“I can’t believe you got all these people to come help on such short notice.”
“He didn’t. I did,” Ranger announced proudly.
“Shut it, old man,” Jacob grumbled.
“Oh, hush up and go on in the house. I have lunch waiting for you in the dining room,” I said and made a shooing motion with my hands.
“Wait just a minute. My mother would have a conniption fit if I didn’t properly introduce her to my friends,” Jacob said in the voice he used to mock me.
“Well, get on with it. We’ve got a lot of work to do today, and I’m sure your friends are hungry after a long ride.”
Jacob snorted. “Yes, ma’am. You already know Dash, Duke, Phoenix, Carbon, Byte, Edge, and Ranger. Carbon’s wife, Harper, is the pretty blonde tucked into his side and Duke’s wife, Reese, is beside him. Phoenix’s wife and Dash’s wife stayed home to take care of the little ones.” He used my shoulders to gently turn me to the other group of bikers. “Copper is Phoenix’s cousin and the President of the Devil Springs chapter. That’s his woman, Layla. His brother, Bronze, is the VP. Judge and his wife, River. Then, Savior, Batta, Tiny, Spazz, Splint, Grant, and Coal.”
“Thank you all for coming. Words can’t express how much this means to me, and to Gabby. Once you see the plans she came up with on her own, you’ll see why I had to make her dreams a reality. And it’s all for a good cause. So, please, come inside, have some lunch, and let me know if there’s anything you need.”
5
Ronan
Imet Jacquelyn’s husband, Jay, many years ago when he hired me for a temporary position. One of his regular guards was having gallbladder surgery that would keep him out of work for six weeks. It was perfect timing, because the band I was working for at the time was between tours.
Over the years, I filled in for Mr. Marks several times. He always offered me a permanent position, but I couldn’t take it. My brother was a member of the band I worked for, and I truly enjoyed being on the road with them. Until I met a woman.
At first, Sarina was okay with me being on the road, or so she said. Things changed after the first time I was home for an extended period of time. She didn’t like it when I had to leave again, and she did everything she could to get me to quit and stay home with her.
Foolishly, I gave in to her demands, quit my job with the band, married her, and agreed to start a family. We hadn’t been married a month when Sarina told me she was pregnant. We were nearing our two-year anniversary when I found out the baby wasn’t mine. And that hurt, because I loved our son, and she took him away when she served me divorce papers and vanished like I never existed.
I was too proud to ask my brother for my job back, so I started my own security firm and called Mr. Marks. He hired my firm immediately. And then he told me something that Jacquelyn nor Jacob knew, and still don’t know. He was sick. And he wanted to make sure his wife was looked after and protected for the rest of her days.
Jay died a little over a year later. Jacob was grown and out of the house, and with me always being around, naturally, Jacquelyn and I developed a close friendship. And then that friendship changed. At least it did for me.
I was in love with Jacquelyn Marks and had been for well over two years. Watching her take the dreams of her tiny granddaughter and help her turn them into a reality for the benefit of others took my feelings for her to a level I didn’t know existed.
The woman was as rare as they came. She was born into a wealthy family and had been surrounded by luxury and riches her entire life. Yet, she was more down to earth than anyone I knew. She didn’t spend money like it was going out of style. She didn’t spend her free time socializing and trying to be someone she wasn’t. She was kind and caring and carried herself with elegance and grace.
And she was way out of my league. Which was part of why I had never approached her. The other part was obvious; she was my boss. If I did try to pursue a romantic relationship with her, it would be the end of my employment with her, and I liked my job. A lot. But I wasn’t sure I would be able to hold myself back much longer.
Seriously. The woman wore designer gowns to galas and balls and socialized with some of the wealthiest people in the country. But she had no problem putting on a flannel shirt and faded jeans while working alongside leather-clad bikers. She was beyond perfect.
“If you’re not going to finally make a move on my mother, you should probably stop staring at her like that before someone other than me notices,” Jacob said quietly from somewhere behind me, causing me to flinch since I hadn’t heard him approach.
Resigned, I didn’t even try to deny it. “How long have you known?”
“Since the incident with Keegan’s stepfather last year.”
At that, I did turn around to meet his eyes. “What?”
He nodded and took another bite of his sandwich. “You fought your way through a sea of bikers to get to my mother. I don’t care how dedicated to your job you are; no one does that unless it’s for someone they love.”
“Your mother is a special lady,” I murmured.
“She is. So, what’s the problem?”
His question caught me off guard. I had no idea what to say to him.
“If you need my blessing, you have it. You’re a good man, Ronan, and I’d love for Mom to have someone to share her life with.”
“Thank you, Jacob. Your blessing means a lot to me, but there’s more to it than that.”
