Road to Grace Read online

  “Don’t worry, they’re just gonna box for one round,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.

  “Like with boxing gloves and protective gear?” she asked hopefully.

  “They wrap their hands, to protect their knuckles,” I said in a cheery tone, but it didn’t seem to put her at ease. “Look, it’s only one round, and I’m sure Finch will do great.”

  “Train is twice his size. Why the hell did he pick him?” Grace asked.

  “I think maybe your brother’s trying to prove something. He’s not the biggest guy here, and most of the Dogs probably tend to see him as more of the… academic type,” I replied.

  “He’s going to get killed,” she said.

  “Alright, brothers, Finch here has made his choice and Train will be handing him his patch if he can last three minutes in the circle, so let’s give them some room while their corner men finish wrapping them up,” Crow said.

  Hawk was serving as Train’s corner man, and Hatch as Finch’s. As his sponsor, it was a given that the honor would be Hatch’s. He was lucky to have him on his side rather than squaring off against him like I did. Hatch just about whipped the shit outta me, but I hung in there till the end. I even gave Hatch a nice scar for his troubles. I always tell him it’s a good thing his pretty boy hair covers it up.

  “Okay, Train, Finch, you both know the rules,” Crow said, standing between the two shirtless men. “When I blast this air horn, you both come out fighting, and good luck to you Finch.”

  Crow blew the horn and Grace’s hand immediately went for mine, gripping it tightly. The two men in the center of our makeshift ring circled each other.

  “Ohmigod, I can’t watch,” she said, burying herself into my chest. For a second, I froze, afraid to do the wrong thing. I was completely turned on by her touch, so I slowly and gently put one arm around her.

  “It’s okay, I’m sure he’ll do… just fine,” I said in a tone that perhaps could’ve been a bit more convincing.

  Finch opened by throwing two crisp jabs, each connecting with Train’s face. He’d clearly had some coaching, and his technique looked solid. From his footwork to his head movement, this kid was clearly no stranger to a boxing gym.

  “There he goes,” I said excitedly, and I felt Grace’s body relax, ever so slightly.

  Grace peeked out just in time to see Finch throw another blow, a big body shot that connected with a deep thud.

  “See? Look,” I said, just in time to see Train smile, totally unfazed by the shot.

  “Oh, shit,” Grace squeaked.

  “He’ll be alright.”

  The two men continued to circle one another with Finch throwing the occasional jab to find his range. It wasn’t like he could miss his target. Train was massive, both tall and muscular and at least two weight classes above Finch. I admired his balls for picking Train but wondered if he was really as smart as we all thought. Train would occasionally throw a lazy swat, like a barn cat playing with a field mouse, while Finch stayed busy, circling around his much larger opponent.

  “Alright, enough fuckin’ dancing. Time to get to work!” Hatch shouted to his fighter, and Finch did as he was instructed, delivering a quick body, body, head combination that caused Train to stop smiling and take a step backward.

  Finch moved in and delivered a stiff jab, followed by a right cross to the face of Train, creating a deep cut just over his left eyebrow, which immediately began gushing blood.

  “I think I’m gonna be sick,” Grace said.

  “It’s okay, it’s not your brother’s blood,” I said, as if that was somehow helpful.

  Train examined his wound and momentarily looked down at his now blood-soaked wrap. A wave of panic washed over Finch’s face and Train advanced at him like a bull to a matador.

  “Merrick!” Grace screamed, as her brother covered up to avoid a knock out hit.

  However, rather than go for a head shot, Train delivered a crushing blow to Finch’s mid-section, stopping him in his tracks, and causing him to double over in pain. I winced, knowing he’d be pissing blood tomorrow morning. Train didn’t look pissed, so I knew the kid would live, but whatever was coming next wasn’t going to feel like a goodnight kiss, although it would likely put him to sleep for a while.

  “Just one more minute, Finch! That’s all you’ve gotta do is last one more fuckin’ minute!” I yelled, as I held Grace tightly to my chest. The intoxicating smell of her hair made me want to take her into the nearest empty room and bury my cock as deep inside of her as I could.

  Train hit Finch with a clean right hook that connected directly with his chin. His eyes rolled back in their sockets momentarily and his knees began to buckle. I think if Train had hit him with just one more pound of force, Finch would still be face down in the dirt to this day. It is this reporter’s opinion, however, that Train pulled his punch ever so slightly.

  “Merrick!” Grace shouted, attempting to push through the circle of Dogs.

  “Whoa, hold on there,” I said, pulling her away from the action. “What are you gonna do, beat Train up yourself?” I laughed.

  Finch’s legs wobbled, giving way underneath him, but Train caught him before he went down, holding him up as if he were still fighting.

  “The kid’s still in it!” Train yelled to an approving roar of the crowd. Train, blood pouring from his head, held Finch up for the next thirty seconds as he regained full consciousness. Just in time for Crow to blow the ending horn, and for Finch to receive his patch. As I stayed with Grace, the rest of the Dogs rushed Finch, holding him up and carrying him off to drink away his injuries.

  “He did it. See, I told ya, nothin’ to worry about at all.” I smiled at Grace.

  “I’m sorry for all the… ah… climbing all over you and such,” she said sheepishly, her head down slightly, her eyes looking up at me. I’d never seen anything so sexy in my entire life.

  Someone grabbed me by the shoulder and shoved me into the crowd, and I lost Grace in the chaos.

  Grace

  BREAKING AWAY FROM Flea, I moved to the back of the crowd and hugged the chain-link fence. The closeness of the mass of bodies made me feel like I was being crushed and I suddenly couldn’t breathe.

  My eyes searched the crowd for Flea, but I’d lost my lighthouse and it was all too much. My head knew this was what Merrick had signed up for, but my heart couldn’t deal with the violence of it all. I closed my eyes and visualized peace, touched each fingertip with another to stay connected to my body, and took deep breaths as I tried to talk myself out of a panic attack. As the din grew louder, I used the distraction to slip away, back into the building and down the hall toward the bathroom.

  Quiet. I needed quiet.

  As I passed an open doorway, I suddenly felt like my soul left my body. I don’t know why, but terror on a level I had never felt before took over and I couldn’t move. I was frozen to the floor, fear swamping me, and I had no way out.

  “Fuck,” someone whispered, and then strong arms wrapped around me and I was being guided away from the doorway.

  Still, I couldn’t bring myself out of my trance. I tried. I fought to surface like I was drowning in black water, but my brain had completely shut itself down.

  “Grace.”

  I heard the voice again. Tried to get to the man attached to it, but I lost the trail.

  “Grace.” Rough but gentle hands cupped my cheeks and lifted my head. “Grace, look at me.”

  I swallowed.

  “Grace,” he repeated. “Hey, you need to look at me.”

  I blinked, glancing up and seeing Flea’s face come into focus, then I fell into him, wrapping my arms around his waist and holding on tight.

  “Okay, baby, I’ve got you,” he said, and wrapped his arms around me.

  Gulping in deep breaths, his scent surrounded me, and I calmed almost immediately. We stood there for several minutes. Not once did he seem weirded out that a virtual stranger had just accosted him in the bunk room, or that some crazy chick wa
s sobbing into his T-shirt. I didn’t want to let go, especially when he started to stroke my hair. All of it felt nice. Safe.

  “Grace!” Poppy called, and I pulled out of Flea’s arms.

  Flea walked to the door and stuck his head into the hallway. “She’s in here.”

  My best friend rushed inside and stalled. She glanced at Flea, then back at me again. “You saw.”

  I nodded, forcing back tears. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  “What did she see?” Flea asked.

  “Ashley got a new gun,” Poppy explained. “She was in the green room showing it to a couple of the girls.”

  “Goddammit!” Flea snapped.

  “It’s okay. It’s not her fault,” I rushed to say. “She has every right…”

  “I’m gonna deal with it,” Flea said.

  I shook my head. “No, don’t. Please, Flea.”

  But I was talking to dead space because he was already out the door.

  “Gracie? How’s your breathing?” Poppy asked, and I focused on it for a second.

  “I’m not going to pass out,” I promised.

  Poppy knew how much I hated to be touched after one of my ‘spells,’ so she kept her distance, but I could tell it was killing her. Poppy was a hugger. It was how she showed her love, but the fact she was always willing to give me what I needed proved she loved me best of all. Well, at least more than most. Devon was her number one and had been since we were twelve, but I was okay with being second to him, because he gave Poppy what she needed.

  A knock sounded on the door and Poppy smiled gently. “It’s probably Devon.”

  I nodded, but still found myself walking toward the wall.

  Poppy opened the door a sliver. “Hi, honey. Yep, she’s here.”

  “You okay, Grace?” Devon called through the door.

  “I’m good,” I said.

  “Let me in,” Maisie demanded, and I gave Poppy a nod.

  She opened the door slightly to let her mom in and I saw Hatch through the crack. He stared at me like he wanted to pull me in for one of his bear hugs, but he also knew it would break me. I tried to give him an encouraging smile, but I’m not sure I succeeded.

  “We’ll be out in a bit,” Poppy said to the small group, and closed the door again, turning to face me.

  “Darling?” Maisie said quietly and approached me. “What can I do?”

  I shook my head. “I’m okay.”

  “I’m going to touch you,” she warned, and I stiffened, but let her approach.

  Maisie settled her palm gently against my cheek and I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch. “Okay, love, I’m going to wrap my arms around you now.”

  Before I could react, her sweet, motherly arms slid around me, and I instantly felt safe. Maisie had saved my life ten years ago, and she was always my safe place to land whenever I needed her. I hugged her back and she kissed my temple.

  “You’re okay, darling. I’ve got you.”

  “Open this fucking door!” Merrick bellowed from the hallway.

  Apparently, Poppy had locked it.

  “You better do it, Poppy,” I said, and she pulled it open.

  My brother filled the doorway, his face contorted with both concern and rage. His arm was wrapped around his stomach and his face looked like it had gone a couple of rounds with a wood-chipper, but he still managed to bellow, “What the fuck happened?”

  Poppy closed the door again, but not before Flea pushed his way back inside. “Finch, brother, you need to calm down,” Flea warned.

  I really hoped Flea hadn’t jacked Ashley up. She was the president’s daughter, but besides that, I liked her. She shouldn’t have to adjust because I was crazy.

  “I don’t have to do anything except find out what the fuck happened to my sister,” Finch growled.

  “Watch yourself, Finch,” Flea warned. “You’re upsetting your sister. You’re also close to disrespecting your elder.”

  “I’m okay,” I said, my face now flaming from embarrassment. Why the hell did I have to do this publicly? I thought I was over this. I’d worked for years to get to a place of health, and with one incident, I was right back where I started.

  My brother stalked toward me but didn’t reach out to touch me. “What happened?”

  “We can talk about it later. Please, Merrick. I’m just going to go home.”

  “You can’t drive like this, Grace,” he countered.

  “Finch!” someone bellowed.

  “Go, brother,” Flea said. “I’ll make sure Grace gets home okay.”

  “Mer, I’m okay,” I repeated for the umpteenth time. “Do what you gotta do.”

  I just wanted to get out of there and hide in the dark. Alone.

  My brother left (thank God) and I found myself alone with Poppy, Maisie… and Flea.

  “Devon and I’ll take you home, Gracie,” Poppy offered.

  “No. Please, Poppy, I don’t… I can’t…”

  “I’ll take you alone, then.”

  “Devon’ll freak if you do that, Poppy. I’m fine to drive. Seriously.”

  “I will take you,” Flea said, crossing his arms. The toothpick he seemed to constantly have in his mouth moved up and down as he spoke.

  “I―”

  “Not up for debate,” he said.

  Poppy shook her head. “Flea, she can’t―”

  “It’s okay, Poppy,” I said. “I’ll go with Flea.”

  Her expression was one of shock mixed with concern. “Grace, you don’t have to do that.”

  “I know.” I forced a smile. “I trust Flea.”

  Again, her expression was one of shock, but the concern was gone.

  Everyone trusted Flea. He was extremely dependable, and I knew this because I’d known him for as long as Poppy had. He was an institution, always there when someone needed protecting, so it wasn’t out of the realm of probability that I’d trust him, but it still obviously surprised her. I’d never shared my thoughts about Flea or his effect on me. I’d always kept them locked up tight in my heart, afraid that if I’d voiced them, he’d suddenly disappear.

  “Darling, Hatch and I will be happy to take you home,” Maisie said.

  “I really just need everyone to stop fussing,” I said. “Please. I’ve already caused so much uproar, and I want to go home and sleep.”

  “Sweetness, you’ve caused no uproar.” Maisie smiled. “No one even knows you’re in here.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “The crowd outside hasn’t alerted everyone?”

  “There’s way too much drinking and celebrating going on for anyone to be worried about you, honey,” Poppy assured. “Devon’s keeping everyone occupied, and I’m sure Hatch is close by as well.”

  “We can walk out the back and no one’ll be the wiser,” Flea said.

  “I have my car.”

  “I’ll drive your car to your brother’s later,” Poppy said. “Devon can follow me, and we’ll head home together.”

  I focused on Flea. “You don’t mind?”

  He shook his head.

  I nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

  “I’ll get your bag.” Poppy left the room but returned quickly with my purse and jacket.

  I pulled my keys out and handed them to her, then Flea led me down the hall and out the back door.

  “You okay to ride?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Merrick’s taken me a couple times.”

  He handed me a helmet, and I pulled it on while Flea climbed onto his Harley and lifted the kickstand with his boot. I used his shoulders for balance as I jumped on behind him, then he started the engine and we took off for my brother’s.

  I wrapped my arms tight around his waist and held on, my heart racing and my soul suddenly flying as Flea maneuvered his bike toward home.

  * * *

  Flea

  Fuck me, this woman was gonna be a problem. Her tight little body pressed close brought my dick to attention, but her terror earlier gave me an overwhelming desire to protect
her. I’d never had the push pull of my emotions with a woman before. I’d never really had any kind of emotional pull toward a woman outside of my sister, so this was new.

  And I couldn’t say I was a fan.

  Women were a complication I had no desire to deal with. And now one was on the back of my bike. Fuck! I’d never had a woman on the back of my bike before, so this was a new wrinkle I hadn’t been prepared for.

  Especially, because Grace Lundy felt right pressed up against my body.

  Fuck!

  I pulled into her brother’s complex and parked in a visitor’s spot, cutting the engine and lowering the kickstand. Grace climbed off like a pro, and I followed.

  Handing me the helmet, she hid her face with her hair. “Thanks for the ride.”

  “You’re welcome.” I took the helmet and set it in a saddlebag, dropping mine inside as well.

  “I’ll see you―”

  “I’m walkin’ you in, Grace,” I said.

  Her eyes met mine. “No. It’s okay, you don’t have to do that.”

  “Yeah, I do. Lead the way.”

  She hesitated for less than a second before giving me a tentative nod and heading toward the building.

  As was my habit, I assessed the safety of the building as we walked inside. I liked that she had to enter a code to get in and the doors all appeared to be in working order, but there wasn’t a doorman, which bothered me.

  “Do you have security here?” I asked.

  She cocked her head as she pressed the button for the elevator. “What do you mean?”

  “Doorman, guy with a badge type of thing.”

  “Does my brother look like the type who’d rent from a building with a fancy doorman kind of guy?”

  “No, but you do.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m buried in student loans and haven’t found a job yet, so, I feel lucky to have a brother who loves me enough to let me mooch off of him, even if it’s not a building with a doorman.”

  “Thought you were a dancer,” I said as we stepped into the elevator.

  “I am. But that’s not currently paying the bills, so I’m hitting the pavement to see what I can find.”

  “Hatch always needs help at his shop. You want me to find out if there’s anything open?” I asked.