“There’s nothing you can do to stop me from making Allegra mine. It’s our fate, and you can’t fight it.” He smirked down at her. With a swift kick to her stomach, he left her dragging in breaths of air as he hopped a chain-link fence and disappeared.
“Mallory!” Reid was the first to find her. Drake, Logan, and Finn were only steps behind. Reid stopped, but the other three continued down the alley and over the fence.
Mallory let loose a string of curse words that would have her mother suffering a fit of the vapors. She slammed her hand on the cold asphalt and slowly rocked back onto her knees.
“Are you okay?” Reid asked as he bent next to her. She looked up as he sucked in a breath and made her curses pale in comparison. “We need to get you to the hospital. Your eye is almost swollen shut, and there’s a nasty bump on your head.”
Mallory waited for the world to stop spinning. She felt her eyes and the bump on her head. “Nah. I’m okay.”
“You must have a head injury because you just got the crap beaten out of you, and you’re not even complaining about breaking a nail.”
Mallory rolled her one good eye. “You’ll never let me forget I was a socialite, will you? Well, guess what? I’ve been a lot worse off than this before and lived. You don’t know anything about me anymore, Reid, because you’ve never bothered to look.”
Reid stood up and looked down at her. She hated it. The way he looked at her without seeing the real her. He’d never let her explain. Well, it didn’t matter. He didn’t matter, she told herself, even if her heart was calling her a liar.
“Here are the guys,” Reid said distantly as he took his eyes from her. “Did you find him?”
“No,” Finn said as a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. “He was gone by the time we reached the end of the alley. Holy crap, Mallory!”
Mallory waved him off as she wobbled to stand. Her hand rested on the brick wall of the bakery. “I’m fine.”
“You need to get that checked out,” Drake said as he came to put an arm around her.
Mallory shrugged him off. She was not going to look weak in front of the man who stomped on her heart. “I have a guy I can call. I’m more worried about Allegra.”
Finn listened to what Mallory saw and what Harry said. His blood ran cold. She wasn’t safe anywhere. He would find her.
“We need to find someplace for Allegra to stay that he can’t easily sneak into.”
“Name any building. We’ll buy it, post guards everywhere,” Reid said sharply.
“I don’t think that will work. I think that’s what he would expect us to do. He’s smart. He’ll just study it until he finds the weak spot and then slip in. We need to think of something different.”
“I have an idea,” Finn said quietly. When everyone looked at him, he said the last thing he wanted to. “I can take her to my mom’s house.”
“How is that safer than a locked-down building?” Reid asked skeptically.
“Sadly, my old neighborhood is probably more armed than your bodyguards, and they know every single person for blocks. It would be very hard to sneak into the place. There are people up all night, and when they finally go to bed, the old guard come out to walk or keep an eye out their windows.” He knew she’d be safe there, but would she be able to look past the crime, drugs, and guns to see the good people there among the bad? And more importantly, what would his mom and his friends think of sweet little Allegra Simpson?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Allegra couldn’t get warm. She snuggled into her coat as Finn turned the heat on full blast. She had freaked out when the men got back to the house and told her what had happened. Mallory was hurt, and it was her fault. It all felt like her fault again. She could kill Harry if she found him.
Finn drove her into a part of town she’d never been in before. It looked very much like the neighborhood she’d grown up in. People sat on the porches in the dark as they drank beer or talked, a couple of older men played chess at a large window so they could watch the comings and goings, and there were nice houses next to the rundown ones. The only difference was the gang signs painted on some of the corners.
“Is this where you grew up?” Allegra asked as she looked at the houses they were passing.
“Yes,” was all Finn said. She heard the tension in his voice and wondered why he didn’t want her here.
“Do you not want to introduce me to your mother?”
Finn had promised she could say or ask anything. She didn’t feel like being quiet anymore. “Um. It’s not really that,” Finn stammered.
“Then what is it? You’re so tense.”
“What do you think of the neighborhood?” Finn asked instead.
Allegra looked out the window and watched a drug deal go down. She watched an older lady sweeping her porch and then taking her broom to ream the drug dealer. She smacked him with the broom, and the boy looked thoroughly chastised.
Allegra shrugged her shoulders. “It kind of reminds me of where I grew up—drug deals and all.” Allegra remembered her mother standing vigilantly at the end of their cracked driveway, lecturing a young man who was selling pot on the corner. She couldn’t imagine her mom hitting someone with a broom, but she did bribe him with cookies.
“Really?” Finn looked surprised.
“Yeah. You knew I didn’t grow up in a rich neighborhood. There was prostitution, drugs, thefts—but mixed in were some really good people. It’s why my dad worked so hard. He wanted to get us out of there. I’m sure it’s similar to what you’re doing.”
Finn just stared at her as he sat at a stop sign. “I’ve been so stupid. I thought you would see this and think I wasn’t good enough.”
“Don’t be silly. I can hotwire a car better than half the people on this street.” Finn’s eyes grew wide and Allegra just shrugged. “Mom said to make nice with the neighbors. The neighbors owned a chop shop.”
Finn broke out in laughter, and Allegra smiled at him. She felt the tension dissipate. “You’ll fit in perfectly then.” He pressed on the gas and a few minutes later pulled to a stop in front of a perfect little cottage house. Different-colored mums were growing in pots, and there wasn’t a weed in sight.
“This is it,” Finn told her. “My mom doesn’t know we’re coming.”
“What? I’m meeting your mom for the first time, and she doesn’t even know we’re coming? Finn, it’s almost eleven at night, and the house is dark. We’re not only coming unannounced, we’re waking her up!”
“It’s not a big deal. I usually stop by late and crash here if I need to.”
“Yeah, but not with a woman . . . at least I hope not with women.”
Finn chuckled. “No, you’re the only woman worth meeting my mom.”
“And you’re choosing to introduce her on what’s been a terrifying night by waking her up and asking her to put me up. Great. I’ll make a wonderful first impression.”
The rap at her window made her jump. She looked at a man a few years older than her staring in at them with a smile on his face. Allegra rolled down the window. “Hi, strange man knocking at my window. Can I ask you a question?”
The man with the tattoos around his neck looked amused. “Sure.”
“Would you introduce your girlfriend who’s running from a dangerous stalker to your mother in the middle of the night without giving her a heads-up?”
The man continued to look amused as he looked between Finn and Allegra, then he just laughed. “Finn, man. What a dick move to pull on your girl.”
Allegra smiled. “Oh, you’re friends with Finn. Hi, I’m Allegra.”
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I’m Terrell, and I’ve known Finn since he was just a kid. Now, what’s this about some man stalking you?”
Allegra liked Terrell. She knew what some of those tattoos meant, but he seemed nice enough. If he was friends with Finn, then she’d give him a chance. Finn got out of the car and did some handshake thingy with Terrell and then opened her door for her.
“Come on down to my place. The boys are there and you can tell us what’s going on.”
Allegra noticed faces in windows looking out at her. She did stick out from the number of people out on the street this late at night. It would be hard for someone unknown to sneak in.
“Let me show you around,” Terrell said as they walked down the cracked sidewalk. “This street is good. Everyone will know you’re Finn’s woman in a couple minutes. But, don’t go past that stop sign. That house there, she has the best snacks. The old man looking out his window at you is old school, but he’s harmless.”
“Are you harmless?” Allegra asked.
“To friends. But don’t confuse me with a nice guy. Speaking of which, here are the boys that run this street. This is Finn’s woman, Allegra.” A bunch of guys raised their chins quickly, and a couple actually said hello. “They’re in trouble. Go ahead, Finn, what’s up?”
Allegra sat back and let Finn tell the story. She kept her eyes moving up and down the street. She wondered if Harry was out there watching. Finn finished with that night’s events.
“That’s some serious shit,” Terrell said as his boys nodded their heads in agreement.
“What’s this guy look like?”
Allegra told them and mentioned his tendency to cover his face with a hoodie and possibly something under it.
“Rolls, go tell the others to be on the lookout for this guy. If we find him, then we’ll take care of it for you.”
Allegra smiled sweetly at him. “Thank you. But . . . before you do anything, if you could bring him by so I could kick him in the balls and hand him over to the FBI, I’ll be very appreciative.”
Terrell chuckled. “You’ve got a good one here, Finn. We all knew you’d make something of yourself, and now you’ve got yourself a fine woman.”
“I do. Better than I deserve.”
“Isn’t that always the case? But now you better take her home to meet your ma. We’ll take care of things out here.”
Allegra reached out and placed her hand on his large muscled arm. “Thank you, Terrell. And all of you.”
“Guys, walk Allegra back to the car and help her get her things. I want a moment with Finn.”
“Shall we, gentlemen,” Allegra said saucily and a couple of them actually smiled at her.
Finn waited to see what Terrell needed. “This is some crazy stuff you’re involved in. We’ll keep an eye open and let you know what we hear.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“Sure thing. We’re family.” Terrell looked back to where Allegra was walking back to the car. “She’s nice, but I don’t think she’ll be able to take care of herself. Growing up in a life of privilege doesn’t prepare you for a battle. And dealing with this stalker is going to be a battle.”
“Don’t underestimate her. There’s courage and strength under that layer of kindness. And she didn’t grow up in a life of privilege. She grew up in the neighborhood by the train tracks on the west side of town.”
“Damn. That’s a bad neighborhood. Maybe she can take care of herself.”
Finn made his way back to the car and helped Allegra carry her bag up the front steps of the house he had grown up in. He fished out his key and opened the door.
“Mom!” he called out as he locked the door.
Up the narrow stairs a light came on. “Finn, honey, is that you?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m here for the night, and I brought someone for you to meet.”
“At midnight? Is he wanted?”
“In a way,” Allegra called out. He heard his mother’s footsteps freeze. “And I’m sorry, I didn’t realize he failed to tell you we were coming.”
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus,” Finn whispered to Allegra.
She shrugged. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get your mom to like me, and I’m not sorry for it.”
Finn didn’t stop the grin that grew on his face. There was the Allegra he knew was fighting to break free. “That’s my girl,” he whispered before facing back up the stairs. He heard his mother frantically running around her room.
“Yeah, sorry about introducing you to the woman I love with no warning. Allegra just informed me I shouldn’t have done that.”
His mom’s head poked out the door at the top of the stairs. “Love?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh goodness gracious, my baby’s in love,” Mrs. Williams flew down the stairs with her dressing gown haphazardly buttoned. She pushed past Finn and grabbed Allegra’s hands. “Let me just take a look at you. You’re lovely!”
Allegra blushed. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Williams.”
“Oh no, dear. You can call me Willa. Everyone does, and hopefully someday I can be ‘Mother’ to you.”
Allegra giggled, and Finn wished the floor would open and swallow him up.
“Have you been talking to my mother?”
His mom beamed a smile at Allegra and patted her hands. “Mothers’ intuition. But, what’s the matter? Why are you here so late at night?”
Finn told his mother a less scary version of what he told Terrell. By the end of the story, his mom patted Allegra’s hands once again, excused herself, and a minute later came back with her shotgun named Freddy.
“Freddy and I will look out for you. Don’t you worry. I’ll shoot his little pecker off if he dares shows his face in our neighborhood. Now, Finn, why don’t you take her to your room? Then grab a pillow and blanket for yourself to make a bed on the couch down here.”
Finn looked at the lumpy couch and cringed. “The couch? Seriously. I’m thirty-four years old.” His mother leveled a glare at him that made him feel like a teenager again. “Yes, ma’am.”
He heard Allegra trying to stop laughing next to him. Not that he didn’t respect his mother’s wishes, but he just felt better with Allegra in his arms at night. Although, the thought of showing her his room was a little scary. As he led her up the stairs, he wondered how he could try to play it off as cool. There was no hope. She was going to know how lame he was.
“About my room,” Finn started as he tried to think of a way to explain that his mother had not changed a thing about it since he was in high school. “It’s, um, retro?”
Allegra looked back at him as she climbed the stairs. “Retro? What does that mean?”
“It’s a study in late nineties coolness. Very hip now.” Finn opened the door next to his mother’s room and watched Allegra soak in all that made the 1990s so great. A Kobe Bryant poster covered one small wall. A big
A
for the Atlanta Braves-themed comforter set drew her attention next. A picture of him and his friends sat on a chest. He thought about tackling Allegra onto the bed before she could pick the photo up but decided to get this nightmare over with.
Allegra held it and snickered. “Are those athletic shorts? They touch the top of your white Adidas shoes. I didn’t know you played soccer. And wow, nice gold necklace.”
“It was the nineties, okay? I’m sure your yearbook picture wouldn’t be any better.”
“How did those shorts stay on?”
“I had to pull them up quite often. But I was very cool.”
“I’m sure you thought you were. Nice, no smile, I’m-too-cool-for-pictures look you have going on there.”
Finn came up behind Allegra and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck seductively. When he felt her relax into him, he snatched the picture from her hands. “No more evidence for you. Next time I see your mom I’m going to get some dirt on you.”
“Finn! I’m sure Allegra is getting tired,” his mother called up from downstairs.
“I’m kinda scared to introduce our mothers. We’ll be married before we know it.”
Finn’s breathing stopped. Was Allegra thinking about marriage? He hadn’t even hoped that his dream would come true. He was still battling his self-confidence and to hear the word
marriage
come out her mouth sent his heart into a tailspin.
He forced a chuckle out. “Right. Um, goodnight. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.” Finn bent awkwardly and gave her a peck on the cheek. As he walked downstairs, he let out a breath and chided himself. He was usually so cool with women. What was wrong with him? Shoot, he’d once given a woman an orgasm just by whispering in her ear. Now he couldn’t say the right thing to the woman he loved to save his life. Finn flopped on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. He needed to find some game.
Allegra stared at the empty door. What had happened? Finn had brought marriage up before, or at least things that sounded like it. But when she joked about it, he literally ran out the door. Dammit. She shouldn’t have said anything. What a horrible joke to make. Maybe he thought she meant she didn’t want to be married to him.
She fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was too soon to think about marriage. She shouldn’t push or even bring it up. Finn would do that when he was ready. But, in her heart, she knew it was what she wanted all along. Sometimes it’s just different. Her sisters had all said that, and now it made sense. She felt she could be herself with Finn. She could take risks, not be “made-up” all the time, and not be afraid to speak up. She could be herself.