Evernight Publishing ®

ISBN: 978-1-77233-005-2

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

Editor: JS Cook

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No
part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual
events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

There are so many people I'd like to thank for inspiring me to write this book...

First of all, I have to thank the brave men and women who serve our country. While there are a

lot of books that focus on men getting on with their lives after they leave military service, this book
deals with some of the aftermath that isn't easily forgotten once the fighting is over. I like to think of
this book as a small way to show my thanks, and to say that your sacrifices are appreciated.

To all the men and women who work and volunteer at animal shelters all over the world. Thank

you for giving those animals within your care the love they deserve, and a second chance to have a
good home.

Thanks to Dusty Rhodes and Bees Tattoo for helping me understand the behind the scenes

workings of a tattoo parlor, and for helping me bring my own special tribute to life.

To all the breast cancer survivors out there, and to the ones we have lost. I only touch on this

subject, but I hope that people understand the importance of going for check-ups and catching any
potential issues early. It may save a life. Live Strong. I wish you health and happiness—and most of
all—a life full of love.

And last but not least, thank you to the men and women who are a part of bikers clubs and

groups that focus on doing good work. I want to stress that not all biker clubs are bad. In fact there are
several clubs that are strictly for law enforcement officials, and others that focus on riding together
for a common goal, such as helping victims of child abuse or domestic violence. These men and
women defend those who stand alone and afraid, and act as a shield when need be. If you are
interested in learning more, just look them up on the web. There are large, international groups or
smaller local chapters that people can get involved in. They may look like bad-asses, but their causes
are righteous.

NYGHT’S EVE

The Breakers’ Bad Boys, 2

Laurie Roma

Chapter One

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”
Daryk Nyght scowled as he looked around the Fight Hard gym. He’d just arrived in Breakers

after a long drive, and the last thing he wanted was to be somewhere he was surrounded by people…
even if half of those people were scantily dressed women.

God, something had to be seriously wrong with him.
Despite the view, he couldn’t help feeling irritated by the barrage of noise coming from all

around him. Daryk—or Dare as he preferred to be called—had expected the general noise of a
working gym. The grunts and sounds of boxing gloves meeting flesh coming from the sparring rings
didn’t faze him. No, what had him mentally cursing was the cheerful sound of feminine voices drifting
over from the far side of the room.

Good Christ, were those women giggling?
Hitching the strap of his backpack further up on his shoulder, Dare stalked toward the mountain

of a man with a shaved head who was watching the group of women. The giant stood like a sentinel at
the edge of the mats with his hands braced on his hips. Coming to a stop next to him, Dare continued
to frown at the sight on the mats.

“If you tell me you put in a spa, I’m fucking leaving.”
The man turned and a wide grin spread across his face. “Nyght!”
Dare tried to brace himself, but still had to grimace as Jared “Hammer” Caufield wrapped his

massive arms around him and squeezed the breath right out of his lungs. At six foot two, Dare was a
big man, but Hammer easily had a few inches on him, and also a good thirty pounds in muscle mass.

Even with his piss poor mood, Dare was glad to see his friend. He and Hammer had met while

they were stationed at the same army base in Iraq, and had become good friends. Dare had been a
trauma surgeon, while Hammer had been in the Rangers. When Hammer left the Army to begin his
career as an MMA fighter, Dare’s life had taken a far different path.

A far more dark and dangerous path.
Hammer pulled back, taking a good look at his friend and frowned at what he saw. Instead of

the buzz cut they used to have in common, Dare’s black hair had grown out into a dark array of shaggy
locks. With several days beard growth, and wearing a beat-to-shit black leather jacket with a pair of
worn jeans, Dare almost looked like a hard-ass, dangerous biker…or some sort of wild animal. But
what really showed Hammer the change in his friend was the hard gleam in Nyght’s dark-grey eyes

that hadn’t been there last time they’d seen each other. It was the lethal look that soldiers developed
who had seen too much hard shit…who had done too much. Hammer knew because he had often seen
that look in his own eyes, before he’d found peace.

“Damn good to see you, bro.”
“Back atcha.” Dare looked around the large gym and had to grin. “You did a good job with this

place. Last time I was here it was nothing but a big pile of shit.”

Hammer laughed. “I remember. We’d just torn down that old warehouse and I was wearing that

stupid brace on my knee.”

“Looks like you’ve completely recovered.”
“I have. Damn, Dare. It really is good to see you. I’d introduce you to my fiancée, Kali, but Sam

might kill me if I interrupt them in the middle of class.”

“That’s the physical therapist that kicked your ass back in gear after your surgery, right?” Both

men turned back to watch the women on the mats. Dare glanced at the stacked woman with light-
brown hair running the class that he’d met after Hammer’s surgery. He knew that Sam used to be a
fighter pilot in the Air Force until she was shot down on a mission. She must be a pretty tough woman
to have made it out of enemy territory alone and injured. Unable to fly anymore, she’d gone on to
become a physical therapist, using her military training to beat people back into shape.

“Yep. I figured if she could scare the crap out of me, she’d be able to run the rehab center

upstairs no problem.”

“She was a good choice then.” Dare paused, then shot a glance over at Hammer. “I have to

ask…when did you start holding chick classes here?”

The big former MMA fighter scowled and crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Don’t

even start that shit.” He lowered his voice so no one else would hear. “You know they actually call
this class girl fight?”

“Christ.”
“I know,” Hammer sighed. “We started holding the class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I

originally did it for Kali and a few of her friends, but more women just kept signing up. We have over
twenty in the class now, off and on. It’s good for business, and more men seem to plan their workout
schedules around the women’s classes.”

“I can see why,” Dare murmured as he watched the women bend over in unison. “Let me guess,

the cute little redhead with ‘Hammer’ stamped across the back of her pants is yours?”

Hammer grunted. “Damn right. I’ve ordered all kinds of Rough and Tough apparel with my

name on it for her to wear. I need to make sure everyone knows Kali belongs to me.”

“Well, marking her ass with your name is certainly one way to do it,” Dare remarked dryly,

then he squinted to get a better look. “And Jesus, is that a hammer tattooed on her shoulder?”

Grinning, Hammer nodded. “That was all her idea. It saves me the trouble of knocking heads

together when people know she’s taken. Since we started this damn class I think there have been more
hook-ups beginning here than at The Fox Hole,” he added, mentioning the local biker bar in town.

Fuck.
“That’s it. I’m outta here.”
Hammer laughed as he reached out to grab hold of Dare’s arm, holding him in place. “Calm

down. I think you’re safe, considering you look like some sort of crazed mountain man.”

“I’ve been busy.” Dare absently scratched at his beard. Damn, he really did need to shave. He

almost lost his balance as Hammer’s hand came down on his shoulder.

“Come on, Nyght. I’ll give you a tour of the place.”

Dare gladly followed Hammer out of the gym, up to the quiet second floor of Fight Hard where

the rehabilitation center was located. Hammer had spared no expense, having outfitted the rehab
center with high-end medical and training equipment. Dare asked a few questions as Hammer showed
him around, and he had to scoff as he saw some of the Pilates equipment that hadn’t been in the
original plans. Hammer explained that Sam and the other physical therapists had been very successful
using the equipment to help rehab their clients. To Dare’s amusement, Hammer also muttered about a
few Pilates classes being taught there during the week, but said he tried to avoid the upstairs area
whenever those were going on.

Overall, Dare was pleased to see that the Fight Hard Training and Rehabilitation Center was a

world class facility, and knew it was a place Hammer could be very proud of. When he’d had told
Dare he wanted to open a gym back in his hometown of Breakers after his injury, Dare had thought it
was a damn good idea. With Hammer’s mixed martial arts training, it seemed like a perfect transition.
With the addition of the rehab center that catered to vets and other athletes, it made Dare want to get
involved.

Even though Hammer had made enough money as a Cage Fighting League champion, both Dare

and their other friend, Adam Rever, wanted to support his new business venture. Hammer had
allowed Dare and Rever to invest, while he kept controlling interest of the business. Hammer did a
good job keeping them informed about what was going on with the gym by email, but Dare knew he
and Rever weren’t really necessary to the business. They were mainly there to support their friend.

And the truth was, a part of Dare had never really expected to live to see the gym finished.
“You did a good job with this place, Hammer.”
As if he knew what Dare was thinking, Hammer stopped and looked at him with sober eyes.

“How are you doing, Dare? Because I gotta tell you…you look like shit.”

“Gee, thanks.”
“Seriously, man. We expected you last month. I thought you were resting up at that cabin in

Colorado? You don’t look that rested or relaxed.”

Dare turned away, staring across the large room as memories plagued him. No, he wasn’t

rested. In fact, he felt like he was damn close to losing his mind. Being a trauma surgeon in the Army
had been hard. No, it had been fucking brutal. Sure there were days that he’d done the basic
monotonous doctor shit on base, but there were other days that had been filled with the screams of
injured men and women that would haunt him till the end of his days.

And he felt the loss of each and every patient under his care.
What he couldn’t tell Hammer was that the last few years he’d been working with an

international anti-terrorist agency that very few people even knew existed. Tired of always seeing his
friends in danger, Dare had jumped at the chance to join the elite taskforce to help stop the threats
before they turned into mass violence. What he hadn’t realized was that being at ground zero would
be like walking into hell.

And not many men could come back from that.
Dare could tell Hammer what he couldn’t say to anyone else. Even though there were details he

couldn’t tell his friend about his clandestine work, dealing with the aftermath alone wasn’t a good
idea. He'd tried that over the last few months and it had been an epic failure. That was why he had
come to Breakers. To try and figure out what to do with his life now that he had retired.

“I’m tired,” Dare said quietly after a long minute. “I’m really fucking tired.”
Hammer sat down on one of the benches and watched him with more sympathy than Dare was

comfortable with. “Can you tell me?”

“Some, but I don’t think I’m ready to just yet. I’ll just say that my stay in Colorado wasn’t as

restful as I thought it was going to be. I took my time coming here to clear my head...” He paused for a
moment before he said, “Before that I was in Spain.”

Hammer sucked in a harsh breath that sounded overly loud in the silence of the room. Dare

knew that the news had been filled with the bombings that had happened in Spain for weeks now. A
terrorist group headed by a fanatical leader had targeted several churches in a brutal self-proclaimed
war. The taskforce Dare worked with had taken down the group, but the terrorists had blown up two
churches before they had put a stop to their senseless violence.

And the experience had left Dare with chilling memories that would haunt him forever.
“Jesus. That’s rough,” Hammer said softly. “Listen, I was gonna suggest we go grab something

to eat, but why don’t you just take tonight and settle in? You know you’re always welcome at my
place—”

“No.”
“Which is what I thought you would say,” Hammer responded with a soft chuckle. “So, I

booked you a room at my cousin’s boarding house. Open ended for however long you want to stay.”

Dare frowned at him, not liking the sound of that. “I can just go to a hotel or—”
“It’s not what you think. My cousin Evie converted Beaumont Manor—her old plantation house

—into a sort of bed and breakfast for service men and women who need a little peace and quiet
before they go back to their real lives. Some of our rehab patients also stay there. You remember my
stepbrother Hunter, right? He lives in an apartment on the main level. It’s a good place. I think you’ll
like it.”

He wanted to decline the offer, but found himself nodding. “That works…thanks.”
“I’ll call ahead and make sure someone meets you with the keys.” Hammer paused for a

moment. “I'm really glad you're here, Nyght. I hope you’ll consider staying.”

“I can’t think that far ahead right now.”
Hammer nodded in understanding. They said their goodbyes. Dare breathed a sigh of relief as

he left the Fight Hard building, stepping out into the cool evening breeze. After Hammer had given
him the directions to the Beaumont estate, Dare promised that he’d stop by the gym again after he’d
gotten some rest. He just wasn’t in the mood for friendly visitations at the moment, even if Hammer
was like a brother to him.

Hell, he hadn’t been fit for human interaction for weeks now...and still wasn’t.
Not yet.
He straddled his Harley and started it up, pleased by the low, throaty growl the engine made.

Driving out of town, Dare let his mind drift. Since he’d been back in the States, he’d been traveling
light. He’d made the mistake of going home to Atlanta when he’d first come back stateside. It had
been good to see his mother, but it had been the same old story with his dad and brother.

The Nyght’s were a powerful family that traced their lineage back to medieval Scotland. They

had been one of the wealthiest families to settle in the new world, and Dare’s father, William Nyght,
took their heritage very seriously, going as far to hang the family crest in a place of prominence in
their mansion located in Atlanta. Dare’s great-grandfather had been a founding partner in one of the
world’s largest international law firms, and it had become tradition for all of the Nyght men to join
the practice.

Until Dare.
William was a man who stuck to very strict ideals of what it meant to be a Nyght, and joining

the military was not acceptable to him. Dare still remembered the heated argument that had taken

place when he told his family that he had enlisted and had decided to go to medical school instead of
studying law. His mother had done what she always did. She agreed with whatever her husband
decreed. She loved her life too much the way it was, and Dare had learned to accept that she would
never be strong enough to stand against William.

The divide between Dare and his father had gotten even worse when his younger brother, Peter,

had enrolled in law school and prepared to join the family firm like a proper Nyght. When William
finally realized that Dare would never fall into the family fold, he had disowned him, ruthlessly
cutting him off.

At first it had hurt, but Dare knew that he’d made the right choice. Being a doctor was what he

had been meant to do. He had an aptitude for cutting and had soaked up knowledge like a sponge.
Being able to assess a situation instantly and having a steady hand no matter where he was made him
an asset in the field. It had been a constant struggle against his commanding officers who had tried to
keep Dare on base where he would remain safe, when all he wanted to do was be out where he was
needed most.

When the opportunity came to join the elite taskforce, Dare had been ready and willing to join

the action. It had given him a sense of pride to know that he was saving lives on a daily basis, but the
threat level the taskforce dealt with had been enough to scare the shit out of him despite his training
and background. His time working with them had hardened him. Had given him a combat awareness
that could only be attained through experience.

But he hadn’t been ready for what happened in Spain.
Dare had waded through the blood of the victims of the two bombings, doing all he could to

help the few survivors they’d found. He couldn’t even put the horrors of what he’d seen into words.
Still, he had kept a cool head while his heart had wept for the victims. It was such a senseless act of
violence that Dare would never understand the levels of cruelty humans could perpetrate on one
another. However, dealing with the aftermath of those first two bombings wasn’t what had made Dare
decide to walk away.

No, that decision had been made the second he’d been forced to take a life.
For as long as he could remember, he’d wanted to heal people. Dare had taken an oath when he

had become a doctor, but doing no harm wasn’t always possible when facing war. Still, he had done
his best to fulfill his pledge whenever he could. He had been in firefights before. It was an inevitable
reality of combat to draw one’s weapon, and it had never bothered him that much when it was kill or
be killed, fighting side by side with his friends and fellow soldiers.

That was until he had come face to face with the terrorist leader who had been fleeing the scene

of the third bombing.

The taskforce had discovered the third target of the terrorist group, and had converged on the

location in time to evacuate the people inside the church before the bomb could go off. Dare had
stayed back in a van filled with medical supplies in case he was needed when he’d seen the leader
they had been searching for fleeing the scene. With all the other agents occupied, Dare had chased
after the terrorist, and had been forced to take him out.

During his time in the Army, Dare had never had to kill someone while looking them dead in the

eye. He had returned fire at a nameless, faceless enemy when fired upon, but this...damn, this had
been completely different. The fanatical leader had been carrying a remote trigger for the bomb and
had been prepared to use it, forcing Dare to kill him. He knew he had done what he’d needed to.
Countless of lives would have been lost if he hadn’t killed the man, but watching the light of life
leave the other man’s eyes—knowing he was the one who had taken that life—had done something to

Dare.

How the fuck was he supposed to tell people that sight of blood now made him sick?
Dare was a doctor for Christ’s sake. Having an aversion to seeing blood was something he

couldn’t afford to deal with, and frankly, it was embarrassing as hell. He knew it was a mental block
—one that he would eventually get over as soon as he came to terms with what he had done—but he
wasn’t there yet. He needed time. Time to allow himself to heal and clear his mind of the fatigue that
had been plaguing him.

Time to figure out what the hell to do now that he no longer wanted to be a soldier.
Following the directions Hammer had given him, Dare rode his bike further from town into the

quiet of the countryside. While the rest of the country was dealing with fickle weather conditions,
spring had come full force to Breakers, Texas, making the evening drive pleasant.

It was like entering into a different world as Dare turned his bike onto the long road that led

toward the Beaumont estate. Tall trees lined the paved driveway, and the large expanse of manicured
lawn made Dare absently wonder what poor bastard took care of so much damn land.

Off in the distance he could see a large barn the size of a warehouse sitting on one side of a big

pond that glittered in the red and gold rays of the setting sun. There was a massive residence made of
stone and glass on the other side of the pond that gleamed in the sunlight, looking like something right
out of a fairytale. But what had Dare slowing down was the sight of the large white plantation house
he was approaching.

Columns lined the large front porch of both the second and main floors of the buildings, making

it look like he had stepped back in time to the grand old south. From the description he’d been given,
Dare knew this was the residence that Hammer’s cousin had grown up in. He couldn’t help but
wonder why she had given up living in the impressive house in order to use it as a boarding house.
Still, he was glad that she had, whatever her reasoning. The quiet atmosphere immediately appealed
to him as he pulled into the small parking lot off to the side of the house.

Maybe he would finally be able to get some rest and relax a little.
Dare parked his bike next to another Harley and took a moment to admire the sleek beast. He

also noticed there was a large medically equipped van parked in the lot along with a few big trucks.
All but swaying with fatigue, he got off his bike. The last few hours had taken on a surreal feeling that
only happened when he finally hit the wall. The drive had felt like he was maneuvering through a
video game or something, and he was damn lucky he’d arrived before he crashed.

Fuck, at thirty-four he was getting too old for this shit. As a doctor, he was used to sleep

deprivation, but knew he had pushed his system to its limits. It had been foolish to drive while in this
condition. He knew it, and was now looking forward to getting some rest. Maybe a week’s worth if
he was lucky. Yeah, he’d feel better if he could sleep for a week, surrounded by nothing but peace
and quiet.

Shaking off the fatigue for a few more minutes, he unlatched his saddlebag from the back of his

bike. He hefted it onto one shoulder, then readjusted as it smacked up against his backpack already
secured on his back. Striding toward the building, he looked up and skidded to a halt as the front door
to the plantation house opened and a vision walked out.

Sweet Jesus, she was absolutely stunning.
Her long blonde hair shimmered to burnished gold in the fading sunlight. She was tall, around

five-eight if his gauge was accurate, and had a face of such classic beauty that it belonged on the
covers of magazines. She was dressed in dark jeans with a cream-colored cardigan over a matching
undershirt that showed some of the tanned skin of her stomach. Something about seeing that small strip

of flesh had Dare’s blood heating and the muscles of his body tensing.

Sure, he loved seeing scantily clad women as much as the next guy, like those women in the

gym earlier. He was a man after all. But there was something about the classy blonde standing before
him in that stupid sweater set that stirred his interest in a way that hadn’t happened in longer than he
could remember. Dare let his gaze drift up and felt a visceral reaction as his eyes met the clear blue
of hers as she moved closer.

“Hello, welcome to the Beaumont Boarding House. You must be Dr. Nyght.”
All he could do was blink at the vision standing in front of him and try to remember how to

speak. All the blood in his body seemed to have drained straight down to his dick, making it almost
impossible for him to think. She had an almost regal bearing as she stood there staring down at him.
God, she was the type of woman men went down on their knees for…the kind they dreamed about.

She was one beautiful fucking woman.
Evelyn Beaumont stood on the porch looking down at the man standing at the bottom of the front

stairs, waiting for him to say something. He looked like the sort of dangerous guy she would have
loved to have let her cousin check into the bordering house, but Hunter was currently at Ink This, the
local tattoo parlor where he worked part-time. No matter how scruffy he looked, this man was one of
her cousin’s best friends, and she would welcome him to the haven she had created.

God knew he looked like he needed it.
Evie could see the fatigue heavily lining his face, and everything in her responded to the pain

she noticed in his piercing dark-gray eyes. Something about him made her want to go to him, to reach
out and soothe him. She wanted to tell him that he could heal here, and help him find some peace. But
as a woman who ran a rescue center working with feral dogs, she knew enough to keep her distance.

This man wasn’t tamed.
She eyed him warily from the top of the stairs when he remained silent. “Are you okay?”
Dare shook his head as if trying to rattle some sense into his damn head and braced his hand on

the railing on the side of the front steps. For a second he had thought he’d imagined the woman before
him, but quickly realized that she wasn’t just some dream come to life. She was real…and standing
there looking at him like he was fucking crazy.

Maybe he was.
Damn, he really needed to get some sleep.
“Sorry, what? I am. Dr. Nyght, that is. I mean, Daryk Nyght.” Someone needed to shoot him to

get him to stop talking, because clearly he couldn’t be trusted forming sentences at the moment. She
smiled at him, and Dare was damn glad he was leaning on the railing.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Nyght. I’m Hammer’s cousin, Evelyn Beaumont, but please call me

Evie.”

“Dare.”
Her smile faltered. “Excuse me?”
“My name. Just call me Dare.”
“Okay, Dare. Welcome to the Beaumont Boarding House. Come on in.” She gestured to the

open front door and Dare took a strengthening breath before he climbed the stairs and came to a stop
next to her. Christ, she smelled like peaches. Ripe, juicy peaches. When he’d been overseas he used
to dream of peaches plucked fresh from a tree, still warm from the sun’s rays.

It was a particular weakness of his.
Despite his current difficulties functioning, he still had enough wits about him to motion her

inside before following her into the house. Manners had been far too engrained in him from a young

age for him to act any differently. He breathed her scent in as he closed the door and followed her
through the foyer, down a hall into the large kitchen. He tried to keep his distance so he wouldn’t
make her nervous being in the house with a strange man she didn’t know.

A frown settled over his face. She didn’t know him. What the hell was she doing walking inside

with him where they were alone? He could be—

Dare’s thoughts came to a screeching halt when he realized that she had been speaking to him

again, and was now looking at him with that wary expression again as she moved to stand on the other
side of the marble island in the center of the kitchen. Christ, he really was a mess. “I’m sorry…what
were you saying?”

“The setup is pretty simple here. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, but the rest of the house

is shared space. There is an entertainment area on the main floor with a pool table and a large TV,
and there’s a gym in the basement. We usually offer baked goods in the kitchen, but meals are
basically up to you. Everyone is pretty respectful of other people’s stuff, but if you have food you
don’t want to share, be sure to mark it.”

Evie gestured toward a hallway off the kitchen. “My cousin Hunter lives in the apartment down

that hall, but if he isn’t around you can just ask one of us. All of our phone numbers are listed here by
the phone. My uncle Tony and his wife Maddy usually stop by every Monday and Friday to check on
things, but they’re on vacation right now. You know Hammer’s mother, Madeline, right? Anyways,
they’ll be back in a few weeks, but my cousins and I live right down the road, just passed the rescue
center if you need anything.”

Dare scowled before he could stop himself. “Rescue center? As in barking dogs?”
He knew he’d made a grave error as soon as those beautiful blue eyes iced over. He belatedly

remembered seeing the big barn down the road, and also recalled what he had heard about her the last
time he’d come to Breakers. Evie had been out of town, but he’d met her cousins, Beckett, Francesca
and Hunter—who were also Hammer’s step-siblings—and they had spoken of the rescue center
where they all worked part-time. The rescue center was Evie’s pride and joy…and he had just
insulted it.

Damn it, why couldn’t he fucking think before he spoke?
Evie regarded him coolly. “The Beaumont Rescue Center is far enough that you shouldn’t be

disturbed by the noise.”

“I’m sure it is. I like dogs. Really, I like all animals.” Rubbing a hand over his face, he sighed.

“Sorry, I haven’t slept in…hell, I don’t know. I’m not usually this…”

Fucked up.
Evie’s face softened and her eyes warmed with sympathy again. She picked up a set of keys

from the counter and handed them to him. “I’ll let you get settled in. You’re in room ten. It’s a corner
room on the second floor.” She hesitated for a moment before saying, “There’s a family style meal in
a few days over at my house. It’s nothing big…just a barbeque, but we try to do something on Sundays
with the family and the workers from the center. Feel free to stop by if you’re feeling up to it.”

She opened the door before he could say anything, and with a cheerful wave, she walked out

onto the back patio, shutting the door in his face. Without thinking, he found himself moving to a
nearby window, watching as she got into a golf cart. He stood there as she headed across the
manicure lawn towards the stone and glass manor down the road.

The princess in the glass tower, he thought as he watched her leave, then shook his head at the

fanciful thought. Sweet Jesus, he really needed sleep. With that in mind, he turned from the window
and left the kitchen, making his way back to the front of the house. He climbed the grand staircase,

absently admiring open space of the large foyer until he reached the second floor.

He turned down the hall, then had to backtrack and go the other way until he reached his room.

Using the key, he let himself in, then simply dropped his bags on the floor after he shut the door and
locked it. Not even taking the time to look around the well-appointed room, he sat down on the bed
and leaned over to remove his boots, almost falling over in the process.

Damn, was he in sorry shape.
Exploring would have to wait. Dare let out a long sigh as he lay back on the bed, and was

asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Chapter Two

Dare woke up on Monday morning feeling more rested than he had in months. He’d slept the

entire weekend away, only waking long enough to piss and stumble downstairs to the kitchen to
forage for something to eat.

On Saturday, he woke briefly after the sun had already gone down. To his relief and gratitude,

some benevolent soul had left large muffins under a glass dome on the kitchen counter and a few
containers of soup in the refrigerator as welcome gifts. By the short note left on the counter he’d
highly doubted the food had been left by Hunter, so Dare assumed that the princess of the manor had
been the one to take pity on him and leave him the provisions.

Bless her soul.
To his extreme regret, a pie pan with barely a few crumbs sitting on the bottom was left on the

counter next to the muffins. It was as if the empty pan had been left there to taunt him, and he couldn’t
resist sticking his finger into the meager amount of filling left on the side. Damn, it had been apple pie
and that small amount hinted at how damn delicious it had been.

He loved pie.
Lamenting the missing treat, Dare ate the homemade minestrone soup right out of the container

as he stood at the counter, barely taking time between bites to breathe. The kitchen was a wide-open
space, with a large center island set in the middle of the room. The wooden cabinets were painted
white, and were accented by silver hardware that matched the black marble countertop that was shot
through with veins of silver into the stone. The granite flooring was a lighter gray that went well with
the stainless steel appliances. Overall, it was a welcoming room that Dare liked even better since
there was food there he hadn’t had to make for himself.

After practically inhaling two blueberry muffins, Dare had finally realized he had been acting

like a starving animal, but couldn’t bring himself to care much. It would have been a different story if
someone had been there to witness his behavior, but since he was alone he had just shrugged, grabbed
a bottle of water from the fridge, then trotted off back to bed.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat with him waking well past sunset, clearly having missed the

barbeque at Evie’s place. He roused himself enough to unpack a little, then jumped in the shower and
took the time to shave his beard off before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

He’d taken a little time to notice his surroundings this time, since he had been too tired the

previous day. The plantation house was beautiful, and it made him chuckle when he saw the sturdy
furniture that he was sure had been chosen for the comfort of the large ex-military men that stayed
there.

He’d scowled when he saw another empty pie pan on the kitchen counter. From the look of it,

this time it had been blueberry. Silently cursing the pie thief, he’d opened the refrigerator door to see
someone had restocked it with more soup. He took out a container at random, and after opening the
top, sighed in appreciation as he took a sample of the chicken noodle soup. Again, he ate the entire
container leaning back against the counter. The quiet of the house soothed him, and after eating a
muffin and several cookies, he had gone back to his room and passed out again.

Now that he was rested, he felt more like himself. Standing at the window of his bedroom, he

looked out over the expanse of the Beaumont property. His room faced the large pond and he thought
about taking a run to stretch out muscles that were stiff from disuse. He changed into a pair of shorts

and a t-shirt, then left his room to head downstairs. The scent of coffee had him following his nose to
the kitchen where he found Hunter Savante sitting at the breakfast nook, sipping from a large mug.

Hunter was Hammer’s stepbrother, although they had been friends long before they had been

family. Since Hunter’s father Tony had married Hammer’s mother Madeline a few years ago, they had
formed a large, boisterous family. Dare had met Hunter a few times over the years, and he liked the
taciturn man a great deal. Hunter was an ex-Navy SEAL that had been burned in an explosion during a
mission overseas. He had thick burn scars that covered most of the left side of his body, but Dare
knew better than most that the worst of Hunter’s scars were internal.

Just like his own were.
Hunter looked up as Dare walked in. “Nice to see you’re alive. I thought I’d have to check on

you today to see if you were still breathing if you didn’t come down.”

Dare simply grunted as he poured himself his own mug of coffee. Taking his mug with him, he

moved to sit down across from Hunter at the table, then drank down half his coffee while he simply
eyed the man sitting across the table.

Hunter’s eyebrow rose. “What?”
“It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the pie thief?”
A slow smile spread across Hunter’s face. “You snooze, you lose, buddy. I didn’t know when

you were going to get up…or if you were still alive. I couldn’t just let it go to waste. And it was
damn good pie.”

Dare scowled at him. “You’re a heartless bastard.”
“I am when it comes to pie,” Hunter said with a laugh. “You feeling better now?”
“It’s a start.”
Hunter sobered. “You won’t be bothered here. It’s a good place to take some time and get your

head right. There are only two guys here right now. One has a room, but he’s rarely here. The other
one lost part of his arm in an IED explosion and is doing rehab at Fight Hard. He’s from a few towns
over, but he’s having a hard time adjusting, so he decided to stay here.”

Dare nodded. “It can be hard acclimating to an injury like that. Sometimes it’s more difficult to

be around family or the people close to you while you do.”

“I agree.” Hunter paused before saying, “He’s got a girl—his fiancée—that he’s been

avoiding.”

A look of disgust marred Dare’s face. “She not sticking now that he’s back?”
Hunter shook his head. “Naw, she’s solid. Been by to check on him even though he won’t see

her. She’ll wear him down eventually and make him see that she isn’t going anywhere. I just wanted
to warn you, because when she does track him down, shit is gonna hit the fan.”

“I guess we’ll just have to sit back with a few beers and watch the show.”
“Damn right.” Hunter chuckled then winced as he looked at his watch. “Shit. I’m gonna be late.

I’m supposed to be at the center now. Feel like helping out?”

Dare winced. “I was going to go for a run, but I guess I should. I have to apologize to Evie.”
Hunter’s eyes fired as he pinned Dare with a glare. “What the fuck did you do?”
Running a hand through his hair, Dare sighed. “When I showed up I was so tired I couldn’t form

complete sentences. You’re cousin probably thinks I’m fucked in the head.”

Hunter relaxed again. “I wouldn’t worry too much. Evie’s got a soft spot for the damaged. She

does run a rescue center, after all. What happened?”

Dare gave Hunter a brief rundown of what had transpired, leaving out the fact that he had been

lusting after her when he’d first thought she was a figment of his imagination. He couldn’t even blame

his friend for laughing at him when he explained how he’d unintentionally insulted the rescue center
when he’d complained about the barking.

“Come on. She’ll forgive you if she sees you cleaning up piles of shit in the cages.”
“Great,” Dare muttered, then finished his coffee before getting up.
Once they were outside Dare shot Hunter a look as the other man walked over to a golf cart that

was under an awning located on the side of the house. “Seriously? Your legs broken or something?”

“Just shut up and get in. It’s too fucking early to deal with your shit,” Hunter growled as he

started the cart up.

With a laugh, Dare hopped into the passenger seat just as Hunter took off. It felt almost silly

driving down the road in the little vehicle, but hell, it did beat walking. As they got closer to the
rescue center, Dare admired the large pond that was partially shaded by weeping willow trees. He'd
definitely have to take a run on the paved path that wound around the pond later, but first he had to
make amends by helping out a little.

Hunter parked the golf cart outside the massive, red, barn-like structure that was the size of a

warehouse, right under the large Beaumont Rescue Center sign. The name was painted over a large,
black paw print centered on a white circle. As Dare got out of the cart, he could see numerous cages
set up in rows outside under a shaded awning inside a gated area. He followed Hunter through the
gates, and several of the dogs barked with their tails wagging in greeting.

“What is that?” Dare asked, nodding toward what looked like a small playground set up in an

area past the cages.

“That’s an obstacle course used for agility training. Besides doing rescues, we also do all kinds

of training here. People can schedule group classes for obedience training or search and rescue.”

“That’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, most of us are involved. All the teams in the area take turns being on call. People are

always getting lost in Big Thicket or in the surrounding areas. Come on, I’ll show you around.”

Dare spent the next few hours helping Hunter clean the kennels. To his surprise, he didn’t mind

the work. Cleaning up shit wasn’t his idea of a good time, but he enjoyed interacting with the dogs.
Most of them seemed happy with the attention, but a few shied away from any human interaction.
Hunter and a few others shared stories about the dogs, and it was heartbreaking to hear how some of
the animals had come to the center. There were dogs that had been rescued from dog fighting rings, or
those who had simply been dropped off at the center, while others had been saved from abusive
owners.

He didn’t understand how someone could abuse an animal, and it made him angry to think about

all they had suffered. As he worked, Dare took the time to study the setup of the place. For so many
animals housed in a relatively compact area, it was a clean, well-organized facility. He could see the
care and attention given to every detail. At first he had been surprised by how many people actually
worked at the center, but it made sense, since there was also a veterinarian’s office located on the
premises that was run by Hunter’s brother, Beckett.

Besides the paid staff, there seemed to be an abundance of volunteers that seemed to pop in and

out throughout the day. Some of them came in to visit with certain animals, while others simply
stopped in to help out with whatever was needed. Dare found himself settling into the rhythm of the
work, but he was also getting frustrated with his inability to accomplish what he was there for in the
first place.

Throughout the day he saw Evie all over the place. But she was like the wind—there one

minute, gone the next. The woman had the energy of ten people, and seemed to be in charge of several

projects, all happening in different places at the same damn time. He’d catch a glimpse of her feeding
dogs one minute, but by the time he made it across the room, she was outside training a class. He kept
himself busy while he waited for the class to end, but by that time she was helping out in the
veterinarian clinic.

By late afternoon, he finally gave up.
Hunter had left to meet a client at the tattoo parlor, and since a whole new set of volunteers

stopped by to help out, Dare decided he was finally free to take his run. However, he was sidetracked
once again as he heard a pain-filled cry as soon as he walked out of the building. Reacting on instinct,
he ran to the little girl sitting on the ground who holding onto one of her knees. Blood trickled down
her leg from beneath her tiny fingers as she tried to staunch the wound. His stomach rolled at the sight
of the blood, but he forced himself to keep it together.

Get a grip, man. Focus!
“What happened, honey?”
She raised her tear-streaked face to his. “I was trying to keep up with my brother and our

friends, but they were too fast.”

He glanced up and saw a group of teens standing near the kennels outside. Whoever he was, the

little girl’s brother was oblivious to the accident. Dare silently promised to have a talk with the kid
was to make sure he took better care of his sister in the future.

“Shh, now, let me see how bad it is,” Dare said in a low soothing voice as he pried her hands

away from her knee. He let out a relieved sigh after he saw she had only scraped it on the concrete
when she fell.

“It hurts!”
“I know it hurts. Don’t worry. We’ll fix you right up.” Dare lifted the girl into his arms just as

one of the young women who worked at the rescue center ran over to join them. She must have just
arrived as he hadn’t seen her earlier.

“Carly! Oh my god, what happened? Is she okay?” she asked, alarm filling her voice. It was

difficult to hear the question since the young girl had wrapped her arms around Dare’s neck and was
currently sobbing against where she had buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“She’ll be fine,” Dare said. “She just fell and scratched up her knee a little.”
“Should I get Dr. Savante?”
Dare thought of the veterinarian that ran the clinic and briefly considered handing over his

wailing charge for a second before he shook his head. “I got this. I’m assuming you have a first aid kit
in there?”

Her gaze trailed toward the front door to the animal clinic he had just nodded to, but she

remained unconvinced. “Sure we do, but—”

“I’m a doctor. Dr. Daryk Nyght. I’m staying over at the boarding house while I’m in town,” he

said in response to her skeptical look. He saw the relief on her face and she smiled at him.

“Of course! I’ve heard all about you. Please, follow me.”
The young woman led them into the clinic, straight through the waiting area to one of the

smaller exam rooms. Dare tried to pry the girl’s arms from around his neck, but young Carly
continued to cling to him like a little monkey. The woman’s lips twitched as she watched him struggle
with the girl. She set down a large first aid box on the table and backed out of the room.

“I know Carly’s brother, Miles. I’ll just go get him.”
“Hey, wait—” Dare scowled as he watched the woman leave him alone with what he equated

to be as dangerous as an incendiary device strapped to his chest. “Damn it.”

Carly’s head lifted and she sniffed delicately. “You swore.”
“Did not.”
“Did too.”
Dare frowned at her. “How could you tell over the sound of your wailing? I still can’t hear

anything in my left ear. In fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to hear out of it the same ever again.”

She gifted him with a little giggle and he felt the band of tension in his chest ease a little. He’d

never been good with tears, and this situation was even worse because she was a little girl. Kids
were like some foreign creatures that baffled and confused him. He’d always done his best to avoid
them whenever possible, but he knew this little girl was depending on him. He just needed to clean
her up and send her on her way.

Taking advantage of the break in tears, Dare pried Carly’s arms from his neck and set her onto

the table so he could clean and bandage her injury. His newfound aversion to blood made him feel
foolish, but the little scrape was nothing compared to the trauma wounds he was used to dealing with,
so the uncomfortable feeling quickly dissipated. He opened the first aid kit and removed the items he
needed, aware of those young eyes watching his every move.

“Are you really a doctor?”
“I am.”
“You could just be saying you are. How do I know for real?”
He raised a brow at that. Trusting little bugger. “Why would I lie?”
“I don’t know. Why would you?”
Oh, for the love of...
Dare was saved from more questions as two young men hurried into the room. “Carly! Jesus,

what happened to you?” one of the teens demanded as soon as he saw her bloody knee.

“Miles, I fell,” Carly whimpered as Dare began cleaning the wound. “Ouch!”
Carly’s brother wrapped his arm around his little sister’s shoulders. “You’re hurting her!”
Dare shot the brother a look that made the boy shut up, then he let his face soften as he glanced

back toward Carly. “Sorry, kid. I just have to clean it before we bandage you up.”

“I don’t want a shot,” the girl whispered, her eyes filling with tears again.
“No shots,” Dare promised quickly.
“You’re Dr. Nyght, right? Hammer’s friend?” the large teenager who was leaning against the

door asked.

Dare looked over at him and nodded. He noticed there was another younger boy standing

slightly behind the teen, as if hiding. Ignoring them for the moment, Dare turned back to Carly’s
brother and pinned the younger man with hard eyes. “You need to watch over your sister better if
you’re going to be bringing her here. She fell and injured herself, but there are dogs out there that
could really hurt her if you aren’t paying attention.”

“I thought she was right behind us,” Miles said defensively, but he couldn’t stand the weight of

Dare’s censure for more than a few seconds. The boy’s shoulders slumped and he busied himself with
giving his sister another awkward hug. The girl smiled, preening under her brother’s attention.
“Sorry, Carly. I’ll watch over you better from now on.”

Out of the corner of his eye Dare saw the young boy at the door peek around the teen to watch

him cleaning Carly’s knee. It wasn’t bad, but he wanted to make sure he removed all the grit before he
bandaged it up. Then he could leave...as fast as his feet would carry him.

“Hammer told me you were a surgeon or something in the Army,” the teen at the door said. “He

also said you were staying at the boarding house for a while.”

“Hammer seems to be pretty talkative,” Dare commented in a neutral voice, belying his

irritation. Why the hell did it seem like everyone knew about him? It made him uncomfortable...and
slightly panicked.

The teen’s chest puffed out. “I’ve been training with him at Fight Hard and I also work part-

time at Kali’s bakery after school. I’m Nate, and this is my little brother, Shane. That’s my buddy
Miles and his sister Carly.”

“If you’re training with Hammer, you’re training with the best,” Dare said as he finished

cleaning the wound. He chose a large bandage from the box. Opening the package, he peeled off the
backing and placed the bandage on her knee. “All done. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“It was.” She looked down at the plain beige bandage with a little frown, then blinked up at him

with big eyes. “My mom always gives me Hello Kitty ones when I hurt myself.”

“Hurt yourself often, do you?”
“She’s a klutz,” Miles responded with a smile “We both are, aren’t we Carly?”
“Yep!”
Dare looked around the room for a moment, then moved to the counter to pick up a permanent

marker. Walking back over to the little girl, Dare pulled off the cap and leaned down to draw a
lopsided happy face on the plain bandage. “There.”

Carly tilted her head as she studied the drawing, then looked up and smiled. “Thanks!”
Dare scrambled back a step as she lifted her arms to him. Christ, did the kid want a hug or

something? Nope. Not going to happen. He had trouble peeling her off of him once already. Instead,
he reached out and awkwardly patted her on the head. “Ah...okay then. I gotta go now.”

He turned toward the door and made a quick escape, exiting the clinic almost at a run. When he

got outside he took a deep breath. Kids and puppies. He was surrounded in this place and needed to
get back to the sanctuary of the boarding house. But first for his run. He’d only taken a few steps when
he heard a noise behind him. Spinning around, he barely held back a scowl as he saw Nate had
followed him outside. “Need something, kid?”

“I...ah...I was just wondering how long you’re planning on staying here.” Nate stuck his hands

in his pockets and looked as decidedly uncomfortable as Dare felt.

“I’m not sure yet.”
Nate opened his mouth to speak, then seemed to hesitate. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you

around. Thanks for taking care of Carly.”

“No problem.” Dare could tell that Nate had wanted to say something else, but had held back.

Feeling like an asshole, Dare tried for a friendly smile as he said, “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around
here or at the gym. Maybe we can spar sometime.”

That perked Nate up. “Great! See ya around.”
With that, the teen hurried off, leaving Dare to make his way to the path surrounding the large

pond. Now that there were no other distractions in sight, Dare took the time to stretch out in peace.
Really it had been his own fault. No one had made him volunteer today. He had enjoyed himself, but
there was only so much socializing he could take at the moment.

The sound of laughter had him looking back toward the center, and he saw Nate, Shane, Miles

and Carly were playing with two little dogs out in the yard. Carly looked over and waved her hand
vigorously at him. Dare lifted his own hand in response, then let out a curse as she got up from where
she had been sitting on the ground.

Kids and puppies.
Feeling like a coward, Dare turned away and ran as if the devil was on his heels.

Chapter Three

Oh, wow...
Evie tried to pay attention to what her accountant was saying to her, but she knew she was

failing miserably. Instead, her rapt attention was fixated on the man running around the pond at a brisk
pace. Dr. Daryk Nyght—or Dare as he had told her to call him—was a fine specimen of a man.

The golden skin of his bare chest glistened with sweat in the sunlight, emphasizing his

spectacular physique that she wouldn’t have thought typical of a doctor. Sure, he had been in the
Army, but Dare was cut. Even from a distance, she could see the definition of his abs and the
contours of thick, corded muscles over his body.

Just the sight was enough to make her drool.
Evie had been in her office in a meeting with her accountant when her cell phone had started

pinging repeatedly with incoming text messages. Although she knew it was rude, Evie checked the
messages in case it was information about a rescue or some other urgent matter that needed her
immediate attention. But when she had checked her text messages, she saw it was from one of her
friends who worked on staff telling her to get her ass outside so they could watch DH run. After
meeting him, Evie’s friend Amelia had nicknamed Dare “Dr. Hottie” privately, but after a few hours
of him being at the rescue center, the nickname had spread to every female in the building. Evie
couldn’t help but agree.

Dare was smoking hot.
He had shaved since the first time she had seen him. When she had met him at the boarding

house he had reminded her of a dark, brooding grizzly of a man, with half his face covered in a beard
and his eyes flashing with impatience and fatigue. But earlier today she had been blindsided when
she’d seen him helping out around the center. At first, she hadn’t recognized Dare. Seeing a tall,
devastatingly handsome, muscular man working with her cousin Hunter had made her curious, but that
had turned to shock as she realized who the man really was.

Getting some sleep had certainly done wonders for him.
Over the past couple of days she had begun to worry about Dare. It wasn’t unusual for someone

staying at the boarding house to keep to themselves, but Hammer had also expressed worry about his
friend when he and Kali had stopped by the cookout yesterday, making Evie even more concerned.

There had been no sign of life from Dare for days since he had arrived. Hunter had assured her

that Dare was fine, telling her that their guest had been eating at some point, as was evident by the
missing food. Hearing that had allowed her to relax...a little. Because he was one of her cousin’s best
friends, Evie felt personally responsible for Dare while he was staying with them. It might not seem
that way to others, but Evie always felt a small amount of responsibility for everyone around her. It
didn’t matter if they were guests at the boarding house, staff and volunteers at the rescue center, or the
animals she rescued.

It was in her nature to care for others—especially those who were hurting—and she had to

struggle against the urge to check on him. When she’d met Dare, he had struck her as a man fighting
some sort of inner demon, and she was glad that he could rest and relax in the sanctuary she had
created for that very purpose.

Evie felt a slight nudge against her leg and reached down to absently stroke the head of one of

her four personal dogs that were usually with her wherever she went. She loved her dogs more than

anything. Lancelot and Gawain were German Shepherds, while Percival and Galahad were Belgian
Malinois. Both were strong, noble breeds, and were perfect for the search and rescue team they were
all a part of. As always, all four dogs seemed to pick up on her mood, and Percival let out a plaintive
whine at her inattention.

“Evie, are you okay? Is something wrong?”
Evie’s attention snapped back to the man standing in front of her, and she pasted a polite smile

on her face. “I’m fine, Andrew. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? You can tell me all about it.”
She barely held back a sigh. This wasn’t the first time he had asked, even though she always

turned down his offers. She had been friends with Andrew Carson since they were children. As an
accountant, he was great, but as anything more...it just wasn’t there. Still, he persisted in pursuing her.
He was a nice man, but she wanted more than nice. She wanted someone who understood her. She
wanted passion, and Andrew couldn’t give that to her.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m working tonight.”
Andrew frowned at her. “Honestly, Evie. You work far too much. All day you give yourself to

this place. You deserve to take some time off for yourself.”

It wasn’t the first time Andrew had said as much to her, and he wasn’t the only one to think it

either. What people didn’t seem to understand was that it wasn’t just a job for her. It was a labor of
love. Evie kept the smile on her face through strength of will. Nothing bothered her more than the
patronizing tone of someone who didn’t understand what she did.

The Beaumont Rescue Center had been her dream from an early age, and her family money had

allowed her to build that dream into a reality. She enjoyed her work, and it gave her a sense of pride
to take care of the dogs within her care, but the truth was they gave back so much more to her than she
could ever give to them. It was difficult to put into words exactly what she felt seeing some poor,
abused animal flourish into a happy, healthy dog. Every time she found one of her dogs a new home
with someone it was like witnessing a miracle.

She’d learned quickly after the center had opened its doors that dating wasn’t easy. What she

did wasn’t a normal nine to five job, and men didn’t like the dedication she gave the center. On top of
that, Evie was also part of a search and rescue unit that took turns being on call with other teams in
the area in case there was an emergency. All in all, it kept her very busy, but she wouldn’t have it any
other way.

“My SR unit is on call tonight. I like to stick close to home when the unit is on standby.”
Andrew’s frown grew more pronounced. “You really do need to learn to delegate more. Can’t

someone else cover for you?”

Patience tested to the point of breaking, Evie lost her smile and eyed him coolly now. “No, I

can’t, nor do I want to.”

“I’m sorry, Evie. You know I just worry about you.” Andrew barely held back a wince as if he

realized that he had screwed up, but the damage was already done. He tried to take her hand, only to
have her pull back out of reach. His face paled slightly as one of her dogs let out a little warning
growl.

Placing a calming hand on her dog’s head, she took pity on Andrew and said, “Thank you for

coming by today, Andrew. I’ll get you that paperwork as soon as I can.”

Dismissed, he said goodbye then hurried off in the direction of his car, turning back as if to

make sure her dogs weren’t following him. Unable to help herself, she bent down and pressed a kiss
between Gawain’s eyes.

“Shame on you, Winnie. You know you aren’t supposed to growl at our guests, even if they are

annoying.” She let out a laugh as he licked her face in response to her gentle reprimand.

“I’d say your little buddies there didn’t like the suit.”
Evie’s head turned and she found herself staring up into Dare’s dark-gray eyes. “The suit?”
“Him.” Dare gestured toward the car speeding down the road, heading away from them, but

Evie was distracted by the sight of his muscular body as he moved. His shirt was thrown over one
shoulder, giving her a view of his perfect body as he used it to swipe at the sweat on his brow. Good
god, the man was built. He had a light dusting of dark hair on his chest that somehow made him even
more appealing, and a tribal tattoo covering his left shoulder. When he raised his arm, his thick
muscles flexed, highlighting a wicked looking barbed wire tattoo wrapped around his right bicep. She
wanted to reach out and touch it. Hell, she wanted to reach out and pet his slick, golden skin like he
was one of her animals.

It just wasn’t fair for a man to be so damn good looking after a run. Breakers seemed to have

more than their share of hard-bodied males, but Evie had never really gone for the strong, macho
guys. Someone like Andrew had always been more her type, but Dare just looked so...delicious.

Evie found herself comparing him to the man who had just left. While Andrew was a

classically handsome man, he had nothing compared to the raw sex appeal of Dare. Andrew had a
trim build, with hair almost the same shade of blond as her own. Dare’s hair was black as midnight
and he had a body of a fighter. It was an intriguing contrast to the studious dedication she knew he
must have to be a doctor.

She blinked as she realized that he had spoken again, but she had no idea what he said. “Wh—

what?”

A slow smile spread across his handsome face and she felt lightheaded.
Damn it. Focus!
Taking a deep breath as she cleared her mind, she met his knowing gaze despite her

embarrassment at being caught all but ogling him. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Thanks. For the food.”
“Oh, it was nothing.”
He shook his head slowly, not breaking eye contact with her. “Naw. It was appreciated,

considering I barely had enough energy to make it to the kitchen, let alone cook myself something.”

She smiled at him, relaxing a little. “I’m just glad to see you got some sleep. I stopped by

Kali’s bakery again this morning when I was running some errands and was going to drop off a few
things at the boarding house, but—”

“What things? Pie? Did you get pie?”
Startled by the vehemence in his tone, she lifted a brow. “Yes, I noticed that was the first to

go.”

Dare’s face darkened considerably. “That wasn’t me.”
Evie let out a laugh. “Ah, I see. Hunter got to it before you did. He does have a thing for Kali’s

pie.”

“He’s a damn pie thief,” Dare muttered as he looked down at the four dogs wandering around

his legs. Evie laughed and felt something inside her shift as he reached down to rub one of her dogs’
heads. He did so with a firm rub and scratch that sent Lancelot’s tail wagging with glee. Evie gave a
subtle nod and hand gesture to the dogs, and the others immediately started to vie for his attention.

It had pleased her to see him at the center today, and watching him had given her a little insight

into his character. Whenever she observed people working with her animals, she could tell things

about an individual’s personality. Were they kind and patient, or temperamental and prone to
complaining? Dare seemed to be at ease with whatever situation he was in. She’d been told by
several people how he had treated a little girl’s skinned knee with the utmost care, and she’d
witnessed little Carly’s exuberant expression when she had waved to him outside the center.

Evie bit her lip as she held back a laugh thinking about the way Dare had started running away

from the little girl as if the hounds of hell were chasing him. He might not be comfortable around
children, but he had gained four admirers today whether he liked it or not.

He was something she hadn’t expected.
Dare bent over and took his time greeting all four of Evie’s big dogs while trying to will down

his unruly erection that had popped up out of nowhere. All Evie had to do was smile at him and his
body reacted. He’d never experienced such a strong case of lust at first sight.

And it made her dangerous to his self-control.
Her sunny hair was pulled back in a ponytail, allowing him a clear view of her beautiful face,

and she was wearing jeans and a simple white shirt that clung to her curves. And her scent...man, she
smelled like fresh peaches again. A spark of anger swept through him. She shouldn’t be able to affect
him like this. He told himself there was nothing special about her, but knew instantly that was a lie.
There was something about her that drew his interest, and made him want to know more about her.

Trying to distract himself, he focused on her four dogs. They really were beautiful animals.

Two of the dogs were German Shepherds, but Dare recognized that the other two as Belgian
Malinois, a variety of shepherd dog he was very familiar with from his time overseas. Because of
their acute sense of smell, the Belgian Malinois were often used by the United States Armed Forces
as work dogs that helped detect odors of explosives, accelerants and even narcotics in the field. He
could see why Evie would have two of them as her personal pets, considering the search and rescue
work she did.

A laugh escaped Dare as all four animals pushed against him in their plea for attention, their

tails wagging wildly. “These are some good looking dogs you’ve got here.”

“Thanks. That’s Lancelot, Gawain, Percival and Galahad.”
“You named your dogs after Knights of the Round Table?”
Evie shrugged. “Why not? It suits them.”
“Four dogs is a lot of work.”
She laughed. “I think of all the dogs at the center as mine. But these four are my friends and a

joy to have in my life.”

Dare took a few more minutes rubbing each of the dogs before he straightened. “So, about that

pie...”

Shaking her head, Evie chuckled. “Come on. It’s up at my house.”
She and Dare walked towards her stone and glass house with the dogs milling happily by their

sides. Her house was interesting. The center structure of the building was two stories and had a tiered
roof, with two ranch-style wings spanning from the main structure. The large “U” shaped structure
was modern in design, but all the buildings on Evie’s property worked well with the landscape.

He knew he should probably put his shirt back on, but he liked how she had looked at him.

He’d seen that same expression on other women before, but for some reason Evie’s blue eyes seemed
to pierce straight through him. It ignited a fire of need that left him slightly uncomfortable, and yet
strangely liking it. For some reason he enjoyed being around her. Simply being in her presence
seemed to settle some of the sharp edges inside of him. But he couldn’t deny he wanted her, and that
made things complicated.

He was damaged and had no business getting involved with anyone.
“This is a pretty impressive house,” he said, struggling to find something to fill the void

between them.

“Thank you. We’re pretty proud of it. I live in the main part of the house, and my cousins live in

the wings. To the right is my cousin Francesca, and the left is Beckett’s home. You’ve met them,
haven’t you?”

“Yep, last time I came to visit.”
“That’s right. I heard about it after I got back from my trip. Someone in Baton Rouge had

adopted one of my dogs, and I went to make the delivery.”

“Do you always do that? Check out the homes?”
“We try to, unless we know the people. Since most of our dogs are pit bulls, we try and make

sure that their new homes are safe, for the animals as well as the people around them.”

“Hunter mentioned that you have to make sure the dogs can’t get out of yards and that the dogs

get along with any other pets that the adopters may have before you leave them,” Dare said. “I knew
some people feared pit bulls, but I never realized how misunderstood the breed really was.”

“It’s a shame, because they truly are wonderful dogs.”
“But you don’t own one personally?”
She smiled at him and held out her palm facedown by her side without looking down. Dare was

impressed when one of her dogs immediately pushed its head under her hand. “I do love pit bulls, but
my guys are the best. Since we do search and rescue I needed dogs that were more suited to that kind
of work.”

She led the way up to the front of her house and the dogs ran inside ahead of them as soon as

she opened the door. Practically hearing his mama’s scolding voice in his head, he took a moment to
put his shirt back on before entering her home. He may have liked the way she looked at him, but he
had a feeling being almost naked in private with her was not a good idea.

Once they were inside, Dare was surprised as he looked around. For some reason he thought

she would have had one of those feminine places where a man felt out of place, but that wasn’t the
case. He should have known better. With four large dogs having the run of the place, Evie had
decorated with style tinged with practicability. Like the boarding house, her furniture was large and
looked exceedingly comfortable. There was a feeling of warmth that came from being in her living
space, that was similar to how he felt being in her presence.

He remained quiet as he followed her into a large, open kitchen that was almost identical to the

set up at the boarding house, except for a different color scheme. The room was decorated in warm,
earthy tones, and the cabinets had frosted glass fronts that added a modern touch to the deep gold of
the marble countertops. Dare’s gaze narrowed onto the pie sitting on the center island, and he had to
stop himself from sticking his hand into it.

As if she knew what he was thinking, Evie pulled out a fork and picked up the pie, carrying it

over to the breakfast bar. “So you can have a taste,” she said with an impish grin.

Without a word, Dare slid onto one of the stools and stuck the fork in the pie. Evie shook her

head as she set aside the plate she’d picked up and went to the fridge to get two bottles of water.
Today was peach pie and Dare’s mouth watered at the first sight of the rich, golden fruit surrounded
by flakey pastry. The first bite hit is taste buds like ambrosia. He closed his eyes, savoring the treat,
then dug back into the pie for some more. When he looked up, he found Evie watching him with an
amused expression.

“You really do like your pie.”

He grunted. “I do. Normally, I would share, but I’ve been pushed beyond my limits.”
She laughed. “No need to share. I also got you some more soup and a few muffins. You can take

those back with you with the rest of the pie.”

“The rest? Honey, I’m eating this all right here.”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t eat a whole pie.”
“Watch me.”
“That isn’t good for you.”
“I’ll run it off later,” he replied around another mouthful. “I don’t have my wallet with me, but

I’ll pay you back for all the food you’ve been supplying me with.”

She waved that away as she moved to a large jar on the opposite end of the counter. She took

out a few dog bones and one-by-one handed them out to her dogs, who took them and trotted off to lay
sprawled out on the floor with their treats. “Consider it a welcome gift and thanks for helping out
around the center today. But now that you are back on your feet, you are on your own for your meals.”

“Fair enough. I was surprised how many animals you’re housing, but everything is so clean and

well organized that you don’t notice it until you do a walk through the place.”

She beamed a smile at him that made him almost choke on his pie. “Thank you. We try really

hard to keep the place in excellent condition. The animals deserve it after all they’ve been through.”

Dare’s mood darkened as he thought back to all that he’d learned that day. “Hunter and some of

the staff told me a few stories. After all I’ve seen, I shouldn’t be surprised at the cruelty of some
people, but I am.”

“Well, thanks again for helping out today. We really appreciate any extra hands.”
“I had fun,” he said, and was surprised that it was true.
“You’re welcome to come by anytime,” she offered as she packed up the soup and muffins in a

bag for him. He felt the dismissal, but something made him push for more time with her, even if just
for a few minutes.

“So, what made you open the rescue center?”
Evie seemed pleased by his interest. They spent the next few minutes discussing her love of

animals and how she wanted to help them recover in a safe environment while she sought to find them
good homes. Everything she said had the ring of truth to it, but Dare sensed there was something she
wasn’t telling him...something more to the story. Still, the conversation wasn’t strained or stilted, and
Dare found himself enjoying her company as much as the pie. He drained the bottle of water after he
ate the last bite and felt a little queasy having eaten the entire thing.

“I cannot believe you ate it all. That’s just...”
“I don’t mess around when it comes to pie.”
“So you said. Well, then...” She pushed the bag of goodies toward him and their fingers brushed

as he reached for it. Her head came up and their gazes locked.

Damn.
Dare felt a visceral connection with her that made him want to yank her across the counter and

seal his lips over hers. He bet she’d taste just as sweet as the pie. That thought made him frown.
“Nope. Not going to do it.”

She blinked. “What?”
“This—” He pointed a finger back and forth between her and his own chest. “We have a

problem.”

“I don’t understand.”
“Oh, I think you do. It’s not good. For either of us. I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”

Dare slowly got up from his seat. He saw the way her blue eyes iced over and one of her eyebrows
lifted, making her disdainful glare almost regal. She had the fuck you stare down perfectly. He had to
admire that even if he was the focus of that nonverbal bitch-slap.

“I don’t recall asking you for one. Take your food, Dr. Nyght. Thank you for your help today.

I’ll see you out.”

She moved with economical grace, and Dare could tell that he had fucked up. Again.
Big time.
He’d only wanted to be honest, but perhaps saying that to a woman hadn’t been the best move.

Shit, was he really that out of practice when it came to women?

Apparently, he was.

Chapter Four

The next day Dare considered avoiding Evie and the rescue center completely, but the idea

made him feel like a coward.

After she had all but shoved him out the door of her home yesterday, Dare had fought the urge to

slam his head against something hard on his walk back to the boarding house. What the hell had been
wrong with him? He knew better than to blurt something like that out...especially to a woman. It was a
surefire way to get her back up, telling her that he didn’t want a relationship, like it was a foregone
conclusion that she wanted one.

And with a woman like Evie, of course she had felt insulted.
Hell, he would have been offended, too.
Dare wondered about his unusual reaction to Evie all last night, trying not to feel guilty as he

ate the food she had given him. It was as if he lost his mind every time he was around her. He was
usually good with women. In the past, he had never had a problem getting any woman that had caught
his eye. He could be charming, courteous. But with Evie, he turned into a brooding Neanderthal with
a raging hard-on. It’s like he stopped being able to think clearly around her.

It was getting damned annoying.
He steeled himself for another round of her censured looks when he showed up at the rescue

center, only to feel something he tried to convince himself wasn’t disappointment when he was told
she was out on a search and rescue with Hunter and a few other team members. He should have been
relieved that she was gone, but he only felt bereft at not being able to see her spectacular face, even if
she was shooting daggers at him.

Dare spent most of the day helping out around the center again, feeding the dogs and cleaning

the kennels. He liked the work. It felt good using his muscles, and he also liked not having to speak to
anyone while doing the jobs he was given.

Or so he had hoped.
The problem was that no matter how much he tried to put off a leave me the fuck alone vibe,

people kept trying to talk to him. Staff members and even the volunteers started chatting to him about
anything and everything whenever they were near. And his silence seemed to only encourage them to
keep talking. One woman even commented about what a good listener he was. He just gritted his teeth
and tried to continue working, until he couldn’t stand it any longer.

It was mid-afternoon when he decided to take off, leaving the rescue center to head into town.

When he arrived, Dare parked his bike on the street near the gym and sat there for a moment. On the
drive he had thought to stop into Fight Hard and work off some of his aggression, but seeing the two
buildings across the street made him change his mind.

He got off his bike and headed over to the Sinfully Sweet bakery. Despite his need for the past

few days of self-imposed exile, he felt horrible that he’d been in town for a few days and still hadn’t
met Hammer’s fiancée, Kali. He had been unforgivably rude, and it was time he did something to
rectify that.

Pushing the door to the bakery open, the scent of sugar and spices hit him immediately and made

his mouth water. He breathed deep, enjoying the smell of the baked goods that were displayed behind
large glass cases. In his periphery Dare saw that there were a few women sitting at small tables set
up in the front of the bakery, but he ignored them as he walked toward the counter. A pretty older

woman wearing a pink apron smiled at him in welcome.

“Hi! Welcome to Sinfully Sweet. What can I get you?”
“I was looking for Kali.” The woman’s smile changed to wary confusion, making Dare quickly

add, “I’m Hammer’s friend, Daryk Nyght. I just wanted to stop by to introduce myself.”

“Oh my! I’ve heard all about you! I’m Anna. Nate and Shane are my nephews. You helped their

friend’s little sister the other day at the rescue center.”

Dare fought the urge to shift on his feet at the starry-eyed expression she was beaming at him.

“Yeah...how’s Carly doing?”

“She’s fine. That little one is always getting scrapped up,” she said with a little laugh. “Hold on

one minute, I’ll go get Kali for you. She’s in the back experimenting.”

“I don’t want to bother...”
Dare’s voice trailed off as Anna disappeared behind a swinging door that led to the back of the

bakery. A few seconds later a petite woman with bright, green eyes and short red hair with gold
highlights pushed the door back open and hurried around the counter to join him. Just like Anna, she
was wearing a light pink apron with the name of the bakery stitched onto the front in black thread.
Before he could say anything, she beamed a smile at him and grabbed his hand, pulling him with her.

“Dare! Hi! You have perfect timing.”
“Ah...”
Struck silent, he let the tiny woman drag him with her back into the kitchen, passed a chuckling

Anna who walked back to the counter to take care of a customer that had entered the bakery behind
him. Once they were alone in the back, Kali moved a stool next to the center work area and gestured
for him to sit down. He did so, watching her warily. This wasn’t going like he’d thought their first
meeting would, and it made him uneasy.

Were all the people in Breakers fucking nuts?
“I’ve been working on something new and need someone to try it. I hope you don’t mind being

my taste tester.”

“You’re the pie fairy, right?”
Kali blinked those big, green eyes at him then burst into laughter. “I heard you and Hunter

seemed to like my pies. It’s so funny you called me that. Did you know Jared calls me his fairy?”

Dare didn’t, but that didn’t surprise him in the least. There was something about Kali Redford

that did remind him of a fairy. She just had that look about her. “Nope, but if whatever you want me to
try is anything like your pie, I’m game.”

Kali smiled at him. “It’s not pie, but I think you’ll like it. Normally, Nate is my taste tester, but

he won’t be done with school for a few hours still. You met Nate, right?”

“Yeah...briefly.”
“He’s such a good kid. He works here part-time after school.” Her eyes twinkled with mirth as

she glanced up. “You’re lucky you didn’t stop by later or you would have run into his fan club. Every
afternoon Nate is working we seem to have a barrage of female teenagers hanging around here. They
like to ogle the men going into the gym and giggle every time Nate glances at one of them. I’m sure
they would love to get a look at you.”

She laughed again as Dare shuddered in pure terror. He made a mental note to himself to avoid

the bakery in the afternoon from now on. Kali moved around the kitchen with such ease, Dare thought
she could probably find everything she needed blindfolded. He looked down as she put a plate in
front of him with some sort of pastry he’d never seen before on it. The treat looked like a small cake,
dusted with sugar on the outside. There was a small hole in the center that reminded him of a

doughnut, but it didn’t look like any doughnut he’d ever seen before.

He glanced back up to see Kali’s amused expression. “What is this?”
“It’s my version of a Cronut.”
That had him frowning. “A what?”
“A Cronut. It’s a combination of a croissant and a doughnut. This one is made with a little

chocolate and Chantilly cream inside. Go on, try it.”

Dare eyed the pastry skeptically, but picked it up and bit into it. The fried pastry was crispy on

the outside, but soft and gooey on the inside. The flavors from the layers of chocolate and Chantilly
cream exploded in his mouth, making him moan.

Kali shifted from foot to foot with barely restrained energy. “Is that good? Do you like it? What

do you think?”

He took another bite, taking his time to chew, making her wait. After he swallowed, he said, “I

think...you should ditch Hammer and marry me instead.”

She let out another tinkling laugh and clutched her hands to her chest in a comical gesture. “You

just want me for my baked goods.”

“Relationships have started with less. Of course, Hammer might kill me, but I think I can outrun

him...maybe.”

They grinned at each other and Dare felt himself relaxing. He found himself liking the small

woman and could see why his friend had falling in love with the little pixie as Kali told him about
how she and Hammer had gotten together. It would have been laughable to imagine this little woman
with his friend who was as big as a tank, but Dare could see the love shining in her eyes as she spoke
of Hammer. Or Jared as she called him. Dare had almost forgotten that Hammer’s real name was
Jared, and it was strange hearing him addressed as such. It was obvious in the way she spoke of
Hammer that she was crazy about him, and Dare knew that those feelings were mutual.

Dare didn’t know if he believed in love, at least not for him personally. It was as if being a

doctor and doing what he did everyday had numbed his heart to the point he sometimes wondered if
he even had one anymore. In the past, he had always been careful not to get too close to any woman he
was seeing. He didn’t lie to them, and made sure they knew he wasn’t looking to get serious. Love
was one of those things that worked for other people...not for him. Still, he liked the thought of his
friend finding what he himself would never have.

If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Hammer.
Kali was a sweet woman and Dare was glad he’d made the impromptu trip into the bakery so

he could meet her. After he finished the pastry, he spent a little more time with her, sipping a cup of
fabulous coffee as she mixed ingredients together. She didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t say much,
she just chatted away, seeming happy to have him for company. Kali was without artifice, and he
enjoyed watching her work.

When he finished his coffee he stood, thanking Kali for feeding him once again. “I should be

going. It’s a good thing Hammer owns a gym. If he eats like this all the time, he better keep working
out.”

Kali snickered. “Oh, I think he won’t have a problem staying in shape. Why don’t you come by

the house tomorrow night for dinner and I can try and fatten you up some, too?”

“I’m not about to pass up a home cooked meal, especially if you’re the one doing the cooking,”

Dare agreed with a chuckle, then sobered as he took her hand in his. “I would love to have dinner
with you and Hammer. He’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and I’m glad he has you in his life
now, Kali.”

Tears sparkled in her eyes, making her irises shine like emeralds. She startled him when she

threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “I’m so glad you
stopped by today, Dare. Hammer is so happy you’re here visiting us.” She pulled back and smiled up
at him, her eyes bright with affection. “I really hope you stay.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, well. I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”
As if she sensed his discomfort, Kali let go of him and patted his arm. “You have plenty of time

to figure that out. Whatever you decide, you have to be here for our wedding in a few months.”

“That’s a promise.”
“Good. How does seven sound for tomorrow night?”
“I’ll be there.”
Dare left the bakery with lighter spirits. Hammer had once told him that everyone who came in

contact with Kali felt the same way, except for her own family. It baffled him that anyone could be
mean to a sweet little thing like Kali, but then again some people were just assholes.

Now that he’d gotten acquainted with Hammer’s fiancée, Dare decided to take care of the other

thing on his list. He walked down the block until he reached the front door of another shop. A tattoo
parlor a few doors down from a bakery, he thought with a shake of his head.

Only in Breakers.
The sign for Ink This was in bright red font on a black background, with a silver tribal scrolling

design behind the script. Below it, the front windows were made of frosted glass that made it
impossible to see inside. That was strange, since tat shops usually tried to get more business by
letting people see inside. Intrigued, Dare pulled at the door handle.

He blinked as he entered the shop. There were four tattoo stations sectioned off, with the

requisite black leather chairs, but beyond that, the shop looked nothing like he’d expected. The walls
were a deep, crimson red, with large wooden panels set up against them that held various black
edged frames of tattoo designs on display.

At the far end of the room, there was a wooden bar top that had been painted black, with a glass

display case cut into its center. He could see a variety of body jewelry on display on shelves inside
the case. Against the wall, there was a black leather couch and a few chairs with throw pillows of
red and gold on them. The place reminded him of a bar he’d been to in Morocco, and it was a little
disconcerting seeing this sort of setup when he’d been expecting...less.

A door behind the back counter opened, and a woman strode out wearing a black tank top with

thin straps and dark-green cargo pants. Dare took a moment to admire the ink that covered both of her
arms in full sleeves that went all the way up to her collar bone. She was fit and lean, with tight,
compact muscles and ink-black hair that fell to her shoulders. His gaze met hers, and he froze as
recognition hit.

Son of a bitch...
Dare knew her, but couldn’t place where he’d met her before. Her unusual violet eyes

narrowed as she seemed to recognize him as well. Her smile of welcome changed into a fierce
scowl, and she braced her hands on her hips. “Damn it. If you’re here to try and talk me into some
mission, you might as well leave before I kick your ass and send you back to Sin in pieces.”

His eyes widened in shock. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m here for a tattoo.”
The woman’s body seemed to relax slightly, but Dare could tell she was still on guard “Well,

then. I’m Nikita Nuria. Welcome to my shop.”

“Daryk Nyght. Dare.”
“Ah, Hammer’s friend.”

They shook hands and her smile made her face change from beautiful to absolutely stunning. She

had an exotic look with golden skin and a killer body that would have made most men’s blood
pressure rise, but strangely enough, Dare felt nothing. He would have been alarmed if his body hadn’t
reacted every time he was around Evie, but knew everything was working right. It just seemed to be
working for one woman in particular right now. Knowing he was interested in a woman that he should
stay away from didn’t make him happy.

In fact, it pissed him off.
Trying not to think about that, Dare pulled his hand away from the woman watching him with

eyes that seemed to see too much. Again, he was struck with how familiar she looked. Hers wasn’t a
face that someone forgot easily. “Do I know you?”

Nikita took a moment, then sighed. “Russia. About six years ago. I think it was on one of your

first assignments.”

His jaw dropped as it came back to him. “Shit.”
“You’re telling me,” Nikita said wryly. “It’s a small-fucking-world.”
Dare agreed. He had indeed been sent to Russia on one of his first assignments with the

taskforce, and Nikita had been one of the agents in charge. He hadn’t interacted with her much since
he’d been at their temporary command center while she’d been out in the field, but he did remember
her. “What the hell are you doing in Breakers?”

“Running my shop, living my life. I’m retired now, or as retired as I can be.”
“I’m done. Out.”
“Sure you are,” she said, her voice all but dripping with sarcasm. “You’re never really done

with that group of misfits. Get used to that right now. But they mostly leave me alone now. It’s
probably because they know I might shoot them if they keep bothering me.”

Dare wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not. “I told them I wanted out.”
“That doesn’t mean shit.” She waved a hand in the air absently as she leaned against the

counter. “Just keep saying it if it makes you feel better, though. So, you’re Dr. Hottie.”

“What the hell?”
Nikita snickered as watched him. “That’s what they’re calling you at the rescue center, didn’t

you know?”

Dare scowled at her. Damn it. No, he hadn’t known that. It irritated him that people were

talking about him as though...wait a minute. Was Evie calling him that, too?

Nikita laughed as she punched him on the shoulder, making him wince. Damn it, the woman

packed a punch, even if it was supposed to be playful. “I don’t even want to know where your mind
just went. Come on, Doc. My station is over here.”

He followed her over to the chair closest to the back, fighting the urge to rub his arm. She sat on

a stool and crossed her arms over her chest as she studied him, but he didn’t sit. “Do you know what
you want or are you one of those annoying people who doesn’t know and needs help picking
something?”

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea...”
She groaned, rolling her eyes at him. “You are one of those annoying people.”
“I know what I want,” he snapped before he could help himself, staring at her with incredulity.

“Is this how you talk to all your clients? Because I have to say, I’m surprised you’re still in business.”

Chuckling, she shook her head. “Naw, this is just how I treat my friends. Since Hammer is

marrying one of my best friends, that practically makes us family, so get used to it.”

“Gee, aren’t I lucky.” Huffing out a breath, he sat down on the black leather chair in front of

her. He’d been putting off getting the addition to his tattoo for far too long now, and he’d damn well
do it now. Even if he had to put up with this woman to see it done. He briefly thought about waiting
until Hunter was working to do this, but he considered it might be easier dealing with a virtual
stranger for this particular venture. She waited patiently for him to speak, and he finally gave in with
a frustrated sigh.

“I need five barbs added to my arm tat,” he bit out as he pushed up his short sleeve to expose

his arm.

Her body seemed to tense. “That’s a very specific number.”
“It is,” he said softly.
The grief was clear in her voice when she asked, “Did we lose so many?”
Dare closed his eyes for a moment as he struggled to control his emotions. Because she knew.

She knew without him having to say a word about what his tattoo stood for and what he’d been
through. He could see it in her knowing gaze.

And there was a kind of brutal comfort in that.
He shook his head. “They were victims of the bombings in Spain. Patients that I couldn’t save.

Kind of stupid, huh?”

Nikita sat silently for a long minute, then turned slowly on the stool until her back was facing

him. “Do you see this?”

She pulled her hair to the side, exposing her back. Dare stared at the tattoo design of a large

tree that covered her back. The bark of the tree was done in various shades of brown, and it continued
below the material of her tank top. He could see the majority of the branches were bare on the top of
the tree, creating a stark, ominous image. At first he thought it was depressing, even grim looking, but
as he looked closer he could see that there were a dozen or more lush, green leaves blooming on
some of the branches. The leaves were vibrant with color, and had a sort of gleam to them as if they
were kissed by the sun’s rays and covered in morning dew.

“Doing what we do, we lose a lot of people. Everyone deals with it differently. They may be

gone, but I choose to keep them with me this way.” She turned back around, and her violet eyes held a
fierce light in them now. “You’re creating a personal tribute. However you need to remember isn’t
stupid.”

Dare nodded his head, grateful for her acceptance of something he’d never tried to explain to

anyone before. “Thanks.”

She grunted in response. “Take off your shirt or roll up the sleeve. I need a better look at your

arm.”

He pulled off his t-shit, exposing his upper body and turned so she could look at his right arm.

The barbwire tattoo that wound around his bicep was simply done in black and grays. It had been
something private he had done long ago to deal with his grief at losing a few of his first patients, and
he’d been adding to it ever since.

Nikita leaned closer, studying the design on his arm. All business now, she said, “I’m going to

have to add to the length of the wire to add the barbs if you want them to be evenly spaced.”

“That’s fine.”
She turned away from him and began to set up the things she needed, leaving Dare to sit and

think as he watched her draw out the addition on his arm freehand. As someone who had her own,
Dare realized Nikita had been right when she called it a personal tribute. But while she had decided
to give life to those she had lost, Dare had chosen to use the image of sharp, jagged edges to represent
the pain of each loss he felt.

Still, the meaning was the same.
When she was done, she asked, “What do you think?”
Dare got up and looked in the mirror, then down at his arm. “Perfect.”
“Great. Have a seat again. We’ll get started in a minute.” The sound of buzzing filled the air as

Nikita tested the mechanical needle she would use to tattoo him. Once again, he looked around the
room and admired the comfortable atmosphere she had created in her space.

“You work in here alone?” Dare asked, unable to keep the censure from his tone.
She shot him a smirk, clearly amused. “You worried about me, Doc? Save your concern for

anyone who comes in here wanting to fuck me.”

Dare didn’t doubt she could handle herself, but whatever remained of the southern gentlemen

inside him still didn’t like the thought of a woman working alone in such a secluded place. “So,
people have come in here and bothered you?”

Nikita let out a loud, aggrieved sigh. “You just can’t help it can you? Just because I don’t have

a penis doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.”

“Christ, shoot a guy for caring,” he said with a scowl. Damn, she was an obstinate woman.

Smiling, she patted his arm. What was with people doing that today? “I know Hunter works with you
part-time...”

“He does. And I have two more guys that work here at night. The security in this place is better

than you can see, and I have a sort of reputation around the area. People know better than to fuck with
me or mine. Trust me when I say I can take care of myself.” She lifted an armrest, and locked it into
place. “Put your arm up here.”

He did as she asked, and waiting as she put new rubber gloves on. “How did you do it?”
She stopped what she was doing and looked up. “Do what?”
“This,” he said, gesturing around the room. “Get back to normal.”
She cocked her head to the side and raised a brow as she sanitized the area on his arm where

she would place the ink. “You call this normal?”

Feeling like he’d found someone who understood what he was going through, Dare glared at her

impatiently. “You know what I mean.”

“You don’t get it yet, do you, Doc? Normal is relative. People like us can never go back to

what we were. This is our new normal. You need to accept that so you can learn how to deal with the
now.”

“That’s...pretty fucking depressing.”
“It is what it is,” she said with a shrug. “You’re a doctor. What would you tell someone who

has lost an arm or a leg?”

He blew out a breath as he considered what she said. “Logically, I know what you’re saying.

It’s a different story getting myself to believe it at this point. And frankly, it fucking sucks.”

“Buddy, you need to learn to embrace the suck. If not, you’ll never be able to move on with

your life. It’s good you came here. To Breakers, I mean. It’s hard enough dealing with this shit, but at
least here there are other people who know what you’re going through. I can tell you from personal
experience that it makes it easier.” Nikita picked up the mechanical needle, then dipped the tip into
the black ink. “I’m going to start now. Let me know if you need a break. I’ll give it to you, but I can’t
promise I won’t tell your friends you cried like a baby.”

Scowling again, he said, “You’re all heart.”
“Aren’t I just?”
Dare let his mind drift as he listened to the mechanical buzzing as she worked on him. He

forced himself to relax despite the pain of getting the tattoo, and used the time to reflect on what they
had talked about. Dare didn’t know if Nikita was right or not, but he did feel better being able to
speak to her about it. It wasn’t easy for him to talk about this shit, but perhaps he had been avoiding
dealing with everything by keeping to himself.

The tattoo didn’t take long and he was pleased when he saw the finished product. Despite

Nikita’s somewhat abrasive manner, he felt easy around her. Talking to her had been like talking to
one of the guys, not that he was stupid enough to say that out loud. She was a beautiful woman, but he
had a feeling she was just as deadly. Like a viper waiting to strike, and Dare felt sorry for whatever
man took her on. Regardless, he knew without being told that he was lucky a woman like her
considered him a friend.

Feeling slightly foolish with a paper towel taped around his arm, Dare decided against going to

the gym for a workout like he’d originally planned. Instead, he got back on his bike and went for a
drive. There was only so much he could take, and he’d had enough self-torture of socializing today.

Being a doctor, he knew he should wear a helmet when riding. He had one, but he enjoyed

feeling the wind on his face at the moment too much to wear it. He opted to go slower and just enjoy
the drive. He drove for about an hour before he began to head back to Breakers. It was a good area,
and he could see why Hammer had chosen to come back to the area when given the choice.

A man could find peace here, Dare thought. He hadn’t had a home since he’d left his family

when he joined the Army, and it hadn’t even been a real home back then. Considering settling down
somewhere made him feel a good amount of anxiety, but he also felt a little bit of longing, which
surprised him. It left him feeling conflicted about whether or not to put down roots just yet.

Hell, there was a lot he wasn’t sure of still.
And that meant he had a lot of thinking to do.

Chapter Five

There she is...
Dare saw Evie walking with her four dogs down by the pond as soon as he pulled into the drive

heading toward the boarding house. Without thinking, he bypassed his turn off and continued on until
he found himself parking near the pond. It was late in the evening and the stars were beginning to fill
the sky overhead as the sun sank into the horizon. He turned off his bike, getting off of it to walk
toward her. All four dogs ran forward and he bent down to greet them even though he couldn’t seem
to take his gaze of Evie’s face.

Twilight seemed to suit her.
She joined them at a more sedate pace, almost as if she were hesitating, but he couldn’t really

blame her for that. He’d been an ass yesterday. Hell, he’d been an ass every time he was around her.
It was as if he just couldn’t help himself, but he’d try.

Damn it, he’d try to act normal around her now...even if it killed him.
That was one thing he’d come to terms with on his ride. Since the moment he first saw Evie, his

desire for her had been sparked, and those flames just seemed to grow each time he was with her.
There was something about her that drew him. It wasn’t just her appearance. No, it was more than
that. Not only was she beautiful, she was also dedicated, hard working and cared deeply for others.
His respect for her grew with each bit of information he learned about her, and it made him want to
understand her better.

Embrace the suck.
He mentally snorted as he repeated Nikita’s advice to himself. If he was going to try and get on

with his life, then there was no better time than the present. He wanted Evie. Now, he just needed to
figure out what the hell to do about it.

Evie watched Dare, conflicted by the feelings bouncing around inside her. When she saw Dare

park, her first instinct was to turn around and head the other way, but she didn’t like the thought of
retreating. She wasn’t that kind of woman. It frustrated her that she couldn’t seem to get a handle on
him, though. One minute she was practically melting with lust, then the next she wanted to smack him
across the face.

It was...confusing.
His presumptuous statement yesterday had put her back up, but it had also been gratifying to

know that he also felt whatever strange attraction she did. Not that she would act on it. Evie knew that
Dare wasn’t a man that wanted happily ever after, and that was exactly what she was looking for...no
matter how elusive it may be.

She had been alone for so long that it was enticing to just give any relationship a try, but she

couldn’t make herself settle no matter how hard she tried. In the past, Evie had dated men hoping that
her feelings for them would develop more, would deepen.

Only, they didn’t.
For years, she had thought something was wrong with her. That she was cold and selfish just

like all her exes had called her. She knew they resented the time and dedication she gave the rescue
center and the search and rescue team, but what no one seemed to understand was that they weren’t
just a hobby for her. Those things were an integral part of who she was.

She wanted to feel the all-consuming passion that she saw in other couples around her. For

years, Evie had witnessed the power of love. How it inspired, how it made people stronger. Evie
knew that she had family who loved her, but that wasn’t the same as having a lover who was also a
real partner. Someone who would always put her first. Her parents had loved each other completely,
and Evie wanted to find that for herself.

But a little part of her questioned if she truly deserved that kind of happiness...
“Hey, you okay?”
Evie blinked up at Dare, who stood in front of her, gripping her shoulders gently. “I’m fine.

Sorry, I just zoned out there for a second.”

“I heard you were out on a rescue today. You must be tired.”
“I am, but I still need to settle down. Hence, the walk.”
“Mind if I join you?”
Evie paused, acutely aware that he was still holding onto her shoulders. She wanted to say she

was done and go back to her house, but something had her agreeing. “Sure.”

He let go of her slowly, and they began walking around the pond, enjoying the cool night air

now that the heat of the sun was gone. All four dogs trotted with them, darting ahead happily, then
coming back to join their little group. They walked a few minutes in silence and Evie was surprised
how comfortable she was having him as company despite the fact he made her a little nervous.

She tried to stop herself from peeking up at him, but she just couldn’t help herself. He really

was a good-looking man. His stoic expression made his strong features look even harsher, reminding
her of a warrior of old. It was fitting, since he was a soldier. She quickly glanced away, but seeing
something out of the corner of her eye had her turning back. “Why do you have a paper towel
wrapped around your arm?”

“What? Oh, I stopped by Ink This today.”
She wanted to ask him to show her what he’d gotten done. Since the bandage was around the

same area of his barbed wire tattoo she assumed he had added on to it. Now wanting to pry, she
settled on asking, “Was Niki working today?”

“Yeah, she’s...something.”
Chuckling, Evie nodded. “That she is.”
“Is that where Hammer’s mom and your uncle live?” Dare asked as they walked toward the

small house on the other side of the pond.

“Yes. We’ve missed them around here, but my cousins and I gave them a two week cruise to

Alaska for Christmas and we finally convinced them to take it. They’re flying to Hawaii for a few
days after the cruise before they come home.”

“Must be nice, being surrounded by family.”
“It is,” she agreed. “When Uncle Tony and the others moved here, we decided we all wanted to

stay close. It’s nice having everyone close by, even though we all have pretty different schedules.”

“I noticed Francesca and Beckett haven’t been around much.”
“Beckett works at the animal clinic in town half the week, and Francesca is in Las Vegas right

now. She’s a romance author and every year she meets up with some of her writer friends she doesn’t
get to see too often.”

“A group of romance authors in Vegas?” Dare grinned. “Now why does that sound like

trouble?”

She laughed. “It is. She takes a lot of trips doing research for her books since she writes a lot of

romantic suspense. She’s the only one of us that got bit with a case of wanderlust.”

“She goes on these trips alone?”

“Most of the time. But sometimes she goes with another author friend of hers who is even more

crazy than she is. I don’t even want to think about the mischief those two can get into.”

Evie looked toward her house as the outside lights came on automatically, like beacons of

welcome against the coming night. It wasn’t just her home.

It was her sanctuary.
Dare frowned. “Not that I don’t like your new house, because I do, but why not just stay in the

plantation house? Why build a new home and make that one into a boarding house?”

Evie couldn’t help but stiffen at his question. “That place holds some bad memories for me.”
He seemed to wait to see if she would explain her cryptic statement, but she didn’t. It wasn’t

something she liked talking about. Ever.

As if understood, he changed the subject. “So, what happened today?”
Evie relaxed a bit, glad to talk about anything but her past. “It was just a couple of stupid teens.

They decided to ditch school yesterday and went out hiking. We get a lot of hikers in the area. He
thought he’d get laid, but what he ended up with was a broken ankle.”

“Bummer.”
Amused, she bumped his side. “I’m sure you know how that goes.”
“A guy can hope.”
That made her smile. “Anyways, he couldn’t walk and she was too freaked out to go get help by

herself. When they didn’t come home last night, we got called out. It didn’t take us long to find them
once we found their trail. I took Lancelot with me today and Hunter took Percival. That’s why the
others have so much energy. They always get jealous when we go play without them.”

“So, you only take one dog with you?”
“One dog per searcher. It is easier for them to focus that way and lock in the scent cones.”
“I think it’s great you do that. It can’t be easy searching for lost people. I’m guessing it doesn’t

always turn out as good as today did.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she said softly. She moved her head from side to side, trying to ease the

tension in her neck and shoulders, but it didn’t help much. “I heard you were at the center again today.
We appreciate you helping out.”

“It’s the least I can do after yesterday.”
She glanced up at him through veiled lashes. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Stalling, Dare bent down and picked up a stick. Pulling back his arm, he let it fly and watched

as all four dogs gave chase. “First, I want to say I’m usually not such an idiot around women. I think
it’s just you.”

“Lucky me.”
He shot a look at her. “Why don’t we write it off as my stupid moment of the day and forget

about it?”

Evie paused, considering. “Do you have many of those?”
“What, stupid moments? I’m male, so that would be yes. I think we have a quota each day or we

just don’t feel right.”

“Hmm.”
He heaved out a sigh. “You...disturb me.”
That had her stopping in her tracks. Offended to her core, she glared at him with her hands on

her hips. “Excuse me?”

“See, even the way you glare at me. That shouldn’t turn me on.”
“It...I...” She lost her ability to speak. Did he really just—

“Damn it, Evie,” he said as he took a step closer. “I shouldn’t have missed seeing your face

today.”

Her mouth opened, then closed as she struggled to form a response. She took a step back, then

another. “No. You said—”

“I know what I said.”
“Then we should probably just avoid each other from now on while you’re here.”
Dare took another step forward, closing the distance between them again as he slowly shook his

head. “I’ve tried that. It doesn’t seem to be working.”

“Well, try harder,” she snapped. She started to take another step back, but stopped when she

realized he had her retreating.

He burst out laughing. “Damn, woman. You sure do know how to stomp on a man’s ego.”
“That’s not all I’m gonna stomp on.”
Still chuckling, he wrapped an arm around her waist and jerked her to him, making her gasp.

“Why don’t we try this instead?”

Dare’s mouth came down on hers, hot and hard. A low moan tore from Evie’s throat at the

pleasure of feeling him against her. She knew she should protest, push him away or something, but her
hands simply grabbed onto his shirt, needing something to anchor her as he took her under, into a sea
of sensation.

Evie gasped again when he pulled her closer so she felt the steel hard spike of his erection

again her stomach. It seemed to burn her through their clothes, and made her ache for more. He took
advantage when her lips parted and pushed his tongue deep, stroking and tasting. Not to be outdone,
she gave up fighting and met his desire with her own. She took the kiss deeper, tilting her head to the
side, fitting them together like two pieces of a puzzle.

She lost herself in the kiss, taking and giving in equal measure. His other hand delved into her

hair, tugging her head back and the small sting made her shiver. Time seemed to stop while they were
locked together. Her hands slid under his shirt of their own volition. Feeling the hard contours of the
muscles on his back made her knees go weak and another moan of pleasure broke free. She wanted to
touch all of him, to stroke her hands over his hard body until he was as mad for her as she was for
him.

This was passion.
This was wild, lust-driven need.
This was...insane.
Gasping, she pulled back. Sweet Jesus, what was she doing? Here she was, making out with

Dare out in the open where anyone could see, and she didn’t even like the man...did she?

Dare’s grip on her tightened, holding her firmly in place when she tried to move away from

him. “Hey, princess? You think you can tell your boys to stand down?”

“W-what?”
Evie blinked in confusion. God, his kiss had practically fried her brain. Shaking herself to

focus, she quickly realized that all four of her dogs were issuing low, menacing growls. Looking
down she saw they were all fixated on Dare, waiting for her command to attack.

“No, babies. It’s okay. Dare is a...friend.”
“You wanna try to say that a little more convincing? I’d like to keep all my body parts where

they are,” he said wryly.

She repeated her words, resting her head on his shoulder and smiled at the dogs so they would

understand she wasn’t being hurt. Three of the dogs relaxed, their tails wagging as they sniffed at

Dare’s shoes, but Gawain still seemed to eye him suspiciously. “Smile,” she ordered, keeping her
voice soft and calm.

Dare glanced down and tried to smile, although he was pretty sure it came out more like a

grimace. A few seconds ago, he’d been damn close to dragging Evie down onto the grass with him.
From the moment he’d touched her everything else had simply disappeared. She’s felt so right in his
arms, and the taste of her was even better than he had imagined. Then he’d felt that itch on the back of
his neck right before he’d heard the growls.

It had been a mistake to kiss her like this, without planning or preparation, but he just couldn’t

help himself. And now he’d had a taste of her he wanted more. So much more. It would have been
better if he’d walked away before he’d touched her, because now he wasn’t going to be able to.

He was a damned man now.
Fate sealed.
Evie tried to break free of his embrace, and he let her go after she let out a growl of her own.

He watched as she bent down and stroked her hands through the soft fur of her dogs. Dare’s muscles
clenched as he imaged her stroking her hands over his body, and his hard cock throbbed in the
confines of his jeans like a wicked ache.

Reassured that everything was okay, the dogs started wagging their tails again and two of them

trotted over to seek attention from Dare. He obliged and bent down to pat their sides. “Good boys,”
Dare crooned. “You guys are going to have to get used to me touching your owner.”

“No. This can’t happen again,” Evie said as she stood back up, that impassive mask back in

place on her face. It didn’t bother him, as he found he got great pleasure shaking her up and getting
past that guard of hers.

“Sorry, princess. Now that I got a taste of you, I want more.”
“Stop calling me that!”
“Like that’s any better than Dr. Hottie?” Dare laughed as her cheeks flushed pink with

embarrassment. “I figure now we’re even.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she said coolly. “I didn’t give you that nickname.”
He grinned as he shrugged, her prickly temper not bothering him in the least. “Oh, well. I know

the people at the center call you boss, but that ain’t happening. So, you’re stuck with princess. If I
have to deal with it, so do you. Now, are you going to lie and tell me you don’t feel this attraction
between us?”

“I—it doesn’t matter. We can’t be doing this.”
“Too late.”
“You stubborn, idiotic...” She shot him a furious glare then spun around to leave. Her exit lost

its effect when she nearly tripped on one of her dogs. “Boys, we’re going home.”

“Is that an invitation?” Dare called out, his voice teasing as her dogs bounded after her.
“No!” Evie whirled around and pointed her finger at him. “You...you stay right there!”
Dare bit his lip to keep from laughing, and stuck his hands in his pockets as he watched her

stomp away. He kept his pace slow as he followed her in the direction of her house and waited until
she was safely inside before he let a laugh rumble out.

Things would be interesting now that the gauntlet had been thrown down. As far as he could

tell, both he and Evie were controlling personality types. It was going to be so much fun to see who
came out on top. Grinning, Dare walked back toward his bike and got on.

God, he felt good.
Dare started up his bike and drove the short distance to the parking lot next to the boarding

house. Instead of going inside, he walked onto the terrace and sat down on the porch swing. He sat
there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the quiet night. Something Evie had said early kept weighing
on him until his curiosity refused to be denied any longer. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled out
his cell phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.

“Yo,” the deep voice said upon answering.
“Toro? It’s me. Dare.”
“How you doing, buddy? Ready to come back to work already?”
Dare scowled into the dark as he pushed the swing into motion. “I told you, I’m out.”
“Yeah, we all say that at least once a day.”
“I mean it. I...can’t do it anymore.”
There was a long pause over the line, then Toro’s voice grew serious. “I’m sorry to hear that.

It’s a shame we’re losing you, but you know we’ll always have your back.”

“Thanks, man. About that...I was hoping you could pull some background intel for me.”
“Sure thing. Might be a few days until I can get back to you. Is it urgent?”
“Nope. A few days is fine. You at home?”
“No, I’m out on recon right now.”
“Anything hot?” Dare stopped the swing from moving and sat up straight.
Toro’s chuckle was clear over the line. “Not yet. I’m actually pretty bored right now, but things

should be heating up soon. I’ve been stuck out near Vancouver for two weeks now. People are just
so...nice out here in Canada. It’s starting to freak me out a little.”

Dare laughed at that. “I’m sure you’ll be dealing with plenty of assholes soon enough.”
“True. So, what do you need?”
“Any background info you can pull on Evelyn Beaumont of Breakers, Texas, and her immediate

family, now deceased.”

“She a suspect for something?”
“No.” Dare paused for a moment before he admitted, “This is personal.”
“Got it. I’ll get back to you. Is your phone still secured?”
“Yep. This is the phone I took with me when I left.”
Toro let out a snort. “You know we can track you with that, don’t you?”
“I figured as much. You’d be able to find me if you wanted to anyways. It’s a nice phone, plus I

don’t have to pay for it this way.”

“Good point.” Toro said with a laugh. “Think of it as an insurance policy in case you are ever

in trouble. We take care of our own. It’s how we roll, brother.”

“Speaking of, you know who is living in Breakers? Nikita Nuria. You know her?”
“Shit, Flame is there? Dude, try not to piss her off if you wanna keep your balls attached to your

body.”

“Yeah, I’ll try and stay on her good side.”
“Smart. I’ll be in touch.”
Dare put his phone away, then pushed the swing back into motion. Talking to his old friend

made Dare miss him, but he realized that he didn’t have to break ties with anyone just because he
longer wanted to do the work. He felt a moment of guilt about digging into Evie’s past, but he needed
to know what she was hiding. It was better to do it this way then to involve any of her friends and ask
them to betray her trust. Hell, he knew he’d probably end up apologizing for it later, but it was better
to know. He was a man who worked better with a plan. Now that he had one, it was just a matter of
time before he had her in his bed.

Operation Seduce Evie was a go.

Chapter Six

Dare found himself back at the rescue center early the next morning.
He liked helping out and spending time with the dogs, but the truth was he was really there to

see Evie. His excitement stalled when he discovered she was out on an adoption for the day. He was
told she should be back later that day, but no one knew exactly when. After a few hours of work, Dare
saw a large school bus pull up in front of the center. He watched in horror as a small group of kids
bounded off the bus, gathering in a group around two adults who were obviously their teachers.

“Fuck. I forgot the field trip was today,” Hunter muttered as he came to stand besides Dare.
“Field trip?”
“The local middle school has a class that’s doing a volunteer project. They’re here to help

socialize the puppies.”

“Ah...I think I’m going to—”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
Without another word, both Dare and Hunter turned and walked away from the center, heading

back toward the boarding house. Pulling out his keys, Dare got on his bike once they reached the
parking lot. “I’m heading into town. Maybe get something to eat, then over to Fight Hard.”

“I’m going in to the shop,” Hunter said as he got on his own Harley. “I’ve got some work to

catch up on.”

“Seriously?”
“I’ll find something to do, damn it. I’m not staying here with those kids.”
Dare laughed. “I don’t blame you. By the way, I went into the shop yesterday.”
“Really? What did you get?” Dare raised the sleeve of his shirt and Hunter nodded. “Nik does

nice work. She matched it perfectly.”

“She did.”
They started up their bikes and Dare followed Hunter out onto the road. It felt good being with

a friend on the open road, and Dare realized how much he missed the company on a ride. They pulled
into town and both pulled into the parking lot next to gym. When they shut off their engines, Dare
turned to Hunter. “Sure you don’t want to join me?”

“Naw, I’ve got a late lunch thing with Nik and the two other guys who work there to talk about

shop business. Thanks, though.”

He and Hunter tapped fists and went their separate ways. Dare walked the few blocks down to

The Fox Hole, nodding to the various people that smiled and said hello to him on the street. The
people of Breakers were a friendly lot, and he wasn’t exactly sure if that was a plus or a minus in his
book.

The fact was he didn’t seem to be sure about much these days.
Dare pushed open the door to the bar and walked inside, glad to see it was still early enough

not to be too crowded. He walked over to the bar and took a seat at the far end so he could see the
entrance and have his back to the wall.

Old habits die hard.
The man behind the bar turned and grinned when he saw Dare. “Well, hell. I was wondering

when I was going to see you.”

Dare returned the grin. Dante Fox was the owner of The Fox Hole now that his father, Malcolm

Fox, had retired. Dante was a good man. They had met each other in the Army, and had stayed friends
over the years. Anyone looking at them could have thought they were related, since they both had
midnight black hair, but where Dare’s eyes were dark-grey, Dante eyes were ice-blue, so pale they
almost looked inhuman.

“I heard you were in town. Was wondering when you'd stop by instead of hiding up at the

boarding house.”

“I wasn’t hiding...bastard.”
Dante snickered. “Seemed like it to me. What can I get you?"
“Burger and a beer.”
“I'll set you right up.”
Dante placed Dare's order into the system, then turned back to ask, “Bottle or glass?”
“Whatever is on tap is fine.”
“Got it.” Dante held a glass under the tap as he poured the beer. “Must be nice, drinking already

and it's not even noon.”

“It's noon somewhere.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Dante laughed and set the full glass down in front of Dare, then picked up

his own glass and raised it in salute.

Raising a brow, Dare said, “I see you’re starting early, too.”
“If I’m here this goddamn early, I deserve a beer.”
“I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you usually close.”
“Yeah, I do, but I’m covering for Zoe. She took the day off to go on an adoption with Evie. I

think they’re doing some girl spa thing on the way home.”

Dare couldn’t help but scowl as he took a sip of his beer. There she was again, invading his

thoughts when he least expected it. Damn the woman. He was still annoyed she hadn’t told him herself
that she wouldn’t be at the center today.

Dante frowned at him. “Hey, you didn’t come by to see Zoe, did you?”
Amused, Dare held up his hands. He knew Dante had a thing for the pretty Asian bartender that

worked for him. Last time Dare had been in town Dante had all but pissed circles around her, and
evidently that hadn’t changed. “Dude, relax. I came to eat. That sweet lady of yours still making you
crazy?”

Dante’s expression darkened. “Fuck you.”
Dare laughed. “I take that as a yes.”
“Zoe works for me. That’s it.”
“So, you’re saying she’s available?”
“God damn it! No!”
Dare had to bite his lip to stop from laughing. “Man, you’ve got it bad.”
Leaning his forearm on the bar top, Dante huffed out a breath. His big shoulders slumped

dejectedly. “I know. I’m a fucking mess. Look, I can’t talk to Hammer about this. He’s just too…
happy...”

“I know what you mean. But you’re pretty fucking possessive of that woman despite the fact you

say she isn’t yours. You’re like a rabid dog when it comes her.”

“That’s because she’s not mine. Yet.”
Dare scoffed at that. “If that’s what has your knickers in a twist, do something about it.”
“I tried.” Dante frowned down at his glass, then picked it up and downed the contents.
They stopped talking as a waitress brought out Dare’s food to him. He thanked her and the

pretty brunette winked at him before she walked away. “I told her to bump you up, so some other poor
bastard will have to wait for his food.”

“I appreciate it.”
“Seems like Cheryl is interested. I can introduce you.”
“Naw, I have my sights set elsewhere.” Dare picked up his burger and took a large bite.
Damn that was good.
“You haven’t been here that long, who do you have your eye on?”
“None of your fucking business.”
He picked up a fry as Dante looked around as if to make sure no one could hear them. Lowering

his voice, Dante said, “Damn it. I have to talk to someone about this. But if I tell you, I’ll have to kill
you if you say anything to anyone.”

“I don’t talk to people.” And why the hell did that make everyone else want to tell him shit,

Dare thought with a sigh as he took another bite of his burger. Clearly he needed to try and put off a
bigger fuck off vibe.

“I haven’t touched a woman in two months.”
“You…” Dare choked. At a loss for words, he just blinked. “Dude, I may be a doctor, but I

don’t think I’m the right person you should be talking to about this.”

“Fuck you, man. I don’t have that kind of problem. It’s just…I made a bet with her.”
“With Zoe?” Dare asked after a long moment of silence.
“Yeah. She thinks I’m a man whore.”
“Well, yeah…you kind of are, aren’t you?”
Dante shot a dark look at him. “That’s the fucking issue. The only time I really feel anything is

when I’m fucking or fighting, so that’s what I do...or did. She won’t let me touch her because of it. So,
we made a bet. If I can last four months without touching anyone else, she’ll give me a shot.”

“Okay,” Dare said carefully as he began to eat again. “So, you have two more months to go?”
Dante let out a groan like he was dying. “It’s gonna kill me. I swear to God, I’m going to

fucking die if I don’t touch her soon. Besides, I don’t want anyone else...just her.”

Dare shoved more food in his mouth to keep from having to say anything at the moment. Christ,

he didn’t know what to say. Dante Fox certainly had a reputation with the ladies. It was common for
soldiers returning from a warzone to deal with stress in whatever way they could. Unfortunately,
some lost themselves in a bottle trying to dull the memories of what they had seen and done, while
others found different ways to beat back their personal demons.

Wasn’t he doing the same damn thing?
He was saved from responding when a large hand came down on his back, almost knocking him

off his stool.

“There he is! Damn good to see you, boy!”
Dare turned and had to smile as he saw Malcolm Fox’s weathered face grinning at him. As a

former Ranger himself, Malcolm Fox was tough as nails. After he’d left the service, Malcolm Fox
had moved back to Breakers and opened The Fox Hole. Wanting to provide for his fellow brothers-
in-arms, he’d make a habit of employing men after they got out of the military. Dare knew that the men
that hung out at the bar had gained the moniker Breakers’ Bad Boys, because most of them had bad-
ass attitudes, tattoos, and rode motorcycles, but they were damn good men who fiercely protected the
town.

“Malcolm,” he said in greeting as he shook the older man’s hand.
“If it isn’t Dr. Hottie, himself.”

“Son of a bitch!”
“I had a good laugh about that when I heard that’s what the women in town were calling you.”

Malcolm laughed and slapped Dare on the back again, then he turned to address his son. “Hey, I just
got a call from your sister. Danica tried to call you, but she said you didn’t answer.”

“Damn it. I left my phone in the office. Is she okay? What’s going on?”
“She’s fine. Just wanted to say hi, and said she’d try again tomorrow or you could call her back

later.” Malcolm explained to Dare. “Ever since my daughter won that damn TV dance contest, she’s
been gallivanting all over the world.”

“Gemma,” Dante clarified. “She’s touring with Gemma.”
“The singer? No, shit? That’s a huge accomplishment,” Dare said and noticed both Malcolm

and Dante beamed with pride.

“I know. My sister has been the head choreographer for Gemma for the last few years. They’re

on tour now. Again.”

“It sucks having her so far away,” Malcolm grumbled. “She should be home, where we know

she’s safe.”

“And do what, dad? Tend bar?”
“She is part owner of this place, too!”
“Danica is a damn dancer,” Dante shot back. “Even if we want her home you can’t just hide her

in here.”

“Ha!” Malcolm cried out as he pointed a finger at his son. “You say that, but I’m not the one

who got banned from visiting her.”

Dante scowled. “You should see all the men hanging all over my sister after they see her dance

on stage. The fucking perverts.”

“Damn right,” Malcolm agreed. He leaned a forearm on the bar, and smiled at Dare. “So, I was

glad to hear you were moving to Breakers.”

“Oh, I’m not—”
“Sure you are,” Malcolm said, barreling right over Dare’s protest. “Don’t know if the Breakers

Hospital is looking for anyone right now, but I doubt they would turn down someone with your
expertise and experience.”

“Really, I don’t—”
Malcolm slapped his back again, knocking the wind out of him. “You be sure to stop on by the

hospital when you have a moment. I know one of the administrators there, Alda Hertz. She’s a good
woman, and will be happy to see you. I’ll tell her you’re coming by.”

“Dad, stop torturing the man.”
Malcolm winked at his son. “Just giving him options. Since he seems to be sweet on our Evie, I

thought I’d help make it easier for him to settle in.”

“How the hell—”
“Breakers is a small town, son. If you don’t want everyone to know your business, you

shouldn’t be mauling her out where everyone can see. Oh, and Dare? Your meal is on us. Welcome
home.” Malcolm left grinning before Dare could do more than scowl.

Dante snickered. “So, Evie, huh?”
“Fuck off. At least I’m not the one being castrated by a stupid bet.”
Dante’s good humor vanished instantly at that reminder. Both men brooded in silence until Dare

finally said, “Hell. I’ve lost my appetite. Why don’t you come with me to the gym? Let’s go beat the
shit out of each other for awhile in the ring.”

Dante blew out a breath. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

****

Dare and Dante pounded on each other for a good few hours at the gym to the entertainment of

everyone at Fight Hard.

By the time Dante left to go back to the bar, Dare felt the edge of his irritation had faded. He

spent some time cooling down with a light workout on the machines while he watched Hammer
training some young men in the ring. His friend was good with the fighters. Hammer showed an
aptitude for teaching just as strong as his own talent in the ring had been.

Finished with his workout, Dare went back into the locker room to shower and change. He had

to shake his head at the accommodations Hammer had the place outfitted with. The damn locker room
looked like it belonged in some high-class country club or something instead of a small town gym.
After he got out of the shower, he heard his phone ping with an incoming message as soon as he
opened his locker. He sat down to check it with his towel wrapped around his waist, and when he
pulled up the text and saw it was from Toro, Dare’s stomach clenched.

I think this is what you were looking for. Your lady had it rough. Let me know if you need

anything else.

Dare opened the attached files, trying to stay calm as he read through the information. It wasn’t

easy. According to the information that Toro had pulled together for him, Evie didn’t just have it
rough...she had lived through something no one should ever have to face.

When she had been fourteen, three men had broken into her family home and had killed her

parents. Her father had been wealthy land developer, and one of the men had been caught dealing
drugs using the company as means to distribute. When the men forced their way in, Evie had called
the police and tried to hide, but the men had found her and taken her with them when they fled the
home.

Wounded, the family dog had aided in the search for Evie through the woods located in the back

of the property, leading the search team straight to her. The drug dealers thought they could hide out
until it was safe to get away, but instead they had been apprehended in the matter of hours. Two of the
men were killed in the takedown, and the dog had succumbed to his wounds and died only moments
after Evie had been found.

Evie had testified at the trial of the remaining man, ensuring that he was put away for life. The

courtroom had been filled with Breakers residents each day of the trial, full of people who had been
there to support Evie in honor of her parents' memories.

Dare’s heart ached for her loss, and couldn’t imagine what she had suffered in the hours that

those men had held her captive. There were additional news articles highlighting a young girl’s
struggle to deal with the aftermath of what had happened to her family. She had been to counseling
and under the care of a psychiatrist, but what really seemed to have helped her deal with her trauma
had been how the men and women of the town had come together and provided an impenetrable
shield around her.

When she hadn’t wanted to leave Breakers, her Uncle Tony and Aunt Colleen had moved their

children Hunter, Beckett and Francesca to be with her. Aiding the police department, Tony, Malcolm
Fox and several other men in the community had come together to rid the town of the drugs flowing in,
and had earned their moniker as the Breakers’ Bad Boys with their unconventional methods to keep
their town safe.

Dare sat there staring at his phone for long minutes, surprised he didn’t crush the damn thing

with the sheer force of his rage thinking about how three men had ripped apart Evie’s life, all because
of drugs. He slowly put his phone down on one of the shelves inside the locker, but didn’t move from
his seat. The sound of the door opening had Dare turning, and he saw as Hammer turned the corner.
He paused, then moved to Dare’s side, sitting down next to him on the bench.

“I just spoke to Kali. She’s at home cooking up a storm.”
“Great.”
“Is there some reason you’re sitting here looking so morose?”
“I did something. I asked a contact of mine at the agency to pull up some background

information about Evie.”

“Damn, Nyght. Why’d you do that? You could have just asked me whatever you wanted to

know.”

“She said some cryptic things about her past that I needed to know. I didn’t want to involve

anyone.”

Hammer shook his head. “Brother, you should know better. You don’t go digging into a

woman’s past without a court order, and even then she’s damn well gonna make you pay for it. So,
you know about what happened to her parents now?”

“Yeah. Jesus, Hammer.”
“I know. It’s why she works so hard to rehab those dogs and is part of the search and rescue

team. My cousin is a strong woman, Dare. It was rough on her, but she survived.”

Dare glanced over. “Aren’t you gonna warn me away from your cousin?”
“Why? You’re one of the best men I know. Why wouldn’t I want my cousin with you?”
Dare let out a half laugh. “Christ, Hammer. How can you say that? You don’t even know what

I’ve been doing these last few years.”

Hammer studied his friend, taking his time to figure out exactly what he wanted to say. He

turned so he was facing Dare on the bench. Damn, it broke his heart the way Dare seemed to be
bracing himself as if for a blow. He looked so fucking lost, so alone, but he wasn’t. Hammer may not
know exactly what Dare had been through, but he knew enough to guess. And if it was even close to
what he’d imagined, then his friend wouldn’t be left to pick up the pieces unaided.

“I know you, Dare. You’re not just my friend, you’re like a brother to me. You may have gone

through some tough shit, and still may be going through the hard right now, but that doesn’t change the
fact that I know you’re a good man.” He held up his hand to stall whatever Dare would have said.
“You know, when I got back stateside and started fighting, I thought I had found the perfect way to
channel all the emotions I felt about what I had been through.”

Dare nodded. “You were good at fighting. Still are, Hammer. Actually, you’re a damn good

trainer, too. I noticed that today.”

“Thanks, that means a lot coming from you.” And Hammer was shocked at just how much that

was true. When he’d left the Army, Hammer had been just as lost as Dare now seemed. But Hammer
had been lucky to find people who had helped and supported him when he’d started fighting with the
Cage Fighting League. Civilians didn’t understand just how much time in the military could change a
man...or how painful it was to come back and have everyone expect something that wasn’t possible.

Hammer had faced that disappointment from people when they’d realized he wasn’t the same

man he used to be. He was harder, more severe, and much more jaded. Growing up with a fucked up
childhood like he had, it was saying a lot when people barely recognized him upon his return.

Then came the fame, but few people knew the truth.

“What I’ve never told anyone is that after every fight I had, I got sick. I mean throw my fucking

guts up sick. I was so fucking terrified I would really hurt someone, that I wouldn’t hear them ring that
bell. That I wouldn’t stop. Jesus, Dare. There were times I simply switched off. As soon as the other
guy came at me, I went into survival mode, and just reacted. When the fight was over, that’s what I
celebrated. Not the win, but that I didn’t kill anyone. It made me sick to realize that, until I finally
understood it. Accepted it.”

“You seemed to make it work for you.”
Hammer nodded. “I did, but it took a long fucking time, and a hell of a lot of training. We all

have to deal with it. You, me, Hunter, Storm, Dante. Hell, it’s why I don’t let any of the amateurs spar
with Dante in the ring in a real fight. He has good training instincts and the younger guys respond to
him, but he still has that edge to him and I can’t risk him unleashing on some poor kid. It’s not his
fault, though. We’ve spent years training for combat, man. That’s not something we can just forget
overnight.”

Dare glanced away and stared down at his own hands. They were clean now, but in his mind he

saw them covered with blood. Looking back up, Dare forced himself to say the words. “I killed
someone, Hammer. I killed him looking him in the eyes just like I’m doing with you right now. I’m a
fucking doctor. I’m supposed to save lives, not take them.”

“I’m sorry you had to do that,” Hammer said softly.
“He was the terrorist leader in Spain. I had to stop him before he blew up another church filled

with people. It was like something out of a fucking nightmare, all the people dead or dying and there
was nothing I could do. No way to stop it...until that moment. Until I did stop it.”

“You don’t have to explain your actions to me, Nyght. Whatever you were forced to do, I know

you had a good reason without you having to tell me. No matter what, you are a good man. Nothing
you tell me is going to convince me otherwise.”

Dare closed his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by what Hammer’s acceptance of him made

him feel. His chest grew tight with barely restrained emotions. To know the faith his friend had in him
was staggering. And knowing that helped lift some of the weight that had been on his shoulders since
he’d pulled the trigger in Spain.

“You don’t know how much that means to me to hear you say that,” Dare said in a low voice,

rough with emotion.

“I mean it.” Hammer cleared his throat and patted Dare’s bare shoulder. “It took me a long time

to get my head right. Even when I thought I had, things really changed for me when I met Kali.”

“She’s a good woman. Too damn good for you.”
Grinning, Hammer tapped the wooden bench with his fist. “Oh, I know it. But now that I have

her, I’m gonna make damn sure she stays mine. It’s funny what loving the right woman can do for a
man. She makes me better.”

Dare raised a brow at that. “If you say she completes you, I may just have to hit you.”
“Shut up. You know what I mean. She makes me want to be a better man for her. Not because

she demands it. For some damn reason she loves me just as I am, but I want to be everything she
needs, and that is how loving her makes me better. So, going back to what I said about my cousin—”

“Oh, no. I’m not looking for love—”
“Which is the perfect time for it to happen. I have it on good authority.”
Dare’s eyes narrowed. “And what is this authority?”
“The women, of course. Sometimes Kali and her friends get together and I can’t escape, so I

have to listen to them babble on about all kinds of girly shit. According to them, people who aren’t

looking for love are the ones who find it. And happy people who are in love seem to attract other
happy people—”

“Oh my God!”
Hammer bellowed out a laugh. “I’m just fucking with you now. Come on, get dressed so we can

go eat. I’m starving.” He paused with a smirk. “I would hug it out, but you’re in nothing but a towel
and that is much closer to your junk than I want to be.”

“You’re such a dick.”
“Yeah, love you, too.”

Chapter Seven

Evie glanced at the empty bottle of wine on the table, then shook her head at her three friends

who were sitting with her in the living room of the her house. “Why is it every time you three come
over I end up with a hangover?”

“Because we’re fun,” Zoe Lang said with a laugh. As a bartender, she was used to pouring

drinks and she topped off their glasses after opening a brand new bottle of wine.

Nikita leaned back on the couch and smiled as she pet one of Evie’s dogs who was sprawled

out over her lap. “I don’t get hangovers.”

“Which is why we hate you.” Becca Nuria glared at her twin sister, making them all laugh. She

and Nikita had identical facial features, but that was where the similarities stopped. Becca worked at
the bakery with Kali and lived in the apartment above Sinfully Sweet. She was softer, more curvy
than Nikita. Becca had a gentle nature, while her twin was basically bad-ass. “I still don’t understand
how you’re not affected by alcohol the same way I am. It’s damn unfair.”

“Life is unfair,” Nikita replied with a shrug as she sipped from her glass. “I’m glad the

adoption went well today. I liked that little mutt, and I’m glad you found him a good home.”

“The family that adopted Monster already loves him. It’s so nice to see when an entire family

bonds with a dog,” Evie agreed. The mutt in question was a dog named Monster, who was one of the
ugliest looking dogs they’d ever had at the center. Despite his looks, he had one of the sweetest
dispositions and was caring and gentle. Evie and a few of the crew had rescued him from below a
highway overpass where he had been abandoned.

“Too bad Kali is missing out tonight since she’s having dinner with Hammer and Dare. She’s

gonna miss out on all the good gossip. I wanna hear all about you and Dr. Hottie,” Zoe said as she
rubbed a foot on Lancelot who was sprawled on the floor near her feet.

Evie let out a groan. “Can we please stop calling him that?”
“Yes! I want to hear all about this kiss. Was it soft and dreamy or hot and steamy?” Becca

asked, leaning forward. “What? I’m not getting any so I need to live vicariously through you.”

“What you need to do is stop mooning over some guy you’ve never even met and go out with a

real man,” Nikita corrected.

“I am not mooning over anyone,” Becca protested. Aggravated, she shot a glare at her twin.

“For the last time, he’s just a pen pal. You’re just irritated because I won’t tell you who he is.”

“Oh, leave Becca alone,” Zoe scolded. “Sorry we don’t all have a hot, biker boyfriend like you

do. How are you and Tiny doing by the way?”

Nikita rolled her eyes. “His name is Tate, and no, I’m not dating him anymore.”
“Aww, what happened?” Evie asked.
“He got...attached. I thought we were just having fun, but then he started texting all the time and

asking where I was. It was annoying, so I ended it.” Nikita paused with an exaggerated sigh. “He
cried.”

The women all laughed. “Of course he did,” Zoe said. “Girl, you are the only woman I know

who can make a big, tattooed hulk cry like a little girl.”

Nikita didn’t want to let her friends know exactly how much her break up with Tate had really

bothered her. Her friends all thought of her as a player of sorts, and maybe she was. But the real
reason she dated so much was because she was looking for someone she really connected with. And

that person wasn’t Tate. Deciding it was time to turn the conversation away from herself, Nikita
asked, “Speaking of men crying, how is the big bet going? I have to say, it’s been killing me to know
and not be able to tease Dante about it.”

“You can’t!” Zoe exclaimed, wine sloshing over the rim of her glass as she jerked in her seat.
“Relax. You swore us to secrecy. I haven’t said a word to Dante about it,” Nikita assured her.

“But I have to ask, if he goes through with the entire bet and doesn’t touch another woman for four
months, are you finally going to put him out of his misery?”

“He does seem to have it pretty bad for you,” Becca agreed.
“Honestly, I think Dante is serious about this,” Evie said softly. “But you need to really think

about this, because once he has you, I don’t think he’s ever going to let you go. He’s different with
you. I’m not excusing his past behavior, but I will say that he treats you better than any other woman
I’ve ever seen him with, besides his sister, Danica.”

“Things are...complicated,” Zoe hedged. There were things the other women didn’t know.

Secrets she couldn’t tell them. Still, the thought of being with Dante made her breathless with
anticipation.

“I still don’t get why you’re torturing the poor guy,” Nikita said. “You guys practically act like

you’re married already.”

Evie laugh. “I know. It’s so cute to see the way they interact with each other.”
Zoe held up her hands. “Okay, enough about me. I want to know details about the big kiss. No

more stalling, Evie.”

“He is just so...annoying. First he tells me he’s not interested in a relationship with me, then he

kisses me silly. I just don’t get him,” Evie said, the frustration she felt clear in her voice. Her dogs
reacted to the sound and their heads lifted. She smiled at them and rubbed gently on one of Galahad’s
ears.

“Do you think he’s playing with you?” Becca asked, concerned.
“I don’t think that’s it,” Nikita said. “Dare seems to be having a hard time transitioning back to

real life. Lots of soldiers go through that.”

Evie nodded. “I know what you mean. It’s like I can almost feel his pain when I’m around him,

and part of me just wants to reach out and help, but another part is telling me to stay away. Far away.
That nothing good can come of this.”

Zoe waved her glass in the air. “That’s because you like to over think things. Here’s the most

important question. How was the kiss, really? I mean how did you feel after?”

“You mean after I got my brain to start working again? Jesus, the second he touched me it was

like I just...melted.”

“Damn it. Now you’re just bragging,” Zoe muttered.
Some of the tension left Evie’s body as she laughed along with her friends. It was good to be

able to discuss her concerns with them, and have them help rationalize the...situation she found herself
in with Dare. “It’s obvious the sexual chemistry is there, but that doesn’t mean a relationship between
us would work.”

“You won’t know if you don’t try, though,” Becca protested. “Why don’t you take things slow

with him? Feel it out.”

Nikita chuckled. “I don’t think Dare is the type of guy to take anything slow. Once he made up

his mind he wanted you, I think that was it.”

Evie raised a brow at that. “And I’m just supposed to go along with that?”
“Now, Evie, don’t get mad. It’s just that it’s so rare for you to really be interested in a guy, and

we don’t want you to give up on Dare just because he confuses you.”

“Ha! You’re one to talk,” Evie countered as she wagged a finger at Zoe.
Zoe scowled. “I have two months to figure out what the hell to do about Dante. Besides, I work

for him and things could get messy if things don’t work out between us.”

“Well, Dare is staying at the boarding house and he’s been spending a lot of time at the center.

That could get messy, too,” Evie argued.

“Because he wants to spend time with you. I think it’s sweet.”
Evie shot Becca a look. “It’s because he wants to sleep with me.”
“Well, don’t you want to sleep with him, too?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.”
Becca, Nikita and Zoe exchanged knowing glances. “That means yes.”
“Yes, I’m attracted to him. I’ve talked to Kali about Dare and even Hunter likes him, and you

know Hunter doesn’t like anyone. I just don’t want to get involved with him if nothing can come of it.
There’s something about him that intrigues me, but why spend more time with him if it won’t go
anywhere? I’m not looking for a fling. What happens if I fall for him and he just leaves? He could
really hurt me if I let myself care.”

“We just have to make him want to stay. Show him he has a good home here,” Zoe said.
“Christ, he isn’t one of Evie’s dogs,” Nikita muttered.
Becca frowned. “You have a similar background to Dare, right? And you’re happy here in

Breakers. How long did it take you to start feeling normal again after you stopped doing...whatever it
was you were doing?”

“I’ll let you know when that happens,” Nikita said, then gulped down the rest of her wine. She

couldn’t take the looks of sympathy the others cast her way, so she stood up.

“You’re not leaving are you?”
Nikita sighed. “No, but if we’re going to continue this conversation I need more wine. A lot

more wine. If we’re going to open another bottle, I’m going to stash my bike in the garage.”

Evie looked at Nikita in exasperation. “Why do you act like it’s some sort of big secret that

we’re friends?”

“Because it is.” Nikita rolled her eyes. “Listen, you’re…you. The nice girl that everyone loves.

Me? I operate better in the shadows. If people know we’re friends, then they’re gonna assume that it’s
safe to talk to me. You may like having people blather to you all the time, but I don’t want it. I’d
rather have them fear me, or avoid me. Actually, I’m good with avoidance.”

“I find your logic strangely fascinating,” Evie said with a laugh.
Nikita scowled. “Laugh it up, bitch. If people find out and start calling me for play dates, I will

kill you.” Nikita turned back before she opened the front door. Ignoring Evie’s laughter, she said,
“Dare is the type of man who needs an objective...something to focus on. Like you, he’s used to being
busy. If you want him to stay here, give him a task. Help him make a connection here and maybe he’ll
stay. Come on, boys. I’ll take you outside to pee while I’m up.”

The four dogs scrambled to their feet with a clatter of nails dancing against the wooden floor.

Evie considered what Nikita said after she left the room with the dogs trailing happily in her wake.
“That makes sense. I mean, he’s used to having multiple patients, and doing whatever else he did
while he was deployed. I know it would drive me crazy not having something to do.”

Zoe sighed. “Great. Two control freaks getting together. This should be interesting.”
“I wish she would talk to me,” Becca whispered, tears stinging her eyes as she continued to

stare at the front door her sister had just walked out of.

Evie reached out and gripped Becca’s hand. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”
“Experiences change who we are,” Zoe said softly. “And it seems like bad experiences change

us more than the good. I didn’t know Niki before I moved here to Breakers, but I can see whatever
she’s been through has affected her. She reacts like this every time we bring up her past. I think to her
it might be like us saying that we don’t accept who she is now.”

“I don’t mean that!”
“We know you don’t,” Evie assured Becca. “None of us mean that. You know we all love Niki,

and I know you love her more than anything. But you said it yourself. She’s not the same person she
used to be.”

Zoe nodded. “What she said about Dare, I think it’s the same for her. I think she stays here for

you, Becca. If that’s not love, than I don’t know what is.”

Becca wiped the tears from her eyes. “I know, it’s just that she doesn’t talk to me like she used

to. There are parts of her life that she completely shuts me out of, and I don’t understand why.”

“She’s not doing it to hurt you,” Zoe said gently.
“I know...I just want my twin back.”
Evie didn’t have the heart to tell her friend that she suspected that the twin Becca once knew

was long gone. What Zoe said made sense. Experiences changed a person, and the past couldn’t be
wiped away.

She knew that better than most people.
Life was too short to worry about what ifs. She wasn’t a coward, and she swore to herself that

she never would be. Maybe it wouldn’t work out with Dare, but maybe there was a chance it would.
She’d dealt with enough returning vets to see Dare was struggling with his own personal demons. It
was there in his eyes. And if what Zoe suggested was true, then he was also coming to terms with
realizing he wasn’t the same person he used to be.

The truth was, she liked who he was now. He may be surly and somewhat irritating at times, but

she could tell he was a good man. At least a good enough man to want to get to know better to see if
there was more than just sexual attraction between them. Deep down, Evie thought she could help
Dare heal, if he let her. Perhaps, because of what he’d been through, he could help her as well.

And if she ended up being stupid and letting Dare into her heart...she’d damn well find a way to

make him love her back.

Somehow.

****

Evie got a late start the next day.
Still feeling the effects from the night of drinking with her friends, she was glad she was

working the late shift at the rescue center, but went in early anyways to get a jump on some
paperwork. Over the next few hours, she worked in her office and she thought over what she wanted
to do about her...thing with Dare. Evie was good at organization and management, and figured there
had to be something she could come up with to help give him something to do. She’d been mulling
things over since last night, and thought she’d come up with the perfect task to involve him in.

Now, it was time to see if he would cooperate.
Evie looked at her watch and muttered a curse as she realized how much time had passed while

she was lost in paperwork. If her plan was going to work, she needed to move quickly. She hurried
out of the office and found Dare out in the main kennels where he was helping clean out the cages.

It gave her a secret thrill to see Dare working with the dogs she loved so much. When he was

focusing on his tasks, his face lost that guarded edge. It made him look younger and more
approachable. Well, at least a little bit. She knew the moment he became aware of her approach as
she watched his body stiffen, then his head turned and those dark-gray eyes locked with hers.

“Huh. You don’t look any worse for wear.”
“Excuse me?”
Dare flashed a grin at her. “Princess, I love it when you say that. I meant after your girl party.

Kali told us she was missing out on the drunken revelry. I didn’t know you ladies still had
sleepovers.”

“We do when it involves mass amounts of wine,” she said with a laugh. “It’s a good thing I’m

on the evening shift tonight.”

“I got a late start myself. I ate so much last night I practically put myself in a food coma. I think

I scared Kali with how much I consumed.”

Evie couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I think she’s used to it since she feeds Hammer all the time

now.”

“True. She sent us off on a walk down by the beach with Ranger and Tink while she cleaned up.

Damn, do those dogs have some energy. We offered to stay and help Kali, but...”

“Kali doesn’t like anyone else in her kitchen. It drives her crazy when Hammer moves things or

puts stuff back in the wrong place.” Deciding she’d stalled long enough, she looked around to make
sure no one else was near, then asked, “I was hoping I could talk to you about something. Actually,
it’s a favor.”

His voice lowered to a seductive rumble. “Does it have to do with more of what we started last

time we were together?”

“What? No!”
Dare took a step closer and Evie forced herself not to back away. “I told you a taste wasn’t

enough, princess. I want more.”

“Why are you talking about me like I’m a piece of pie?”
“Not a piece, sweetheart. I want the whole damn pie.”
“Comparing me to food...how flattering,” she said drolly. “This is serious.”
“It is,” he agreed. “I want you, Eve.”
Her pulse skittered at the intense look he seared her with. Jesus, the man was potent. “I...that’s

not my name.”

“I think it suits you. You’re not Evie to me. Evie is someone’s friend. Eve is the woman I want

screaming my name while I’m inside you.”

Oh my God...
She found herself swaying towards him until she realized where they were. Looking around, she

saw the other people in the kennel were pretending like they weren’t trying to listen in, but she knew
better. In defense, Evie grabbed Dare’s hand and pulled him towards the break room. She was aware
that he let her drag him after her, and she was relieved to see the room was empty.

Evie tried to let go of his hand, but he held onto it, pulling her closer. “I...can’t do this here. I’m

the boss. You can’t just go seducing me when I’m working—”

“But I can later?”
She had to laugh at the hopeful tone in his voice. “Maybe. We’ll talk about that later. About that

favor...”

Dare let out a sigh. “What did you want to ask me?”
For a moment, Evie forgot what she had wanted to discuss with him as he ran his hands up and

down her back in soothing strokes. It made her want to curl into him and rest her head against his
broad chest. The man really had a talent for making her forget herself. “Oh, umm...I was wondering if
you were going to be hanging around here this afternoon.”

“That depends.”
Frowning at his cryptic response, she continued. “I was hoping you could do me a favor if

you’re staying. There is this young boy Shane Diaz, I think you met him and his older brother Nate the
other day. They’re my friend Anna’s nephews.”

Dare nodded, looking wary now. “I remember them.”
“The thing is, Shane’s been having a tough time lately. Their father, Anna’s brother, was a

Marine who died overseas. A few months ago, we found out their mother and her boyfriend were
abusing the boys. The mother had gotten involved with drugs and the boyfriend was some dealer in
Dallas. On New Year’s Eve, the boyfriend got angry at Shane for something and nearly beat him to
death, then he kicked the poor boy down a flight of stairs.”

“Son of a bitch!”
Dare let go of her and stepped back, his hands clenching into fists as he thought about what that

young boy had been through. He wished he could find the motherfucker who did that to the kid and
tear him apart with his bare hands.

Bastards like that didn’t deserve anything less.
“I know,” Evie said softly. “The boyfriend, Bill Hollis, was high, and went after Nate with a

kitchen knife, but luckily he wasn’t too hurt. The police got there in time. The thing is, Shane spent a
long time in the hospital recovering from internal injuries. He’s better now, but since this all
happened, Shane hasn’t really spoken.”

“Were his vocal cords damaged?”
“No. The doctors said Shane would talk again when he was ready. The only thing that really

seems to interest him is coming here to play with the dogs. The trial is coming up and Anna says that
Shane is pretty nervous about it. They had to delay it a few times already. After Bill was taken into
custody they had to wait because Nate fractured the guy’s jaw during their fight.”

“So, the fucker is all healed now?”
Evie pursed her lips. “Not exactly. While Bill’s jaw healed, an incident happened when a few

other inmates attacked him after they found out he had abused the kids. I have a feeling some of the
men in town made sure that information got spread around.”

Dare’s eyes glittered with satisfaction. “Good.”
“I thought so, too. But now the trial is coming up again. Nate is all for putting that horrible man

away, but I don’t know if Shane is going to be able to testify.”

“Does he really have to?”
She shrugged. “It would be good for him. It will give him closure, but they won’t force him if

he can’t speak.”

“What happened to the mother?”
“She took off before the police showed up and the boyfriend was arrested.”
“What a bitch.”
She couldn’t help but agree. Now, to get to the point. “Anna told me the therapist she’s

consulted with said it was good for Shane to be here, but he’s still pretty timid around the bigger
dogs. We’ve been taking turns spending time with him, but there are only so many of us on each shift
and I can’t trust him to just anyone.”

“Ah, shit.”
Evie tried not to grin as she heard the resignation in Dare’s voice. “Don’t be scared, he’s only a

twelve year old little boy. I just want you to let him help you when you’re working with some of the
dogs.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good,” she said as she beamed a smile at him. “They should be here any minute.”
“Now? He’s coming here now? Christ, Eve!”
She wagged a finger at him and couldn’t help but laugh. “You weren’t going to run off before he

got here, were you?”

Dare scowled at her because that was exactly what he was going to do. He and Evie turned as

someone approached the open doorway to the break room. Dare recognized Anna as the woman he
met at the bakery as she walked towards them with a nervous smile on her face. She was carrying a
large box with the Sinfully Sweet logo on it and was holding the hand of a young boy with her other.
Dare remembered him as the boy who hid behind his big brother as they had watched him patch up
Carly’s knee from the doorway in the clinic the other day.

“Here we are, reporting for duty,” Anna said cheerfully.
Evie greeted both Anna and Shane with a hug. She kept her hand on Shane’s shoulder as she

turned back to address Dare. “Shane, this is my friend, Dr. Nyght. He’s the one who helped your
friend Carly, remember? Dare, this is one of our best volunteers at the center, Shane Diaz.”

“Hi, Shane,” Dare said, smiling at the young boy who held tight to his aunt’s hand. Dare wanted

to flinch as he saw the wounded expression in Shane’s dark eyes when the young boy stared up at
him.

It was a look he recognized every time he looked in the mirror.
“Shane, you’re going to be helping Dr. Nyght for a little bit today. Does that sound okay with

you?”

Shane smiled shyly at Evie as he nodded his head and she responded with a smile of her own.

“Good! What do you have there, Anna?”

Anna glance down at her nephew as Shane let go of her hand. For a moment she looked lost

before she cleared her throat. “Oh, Shane and I picked out some cookies for everyone.” She turned to
give Dare a watery smile. “Dr. Nyght, thank you for letting Shane help you today.”

“Please, call me Dare. And it’s nothing. Really.”
“Anna, I could use your help in the puppy room today.”

Anna smiled at Evie, then she brushed a hand over Shane’s head, the gesture filled with

affection as she bent down so she was eye to eye with him. “I’ll just be in the back, helping with the
puppies. You know where that is, right honey?”

Anna waited until he nodded, then she reluctantly left the room.
Evie saw the curiosity in Shane’s gaze as he stared at Dare, and smiled at the look of unease the

man gave the boy in return. She had asked Dare to watch over Shane for several reasons. He was a
trauma doctor and might know of some way to help Shane after all he’d suffered, but Dare was also a
strong man, just like the father Shane have loved and lost. In her gut she knew it would be a good
match. Both Dare and Shane were fighting to heal, and this way Dare would have to be the one to
reach out to connect. She moved to Dare’s side and lightly touched his arm. “I’ll be around if you
need me.”

“We’ll be talking about that need soon. Real soon,” Dare muttered under his breath so only she

could hear him.

She bit her lip to stop from laughing, then raised up on her toes and pressed a kiss on the corner

of his mouth, whispering, “Thank you.”

“Oh, you’ll be thanking me later. You can bet on it.”
Evie chuckled at his murmured threat, then she ruffled the boy’s hair before walking away,

leaving Dare and Shane alone.

Dare stare down at the young boy, wishing he was anywhere but where he was. Resigned, he

washed his hands, stalked to the small refrigerator and took out two Cokes, then opened the box Anna
brought in from the bakery. Feeling a little better breathing in the sugary scent, he grabbed two big
cookies and gestured to the door with his head.

“Come on, kid. I’m about due for a break. We can eat these outside.”
Dare led the way out of the building, looking back a few times to make sure Shane was

following him. He stopped at a bench near the pond and sat down. After Shane took his place next to
him, Dare handed the kid a Coke and one of the cookies. Shit, should he have grabbed a juice box or
something instead of a Coke for the kid? Did they even have juice boxes at the center? Fuck! And
Shane’s aunt wouldn’t have brought the cookies if the kid couldn’t eat those, right?

This was a bad idea...like Titanic meets iceberg type bad.
What the hell did he know about kids, besides they were to be avoided at all costs? Not that he

had that option at the moment. Eve was going to pay for putting him in this position.

“Okay, here’s the thing, kid. I heard about what you’ve been through lately. I’m not going to

bullshit you and pretend like I don’t know. That would just be insulting to both of us. Damn it, I
shouldn’t have said bullshit in front of you, should I? Hell...I knew I was going to suck at this.”

Dare glanced over at Shane’s giggle. The young boy hid a smile behind his can of Coke that he

held in front of his face, and Dare found himself relaxing for the first time since being in the kid’s
presence. He took a big bite of the chocolate chip cookie and almost grinned as the boy copied him.

“I was a soldier, like your dad was. There’s a lot of us ex-soldiers here in town, and we take

care of our own. I’m not going to say that I know what you’ve been through, because I don’t. Not
really. And I’m not going to try and make you talk to me. I’m sure you’ve had enough of that from
other people. I’ve had my own nightmares to deal with, and I know it takes time to heal. No one can
force you until you’re ready.” He turned toward Shane and saw the boy watching him intently. “But
you’re gonna help me out around here, so we need a way to communicate. I’ll try to ask you yes or no
questions, that way you can nod or shake your head for me to answer. And if I tell you to do
something, I expect you to do it. Got it?”

Shane solemnly nodded his head, then Dare looked down as the boy held out his hand. For a

moment, Dare thought Shane wanted him to hold his hand until he realized the boy was offering it to
him to shake. Taking the tiny hand in his, Dare carefully shook it and smiled.

“Alright, let’s get to work.”

Chapter Eight

Dare and Shane worked together over the next few hours.
After Dare’s initial panic faded, he was surprised at how easy it was to work with the kid.

Perhaps it was because Shane didn’t constantly bombard him with questions that he was able to relax
and just focus on what they were doing.

In a way, he though it was almost like having one of the dogs following him around all day, like

a silent companion. At first, Dare was uncomfortable talking to the kid as they cleaned out the cages.
He didn’t know what to say so he simply told Shane what he was doing and why. But Dare quickly
realized that the boy picked up on everything he said and saw Shane was applying the advice to the
work they did.

From then on, it got easier.
The kid might not have responded with words, but Dare noticed that every time he forgot

himself and swore or said something that was probably inappropriate, Shane giggled. Because he
liked the happy sound, Dare found himself saying stupid stuff just to make Shane laugh as they
continued to work. After they were done cleaning the cages, Dare took a few of the dogs out for a
walk around the pond. He let Shane hold the leash to one of the smaller dogs, and Shane seemed to
love the interaction with the animals.

When Anna came to fetch Shane to take him home, Dare breathed out a sigh of relief, but the

young boy seemed hesitant to leave. He silently tugged on Dare’s hand before he let Anna lead him
out of the building. Taking a guess at what the boy wanted, Dare tousled the boy’s hair and said, “You
did good today, kid. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Shane gifted him with a brilliant smile, showing him that he had been right. Anna’s eyes filled

with tears as she thanked Dare, making him shift uncomfortably on his feet. When they were finally
gone, Dare went in search of Evie. She damn well owed him for springing the babysitting gig on him,
even if it wasn’t as bad as he originally thought it would be.

He just spotted her when one of the male staff members ran up to her. Dare couldn’t hear what

they were talking about, but he could see that something was obviously wrong. Evie broke into a run,
barking out orders as she moved.

“Russ, go grab Mark and Tim if they’re still here. Audrey, call the sheriff and tell him to meet

us about a half a mile in the woods behind Tenne Conroy’s place, right off Clearwater Road. He’s
keeping his dogs hidden out there.” Evie grabbed a large duffle bag and a backpack from a shelf and
hurried towards the main entrance.

“What the hell is going on?” Dare asked as he followed her outside.
She opened the back door to a large van and shoved the bags inside. “We just got a call in from

a couple of hikers. They found some dogs chained up in the woods out back from this bastard’s house
that we’ve suspected is part of a dog fighting ring. Sheriff Wyatt and his men have looked around his
property before, but they’ve never found anything. Now we know he’s been hiding them in the
woods.”

“Boss, Mark already left, but Tim is still here. We’ll follow you in the truck.”
Evie turned toward Russ as she slammed the back door to the van shut. “Good. We don’t know

how many dogs Conroy has back there.”

Two women ran up to join them. “Sheriff Wyatt will meet you there. Do you want us to go with,

boss?”

“No. Leanne, I need you to get things ready in the vet’s office. Amelia, call Beckett at the clinic

in town and tell him we need him back here, then I need to you to take charge of the rest of the staff
and volunteers until we get back.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of everything,” Amelia promised.
Evie opened the driver’s side door of the van and got in, then looked over as Dare got in the

passenger side. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Going with you. Don’t bother arguing, you’ll just waste time.”
Evie didn’t bother responding as she started the van up. She pulled out onto the road, driving

fast and glanced in the rearview mirror to see the large black truck pull out after her a second before
her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and turned on speaker. “Hello?”

“Boss, Claudette and Eugene are in the truck. They insisted on coming with.”
“Damn it, Tim! They’re volunteers. We can’t risk bringing into a dangerous situation like this!”
“Hold the fuck up,” Dare growled. “What do you mean, dangerous?”
Evie shot him an irritated look. “Do you think Conroy is just going to let us take the dogs if he’s

there? And we don’t know what condition the animals are in. Never mind. I’ll speak to them when we
get there.”

“Fine, but Evie? They know the risks and signed the waivers. They wanted me to remind you of

that.”

Evie saw that Tim had disconnected the call on the other end of the line, and pushed harder on

the gas so they all but flew down the back roads toward the Conroy property that was located in a
swampy area close to the edge of town. When they got close, she slowed the van down and parked on
the side of the road. The truck parked behind them and everyone got out.

“I’m sorry, Evie. We wanted to come help,” Claudette said as soon as she saw Evie.
“That’s alright. I appreciate you and Eugene coming along,” Evie said, holding back a sigh.

Claudette and Eugene were two of her best volunteers, but they were fairly new and didn’t have much
experience going out on rescues yet. Both of them were studying to be veterinarians and spent nearly
all of their free time at the rescue center. Evie felt uneasy taking them out on this particular rescue
since she didn’t want anything to happen to them, and Tenne Conroy was a mean son of a bitch. “I
need you two to wait here near the vehicles while we assess the situation. You haven’t been on a
rescue like this yet, and things could get complicated.”

“Got it,” Eugene said, pulling his girlfriend closer as he leaned against the side of the van. “Just

let us know what you want us to do and we’ll do it.”

“Everyone, phones on vibrate.”
Russ pulled a bag out of the truck and Tim picked up bolt cutters while Evie went to the back of

the van and opened it. She took the backpack out and put it on. Inside the bag were essentials she
needed for any rescue that she kept packed for situations like this. Included were dog treats, several
ropes to collar the dogs, bottles of water and a tranquilizer gun, just in case.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Sheriff Wyatt?” Tim asked nervously as he pushed his glasses back up

onto his nose. “Old man Conroy is crazy.”

“The hikers are staying with the dogs and would have called to warn us if he was there,” Russ

said as he put on his own backpack. “Leanne said that the sheriff was on the other side of town
handling a traffic accident. He was heading out as soon as we called, but it might take him a while to
get here.”

“We need to try and get the dogs out now before Conroy comes looking and before we lose the

light,” Evie said. “Let’s go.”

Dare kept pace with Evie as she headed further into the woods. He’d kept quiet, learning as he

watched the others since he didn’t know what to expect. He wanted to stop her. Wanted to make her
wait back in the van, but he knew she’d never do it. Russ was ex-military, and seemed like he could
handle himself, but Tim was beanpole thin and looked like a strong wind might blow him over. There
was a sense of danger in the air, and Dare didn’t like it. He silently cursed, wishing he had stopped
by the boarding house and gotten his gun before they left.

Several long minutes later, they came to a small clearing where two young men were holding

hands. They turned as Dare and the others broke through the trees. “Miss Beaumont?”

“Yes, that’s me. Please, call me Evie. Thank you for calling us,” Evie said, striding forward to

greet the couple.

“Of course. God! It was...we were just walking, you know? And when we saw...” The young

man started weeping softly.

His partner put his arm around him in comfort. “There are seven dogs. I think...I don’t know if

any of them are still alive,” he said softly. “They’re chained right over there through those trees.”

Dare’s head turned in the direction the young man pointed and for a moment he didn’t see

anything. Then he did. Dare realized there were several thick metal poles stuck into the ground, and
attached to each was a heavy chain almost as thick as a woman’s wrist. His body went rigid with raw
fury as he saw that the end of each chain was the body of a dog.

It was like looking at some sort of horrible graveyard.
Evie thanked the couple who had made the call and asked them if they wanted to wait by the

vehicles back by the road. They seemed like they couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. Handing
the keys over to Tim, Evie whispered, “Take them back to the road. Go get the other bolt cutter from
the van and bring back a few of the carriers.”

“Got it. Damn, Evie. This is bad...”
“I know. You can bring the others with you. Warn them before they get here.”
Tim nodded, then took off back the way they came leading the hikers away from the scene. Evie

walked a little closer to the animals, then took off her backpack, setting it on the ground. She pulled
out a quart size Ziploc bag filled with dog treats and a bottle of water with a few small plastic bowls.
Dare watched as Russ followed suit, pulling similar items from his own backpack. When Evie looked
up at Dare he could see the tears, but they were also filled with a fierce light of fury that made her
eyes glitter like sapphires.

“Eve...they’re gone.”
She shook her head in a jerky movement, then looked back over toward the dogs. “We’ve been

on rescues like this before. People who breed dogs or keep them for dog fighting don’t care for them
properly, because they simply don’t care. They aren’t living, breathing animals to them. They only
represent the money they can make the bastards who do this kind of thing. Dogs are resilient animals.
They might be injured, but we still have to check to see if we can save them.”

“Looks like these are bait dogs, boss,” Russ said, his voice rough with emotion.
Before Dare could asked, Evie explained, “Bait dogs are used to test the skill and

aggressiveness of other fighting dogs. Sometimes the owners will chain a bait dog up or confine them
and let the other dogs attack them.”

Evie tried to keep her voice calm and steady even though all she wanted to do was scream out

in horror at what she was seeing. Every time she came across a situation like this it broke her
heart...literally smashed it to fucking pieces. To witness such cruelty to animals who simply wanted
to be loved and cared for was beyond reprehensible.

It was evil.

She was aware of Dare beside her as she checked the first two dogs. When she realized they

weren’t breathing, she laid her hand on their necks and hoped they were finally at peace. From the
various scars and wounds over their bodies, she knew they were right when they had guessed the
dogs had been used for baiting. She let the tears fall, feeling no shame to mourn the loss of the
animals. No, the shame belonged to the man that had put the dogs out there and left them to die. She
blinked rapidly to clear her eyes so she could continue to do what needed to be done. As she
approached the third dog, her heart began to pound as she heard a low growl off to her right.

“Eve, stop!” Dare hissed. “Back away, slowly.”
Evie ignored him and turned her head to see a fawn colored boxer was struggling to get to his

feet. The poor dog was covered with mud and other filth, and she could see the wounds all over its
body. He was severely malnourished, but he growled again as he limped to stand between them and
the small dog Evie had been moving to check next.

“Oh, you poor baby. It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” Evie ignored the growls as she

poured some water into one of the bowls and pushed it closer to the dog. She poured some kibble in
another bowl and the boxer’s body quivered as he scented it. She pushed it forward, moving closer
despite Dare’s restraining hand on her shoulder.

“It’s okay. This is what I do, remember?” She reaching up to touch Dare’s hand, but she refused

to look away from the dog even though she made sure not to make direct eye contact with it.

“This is crazy,” Dare whispered harshly. “That dog is feral.”
“No. He’s hurt and starving. Even though he’s in pain, he’s still trying to protect that little pit

bull behind him. Take a step back and don’t crowd them,” she commanded, then lowered her voice to
a croon as she pushed the bowl closer. Evie’s eyes stung with new tears as the dog’s little nub of a
tail wagged once, then twice...as if he were unsure whether to be happy or not. She saw the heavy
chain was attached to a thick, leather collar around his neck and it was digging into his skin from the
weight of it.

She started moving closer and heard Dare shift behind her, drawing the dog’s attention. “Stop,”

she ordered. “Don’t move or back away. You’re scaring him.”

“I’m scaring him? God damn it, Eve, he’s growling at you.”
Evie kept moving slowly, letting the dog see her. He looked away from Dare back toward her,

and after a moment seemed to decide she wasn’t a threat. He stopped growling and lowered his head
to start eating the food. As soon as he did, Evie removed the leather collar from his neck. When she
got it loose, she dropped it on the ground and was disgusted by the sound the heavy chain made as it
hit the dirt.

“Jesus...”
She heard Dare’s whispered oath, but focused on stroking the dog’s head, trying not to touch

any of the bite marks that marred his body. She whispered soothingly and saw his tail start to wag
again. The boxer inched forward slowly, leaning into her side. That simply act of trust broke her
heart. She sat down on the ground, and the dog collapsed with a small whine as he rested his head on
her leg. “Russ?”

“Yeah, boss?”
“Move around to this side and go check the little one,” she said softly.
“Got it. I found two others alive so far. One was gone.”
Dare heard the others arrive as they went to work freeing the two dogs Russ had already

checked, but he never took his attention off of Evie and the injured animal that had all but crawled
onto her lap. Watching her form the connection with that poor, abused dog had been like witnessing a

miracle.

She glanced up as he squatted down next to her. The boxer looked up and weakly growled at

Dare. Unafraid now, Dare used the techniques he learned while working at the rescue center and let
the dog scent him before gently resting his hand on the dog’s head.

“I heard stories. People at the center told me where some of the dogs had come from, but you

can’t know...can’t even fathom the fucking horror of this until you see it with your own eyes.”

“It’s amazing how much love they have to give even after coming from a place like this. It’s

why we fight so hard to give them a place to heal and try to find them a good home. They deserve to
be happy. We need to move him to one of the carrying crates, but I think his leg is infected.”

Dare nodded, but stayed where he was for a very more seconds, stroking the dog’s head, being

cautious not to touch the soft, floppy ears that were riddled with bite marks. He leaned forward and
carefully lifted the boxer into his arms using a blanket Evie had in her backpack, then he paused as the
dog turned his head to stare at him. Dare didn’t know what to think, and knew if he hurt the dog it
might react on instinct and attack. Instead, the dog sniffed at him, then tentatively licked his cheek.
Dare felt his eyes sting as he slowly stood, cradling the dog like it were a baby.

Evie rushed over and grabbed one of the carriers the others had brought to the site, and with her

help, they got the boxer inside. The dog stared at them with dark eyes glazed with pain, then his eyes
closed and he seemed to relax.

“That’s four,” Tim said as he walked over to join them. His own eyes were red with unshed

tears as he cleared his throat. “Should we start getting them back to the van?”

“Yes,” Evie said, reaching out and put her arm around the other man’s shoulders. “Let’s get

them home.”

Eugene and Tim picked up one of the crates as Russ carried another. They headed back to the

van as Dare looked back at the bodies still on the ground. His hands clenched into fists at the sheer
waste of life. He wanted to get them free of the chains, to bury them far away from this terrible place.
With that in mind he turned away, then froze as a man came out of the woods pointing a shotgun at
Evie and Claudette who were positioned by the last crate.

“Hey, you stupid cunts! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Gimme back my dogs!”
Incensed, Evie glared at the man as she knelt by the crate, sheilding the dog from view. “Tenne

Conroy, you deserve to be in prison for what you’ve done!”

Dare didn’t even stop to think. Before the man could turn to point the shotgun at him, Dare was

on him. He jerked the end of the gun up just as the man fired a shot, the loud sound reverberating in
the air. Dare jerked the gun out of the man’s hand, then slammed his fist in the fucker’s face once,
twice, then a third time just for the pleasure of watching blood spurt out of the man’s nose.

“You broke my nose!”
“That’s not all I’m going to break,” Dare snarled as he hit Conroy again, making the other man

fall onto his back. Not giving him an inch, Dare jerked him back to his feet and grabbed hold of
Conroy’s throat in a brutal grip. Conroy wasn’t a small man by any means, but pure rage gave Dare
the strength to lift Conroy off his feet so the man was gasping for air.

“You sorry sack of shit,” Dare snarled, and with the flick of his wrist he sent the man flying to

the ground where his body slammed up against one of the metal poles they had rescued the dogs from.
Conroy gasped for air and flopped onto his stomach, trying to crawl away. Dare pressed a foot down
onto his back, and leaned down to wrap the chain around Conroy’s neck.

“Stay where you are, you dumb fucking redneck. Make one move, I dare you. Just give me a

fucking reason to beat the fucking shit out of you!” His voice lowered into a deadly snarl as he said,

“I should leave you chained up to rot out here, just like you did to these poor animals.” Conroy
gasped in alarm, his face turning a bright red as Dare pulled the chain tighter.

“Dare!”
Dare heard Evie’s voice as if it were coming from the end of a long tunnel. He wanted to kill

Conroy. To pound him into bloody dust. He wanted to seek retribution for all those bodies littering
the clearing, but not while Evie was there to witness it.

“Take the crate back to the van,” Dare said, his voice deadly calm.
“Dare, please—”
“The son of a bitch fucking fired at you!” Dare rounded on her and knew his eyes were as feral

as the dog’s was when they had first found him. “You might have been in charge of the rescue, but
he’s mine.”

Evie’s chin lifted. “I was just going to say leave something for the sheriff when you’re done

here.”

Dare simply stared at her for a long minute. Hell, he wanted to laugh, but couldn’t find the

strength to push back his anger enough to do so. “Fine. Go back to the van. I’ll wait for the sheriff.”

“I’m already here,” Sheriff Storm Wyatt said as he walked into the clearing. Storm and Hammer

had served in the same unit while they had been in the Rangers, and Dare had always liked the other
man. Like his name, Storm was intense. A quiet man that could be deadly when pushed far enough, he
had the dark coloring that spoke to his half Native American heritage. The sheriff let out a sigh. “Hell,
Nyght. Did you kill him?”

“Not yet. He killed those dogs, Storm.”
“Did not!” Conroy squeaked out. “There were alive when I left them!”
Storm’s obsidian eyes took in the scene at a glance and Dare saw his jaw tighten in anger,

which was never a good sign for anyone on the receiving end. When he looked back, Dare could see
the barely veiled fury burning in those dark depths. “Evie, why don’t you and your crew head back to
the rescue center. You take care of those animals while we take care of things here. I’ve got men
coming in to help. Dare and I can...talk to Conroy while we wait.”

Dare stared down at the man cowering at his feet, then let out a curse as he sensed Evie walk up

to his side. He turned his head to look over at her, then blinked in surprise as she held something out
to him.

“It’s a wet wipe. You have his blood on your hand. I wouldn’t want you to catch something

nasty from him.”

This time he did laugh. “You sure are something, princess.”
“Damn right I am.” She reached out and gently touched his arm. “Thank you.”
Dare nodded. “I’ll see you when I get home.”
Home.
Why did that word have such a nice ring to it?

Chapter Nine

“How is he?”
Evie turned as Dare walked into the clinic and had to fight the urge to throw herself into his

arms. It had been a long night, and in the few hours they had been back at the clinic everyone had been
working hard to treat the four surviving dogs that had been rescued. Taking Dare by the hand, she
walked him through the clinic, knowing exactly who he was asking about without him telling her.
When they got to the back room, she walked him over to a row of large cages where all the dogs they
rescued were resting and came to a stop in front of where the boxer was sleeping peacefully.

Dare gripped the bars of the cage so hard his knuckles went white. “Is he...?”
“He’s going to be fine,” she said, touching one of his hands until he relaxed his grip. “All four

of the dogs were severely malnourished and treated for ticks and fleas, and there is some concern
about infection for some of the bite wounds, but Beck says they have a good chance of making a full
recovery. Nibbles was in the worse shape because he’s so young, and we are giving Wesley and
Buttercup a strong dose of antibiotics that we hope will work.”

“Who?”
“Wesley and Buttercup are the two dogs Russ and the others rescued, and Nibbles is the little

guy this one was protecting,” Evie said with a smile as she nodded toward the sleeping boxer. “We
wanted to wait for you to name him.”

Dare glanced over at the cage. He’d been on the verge of declining to name the pup, but a name

immediately popped into his head. “Hero,” he said softly. “His name should be Hero.”

“I think that’s a perfect name for him. Let’s let them rest.” Evie led the way out of the clinic

back into the main part of the kennel. “Have you eaten? Did you want—”

“I’m not hungry.” Dare blew out a breath. “After we left the clearing, we buried the bodies of

the dogs in that place you arranged in the cemetery.”

“Thank you for that. You should have called me, I could have—”
Dare’s jaw tightened. “It’s done. Storm arrested Conroy. Christ, the stupid fucker admitted to

everything, and even gave up some of his contacts in the dog fighting circuit he was a part of.”

“That’s great news! I was hoping he’d pay for what he did.”
Dare’s mood darkened as he thought about what had happened. “About that...we need to speak.

Privately.”

He didn’t give her much of a choice as he grabbed her arm and dragged her through the building

until he reached her office. He shut the door after pulling her in, and locked it for good measure. The
center was mostly empty, but the night staff was still roaming around, and this was a conversation
better kept between the two of them.

“Dare, what is wrong with you?”
He rounded on her. “What’s wrong with me? What the hell is matter with you? What the fuck

did you think you were doing today?”

Evie’s back stiffened, her blue eyes all but sparking with outrage. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t give me that,” he snapped. “You heard me. You had no business going into that clearing

today, not with a crazy man shooting at you!”

“But it is my business. We rescue dogs all the time, Dare. Unfortunately, it’s not always under

the best conditions. I’m sorry you had to deal with all of this today, and I appreciate all of your help

—”

“I don’t want your fucking thanks!”
Evie blinked as he shouted at her. She opened her mouth to snap back at him, but stopped

herself when she got a good look at him. His face looked...ravaged. She belatedly realized at the
events of the day had taken their toll on him, and this was his way of dealing with the grief and his
pain. She knew exactly how he felt. Usually she only allowed herself to breakdown after she was
alone in her house after a day like today.

But Dare had been alone for too long...and perhaps so has she.
Once they had left the clearing, Evie had gone into automatic pilot mode, doing what needed to

be done to treat and care for the dogs. After they got back to the rescue center, her cousin Beckett had
taken over, and her relief at hearing the four dogs they rescued would be fine had made her knees go
weak.

Now, she could see all the signs of the grief eating away at Dare. People were forced to deal

with a myriad of emotions doing the work they did at the rescue center. There were good days and
then there were bad, but the bad were so much worse when lives were lost.

Unable to bear the anguish in his eyes, Evie moved toward Dare, wrapping her arms around his

waist. He stood as still as a statue, but she didn’t let that bother her. She felt this...need to take his
pain away, almost like a compulsion she couldn’t deny. She needed to give him some kind of comfort,
however she could. Dare’s hands moved to grip her by the upper arms like he would shove her away,
but he didn’t. Instead, he held on for a second then wound his arms around her in an embrace so tight
she could barely breathe.

“Damn it, Eve. Conroy could have fucking shot you!”
“You didn’t let him.” His hold tightened enough to make her squeak. She tried rubbed her hands

over his back in a soothing motion, trying to ease the tension from his muscles.

“Stop trying to pet me like I’m one of your damn dogs,” he growled.
She peeked up at him with a frown. “That’s insulting to both you and me.”
Dare let out an irritated sigh as he shoved her head back down on his shoulder. “Don’t try to be

rational when I’m yelling at you, damn it.”

Her laugh was muffled by his shirt. “Okay, then. Would it be a good time to mention that I had a

tranquilizer gun pointed at Conroy?”

“No,” he snapped. “It’s not. Christ, woman. You need a fucking keeper.”
“Hey, now wait a minute—” She pulled back enough so she was looking at him again.
“You do. You’re going to get yourself killed one day.”
“Dare, this is what we do here. What I do. Part of the job is going out on rescues, and most of

the time we never know what we’re walking into.”

“Well, then we’ll damn well talk about your security measures, because clearly they fucking

suck.”

She raised a brow at that. “We will, will we?”
“Don’t get all prissy with me. You know I’m right,” he said jerking her closer. “You could have

fucking died today.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, responding to his anguish. She leaned in to press her lips to his

cheek, but Dare turned at the last second and captured her lips with his in a kiss so hot she felt singed
by it. She melted against him, loving the feel of his hard, hot body against hers.

“I need you, Eve.”
The stark longing in his hoarse voice touched her in a way she’d never felt before. She could

feel that need running over her skin like an electrical current as she felt the hard length of him press
against her. Evie felt like she was on precipice of a life changing decision. She knew she should tell
him that this was going too fast, that she needed more time. It was the smart thing to do, but she
couldn’t seem to make herself give a damn about doing the smart thing at the moment.

She wanted Dare more than she’d ever wanted another man, and she couldn’t deny either of

them any longer. Wrapping her arms around him, she gave him the answer that came straight from her
heart. “Then be with me, Daryk. Be with me now.”

There was a pause as they simply stared at each other, sparks sizzling in the air as blue eyes

met dark-gray. Then they both moved, coming together in a clash, like two wild animals ready to
devour. His mouth slammed down on hers and her hands lifted into his hair, holding tight as they fed
off one another. He lifted her up, carrying her over to her desk, his mouth never leaving hers. With
one arm, he swiped papers and other items off one side of the desk, neither of them caring about the
clatter of sound they made as they fell to the ground.

Holding onto her hips, Dare lifted her so she was sitting on the desk. He spread her thighs

wide, moving between them as they continued to desperately feed off one another, tasting and
caressing. Evie wrapped her legs around Dare’s waist, pulling him closer. “Dare...”

“God, Eve. You drive me fucking crazy. It’s like a madness inside me that I can’t get rid of. I

don’t want it. Do you hear me? I don’t, but I can’t seem to make it stop.”

She let out a little laugh. “You are the absolute worst at pillow talk.”
Dare stared down at her with intensity that seared her straight to her soul. He tugged on her hair

so her head tilted back. “I can’t think with all the blood in my body draining straight to my dick. You
need to tell me right now if you don’t want this. Because once I take you, you’ll be mine. There will
be no more pretense between us. No going back.”

She reached up to stroke his cheek with her hand and he captured it with his own, holding her to

him. “I want this, Dare. I want you. But you won’t take me. Equal measure, or nothing at all. We’re in
this together.”

“Together.”
He let out a growl and slammed him mouth back down on hers, making her head swim. She

opened her mouth so his tongue could drive deep, and met it with her own in a seductive dance. Every
touch, every taste just made her want more. Their tongues stroked and played together, mouths fused
tight as they began to rip at each other’s clothes in a savage display of impatience.

Their lips parted as Evie lifted Dare’s shirt over his head, baring all those hard muscles to her

stroking hands. Her fingertips tingled as she finally got to rub them all over his beautiful body. She
moved her hands lower, playing over the contours of his abs until they reached the front of his jeans.

She was waylaid as he pulled back and tore her shirt off of her, jerking her bra with it. He bent

down and took one of her taut nipples into his hot mouth, flicking it with his tongue so she moaned in
pleasure. When his mouth switched to her other breast she felt him fumbling with the fastenings of her
pants and lifted her hips so he could pull them off her. Her head fell back as his lips trailed back up
her neck until he was once again claiming her lips with his.

Frantic with the need to feel him, she stroked her hand over the rigid length of his cock through

the material of his jeans. She was rewarded with his low groan and was thrilled when she felt him
harden under her palm. Wanting to feel his flesh with hers, she began working the top button of his
jeans open.

“Christ. You need to stop that or this will be over before it’s begun.”
“I’m sure you will manage just fine.” Evie smiled up at him as she drew the zipper of his jeans

down, allowing the thick length of him to spring free. Then he was hot and hard in her hand. Her
fingertips didn’t touch around his thick shaft, but she did her best to stroke him as she watched his
eyes darken with pleasure.

“That’s it. Consider yourself fucked, princess.”
Dare felt his control snap and he roughly shoved her so she was flat on her back. He rubbed one

of his large hands down the valley between her breasts, enjoying the feel of her silky skin. Dare
thought she looked so beautiful laying there on the desk like some pagan offering. She was a real
woman whose passion matched his own.

And now she was his.
His knees felt weak as he saw the need shining in her brighter blue eyes. He wanted to touch

her everywhere. Taste her everywhere. He loved the little strip of blonde hair on her mound pointing
down to the treasure that lay beneath. Her pussy glistened in the light with proof of her desire for him,
and it made him want to shove her thighs wide so he could taste her.

But not yet.
He didn’t have the patience to wait any longer.
Reaching down, he grabbed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a

condom, then threw his wallet on the ground. Tearing open the packet, he sheathed himself in record
time.

“Come to me, Dare. I want to feel you inside me.”
Dare’s breath left in a rush as he stroked his fingers into the slick dew spilling from her pussy.

He wanted to pound himself into that hot little hole, and the proof on his fingers told him of her
readiness. Grabbing her hips, he slid her forward so her ass was at the end of the desk. Taking her
hands, he braced them at the edge by her hips.

“Hold on,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.
When he saw she had a good grip on the desk, he lifted one of her legs and fit the mushroomed

head of his cock tight against the entrance to her pussy. With one hard surge, he shoved the length of
his cock into her hot, silken depths, and groaned as the sheer pleasure of being inside her.

“So fucking tight. You’re so fucking tight and hot. Perfect.” Dare’s voice was raw with lust as

he ground himself into her, wanting to be as deep inside her as he could possibly get. It was as if he
were a part of her, and she had somehow become a part of him.

It felt like coming home.
Evie moaned. “Dare, I need you to…”
“What, Eve?” Dare growled. “Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”
“I need you to move. Now. Right now!”
“Hold the fuck on. This is gonna be hard and fast.”
With savage glee, Dare began pumping into her hard, filling her pussy with his cock over and

over again. He jerked both of her legs up so they were resting on his shoulders. He pressed opened
mouthed kisses onto the skin of her calves as his arms held them firm. Her soft moans drove him wild
as he shoved his cock into her hot little hole, driving deeper with every thrust.

There were no more words spoken, just the sound of flesh slapping against flesh and the harsh

pants of breath filled the room. They were connected by the wild passion that raged between them on
a level that went beyond speech.

Sweat dripped down his face as he continued to pound into her like a man gone mad, stretching

her tight hole around his invading flesh. Dare muttered a curse as his hips pistoned hard and fast,
thrusting into her heat with startling force. Her tight, wet pussy was gripping him so hard that he felt

like he was shoving his cock into a velvet vise. He could feel her milking him, driving him closer and
closer to the pinnacle of ecstasy, but he wouldn’t fall off that edge without her.

Her eyes closed but they snapped back open as he let out a vicious snarl. “Damn you, look at

me! Look. At. Me!”

He punctuated each word with a hard thrust. He needed that connection with her as he pounded

his full length into her. Dark triumph surged through him as she began chanting his name on a
breathless cry. Knowing he was driving her closer to the edge, Dare moved his hand between her legs
to stroke his fingers over the hard crest of her clit.

Evie gasped as he pushed her closer toward climax. The hard, driving rhythm of his thrusts

made her hold the edge of the desk in a desperate grip to keep her from sliding backwards. Gazing
into his dark-gray eyes, seeing the lust burning in their dark depths pushed her that last bit over the
edge. She cried out, her back arching off the desk as she came. This wasn’t the gentle rolling waves
of an orgasm she was used to. Instead, this was like pure energy being shot straight into her system.
Her body went rigid with shock, the pleasure so intense it bordered on pain and left her gasping for
air.

He roughly shoved into her once, twice more, then he exploded, letting out a triumphant growl

as he came with her. Drained of energy, Evie let her legs fall off of Dare’s shoulders so they were
hanging off the edge of the desk. Still recovering, Evie’s body continued to shudder as she lay there
struggling to breathe. When Dare’s large body slumped over her, she felt as if her lungs collapsed, but
she liked the feel of his heavy weight on hers too much to ask him to move.

Not that she could speak at the moment.
With his body wrapped around hers like a living blanket, she finally closed her eyes, basking in

the afterglow until her body jerked when her brain started working again. “Oh my God! The door—!”

“Is locked,” Dare muttered. “I locked it when I thought we’d fight, but this was a much more

enjoyable way to spend our time.”

She wheezed out a laugh. “I should hope so.”
Evie stroked her hands over his back, simply enjoying the feel of his hot skin as she relaxed

again. Something had just happened between them. Something vital. She had let him see a part of her
she’d instinctively kept hidden from every man before Dare, and now she felt vulnerable and unsure
of herself. She was glad she didn’t have to look him in the eye at the moment since his head was
nestled on her chest, right over her heart. It gave her a moment to collect herself as they lay there
waiting for their frantic pulses to slow to a steady rhythm.

Dare sighed. “I guess I should explain.”
“Explain what?”
“I haven’t...hell, I haven’t been with anyone in a long time.”
“And yet you carry a condom in your wallet? You must be a pretty optimistic fellow.”
He snorted out a laugh. “I’m a doctor. We’re always prepared. But that thing has been sitting in

my wallet for months, so let’s hope it’s still in one piece when I pull out of you.”

“I guess we should have talked about this before, but I’m on the pill and I was just at the doctor

a few weeks ago for a checkup, so I know I’m safe.”

“I am, too. I know this wasn’t exactly a spectacular showing, but I promise to make it up to you

next time.”

“Any more spectacular and I think you might kill me next time.”
His head lifted and his eyebrow rose. “Yeah?”
Evie smiled up at him as she pulled him down for a kiss. “Oh, yeah.”

“If that’s the case, then why don’t we head back to your place and start on round two?” He

muttered a curse. “Shit, that was my only condom.”

“It just so happens that my cousin Francesca gave me a large box as one of my stocking stuffers

for Christmas.”

“Your cousin got you a box of condoms as a gift?”
“Mmm hmm. But I have to warn you...they glow in the dark.”
Dare snorted in amusement. “I can’t say I ever wanted to see my dick glow, but there is always

a first time for everything.”

Chapter Ten

By the time Dare and Evie dressed, collected her dogs from the volunteer that had been

watching them for her, and made it to her house they both realized they were absolutely starving. He
offered to feed the dogs while she foraged in her freezer. She pulled out a large container and tossed
it in the microwave.

“Maddy’s lasagna. She keeps me well stocked with meals for fear I’ll starve.”
“You don’t cook?”
She raised an eyebrow as she got them both a glass of wine. After the day they had, they

deserved it. “I can get by on the basics, but I’m usually too busy. Why, were you expecting a home
cooked gourmet meal? If so, you can keep dreaming.”

“I actually can cook.” Dare grinned. “But I have to be in the mood and I’m very picky about

what I make, so it’s usually too much effort. Between Maddy and Kali taking pity on us, I guess we’ll
survive.”

She laughed as she took out silverware from a drawer. “That’s one way to look at it.”
When she tried to take out plates from one of the cabinets, Dare told her not to bother as he took

the heated container out of the microwave and set it on the dining room table. Picking up his fork, he
dug in and laughed at the expression on her face. “Come on, princess. Dig in.”

“I’m not a snob,” she said with a sigh as she sat down next to him and picked up her own fork.
“I never said you were.”
“Don’t you every time you call me princess?”
Dare paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. He ate the bite, taking his time to chew as he

tried to figure out how to answer her and decided to go with the truth. “The first time I saw you I
thought you looked like a magical princess. Granted, I was pretty delirious at the time, but it stuck
with me. You were standing at the top of the stairs with the light of the setting sun surrounding you
like a halo. That image of you has haunted my dreams since.” She stared at him wide-eyed and he
couldn’t help but lean in to press a kiss to her lips. “See? I can say the right thing when you aren’t
messing with my head.”

“Yeah,” she said blowing out a shaky breath. “You really can.”
They ate in silence, and when she was done, Evie sat back sipping her wine as she watched

Dare consume the rest of the lasagna. The man certainly had an impressive appetite. “After a day like
today I could use a really long, hot shower.”

“That sounds good to me, too.” He paused, then said, “At the risk of losing this truce we seem

to have going, we need to talk about your security.”

“I heard what you said, but I don’t see how—”
“I have a plan for that.”
Evie bristled for a second, then settled herself down. She wasn’t used to people questioning her

decisions about the rescue center, but today had frightened her. He was right when he’d said someone
could have been hurt, and she wasn’t too stubborn to listen to good advice when it came from a
source who knew what they were talking about. “I’m always open to a good plan.”

“Good. Then why don’t you sit your ass up here on the table and lay back so I can eat that sweet

little pussy of yours for dessert?” He laughed at her shocked gasp. “Not that I wouldn’t love to do
exactly that, but I’d rather do it without an audience.”

They both glanced over to where her four dogs sat watching them from where they were

sprawled out on their beds in the living room. “That’s a good point.”

“Please tell me they don’t sleep in your room with you.”
“Sometimes they’ll sleep upstairs, but they seemed like they actually prefer to sleep down here

together. I think it’s because they like to see who is coming and going since Beckett, Francesca,
Maddy and Tony stop by a lot and it saves them a trip down the stairs every time they hear
something.”

“They’re good guard dogs.”
“The best.”
“Back to my plan. You need to hire more staff.”
“I was considering taking on Eugene and Claudette part-time.”
Dare shook his head. “If they’re planning on becoming vets, why doesn’t Beckett hire them?

The clinic has a separate budget, right? Besides, they aren’t what you need. You’ve got Russ, and
he’s a big guy, but he’s the only muscle you have on staff beside Hunter. The rest of your crew are
women and geeks.”

“Hey!”
“It’s true. There are a lot of ex-military guys looking for work. Some of them who were staying

at the boarding house only left to find a job somewhere else. You need to consider hiring some of
them. Men who can do the heavy lifting around the center, and can also provide protection and
security when you go out on rescues. I talked to Storm about it, and he said he would be willing to
work with the guys to get conceal and carry licenses, if they don’t already have one. This would help
take the load off Storm and his men going out on calls with you. Storm said he knows you guys use the
tranq guns when needed on the animals, but for situations like today, you should have men who are
trained to defend your groups from people like Conroy. You could even start your search with some
of the guys who volunteer now, or some who have in the past.”

“You seem to know a lot about the center.”
“I listen,” he said with a frown. “For some reason people like to tell me things all the damn

time, and I listen...sometimes.”

“Poor Dare. How horrible for you that people like talking to you.” He muttered under his

breath, making her laugh. “Okay, I can see about hiring a couple of new—”

“Four. You need at least four men to fill in day and night shifts.”
Evie bit her lip as she considered his suggestion. Ultimately, she knew he was right. The

center’s finances could handle four new hires, but she might have to do a little rearranging of her
budget. She had been planning on taking on a few new people anyways, but she hadn’t thought about
asking any of the ex-military men to stay on. That had been a mistake on her part, and she would
correct it.

“Fine. We’ll look into it tomorrow.”
“Get Hunter to help you. He’ll know what to look for.”
Some of Evie’s excitement dimmed at the reminder that Dare wasn’t planning to stay. She had

wanted to ask him to help with the search, but he was right, she’d ask Hunter to do it. “I’ll have to
meet with my accountant to see how much money we have for new hires. We were planning an
extension to the building, but maybe that can wait.”

“Ah, yes. I remember him.” Dare sipped his wine as he lifted a lock of her hair to twirl it.

“Looks like the suit is going to have to look elsewhere for a dinner date from now on.”

She smiled. “Just so you know, I never said yes to him when he asked me out. And this doesn’t

count as a dinner date either, Dr. Nyght.”

“Why not? We ate, had wine...now I’m hoping to get lucky.”
“You are hopeless.”
He grinned. “Why don’t we go upstairs and take that shower? Tell me that again after I make

you come a few more times.”

She slapped at his shoulder as she stood up to take their dishes to the sink. Evie liked the sound

of his laugh, and she liked it even more when he offered to take her dogs out one last time before they
went upstairs. She wasn’t used to having someone in her living space, but Dare didn’t seem like an
outsider.

In fact, he seemed to fit in too well.
Pushing aside her worries of the future, she said goodnight to her boys as Dare checked to make

sure the house was locked up. They walked upstairs together, and she led him into her sanctuary. Her
bedroom walls were a light gray that she offset with a dark, royal purple duvet cover over her king
size bed. There were other purple accents throughout the room and she’d chosen black furniture to
complete the contemporary look.

On the far side of the room were a set of white French doors that led out to a little balcony that

looked out over the pond. She loved sitting out there at night. It was where she could see where all
the people she loved were, and yet allowed her to be separate from them when she needed.

“Jesus, you have an espresso bar in your bedroom?”
She grinned. “It’s essential to me being able to function, and also saves everyone from my

wrath if they bother me before I have my coffee in the morning.”

Next to the espresso bar there was a two-way fireplace that shared a wall between the bedroom

and bathroom. Even though she loved her bedroom, her favorite room of her entire house was the
master bath. She stepped into the room, then turned to watch Dare’s face as he entered behind her, and
the awe on his face pleased her.

Dare looked around the bathroom with wide eyes. No, it wasn’t anything as simple as a

bathroom. Evie had created a haven of relaxation that could have been found in a five star spa
somewhere. The walls of the room were made of a mixture of smoothed natural stones, ranging from
dark-gray to a light-beige. The countertops were lined with black marble, but the center looked like a
garden of round stones. Dare placed his hand down on the clear glass that covered the stones and
noted that the thick glass sink bowls that were placed on top of the counter matched perfectly.

There was a small separate room for the toilet, and the floor was a gray slate colored granite

that also was used in the walls of the huge walk-in shower that was set into the corner of the room
next to a huge sunken tub. A glass door blocked off the shower from the room, but Dare could see the
various showerheads, including a huge round rain showerhead in the ceiling. A bench had been built
into the shower, large enough for someone to lie down on if they chose to use the space as a sauna.

“Okay, now this is pretty fucking impressive.”
She smiled as she got out a fresh set of towels for him and placed them on the countertop.

“Thank you. It’s nice to relax in here after a hard day.”

“I bet.”
They silently undressed each other, their hands lingering as they caressed each other’s skin. He

loved how uninhibited she was about her nudity. She was slim, but had beautiful full breasts that were
tipped with rosy pink nipples and a small waist he could span with his hands. His body instantly
reacted to the sight of her, and he was pleased at the fascination in her pretty blue eyes as she stared
at his body. He worked out hard, took pride in his physique, but he felt like some sort of freaking god

when she looked at him like that.

He grabbed the washcloth, then herded Evie into the large shower and she turned it on so water

sprayed out from several different showerheads. The shower was large enough that Dare was able to
move in and out of the water spray as he wanted, and the hot pulsing water felt good on his tired
muscles. When the steam began to mist into swirls, the glass fogged up enough so it felt like they were
in their own little wonderland, closed off from the rest of the world.

She began to wash her hair, but he told her to turn around and did it for her. He could tell by the

way she acted that she wasn’t familiar with letting a man wash her hair for her, and he smiled at the
thought. He took his time rubbing the soft strands of her hair with his fingers, and she turned in his
arms so she could wash his hair too. Evie laughed when they both got soap suds in their eyes and they
took a break to rinse out the shampoo, then they continued with some conditioner.

Dare realized that she was having fun teasing him. She knew exactly what she was doing as she

continuously brushed up against him as they cleaned each other. She was daring him to take her, but
he wouldn’t just yet. He saw the confusion on her face as he stepped back from her, and hid his smile.

Dare picked up a bottle of her shower gel and poured some onto the washcloth. Peaches. He

should have known. He started washing but got distracted watching her as she rubbed her own cloth
over her skin. He hurried to finish his own washing, wanting to get the dirt and grime of the day off of
him, then poured some more of the shower gel into his hands. He took the washcloth from her and
tossed it onto the floor next to his own.

“Here, let me take care of that for you.”
Her head tilted back to rest against his chest as he slowly rubbed her breasts. He felt her small,

hard nipples stabbing into the center of his palms, and he rubbed them lightly, making her moan. He
pressed a kiss to her temple as his hands worked down the front of her body until he reached the apex
between her thighs. Loving the feeling of her wet skin pressed against his, he pushed closer so his
hard cock came to rest against the crease of her ass.

“Open for me.”
Evie spread her legs apart a little and was rewarded when his hands moved down to stroke

over her. Her pulse began to beat rapidly as he pressed a thick digit into her and his thumb rubbed
against her clit. She let out a moan and rubbed back against him, but his other hand came up to her
waist to hold her still.

She let out a gasp as he spun her around, pressing her back against the shower wall so his

mouth could take hers. She opened for him, letting his tongue stroke inside as her hands wound into
his wet hair, holding him to her. It felt so good to be held by him as he made love to her mouth. Her
core ached and she wanted to feel him inside her again.

When he lifted her up she instantly wrapped her legs around him. He carried her over to the

bench built into the shower and sat her down, and she was surprised when he released her and stood
up. She reached out to touch him, but he captured her hand in his.

Dare looked down at her, seeing the need burning in her blue eyes. He wanted to take her. Hell,

she was at the perfect level for him to push his dick into her hot mouth. God, how he would love to
watch her suck him off, but this time wasn’t about him. And if she touched him now, he’d lose it. No,
he had things he wanted to do to her before he took her again.

Kneeling down in front of her, he pushed lightly on her shoulders. “Lay back. Remember what I

said downstairs? I think it’s time I had my dessert. You’re so beautiful, Eve. I want to explore you.
To touch every inch of you until I know your body as well as my own.”

Her breath caught. “Turnabout is fair play.”

“And I’d love every second of it. But now it’s my turn.”
Evie let him positioned her on the bench so she was flat on her back, out of the direct path of

the streams of water. Still, some of the mist sprinkled from the center showerhead like rain drops on
their skin. She wanted to lick the moisture off of his body and had to force herself to lie still and give
him what he wanted. He dazzled her. With his words, his every touch, she felt her heart opening to
him and could do nothing to stop it.

She watched him as his gaze drifted over her body. The look on his face was enough to have

her body preparing to take him. Chills rippled over her skin as his hands stroked over her. He pushed
the wet hair off of her face, and she turned to playfully nip at his thumb with her teeth. She could feel
his hard cock throbbing against her thigh and she wanted it.

Wanted him.
Dare could sense her impatience, and was glad he wasn’t the only one being tortured. He bent

over her, licking at her nipple as he palmed her other breast. She arched into him, pushing up toward
his mouth. He took the hint and sucked hard, then switched sides as his hands continued to roam over
her wet skin, stroking and caressing.

Moving lower, he trailed soft kisses over her stomach until he reached her hip. Bypassing her

core, he nipped at her thigh as he pulled her leg up to open her for him. Need flooded his system as he
saw her pretty pink flesh, and his cock jerked as he imagined shoving himself deep inside her. He
fought for control as he used his fingers to lightly trace the bare flesh of her mound on either side of
the little strip of hair she had, then swirled them lower to touch the soft folds of her pussy.

“Umm, Dare...”
“You’re so soft here,” he murmured as he continued to gently stroke the tips of his fingers over

her heated flesh. His gaze met hers and he saw the uncertainty mixed with the passion in her blue
eyes. “Have you ever let a man look at you like this before? I’m not talking about just eating you out. I
mean really look at you.”

“Not really,” she said, squirming a little. “They just sort of got down to business. And I’m

really not comfortable talking about my previous partners with you right now.”

His eyes narrowed as he pushed his middle finger deep inside her so the rest of his hand was

covering her entire mound. “Good, because this is mine now, and I don’t fucking share.”

“Neither do I.”
He stroked his finger in and out of her a few times, then he pulled out and buried his head into

her pussy, lapping and sucking at her juices. She tasted like the perfect combination of sweet and
salty, and he couldn’t get enough. Pushing his tongue deep, he tasted her, fueled by her breathless
moans as he worked her closer to orgasm. When Evie came she cried out his name as her body shook,
but once wasn’t enough for him.

He wanted her to come again.
Pulling back, he looked at her face as he slid two fingers back inside her. His thumb rubbed her

clit, heightening her pleasure. He stroked her slowly, then started to increase the speed and pressure,
watching her face as she writhed beneath his sexual onslaught. “I want to watch you come this time. I
want to see the pleasure take you.”

“Oh God...”
“Do you like that, Eve? Do you like feeling my fingers fucking you, or did you like me licking

your pussy better?”

“Yes. No. Both! Oh, God, Dare. I can’t think when you’re doing that.”
Something was pushing at him. He wanted to take her, to push her where no other man had ever

taken her. His fingers worked their way deep inside her, sliding in and out of her slick, tight hole and
he felt her muscles flutter around him.

Dare had never felt so possessive of a woman before, but he

felt this driving need to ensure that her pleasure belonged to him. He wanted to own her body.

To make her forget about anyone else that had ever touched her.
He drove her to another shattering orgasm when he curled his fingers, hitting that spot deep

inside her that made her entire body shake as she came. At the limits of his control, he jerked his
fingers out of her and knelt between her parted thighs. Placing the tip of his cock to her entrance, he
began pushing into her, then swore viciously as he made himself stop. “Fuck! I need a condom.”

Evie gripped his arm. “I don’t usually do this, but we’re both safe, and I’m on the pill. So, if

you want—”

Her words ended on a scream as he slammed home, burying himself deep. Dare leaned over,

gripping her head in his hands to hold her steady as he kissed. The thought of taking her with nothing
between them made him crazy. He’s never fucked a woman without a rubber, but Evie wasn’t just any
woman. She was special. He began pumping into her, growling as he covered her body with his,
feeling like a wild animal desperate to mate.

He burned for her.
Lifting one of her legs, he wrapped it around his waist as her other foot moved to the floor for

leverage. Thrusting his hips against her, he lost himself to the mindless need. He plunged his tongue
back into her mouth, mimicking the rhythm of his cock as he fucked her hard and deep.

Evie loved the feel of his cock slamming into her. Unwilling to be a pliant underneath him any

longer, she raised up, pushing him back until they fell to the shower floor. He let out a loud grunt and
she reveled at the laugh that bubbled out of her throat. This time Evie slammed her mouth down on
his, sucking his lower lip into her mouth as she rocked her hips against him. Dare’s hands gripped
hips tight enough to bruise, stilling her movements.

She fought him as he tried to turn them over. Lifting her hips, she raised herself off of him, then

slammed herself back down, taking his entire length back into her. Clasping his hips with her knees,
she braced one hand on his chest and threw her head back, letting the water cascade over her as she
began to ride him.

Dare cursed as he braced his feet against the floor of the shower and pushed his hips up to meet

her. His dick grew impossibly harder as he watched her cup her own breasts, pinching her nipples as
she continued to pleasure them both. Fuck, he had never seen anything as glorious as her on top of
him. Surrounded by falling water, with the steam swirling around her, she look like some sort of sex
goddess, tempting him to his doom.

But what a way to go.
“Do that again,” he demanded as she tightened on him.
“Like that?” she purred as she squeezed his cock with her tight pussy.
“Yeah, just like that. God damn, your tight little pussy feels so damn good. Fuck me, Eve. Fuck

yourself down on me.”

He pulled her head back down, wrapping her wet hair in his fist to hold her in place as he

began tunneling into her with fast, hard strokes, pounding furiously into her heat with rhythmic thrusts.

They were both wild, driven by the need to come, taking and giving in equal measure.
“You feel so good inside me,” she moaned. “So big and hard...”
“I’m getting close. Tell me if you want me to pull out,” he ordered, his breath whispering over

her lips. His body jerked at the thought, his cock not wanting to leave the haven of her body, but he

would do it if she asked.

It might fucking kill him, but he’d do it.
Staring into his eyes, she whispered, “Give it to me. Give me everything.”
With a groan Dare turned them so she was beneath him again, sealing his mouth over hers. He

slammed into her full-force, so hard she had to brace a hand against the wall to keep from sliding on
the slick floor.

Flesh slapped against flesh as he fucked her like a man possessed.
He captured her scream as her body came apart in his arms, her pussy clamping down on him

so hard it hurt. She bucked against him and he felt the sting of her nails digging into his back. That bite
of pain was enough to push him over the edge and he groaned as his cock exploded, filling her with
pulse after pulse of his hot, thick cream.

Evie’s body was rocked with aftershocks as they lay their breathing hard for several long

minutes. She’d come so hard that she’d seen stars. It was scary what he made her feel, but she was
too tired at the moment to dwell on it for long.

“We should get out of here before we drown.” He pulled out of her slowly and stood up,

helping Evie to her feet. Now that the sexual haze was dissipating, it worried her that she could
practically feel Dare distancing himself from her.

It left her feeling bereft and totally off kilter.
They turned off the shower and silently dried off. Bracing herself from the pain she felt, she

tried to act normal. She took out a new toothbrush, leaving it on the sink for him as she got ready for
bed. When she was done in the bathroom, she turned to leave.

“I’ll be out in a minute.”
She nodded and walked back into her bedroom. What the hell had just happened? They were

acting like two strangers and it was unnerving. Evie considered putting pajamas on for a minute, then
thought fuck it. She got into bed and pulled the covers up. She rolled over, facing away from the
bathroom and stared out at the night sky.

This wasn’t easy. A part of her wanted to pretend to be sleeping when he came out of the

bathroom giving him an excuse to leave, while another bigger part of her wanted to yell at him and
ask him what the hell was wrong with him. After the day she had, she just didn’t have the strength to
deal with any more emotional blows. She knew she’d made a major mistake thinking about the rescue,
because that was when the shaking started.

“What the hell?”
Dare hurried into the room, jumping on the bed to pull her into his arms and cursed himself for

a fool. There he was, brooding in the bathroom while she had been lying in the bedroom because he’d
pulled away and left her alone. After what they had just shared, he felt like a total ass.

Christ, he was a total ass.
“I’m so sorry, baby. Please don’t cry. I just needed a minute to deal with the fact I broke one of

my own rules.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” she asked. She tried to push herself away from him, but

he held tight.

“Stop it. Don’t pull away.”
“You mean like you did?”
He cupped her face, brushing away her tears. Seeing her cry over something he’d done tore him

up inside. “Listen to me. It might seem stupid, but I’ve never made love with a woman without a
condom before. It’s been a rule of mine, and I needed a moment to think about things.”

“I didn’t force you,” she snapped. “But stow your ego, you big stupid jerk. I’m not crying about

you. Now, let me go. I was thinking about those poor dogs...”

He forced her head down on his shoulder, holding her close. Lifting her with him, he laid down

on the bed with her cradled against him. Voice softening, he said, “I’m sorry, princess.”

She began to shake again, but this time she was surrounded by his warmth. Burrowing closer to

him, she contradicted herself when she said, “Maybe you should just go.”

“Not a chance. First, I want to say that it’s natural to be upset by what happened today. And I’m

sure I didn’t help by acting like an idiot just now.”

“We don’t have to do it again.”
He lifted her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I want to. God, do I want to. I’m going

to fuck up, Eve. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a relationship, and even longer since it was
with someone who really mattered. You matter. I was just realizing how much you matter to me. You
have to give a guy a moment to catch up.”

She sighed. “I guess this counts as your stupid male moment of the day. But this was a biggie.”
He kissed her again as he chuckled softly. “How about I help you forget about today and make it

up to you?”

“How do you plan to do that?”
He rolled on top of her, nudging her thighs apart so he could settle between them. He was hard

again just from feeling her soft skin against his body, and he knew he was in trouble of getting
addicted to her. He’d had a moment of panic after the last time they’d made love, but he quickly
realized that he felt more alive being with her than he had in a long time.

And he wasn’t about to let that go.
He wasn’t about to let her go.
“Why don’t you let me make love to you again, then I’ll hold you while we sleep?”
She smiled up at him. “I guess we could give that a try.”
He kissed her sweetly as he slid inside her. They made love again, this time slowly. Their

bodies moved as one in the shadows, their touch tender as they caress one another. When he came
inside her, filling her with his release, she joined him, whispering his name.

And when they closed their eyes, they drifted into dreams, together.

Chapter Eleven

Over the next several days, Evie and Dare fell into a comfortable routine.
Every morning, Dare went downstairs and took the dogs out while she made them coffee. When

he got back, they would sit out on her balcony and drink their first cup snuggled together on a large
ottoman, before getting in the shower. It pleased her that he seemed to enjoy her bathroom as much as
she did, and he also seemed particularly fond of sex in the shower with her.

Talk about starting her day off right.
After that first morning they had woken up together, she had explained why they couldn’t go into

the center if they had sex after they showered. All of the dogs would smell it on them, and that would
just get awkward. So, he had made it a point to either wake her up with sex, or they jumped each
other while they were in the shower.

And their nights were filled with passion.
Evie was surprised how well Dare fit into her crazy life. He went into the rescue center with

her after they left her house. Even thought they parted ways to do their own jobs, she loved being able
to see him throughout the day. No job was too small for Dare, from cleaning to helping make small
repairs, but she knew he was being wasted working there and it would only be a matter of time before
he had to go back to being a doctor full time.

It didn’t seem to bother Dare that Shane followed him around like a sidekick whenever he was

at the center. Despite all his grumblings about kids, he actually seemed to enjoy the boy’s company.
And when he needed a break from people, Dare went into town to work out at Fight Hard or to hang
out at The Fox Hole with Dante. Regardless of the time he spent away, he always came back to Evie
at the end of the day. He even brought dinner home whenever he was in town.

Dare had been living with her at her house since that first night they had spent together, although

he still kept his room at the boarding house. It bothered her that he was careful not to leave any of his
belongings, except for a small bag he brought over every day. It was a constant reminder that he still
had one foot out the door. He’d given no indication of whether he would be staying in Breakers, and
Evie was afraid to bring up the subject. But every day she spent with him made her want a future with
him...a future he might not be interested in.

She was glad when Kali stopped by the center on Thursday afternoon. The week had been so

hectic around the center with Tony, Maddy and Francesca still out of town that Evie hadn’t really had
time to see any of her friends. Hunter had tried to help out with the adoptions, but that meant she was
stuck at the center overseeing things. Her other cousin Beckett made sure she didn’t have to worry
about the clinic, and she had spoken to him about taking Eugene and Claudette on as interns. He had
been all for the idea, and also told her they were considering hiring a new veterinarian at the clinic in
town to help with the workload, which would free up more of his time to spend at the rescue center.

Evie and Kali decided to take a walk since it was such a nice day. It wasn’t usual for Kali to

stop by in the middle of the day, so Evie assumed privacy would be good for whatever Kali wanted
to talk to her about. They each held a leash for one of the dogs from the center. If they were going to
take a break, they might as well let a few of the animals enjoy it as well.

“It’s such a nice day out. I always forget how much I miss being outside when I’m at the bakery

all day,” Kali said as they walked around the pond.

“It really is. I’ve been stuck doing paperwork and rearranging some of the cages inside most of

today.”

“So, how are things going with Dare?” Kali asked.
They both looked over to where Dare was playing with Hero in a small fenced enclosure

outside. Evie found herself smiling as she watched the pair. “Great. Even though he’s kind of rough
around the edges, everyone loves working with him and he’s wonderful with the animals. Shane
idolizes him like he is some sort of superhero or something, and he has been such a help around the
center.”

Kali laughed. “That would be useful information if I was interested in interviewing him for a

job. I mean how are things going between you and him? I heard he’d living with you now.”

“Not really. He’s over at my place every night, but he’s not all there. It’s like he’s holding back

a part of himself from me that I can’t reach.” She sighed. “He’s amazing. I’ve never met another man
like him.”

“You’re in love with him.”
Evie stopped in her tracks. “What? No! Crap, I don’t know. Maybe I do. It’s crazy, I’ve only

known him for a few weeks. I can’t, can I? It’s way too soon.”

“Oh my God, you are totally in love with him. You’re babbling. You never babble.”
“Shut up.”
Kali bumped her shoulder as they started walking again. “I think I started falling in love with

Jared the moment I first saw him. I didn’t know him that well, but as soon as we began spending time
together I knew I loved him.”

“Dare and I aren’t like you and Hammer. Dare is...complicated. He has a whole life that he’s

been hiding from, an exciting and dangerous life.”

“I know Jared wants Dare to stay. He’s been worried that Dare will go back to

doing...whatever it was he was doing.”

“I am, too. Worried that staying in Breakers won’t be enough for him. That I won’t be enough.”
“Evie! How can you say that?”
“This has been like a vacation for him. A break from the real world. He’s a trauma surgeon, for

Christ’s sake. He can’t give up being a doctor to work at a rescue center.”

“He could get a job at the hospital.”
“I know, but I’m not sure if he wants to. You know that I don’t have the best track record with

relationships. I work too much, and men usually don’t like coming in second on my list of priorities.
Hell, not even second. They always seem to fall further down the list. Dare is...he confuses me. Half
the time I don’t know whether or not I want to kiss him or smack him.”

“How is the sex?”
“It’s...there are no words.”
“Right on, sister!” Kali grinned.
“But we can’t build a future together just because we have great sex. I guess I’m just greedy. I

want it all. My work at the center and with my SR team, my home here in Breakers, and a man that
loves me enough to stay here and start a family.”

“There is no reason you can’t have all those things.”
“If Dare doesn’t stay, then I don’t see how we could work out. My life is here. I think I do love

him, or at least I’m beginning to, but it doesn’t matter if he’s going to be leaving. I’ve just decided to
enjoy whatever we have while it lasts. I’ll deal with the fallout after he’s gone.”

“Oh, Evie...”
She smiled, trying to hide the anxiety she felt just thinking about losing Dare. Now would be a

damn good time to change the subject. “Enough about me. You didn’t come here just to ask me about
my love life. What’s going on?”

Kali blew out a breath and looked over at Evie. “Actually, there was something I wanted to ask

you. As you know, Jared and I have started all the wedding planning stuff.”

“Has he finally stopped bugging you about Vegas?” Evie asked with a chuckle. A few weeks

ago, Kali and Hammer had gone to Las Vegas for a Cage Fighting League MMA fight that he had been
an announcer at, and he had tried to convince Kali to get married while they were there. It was lovely
to see that her cousin so in love that he couldn’t wait to get married to the woman he loved, but he had
backed off when Kali had said she wanted a real wedding.

Kali laughed. “I love how he can’t wait for me to take his name, but I really do want the white

dress and everything. Jared said he would be happy with whatever made me happy. I love him so
much. It’s just that he is absolutely clueless when it comes to wedding planning.”

Amused, Evie shot her a look. “That doesn’t surprise me. You know I’ll help you with

whatever you need.”

“And this is why I love you.” Kali said with a smile. “We’ll have to figure out a day where we

can all go dress shopping soon.”

“I still can’t believe you got Nikita and Sam to agree to be bridesmaids. I can’t wait to see them

in their dresses. It’s going to be a Kodak moment for sure.”

Kali had a mischievous glint in her eyes when she said, “I’ve decided my colors are pink and

silver.”

“Oh lord, Niki is going to kill you.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Kali agreed. “But I really wanted to talk to you about is the venue.

Jared and I have been looking at places all over. My parents insist the wedding should be in Houston,
because of all their connections there.”

“Your parents should be the last people you consult on wedding plans.”
“Exactly. My mom was saying if I don’t have it in Houston she might not come, and I don’t think

I would mind if she didn’t show up. The thing is...I want to have it here.”

“Well, of course you should have it in Breakers. This town is important to both of you.”
“Yes it is, but I mean I want to have it here, on the Beaumont estate. I’m sorry, is that too much

to ask? I swear you wouldn’t have to do any of the work. I know it’s—”

“I think it would be perfect.” Evie said, reaching out to take Kali’s hand. “I would be so proud

to have you and Hammer get married here on the property.”

“Thank you!” Kali threw her arms around Evie, almost strangling her with the leash. “Uh oh,

Dare is headed this way, and he doesn’t look happy.”

When Kali released her, Evie turned to see that Dare was indeed stalking toward them. His

scowl was so fierce she was surprised steam wasn’t coming out of his ears. When he was within
hearing distance, Kali called out a greeting, but he ignored her. Kali reached out and took the leash
from Evie’s hand.

“I’m just going to...go.”
Kali took off with the two dogs, leaving Evie standing there alone while she waited for Dare

near the edge of the pond. She frowned at him, crossing her arms across her chest.

What in the world was wrong with him?
Dare had never been so angry with a woman in his entire life.
He had just returned Hero to the kennel after playing with the dog for a little when he stopped

into Evie’s office to take a look at some of the applications for new hires. Evie had spoken to Hunter

about the idea, and he had been all for the plan. Dare was glad when Hunter approached him, and
together they had been looking at some of the candidates, but Hunter had been busy with several
adoptions this week, so Dare thought he would try to make some progress while he was busy.

Dare had just settled on the couch in her office when her phone had started ringing. He let it

ring until the answering machine had clicked on.

What he’d heard had turned his blood to ice.
“Evie, this is Dr. Crestwell. I’ve been trying to reach you on your cell phone for the past few

weeks. I know you’re busy, but I’d really like to schedule you for that biopsy as soon as possible. I
have an opening tomorrow afternoon if you can make it in to Houston. Let’s try not to worry until
we have the results. Please call me back as soon as you can. Thanks.”

First had come the rage. What the hell was she doing putting off a procedure like that? She was

putting her health at risk, not to mention the longer she waited the worse it could be.

And why the fuck hadn’t she said anything to him?
Dare had stormed around the center searching for Evie. His anger must have been palpable,

because for the first time no one had tried to talk to him. When his head cleared enough, he realized
she was probably outside still. He’d seen her walking with Kali, so he left the building in his search
for her. As he saw her, the fear had crept in. If she was sick, she would damn well take care of it
soon. He couldn’t lose her when he’d just found her.

Jesus, he couldn’t imagine a world without her in it.
“God damn it, Eve! What the hell were you thinking?” The words just burst out of him. He saw

her stiffen as her eyes fired like two blue lasers. So, she was pissed too now. Great. Weren’t they a
fucking pair!

“Excuse me? Don’t you use that tone with me. Keep your voice down, people are going to hear

you!”

“I don’t give a fuck about who hears me! You’ve got some explaining to do. I just heard a

message from your doctor. A Dr. Crestwell. She has an opening tomorrow, and you’re going to call
her right now and book it.”

Dare watched as the blood seemed to drain from her face, leaving her pale and swaying on her

feet. He reached out and gripped her arms, holding her up.

“You...heard what she said?”
“I did. Book the fucking appointment. I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“I can’t just take a day off. I have to—”
“We’ll get someone to cover.”
“Cover what?”
Dare and Evie turned as Francesca walked over to join them. Francesca was a beautiful woman

with long, dark, curly hair the color of mahogany and hazel eyes that always sparkled with a hint of
mischief. Those eyes dimmed as she looked back between Evie and Dare. “Did I interrupt
something?”

“No—”
“Yes,” Dare said at the same time. “Can you take over for Eve at the center tomorrow?”
“Eve?” Francesca’s eyebrows lifted. “Sure I can.”
“Good.” He turned back to Evie. “Make that call.”
Evie watched as he stalked away. She had never seen Dare so furious before, and she’d had no

defense against his anger. He’d caught her totally and completely off guard, and now she was still
reeling from the revelation that he’d heard that call and discovered her secret.

“Evie? Are you okay?”
“I...I will be. Sorry to spring this on you when you just got back. Welcome home by the way.”

Evie hugged Francesca. “I’ve missed you. How was your trip?”

“Good. It’s Vegas, so anytime I don’t wake up married there, it’s a good trip.” Evie laughed,

but her cousin wasn’t fooled. “Hon, tell me what’s wrong.”

She let out a sigh. “I don’t want to worry you.”
“Okay, now I’m worrying. You have to tell me now, or I’m going to think of the most horrible

scenarios imaginable. You know me and my imagination. I can think of some really crazy shit.”

Evie let out a little laugh as she linked arms with her cousin. “Oh, Frannie. I went to the doctor

a few weeks ago and she found a lump in my breast.”

Francesca froze, eyes wide with fear as she turned toward Evie. “Oh my God!”
“It’s nothing. Or I hope it isn’t. I have to go have a biopsy and Dare...well, obviously he’s mad

about it.”

“Damn fucking right he is! Why didn’t you call me? And why in the hell haven’t you gotten it

done yet? A few weeks ago? Hell, Evie!”

Evie might have missed Francesca, but she certainly did not miss her cousin’s temper. “I

wanted to wait for you and Uncle Tony and Maddy to get back.”

Francesca’s anger disappeared as if it had never been, and she once again linked their arms so

they could walk back to their house. “Of course you did. I’m sorry, sweetie, but this isn’t something
you wait on. Now Dare knows, and you’ll take care of it. And can I just say that Dr. Kick-Ass is
looking mighty fine. I’m guessing from the blast of heat he just gave you that you two have a thing?”

“We do.” She paused. “He was so angry...”
“Guys don’t ever do well when something is wrong, and it’s even worse when it has something

to do with our girlie bits.”

“You certainly have a way with words.”
“So, why did he call you Eve?”
Evie could feel her face flush with heat. “That’s...a long story.”
“Well, then that is definitely one I want to hear. Come on, let’s go back to the house so you can

make that appointment. Since I think I heard him say he will be going with you, I’ll take care of
everything here, so don’t worry. You just take care of this business and come back to us healthy and
whole.”

“I’ll try.”
“And as for your man, I have some gifts I got you from this huge sex toy warehouse in Vegas.

Maybe you can use it to cheer Dare up.”

“Oh no! More glow-in-the-dark condoms?” Evie asked on a groan.
Francesca laughed as they walked up the front steps of the house. “No. Something much better.

And Evie, shame on you for keeping this from us. You know the rest of the family is going to be
furious when they find out.”

“I know.” Evie sighed as she opened the front door.
And wasn’t that something to look forward to?

****

Evie stared out the window as Dare drove them toward Houston.
They were fifteen minutes into the drive and they could have been in separate vehicles

considering the lack of conversation between them. He was still angry with her. That was abundantly
clear. She had to admit that she hadn’t made it any better by telling him she wanted to spend some
time alone with Francesca last night. It was true that Evie had missed her cousin, but she had also
wanted some time away from Dare to think. She’d been stunned when he had confronted her about her
doctor’s phone call. Granted, she had been putting it off, but not for the reason she’d told him and
Francesca.

Or at least it wasn’t the only reason.
It was a relief being able to talk to her cousin about her relationship with Dare. Evie might have

been a few years older at thirty-one, but Francesca understood men far better than she did. While
Francesca had been engaged a long time ago, she had ended that relationship before she’d made the
mistake of marrying someone who didn’t suit her. Francesca was a free spirit, and she never made
excuses for who she was or how she lived her life. She had tons of male friends and dated often, but
she still hadn’t found the one. Francesca was one of those unusual women who remained friends with
the men she dated. Hell, she practically ended up introducing all her former boyfriends to their
current girlfriends. Some had even ended up getting married.

Francesca was looking for that great love, the kind she wrote about in her romance novels, and

she wouldn’t settle for anything less.

Maybe that was why Evie had the courage to wait for love as well. Many of her childhood

friends had ended up getting married at a young age, and Evie had always felt as if something was
wrong with her when she remained single. It wasn’t until Evie had watched the way Francesca
seemed to navigate the dating minefield that she realized that she wasn’t the only one who was picky
about who she let into her heart.

Since Evie had met Dare, something just seemed to click into place. Kali had been right when

she said that Evie had finally fallen in love. He wasn’t a perfect man. No, she would never call him
that by any means. But he was the perfect man for her. He could be tactless and surly, but there was an
inherent goodness in him that appealed to her. He was a complicated man, then again, she wasn’t
exactly the easiest person to deal with either. They suited one another, no matter their faults.

Or maybe it was because of their flaws that fit together so perfectly.
Dare owned her heart now, no matter how much she’d tried to deny it.
And that terrified her.
Francesca had told her that Evie had offended his doctorly sensibilities—whatever the hell that

meant—when she had waited weeks to make the appointment. But Evie knew that wasn’t all it was.
Honesty had always been a policy of Evie’s, and it didn’t sit well with her that she hadn’t been
completely truthful when she had explained her reasoning to Dare.

She looked over at him. The muscles in his strong jaw clenched and releases, and she knew he

was still pissed at her. He was so handsome, but his face looked like it was carved from stone now
as he stared at the road. The man had demanded the keys to her Range Rover when they had been
ready to leave. It was presumptuous of him, the way he’d simply stuck out his hand and waited, but
she didn’t mind him driving. It gave her time to think and try to settle her nerves—try being the key
word.

Turning in her seat so she was facing him more fully, she said, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“You should be.”
She fought back the urge to roll her eyes at him. He wasn’t going to make this easy. Lovely.

“Dare, I said I’m sorry, and I am. It’s not exactly an easy subject to bring up, especially to a man that
already has one foot out the door.”

Good God, what in the world had made her say that? This was so not going the way she had

planned. She was stalling, and trying to start a fight, but she wasn’t going to back down now that
she’d said it. It was true, after all.

“That’s bullshit!” The words were spoken so harshly they made her flinch.
“Is it? You spent every night with me, but you keep your bag packed and ready to go by the

door. God forbid you leave something of yours in my house.”

“Seriously? You’re seriously going to try to blame this on me?”
“I’m not blaming you! I’m just saying that I didn’t know how to bring this subject up with you.

Besides, I know it was stupid to wait—”

“You’re damn right it was! You should have taken care of this weeks ago. Christ, Eve. It’s your

fucking life we’re talking about!”

“I know!” she shouted. Her eyes filled even though she tried to hold the tears back. She hated

how her voice quivered when she whispered, “I know. It’s just...saying it to someone made it...real.
What if I do have cancer? What if I...”

Dare turned to look at her, then did a double take when he saw the tears streaming down her

face. He cursed as he jerked the vehicle to the side of the road. He shoved the gearshift into park, then
stabbed at the button to put the hazard lights on. Reaching out, he undid her seatbelt and jerked her
into his arms. “We don’t know that. We won’t know anything until we have the test results, so there’s
no use worrying about any of that yet.”

“I’m scared, Daryk. I’m so fucking terrified that I just kept putting it off. Finding ways to justify

delaying just because I didn’t want to deal with it. Didn’t want to think about it. I’m just...my aunt
Colleen died of breast cancer—”

“Christ! No wonder why you were so freaked out.” Dare kissed the top of her head as he

stroked her hair. He held her against his chest as she tried to muffle a sob. God, her tears killed him.
“Shh, baby, don’t cry. Everything is going to be okay. You’re dealing with it now.”

“Because you made me. I would’ve done it eventually, but I’m glad you made me do it now. I

know waiting would only make it worse.”

He pulled her head up, cupping her face in his hands and kissed her gently as he wiped her tears

away with his thumbs. “Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. You’re not alone in this, Eve.”

Evie’s heart filled with such love for him, her chest actually hurt. “Thank you for coming with

me.”

Dare pressed his lips against her forehead. He fastened her seatbelt once again, then put the car

back into drive and pulled back onto the road. “Perhaps now would be a good time to tell you we’ll
be staying in Houston for the night.”

“Oh, but—”
“Don’t argue with me on this. You are so hell bent on taking care of everyone else that you

never take the time to focus on yourself. I had Francesca pack a bag for you. It’s in the trunk. You’re
going to damn well rest and relax tonight if I have to tie you down to ensure it.”

“That’s...sweet. A little extreme, but sweet.”
He grunted and went back to staring out at the road. “You matter, Eve. My foot’s not out the

door. The sooner you realize that, the better.”

“All right.”
Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.
This time, she smiled as she looked out the window, and tried not to worry about what was to

come.

Chapter Twelve

Dare listened to the sound of the shower in the bedroom as he paced the length of the living

room in the hotel suite, and tried not to worry. He had gone with Evie to her appointment, helplessly
waiting as she had gone in with the doctor. No matter how much time he’d spent at hospitals, this was
different. Sure, he cared for his patients, but he was usually so damn busy he didn’t have time to think
about anything except the person he was working on. But this was Eve...his Eve, and despite what he
had told her in the car on the way to Houston, he was worried.

Hell, he had been scared shitless.
While he had been waiting, Dare thought good and hard about what Evie had said to him in the

car. She hadn’t been completely wrong about him not leaving a trace of himself at her house. He
hadn’t meant to do it. Christ, he hadn’t even realized he had done it until she mentioned it. It was his
go-bag—ready for him to take with him on a moment’s notice.

To her, it had been a sign that he was ready to leave her.
But that was the complete opposite of what he wanted.
He was damaged. There was no mistaking that. He was a surgeon that didn’t know if he could

still function in an operating room. He was a soldier that didn’t know if he could kill, and he was a
man who had no clue how to have a normal relationship. Overall, he wasn’t a good bet, but none of
that really mattered. He wanted Evie. Somehow, he had even come to need her.

Desperately.
There was a connection between them that was undeniable. Being with her healed some part of

him. Filled an empty place inside his soul that he didn’t even know he’d had. She had a goodness
about her, that driving need to take care of others that reminded him of why he had wanted to become
a doctor all those years ago.

Her life had been touched by darkness. She had suffered loss, but she had used that to focus on

dedicating her life to helping others, but she ran the risk of losing a part of herself if she wasn’t
careful. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d said she needed a keeper. Someone to make sure she took
care of herself and took a break when her tank was empty.

And he was the perfect man for the job.
Dare had been furious when he’d heard that phone call. She had put her health at risk by putting

off getting checked out. If he were honest with himself, the real reason he had been so damn angry
was because she hadn’t told him that she could be sick. The thought of losing her was like a fucking
knife straight through his heart. He couldn’t imagine it. Didn’t even want to consider that possibility,
but he had to as he’d sat in that waiting room.

Leave her? Hell fucking no, he wouldn’t leave her.
He would stay by her side as long as she allowed him to, and even then he would fight like hell

if she ever wanted to end things between them.

When Evie was done with the doctor and had come out of the examination room, her smile had

made his breath catch. The doctor had done a fine needle aspiration of the lump and the results had
been promising. The fluid that had come out of the lump was clear, indicating it was a cyst with a
very low chance of being cancerous. A pathologist would still run tests on the fluid to make sure the
cells were benign, but the news had made his knees go weak with relief.

Dare had wanted to demand to see Evie’s chart, but he knew there was no way the doctor

would have allowed that. They had left the hospital in much better spirits then they had entered, but
Evie was still a little nervous. Dare understood she wouldn’t feel better until all the test results were
back.

Since the lump was located deeper into her tissue, the doctor had used a local anesthetic. By the

time Dare drove them to the hotel they were staying at, she started to feel the soreness around the
extraction site. As he checked them in, Evie ordered a bottle of wine to be sent up immediately. Dare
had frowned at the request, since she hadn’t eaten anything yet. She’d been too nervous before they’d
left her house.

The wine was delivered moments after they had stepped inside their suite, and Evie opened it,

pouring herself a big glass, almost emptying half the bottle.

“Eve...”
“I’m going to take a long, hot bath, and this is coming with me. Consider it the ultimate girl

relaxation program. Care to join me?”

Of course he wanted to join her, but he thought she should have a little time to relax by herself.

If he got naked with her they would end up having sex, and he wanted her resting after the day she
had. “Go ahead. I’ll order us up some food.”

Evie had shrugged, then sequestered herself in the large bathroom. He’d placed the order for

their food and had it set out in the small dining area when it arrived. She had been soaking for a half
an hour when he heard the shower turn on. It had given him a lot of time to brood. Shit, he wanted to
pamper her. To take care of her, but he didn’t know how.

Maybe she should take a nap before they ate.
Maybe he should get a fucking grip!
His breath left his lungs in a rush as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing the thick, white

hotel robe. Her skin was flushed from the heat of her shower, and her blonde hair hung in wet ropes
down her back. She smiled at him and his pulse sped up.

God, she was so fucking beautiful she made him ache.
He noticed her glass was empty, and he met her halfway as she started into the living room.

Evie tried to protest when he lifted her into his arms, but she settled down and wrapped her arms
around his neck when he carried her over to the bed.

“Is this the next phase of my relaxation program?” she asked as she kissed his neck.
Christ, the woman undid him. A shiver raced down his spine and his cock surged to life,

pressing tight against the confines of his jeans. She didn’t need to deal with his lust right now. What
she needed was to be taken care of, and he would.

Starting now.
He sat her down on the bed, then pulled away from her, walking into the bathroom. When he

came back, he saw she was frowning at him. He held the towel in his hand up and sat on the edge of
the bed. “Turn around. We can’t have you running around with wet hair.”

She grinned at him, then did as he asked. He gently rubbed the towel over her head until it was

mostly dry. He loved the feel of the silky strands, and set aside the towel to run his fingers through her
locks, combing it out with slow, careful movements.

“I had a lot to think about while I was in the bath, and I realized something.”
“Hmm,” he murmured as he went about his task.
“I’ve been afraid of so many things, and none of them really mattered. Not really. Today made

me open my eyes, so to speak. If I was sick—if I am sick, then I’ll handle it. I shouldn’t have waited
to make the appointment.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Dare snapped.
Evie’s back was toward him so she felt safe rolling her eyes. “I know. Back to my point. There

are things I can’t change, things that are beyond my control. But that shouldn’t stop me from living my
life, or moving forward.” She turned around so she was looking him in the eye. “So, I wanted to tell
you that I’ve fallen in love with you.”

His eyes widened comically, then they narrowed until they were shards of dark-grey glaring at

her. “You’re drunk.”

“I might be a little buzzed, but I’m certainly not drunk,” she said primly.
“I...you...”
Offended to the core by the almost appalled look on his face, she frowned at him. “I’m not

asking you for anything, so get that look off your face. I may love you, and I would like it if you loved
me back, but I can live without you.”

“Eve,” Dare blew out a breath. “I...care about you. More than I have any other woman. Hell,

more than any other person in my life. I just don’t know if I’m capable of loving—”

Evie gave no thought to her actions, simply reacting to his words. Using her foot, she shoved at

him so he fell off the bed onto his ass.

Hard.
“What the fuck?”
She tossed her hair out of her face so she could glare down at him over the edge of the bed.

“That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I’ve ever heard! I’m not even going to count that colossally
ridiculous statement as your stupid male mistake of the day, because that would just insult your entire
gender.”

“Jesus, Eve,” he growled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What is that tattoo on your arm if not proof of the love you have for your patients? Yes, Niki

told me what it means. Don’t you glare at me. There is no such thing as tattoo artist, patient
confidentiality. Be glad she didn’t tell me you fainted in her chair like this guy did last month. She
laughed about that for weeks.”

“That woman is a fucking menace.”
“She is, but I love her anyways.” She slid off the bed, losing her balance at the last second so

she fell on top of him, making him grunt. “Ooops, sorry.”

Dare tried to shift her off of his lap before she felt his erection, but she swung her leg over him

so she was straddling him while his back was pressed up against the bed. In her tumble, her robe had
parted, tempting him with the sight of the creamy, pale skin of her breasts.

“Eve,” he groaned when she moved against him. He pulled her robe closed, then gripped her

shoulders, holding her still. “Stop fucking with me.”

Evie stopped moving as stared at him, her ardor cooling under his watchful gaze and forceful

tone. She leaned in to press her lips against his lightly. “I’m not. I love you, Daryk. If you don’t feel
the same, that’s one thing. But don’t try to tell me you don’t know how to love. You show how
capable you are in everything you do. You love the patients you lost by honoring their memory. You
love the animals in the shelter that you’ve cared for. You even love Shane. I can see it in the way you
interact with him.”

She put her finger over his mouth to stop his protest. “When I say I love you, I mean it. It’s a

gift, Dare. This isn’t a trap. Life is too short for me not to tell you how I feel. I know we haven’t
known each other very long, but you’re it for me. I didn’t think I could love someone the way I love
you. It’s like I’ve been waiting for you. I don’t mean to pressure you. I think you may come to love me

someday, but I need to know you believe in love. That one day—when you feel it— you can say the
words back to me. I deserve to hear the man I love say those words back to me.”

When she shifted to get off of him, his hold on her tightened so much so that it was almost

painful. “Are you done?”

His voice was a harsh, so filled with barely restrained emotion it made it sound like a growl.

Startled, she glanced back up at him and froze. His dark-grey eyes were burning with some inner
light, with an intensity that stole her breath. It was like looking into his soul, and seeing herself
reflected there.

“You’ve had your say, now it’s my turn. I’ve got some bad things inside me. Things you don’t

know about. Things that I’ve done. But all of that doesn’t matter, because what I feel for you makes
walking away fucking impossible.”

She reached up to stroke his cheek with her hand, and wasn’t deterred when he reached up and

grabbed her hand, holding it in place. “Dare—”

“No, damn it. Listen. Love hasn’t existed in my world. Not even when I was a kid. My family

has never loved me. It was all about duty and expectations, and when I didn’t meet those expectations,
they cut me off.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetie.”
“I’m not telling you this for pity. I’m trying to make you understand. It’s not a matter of whether

or not I love you. Love is just a fucking word. If that’s how you want me to describe how I feel for
you, then fine. If loving you means that I can keep you, then I do. I love you. But it’s more than that,
Eve. You fucking own me in a way no one else ever has. I need you in my life. I need you to
feel...human again. You’re it for me, too. What I was trying to say is that I don’t know if I’m capable
of loving you the way you deserve because of who I am and what I’ve done. You say you love me,
that you can love the man that I am, and I’m a big enough bastard to hold you to your word, because
I’m not letting you go.”

Evie’s heart simply melted in her chest as happiness burst through her like rays of sunlight. “I

see it. I can see the love in your eyes when you look at me. Love me the way I deserve? Dare, you
show me you love me just how I need every time you touch me.”

“Don’t let me fuck this up,” he demanded gruffly as he gripped her head in his hands. His mouth

took hers in a kiss so powerful, her entire body went up in flames. She kissed him back, reveling in
the feeling of his tongue stroking against hers. She wanted to sink into him, become one with him so
there was no telling where she stopped and he began.

“This is love,” she whispered between pressing kisses over his face. “This is us loving each

other.”

Dare buried his hands in her hair, holding her still so he could recapture her mouth. He let out a

groan as she shifted on his lap, rubbing her pussy against the bulge trapped in his jeans. He was hard
as stone. Wrapping his arms around her tight, he pulled her closer. Unable to stand the turbulent
emotions coursing through him, he wanted to bury himself in her and forget about everything else. But
all thoughts of that came to a halt when Evie let out a yelp when her breasts smashed up against his
chest.

“Fuck! I can’t...we can’t do this. Not when you’re hurt.” Dare pressed his forehead against hers

and tried to slow his rapid heartbeat. He stroked her hair, comforted by the way the strands felt
gliding between his fingers Touching her was like touching dreams.

“Please, Dare. I need to feel you. Help me feel alive.”
Dare pulled her head back so he could look in those sapphire blue eyes of hers, and felt himself

falling. God, he loved her. No, love was such a small word for what he felt for her.

She fucking owned him.
Body, heart and soul.
“Come here, baby.” Dare gently picked her up and turned to lay her on the mattress, careful not

to brush up against her sensitive breasts. He parted her robe fully, baring her pale skin to his gaze.
Stroking his hands down her chest, over her belly, he let out a hum of satisfaction when she parted her
thighs for him. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel good.”

He pulled the robe from under her as she lifted to help him, but she stopped him before he could

go down on her. “No, I want you in me, Dare. I want to feel you with me.”

Frustration tinged his voice when he said, “You’re hurt, Eve. We can’t—”
“You’ll be careful. I know you will. I trust you. Completely.” She sat up and reached out to

unbuckle his jeans. “Love me. Love me now.”

Dare gave in, unable to withstand her plea. It was powerful, feeling needed by the woman who

owned his heart. The connection between them was something to cherish, to nurture, and he would
protect it with everything in him.

He took his shirt off, not caring where it landed as he tossed it over his shoulder. He pushed her

hands away and quickly shucked his jeans, so he was standing naked in front of where she was sitting
on the bed.

Evie looked up at him and saw the pleasure etched on his face as she took his long, thick cock

in her hand. He stroked her face lovingly as they stared at one another.

“Open up your mouth, princess. Open for me and suck it. I have to feel that pretty little mouth on

me.”

Looking up at him under veiled lashes, Evie opened her mouth and lick at the drop of pre-cum

on the head of his cock, teasing him. He let out a curse and she enjoyed the way the thick stalk jerked
at her touch.

“Stop teasing me, Eve. Suck my cock if you want me. Suck it into that hot little mouth.”
His command had her thighs clenching. Desire streaked through her, igniting a burn in her core

that had her pussy weeping for his touch. But not yet.

First, she wanted his pleasure.
She opened her mouth wide, taking him in as her lips wrapped around the tip of his cock. With

a moan, she lashed at the taut skin underneath the head of his cock with her tongue, thrilled when he
let out a harsh groan. His hands shoved into her hair, holding on to her as she worked her mouth over
him. She drew him in until the head of his cock hit the back of her throat, then pulled back only to
repeat the action over and over again. Eve moaned again as she began moving her head faster, using
her hand to stroke the part of him she couldn’t fit in her mouth.

“Fuck, it feels so good. No more, Eve. Keep that up and I’m going to come in your mouth.”
Pulling his hips back, his cock left her mouth and he gently pushed her down onto the bed. Her

breath caught as his hand moved lower, those clever fingers working over the slick folds of her pussy.
When his fingers pushed into her, testing her readiness, she shivered as her body clamped down on
him as if trying to hold him inside her.

“You’re really wet, Eve. Is all this slick, hot honey for me?”
“Yes, all for you,” she whispered. He pulled her body closer to the edge of the bed and

positioned himself to enter her, but she stopped him before he could. “Wait. Do you see that little
black bottle on the nightstand?”

Dare turned to look over and saw a small, slim, black bottle and picked it up. “You mean this?

What is it?”

“A gift from Francesca. It came in this gift set she brought me back from Las Vegas. She must

have put it in the suitcase when you asked her to pack for me. There is also some sort of aphrodisiac
oil that heats up and a flavored massage oil, but that one is some sort of sensitizing gel.”

Amused, Dare raised a brow as he gestured toward his hard-on. “Honey, I don’t think I need

any help getting any more sensitive.”

She smiled. “Still, it might be fun to try it.”
“Maybe we should wait until you’re feeling better.”
“Come on, let’s try it. I dare you.”
He rolled his eyes at her as he shrugged his shoulders. Dare studied the bottle for a second, then

he opened it and poured some of the clear liquid into his palm. “Fine, but if my dick falls off, I’m
going to be extremely pissed at you.”

Evie laughed as she watched him coat his cock with the liquid. She shuddered as he swirled

some of the gel on her clit, then stuck two of his fingers deep inside her. They paused for a moment,
and Evie felt disappointed when nothing happened.

Then it did.
The cooling feeling began slowly, then increased so that she felt the tingling deep inside her

pussy. She could feel her clit pulse with the icy sensation and her hips undulated of their own accord
as she sought to quench the need building inside her.

Dare’s dick felt like it was on fire.
Not in a bad way, but the icy flames of pleasure were licking over him, creating a firestorm of

need so strong that he fought to hold on to his control. He couldn’t let go. Couldn’t pound himself
inside her like he wanted, because he would hurt her if he did that. And the last thing he wanted to do
was hurt his Eve.

The woman he loved.
He braced his feet apart and shoved his hips forward so his cock sank to the hilt inside her in

one slow, smooth motion. A hoarse shout erupted from his throat at the sensation of being surrounded
by her heat. Grinding his hips against her, he panted for breath, his chest billowing in and out as if
he’d just sprinted a mile in seconds flat.

The feelings were intense, an erotic cacophony of sensations that left Dare no choice but to

surrender to the lust burning in his veins. It was too extreme for him to hold on back much longer, but
he had to make sure she was feeling the same as he did. He had to ensure she was ready for him.

“Tell me how it feels,” he demanded, his voice tight with strain.
“Cold. Icy cold, then hot. You’re so hot, Dare. So hot and hard. It’s amazing.”
“I feel you. You’re so tight, and this shit is driving me crazy. I have to move. Cup your breasts

and hold them still, Eve. I have to fuck you, baby. I can’t wait.”

She lifted her hands to cup her breasts, holding them in place he began stroking inside her,

stretching her around the thick stalk of his cock. After a few slow, tentative strokes he began fucking
her like a man possessed, so hard her body moved on the bed with every thrust.

Evie felt her climax building, and spread her legs further, wanting to feel the full power of him

pounding into her. “Oh god, Dare. It feels so good. I’m going to come, I can’t hold back.”

“Do it,” he snarled, gripping her waist tight to hold her in place. “Come on my cock. Do it now,

Eve!”

He was relentless, thrusting heavily as he forced his large cock in and out of her tight hole. Her

back arched off of the bed as she came with a scream, her body clamping down on his cock so he

could barely move inside of her.

He gave her no time to recover as he continued pounding into her, using the full strength of his

powerful body. Her slick pussy pulsed around him as she moaned, her head shaking from side to side
so her blonde hair spread out around her head like a halo.

“I still need you, Eve. I want you to come again.” His piercing dark-gray eyes captured hers as

he watched her every expression, needing to see the pleasure he gave her as he thrust into her
slickness. “Come again and take me with you.”

“Please, Dare. I can’t. It’s too much,” she begged as he rammed into her, over and over again,

impaling her with fierce determination. Beads of sweat trickle down his forehead, some of them
falling onto her while others slid down his bare chest.

“Never too much, Eve,” he denied as he moved one of his hands to stroke her already

throbbing clit. “Come, baby. I want to feel you come again. Come on, princess. Squeeze me. Make me
come with you.”

Evie’s body convulsed as the combination of his touch and the sensitizing gel made it

impossible to stop another orgasm from ripping thought her. The world around her spun out of
control. Her body clenching down, tighter than before as the pulses of pleasure raced through her. “I
love you, Dare! Oh God! I love you!”

Dare fell over her, his forearms bracing his large body so he didn’t crush her. He thrust deep,

the head of his cock pressed tight against the entrance of her womb as he shuddered, emptying himself
deep inside of her. “Love you, Eve. My Eve.”

He whispered her name like a benediction. And she was. His.
Completely.
Evie closed her eyes, content to breathe in his scent as he surrounded her. A smile graced her

lips as she let out a happy sigh.

There were worse things to be than Nyght’s Eve.

Chapter Thirteen

Dare and Evie arrived back at her house late in the afternoon the following day.
Last night after their spectacular bout of lovemaking, they had taken a brief nap. When they

woke, they had ordered more food since their last order had gotten cold. When their hunger was
sated, they tried out the rest of the goodies that Francesca had given her, taking turns giving each other
massages. Their skin slick with the flavored massage oil, they opened the aphrodisiac oil to see what
that would do. Combined with the sensitizing gel, the aphrodisiac oil created a hot and cold sensation
that drove them both crazy. They both had one of the most intense orgasms either of them had ever
experienced, and they agreed to thank Francesca for her gift next time they saw her.

After, they had taken a hot shower, washing each other thoroughly as they shared stories of their

past with one another. Evie had been shocked by the lengths he had gone through when he’d finally
confessed he had requisitioned background information on her. Exasperated, she told him that all he
had to do was ask her anything he wanted to know about her. After he made her that promise, he
responded in kind, telling her she could ask him anything she wanted of him, except for classified
information that he could never disclose to anyone.

Evie had seen the way he had braced himself, ready for her questions, but she realized that she

knew everything she needed to know about him. The rest would come with time, but she had no
intention of delving into his confidential missions or other dark, painful things he had to do when he
was a soldier.

She knew his heart, and that was enough for now.
In a way, it was freeing knowing that Dare new about her childhood. It was something that

haunted her and helped mold her into the woman she was. When those men had broken into her home
all those years ago, she had been a scared teenager. She had tried to hide, terrified after she saw the
way those men had shot her parents in cold blood, but they had found her. Thinking she would die
next, it was even worse when the men dragged her out of the house with them.

They had taken her into the woods with them, tying her up while they waited and planned their

escape. She would never forget the absolute horror she felt as the three men had joked about what
they were going to do to her before they killed her, but she had been saved before they had gotten a
chance to really hurt her.

One of the men had been holding her down on the ground when a feral growl had torn through

the night. Her family dog, Roscoe, had bounded out of the trees, tearing into the man attacking her.
Shouts of men had filled the air as the sheriff and his men had come to save her. She had cried when
she saw Roscoe’s lifeless body lying on the ground by the man he had killed. Another one of the men
had been shot by the sheriff, leaving the last man to be taken into custody.

Once they were back in bed and she was held safely in his arms, Evie had told Dare of the

difficult time she had after she had been rescued. She had been lost without her family. Even though
there were horrible memories in the Beaumont Manor house where she had grown up, she felt closer
to her parents there and hadn’t wanted to leave. When her uncle Tony and her aunt Colleen had
decided to move their kids to Breakers, Evie had felt grateful, but she had also been torn apart by
guilt for making them give up their own home.

They had ended up building a home together, forming a new family. Evie had always been close

to her cousins, but with them living together she had gotten the siblings she’d always wanted. A few

years later when Colleen had gotten sick it had shocked them all, and when she died, it just made the
rest of them band together. Hunter had followed in Tony’s footsteps, becoming a Navy SEAL. They
had missed him while he was away, but they had also been so proud of him.

Evie knew her dream of founding the rescue center was based on what she went through as a

young girl, and also in memory of her parents and her dog, Roscoe, who had saved her life. She
worked hard to be worthy of that life, using the money her parents had left her to do good work. Dare
had called it survivor’s guilt, and he’d made it clear that he wouldn’t be allowing her to overwork
herself anymore. When she had tried to argue with him, he’d just kissed her until she forgot what they
had been talking about.

In the late hours of the night, he spoke of his time in Spain. She knew there was a lot more to the

story, but he told her enough so she could imagine the horrors of what he had been through. She held
onto him, as if her love could keep him safe and far away from dangerous situations like he used to be
a part of. She worried that he would need that rush, would need to be in the middle of those types of
adventures again, but he assured her he was done.

They had made love again when they woke, slowly, tenderly. They stayed in bed so long they

almost missed checking out of the hotel on time. The drive back to Breakers was very different than
the ride to Houston had been. Evie had loved the way Dare held onto her hand as he drove, as if he
needed to keep the connection with her. Perhaps he could sense she needed it, too. Their time in
Houston had changed things for her. All traces of doubt had been erased, and it felt wonderful to
know that they were fully committed to each other. The only shadow on her happiness that remained
was if he would be willing to stay in Breakers.

As they drove toward her house, Evie noticed that there seemed to be more activity that normal

at the rescue center. Also noticing, Dare parked the Range Rover in front of her house instead of in
the garage.

“Hi! You’re back! What’s going on?” Evie asked as Francesca and Madeline Savante rushed

over before she was completely out of the vehicle. Madeline might have been Hammer’s mother and
Hunter, Beckett and Francesca’s stepmother, but she was a sweet, caring woman that Evie thought of
like a second mother to herself as well.

“There’s my girl. Thank God you’re home.” Madeline wrapped her arms around Evie. She

pulled back to stare intently into Evie’s eyes. “You and I are going to have a long talk later, young
lady.”

Madeline released Evie and smiled at Dare, holding her arms open. “Daryk.”
He moved to her, lifting her off her feet to kiss her cheek. “Ma’am. Are you ready to run away

with me yet?”

The older woman blushed as he set her back on her feet. She slapped playfully at his arm. “You

have your hands full with this one. Daryk, Evie. I’m sorry to tell you this, but Shane is missing.”

Dare’s body went stiff. “What?”
Tears filled Madeline’s eyes. “After Shane was done with school today, he went home to wait

for Nate to pick him up to bring him here. But when Nate got there, Shane was gone.”

“Nate found a note from their mother saying Shane would be returned after the trial. She

kidnapped him to make sure Nate wouldn’t testify again that bastard, Bill Hollis,” Francesca added,
her voice filled with barely suppressed fury.

Evie gasped as she reached out to hold on to Dare’s arm. “How could she do that to her own

son? Anna, Tim and Nate must be frantic!”

“We’ve got to find him,” Dare gritted out through clenched teeth.

Madeline’s hands worried together as she clasped them in front of her. “Anna and Tim are

waiting at their house, and Jared and Kali are with Nate. Tony, Hunter and a few of the men are with
Sheriff Wyatt searching to see if anyone saw where they went.”

“Hey!” Hunter shouted as he roared up on his bike. He turned the machine and got off, hurrying

over to join them. “We just got word. A car was found a few miles out of town. Looks like it drove
off the road and hit a tree. When Storm ran the plates, we saw it was registered to Mara Diaz. That
crazy bitch took Shane into the woods with her, but I think they’re both injured from the crash, so they
couldn’t have gotten far.”

“Then we’ll find them,” Evie said, her voice filled with conviction. “How much time?”
“About three hours,” Francesca answered.
“I told Storm we’d get the rescue team together. Kali is staying with Anna, but Hammer is

headed here with Nate. I’ll take them out with me. I’ll take Galahad on the search.”

“And I’ll take Lancelot,” Francesca added. “I’ll see if Russ can come with me.”
“Tony is headed back here with Malcolm Fox. He’ll take Percival since I know you want

Gawain with you.”

“That’s fine.” Evie turned to Dare. “Are you coming with me?”
“Damn right I am.”
They all turned as the sound of another motorcycle approached. Nikita pulled off her helmet and

got off her Ducati. She had a backpack on her back and a wicked looking knife strapped to her thigh.
“I heard. What can I do?”

Francesca grinned at her. “Screw Russ. You’re coming with me, combat Barbie.”
Nikita glared at her, then sighed with a nod. “You’re really lucky I like you, short stuff.”
“I’ll go check on the radios, and I’ll run control from here with Amelia,” Madeline said. “Evie,

I had your dogs with me at the center today. They’re in your office when you’re ready.”

Evie nodded. “Good. I’ll go get my pack. Dare, I have extra pack for you to use. We’ll all meet

back at the center in a few.”

The group split up. Hunter headed back to the boarding house to get his own pack, while

Francesca ran to her own apartment to grab her own. Dare followed Evie into her house and watched
as she pulled two large backpacks out of a cabinet in the mudroom. “I always keep these ready to go.
It’s everything we need for a search, like first aid supplies, food and stuff if we have to stay out
overnight.”

Evie left the packs in the hallway, then ran upstairs to change clothes. When she turned around,

her mouth dropped open when she saw the gun Dare had strapped to his hip. His face was hard and
his eyes were like dark-gray shards of ice. They were the eyes of a warrior.

“Ahh...”
“Don’t you give me any shit. She’s got the kid out there, and she’s fucking crazy. I’m not taking

any chances with his or your safety.”

She could do more than nod to him, then he turned and left the room, leaving her to follow him

back downstairs. It wasn’t as if she objected to him taking his gun with him. It was a stark reminder of
the darker side of his life, and she had just been surprised to see it. She started to lift her pack, but he
took it from her and lifted his own. They were heavy, but he lifted both as if they weighed nothing.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

****

Dare was silent as he followed Evie and Gawain through the forest.
They had been walking through the woods on the edge of town for a few hours, and hadn’t

found Shane yet. The search party had started out from where they found Mara Diaz’s car. They kept
in touch with the other teams locations via Madeline and Amelia on their radios. Each search dog had
been given something of Shane’s to sniff before they started out. Nate had brought the clothing with
him when he showed up with Hammer, and the poor kid’s face had been ravaged with grief.

Dare half listened to Evie as she explained about scent cones and search grids, but his real

focus had been on Shane. He was worried, thinking about what that little boy was going through, and
Dare was determined that they find him before that crazy bitch of a mother did anything to hurt the kid.

Evie held up her hand to stop them when her radio signaled and Sheriff Wyatt’s voice sounded.

“All teams. We’ve got Mara Diaz in custody. Repeat, we have Mara Diaz in custody.”

“My brother,” Nate’s anxious voice said over the radio. “Where is my brother?”
“Shane is still in the woods. She said she left him behind. Both of them were injured when the

car went off the road, and she left him behind to try and get away. Listen, Nate. Shane fought back. He
fought back in the car and that’s why they crashed. You’re brother did good.”

“But he’s hurt! Oh God, we have to find him!”
“We’ve got a medivac team on standby,” the sheriff said. “They are a few minutes out. We’ll

find him, Nate.”

“Where are you?” Evie demanded. “Give me the location where you found her.”
Sheriff Wyatt answered, and she and Dare searched their map. “We’re close,” she murmured

after she surveyed their position.

“Not close enough,” Dare countered. “The kid is hurt. We have to find him.”
Evie nodded. “We’re going to continue the search,” she said into the radio. “We’ll cross over

and start heading your way, Sheriff.”

“Copy. We’ll head west to meet up with you, Evie,” Hunter replied.
“All teams head to the sheriff’s location. If we don’t find Shane by the time we reach them,

we’ll fan out from there and continue to search.”

All the teams gave their acknowledgement of the new plan, and Madeline gave each team

directions from their current locations since she had been keeping track of all the search party
members. Evie turned the volume down the radio again, and they started walking again after she gave
Gawain another scent of Shane’s shirt she had brought with her in a Ziploc bag. Both Evie and Dare
felt a new level of anxiety.

If Shane was hurt, they needed to find him.
Fast.
She was bombarded by haunted memories of the past as she followed her dog through the dense

trees. She couldn’t help but remember the terror she’d felt when she had been kidnapped all those
years ago. She knew exactly what Shane was going through, what he was feeling. Although there was
a measure of relief knowing that Shane’s mother had been caught, that little boy was out there
somewhere.

Lost, alone, and hurt.
Evie held up her hand to signal Dare as Gawain gave an alert. The dog took off to the left, and

they followed him until they came to a path of crushed branches and drag marks in the dirt. Dare knelt
down to study the terrain. “We’ve got blood.”

Dare gave the dog a quick rub on his head as Gawain leaned against him. The dog’s body

vibrated with barely restrained energy. He was on the scent now and wanted to go. “Find Shane,

Winnie. Go find Shane!” Dare commanded.

The dog gave a happy bark, then took off following the scent trail. Dare looked around, slightly

confused as Gawain came to a stop, then his breath caught in his throat as he saw they were standing
on the edge of a small ledge that dropped down a few feet below. At the bottom lay Shane, still as
death. “He’s here!”

While Evie got busy relaying the information over the radio to the rest of the teams, Dare

carefully made his way down to Shane, using an area few feet away where the drop off was more
gradual. He felt the bite of rough bark on his hands as he climbed down to the boy, then fell to his
knees when he got to Shane.

The boy was a mess. Covered in dirt and blood, his body showed evidence of the car accident

and signs of being dragged through the forest. Shane must have lost his footing on the ledge and gone
over. He was lucky though, as it seemed his fall had been cushioned by a pile of dead leaves. Still,
Shane’s arm had suffered in the fall. The bone had broken, probably when the boy had tried to brace
himself in the fall. Checking for a pulse, Dare felt his body go slack with relief as he felt Shane’s
slow and steady heart beat.

“Shane! Shane, can you hear me?”
Blood covered the thin arm, seeping out from where the bone had perforated the skin, but that

didn’t bother Dare. For the first time in longer than he could remember, the sight of blood didn’t make
him sick. Instead, his only focus was doing what needed to be done to make sure Shane was okay. He
pulled out the medical supplies from his backpack and got to work on Shane’s arm.

When Evie fell to her knees beside them, Dare snapped out, “Don’t move him!”
“I won’t. Tell me how to help,” she said softly.
Dare knew that Evie was well versed in first aid, but he was too busy to think clearly at the

moment. He grabbed her hand and put it over the large gauze pad he had been holding over the wound
to staunch the bleeding. “Hold this. We need to stop the bleeding, but don’t put too much pressure on
the bone. Good. We don’t know if he has any other injuries to his back or neck so I don’t want him
moved until the medivac gets here. Did you call it in?”

“Yes, they’re on their way.”
“We have an open fracture of the radius. I need to wrap this and keep it stabilized until we can

clean the wound and get him into surgery. Can you...yeah, that’s good.”

Dare began to wrap a large sterile bandage around the piece of padding Evie held in place

against Shane’s arm. The boy stirred, and dark-brown eyes filled with pain opened to stare up at
them. “Dare...?”

Dare barely heard the boy’s whisper, but the sound of the weak voice still managed to put a

relieved smile on his face. He’d never heard Shane speak before, but he was damn glad to hear it
now. “Yeah, kid. I’m here. Now, hold still while I fix you up.”

“My mom...”
Dare’s mouth tightened into a scowl. “You don’t have to worry about her anymore. She can’t

hurt you, ever again.”

The boy nodded slightly. “You...you came for me.”
“Of course I did,” Dare said gruffly as he brushed a comforting hand over Shane’s head. “Now,

don’t move. I don’t want you screwing up my bandages before we get you to the hospital.”

Despite the pain he was feeling, a small smile tilted Shane’s lips up as he closed his eyes

again. Dare could feel Evie there with him, and her presence comforted him in a way he never thought
possible. She reached out and placed her hand over Dare’s where it rested on Shane’s head, and he

looked at her. A thousand messages were exchanged silently as blue eyes met dark-gray. His hand
turned over, linking his fingers with hers as they waited for help to arrive. They glanced up at the
sound of a helicopter flying overhead, and both of them breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Hold on kid, help is on its way.”

****

Dare glowered down at the glass of beer he was holding in his hand.
He was sitting at a table in The Fox Hole surrounded by his friends, but in his mind, he was

drifting. No wonder, since he had a lot on his mind. Dare jerked as Dante knocked his elbow off the
table, and cursed as his beer sloshed over the side of the glass.

“Hey, enough brooding. The kid is doing well. You said so yourself.”
“I know. It’s just...fuck.”
Hammer, Dante, Malcolm, Tony, Hunter and Beckett silently nodded in agreement at Dare’s

statement. Or rather his implied statement. Dare thought back to that nerve-wracking flight to the
Breakers’ hospital after the helicopter had picked them up. Evie had insisted Dare go with Shane, and
he was glad he had. Shane’s blood pleasure had dropped while they were in flight, and no matter how
skilled the medics were, Dare’s training as a trauma surgeon had come in handy. He had Shane
stabilized by the time they reached the hospital, and then the doctors had taken over. Dare had wanted
to scrub in, but he knew he didn’t have privileges at the hospital.

So, he’d had to wait, like everyone else.
Anna had cried all over him in thanks, and Dare was extremely glad when Evie showed up in

the waiting room with the others since the search was done and took the crying woman off his hands.
He was extremely uncomfortable by all the attention he had gotten from Tim, then from Nate when he
arrived with Hammer and Kali. Evie had changed her clothes when she had returned home with her
dog, and Dare was grateful for the change of clothes she had brought him since he had still been
covered with Shane’s blood.

The surgery had gone well, and everyone in the waiting room had breathed a sigh of relief when

they were told that Shane would be fine. Nate went into the recovery room with Anna and Tim to see
Shane first, but Anna came back out to say that Shane had asked for Dare. Holding tight to Evie’s
hand, they went into Shane’s room. Anna had begun weeping all over again as Shane had spoken to
Dare, asking when he could come back to the rescue center to be with him.

“Get better first,” Dare had told him. “Then you and I can get back to work.”
Shane had been released from the hospital two days ago, and he was home resting with his aunt

and uncle. His brother Nate hadn’t left his side since he had gotten out of surgery, and Kali, Becca
and Madeline had been taking turns bringing them food so they wouldn’t have to worry about anything
but Shane.

Dare had realized a few things while he had been waiting in that room to hear if Shane would

be okay. He had been caught off guard by the overwhelming desire to be inside that operating room,
utilizing his skills to make sure that the boy would be okay. The sight of Shane’s blood hadn’t
bothered him. He had been too damn worried to feel nauseous or panicked, and instinct and
experience had taken over. Dare thought he’d never get that feeling back again after his time in Spain,
but knowing that his issue had worked itself out had been...liberating.

Still, he had been broody and irritable since Shane’s kidnapping. The only time he wasn’t was

when he was around Evie. He couldn’t count the times he had dragged her away from whatever she

was doing and made mad, desperate love to her. He wasn’t sure why he was so determined to fuck
her into a coma, but she had finally had enough and had sent him to town to hang with Hammer and his
other buddies while she had a girl’s night with her friends.

The only reason Dare could come up with was he needed Evie to want him as much as he did

her. He wanted to claim her in a way that made it impossible for her to even think about any other
man. It was a primitive desire, driven by the knowledge that things would be changing soon. He was
no longer the broken man he had been when he arrived in Breakers, but what did that mean for them?

Dare could no longer justify hiding out at the rescue center. He needed to figure out what he

was going to do with the rest of his life, and how that would affect what he had with Evie. When he
had been waiting for Shane to come out of the surgery, one of the administrators of the hospital had
stopped by to introduce herself. Alda Hertz was a friend of Malcolm Fox’s, and Dare had absently
remembered the older man had encouraged him to go speak with her. Alda had made it clear they
would like to speak with him about taking a position at the hospital, and Dare had to admit he was
interested.

There were a lot of details Dare had to work out in order to have a life with Evie in Breakers.

There was no question he was willing to do whatever he had to in order to be with her, but the more
he thought about it, the more he realized that he actually liked the damn town. There was a sense of
community that he had never been a part of. Even in the Army, Dare had a specific place within the
structure and confines of the hierarchy. When he had started working for the taskforce, Dare had found
a team he could count on without fail, but the work itself had left him drained.

Breakers was a town that seemed like it was its own little world. The people took care of one

another, but they also protected the town itself. Dare liked the idea of living in a place where he
didn’t constantly have to have his guard up. Naturally, he would always have an edge to him, but
knowing that his six was covered by friends made it the ideal place for Dare to settle down.

“He’s brooding again,” Beckett observed as he sipped from his own beer. “Or maybe he is just

sulking because Evie kicked him out for the night.”

“I don’t blame the girl,” Hunter said, his eyes narrowing on Dare. “Considering you’ve been

nailing my cousin against every flat surface you can find for days now.”

“Hey!” Tony snapped. “I don’t want to hear this shit. I like to tell myself my girls are virgins,

and will remain so until they get married.”

Hunter snorted. “Ha! You can say that with what Frannie writes?”
“I don’t want to think about that either,” Tony growled.
“You think I do?” Beckett asked darkly. He was more civilized than the other men at the table,

but when he was riled he could be just as dangerous. “And you weren’t the one who walked in on
Dare and Evie in one of my exam rooms!”

“You were supposed to be gone for the day,” Dare shot back, but even he had to admit that

excuse sounded weak.

Dante laughed evilly. “I have to say I have a new respect for you. Eight times in one day? Even

I’m impressed.” Both Malcolm and Tony reached out and slapped Dante on the back of his head.
“Damn it. What? At least he’s getting some.”

“That’s our cousin you’re talking about!” Hunter groused.
“Son, you need to handle this shit with Zoe. She’s making you lose your mind.”
“Don’t I know it,” Dante muttered.
“How the hell did you hear about that?” Dare said, hoping like hell he wasn’t blushing. He

really had been out of control lately.

“The people at the center talk. Did you know they have a daily bet going about how many times

you drag Evie off to your cave?”

“You and your goddamn bets,” Dare snarled under his breath so only Dante could hear.
Dante’s face darkened. “Don’t fucking remind me.”
They looked up as Sheriff Storm Wyatt came over to join them. Malcolm leaned back and

signaled to the waitress to bring them another round of drinks, and Dare was pleased with the
distraction. Just thinking about sex with Evie had made his cock throb, and the last thing he needed
was a hard-on while he was sitting at a table with the men of her family.

“I just stopped by to visit Shane and Nate.” Storm sighed as he sat down. “Poor kids. They’re

really nervous about the upcoming trial. I’m not sure Shane is going to be able to handle being up on
the stand so soon after this last clusterfuck.”

“About that,” Dare said slowly. “I had an idea...hell, actually it was Tony and Malcolm that

gave me the idea, so—”

“Really?” Malcolm and Tony exchanged a look. They might be older, but the wicked gleam in

their eyes gave a hint to the hell raisers they still were. “Then it must be good.”

Dare glared at both men. “As I was saying...I think I have an idea that might help Shane and

Nate get through their testimony.”

“Does it involve just taking that son of a bitch Hollis out? Because I could get behind that,”

Dante said. Hammer raised his fist and tapped it against Dante’s.

“No, but it will require your help. All of you.”
The men sobered as Tony nodded and said, “Tell us what you need, son.”
“We only have a week, but I think we can pull it off, if everyone helps.” Dare blew out a

breath, then began to explain. “I think it’s time we put the name Breakers’ Bad Boys to good use...”

Chapter Fourteen

Evie stood on the porch of Anna and Tim’s house.
It was the afternoon before the trial was to begin, and Dare had been adamant that she should be

there waiting with Anna, Tim, Nate and Shane. He had rolled over her protests that she had work to
do with an impatient wave of his hand. “Just be there.”

So, there she was.
At least she had Madeline, Kali, Becca and Anna for company out on the porch while Tim was

inside with Nate and Shane. Anna folded her arms across her chest nervously. “I still don’t
understand what we’re doing out here.”

Evie sighed. “Dare made it clear he wanted us waiting here.”
“So did Jared.” Kali sat down on the porch swing next to Becca. “He’s been so secretive about

all this. What in the world have our men been up to?”

Madeline rolled her eyes. “Tony gets like this when he has one of his little plans. I wonder

what it is this time.”

Evie had been wondering that herself. For the last week, Dare had continuously been

disappearing over to the boarding house, which had been declared off limits to all the females in
family. At first, Evie had been baffled by the request. No, it hadn’t been a request. It had been a
decree. Once she got over her irritation, curiosity had begun eating away at her, but Dare refused to
tell her what the men were doing.

He said he would just have to wait and see.
During the week she had also gotten the phone call from her doctor she had been waiting for.

Evie had broken down and cried when it was confirmed she didn’t have cancer. As soon as she got
the call, she had rushed outside to find Dare, who had been running around the pond with the dog,
Hero. Hearing her good news he had lifted her off her feet and kissed her so passionately, she
couldn’t even remember her own name.

After she and Dare had celebrated her good news, she had sought out some time with her uncle

Tony. They had taken a walk together, and when she told him he had gotten misty eyed. He spoke of
his love for his first wife, Colleen, and how painful it had been to lose her. He also said he
understood why Evie had worried about telling him, but made her promise never to keep a secret like
that from him again.

That night she had invited her family over for dinner, thankfully Madeline had ended up cooking

the meal, much to everyone’s relief. Her cousins and friends were still upset with Evie for not telling
them about her fears, but Madeline had shushed them. Dare had given Evie that look of his that told
her he was angry. He always got angry whenever he thought about her being sick, and she had come to
understand it was his way of dealing with his fear of losing her.

Dare still made time to seek her out during the day, as if he couldn’t bear to be away from her

for more than a few hours at a time. Normally, she would have gotten annoyed at the interruptions, but
the truth was she missed Dare just as much as he missed her. Since she had told him she loved him he
had become insatiable.

Lucky her.
Every time he touched her she went up in flames, and she didn’t even mind all the extra

showers she had to take during the day to get rid of the smell of sex before she went back to the
rescue center. Dare had become such an integral part of her life, that she didn’t know what she was

going to do when he decided to quit working at the center.

A rumbling noise in the distance had Evie pushing aside her worries about what would happen

with Dare, and the women turned to look in the direction the sound was coming from. As the noise got
louder, Evie realized what they were hearing was the roar of dozens of motorcycles heading their
way. Tim, Nate and Shane came out on the porch as the noise grew deafening.

“What in the world is that?” Tim asked. As a staid corporate attorney, Tim had never been one

to ride a motorcycle, but Evie could see the unholy gleam of interest in his eyes as the parade of
motorcycles rode into view.

Evie’s eyes widened as she watched all the bikes pull to a stop in from of Tim and Ana’s

house, blocking off the entire street. Neighbors came out of their houses, looking concerned and
slightly afraid. Evie couldn’t blame them. Dressed mostly in black, the group made an intimidating
sight. Most of them were wearing helmets, and when they took them off she could see a few of them
were wearing bandanas on their heads. Some had on leather jackets, while others wore leather vests
with their jeans. The only thing all the riders had in common was the logo on their clothing that
proclaimed all of them as Breakers’ Bad Boys.

Her gaze shot over to where Nikita and Sam were getting off their own bikes. The women just

shrugged at Evie’s unspoken question as the rest of the group came to stand on Anna and Tim’s front
lawn. Dare was unceremoniously pushed to the front, and Evie saw him turn to shoot a glare at her
uncle Tony, who only grinned in response.

“Umm...” Anna put a protective hand on Shane’s shoulder as he held his cast in front of his

body, but Evie could see the little boy wasn’t afraid. His eyes were wide, but they were filled with
excitement and a little bit of wonder.

“We’re here to see the Diaz brothers,” Dare called out, and Shane walked down the steps with

Nate beside him.

Nate looked over at Hammer. “What’s going on, Hammer? What is all this?”
“Wait and see, kid.”
Dare shot Evie a quick glance as she walked down the steps and came to a stop behind the

boys. He seemed to get the courage to speak when their eyes met, and she watched as his shoulders
straightened. He held something in his hand as he bent down so he was eye level with Shane.

“Hey, Shane.”
Shane smiled at Dare. “Hey.”
“Tomorrow is the big day.” The little boy’s smile wobbled, and Dare nodded. “I can see

you’re worried about it.”

Shane moved closer to Dare and whispered, “I don’t wanna see the bastard.”
“Shane!” Anna hissed from behind him.
Dare coughed to mask his chuckle as he lowered his voice to a whisper as well. “Well, I know

he’s a bastard, kid. But let’s not call him that in front of your aunt, okay?” Shane nodded sagely, and
Dare tried to hide his grin as he stood back up. “Well, then, you see all these people here?”

Shane nodded, and Nate took a step closer to his brother. Dare looked at both of them and let

them see the steely conviction in his eyes. “You don’t have to be afraid, because all of these people
will be there with you tomorrow. We’re all going to be sitting in the courtroom with you, supporting
you and your brother. If you get scared, all you have to do is look at one of us, and know we won’t let
anyone hurt you.”

“What?” Anna gasped as Dare helped Shane put on a small leather jacket with the Breaker’s

Bad Boys patch that matched the one he was wearing.

Tony Savante stepped forward and put his hand on Dare’s shoulder. Evie felt pure joy fill her

as she saw her uncle standing with her man. “The people of Breakers take care of their own. More so,
the Breakers’ Bad Boys will now be making sure we protect anyone who needs our help. Everyone
already thought we were a club, so we thought, why not make it official?”

Malcolm Fox slapped Tim on the shoulder. “You know how we were talking about how many

women and kids are afraid to testify in court because they’re intimidated by their attackers? Well, this
way they will have a group to turn to in order to have their own people in their corner. Us.”

“We can act as moral support, bodyguards when needed, and the best part is, we get to scare

the shi—I mean the crap out of the jerks who bothered you,” Hammer added as he handed a jacket
over to an astonished Nate.

Sheriff Wyatt stepped forward. “All the members have been fingerprinted and have undergone

background check to make sure anyone who comes to the group for help will know they are safe.”

Dare nodded. “As you know, with so many of us having military backgrounds, there will be

enough of us that can handle all kinds of situations.”

Anna looked at everyone as she gripped her husband’s hand. “I don’t know what to say. How

can we ever thank you?”

Dare looked down at Shane who was still admiring his new leather jacket. “Shane, do you think

you’ll be okay telling your story to the people in court tomorrow?”

The little boy glanced up at Dare. “You’ll really be there?”
“I will. We all will be.”
Shane smiled. “Then I can do it.”
Dare turned back to Anna and Tim. “That’s all the thanks we need.”
Hammer, Dare and Dante led Nate and Shane around, introducing them to all the bikers that had

showed up with Anna and Tim trailing behind them as they spoke with Tony and Malcolm. When they
were done, Evie walked up to Dare and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you so much.”

His eyes flared with heat at her declaration. “Come for a ride with me.”
“Wh-what?”
“You came with Maddy, right? Give her your keys and come for a ride with me. I need you with

me, Eve.”

Evie smiled. She loved how he was never afraid to tell her how much he wanted her, and just

hearing it made her clench her thighs together to keep the proof of her desire for him from soaking her
jeans. “All right. Give me a minute.”

She left to speak with Madeline, and when she came back Dare was sitting on his bike. She

gestured to the two helmets he held in his hands. “I thought you normally don’t ride wearing one.”

He winced. “I know I should, and I did have one. Today we thought we should all wear them to

show the kids that safety is important. But I got these this week since I want you to ride with me
sometimes. What do you say? Wanna be my biker bitch?”

Her eyebrow rose at that as she playfully slapped at him. “Call me a bitch again and I’ll make

you eat that helmet.”

He grinned at her. “How about being my hot, biker babe instead?”
“I think I can handle that.”
He placed a helmet on her head, making sure it was secure before he put on his own. She

climbed onto the bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and felt the vibrations through
her body when he turned on the engine on.

“You okay?” Dare asked as they made their way slowly around the other bikes that were still

parked in the street.

Evie was surprised to hear Dare’s voice clearly through the helmet, then realized that he had

gotten helmets with a Bluetooth intercom system built in. “I’m great.”

When they got to the open road, he sped up, and Evie felt the exhilaration that only came from

riding on a motorcycle.

“I should have asked, have you ridden before?”
“I have. With Hunter, and a few times with my uncle, but I’m nowhere near to being an expert.”
“We’ll get you there,” he promised, and she could hear the smile in his voice.
After a few minutes, she couldn’t stop herself from saying, “Dare, what you did today...you are

a truly remarkable man.”

“It was nothing. Actually, it was your uncle and Malcolm that really came up with the idea. I

just organized what they were already doing. Hunter and Nikita came up with the logo, and Hammer
called his contact at Rough and Tough to get the jackets made so fast—”

“It was far from nothing. What you did was give that little boy the most precious of gifts. You

helped him stop being afraid.”

Dare cleared his throat, his voiced deepening when he said, “You’re the reason, Eve.”
“What do you mean?”
“I got the idea from you. How you told me you were able to overcome your fear and testify

against one of the men who killed your parents. If they have anyone to thank, it’s you.”

She was silent as they drove to the coast. He pulled over and parked near a secluded area close

to the bottom of a cliff that jutted out over the water. They took off their helmets and walked down to
the beach. Evie loved the feel of the sand between her toes, so she took off her shoes and left them
near the path they had come down. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tilted her head back,
letting the wind blow through her hair.

“You are so fucking beautiful.”
She turned to see Dare staring at her with that intense look in his eyes. The look that thrilled her

to her core and left her aching for him. He took her hand, pulling her with him so they were in a little
area that was shielded from the rest of the beach.

“Dare, this is a public beach—”
“Shh. No one can see us here, and I need you, Eve. I need you now.”
His mouth captured hers, demanding entrance with his tongue. She opened for him, stroking him

with her own tongue, feeding his need with her own. She gasped as he spun her around, pushing her
against the stone face of a large rock. His hands came up over hers, holding them a few inches from
her head. “Keep your hands here, princess.”

She moaned, her hands flexing against the hard rock surface as his own moved down over her

body. He cupped her breasts, and leaned closer so her back was covered with the heat of his body.
“I’ve been busy this week.”

“You have,” she agreed, tilting her head to the side so his mouth could trail soft kissed down

the side of her neck.

“But I haven’t ignored you, have I?”
“N-no, you haven’t,” she gasped as he pinched her nipples.
“I got a job this week.”
“You...what?” She tried to turn around, but he pressed tighter against her, holding her in place.

His hands moved down to her jeans, unsnapping them and pulling down the zipper so he could shove
his hand between her legs. “Oh my God!”

“I did,” he murmured. “At the hospital. I’ll be working as a part-time trauma surgeon there.

This way, I can still spend some time at the center, with you.”

“Dare...” she moaned as his clever fingers slid along her slit, then he pushed a finger into her

slick entrance.

“Did you know that the hospital has a program that will help emergency response teams like

your search and rescue unit? I talked to them about sponsoring your team, since I will be going with
you from now on when I can. Having a doctor with you can be very helpful, don’t you think?”

“Yes!”
He chuckled at her explosive response when he stroked his thumb over her clit. “I thought you

would agree. Not that this will make things easier between us. Hell, it will probably only make things
more complicated. I’m still going to make sure you don’t overdo it, and take breaks when you need to.
I also intend to take over your security unit at the center.”

“Dare,” she panted. “It’s a rescue center, not a military compound.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m going to be changing some shit that is sure to get you hot under the collar,

but you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

“Oh, am I?” Her haughty tone lost some of its effect when she let out another moan when his

fingers slid back inside her pussy, stroking in and out. He pulled her hips back so he could rub his
throbbing cock against her ass.

“Yes. You are. Oh, and I want to adopt Hero.”
Evie felt her heart simply melt. “You do?”
“Yeah. He’s already mine, but you have to be okay with having another dog hanging around.”
She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. “I think we can manage.”
“Good.” Dare had teased them both enough, and he pulled his fingers out of her. He jerked her

jeans down to her knees, then when to work on his own. His hard cock sprang free as soon as he
lowered the zipper and he rubbed the engorged head against the slick folds of her pussy.

“Dare, we can’t! Not here!”
“There is no one here, baby. Spread you legs for me and push your ass back...that’s it.” He let

out a growl as she did what he asked so she was in the perfect position for him to enter her from
behind. He bent his knees and surged up hard, shoving his cock into her tight pussy. They both let out
a gasp at the exquisite pleasure of being connected to one another. He ground his hips into her, making
sure he was buried in her to the hilt.

“I’m tired of having to steal quiet moments alone with you, Eve. You know how I feel about

being around people all the time. I can do it, but there will be times when I need you, alone like this.
When it gets to be too much, I’ll need you to take a break with me. We can make sure the center is
covered, but I need you with me. Can you do that?”

“Yes, Please, Dare...”
He pulled his cock back, then surged back inside her. “I don’t want you to fight me on this, Eve.

I need you to tell me you understand.”

Evie could barely think beyond the pleasure of feeling him fill her, but she could hear the

tension in his voice. She knew that he was expecting her to argue, but how could she? He was giving
her the world right now. No, he was committing to her world. Taking a job with the hospital in town,
working at her rescue center and with the search and rescue team, and even adopting a dog they had
rescued together. The love she felt for him was overwhelming. How could she not agree to take
breaks with him when he needed to?

“I’ll go with you, Dare. Whenever you need a break, I’ll go with you, wherever you want to

go.”

His growl of pleasure rumbled through his chest and reverberated against her back. Turning her

head to the side he kissed her again as he began slamming his cock into her with heavy thrusts. She
pushed back against him, bracing her hands against the rock wall in front of her for leverage.

There was something highly erotic about making love out in the open, practically fully dressed

except for where they were connected so intimately. Her pussy fluttered with her impending release,
and he pushed her closer to the edge as he wrapped her hair around his fist and pulled her head back.
“Tell me,” he demanded harshly.

Since the first time she had told him, he always demanded to hear the words of love, whether it

was on a whispered sigh or a scream as she climaxed. He needed those words, and hearing her
declaration acted as a trigger for him. She held out as he pumped into her, hard and fast, waiting until
she was ready to explode. When he demanded the words again, she screamed them out as she came.
“I love you, Dare. Oh God, I love you!”

He bit down onto her shoulder as his own release hit him. His big body shuddered against her

as he pumped her full of his seed, spurting over and over again as her body milked him for every
drop. He leaned against her, pressing her against the hard rock surface in front of her, but she didn’t
care. “I love you, too, princess.”

And she knew in her heart it was true.

Epilogue

Life was pretty close to perfect.
Evie carried a large bowl of potato salad out on to the patio and smiled as she watched her

friends and family mingle together for their Sunday evening cookout. She couldn’t describe how
happy it made her to see all the people she cared for enjoying themselves together.

Kali, Madeline, Anna and Becca were still in her kitchen, preparing mass quantities of food to

feed the masses. Rescue center staff members and volunteers laughed and chatted together. Several of
them had even started up a competition of Bocce Ball, while a few others tried their luck at a game of
bean bag toss out on the lawn.

Beckett, Zoe, Sam, Nikita, Dante and Sheriff Wyatt sat at one of the large picnic tables having a

heated discussion about something, while Hammer, Nate and a few other teens stood close to the two
large barbeques where Hunter and Dare were dutifully flipping burgers and hot dogs. Evie looked
over to her right as she set the bowl of potato salad down on the makeshift buffet table and had to
grin.

Anna’s husband Tim was sitting at a table with Malcolm Fox, her uncle Tony and Shane, where

they—along with a few other older men—were teaching the young boy the intricacies of poker. Russ
and Leanne held hands as they passed by the card game. Russ was holding onto the leash of Nibbles,
the little pit bull they had saved a few weeks ago. They had recently moved in together and had asked
Evie if they could adopt Nibbles after he had been moved out of the medical unit of the clinic.

Evie looked around to see where her own dogs were, and laughed softly as she noticed them

sitting by Dare and Hunter. Galahad, Percival, Lancelot and Gawain had accepted Hero into their
little group as if the little boxer had always been a part of them. The five of them had become
inseparable, and all five dogs’ soft, brown eyes were watching the men cook with hopes that some of
the food might be passed their way.

The last week had passed by in a blur of activity, and it was nice for this break away from the

normal chaos that seemed to surround them.

The trial of Bill Hollis had been quick. As promised, the courtroom had been filled with the

men and women of Breakers. There had been a sea of black leather vests and jackets worn by the
official members of the Breakers’ Bad Boys, all there to support Nate and Shane. When Nate took the
stand, he had told his story staring straight into the eyes of the man that he wanted put behind bars.
Nate was a fighter, and wouldn’t back down from doing the hard. Evie was so grateful that Hammer
and Dante had formed a bond with the young man. They kept him busy at the gym, helping Nate
channel all the anger he felt into something constructive.

And then it had been Shane’s turn.
It had brought tears to Evie’s eyes as she thought about what Dare had done for Shane. He had

given him hope. He’d given that young boy a chance to speak and tell his story without fear. And
Shane did. When the young boy had taken the stand, Shane eye’s had sought out Dare in the crowd of
people. Shane had relaxed when Dare nodded to him, silently conveying to him that he had nothing to
be afraid of any longer.

After taking a long, deep breath, Shane had answered the questions put to him, and told his story

of that terrible night Bill Hollis attacked him. Evie had watched the reactions of the judge and the
members of the jury, and knew they could feel Shane’s pain as he spoke. Because of that, it took very

little time for the jury to come back with their deliberations, and Bill Hollis was sentenced to life in
prison for what he had done. Nate and Shane’s mother had also been charged with kidnapping, and
they were finally free to live their new lives with Anna and Tim.

They were officially a part of Breakers now, and the men and women of Breakers took care of

their own.

The sound of feminine laughter filled the air as Madeline, Kali, Becca and Anna walked

outside carrying trays packed with food. Others jumped up from the tables to go inside to help get the
rest. Evie looked back over toward the grills and saw the men were almost finished cooking.

Every time Evie thought about her relationship with Dare it put a smile on her face. Since he

had moved out of the boarding house and in with her, they had fallen into a rhythm of living together
as if they had been doing it for years. They still had their bumpy moments. He was autocratic and
demanding, but she was equally as stubborn and hardheaded as he was. It made for some very
interesting arguments, and even better make-up sex.

As if he sensed her looking at him, Dare’s head turned and their eyes locked. She loved him so

much, and knew how much he was changing his life around to be a part of hers. She made a vow that
she would try to give him the breaks he needed. In fact, she had planned a little break for them herself
before he started working at the hospital next month.

Dare walked over carry two plates with hamburgers on them. “Foods ready. Let’s eat before

the horde descends.”

They made their way over to the buffet and filled their plates full of food, then sat down at one

of the tables. When their friends sat down with them, Evie once again was overcome with a feeling of
happiness. The engagement ring on Kali’s hand flashed fire in the sunlight, almost blinding her for a
moment. Someday she wanted that with Dare, but Evie simply smiled as she continued speaking with
her friends. She could wait. It was a damn good feeling to be surrounded by the people she loved, and
that was what mattered.

Dare couldn’t stop looking at the woman next to him. His Eve looked absolutely radiant as she

smiled. God, he loved her so much it fucking hurt. “I think you should marry me.”

Evie froze, then blinked at him. “What?”
Dare turned so he was facing her completely. This wasn’t exactly how he had planned to ask

her, but somehow it felt...right. Surrounded by all their friends and her family, what could be more
perfect? “I made it clear I wasn’t going to let you go, so you might as well just marry me.”

“I...oh...”
Hammer sighed. “Oh, man. That was...”
“Bad. Really bad,” Hunter said around a mouthful of food.
“Jesus, and I thought I had romance issues,” Dante scoffed.
Dare glared at them, then focused back on Evie’s stunned face. “I know this isn’t exactly

candles and roses. I had a plan...I was going to wait until I got you a ring and found the perfect setting
to ask, but all of that is just bullshit. You know I never say the perfect thing. Hell, you know I’m not a
perfect man. But I am the perfect man for you, and I promise you, no one will ever love you more than
I do. I don’t want to wait. I love you, Eve. Marry me. What do you say?”

Evie smiled brilliantly at him, thinking back to when he had asked her to be his biker babe. Be

Dare’s for life? She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I think I can handle that.”

Dare crushed her against him, kissing her with all the love and passion he felt for her. He heard

the riotous applause around them, but he didn’t care about anything but the woman in his arms. The
woman he loved more than anything.

He had finally found his home, the place where he belonged.
With his Eve.

The End

www.laurieroma.blogspot.com

Other Books by Laurie Roma:

www.evernightpublishing.com/laurie-roma

If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:

Carnival Glass by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Texas Twang by Paige Warren

Pretend for Me by Sam Crescent

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

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Chapter Eight

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