Hard Core (Hard As Nails Book 3) (17 page)

I draw back my foot and launch a kick, as hard as I can, against his stomach. Still fighting to catch his breath, he curls at his knees and clutches his hand against his stomach.

“What the hell happened?” I question Alyssa as she steps over his body and meets me beside the long table that stretches the length of the room. Bright light bulbs burn against my skin from above.

“I decided I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t get up there and dance. I’ll find the money for my dad’s treatment. But not this way. Rhett wasn’t going to give me a choice.” She’s out of breath and leans toward the counter, steadying herself with one hand against the surface.

I pull her into me, hugging her tightly as she breathes against my shoulder.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

We both whirl around at the low, masculine voice. It’s King. Or as Alyssa knows him, Harvey Prince. Figures the bastard had stayed away from the club this whole time, but would show up on the night Alyssa was supposed to take the stage and strip. Or maybe that’s the reason he showed up.

“That dumb piece of shit,” I point to Rhett curled up on the floor, “attacked Alyssa when she changed her mind about stripping.”

“I did it for you, Boss. To make her do what you wanted,” Rhett yells.

“Is that so?” King exhales a deep warm breath and clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “You,” he points to Rhett, “do not put your hands on the women,” he seethes, “ever!” He snaps his fingers and two of his cronies follow into the room. “Take this piece of trash out of here and take care of him real good. Then get me Walt. His hiring skills are obviously lacking. I think it’s time I find a new manager.”

Rhett scrambles to his feet. When the two men try to apprehend him, he pushes them away with ease. They’re big men, but they’re no match for Rhett’s size or strength.

There’s a sudden buzzing noise as the taller of the two cronies zaps a stun gun against Rhett’s neck. He convulses as blue electricity crawls against his flesh, and then he falls into their arms, and they drag him out of the room.

“What… What are they going to do to him?” Alyssa mutters, concerned, and that’s why I’m falling for her so damn hard. She cares about people, even when they deserve to be beaten to a bloody pulp.

“They’re not going to kill him, if that’s what you’re worried about, darling,” King says.

And I believe him. Mostly. Despite all the dirt he’s got his hands into, King never crossed the line to murder. At least as far as I know.

“She’s finished,” I say and use my body as a shield between hers and King’s. “I love her and she’s not going on that stage. Not if she doesn’t want to.”

“Really?” He cocks his brow. “Interesting. Seems you neglected to tell me a few things when you reported in to me, Axel.” He runs his gaze over Alyssa’s face and body, and she burrows into me a little deeper. “It would be a shame, of course, but stripping was always her choice. There is the matter, however, of the fact I’ve paid her a stripper’s salary for the past two months, on her assurances that she would start—”

“I’ll pay you back.”

“Axel, no,” Alyssa says. When I look at her, she shakes her head. “Thank you, but I have to do this on my own.” She looks at King. “Mr. Prince…King…I’ll work to pay you back what I owe you. But by continuing to waitress. Will that work?”

He narrows his eyes. “No. I don’t think it will.”

I stiffen, but before I can speak, King chuckles and gestures toward the door. “Given how Axel has been working for me, and given how you, Alyssa, had to deal with not one but two physical assaults while you were on the job, I’ll consider us even. Now both of you, get the hell out of my club, and don’t come back.”

I’m stunned silent. I’m also not fooled. He’s letting Alyssa’s debt go, but that doesn’t mean this is the last I’ll see of him. But if it’s the last
she
sees him, that’s all that matters. And I’ll do my damnedest to make sure that’s the case.

“Let’s go,” I say to Alyssa and take her hand. She follows and I give King one final nod on our way out.

Once we push the back door open, and we’re met with the cool night breeze of autumn, Alyssa pulls me to a stop. “You said you love me in there.”

“You heard that, huh?”

“Did you mean it?”

“Will it scare you away if I did?”

“Scare me, just a little. We haven’t known each other long at all. And we’ve only been on one date.”

“And who’s fault is that?”

“Mine.” She bites her lip and I sigh.

“Look, I’m sorry if what I said was too soon. I won’t say it again. I—”

She shakes her head. “No, I want you to say it. Even though it scares me. Because it’s not scaring me
away
. You couldn’t scare me away if you tried.”

“We’ll see about that. There’s still the matter of getting you on the back of my bike, remember?”

“Oh I remember. And I’m still not running. I’m staying right here. With you. Because I belong to you, Axel. Just like you said I would.”

“And I belong to you, Angel. Today and always.” I lean down to plant a kiss against her lips. I mean for it to be short and sweet, but her hand trails to the back of my head and pulls me deeper into her mouth.

* * *

Alyssa

With my arms thrown around him, I hug Axel as tight as I can. We’ll come back for my car later, but for now we’re heading away from the club on his bike, and my cheek rests against his back, my eyes clenched shut.

We slow briefly as we careen onto an onramp, and from there, it’s like a rollercoaster taking off. The engine roars as we speed down the onramp and merge into light evening traffic.

I’m still scared. Just a little. But it’s nothing compared to how wonderful I feel as the wind blows through my hair. Faster, and faster, we speed down the highway with no set destination except into each other’s arms.

And deeper into each other’s hearts.

Epilogue

Six months later

Alyssa

I can barely contain my excitement as I exit through the plain white door of the office. Axel stands across the way with his back turned toward me. He’s staring out the window of the high rise building, looking at the bustling city below us.

Despite the clusters of people seated in the waiting room, I let out a squeal and Axel turns to face me. The look on my face is anything but subdued. I’m bursting from the seams with happiness and he can see it; anyone could.

“You got the part?”

I nod.

“Yes!” He throws a fist in the air, not caring about making a scene. And make a scene he does. Everyone in the room, every other person here to audition for a part glares at us.

I get it. The glaring, I mean. But this time, I’m the lucky one!

“I got the part,” I scream as I stomp my feet against the floor, my body shaking with joy and happiness because my life’s about to change. Again.

Axel scoops me into his muscular arms and lifts me into the air. He spins me around twice before pulling me up and kissing me. Hard and fast. I can’t even catch my breath before he’s whispering against my lips, “I fucking love you.”

“I fucking love you, too.”

* * *

We’re preparing to jump onto Axel’s bike, parked alongside the curb of the busy city street. We’re going to have dinner with my dad and his lady friend tonight, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how close Axel and my dad have gotten. Dad’s not cancer free yet, but he’s back home and his condition is being managed. I don’t know how many years I have left with him, but I’m going to take advantage of every single day.

Just when I’m about to pull the helmet over my head, I spot a familiar face standing outside a café. I blink, wondering if I’m seeing things. But no.

It’s Marley. She’s clean and sober, wearing a nice skirt and blouse, far less revealing than anything I’ve seen her in. Her hair has been cut short, and it merely emphasizes her natural beauty. She looks healthy. And she looks happy. Truly happy.

“Hey,” I say as I approach her, leaving Axel standing behind me.

Marley turns with a frown. Then her eyes widen with recognition and a warm smile spreads across her face. “Hey, girl!” She charges forward and throws her arms around me. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you. But Marley, where have you been? I was worried something happened.”

“I’m sorry. So sorry I worried you. After that night, I had to get away. I knew if I didn’t, I’d just return. So I took all the money I had, which wasn’t a lot, and I got on a bus. I dumped my phone, so no one could contact me. I wanted a truly fresh start. I didn’t realize until I’d tossed my phone that I hadn’t called you yet. I’m only here to tie up some things I left hanging. I’m going back to Texas tomorrow. I’ve got a job there, working as an assistant in an office. And I’ve got a new phone number. Can I give it to you?”

“Yes!” I hand her my phone and she programs her number into it. “Happy looks good on you.” My palm falls on her shoulder. “It looks really good.”

“You too. What’s the reason for your happiness?”

“A couple of things, but a big one is the guy standing behind me.”

She glances at Axel and waggles her brows up and down. “Well, well. Who would’ve thought Alley Cat would be into big, bad, and dangerous.”

“He’s all of those things, but only in the best way possible,” I confirm. I don’t bother telling her what happened after she left; that the men she was supposed to have sex with had cornered me and Axel had come to my rescue. She’s left the past behind, and I don’t want to change that. “I’m no longer working at Sugar Bare. And I just got a great acting job. And of course, now I’ve seen you. And I’m so glad you’re okay.”

She smiles. “Sweet Alley Cat. You were always so sweet.”

“That’s what Axel says I am, too.”

“Axel, huh? He’s hot. And if he says you’re sweet, he’s smart, too. Maybe he even deserves you.”

I laugh. “He does. We deserve each other. It was nice seeing you, Marley.”

“Yeah, you too. I hope we can stay in touch.”

I wave my hand at her. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will.” She smiles one last time. “You helped me make the break from that life, Alyssa. Thank you.” She turns to enter the café, and there’s a sense of pride circling through my gut. I’m proud of her. I’m proud of both of us.

Axel comes up behind me and places a palm on each of my shoulders. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I spin around and throw my arms around his neck, pulling him close to me. Mouth to mouth, I whisper, “I can’t imagine life getting better than this.”

“But it can,” he says. “And I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it to you, Angel.” As he leans down into my kiss, I feel happy and I feel free. I feel loved and I feel wanted. I feel like our pasts, while not eradicated, no longer control us. I can’t wait to enjoy the future with him.

I’m sure it’ll be one hell of a ride.

Coming next in the Hard As Nails Series:

Hard Time
(Book 1)

Muscled, tattooed, and irresistible.

Thomas Street is an ex-con, but before he got out of prison, he locked eyes with her…

The moment Street sees Katie serving food in a hellhole of a prison, he wants her. Her sweet little body against his. Under his. Her screaming his name until she admits she’s never had better.

Now he’s found her again, working in a bookstore of all places, and she’s just as gorgeous as he remembers. Only Katie thinks he can be redeemed. That there’s a good man underneath his darkness.

He’s not so sure.

But then Katie becomes his. Katie and her daughter.

And he’ll risk everything, including fighting the devil himself, to protect them.

Hard Case
(Book 2)