Wilde Blue (Wilde Brothers Book 4) (4 page)

“Okay. But it would be so much easier my way.”

Once they were parked, Dani undid her seatbelt and turned around to look at Casey. “It might be easier, but it’s not polite. Come on, bug. We’re home.”

Home
. The word didn’t come naturally to Dani, not yet. The place she and Casey were staying was nice enough, and their first-floor suite had been recently remodeled with hardwood floors and large, airy windows that made it seem bigger than it was. The house was just like all the others on the street, light brown bricks, dark trim, a simple front yard with a patch of grass and a few flowers. The door to her suite was below the porch of the main house where Jo and Tag lived, just beside the stairs to the upper level. The neighborhood was nice, older and full of working-class families, as well as kids for Casey to play with, but it wasn’t home. It was their sanctuary, though, and that was enough for now.

It was late by the time Dani got Casey tucked into bed and got everything ready for the morning. Shoes found, clothes laid out, and lunch packed and ready in the fridge. As she shut the fridge door, Dani found herself staring at the sketch Dave had given her daughter. She hadn’t done more than glance at it before, but now she could see that he had a talent for drawing and an eye for details.

The police horse in the foreground was well sketched, but that wasn’t what had drawn her eye. Her attention was on the face of the officer riding the horse. It was Casey. Somehow David had managed to capture her daughter’s appearance with a few strokes and lines. He’d even drawn Casey in full uniform, right down to the checkerboard band on her hat.

Dani took the picture with her as she poured her ritual mug of chamomile tea and headed for the living room. She settled into one corner of the large, overstuffed leather couch that took up most of the space. She set her tea down beside her to cool before flipping on a reading lamp and taking a closer look at Dave’s handiwork.

The more she looked at the sketch, the more details she noticed. There were other people in the picture, most of them only roughly sketched, but she recognized them all. Jared, with his lopsided grin and a bar rag in his hand, Ben, with his canine partner, Chase, lying at his feet and his wife, Kelly, at his side. Dave had added every member of his family to the picture, along with at least one key detail to help identify each of them. He’d even put the Leo’s Bar and Grill sign in the distant background.

He’d surrounded Casey with his family. A group of people she knew and trusted, despite only having known them for a few weeks. Dani looked at the drawing and considered her words. The Wildes weren’t merely their friends. They were exactly what she’d told Casey they were, family they’d chosen for themselves.

She sipped her tea as her thoughts drifted over the events of the evening. Time and again she found herself thinking about Dave. The way his hazel eyes lit up when he smiled, the sexy rumble of his laughter, or the heart-stopping way he’d filled out the jeans he’d been wearing. The man was serious fantasy fodder. He was also driven, focused on his career and, according to his brothers, had lived the life of a monk since the bitter break-up of his marriage.

Then there was the not-so-minor fact that she was a single mother starting over in a new city with a child who needed her, a dangerous ex-husband, and a new identity. Becoming Danai and Carla Walker was a necessary precaution, at least for the time being, but it meant that she couldn’t even tell a potential date her real name.

All in all, thinking romantic thoughts about David Wilde was as bad a plan as the time she’d talked herself into trying hot yoga classes. Both ideas were likely to turn out the same way, too: with her hot, frustrated, and twisted into knots.

It’s easier to stay single,
Dani reminded herself as she finished her tea. What she was feeling wasn’t romantic interest; it was simply loneliness. She missed her family, her friends, and her old life. That’s all it was.

That’s all it could ever be. Her life was too complicated for anything else.

Chapter Three

True to his prediction, Dave spent the first week back at his desk, pulling overtime as he worked to catch up on the tsunami of paperwork that had covered his desk in his absence. He’d gotten into the habit of eating at Leo’s on his way home, and even after the overtime stopped, the visits to his family’s bar and grill continued. When his brothers started to give him a hard time over his frequent appearances he pointed out they were there more often, too, and so were the customers.

If he only appeared on nights that Dani was scheduled to work, that was simply because he preferred her cooking to Jackson’s. She was a smart, kindhearted woman, and he enjoyed their conversations on the nights that he dropped by. If Carla was around, he made sure to spend time with her, too. She was the only kid he knew, so hanging out with her was preparation for when he became an uncle.

He had an explanation for everything, but as time went by, it was getting harder to rationalize it to himself. The truth was, he liked spending time with Dani. She was funny and bright and drew him out of his work-oriented routine. She was also gorgeous, a fact he was finding increasingly difficult to ignore.

Not that he intended to do anything about it. His focus was on his career, not his social life.

He gathered his thoughts and started to sign off his computer for the night, his stomach already rumbling in anticipation of another of Dani’s incredible dinners, when there was a knock on his office door.

“It’s open,” he called, not looking up from the monitor.

“Considering how much time you spend here, bro, I thought your office would be a lot nicer. A few plants, some comfy furniture, maybe some mood lighting and a bar fridge.” Tag ambled into the cramped office, looking around with mock horror.

“Oh I have all that. It’s just hidden behind the secret panel I had installed behind the bookcase. Got to keep up appearances, you know,” Dave retorted, then grinned at his brother. “So, what do you want? And don’t tell me you’re only here for a visit because we both know better.”

Tag sat down in a well-worn chair and gave a lazy shrug. “With that kind of warm greeting, is it any wonder no one comes to visit you? You really need to work on your people skills.”

“You’re not people, you’re family. Big difference. So what’s up? If you had called I’d of saved you a trip. I was about to head to Leo’s to grab something to eat.”

Tag shook his head. “I’m not going there tonight. After this I’m picking up Jo and headed to some parenting class she signed us up for.”

Dave chuckled. “Tell her to take videos for us, will you? I want to see you trying to diaper a doll.”

“Like you’d do any better than I would, asshole.”

“Who do you think changed your diapers, huh? By the time you and Nicky were potty trained, I was a fucking expert.”

“Expert, huh? Does this mean you’re volunteering for babysitting duty?” Tag asked with a grin.

Dave knew Tag was ribbing him, but there was nothing joking about his answer. He meant every word. “I’d be honored to watch over your baby, Tag. Anytime.”

His younger brother looked at him for a second before nodding. “That’s good to know. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how you were feeling about the whole uncle thing.”

“I’m looking forward to it. I may not have any kids of my own, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like them. Hell, I plan on helping Mom and Dad spoil the next generation. I’m going to be the favorite uncle, the one that lets them eat candy before bed and gives them the coolest presents. I’ve already got it planned out.”

“That’ll only work until you have kids of your own. Then I’m going to get even. And don’t give me that shit about you never dating again. I’ve heard it and I don’t believe it. You’ve been in a blue funk since the day that bitch left you, but it won’t last forever. One day some woman is going to come along and knock you on your ass, and I’m going to be there to laugh.”

“You mean the way we laughed at you the day you lost your mind over Jolena and kissed her in the middle of the yard? Or the time Benji threatened to break your nose for flirting with Kelly? Never going to happen. I’m leaving the caveman routine to you and the rest of our brothers.”

Tag leaned forward in his chair and set his hands down on the edge of the desk. “I still don’t believe you. One day, bro…” He trailed off without finishing his statement.

“You sound like our mother. It’s disturbing as fuck, so cut it out. I’m assuming that you didn’t come here to talk about my love life, so what is it you want?”

“I need a favor.”

“One that requires you to ask in person instead of over the phone. This is going to be a hell of a favor, isn’t it?”

His brother scrubbed a hand through his dark hair. “That depends on how you feel about spending a few days watching out for a mutual friend while Jo and I elope.”

“What?” Dave sat up and stared at Tag. “Run that by me again. I must have misheard you the first time, because I swear you said you were considering doing something that would send Mom into high altitude orbit from which she will rain down destruction and guilt on your sorry ass.”

“Yeah, we’re eloping. At least, we’d like to. Jo doesn’t want a big wedding, and God knows I could happily skip the whole crazy planning stage and cut straight to the important stuff. The thing is, we want to do it in Vegas. Take a few days away, relax and enjoy ourselves before the baby comes.”

“That almost sounds reasonable. All but the part where Mom kills you both for getting married without her, but that’s your problem, not mine. I’m still not sure what you need from me.”

“Jo and I talked about it, and neither of us wants to go if it means leaving Dani alone. You seem to get along with her, and I know that if anything happens, you can handle it. We’re hoping you’d agree to stay at our place while we’re gone and keep an eye on them.”

Dave’s veins filled with ice as the meaning behind Tag’s request became clear. Dani wasn’t staying in Tag and Jo’s lower suite simply because it was convenient. She was still under active protection. Someone out there was still trying to get to Dani and her little girl.

I won’t let that happen.

“I’d be happy to watch over her and Carla. I didn’t realize things were still that dangerous for them.”

Tag sighed, his eyes darkening with frustration. “It shouldn’t be. The son of a bitch they’re running from should be back behind bars for violating his parole, but he’s disappeared. Vanished from everyone’s radar like fucking smoke.”

“He was in prison?” Dave asked, his stomach twisting into a new set of knots.

“For years. He should still be there, but his parents are old money, lots of connections, and somehow they got their baby boy out on early release. Better yet, there was some kind of screw up and Dani wasn’t even informed he was getting out. The first she knew about it was when he showed up at her daughter’s school.”

“Fuck.”

“It was a huge clusterfuck. Luckily, Dani’s smart. She knew his parole hearing was coming up later this year and had already started making plans. When he showed up unannounced, she grabbed her daughter and ran. The people helping her got in touch with me through my new company, and she made her way here.” Tag’s fingers tapped out an agitated rhythm on the desktop. “The system failed them.”

“The system failed them, but we won’t.” A fire started to burn deep inside Dave’s soul. Nothing was going to happen to Dani or Carla. Not when he was around. They deserved to be happy, to feel safe. He was determined to give that to them.

“I’m glad you said yes. I’ve got a few employees that could have done it, but it’s easier this way. Dani already knows and trusts you. After what she’s been through, she doesn’t trust too many people.”

“Can’t blame her for that.” A thought occurred to Dave. “If I’m going to be watching over them, shouldn’t I know who I’m looking out for?”

“Yeah. I offered to fill you in, but Dani asked to do that herself if you agreed.”

“You already asked her and she’s okay with me taking over as watchdog for a few days?” She trusted him to protect them. The news gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.

“After she finished threatening to kick my ass for even considering postponing our getaway, she was fine with the idea of you taking over for a few days. If you’re lucky, she might take pity on you and cook you something besides those sad little microwave dinners that filled your freezer the last time I was over.”

“Says the man who managed to blow up a can of chicken noodle soup in the microwave. Let’s face it. Despite our mother’s best efforts, none of us is exactly domesticated. I suspect that’s the real reason she and Dad bought the bar, so they’d always be able to make sure we were fed.”

“I was fifteen when I blew up the microwave. Isn’t there a statute of limitations on bringing up stupid shit we did as kids? And in my defense, Ben told me it was a microwave-safe container. Of course, the asshole denied it once the kitchen was full of smoke and there were noodles all over the ceiling.”

Dave grinned at his brother. “Revenge can span generations, little brother. Your kid will be older than Ben’s. Make sure you train them well.”

“And Mom thinks you’re the good one…” Tag muttered.

“Mom loves me best. The rest of you just have yet to accept it,” Dave retorted, continuing an argument that would last the rest of their lives.

“In your dreams. I’m giving her a grandbaby to spoil. The rest of you are doomed.”

“After she finds out you’re eloping? I don’t think so. And if you ever tell her I knew what you were planning, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Such love you have for me, bro. It warms the heart.” Tag rapped the desk with his knuckles and got to his feet. “Seriously, thanks for doing this. I’ll make sure you have the keys and everything before we head out.”

“I’m happy to do it. And I’m happy for you and Jolena, too. Now, get out of my office. You’ve got a pretty woman to get home to, and I have a date with Dani’s apple pie.”

After Tag had left, Dave finished up quickly and headed to Leo’s. He needed to talk to Dani and hear her story. He needed to know who was after her. He wanted to get her permission to use his connections to find out what he could about how her ex had gotten out, and where he might be. Most of all, he wanted to know her real name. It wasn’t rational, but he needed her to trust him enough to tell him who she really was.

****

Dani stood at the back door of Leo’s and watched as a thunderstorm tore open the skies overhead. The lightning was bright enough to dazzle her eyes, and each clap of thunder rocked the building to its foundation. It was the most incredible thing she’d ever seen. Thunderstorms weren’t all that common in the Pacific Northwest, and the few they did have were nothing compared to what was she was currently witnessing. The thunder was loud enough that she hardly noticed her phone buzzing in her pocket. It was hard to tear her gaze from the light show going on overhead, but when her phone buzzed again, she pulled it out and scanned the incoming text message.

It was from Tag. Dave had agreed to act as her and Casey’s bodyguard while Tag and Jo were out of town. Apparently Dave was on his way over to Leo’s to talk to her right now. The news sent a bolt of electricity sizzling through her body as if the storm outside had touched her with a tiny lightning bolt. Dave had been on her mind ever since that first night. She knew he wasn’t interested in her that way, but that didn’t stop her heart from racing whenever she saw his face or heard the sexy rumble of his voice. It was the first time she’d felt any interest in a man since Bobby, and she was more than happy to know that her libido wasn’t dead, only hibernating.

She texted back a quick thank-you and slipped her phone into her pocket as the heavens opened and torrents of rain fell from the sky.

The rain made her think of Seattle and a wave of homesickness hit her, making her throat tighten and her eyes sting with sudden tears. They’d been away from her family for more than a month now, and there were times when it felt like she’d been gone forever. She missed her father’s strength and her mother’s wisdom, the comfort of knowing that she wasn’t alone in the world. She’d call them tonight. It wasn’t something she could do too often. The less contact she had with her old life, the harder it would be for Bobby to find them, but tonight she needed to hear their voices and tell them that she loved them.

Everything here was different. There was less green space and far more people. The pace of the city was faster than she was used to, and even the weather was more aggressive, wild storms and sudden heat waves instead of the gentler climate of the Pacific Northwest. The air itself seemed wrong somehow. It had taken weeks for her to realize it was because there was no trace of salt in the air, no hint of the ocean she’d left behind. Living on a lakeshore was not the same as living on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

On a day like today, it was those differences that made her miss her family and left her feeling even more alone.

She was still watching the rain pour down when a silver Audi pulled into the back lot and she spotted a familiar face behind the wheel. David. Her pulse raced at the sight of him, and she sucked in a lungful of cool, damp air to ease the sudden heat that chased across her skin. He got out of the car with the easy grace of a predator, completely ignoring the rain as he walked toward her, his shirt soaked within seconds so that it was plastered to his skin.