Saving Dallas 2 Making the Cut Read online

  SAVING DALLAS

  MAKING THE CUT

  Kim Jones

  Published by Kim Jones

  This book is the second book in a three part series.

  Other titles by Kim Jones:

  SAVING DALLAS

  www.kimjonesbooks.com

  www.facebook.com/kimjonesbooks

  Kindle Edition, License Notes

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2013 by Kim Jones

  First ebook edition: September 2013

  First print edition: September 2013

  DEDICATION

  This goes out to a group of women who call themselves Rock Chicks.

  You know who you are

  Prologue

  Luke Five years ago

  “So, this is the job? Some twenty-one year old kid who needs lookin after? I’m not a fucking babysitter, with all due respect.” This man had to be out of his mind. I had finally made it up the ladder and this was my first big job?

  “This kid, as you call her, is the only chance this club has of surviving. Now the blood that was spilled five years ago is on your hands. You are the one that couldn’t keep a hold on Cutter. Now, he is out of jail and guess who has let him slip between his fingers once again.”

  “It wasn’t my fucking job.” I growled at the prick sitting across from me. “Frankie was fucked up. I tried to keep him in check. I told you he was a loose cannon, and all you did was tell me to keep an eye on him. That hardly makes me responsible for the death of this girl’s parents.”

  I had lost sleep too many nights over this shit. Frankie had told me he was going out for a beer. Little did I know that he was planning to knock off the guy who had sold the property out from under the club, or so he claimed. Unfortunately, his plan backfired when the only person there was Mrs. Knox. Herman was a no-show. Mrs. Knox was gunned down in her own shop, only after fucking Frankie’s face up with a Smith and Wesson pocket knife, giving him the name that would haunt him the rest of his life-Frankie the Cutter. He was immediately out bad with the club, and thank God this asshole had enough connections outside of Hattiesburg to make it disappear. Now, here I sat in front of him, once again, having the nightmare thrown back into my face.

  “Look, Luke, I understand you want to straighten things out and hopefully get this club back on its feet. Everyone knows the gavel will be in your hands soon, but if this girl ends up dead the deal is off. You and your precious club go down. I have enough shit to put you boys away for years. The end of The Devil’s Renegades is very near, if you can’t keep this girl alive. If she falls and scrapes a knee, you better be there with a fucking band aid. You got it?”

  I looked across the table at the man in front of me. I didn’t want to do this, but I knew it was necessary. How bad could this bitch be anyway? I would make sure Cutter didn’t get to her, and in return I would have full run of not only the club, but the whole state.

  I stood up to leave, taking the envelope stuffed with hundred dollar bills, and the file provided.

  “I’ll look after her. Personally.” I said smirking. This was gonna be the easiest ten grand a week that I had ever made.

  “I trust you’ll handle it, Luke. Now, get out of my office before someone sees you.”

  I turned my back to him and headed out. “See ya around, Mayor.”

  Chapter 1

  Dallas

  It had been two days since the incident with Frankie the Cutter. In two days, you would think one would have enough time to deal with the emotional stress that came with being hung in a barn, brutally assaulted, and lied to by the man you love. I knew that I would not be getting over this anytime soon, but crying nonstop and secluding myself from everyone, especially Luke, was getting a little old.

  I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to have to look at that stupid barn or see Luke’s face, full of remorse and regret. I wanted to escape, but I knew that I couldn’t.

  Last night when I got out of bed and saw my home full of people, who loved me, I thought I would be okay. When everyone hugged me and told me how much they cared and how they were so happy that I was in their family, I thought I would be okay. When Luke held my hand everywhere I went and constantly whispered reassurances in my ear, I thought I would be okay.

  I was not okay.

  I was a wreck. The nightmares that came, the paranoia that set in, and the unknown facts about mine and Luke’s relationship were taking their toll on me. Luke hadn’t tried to tell me anymore since my latest breakdown. Just the words, “Dallas, I’m sorry.” Caused me to sob uncontrollably and want to hide under the covers. That’s as far as he had gotten.

  I told Red that I needed some time alone and managed to slip out of the house before she could ask questions or give me the “I’m here for you” speech. Now, here I sit, looking out at the “Secret Garden” around me. I was pretty much shielded from the view of the house, but the barn was in plain sight. I felt cocooned, sitting on the bench with my knees pulled up to my chin. I tried to concentrate on the fountain in front of me. The cascading water splashed onto my bare feet as it bounced off the concrete bottom. No matter where I looked, the barn was in my sights-calling me; reminding me of what I had endured there only days ago.

  Memories of Frankie washed over me. His viscous words, his hard, calloused hands with dirt caked under the nails, and that sick voice of his caused bile to rise in my throat. I quickly swallowed it back down, refusing to let the memories of that morning haunt me right now. They could come back in my dreams, but right now I had something to do.

  I looked around to see that for once, no one was watching. Red must have called them off to give me some privacy. I walked over to the barn, pushing the thoughts that tried to re-surface back. Standing in the entryway, I looked up at the wooden rafters and inadvertently reached down to rub my chaffed wrists that were scabbed over in areas.

  I don’t remember walking across the barn to retrieve the gas can on the other side, but now I stand with it in my hand. It’s full and heavy, and with the slightest tilt it spills onto the floor beside me. I walk around the barn, dousing its contents with gasoline. The bags of grass seed, old lawn furniture, boxes filled with contents from the house’s previous owners-nothing is spared. The can is empty when I throw it out the door and I hear it land with a soft thud as it hits the grass. On the shelf beside the back door sits a large box of matches next to several citronella candles. Grabbing the box of matches, I open it slowly, choosing just the right one to burn the memories. I wanted justice-for me, for the family before me, for my parents-I wanted to watch the building burn to the ground, and I wanted to burn the memories with it.

  I tore a piece of cardboard from a nearby box, that was not covered in gasoline, and struck the match-setting it on fire. I lay the flaming cardboard on top of a bale of hay and walked out of the barn. I watched as the hay ignited and soon the whole barn was in flames. I welcomed the heat, even the in warm October air. I backed away slowly, enjoying the sight of the dancing orange flames as they licked their way up the walls and to the rafters above. The fire was spreading quickly, and I was happy that there would be no salvaging it.

  “Dallas!” I heard Luke yell. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the w
hole club barreling out of the house and running towards the now fully engulfed barn.

  “Dallas!” Luke was in front of me shaking my shoulders, forcing me to look up at him.

  “What happened? What did you do? Are you okay?” His face was twisted in confusion and he was breathless.

  “Isn’t it pretty?” I asked looking past him at the barn that was starting to crumble.

  “Can we go inside? Please?” Luke asked, desperation evident in his voice.

  “No, I want to stay.”

  Luke grabbed my face gently and lowered his eyes to mine. “Dallas, you need to come inside. We need to talk.”

  I didn’t want to talk to him right now. He was a liar. I knew in my heart that he was forgiven, but I just wanted to be mad for a while. Wasn’t that a stage of grief? And a country song? I laughed at the thought of me attempting to sing that to him. I tried to contain it, but soon I was doubling over with laughter. I had no idea what was funny, and the look on Luke’s face proved that he didn’t either. I looked past him and saw everyone staring at me like I was crazy. Hell, maybe I was crazy. My laughter turned to sobs as my knees buckled and I fell to the ground.

  Sometimes in life, you just have to shake yourself and say, “wake the fuck up.” Standing in the bathroom, looking at my battered reflection, I mentally shook myself and said the words over and over again in my head. This was not me. I had endured a lot in my life, why was I falling apart now? It seemed that Luke had that effect on me.

  No.

  I would not blame this on Luke. This was some shit that I needed to deal with. I needed to stop being such a wimp and suck it up and play the hand that life had dealt me. It was kind of shitty, but hey, who was I to complain? God let me survive for a reason and I was about to figure it out.

  I stepped in the shower, not bothering to turn on the hot water. If I wanted to wake up, physically, this was a good way to start. I would get answers today and I wanted a clear head when I did. The cold water nearly took my breath as it cascaded down my back leaving small goosebumps in its wake. I quickly washed my hair and body, then turned the water off and stepped out.

  “Dallas, I brought you a warm towel.” Luke’s voice was only feet away, but I couldn’t see him. I knew he stayed out of the bathroom because he didn’t want to startle me. He had gotten good at perfecting his entrances so that I was not caught off-guard. Slowly, he entered the bathroom, his eyes traveling greedily down my body. He swallowed hard and I couldn’t help the chill that passed over me which had absolutely nothing to do with the cold shower.

  “I called the local authorities and told them that if they got a report of smoke that it was a controlled burn. We shouldn’t have to worry about the fire department showing up,” Luke informed me. After my incident, I never asked if the law was called. I knew deep down, that the Devil’s Renegades was its own law, judge and jury.

  I watched him as the water from my wet body dripped onto the rug outside of the shower. Luke held the towel out in front of him with a hopeful look on his face. I walked into the open towel and allowed him to wrap it around me. Tears burned the back of my eyes as he engulfed me into his arms and held me, as he had done many times over the past couple of days.

  “You want to talk about it?” Luke whispered in my ear. I nodded my head which lay against his chest and squinted my eyes shut hoping to hold back the tears.

  “I need a minute though.” I managed to choke out. Luke stepped back and kissed my forehead, gave me a reassuring smile, and walked out.

  I dried myself, brushed my teeth and lathered my body in moisturizer. My battered face was starting to heal, but the bruising and swelling was still there. I didn’t want Luke looking at me with pity in his eyes any longer, so I made up my face and rolled my hair. I walked naked to my closet and chose a hot pink sundress and a pair of flip flops. The outfit was simple, but I looked better than I had in days. I took a deep breath and walked out of the closet, seeking the truth.

  I found Luke sitting at the bar in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. I glanced at the clock and saw it was after two in the afternoon. Why was he drinking coffee? My heart melted a little when I realized that the past two nights had not been very easy for him. I was not the only one who couldn’t sleep at night. Many times I would wake up screaming to find Luke fully alert and always by my side. He turned to me and I noticed for the first time how tired and defeated he looked. His eyes were sleepy and his face looked aged. Still, he was the sexiest thing I had ever laid eyes on. He was shirtless and seemed to have just showered. He stood up and smiled at me and my eyes drifted from his face down to where his gray sweats hung low on his waist. He was bare foot and in my kitchen and I didn’t seem to care much about talking anymore.

  “You look absolutely beautiful.”

  He was wearing the biggest smile that I had seen from him in days as he walked towards me, and I couldn’t help taking advantage of the view. Luke looked like he had not missed a workout. His abs rippled down his stomach all the way to his V. His arms looked bigger than I remembered them, and the tattoos that ran down them seemed to have grown also. Everything about Luke was mouthwatering. His hair had grown out a little and the stubble on his face was so sexy that I had to remind myself to breathe.

  When he reached me, he stopped only inches from my face. Very slowly, he raised his hand to the side of my neck while his thumb rubbed my jaw. I tilted my head up to him in response, inviting him, and he bent down to kiss me. When his lips touched mine, I completely lost it. Everything seemed to disappear, and it was only me and Luke. My hands went immediately around his neck and I pulled myself up, wrapping my legs around his waist, forcing him to move his hands to my ass to hold me. He groaned loudly and kissed me harder. I couldn’t get enough. His tongue reached deep into my mouth while my hands fisted the back of his hair and I pulled my body closer to him, rubbing my now hard nipples against his chest. I pulled away from his face long enough to breathe the word, “please.” Luke didn’t need any more of an invitation than that. He walked us out of the kitchen, through the living room and into the hallway. Suddenly, I was against the wall and his hands were behind him, unlocking my legs. I thought he was going to sit me down, but instead he grabbed me under my knees and pushed his body into mine. His eyes were on fire and his breathing was heavy. His muscular chest grazed my breasts with every breath he took. He brought his mouth close to mine and spoke, determination and need in his voice, “I want to kiss you.”

  I nodded my head and started to lean into him, but he gripped the back of my thighs, and slid me up the wall, throwing my legs over his shoulders. I gasped at the movement and reflexively grabbed his head that was now centered between my legs. “Luke,” was all I could manage to say as I curled my fingers into his hair. My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest and pleasure pulsated through me each time the fabric of my dress rubbed against my sensitive nipples, which were now hard and visible through the thin material. His hands moved to my waist, taking my dress with them. Once it was no longer blocking his access, his mouth found me and he began to kiss me through my panties, then expertly grabbed them between his teeth, and started to pull. His hands moved from my waist, down my ass, and to the back of my thighs, taking my panties with him. I let go of his head, assisting him with the removal of them by sliding them down one leg and then the other. As soon as my hands found his head once again, he moved closer, pushing my thighs further onto his shoulders and buried his face between them. I threw my head back against the wall and pushed my body closer to his mouth, allowing his tongue to drive further into me.

  I looked down at him and my view was shielded by my dress that had fallen over his face. I felt his grip tighten as I let go of him and pulled my dress off, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes looked up at me while his tongue was buried deep inside me and the look he gave me pushed me completely over the edge. I came hard, screaming his name as his tongue moved in slow circles over my clit, milking my orgasm from me. My breath was ragged a
nd I couldn’t help the moans that escaped my lips as the aftershocks of my orgasm pulsated through me. I was slouched against the wall, thankful for his arms supporting my weight. Suddenly my legs were off of his shoulders and around his waist. I wasn’t even sure how it happened. “I want you inside me,” I commanded breathlessly, my eyes on his lips that glistened in the lighted hall. I ran my tongue over them, tasting myself and the fire that was beginning to die was ignited inside me once again. Luke grunted as he claimed my mouth with his and carried me into the bedroom. I broke the kiss and loosened my arms from around him. He let me go and once I was on my feet, I began to walk backwards until I felt the backs of my thighs against the mattress of the bed. I loved how he watched me-possessed me-worshipped me, when I stood before him like this. I felt my cheeks heat at the look on his face as his eyes scanned me wearing nothing but my thin, lacy black bra.

  “Tell me how you want it, Dallas,” he said walking towards me. He gave me a light push and I fell back on the bed, unintentionally opening my legs giving him a full view of my pussy that was wet from my latest orgasm and his very skilled mouth. “Fuck.” I heard him say under his breath, as his eyes found the wet folds between my legs and drank in the sight of them. He pulled his eyes away and found mine once again. I noted the dark, dominant look he got and my body tingled with excitement and anticipation. This was my, out-of-control-I’ll-fuck-your-brains-out Luke. “I want you to fuck me. Hard,” I said, a little more demanding than I had intended.

  “You sure, babe?” My body froze as I registered that look of pity in his eyes.

  “What are you doing, Luke?” I whispered, beginning to lose my momentum.

  “Nothing, babe. Just making sure,” he said, softly.

  “Luke…” I said, exasperated.