“I just thought since I didn’t tell you about those guys you might be mad.”
“Babe, you had no way of knowing who those men were or what they wanted. I’m sorry I have been so evasive the past few days, I just didn’t want to worry you.” Damn, he was so sweet.
“I love you,” I said breathlessly. He had a way of removing the air from my lungs-even from miles away. Luke laughed softly.
“I will never tire of hearing you say those words to me. I love you too, baby, now talk to me. What’s on your mind?” Knowing he was not mad at me and that I could speak freely, I spilled my guts.
“Yesterday I was standing outside my office when I heard all these motorcycles. I thought it was your guys, but they were wearing red and gray. I thought they might be friends of yours so I waved, but none of them waved back. There was a guy in the pack. He had a large scar on his face. When we got to Shenanigans, he was there too.” Luke was eerily quiet on the other end and fearing the silence was a bad sign I quickly continued. “He was sitting on the pool table when the fight broke out and he grabbed my arm and said something to me.”
Luke spoke before I could continue and I knew that he was trying to control his anger. “What did he say to you, Dallas?’
I swallowed noisily and spoke so softly he asked me to repeat it. “He said, ‘Hey there sleeping beauty’.”
“That mother fucker! Where are you staying?” Luke screamed.
“The Abbey.” Why was he asking? Was he coming to stay with me? I was suddenly excited. Why had I not asked him to come in the first place? “I am sending someone up there.” My heart fell. Once again he would send someone instead of coming himself.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. Stacy will be there. I will be sure to let him know.” I said defeated.
“Who in the hell is Stacy?” Luke asked confused.
“He is a friend of the family. He has a black belt in karate and is trained in martial arts. I promise I will be fine.” I knew Stacy would be more than a little excited at the thought of hurting someone.
“Dallas, I can send someone it’s not a problem,” Luke stated. No shit it wasn’t a problem. There were people lined up to be at his beck and call. Too bad it wasn’t him who wanted to be here to ensure my safety.
“No I will be fine, really.” Why did I let this bother me so much? He had enough shit to deal with. He couldn’t drop everything just to drive two hundred and fifty miles to be with me. I got it, but it still hurt. “I better go. I’ll call you tonight,” I said and abruptly ended the call. I didn’t want any more apologies, excuses or possible solutions. I only wanted to get through the next few days and then back home. Maybe then Luke would take me to the beach and fuck me senseless. That would surely fix this melancholy mood I had slipped into.
Chapter 17
I pulled up to The Abbey and it was even more beautiful than I remembered. The large, three story Victorian house had served as a bed and breakfast for over one hundred years and was located just off of the Natchez Trace. The home was sentimental to me. It was the first property I purchased when I decided to expand my business north. The old cobblestone driveway was worn and the familiar rumble of the stones beneath my tires made me feel like I had stepped into another century. The large white porch wrapped all the way around the house and opened into a garden at the back. White wicker rockers littered the front porch. Ferns and flower baskets hung from the ceiling along with a large wooden swing that looked as if it could seat at least five people. I climbed out of my car and was met by Stacy at the end of the stairs.
“My favorite girl!” he exclaimed smiling at me. I walked into his arms allowing him to engulf me into a hug. “You look more and more like your mama every day,” he said, holding me at arm’s length and looking me over.
It had been a long time since I had a conversation with someone that knew my parents. My dad had taken Stacy under his wing when he was younger and he had been like an uncle to me for years. Stacy moved to Mississippi shortly after I did and he had been the only one to attend my college graduation and my Masters Award ceremony. I had not seen him in over a year, but he still looked exactly the same. His salt and pepper hair was unruly on his head and his age was apparent around his eyes and mouth, but he was still very attractive. He was only a few inches taller than me and his lean muscular figure could still be recognized under his jeans and t-shirt. At forty-two years old, Stacy was still smoking hot.