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  From what I could tell, Allie hadn’t spent a lot of time with her brother recently. They’d both been in the foster care system, but growing up in separate homes had made them completely different people. She’d made a life for herself, while Tony fell deep into drugs, alcohol, and gang life. I’d been able to retrieve several emails he’d sent her over the past few years. It was obvious that Tony did what he could to keep his sister from his lifestyle, but whenever he got down on his luck, she was always the first one he’d reach out to. She always remained loyal to him. Even when she knew his life was spinning out of control, she was there when he tried to contact her. Her love for her brother never wavered, and I respected her for that.

  He’d royally fucked up this time, and something in my gut told me that he’d try to contact her. Just like he always had, he’d come running to her when the shit hit the fan. I needed to get in contact with her, so when I saw the ad in the paper, I knew I had my in. I’d known that she worked for Child Services, but I didn’t realize that she was so invested in making things better for those kids. I had to admit, I liked that about her. It was one thing to work with them every day, but this was more than an ordinary house visit. This would help a lot of kids all at once, and she’d come up with the entire plan herself.

  “If she knows something, you’ll get it out of her,” Maverick told me with confidence. “Just be patient.”

  “Yeah, but it may be harder than I thought.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “It’s… I don’t know, man. She’s just not what I expected,” I confessed. “Hell, I don’t know how to explain it.”

  “I get it, brother. I’ve seen her picture. She’s a hot ass. I can see why you might get a little distracted,” he snickered.

  “It’s not that. She’s just… different,” I told him. “I thought she’d be some kind of stuck up bitch. Hell, you’ve seen her… all dressed up in that fancy shit, business suits and high heels. I wasn’t expecting her to be so… whatever. It doesn’t matter. If she knows something about Tony, I’ll get it out of her.”

  “Ha, wait a minute… sounds like she’s getting to you, brother,” Maverick prodded.

  “Maybe, but it’s just a job. Finding out where that dickhead ran off to is my only focus,” I told him, but I knew it wasn’t that easy. I was a selfish bastard, and I wanted it all. Ultimately, I knew I had to deal with Tony, but Allie definitely had me thinking. I found myself in an impossible situation, and I had no idea if I could make it work.

  “Whatever you say, man. Just be careful with all that. Remember, her brother is walking dead… nothing is going to change that. If you need any help, you know where to find me,” Maverick offered.

  Maverick was a good man, one you could depend on. Unfortunately, he had a hard time believing that. He was still carrying around a lot of guilt from the shit that’d gone down over the past few months, but he never let that get in the way of the club. He was a brother that you could always depend on.

  “Thanks, man,” I responded.

  “Hey, you never know… maybe this thing with her will work out. I’ve seen crazier things happen.”

  “Good things like her don’t happen to me, brother,” I told him, shaking my head. He patted my back as he turned to leave. As I watched him walk out of the bar, my mind drifted back to Allie. I found myself wondering if Maverick could be right. Was there a way that I could actually have her? Without thinking, I pulled out my phone to see if she had responded to my last email. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face when I saw her name.

  May 1, 2015

  3:15

  Allison Parker

  Department of Children’s Services

  All-Star?? Really? You’re going to pay for that one, mister. :)

  Looking forward to Thursday. I’ll bring the coffee.

  * * *

  The girl was getting to me. I knew that she was becoming a real distraction, and I needed to focus on her lowlife brother. There was one problem though… I couldn’t stop my finger from hitting the reply button.

  May 1, 2015

  3:30

  Kane Blackwood

  SF Construction

  I’ll take mine however you like yours, All-Star.

  See you Thursday.

  * * *

  May 1, 2015

  4:25

  Allison Parker

  Department of Children’s Services

  How do you do that? You give me a crazy nickname, and I’m sitting here smiling like a goof. I think you’re getting to me.

  BTW, thanks for the “coffee order.” :)

  * * *

  Chapter 3

  Allie

  ‡

  When I walked into the office, everyone was standing around grumbling as they drank their morning cup of coffee. I smiled and tried not to act too eager about getting back to my office. I wanted to check my email. I hadn’t been online since yesterday afternoon, and I was curious to see if Kane had messaged me back.

  As soon as I sat down at my desk, I saw that I had a message in my inbox. I anxiously clicked the button to open my emails, and his name was the first one that caught my attention.

  May 2, 2015

  9:45 p.m.

  Kane Blackwood

  SF Construction

  Like that I’m getting to you, babe.

  Night.

  * * *

  May 3, 2015

  9:08 a.m.

  Allison Parker

  Department of Children’s Services

  Morning, :)

  Hope you’re having a good day. I’ve been thinking about you. Wondering if you’re as good with your hands as you say you are….

  * * *

  Just as I was about to click the send button, Neil walked into my office, interrupting my train of thought. “Daniel sent over the changes to the blueprints this morning. Have you had a chance to look them over?”

  “I was just about to ask you about that. Do we really have to take out the meeting room?” I asked with a sad sigh.

  “Allie, it’s just not in the budget. If you can find a way to fund it, then you can have him put it back in the plan,” Neil said as he leaned against my doorframe. His arms were crossed and resting on his protruding belly. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at him.

  “Maybe we could reduce the size of the fitness center,” I suggested.

  “We’ve already made that deal with Health and Fitness Retro. We can’t risk losing their sponsorship.”

  “You’re right. I just hate to see things get taken away. We’ve worked so hard. I want everything to be perfect.”

  “Focus on finalizing the bids. I want to have it on my desk by Friday afternoon. I need to check everything over before the board sees it on Monday,” Neil told me.

  “I’m meeting the contractor on Thursday.”

  “Be ready to present any new ideas to them on Monday. They’re eager to hear what you’ve been working on.”

  “I’ll have everything ready,” I promised.

  He nodded and stepped into the hall. “Looking forward to it,” he called back.

  I turned back to my computer and started to gather my files.

  May 3, 2015

  12:25 p.m.

  Kane Blackwood

  SF Construction

  Are you questioning my abilities, All-Star?

  * * *

  May 3, 2015

  1:10 p.m.

  Allison Parker

  Department of Children’s Services

  I know better than that.

  * * *

  May 3, 2015

  1:15 p.m.

  Allison Parker

  Department of Children’s Services

  Anyway, Mr. Confident,

  I am actually looking forward to seeing you live up to this reputation of yours. :)

  * * *

  May 3, 2015

  1:35 p.m.

  Kane Blackwood

  SF Construction

  Ms. Curiosity,
>
  I will. Don’t you worry about that, sweetheart.

  * * *

  I was trying to think of a flirty response to Kane’s last email when a text message from my brother popped up on my phone. My heart dropped. I hadn’t heard from him in weeks and seeing a phone number I didn’t recognize really made me start to worry. There had to be something wrong. There was a time that I’d thought Tony was the best brother in the world. I’d looked up to him and thought he would always be there to protect me. In his defense, I think he tried. I knew a part of him worried about me, but his life had taken a different turn than mine. He didn’t want me involved in the things he was dealing with, so he pulled away from me… only sending text messages or emails to keep in touch. I hated it. He was the only family I had left, and he chose drugs and money over me. It hurt.

  Need to talk to you. It’s important.

  T

  * * *

  Well, shit. That didn’t sound good. I had to wonder if he was in some kind of trouble. The last time we talked, I could tell that he was upset about something. He wouldn’t tell me what was going on, but I could see the concern in his eyes. I didn’t think twice about confirming that I would be there. He was the only family I had left. I had to help him if he needed it.

  * * *

  Chapter 4

  Guardrail

  ‡

  “Need to know where we are with Tony,” Cotton told me. As club president, he ruled with an iron fist. When he gave an order, he expected results… immediate results, and I had nothing. He was depending on me to deal with Tony, and I could tell he was getting restless.

  “Meeting the sister today,” I told him assertively. “I’ve got this, Pres.”

  “We’ve got to make an example of him, Kane. No one fucks with the club… no one.” The deep crow’s feet around his dark eyes crinkled as anger crept over his face.

  “He’ll slip up, and when he does, I’ll be there. You can count on that,” I told him, trying to reassure him.

  He tugged thoughtfully at the ends of his long white goatee as he said, “What about this Youth Center? You really going to try for that with everything that’s going on?”

  When Cotton came up with the club starting its own construction company, I was intrigued. He wanted a cover for the money we were bringing in from early distribution, and we both agreed that a company like this would be the perfect front. I had no idea if we’d be able to pull it off, but I wanted to give it a try. I’d always had a passion for building things, and I was good at it. At first, we built small houses, trying to build a name for ourselves. It didn’t take long for us to become one of the best companies in the city. Our work was good, and we submitted the best bids to ensure our growth. Everyone came to us, and we were constantly expanding. It truly was a perfect cover. Not only did it launder money for the club, it provided all the patches working there viable proof of income as well.

  “It’s one of the biggest projects we’ve had in a while. If they accept the bid, it could be a real good opportunity for us… opening doors down the road,” I told him.

  “I get that, but this whole thing could get messy. It’s not about getting the job. She could find out that you’re looking for her brother, and that would have consequences. Just play it safe,” he ordered.

  I nodded and walked out of his office. There was no point in arguing with him. I knew he was right. This wasn’t about some fucking construction project. It was about finding Tony. I had to make myself remember that.

  I headed down the hallway to my room. I wanted to get changed before I met up with Allie. I threw on a pair of jeans and a plaid button-down shirt, trying to play the part of the contractor she would be expecting. Before I left, I went by the office to pick up everything I might need for my meeting with her. I wanted to get to the site early, so I could look over things one last time to check my figures. I knew it was crazy, but I wanted to get the bid for my own selfish reasons. I’d pretty much left her fucked with no time for other options, and truthfully, now I wanted more time with her regardless of if it got us Tony.

  I was leaning against my truck when she pulled into the parking lot. I patiently waited as she fumbled around inside the car. Then, she finally opened the door and stepped out. As soon as her high heels hit the pavement, my eyes followed the line of her long, slender legs up to her thighs where her skirt had hiked up a little during her drive. The curls of her long, brown hair flowed down around her shoulders, concealing her face as she looked down to adjust her short, gray skirt. Damn. That sexy ass skirt hugged her curves in all the right places, bringing my cock to life right in the fucking parking lot. She quickly pulled her hair to the side and looked over to me. Her beautiful, pouty lips slowly curved into a sexy smile as her dark brown eyes met with mine. At that moment, all my thoughts of Tony were instantly forgotten. He became a distant memory as my entire mind was devoured by the beauty standing before me.

  “Hey there, handsome,” she said. Just the sound of her voice made the world stop turning on its axis. I couldn’t explain it. It was like she had cast a spell on me, and I was unable to resist it. I wanted her. Hell, just seeing her standing there made me think about the future. I’m not that kind of man… I had never thought about my future… not with anyone, but now suddenly I was envisioning bike rides, a white picket fence… even rugrats running around. It didn’t make any fucking sense. I watched as she started walking towards me, her hips casually swaying from side to side. Her gorgeous smile never wavered as she approached me. Perfect… she was fucking perfect.

  “Looking good, All-Star.” A light blush of red crossed her cheeks as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Beautiful.

  “Always the charmer,” she said as she handed me a cup of coffee. “You definitely know how to make a girl smile.”

  “I can think of more than a few ways I’d like to bring a smile to that beautiful face,” I told her and grinned as I saw the curiosity flicker in her eyes. I stepped closer, and her breath stopped, only confirming what I already knew. She was into me. The sexual energy was raging between us immediately. I fucking loved it.

  “You’re quite the flirt, Mr. Blackwood.”

  I leaned down, just inches from her ear, and whispered, “Just stating the facts, sweetheart.” She shifted her feet and awkwardly fumbled with the lid on her coffee cup. I loved watching her try to hide her body’s reaction to me, but it was useless. I could tell that I was getting to her. “And call me Kane.”

  “Okay… Kane,” she said with a bashful smile, looking down at her coffee cup.

  “Don’t get shy on me now, darling,” I told her as I inched closer to her. We had shared so much over the past few weeks in our messages, I felt like I truly knew her.

  She tilted her head as she looked up to me with wonder. She slowly lifted her hand up to my face and placed the palm of her hand on my cheek. “Are you really here? Is this really happening?”

  “Yeah, Allie. It is,” I told her.

  “I thought I had made it all up in my head,” she said with a light chuckle.

  “Allie.”

  “I was worried that you might be some kind of creeper.”

  “No one said that I wasn’t,” I said, laughing.

  “Or bald.”

  I couldn’t hold back my laugh, “No… I’m not bald.”

  “I can’t believe it. I never thought I could get to know someone… to have feelings for someone without actually meeting them first. I feel like….”

  “I know, Allie. I know exactly what you mean.” I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers, immediately feeling my body come alive in a way it never had before. Her touch set me on fire. The intensity was almost too much, but I couldn’t pull away. I needed more. My hands reached for her hips, pulling her body into mine as she opened her mouth to me… warm and wet. Fuck. She was every man’s fantasy… my fantasy. Mine. A light moan vibrated through her chest, urging me on as I deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth with mine. Her fingers tangled in my h
air, forcing a growl to escape through my lips. I wanted her… all of her. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there holding her close to me.

  She was everything… everything I could never have. Suddenly, my heart felt like it was clamped in a vise. What the fuck was I thinking? Our club was going to kill her brother. He was the only family she had left, and we were going to take him from her. Damn. I knew better than this. I knew she’d never be able to forgive me. We were destined to be destroyed. I pulled back and looked down at her. Her lips were full, damn near bruised from our kiss and begging to be kissed again. I took a deep breath and did my best to rein in my need for her. I couldn’t let it happen. Not then… not like that.

  “Kane?” she asked. Her face was marked with confusion as she looked up at me. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, Allie,” I told her as I stepped away from her. As hard as it was, I knew that I had to stop. I couldn’t lead her to believe that there could be something between us, when I knew what the end would be. I didn’t want to hurt her, but there wasn’t any way around it. “We… um, we just need to talk about the specs.”

  “I…. Sure. I wasn’t thinking,” she said as she took a step back.

  “I’ve already had my guys survey the area, so I just need to know if there have been any changes since we talked last night,” I told her, trying to sound professional.

  “No, everything is all set. Neil wants to review the final quote before we present it to the board on Monday. Do you think you could give it to me by tomorrow?” she asked nervously.

  “Allie…do you trust me?” Her face filled with anxiety, and it gutted me. “I’ll have it. I told you not to worry. I’ve already done most of the work. I’m pretty close to wrapping it up.”

  “Really? Are you sure?” she asked excitedly.

  “I’m sure. I’ll send it over to you tonight,” I told her. She was just about to say something else when her phone rang. She reached into her side pocket and pulled out her phone. I could see the worry in her eyes the moment that she read the message. Her hands trembled as she stared at her phone.

  “Allie? What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked.