“That’s because you’re gorgeous still.”
“She’s a keeper,” she says conspiratorially in Simon’s direction.
He nods. “That’s good because I wasn’t planning to let her go.”
We manage to get through dinner with small talk and avoiding all things related to his dad. Apparently that’s a very sore subject. We only stay a while longer because Simon has to work in the morning.
On the drive home he opens up, “It was my eighteenth birthday. He turned to my mother with papers in his hand—divorce papers. He said his obligation to us was over. He didn’t love my mother and never had. He only wanted her family wealth and had a mistress that was expecting his third child. See my parents only had me and my mother miscarried a couple of times, giving up and being happy to have me. He walked up to me and said, ‘Good luck. Don’t marry for money’ and brushed past me. I haven’t seen him in ten years.”
“Wow that’s fucked up.”
“I know. I had money though because he’d been given nothing but a small chunk of her family wealth. The rest had gone to me when I became an adult. My mother still has a large portion for herself, but she’ll never get involved with anyone again. He played with her heart for so long that she thought he truly loved her.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’ve moved past it. I have some siblings, but we don’t talk at all. There are five of them with two different women. The second woman is the one he finally left my mother for.”
I sit silently until we get home. He gets out and pulls me into his arms, holding me as a cool breeze passes over us. “I love you, Mackenzie. I don’t take that lightly and I’ve never said that to a woman before. I’m not my dad.”
“I know. I know. After all, I don’t have any money.” I stroke his cheek. “I love you because you make my heart race at a distance, up-close I feel like I can’t breathe, and when you look at me, I know where I belong. Now take me inside and make love to me until we pass out.”
“That sounds wonderful.” He smiles and scoops me up into his arms, taking the porch steps two at a time.Chapter 11WrenchIt’s been a month of peace as things have quieted down since her uncle has been released on house arrest until his trial. He hasn’t tried to contact Mackenzie and neither has his associates, but I know that’s too fucking good to be true. It scares me how nice things are.
Mackenzie hasn’t gone back to work at the grocery store, but she does help out around town for all the new moms. Penny and Morgan had to slow down and stop working all together when their babies arrived. The Steele Riders are growing, and I hope one day soon we’ll be in that same boat. Although, as of last week we aren’t members of that club.
My phone rings as I’m in the middle of my paperwork and it’s my woman. “Hey baby, how’s your day at the bakery?”
“Simon, I swear I saw Johnny in a dark car today. He drove past the bakery, heading toward the grocery store.”
“Stay put. I’m on my way. I’ll call Law.”
“Okay. I’m in the backroom. I don’t know if he knows I’m even here.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.” I end the call as I rush down the stairs two at a time because I have to get a hold of Cyber. I want to track this fucker. “I’ll be back,” I call out without another word to my staff. They know by now that if it’s an emergency to mind their business.
As I get in my truck, I call him. “Cyber. Johnny Boy’s lurking. He passed by the bakery and headed to the grocery store in a dark sedan.”
“Okay. Did you call Boomer?”
“Not yet. I need to know where this fucker’s going first. I’m on my way to get Mackenzie. She’s at Penny’s bakery.”
“Okay. I think I have him on camera. He definitely is prowling the streets.” He doesn’t say anything for almost a minute. I can see his call on my dash, so I know I still have him there.
“What’s going on?”
“Shit. He’s nabbed someone. A teenage girl. She’s wearing one of the green shirts.”
“Shit.”
“I’m sending out a wide alert. I’m a minute behind in the video, and damn, he’s flooring it out of town.”
“I put out an alert to the state troopers. The privilege of running cybersecurity. Law’s calling me.”
“Okay.” I end the call just as I pull up to the bakery. Rain starts coming down just as I step out of my truck. Damn it. That’s not going to be good. I hope they don’t end up on a high speed chase. When I get into the shop, Mackenzie comes from around the counter, her eyes red-rimmed with tears streaming down.