Deadly Conflicts (Hardy Brothers Security Book 21) Read online

  “It’s still a nice gesture,” Ally said. “I hope your new dealership is a smashing success … even if you are a tool.”

  Vince laughed. “You’re still feisty. I love that about you.”

  Ally shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable with the way Vince stared at her. “Well, I hope things go well with your raffle. I should find Jake so we can get some dinner.”

  “The carny?”

  Ally stilled. “I don’t know what your deal is, but don’t speak about him that way,” she said. “I love him.”

  “I’m glad you love him,” Vince said. “I just … I’m jealous. I admit it. The second I saw you it was as if no time had passed and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with you.”

  “Well, time has passed, Vince,” Ally said. “I’m with Jake and I love him more than anything. While I’m glad to see you – and happy you seem to be doing well – I’m not interested in anything more.”

  “Because of Jake?”

  “Because I’m not,” Ally replied. “Jake and I live together. We’re not just dating and having a good time. We’re building a life together.”

  “And yet I don’t see a ring on your finger,” Vince pointed out.

  Ally hated herself for glancing at her bare finger. “The ring will come when it’s time,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter from your perspective, though. It’s none of your business.”

  “Now, don’t be like that,” Vince cajoled. “Even if we can’t pick up where we left off, I’d still like to be friends. I remember you as being a lot of fun.”

  “I am a lot of fun,” Ally agreed, grinning. “We can be friends. We just can’t be more than that. My heart is already taken. There’s nothing to pick up because I let that thread go not long after you left.”

  “Well, that’s disappointing but understandable,” Vince said. “Still … friends?” He cocked an eyebrow and extended his hand.

  Ally flashed an earnest smile and gripped his hand. “Friends.”

  Vince’s eyes flashed as he shifted them to his right and focused on a bickering couple walking past them. The man’s arms were laden with craft show trinkets and the woman was smiling as she watched him struggle under the weight of her shopping finds.

  “Isn’t that your brother … and the blonde you were with at the mall?”

  Ally nodded, beaming.

  “I thought you said he was happy?” Vince challenged.

  “Oh, he’s happy,” Ally intoned. “Love is grand … and Mandy will reward him handsomely for helping her carry all of those treasures. Don’t you worry about that.”

  “I just … never would’ve believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes.”

  “Oh, believe it,” Ally said, grinning. “Love changes everyone sooner or later. You just have to find the right person.”

  Vince’s expression was unreadable as he shifted his eyes to Ally. “I can’t wait for that to happen to me.”

  JAKE GROANED as he lowered himself onto the couch in the living room mere minutes after walking through the front door with a sugared-up Ally. “What a long freaking day.”

  “The night is still young,” Ally countered, buzzing about. “What do you want to do next?”

  Jake shifted his weary eyes to his girlfriend and the lingerie bags clutched in her hand. He was exhausted. A day of painting and then a full work shift caught him off guard. Still, if she wanted to grant a few wishes before sleep, who was he to argue? “What’s in the bag, angel?”

  Ally offered Jake a pretty smile as she clutched the mysterious shopping bags to her chest. “That’s for me to know and you to find out later … when you haven’t been bad.”

  Jake blew out an annoyed sigh. He knew this was coming. Ally lulled him into a false sense of security by avoiding the topic once she rejoined him by the carousel. He should’ve realized she was only delaying the fight for a time when they didn’t have an audience. “Oh, angel, do we have to do this tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fine.” Jake leaned back on the couch and locked gazes with his brunette beauty. “Let me have it.”

  “Vince and I dated for two months and it was over before things ever got a chance to be serious,” Ally replied, taking Jake by surprise. He was expecting her to yell at him, not explain her history – which he pretty much figured out on his own. “I was young and stupid. I had a broken heart for like two weeks. Then I moved on.”

  “Ally, you don’t have to tell me this,” Jake said, lowering his voice. “I … it’s none of my business.”

  “I thought we were in a relationship,” Ally challenged.

  “We are.”

  “Then shouldn’t an ex-boyfriend showing up out of the blue be your business?”

  Jake wasn’t sure what answer she wanted to hear. “Angel, I love you,” he said simply. “I don’t need a list of everyone you’ve been with. I figured if someone important showed up, you would tell me and we’d talk about it then. I wasn’t upset because I thought you still had feelings for Vince, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Then why did you treat me like property when you sensed he was interested in me?”

  Jake scowled. She was good. He had to give her that. She’d set a trap and walked him straight into it. “He bugged me.”

  “He bugged you?”

  “Oh, Ally, I’m sorry,” Jake said, dragging a restless hand through his hair. “I knew it was wrong the second I did it. He made that carny crack, though. I know I wasn’t exactly dressed for the prom or anything, but I hate it when people assume things.”

  Ally pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “The prom?”

  “You know what I mean,” Jake said. “He was all suave looking and apparently I resembled a carny.”

  Ally took pity on him as she sat on the couch and rested her hand on his leg. “You don’t resemble a carny,” she said, laughing. “You resemble the man I love. In case you haven’t noticed, by the way, I happen to think you’re pretty hot.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  Ally nodded. “I’m still not a piece of property.”

  “I know that, Ally,” Jake said, pressing his thumb to her cheek. “I wasn’t trying to own you. I was trying to make sure he stayed away from … .”

  “Your property?”

  “My heart,” Jake corrected. “You have no idea how much I love you. I don’t like it when other people look at you the way I do. I like to think we have something special.”

  “We do have something special,” Ally said. “That something special comes from mutual trust and love, though. It doesn’t come from you puffing your chest out and thumping it.”

  “I did not do that,” Jake said, laughing. “I am not your brother.”

  “No, you’re not,” Ally agreed, leaning closer so her lips were a mere fraction of an inch from Jake’s mouth. “I’m very glad you’re not my brother. That makes what we’re about to do a heck of a lot less icky.”

  Jake’s eyes were heavy-lidded as he regarded her. “What are we going to do?”

  “I thought you wanted me to dress up and grant wishes?”

  “Let’s save that for another night,” Jake said, grabbing Ally around the waist and tilting her so she fell back on the couch. She was giggling when he crawled on top of her. “I just want my beautiful girlfriend tonight. I don’t need any games.”

  “What a good answer,” Ally said, laughing as she leaned forward so Jake could tug the shirt over her head. “I just want my beautiful boyfriend tonight.”

  “You’ll have me every night,” Jake said, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her breast as it spilled out over her bra. “Forever.”

  Ally’s eyes glowed, love washing over her. “Show me.”

  Jake didn’t have to be told twice. He smashed his mouth against hers as he moved his hands up to the button of her shorts. The couple tangled tongues for a bit, content to take things slow and bask in each other’s love. Jake’s hands were steady but unhurried as they str
ipped Ally’s shorts and panties off of her lithe body.

  He moved his lips to her neck, trailing a series of kisses down her collarbone and stopping at her breasts as he unclasped the bra, sucking a nipple into his mouth and causing her to moan as he slid a hand under her butt and positioned her so he could have easier access. After licking her other breast for a few moments, he kissed his way down her flat abdomen and rubbed his thumbs over the soft skin of her thighs before covering her quivering mound with his mouth.

  Ally hissed with delight as she felt his tongue delve inside of her, crying out as he licked her length with fervent abandon. She writhed on the couch as Jake held her hips steady, attacking her in a manner he knew she liked. It wasn’t long before she was tumbling over the edge, her thighs shaking as she tried to absorb her orgasm.

  Before she could even open her eyes, Jake was on top of her. They kissed passionately, Ally tangling her hands in Jake’s hair as he slid his body on top of hers. He was naked, although Ally couldn’t remember him undressing. It didn’t matter, because he sucked her tongue into his mouth as he slid inside of her and that was all of the distraction she needed to forget about his magical stripping skills.

  They gasped as they joined, taking a moment to let their beating hearts slip into the same rhythm, and then Jake began moving his hips. He picked a leisurely pace as he kissed her, marveling at her beauty as she moaned his name. In that moment, Jake knew that he could never want anyone but her. To be fair, he knew that before this night. He’d known it a long time, in fact. At times like this, though, the love was overwhelming.

  He wanted her to be his wife. No, he needed her to be his wife. He had to get his act together because he was desperate to make all of her dreams come true. She’d already fulfilled every dream he never knew he had, so now it was about making her happy.

  Jake shifted his fingers to the sensitive nerve bundle at her core as he increased his pace. His love was absolute, and when Ally cried out thanks to her second orgasm, he joined her in bliss. His rhythm staggered and he collapsed on top of her when he was finished, both of them breathing heavy as he kissed her cheek and buried his face in the hollow of her neck.

  “I love you so much, Ally,” he murmured.

  “I love you, too.” She clutched his back and pulled him closer. “I love you … more than I ever thought possible.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  5

  Five

  Ally’s head was heavy on Jake’s chest when he woke the next morning. He spent a few minutes studying her serene profile as he lightly rubbed his thumb over her bare back. Somehow they’d moved from the couch to the bed – although he couldn’t exactly remember when it happened – and then they repeated the love-making experience again before passing out.

  Now, thanks to the filtered light of a new day, Jake had a few minutes to enjoy his angel as she slept. He loved looking at her like this. She was a deep sleeper, which worried him should he ever be away from her for a night – which was something he hoped never happened. She was also peaceful when out. Usually, when she was awake, she was a bundle of energy and enjoyed riling up everyone around her. In sleep, though, she truly was his angel.

  “What are you staring at?” Ally’s voice was thick with sleep and she didn’t shift her head as she forced out the words.

  Jake chuckled. “How did you know I was staring?”

  “I know you.”

  “You do know me,” Jake agreed. “You know me better than anyone. For the record, I was staring at the most beautiful woman in the world and wondering how I got so lucky.”

  Ally finally wrenched her eyes open and smiled. It didn’t matter that her wavy hair was an unruly mess or that she hadn’t washed the previous day’s makeup off her face before bed. She was still profoundly breathtaking. “You’re feeling pretty full of yourself this morning, aren’t you?”

  Jake shrugged. “I don’t know. I was kind of hoping you would feel pretty full of me before everything is said and done.”

  “Oh, really?” Ally cocked a challenging eyebrow. “What about work?”

  Jake held up the cell phone he had the foresight to plug in and rest on the nightstand before succumbing to sleep. “I thought I would text your brother and make up a story.”

  “What kind of story?”

  “Not a sexy one,” Jake replied. “He’ll come here to check on us if I do that. We all know how that worked out the first time.”

  Ally laughed at the memory, although there was a time she never thought she would get over the humiliation of having her big brother walk in on her and Jake making love for the first time. Of course, they weren’t making love at that point. They were merely itching a scratch that both couldn’t help but wonder if they should leave unattended.

  “He was so funny that day,” Ally said. “Well, I mean he was funny in some respects. He was mean to Mandy that day.”

  “Oh, they got over it,” Jake said, running his hand down the back of Ally’s head. “They’re stronger than ever now.”

  “They are.”

  “I don’t want to talk about your brother this morning, angel,” Jake chided. “I want to talk about something else.”

  “What’s that?” Ally teased, snuggling closer and letting her hand drift to Jake’s morning erection. “Do you want me to speak into the microphone?”

  Jake’s face turned red he laughed so hard at her double entendre. He had no idea how she managed to turn a verbal faux pas like that into something sexy, but she did it with aplomb. “Let me text your brother that I’m going to be late,” he said. “Then I think we can work something out.”

  “I can’t wait. After last night, I wasn’t sure if you would have the energy. I thought maybe I drained you.”

  “Oh, angel, you haven’t seen anything yet,” Jake said. “I promise to grant all of your wishes this morning.”

  “Be still my heart.”

  JAMES frowned as he stared at his cell phone screen. He was in front of the courthouse in downtown Mount Clemens, Mandy at his side, and when he read Jake’s text he almost had a meltdown.

  “What’s wrong?” Mandy asked, sipping her slush. She was the only person James knew who could drink something that sweet so early in the morning. “Is the world coming to an end? Zombies or aliens?”

  James ripped his eyes away from the phone and graced his wife with a genuine smile. She was glowing, their antics from the previous night causing both of them to sleep long and sound. He still managed to show up to work on time, though. “Jake says the water heater’s pilot light went out and he’ll be a little late.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” Mandy said, her tongue blue from the slush. “I’m sure it won’t be a big deal, though. This place won’t be hopping for another two hours. It’s barely open this early.”

  “Thank you, wife,” James intoned. “I never would’ve figured that out on my own.”

  Mandy narrowed her eyes. “Don’t take that tone with me.”

  “I’m sorry, baby,” James said, holding his hands up. “That was unfair. We both know the hot water heater didn’t go out, though. They’re … doing something else.”

  Mandy snorted, unbothered by James’ potential freakout. “So what? We did something else last night and this morning. Why should they have to live by different rules?”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, baby, I’m at work on time,” James pointed out. “Even Grady is on time, although he’s over by the coffee tent with Sophie. She told me not to bug him for twenty minutes because he has PMS or something. Despite that, he’s here.”

  “He has PMS?” Mandy was intrigued. “I guess the long hair really is turning him into a woman, huh?”

  James rolled his eyes. “Wife, I love you more than life itself, but you’re always going to take Ally’s side and that really irritates me right now because I just know she’s doing something filthy with my employee.”

  Mandy returned the exaggerated eye roll. “First off, Jake is not your employee ri
ght now,” she said. “He’s your friend and he’s having a nice morning with his girlfriend. Let it go. Second off, Ally is your sister and you want her to be happy, right?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.” James had a stubborn streak a mile wide. “Is that my only option?”

  Mandy playfully slapped James’ arm and sent him a warning look. “They’re not hurting anyone and Jake is never late. Let them be.”

  “Fine.” James grabbed Mandy around the waist and dipped her low, pressing his chest against hers as he kissed her. “You’re extremely mouthy and bossy. You know that, right?”

  “I might’ve been told that a time or two,” Mandy conceded. “You only notice the bossiness because you’re bossy, too.”

  “I am the boss.”

  “You’re not my boss.”

  “I will be tonight,” James said, mock growling as he kissed Mandy’s neck and caused her to giggle. The couple was so lost in their game they didn’t notice they had a guest until the unmistakable sound of a man clearing his throat assailed their ears. James returned Mandy to a standing positioned and swiveled, an apology on his lips. He expected to find a festival organizer watching their morning interlude. Instead he found Vince Dawkins. He would’ve been happier with a disappointed festival representative – or even a deranged carnival clown. “Oh, good grief. What are you doing back in town?”

  Mandy’s sea-blue eyes widened as she took in the man she recognized from her trip to the mall with Ally. He was handsome, there was no mistaking that, but there was something off about the way he carried himself. His cheekbones were high, his shoulders squared, and his smile bright. Everything about him still screamed “fraud,” though.

  “James,” Vince said, keeping his tone even. “It’s so nice to see you.”

  “So I’ve been told,” James said, slipping his arm around Mandy’s waist and drawing her to him as he studied Ally’s former boyfriend. “I thought you moved to California.”

  “I did,” Vince confirmed. “I spent several years out there building a business and making a name for myself. Then I decided to move back home. My mom hasn’t been doing well and I thought I should be closer for her sake.”