Saving Dallas Forever (6 page)

“What is the other reason?” I asked, cutting him off.

“He has four kids,” he said, simply. I didn’t know if I should take that as meaning that something could happen and he didn’t want to leave four kids fatherless, or that Juggs, Octane’s wife, needed him at home.

“What about Crash and Buck?” I pushed the thoughts of Juggs being a single mother to four to the back of my mind
, and concentrated on finishing our conversation. I didn’t want to visit the dark place that housed all the “what ifs” in my mind. At least, not right now, anyway. Luke laughed a humorless laugh, and shook his head. Crash and Buck were young. Crash couldn’t be much older than twenty-one or twenty-two, and Buck was twenty-five at the oldest.

“Well, let’s see. Buck is a firefighter. He works
forty-eight hours on, then seventy-two off, but has a pretty flexible schedule. Crash is a firefighter too, but he works a day shift of eight to five for a petroleum tank farm.” I was missing the joke that was obviously there. There wasn’t anything funny about being a firefighter. Hell, I thought it was a very admirable profession.

“How is that funny?” I asked, smiling
, when Luke shook his head and smiled too.

“I lost a bet, so not only are they firefighters, they are also in charge of hiring the wait
ing staff at the bar.” Luke laughed to himself as he turned the water off, and ushered us out of the shower. I remembered the bartender at The County Tavern that had waited on me was a man, but there had been a lot of women in miniskirts and tight tops that barely covered their chests running around with shot trays and baskets of roses.

“What was the bet?” I asked, laughing with Luke at the thought of the two guys getting one
over on him. Luke didn’t seem like the type of guy who would bet unless he was certain he could win.

“Not gonna happen, babe,” he said, throwing a towel at me
, and wrapping one around his own waist. “I got a few things to handle before I leave. Get dressed and I’ll see you in a little while.” He placed a quick kiss on my lips, and was gone.

I was dressed for business in a pair of black, wide-leg trouser pants, a black silk top, and my gold Prada heels to match my gold belt, bangles, and earrings. My hair was secured in a loose bun at the back of my neck and loose tendrils framed my face. My destination was Knox Companies and my goal was to resume my position as CEO. I needed an escape. I needed a distraction, and I was sure there was enough shit there to keep my attention for as long as Luke was gone. A commotion in the other room had me forgetting my appearance, and seeking out the voices I heard. I opened the door a crack, and although I couldn’t see their faces, there was no mistaking Luke and Red’s voices.

“I didn’t say anything, Luke!” Red screeched
, in an attempt to cover her ass.

“Yes, you did, but just enough to make her want more, then you shut her down like it was information that was only good enough for your ears. Stop trying to intimidate her. Just because Regg shares shit with you doesn’t mean you can use it against others.” Luke’s voice was so strong and demanding that I actually felt bad for Red.

“I’m not trying to intimidate her. I was just preparing her for your news, because I knew it would come later than it really should. I thought if I let her know something was fixing to happen, she would bug the shit outta you until you gave it up.”

“
It is not your fucking place to decide when I tell
my
fucking business to
my
fucking girl.”

“Oh, but it was my fucking place to inform her of how you followed her around for years and use
d your knowledge to persuade her to let you into her pants!”

“Enough!” I jumped at Luke’s roar and felt my own self shrink at his deafening tone. I was sure Red was now a victim of Luke’s death glare
, and I silently willed her to shut her mouth. “I asked you to break the news to her, because I couldn’t do it. I needed you to do that for me and you agreed. Not because you were supposed to, or because it was your job, but because you wanted to. Isn’t that what you told me when I decided it was my place to tell her? You practically fucking begged me to let you do it. Why, Red? So you could watch her fall apart? What, do you get some sick satisfaction out of hurting people? From now on, you keep your mouth shut. If Regg shares something with you, you better take it for what it is; a privilege. He trusts you with that shit and has to vent to someone. That’s why you are here. To support this club and my brother. That’s the only fucking reason. You don’t wear a cut. You won’t ever wear a cut, and if I hear you leaking club information again, I’ll cut that fucking ol’ lady patch off your ass and burn it right in front of you. Loose lips sink ships, Red. Don’t make your ol’ man pay for your mistakes. I would hate to lose a brother ‘cause his woman don’t know her fucking place.” I pushed the door closed at the sound of Luke’s feet, and rushed back to the bathroom. I leaned against the counter, letting it support my weight as I let their conversation play over and over in my head. Was Red out to get me? Did she want to see me fail? I looked at my reflection one last time, before I pushed off the counter and let out a deep breath. I needed a drink.

Chapter 6

Red

I had been standing in the living room for what seemed like hours
, staring at my feet and feeling like shit. I had just been subjected to an all-out LLC wrath; not my first and probably not my last. But this one was different. This time, I didn’t have a leg to stand on. I couldn’t blame Dallas for ratting me out. Hell, I expected it. What I wasn’t expecting was for Luke to lose his shit on me. Thank God, Regg had already left and wasn’t around to hear it. It was bad enough having Luke up my ass, the last thing I needed was trust issues with Regg. I heard Luke’s bedroom door shut, and knew that the next face I saw would be Dallas’. I was sure she had heard everything. She came into view looking fucking stunning as always, and met me with a hurtful look that was like a punch to the gut.

“I told you that because I wanted you to ask Luke what was going on. I didn’t want the club to suffer because he was too chicken
-shit to open his mouth. When it comes to you, he doesn’t think straight. It’s like he only sees you. Not what’s going on around him. Not what’s happening in the near future, or what happened in the past; only you.” There was no point in sugar-coating anything. She needed to know. “If I hurt your feelings or embarrassed you, I apologize. That was not my intention. I am not an idiot, ya know? I’m fully aware that I’m not a patch-holder, but sometimes ol’ ladies see things the guys don’t. Especially when it comes to women. Had I not acted the way I did last night, you would not have confronted Luke. If you hadn’t, then he would still be trying to find a way to tell you he was leaving, and in turn he would be prolonging the ride, and putting his brothers at risk. He needs to be in Lake Charles. Not here with you.” Maybe I was being a little too bold with that. I probably shouldn’t have made it sound like Luke didn’t know what the fuck he was doing, but it was the best way I could explain it. I watched as Dallas approached me. Her face was unreadable when she stopped only inches away from me. Even though she had to look up at me, it was me who felt intimidated.

“Luke is a grown man. He handles his club and his woman just fine. Stop trying to run shit, Red. Just because he doesn’t do things the way you think he should, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Shame on you for accusing your brother, the leader of this club, the man who you trust with your husband’s life, of not thinking clearly because of a bitch.
I’m not an idiot either. I know my place and it’s always behind Luke. I suggest you find yours. Until you do, you better follow Luke’s advice and stay the fuck out of our business and the club’s business.” Dallas walked off, leaving my hand twitching to slap the make-up right off her face. She was right and I knew it. I guess I had that coming. I knew Luke would never intentionally put the club or his brothers in jeopardy. I knew he wouldn’t let a bitch, not even one as fine as Dallas, come between him and his club. I had let the stress of the past few weeks finally get to me. Where Dallas broke down and cried, I vented by acting like a bitch. Just the thought of Regg being gone for another undetermined amount of time had me blaming Luke for his absence. I needed Regg. I had become so dependent on him. He was my addiction. Even the high I used to get from cocaine back when I was at my worst had nothing on the high I got from Regg. I had let an addiction take over my life once again, and it had me lashing out at the ones I loved. I felt my demons resurfacing, and making me do shit I would regret. Thank fuck for Luke and Dallas, who had brought me back down to earth. Every ol’ lady, at some point, had to be put in her place. Today must have been my lucky fucking day.

Dallas

I found Luke in the kitchen, making a meal out of last night’s leftovers. I smiled brightly
, as I climbed on the barstool across from him. My conversation with Red was not visible on my face, and neither was his. He looked just as happy as he had been the last time I saw him.

“You hungry, babe?” he asked
, through a mouthful of food. I shook my head, my plans to have lunch downtown were the reason I had got ready so quickly. I would not ruin it over leftover barbeque and chips, although it did look quite tempting.

“I’m good. I’ll grab something later.”

“Glad to see you in such good spirits. Could it be because you’re going back to work?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged my shoulders, brushing his comment off, while I grabbed my phone from my purse and switched it on. It had been off for over a week, and I dreaded seeing how many emails and phone calls I had missed. “Or is it because you talked to Red?” I stared at my phone, not looking at him. Had he eavesdropped on my conversation? Not that I could blame him. I had done the same thing.

“What did you hear?” I asked,
attempting nonchalance.

“Everything,” he said, propping his elbows
up on the bar, and giving me a goofy grin. I rolled my eyes at his attempt to be cute, then turned my attention back to my phone. Without looking at all of the unread messages, I shot a text to Lindsey letting her know I would be there within the hour. “Don’t be so hard on her.” I snapped my head up at his demand. Was he fucking serious? He had just acted like a complete, over the top, mad man, threatening not only her, but her husband too, and he had the balls to tell
me
not to be hard on her. I scoffed. I couldn’t even find words to spit at him. “She’s only doing this to hurt me. She blames me for Regg being gone so much.”

“Well, isn’t that part of the life? She knew that from the beginning,” I replied, not caring what her excuse was.

“Regg has been gone a lot lately. More than normal.” I looked up, and he was giving me that expectant look. The one that told me I should know what he was referring to, without him having to actually say the words.

“Oh,” I replied, realizing that
I
was the reason Regg had been gone so much.

“Yeah, so she gets a little out of line when he ain’t around. She will be fine. I just don’t want you thinking you can’t trust her.”

“Well, you sure sounded like you didn’t.” Fuck. Did I say that out loud? Luke didn’t seem surprised at my words. I guess my eavesdropping wasn’t such a secret after all.

“Not trusting her to not tell you something and not trusting her to tell an outsider
club business are two different things. I gave Red what she needed, and that was a reality slap. The same as what you gave her, but without my hand.” My face flushed when I remembered my actions of this morning. She hadn’t even said anything about it.

“Did she say something to you?” I asked. My eyes searched Luke’s face and found nothing
, but a smirk.

“She gets it.”

“Gets what?”

“Bad dreams.” Red ha
s bad dreams?

“Babe, I gotta go. I’ll call you when I get there. Keep your phone on you
, always.” He was really leaving. My good mood turned melancholy when I thought of how I would not see him tonight when I got home. “Stop it. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it.” I nodded my head in agreement, although my selfishness had me wishing I could have spent more than one night with him. Damn this other club. I would kill them myself if I had the chance. Luke was suddenly in a hurry, as he pulled me to him and kissed me hard. He released me all too soon, and I couldn’t help it. I needed more.

“Another?” I asked hopefully
, as I watched Luke grab his keys from the counter. He stopped in front of me, and smiled. His patience was no longer an issue.

“Anytime, baby.” This time I was lifted onto the counter and
he positioned himself between my legs, making us almost eye level. His hands came to my face and the next several minutes of my life were spent sharing an unhurried, lazy, passionate, kiss with Luke. When he finally pulled away, I sat staring at him, while his hands stroked my face. I memorized everything about him. From the way his ocean-blue eyes danced in his head as they scanned my face, to the way his hands felt while they were on me. “I’ll come home. But until I do, remember I love you.”

“I love you too,” I said, still feeling his words seep
ing through my pores, and running through my veins, all the way to my heart. He pulled me into a hug, burying my face in his chest. I felt his lips on the top of my head, then I was pushed back away from him, and he was gone. I sat on the counter, dangling my feet, listening for the roar of his pipes. Eventually they came, and I strained my ears until I could hear him no longer. He was gone, but I couldn’t dwell on that. By the ‘OH THANK GOD!!’ text message I had received from Lindsey, it seemed I had other things I needed to think about right now.

I pulled my Mercedes into my reserved parking area in front of my office building located in downtown Hattiesburg. The area was all too familiar to me
, and as my feet hit the concrete sidewalk, I transformed from ol’ lady to CEO in the small amount of time it took me to enter the office. Everything was just as I had last seen it, although it still took me a minute to adjust to the newly redecorated room. Lindsey’s paintings hung on the walls, and I had that feeling of being home, once again. It wasn’t cold and distant, like I had designed it. Now, it felt warm and friendly. Lindsey was seated at her desk, an abundance of paperwork stacked neatly in her inbox. She was so focused on her computer screen that once she finally noticed that I was there, she jumped at the sight of me, then shrieked as she pushed herself from her chair, and came running toward me. I caught her in my arms, her sudden attack nearly knocking the wind out of me.

“Oh, Dallas! It’s so good to see you back! Look at you!” she said, beaming
, and holding me at arm’s length. “You look radiant!” Lindsey looked pretty radiant herself. There was something different about her.

“Me? Look at you! What’s with the dress and heels?” I asked, taking in her
new wardrobe with approval. She wore a blue wrap dress with matching blue heels that I knew didn’t come from Payless. I guess Lindsey was taking full advantage of her increase in salary.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought if I was gonna play CEO, I needed to look the part. It’s really good to see you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages. What have you been doing?” she asked, relief washing over me as I noticed she thought I had taken a vacation to spend my days having tons of sex with my new found love
, rather than being held prisoner and shooting people.

“I’ve been traveling,” I said simply. This appeased her and I was thankful that no
more questions followed.

“Well, you ready to get to work?”

“More than you know.” Truer words had never been spoken.

It was after
four when I finally decided that food was something I could not go another minute without. I called Lindsey on her cell and asked her to pick us up lunch on her way back to the office. She was out running errands, and would be back within the hour. I had spent my day buried in paperwork, and going over contracts that would soon close. My email had yet to be touched, and my messages were still lying in a neat pile at the corner of my desk. I kicked up my heels, and leaned back in my chair, thumbing through the stack of small notes. Most of these consisted of communications from clients who refused to work with anyone but me, and one name stood out in particular. Mayor Kirkley. Just the thought of having to talk to him made me nauseous. Once I had learned that it was he who my father had paid to ensure the club protected me, my feelings toward him had changed. Knowing if I put it off any longer he would show up at my office, I picked up my phone and dialed his number.

“Well, if it isn’t the infamous Dallas Knox,” he answered
, by way of a greeting.

“Paul,” I said shortly, figuring formalities between us were no longer of use. Hell, the man knew more about me than I did.

“I assume Luke has informed you of everything.”

“That he has, and I must say it came as a bit of a shock, although it shouldn’t have. You always were a snake.”

“Dallas, your words crush me,” he said, with an exaggerated sigh. Prick.

“What do you want, Paul?” I asked, ready to end the conversation.

“You called me, dear.”

“I was returning your call. I have about
fourteen messages lying on my desk, each one more urgent than the last.”

“Well, I just wanted to make sure you were still alive. You are running with a rough crowd now.”

“Ha! I can assure you they are better people than you will ever be, you dirty, slime-balling, bastard.” My overwhelming need to defend the club had me lashing out and resorting to name-calling. I heard his deep chuckle on the other end of the phone, and I could almost see him leaning back in his chair, with a satisfied smile plastered on his handsome face.

“I hope this doesn’t affect our relationship, Dallas. It was just business. You, of all people, should know that.”

“It’s a little more than business when people’s lives and futures are at stake,” I spat at him. I wondered if he knew what had happened with Frankie.

“You’re right,” he said, his tone growing serious. “I never wanted you subject
ed to any danger. I was confident in Luke and the club. I thought they could protect you. Since you are still breathing, I’m assuming your father’s money didn’t go to waste.”

“Speaking of
which, are you still paying them?” I asked, thinking that if they were still receiving payment, then maybe it was me who should be in charge of handling it. That would get the Mayor out of my personal life for good.

“No, Dallas. I stopped paying them when you turned
twenty-five. That was the deal.” I mentally calculated the time. My birthday was less than a month away. I would be twenty-seven.

“Then why did they continue to stalk me? That was almost
two years ago.” My brain was in overdrive. I was twenty-six. Stacy would not benefit from killing me. The deal was, if something was to happen to me before I turned twenty-five, he would get the land.

“I’m a fucking mayor, Dallas. A business man. Not Oprah or Dr. Phil, but considering the shit you
’ve been through, I’ll tell you because it’s obvious you aren’t bright enough to figure it out yourself. Luke loves you. He fell hard for you. He did it because he knew he couldn’t live with himself if something happened to you. Frankie was his fuck-up. He should have taken care of him a long time ago. Instead, he kept an eye out for you, even when he wasn’t getting paid. You better be glad you have him. Frankie had a bounty on your head, girl. He wanted you dead and would have used any source close enough to you to get what he wanted. I hope that fucker is dead. If he ain’t, you better watch who you let in. It’s a tough world out there, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Frankie’s got connections and he’s got money. You’ll do well to remember that.”

“Let’s say he is dead. Then what? Am I safe?” Maybe this wasn’t a conversation that should be happening over the phone, but it was one that couldn’t wait. If I was still at risk, then the people I loved were too.

“This is just my opinion, but a man like Frankie,” he paused, and the silence was deafening. I already knew the answer, but I needed confirmation. “Just watch your back, Dallas. Men like him will stop at nothing to get what they want.” I closed my eyes in defeat. The feeling of being safe and the thought of Frankie no longer being a threat had vanished completely. I said my goodbyes to Paul, noting the pity in his voice, as our conversation came to a close. I should have known that killing Frankie wouldn’t be as simple as pulling the trigger. Even from the grave, he was going to haunt me.

I picked at my food, thoughts of should I or should I not tell Luke running
through my brain, over and over. He had enough shit to deal with right now. I missed him, but the thought of him being away from me gave me a sense of peace. If someone did come looking for me, at least he would be out of the line of fire. As the evening descended, and the work I had laid before me became nothing more than words on paper, I decided to call it a night. I couldn’t figure this shit out on my own, and my ally, Red, was no longer an option. I couldn’t trust her enough with this information, although she was the one I knew could most help me. Lindsey appeared in the doorway of my office, looking just as tired as I felt.

“Wanna call it a night?” she asked, flopping herself down
onto the leather chair in front of my desk. I nodded my head, still too deep in my own thoughts to speak. “You know, if you need to talk about something, I’m here. I know you better than anyone. This,” she said, motioning with her finger between the two of us. “Hasn’t really had time to bloom into a full friendship flower, but with a little water we will grow.” I laughed at her metaphor.

“Friendship flower, huh?”

“Friendship flower,” she mouthed, propping her feet on my desk and leaning back.

“What would you say if I told you that there are people who know me better than you?” I asked, mirroring her position by leaning back in my own chair
, and crossing my ankles on top of my desk.