He was so proud of her. It wasn’t just the incredible way it felt to have her in his arms. She had really turned things around, enrolling in class and helping him with the books at his shop. She’d even sketched some furniture that he was building for their place.
They were even thinking about selling some of it. He liked working with his hands. Almost as much as he liked having his hands on his woman.
He frowned.
Where was she tonight? She’d said something about going out with Kaylie and Sally. He had a bad feeling about that.
If those three were out on the town, it was sure to be trouble. But he trusted his woman. Besides, she’d promised to text him where to meet her later.
The whole situation with Kaylie and Dev was hard for everyone.
Jack wondered what she would say if he told her he wanted to get married too. He was already ring hunting. Plus, he was nearly done with the other gift he had for her.
The bike.
He had bought it a while ago, and started working on it again when he’d met Janet. Every time she’d driven him crazy he’d gone into the shop and put it into the bike. It was flashy and screaming to be painted black and red.
Red, like his woman.
That was the moment he’d known.
He was never, ever letting her go.
“Dev, we have news.”
Dev looked up and faced Bruce.
“Dani was at the ER. Looks like domestic situation.”
“That fucker put his hands on her?”
Bruce nodded.
“Look, Dani is a handful. I know she’s not welcome here. But I know you have beef with Grant.”
Dave shook his head.
“No, she’s not welcome. But she still deserves our protection.”
Bruce lowered his head in gratitude.
“We need more dirt on Grant. I don’t just want to hurt him. I want to destroy him. Wasn’t Whiskey Beard working on something?”
“BEARD!”
Donnie waved Mike over from the other side of the bar. People were waiting on their drinks. Didn’t matter. Dev was the Club President and he came first.
“Whiskey, is your cousin still on payroll?”
He nodded.
“She’s been watching his online accounts. He has no idea she’s even there.”
“You’re sure? We don’t want blowback.”
“No, man. She’s a genius. She’s like famous. In the hacking world anyway.”
“Good. Tell her it’s time. Drain his accounts. Make sure his bills are past due. All of them.”
Devlin smiled coldly and Jack felt a chill go down his back.
“And dump something nasty on his laptop. Something the NSA might want eyes on.”
“Tip them off?”
“Hell yes.”
Donnie grinned widely.
“Oh he’s going to love it at Guantanamo.”
Chapter 23
Sally
She told them everything. And then they begged her to play. Damn if it didn't feel like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.
Twenty minutes later the girls were sitting in the kitchen listening to Sally play her practice guitar. The one without the spangles. Their eyes were wide and weepy as she played them the song she'd written a few weeks ago.
The first night that Donnie kissed her.
She finished and rested the guitar on her knee. It felt good to let it sit there. It felt good to play for people again. Even if it was just two instead of two thousand. They were applauding and asking her to play again.
"Just one more, Sally!"
"Please? It's so beautiful. I could cry!"
Sally just smiled.
"We better get ready if we are going to this shin dig tonight."
Kaylie and Janet lit up like Christmas trees.
"So, you'll go? I wasn't sure after what you told us."
Janet shook her head.
"I'm not surprised you wanted to keep Donnie at arm's length. But he is a good guy. I bet he will surprise you if you let him."
"I know he's a good guy. Why else would he have stuck around with me acting so crazy?"
"You aren't crazy at all and even if you were, you are gorgeous! Lots of guys wouldn't even notice what was going on with you."
Kaylie giggled.
"They'd be too busy staring!"
"Donnie did."
She stood up and put her guitar into it's case. She was going to do it. She was going to go and get him. If he'd still have her.
She knew it was a risk but she had to try.
It was like her Grandma had always said.
Life was for living.
"Alright, let's do this. I'm tired of hiding."
The girls whooped and hollered. They each took a turn in the shower and dressed, trying on multiple outfits. Except Sally. She only tried on one before the girls stopped her.
A pair of tight jeans with a jade green top she used to wear for smaller shows. She always preferred the smaller venues, even though her ex manager had steered her towards bigger and bigger ones. But that was about money.
Sally had never been in it for the money.
But tonight, she wasn’t going to think about him. Not for another second.