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The first two men—one dark haired, the other sandy blond—weren’t familiar to me. I’d never seen them before. But the third one…I would know him anywhere, for as long as I lived, no matter how many years had passed.
Joel met my gaze, his solemn brown eyes shadowed with worry.
That’s when it sank in. The man on the gurney had been a biker. And he’d ended up stabbed, bleeding to death, rushed to the emergency room.
All I wanted to do was turn and walk away. Hearing Joel’s voice after all these years was torture enough, with that gritty timbre and the soft way he said my name like a prayer. He never talked much but when he did…oh…it made me melt.
Joel took a step closer and his gaze flicked toward the hallway leading to the emergency room.
“Is he…going to be okay?”
For a split second, I had no idea what he was talking about. My whole body felt like it was malfunctioning—my brain was buzzing, my mouth was so dry that it was impossible to swallow, and there were butterflies tangled up in my knotted stomach.
It was one night. A long time ago. It meant nothing.
If that was true, if I really believed that I harbored no feelings for Joel after all this time…why did I feel the heat of a blush creeping up my neck? Why did every nerve in my body shiver and tremble at the memory of what an attentive lover he had been?
I’m a thirty-six-year-old woman now, with a career, a teenage daughter, and bills to pay. I didn’t get crushes at the drop of a hat like I used to when I was eighteen. I didn’t seek out men to sleep with them for a night of fun and move on. If I was going to allow a man into the life I had carefully and diligently built with Cam, he had to be the right one. Steady. Reliable. Committed.
Finally, my physical response to Joel’s presence began to fade and my common sense took over. When I realized what he was asking, I eagerly latched onto the opportunity to focus on business, instead of the overwhelming feelings that had hijacked my body.
Somehow, I managed to find my voice.
“It’s too soon to tell. But he’s young and he looked like he was in good shape. He has a fighting chance.”
Joel took in a shaky breath of relief and blew it out slowly. He nodded with appreciation.
“Thank you.”
I should go,I thought.I should end this conversation and move on. Now.
Instead, I found myself lingering. My daughter had hunted this man down, connected with him. And here he was, dragging a bloodied, beaten man into the ER. I didn’t want Cam anywhere near that. I couldn’t believe we’d moved closer to Joel—right into the same town—as if fate was determined to drive us together, regardless of time and distance.
“What happened?” I asked.
Joel hesitated, rubbing at the back of his neck.
“Club business.”
“What does that mean?”
He looked uneasy and slotted his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Stepping closer, Joel came within arm’s reach. I could smell the leather of his kut, a hint of gasoline and exhaust, and black coffee without any milk or sweetener. His gaze locked with mine, unwavering in a look that said he would hold nothing back.
“It’s a warning,” Joel said, keeping his voice low so he didn’t disturb anyone passing by. “Another motorcycle club is challenging our territory—the Desert Howlers. They’re trying to intimidate us in the hopes we’ll back down and surrender without a fight.”
I stared at Joel with a pang. Had I hoped things might be different? Did I think the violence that dogged his footsteps before would have simply gone away?
“They vandalized the clubhouse a few days ago,” Joel continued. “That was their first warning. None of us had any idea they would escalate so fast. They jumped Diablo and told him to deliver a message to his club that they would do the same to the rest of us if we didn’t pack our shit and get the hell out of town by nightfall.”
That was only three hours from now. The dull throb of a headache began to bloom in my temples. This couldn’t be happening. To think my daughter had been at their clubhouse with Joel only a few days ago made me feel sick to my stomach.
I pressed the heels of my palms to my eyes and took a steading breath before I lifted my chin and met Joel’s gaze again.
“So, you’re telling me that things are about to get much worse before they get better. There’s no way you’re leaving town.”
Joel’s gaze flickered, apologetic. He ducked his head, his lashes shadowing his cheek in a way that made him look almost bashful. Then I noticed the blood on his hands and clothes and I was reminded all over again that this man was dangerous.
“I can’t make this mistake again, Joel. I won’t.”
