Road to Peace Read online

  “You hungry?” she asked, pulling open the fridge and grabbing me a bottled water.

  “No, I have Chinese waiting in the car. Have you eaten?”

  “No. Kids did, but I’ll wait for Ryan. I did feed Poppy, hope that’s okay.”

  “You can feed my kid anytime,” I said with a chuckle. “She likes your food better than mine anyway… although, tonight it’s takeout. More for me.”

  She grinned. “Did you snap a photo of the hottie mechanic?”

  I shook my head. “I probably should have, eh? God, lovey, the more I think about him…” I sighed. “He was edible. Rollo from Vikings edible.”

  Ali joined me at the island. “So… not your type.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “Bad boy, sexy, edible.”

  “You may have a point.” I sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll never see him again. I’ve had my great love, so he’d only be a dalliance anyway.”

  “Which you would never do. You’re a one-man woman… and only do long-term.”

  I’d met Niall in kindergarten and it was love at first sight. He’d moved from Scotland into my neighborhood and, when we were old enough to walk alone, he started walking with me to and from school. We’d been inseparable ever since. I’d been so blessed to have a best friend who protected me with all of his being and loved me just as much. He was my first, my last, and everything in between.

  “You’re probably right.” I smiled and slid off the stool. “I should get the Poppet home. The bathtub is calling my name.” I stepped to the mouth of the hallway and called, “Poppy, love, we’re going.”

  “Are you still good if I come in late tomorrow?” Ali asked. “Ryan’s taking me to a few doctor appointments I’ve been putting off.”

  “Of course,” I said. “Anytime, you know that. I still have the gremlins this weekend, right?”

  “Yes.” Ali grinned. “Ryan and I need some sexy sexual time.”

  I giggled. “I think that’s a bit too much information, love.”

  “In our business?” she scoffed. “There’s no such thing.”

  “You might be right.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with staying here?” Ali asked. “The kids can come to you.”

  “No, it’s fine. I love your home.”

  “I know, but I want you to be comfortable.”

  I smiled. “It’ll be less upheaval for your kids and Poppy loves staying over, so it’s perfect. As long as I have internet and can get some work done, I don’t mind where I’m at.”

  “This is one of the many reasons I love you,” Ali said, and hugged me again.

  “Ready!” Poppy announced, Gracie on her heels. Grace looked so much like Ali it was like she’d been cloned. They had the same long, dark hair and tall, lanky build. Her big blue eyes were the only difference. Ali’s were more of a periwinkle, whereas Grace’s were darker.

  “Thanks, love,” I said, and Poppy and I headed home.

  I left Poppy to watch a movie while I soaked in my tub, then after our bedtime ritual of reading a chapter from a favorite book (her choice tonight), I fell asleep dreaming of the scruffy Mr. Hatch.

  Hatch

  HATCH WALKED INTO the Dogs of Fire compound and stalled. His sister sat at the makeshift bar by the pool table, her hair falling around her face, and a shot glass in front of her. He did his best to control his irritation, considering they’d agreed she wouldn’t come here without him. “Cricket? Why are you here?”

  She raised her head and he saw red. Her bottom lip was cut and she raised a bloody washcloth to her mouth, and her eye was black and swollen.

  “What the fuck happened to your face?” he bellowed.

  “First, you should see the other guy,” she quipped.

  “Not funny,” he growled.

  One of the Club’s soldiers, Flea, walked out of the kitchen and handed Cricket a bag of ice.

  “Thanks, Flea,” she said, settling the ice against her mouth.

  Flea smiled. “No problem, babe.”

  Hatch growled and stalked to her side. “Cricket.”

  She sighed. “It’s okay, Con.”

  “You’re beaten to shit, Christina, it is not okay!” he snapped. “Now tell me what the fuck happened.”

  “I was walking into work and Matt jumped me… and not in the good way.”

  “Are you shittin’ me?” he growled. “Where the fuck was Pug? Or Mack?”

  She grimaced. “Mack’s off tonight and I hadn’t gotten to Pug yet. I didn’t see Matt as I was walking in—”

  Hatch raised his hand to stop her from giving him some shitty excuse as he pulled out his phone just as it rang. Booker calling.

  “Have you seen my sister’s face?” Hatch demanded.

  “Yeah, brother.” Booker sighed. “I take it she’s at the compound?”

  “Yeah.” Hatch dragged a hand through his hair. “Her ex was layin’ in wait.”

  “We know,” Booker said. “She doin’ okay? Dani’s worried about her…Cricket was pretty freaked when she left here.”

  “Seems to be.”

  “Okay, good.”

  “She’s done, Book,” Hatch continued. “No more workin’ at Blush.”

  Cricket gasped. “You can’t do that!”

  “Yeah, I’m okay with that, brother. I’m gonna have guys tendin’ bar for a while, anyway,” Booker said. “We got the asshole here. You okay with us takin’ care of him for good now, at least until you get here?”

  Hatch had given his sister a long lead to deal with Matt, but now it was the Dogs turn to take care of the problem once and for all. Hatch glared at her. “Yeah, man. Take him the fuck down. I’ll swing by when Cricket’s sorted.”

  “On it.”

  Booker hung up and Hatch slid his phone back into his pocket.

  “You cannot dictate my life like that, Connor,” she snapped. “I moved out for that very reason. I need that job to pay my rent. And since I’m going to school during the day, bartending means I can take care of it all. You also promised you’d let me deal with Matt.”

  His blood boiled. “And he fuckin’ hit you. Again. We’re done, Cricket. It’s our turn to deal with him.”

  “What you failed to ask was what happened to him! I nailed him, Con. Took him to the ground, just the way you taught me! Yes, he got a couple hits in, but I really did make him hurt worse. His balls are probably the size of watermelons right now. You can’t just arbitrarily run my life like that!”

  Hatch shook his head. “Not up for discussion.”

  “You’re worse than having an overprotective father,” she complained.

  Hatch was the oldest of five kids. His mother was dead and his father in jail by the time he was twenty and, since they had no living relatives, he’d taken on the responsibility of raising his siblings, rather than letting them end up in foster care. Cricket was the baby…and the only girl. At twenty-four, she was seventeen years younger than him, but she acted like she ran the family. She’d recently moved into Knight’s old lady’s condo.

  Knight was a soldier in the Dogs of Fire MC, probably Hatch’s closest friend…if he had friends. Knight’s wife, Kim, was loaded and had made Cricket an offer she couldn’t refuse. Hatch hated the idea, but he’d conceded because it was a secure building with a doorman, and Knight had reinforced the security system not so long ago.

  Hatch shook his head. “You can come work at the shop until you find something else.”

  “Hello. School. Daytime,” she snapped.

  “Hello. Summer break. Soon,” he retorted.

  She groaned. “I don’t want to work in a dirty shop, Hatch. I want a real job.”

  “It is a real job. A real payin’ one. And we need the help. You know it helps to have a woman working the front counter. Makes other women feel more comfortable.”

  She sighed. “Well, I guess I don’t really have a choice now that you’ve blown up the one good job I’ve had in a while.”

  “You ever gonna n
ot be fuckin’ drama?”

  “You ever gonna stop messin’ with my life?” she countered, and then smiled. “Not every woman’s drama, Con.”

  “Yeah, ’cause you’re proof a that,” he droned sarcastically.

  “I’m hardly drama,” she countered.

  He raised his eyes to the ceiling and shook his head. He did not want to have this conversation with his sister… again.

  “Jana was a bitch, granted. But you’re too good of a guy—”

  “Time to go,” he said, interrupting her grumbling.

  She sighed. “Katie’s meeting me here to check me over. We can’t leave yet.”

  Katie Jameson was Flea’s sister and a registered nurse. She was also Cricket’s best friend. The two of them were trouble alone, but when they got together, might as well prepare for something to burn down.

  He dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling again. “Fuck me.”

  “Have a drink, big brother,” Cricket ordered with a snarky grin. “I can make you something.”

  “You stay put.” Resigned to the fate of a sexless, shitty night, especially now that he had to deal with Cricket’s ex, Hatch nodded at Flea. “Whiskey’s good.”

  Flea handed him the bottle and a shot glass.

  Hatch ran his knuckles gently down his sister’s face. “Booker said you were freaked.”

  She nodded, leaning into his hand. “I’m okay, Con.”

  “You sure?”

  Cricket smiled. “Why do you think I’m here? My big brother always makes everything okay.”

  He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head and then sat beside her. “Yeah.”

  Two of the club women walked their way, Lila breaking away to sidle up to him. “Hey, honey.”

  “Hey babe.” Hatch took a shot as Cricket slid off the stool and walked over to the pool table.

  “You got some time?” Lila asked.

  “Not tonight.”

  He’d slept with Lila a handful of times. She was good… up for anything, but he could tell she wanted more and he wasn’t interested in that, so he’d backed off in a big way.

  She leaned against the bar. “It’s sweet how you take care of your sister, Hatch.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. But you’ve been kinda distant with me lately.”

  “Been busy,” he said, and poured another drink.

  “You brushin’ me off?” she asked.

  He cocked his head. “Didn’t make promises, Lila.”

  She tapped her fingers on the bar. “Got it.”

  “Good.”

  She walked away and Hatch watched as his sister sent him a questioning look before talking to Lila for a minute and then heading back to Hatch and sit back on the stool.

  “What was that all about?” she asked.

  Hatch leaned forward to study his sister’s lip. “Get the ice back on that.”

  “You’re not going to tell me?” She huffed. “Really?”

  “Ice, Cricket.”

  She lifted the baggie to her mouth. “I don’t want to give up my job at Blush, Connor.”

  “I heard you.”

  “Will you at least reconsider?”

  He frowned. “We’ll talk about it on Sunday.”

  The family had made a pact as kids that no matter what, no matter where, Sundays would be their days. They’d never missed a day to debrief about the week and even when they moved up from San Diego, they came as a group. Even though his brothers didn’t agree with his decision to leave, no one chose to stay in Southern California.

  “That’s a no,” she grumbled.

  “It’s a, we’ll talk about it on Sunday.”

  “Why are two of my favorite people glaring at each other?” Katie asked as she breezed into the main room of the compound. Cricket faced her and Katie gasped. “Holy shit. Are you going to finally let the club deal with that shithead?”

  “Yes, she is,” Hatch answered for her, then took another shot of whiskey.

  “I took care of him,” Cricket said.

  “Not fast enough, apparently,” Katie said, as she checked Cricket over and smiled. “Ibuprofen and ice. Nothing feels broken, but if the swelling and pain isn’t better in the next day or two, you’re getting x-rays.”

  “Yes, Mom,” Cricket quipped.

  “Okay, I’m gonna grab a beer. Can I get you anything?” Katie asked.

  Hatch and Cricket shook their heads.

  “Sorry if I cock-blocked you,” Cricket said to her brother, and Hatch groaned.

  “Fuck me, Cricket, I’d rather not talk about my cock with my sister. Or anyone.”

  “Why are you so easy to mess with?”

  Hatch dragged his hands down his face. “How about I drop you home?”

  “I have my car.”

  “You drove?” he snapped.

  “No,” she said slowly. “Flea brought me here, Buzz drove my car.”

  He relaxed… sort of. “How about I follow you home, then?”

  “Or I could stay and have another drink.”

  Hatch chuckled without mirth. “You’re funny.”

  She sighed. “Fine. I’ll see if Katie wants to come over.”

  “Great plan,” he said.

  “You’re kind of a pain in the ass, Con.”

  “Backatya, sis.”

  With his need to make sure his sister was okay, his plans were effectively shot to hell, so he followed Cricket home, then headed for Blush. He couldn’t help his mind from turning to the class-act he’d helped earlier as he rode. Fuck, she was gorgeous. He wondered if she’d made it home okay and if she was having any other issues with her car. Not that he could do anything about it unless he was willing to cross over to the stalking line and have Booker do a background check. He had her license plate, it would be easy.

  He shook his head. No, he wouldn’t do it. She was far too classy to be anything but high-maintenance, and the last thing he was lookin’ for was more drama. He’d done that once before and suffered the cost. Never again.

  Hatch walked into Blush and Booker led him downstairs to where Matt was handcuffed to a metal chair, his mouth duct taped closed.

  Matt’s eyes darted between Pug and Train, two of the scariest individuals on the planet, but, then again, Matt hadn’t seen what Hatch could do.

  “Hey, Hatch,” Train said, and stepped away from Matt.

  Hatch gave him a chin lift and then turned his attention to Matt. “You remember who I am?”

  Matt nodded.

  “So you also remember how you and I had a nice little talk about how you needed to treat my sister right?”

  Matt nodded again.

  “And remember how I told you that if you didn’t, there’d be consequences?”

  Matt scowled in response.

  “So, we seem to have a little problem here, because my sister has some bruises and a bloody lip. Blush cameras got a real good look at the person who put those bruises there… and it’s you; in case you were gonna try to deny it, so I’m real disappointed that you didn’t listen to my warning.” Hatch cracked his knuckles, then crossed his arms. “Do you know why they call me Hatch?”

  Matt shook his head.

  “It’s short for the Hatchet Man. I take care of people who get in the way and I do it without blowback. You have just become one of those people who got in the way, Matthew, and I’m going to take care of you.”

  * * *

  Maisie

  Saturday afternoon the kids were bouncing off the walls and I was ready for a break. The rain had stopped, so I decided it was time to take a little walk to the neighborhood park and see if I couldn’t run off some of their energy.

  Don’t get me wrong, I loved watching Ryan and Ali’s kids, but three on one was a lot more work than just Poppy. She and I had a symbiotic thing going on, plus I could theoretically beat her since she was my own.

  “Right, loves. Let’s go,” I called down the hall.

  “Can I bring my skateboard, Auntie?” M
errick asked.

  “Yes, as long as you wear your helmet.”

  We leashed their golden doodle, Curly, donned rain jackets (just in case), and piled out of the house. I loved the rain, which, in a roundabout way, was how we ended up in Portland. I couldn’t fathom the thought of leaving London and going somewhere perpetually sunny. I craved the rain like most people craved the sunshine, so when Niall had been offered his dream job and discovered they had an office in Portland, we jumped at the chance. I smiled at the memory, the grip on my heart easing as I took a few deep breaths of the clean air. The smell of the ground after a downpour was always so peaceful… and peace was something I longed for more often than not.

  Arriving at the park, I wasn’t surprised to find other parents with their children enjoying the sunshine, brief as it might be. A beautiful young woman who was quite pregnant sat on a bench and had her gaze fixed protectively on a little girl heading for the ladder to the playhouse. “Cambry, careful baby.”

  “I am, Mama,” she sassed.

  “Hi,” I said.

  The woman sighed and smiled at me. “Hi.”

  “Is this seat taken?” I asked.

  “Nope. It’s all yours. I’m Kim.”

  “Maisie,” I said, sitting on the damp seat and securing Curly to the bench.

  “Are those all of yours?” Kim asked.

  I chuckled. “No. I’m watching my bestie’s kids. Mine’s the blonde one. Poppy.”

  “She’s gorgeous.”

  “I’d have to agree with you.” I smiled as I watched Poppy and Grace help Cambry up the ladder. “How old’s your little one?”

  “Cambry’s three going on sixteen.”

  I chuckled. “They do that, don’t they?”

  “Yes, they do. She also has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.”

  “Well, that’s also their job.” From the second Poppy was born, she’d bonded to Niall. They were inseparable.

  “This is so true.” Kim ran her hands over her belly. “Do you and your husband have other kids?”

  I shook my head. “He died before we could.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine, love. It was a long time ago.”