  One Year Later

  I typed up my final note on my latest case and then leaned back in my chair.

  This one had been a good one. A child had been missing for almost two years. Police had given up even though there was no body. I took it on a few weeks ago and today we found her. She had been kidnapped and wasn’t in the best shape, but she was alive and back with her parents.

  All my cases in the past year had been similar. After I tracked down Zoe and Hector and busted the Las Balas drug ring, the LA Times ran a huge piece that put me on the top of the list for any and all missing persons cases. It was what I had always wanted: the in-depth profile of top PI Claire Brennan.

  It had been nice, I couldn’t deny it. But I didn�
��t care about the accolades. I just cared about making sure Zoe, who had gotten addicted to heroin, got the help she needed. And that Hector met some of the Outlaw Souls so he could learn how to love bikes and be a real man.

  Pin had gone crazy over the article. He had even printed it out and framed it to hang on my wall above my desk. He could be dorky like that. I loved it.

  I checked my phone and saw that he had texted me:

  You still be home by 7?

  I checked my watch and texted back in the affirmative. We still had our own places, but we spent every night together. He came to mine to stock up my fridge and cook, or I went to his place where he had cleared out half his closet for me.

  I never thought that I would last a year in a serious relationship. I thought I would feel trapped or bored or anxious. But with Pin, it wasn’t even hard. Yes, we had our moments, but we were always honest with each other. We always found a way through the challenges.

  When I got antsy, he just took me out to his bike, and we drove until I was smiling again.

  He understood me, and I understood him. Both of us had mistrusted relationships before, and maybe we still did have that baggage. Maybe we did doubt the idea of relationships as a whole. But we did trust each other. I had never lied to Pin once after the first deception, and I knew he was honest with me. We told each other how we were feeling instead of keeping it bottled up inside.

  We made each other happy. Just the sight of Pin, bent over his accounting books on my kitchen table made me grin from ear to ear. And every time he saw me, Pin couldn’t keep his hands off me. We had found a way to make the relationship work. I knew that my life would never be boring as long as Pin was by my side.

  When I got back to my apartment door, I fumbled with the keys. Before I could even put them in the door, it swung open.

  Pin stood smiling. I knew something was up right away. Behind him on the table, there were candles lit and two glasses of red wine.

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me in. My heart started to pick up. We had talked about forever before. I had told him I wanted him for the rest of my life.

  But we had never discussed details. The closest we had gotten to talking about a timeline or any sort of plan was a budgeting spreadsheet Pin had made. Which, I had to admit, had been weirdly romantic. It had been comforting seeing that he planned for us to get our own apartment at some point.

  Before I could say anything, Pin had dropped down on one knee.

  I never thought I would be the type of girl to erupt into butterflies at the sight of an engagement ring, but it turns out I never fully knew myself until I met Pin.

  When he popped open the box to reveal the ruby ring, I gasped and clamped one hand over my mouth.

  “Claire Brennan, I have loved you almost from the moment I first saw you,” Pin said.

  “Yes,” I said. “Yes.”

  “I haven’t even asked!” Pin cried.

  “Well, my answer is yes.” I started pulling on his hand, trying to yank him to his feet so I could kiss him.

  “Claire, will you marry me?” Pin blurted as fast as he could.

  “Yes!” I screamed, launching myself into his arms.

  I vowed to never let go.

  The End.

  Dear reader,

  I can’t thank you enough for reading this book! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it. It would mean the world to me if you took a minute to leave me an honest review in Amazon.

  If it weren’t for passionate readers like yourself that give me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams as a full time author doing what I feel like I was born to do…being creative, writing books and sharing it with beautiful people like you.

  Thank you!

  Hope Stone

  Do you want to read more from the Outlaw Souls MC Series?

  Book 3 centers around the Road Captain of the Outlaw Souls MC, Raul “Trainer’ Lopez and a newly single mother named Erica.

  I wasn’t looking for a love connection.

  But I didn’t count on Trainer.

  Black leather. Intricate tattoos. Sculpted body.

  He looked like trouble that I didn’t need.

  Too bad he proved impossible to resist.

  I found myself falling into bed with the tough biker.

  But I had a dangerous secret...

  Getting attached was a bad idea because I had trouble looking for me.

  And I had to keep my son safe, no matter what.

  I fled to La Playa to escape a nightmare.

  Was it possible to find a future here with a good man?

  Or would my past catch up to me and ruin everything?

  Click here to find out for yourself. Happy reading!

  Also By Hope Stone

  Check out my first series of short stories which are now available in Audiobook format as well! These books can be read as stand alone stories in any order.

  Book 1: Curvy Obsession (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Book 2: His Obsession, Her Curves (eBook) (Audiobook Coming Soon)

  Book 3: Billionaire’s Party Planner (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Book 4: Unforgettable Curves (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Book 5: Undeniable Attraction (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Book 6: Curves On Fire (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Book 7: Doctors Orders (eBook)

  Boxset (Books 1-3): Insta Love Alpha Males Boxset 1 (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Boxset (Books 4-6): Insta Love Alpha Males Boxset 2 (eBook) (Audiobook)

  Connect With Hope

  Join the Hope Stone Readers Group on Facebook. This is an exclusive group where readers and fans of drama-filled, steamy romances come together to talk about Hope's books. This is the place to engage with other fans in a fun and inclusive way as well as get access to exclusive content, find out about new releases, giveaways, and contests, as well as vote on covers before anyone else and so much more!

  Free Gifts and Email List

  Hey there Love,

  How would you like to get FREE exclusive access to the Outlaw Souls Prequel sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for my newsletter and I will hook you up with THREE FREE eBooks, starting with the prequel followed by TWO exclusive unreleased books just for my VIP readers. You’ll also be the first to hear about upcoming releases, giveaways, cover reveals, chapter reveals, and much more. Just click here, sign up and get your FREE books now!

  Happy Reading,

  Hope

  About the Author

  Hope Stone is a contemporary romance author who loves writing hot and steamy, but also emotion-filled stories with twists and turns that keep readers guessing. Her books revolve around possessive alpha men who love protecting their sexy and sassy heroines. Discover the sweet naughtiness for yourself with guaranteed happily ever afters!