“Guess that explains the connection,” Lake said to Noah.
Dixon gazed down at her. “Can I talk to you?” He took her by the arm.
At her nod, he led her away. She felt her brothers’ stares boring into her from behind as Dixon led her into the shadows near the wall of the bar.
He searched her face. “Dammit, I should have been here for you. I didn’t get your call until I got out of the mountains. Are you all right? Hell, of course you’re not. Look at what happened here.” He put his hands on her shoulders and ran them down her arms as if feeling for injuries.
She shivered. “I’m fine. Shaken up is all. The Mayhem came in and a bunch of people left. But then one started shoving another and pretty soon a full on fight broke out. Then I heard the gunshot outside and ran out.”
“You ran out? Jesus Christ, Fiona, do you ever stop jumping into dangerous situations?” He slammed his fingers through his hair. “I should have been here.”
“You can’t always be here.”
“I let you down,” he grated out in a rasp that echoed with the torment of what he was feeling.
Her heart tumbled, and all her anger evaporated like fog burning off over the Smokies at dawn.
She reached for his hands and clenched them tight. Gazing up at him, she said, “How can I be mad at you when you were helping my family?”
“But I failed to help you. Forgive me.”
A soft cry broke from her. Going on tiptoe, she threw her arms around his neck. When he lowered his forehead to hers, she knew this man wasn’t anything like the losers of her past.
After a long moment, he drew away and cradled her head in his big hand. “I gotta get your brothers’ truck to the shop. And then we’ll get them on home.”
“They won’t all fit in my car. Can you drop a couple off at my place?”
“I could if I’ve ever been to your place.” The ghost of a crooked smile appeared and then vanished as the state police lights started flashing again.
“Follow me, okay?” she said.
He nodded.
Half an hour later, she had three of her brothers in her car and Lake had chosen to ride with Dixon. She didn’t even want to guess at the things he grilled Dixon about right now.
JT sat in the front seat, eyeing her up as she drove. “Why didn’t you tell us about this Rothchild?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
JT cast a look over the seat at Syd and Noah. “Didn’t look that way to us. You threw your arms around him. You looked pretty intimate too.”
“I’m not telling you four a thing about my personal life.”
“Aww, Fee, when did you break away from us? You don’t need to live in isolation from your family. Tonight is proof that you need us.”
Noah cleared his throat in the back seat. “You might as well know we signed a rental agreement for a house just outside Mersey. Closer to you. Closer to the Painted Pig. We’ll be here for you now, Fee. We can lend a hand in the bar and act as your bouncers. Whatever you want.”
“You mean barge into my life.”
“That’s not it.” JT shook off her accusation. Silence descended for a moment as she turned onto the side street where her own apartment was situated. “What can you tell us about this guy?”
Her throat tightened. “Dixon?”
“I ain’t talkin’ about Santa Claus.”
Her brothers chuckled in response, but Fiona ground her teeth.
“He’s all right.”
“He’s a mechanic?”
“Yes.”
“He told Lake and Syd that he cleared some of those bikers out of your bar.”
“He did. He does other good acts, like stopping the Mayhem members from selling drugs to some kids. He runs a biker club here in Mersey, separate from Mayhem…against Mayhem.”
“No shit? He wasn’t wearin’ a patch.”
“I don’t think they have patches yet.”
“I can hook him up with a lady who makes them,” Noah spoke up.
Fiona’s brow crinkled. “Wait a minute. Are you guys trying to help out Dixon?”
“Yeah, why not? You approve of him enough to let him into your life.”
She pulled into her parking spot and cut the engine. For a solid minute, she could think of nothing to say. Twisting in her seat, she looked at each of her three brothers. “You’re telling me that you approve of a man I’m interested in?”
They traded looks. “His actions convinced three of us, at least. You still gotta go through Lake, and he’s the hard ass.”
Behind her, the tow truck hauling her brother’s vehicle stopped on the road. Lake jumped out and strode up to her side window.
If she wanted Dixon in her life, she had to convince her family to accept him. She reached for the door handle. “Three down, one to go.”
Dixon cut the engine of his bike and rolled to a stop in front of Fiona’s apartment. Seconds later, her front door opened, and she hurried down the sidewalk on light feet.
Wordlessly, he passed her a brand-new women’s helmet. Even in the dark of night, he caught the shine in her eyes. She fastened the helmet and slipped her leg over his bike. When she locked her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek into his shoulder, he closed his eyes at the feelings she lifted in him.
Body and soul, she owned him. Now she stole his heart away too.
Damn if he ever wanted it back.
He gripped the handlebars and took off down the quiet street. With her at his back, he knew he could ride through life as the best version of himself. He rested a hand over hers where they met at the front of his torso. The thump of his heart in his ears was the most real, raw shit he’d ever experienced, which said a lot when he’d fought for his life.
As he took the corners leading out of town to the shop, Fiona hugged on to him tight and leaned with his body. Each move he made, she followed him. It felt like a dance…like foreplay.
When he hit the straight stretch, he opened it up and raced down the empty road. Her chest vibrated against his spine, and he realized she was laughing.
He hooted, and she echoed with an exhilarated, “Woooohoooooo!”
The long road passed by too quick, in his opinion. He wanted to ride with her forever, with no cares but the wind at their front.
As he pulled into the shop, he realized this place really did feel like home. What did it matter if he didn’t own bricks and mortar at this point in his life? He had enough—all he needed.
He stopped the bike and cut the engine. Then he climbed off to open the main door. After he returned, he found Fiona standing next to the Harley. Tossing a grin her way, he gripped the handlebars and walked it inside while she tailed behind.
Once he closed the door and turned to her, his nerves kicked up. Thin strains of moonlight saturated the space, tinging everything in shades of dark blue. Fiona, holding her helmet to her chest, appeared to not know what to do with herself as much as he didn’t. She bit into her lower lip, and it was all he needed.
In one step, he reached her, setting aside the helmet and pulling her into his body. He threaded his fingers into her thick waves, tugging her head at an angle as he lowered his mouth to hers. The first brush of their lips yanked a growl from him. She answered on a breathy sigh that had his cock hard and aching.