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Sometimes, she even envisioned bearing Cross a child. What a wild fantasy, considering Cross’s lifestyle and the fact Panther was still after her. Still, it didn’t hurt to dream.
After tasting Cross and this new life, Dana didn’t want to go back to her old one. In a sense, meeting Cross changed everything.
Dana never believed in fate or destiny, but now she did. How else could she explain Cross’s timely arrival when he stumbled into her garage, injured and bleeding?
Cross didn’t pull out of her right away. Instead, he held her close and his body felt like a warm and comforting blanket. She lifted her gaze, looking at the silver net of stars above her and decided to engrave this memory in her head forever. They remained entwined like that for a long moment. Words weren’t needed at all. Eventually, though, the moment ended.
“You’ll catch a cold if we stay here,” he said, helping her to her clothes.
“You’re probably right,” Dana answered.
She wasn’t exactly looking forward to going back to the tiny apartment she shared with her father. He would probably come back, drunk and muttering about missing his old haunts.
“Stay with me at my place tonight,” Cross said, as if he he’d read her mind.
“I’d like that,” Dana said with a smile.
Chapter Nine
Jeremy sat at the kitchen counter of their rented apartment, without a single care in the world. It was 6:00 in the morning, and he was already on his third beer. Nobody was around to judge or reprimand him, so he just went for it.
He figured Dana must’ve crashed at her biker boyfriend’s place again. That thought hit him like a sudden jolt of frustration. On one hand, he was glad to see her happy, genuinely happy, for the first time in what felt like forever. But had she forgotten about the garage they’d been pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into? It felt like she’d moved on from their old life faster than he could down that beer.
Jeremy couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for allowing his frustration to take over his thoughts about Dana. In his heart, he knew she had been a rock for him, standing by his side through all the ups and downs since the tragic loss of his wife. After all, his daughter had put with all his drinking and his bad decisions ever since his wife died. Nonetheless, the lingering frustration and resentment refused to be swept away entirely.
Just as he was caught in this inner turmoil, his phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. He retrieved it from his pocket and saw the notification. It was from Panther. Jeremy had decided not to tell Dana that Panther had been texting him since they left Elmwood. Jeremy wasn’t a fool. He ignored all of Panther’s texts but this time, Panther sent photos of the garage. The Crows had done a stellar job, trashing the shop Jeremy had inherited from his father. It was the only thing his father had left to him, which he intended to give to Dana once he was gone.
Jeremy’s head was swimming with questions, and it was gnawing at him. What the heck would happen now? Were they just going to let the garage go, leave it in the clutches of these rowdy bikers? He couldn’t stomach the thought of it.
He kept staring at those pics on his phone for a minute, trying to figure out what to do. Finally, he downed the rest of his beer, steadying his nerves for what came next. His fingers were shaking a bit, but he didn’t let that stop him. He texted Panther back.
Jeremy:Panther, let’s talk. I want my shop back.
Although his message had been read, Panther took his time responding. The jerk was probably elated Jeremy willingly took his bait. Jeremy might be a drunk and a piss-poor father, but he knew a trap when he saw one.
Panther:You can have everything back, Jeremy. Just bring Dana.
Jeremy stared at the words on his screen for a few moments, uncomprehending. Did Panther seriously think he was going to exchange his only daughter for his shop? Not surprising, given his wrong choices in the past. Jeremy should’ve never involved himself and by extension, Dana, with the Crows. Jeremy had been branded a coward his entire life but this time, he was putting his foot down.
Jeremy:Where do we meet?
Panther texted him an address and a time. Jeremy pulled it up on the location app on his phone. It was a roadside bar located in Juniper Cove, a town not far from Hanging Grove.
Jeremy:I’ll be there.
Panther:Don’t forget our deal.
Jeremy gently placed his phone on the table, a sense of unexpected calm washing over him. It was a strange feeling, one he hadn’t experienced in his life for as long as he could remember. In that quiet moment, it dawned on him that regardless of his past mistakes and shortcomings, he was still Dana’s father. He had a responsibility to protect her, to be the kind of father she deserved. Until now, he had been a far cry from the father he had always hoped to be.
But this was a turning point. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was time to show Dana that she had a dad she could be proud of, a dad who could stand up to bullies like the Crows.
Jeremy plugged in his phone to charge, seeing his battery was nearly dead. He had memorized the location of Larry’s Roadhouse and knew how to get there, a necessary precaution for what lay ahead. He knew he had to face the Crows, but he wanted to be as prepared as possible.
Making his way to the bedroom, Jeremy retrieved his father’s old pistol hidden away between two boxer shorts. Jeremy recalled the night when the Crows had stormed the shop. He had the pistol back then, but he didn’t have the guts to use it, let alone contemplate shooting someone.
Jeremy let out a sigh of relief. It was a good thing Dana had inherited all the best qualities from his late wife, including her strong will and determination. With the pistol secured in his belt, he slipped on his coat, zipping it all the way up to conceal the gun.
He considered stopping by the nearby sports bar for a few more cold ones before his meeting with Panther. The liquid courage would serve as a last-minute boost to his resolve, and maybe, just maybe, help drown the memories of past failures.
