Chapter Twenty-Four Alexandra
Two Weeks Later
Lounging in Deacon’s lap, I stifled a yawn and fought the exhaustion that filled me. It hadn’t exactly been a restful day so far. I’d risen almost at dawn to help Liz with Sunday lunch. Today had been groundbreaking in the fact that not only did I accompany Liz to church, but Deacon did as well.
I’d done a double take when I stepped out of the bedroom to find him out of his cut and in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Although he still had on his jeans and boots, it was quite the transformation.
He’d cocked a brow at my reaction. “What?” he demanded.
“You look--”
“Respectable?”
I laughed. “I was going to say very handsome.”
“What can I say, babe? I clean up well.”
Playfully, I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
Chuckling, he drew me into his arms. “Not quite Jesse James in this, am I?”
With a shake of my head, I replied, “But I like it just the same.”
He dipped his head to nuzzle my neck. “Just like I like you both White Bred and vixen.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” When he started to get a little too handsy, I pushed out of his embrace. Smacking his chest teasingly, I said, “Sir, behave yourself. We’re about to go to church.”
Deacon flashed me a wicked grin. “Then I’ll have something to repent for.”
Snorting, I replied, “Like you don’t sin daily if not hourly.”
“I sure as hell do when I’m with you,” he replied, smacking my ass.
Thankfully, Willow appeared in the door. “Miss Alex, will you braid my hair for church?”
“I need to grab a shower, so get your dad to do it.”
She wrinkled her nose. “But you braid better.”
Crooking his finger, Deacon said, “Come on, kid. Let me get more practice.”
After church, we’d come back to Liz’s for the second momentous event of the day. My Uncle Paul and Aunt Joy arrived just after one for lunch. A few weeks back my two very different worlds had collided unexpectedly when Uncle Paul had shown up at the clubhouse, demanding to see me.
I’d been engrossed in a lesson with Willow when I’d heard shouting out in the main room. When I’d rushed outside, uncle Paul and Deacon stood toe to toe.
“Look, I know she’s here. I’ve traced her cell. So, if you don’t produce her this instant, I’m calling my buddies to raid this place!” Paul shouted.
Deacon narrowed his eyes. “Don’t threaten me like I’m some second rate scum.”
Paul sneered. “Aren’t you?”
At my shriek of horror, both men turned their attention to me. Paul’s expression lightened. With a relieved sigh, he said, “Thank God, you’re all right.”
Shaking my head, I countered, “Actually, I’m not.” Closing the distance between us, I demanded, “How dare you bust in here like I’m seventeen and missed curfew? I’m a grown woman.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Joy and I are worried about you. You haven’t been to Sunday dinner in weeks. You barely answer our calls.”
Although guilt flooded me at worrying them, I still wasn’t letting him off the hook. “I’ve been very busy lately.”
With a look of disdain, Paul replied, “I’m aware of what you’ve been up to and with who.”
When Deacon took a step towards Paul, I grabbed his arm. “Do not hurt him.”
Deacon didn’t take his eyes off Paul. “I sure as hell don’t want to. No matter how I feel about you, I won’t have him coming in my house and disrespecting me. ”
At Deacon’s reference to his feelings for me, Paul staggered back. “You care about her?”
“I do.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he cocked his head. “Wanna know how much?”
“Deacon—” I warned.
“I killed the man who tortured her and tried to rape her”
Horror etched across Paul’s face as he turned open mouthed to me. “What…” He swallowed hard. A few seconds past as he stared at me. “What is he talking about, Alexandra?” he demanded.
“Let’s sit down. Okay?”
After nodding absently, I ushered Paul over to one the tables in the corner of the clubhouse. He collapsed down into a chair. When I eased down across from him, he grabbed my hand. “Tell me right now. Is he holding you hostage?”
Although it was the worst reaction in the moment, a nervous laugh bubbled from my lips. “No, uncle Paul, he’s not.”
“You can walk out of here right now?”
“Absolutely.”
Paul glanced past me over to Deacon who leaned against the bar. “Did he really kill someone for hurting you?”
Pinching my eyes shut in pain, I whispered, “Yes.”
“Tell me everything,” he commanded.
And I did.
When I finished, I dared to look up at his ashen face. “I’m glad he killed that bastard.”
“You are?”
With a quick nod, Paul replied, “He saved me from doing it.”
Tears pooled in my eyes. “Despite how it looks, he really is a good man.”
“I think I’m going to have to disagree with you.”
“He’s good to me. And his daughter.” I swiped my eyes. “To anyone he cares about.”
“Despite the horrors you endured, you seem…” A ragged sigh rushed from his lips. “Happy.”
“I am.”
“If only he were an average Joe,” Paul muttered.
“But he’s not.”
“What have your friends said?”
“They think it’s a phase. Like I’m sowing some wild oats I’ve never done before.” Wrinkling my nose, I replied, “But that’s not me.” As I thought of my circle’s reaction, I thought of Callie. “Callie gets it, and she’s happy for me.”
Paul remained quiet for a moment. Although regret filled his eyes, Paul reached for my hand.
“I can’t say I approve. Knowing what I do about him and his business, I don’t think I ever can.
” When I started to argue, he shook his head.
“But at the end of the day, you deserve to be happy, and if Deacon Malloy makes you happy, then I’m happy. ”
My eyes bulged. “You are?”
He chuckled. “Well, as happy as I can be given you’re dating a biker.”
As I smacked his hand, I laughed. “What do you think Joy is going to say?”
Paul swept a hand over his face. “You know her. At first, she’ll be scandalized. She’ll worry about your reputation.”
I grimaced. “I imagined as much.”
He gave me a small smile. “But like me, she’ll come to realize that you’re an adult and you have to make your own choices. In the end, she just wants you to be happy.”
With tears shimmering in my eyes, I lunged over to hug him. “Thank you.”
“I don’t deserve any thanks.”
“Yes, you do.” I pulled away. “Thanks for always being there for me. And for Charlie.”
Paul swallowed hard. “I could never say no to your mother. I loved her too much.” He cupped my face in his hands. “Just like I love you.”
“And I love you.”
After we hugged again, Deacon appeared at the table. “Everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” I replied, as I pulled away from Paul.
“I’d like to speak just to Deacon now,” Paul said.
I groaned. “Do you really think that’s necessary?”
“I do.”
After I rose out of my chair, Deacon eased down in it. “Leave us,” Deacon instructed. When I hesitated, he took my hand in his. After bringing it to his lips, he replied, “Go.”
On shaky legs, I made my way back to the hallway where Willow stood with Kim. Of course, Willow had a million questions for me, which answering helped distract me. Just when I thought my heart would explode out of my chest with worry, Deacon and Paul shook hands.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Kim muttered under her breath.
As I exhaled a ragged breath, I replied, “You can say that again.”
After their semi-truce, Deacon asked Paul to stay for dinner so he could introduce him to his family. I knew it was also a way for Deacon to show the human side of himself.
At dinner, Willow took an immediate liking to Uncle Paul, especially when he promised to take her to his cabin where she could fish and swim in the river. I thought Deacon would shoot down that offer, so I couldn’t help being surprised when he agreed that Willow could go for a visit.
Later when I questioned him about it, he said, “Your uncle is a former trooper. He knows how to use a gun, how to be aware of his surroundings, and how to protect those around him. Their cabin is in a gated community. Willow would be just as safe with him as she is with one of us. Besides, Sigel won’t be anticipating Paul. ”
Yet days later, I still couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive.
I would have preferred to accompany her, but I couldn’t miss any more days away from school.
But as always, Deacon was one step ahead of me to put my fears to rest. When Willow left the compound with Paul, Liz pulled out behind them going the opposite direction.
Should Sigel have someone watching, they would have followed Liz, who had a prospect following behind her.
Just two hours had passed since she left, but it felt like she had been gone much longer.
“What are you thinking about?” Deacon asked, his voice humming against my ear.
“Nothing,” I lied.
“Bullshit,” he countered. When I glanced at him over my shoulder, he shook his head. “You’re a terrible liar, Alex. Your body betrays you every time. You’ve been tense the last few minutes.”
“Sorry. I was just thinking about Willow.”
Deacon chuckled. “You missing the rugrat already?”
“Maybe a little. I’m not used to being here at the compound without her.”
Nuzzling my neck, his tongue flicked out against my skin. “I’m sure I can think of something to get your mind off of her.”
I giggled. “I’m sure you could.”
Case poked his head out of the clubhouse meeting room door. “You guys seen the latest invoices?”
Rolling her eyes at her husband, Kim groaned. “Babe, would you get your ass over here and relax for once?”
“I would love to, but at the moment, I got shit to take care of before I can do that. That’s the reason I got fucking ‘President’ on my rocker.”
“You know it isn’t good for your blood pressure,” she countered.
“Hell, Case, it can wait til tomorrow, can’t it?” Deacon asked, before taking a long swig of his beer.
With a grunt, Case replied, “The rest of the shit can wait, but I gotta double check these cargo invoices. It ain’t adding up at the moment, and unless I can find an error on my part, our asses are gonna be between a rock and a hard place.”