Relentless Pursuit (22 page)

“Belle. I’m an uptight Belle. Neely Grace Sinclair, actually. And my great-, great-, great-grandmother was one of the founders of the Belles. As such, I and my family hold lifetime membership and are unable to be expelled except in cases of egregious circumstances. However, if pursuant to a vote of the current Belles, we find that you are not up to par with our motto, we may cancel your membership at any time. Isn’t that right?”

Jasmine sputtered as Neely Grace stood quietly with a smile on her face watching Jasmine trying to think of what to say. “I call a vote!” Mary Alice Duke called from her table.

“And I second,” Neely Grace said with every ounce of quiet power behind her voice.

Mary Alice clapped her hands and gave Neely Grace a hug. “It’s so good to have you back! I’ll call the meeting together!” Before Jasmine could argue, Neely Grace looked up and gave Tammy a wink before heading back to a proud and beaming Henry.

Pierce finally turned his head and saw Tammy standing there. His eyes went wide and his face paled. Tammy narrowed her eyes and left the kitchen as fast as she could. She was too angry to talk and she was certainly too angry to say anything to Pierce.

Nabi was on duty this morning and emerged from his car in the parking lot when he saw her hurrying out as Pierce called after her.

“We’re leaving now. Right now.” Tammy hurried to where Nabi had jumped to open the door.

“Aren’t we waiting for Mr. Davies?”

“Certainly not. And right now I wouldn’t feel too bad if you ran over his foot.” She slid into the car and didn’t even look back as Nabi left Pierce in a cloud of dust.

*     *     *

Pierce tossed a chip onto the table and waited for his brothers to make their bets. He glared at Ahmed sitting across from him as he tossed in another bet. Tammy hadn’t spoken to him all day. In fact, she had been at Mo’s with Ahmed or mini-Ahmed playing bodyguard to her.

“I’m surprised you came tonight,” Pierce sneered as he narrowed his eyes at Ahmed.

“Why? I always make it to the weekly poker game,” Ahmed said calmly as he caught Mo out of the corner of his eye tossing in his cards and heading for the kitchen in Pierce’s temporary apartment above Southern Charms.

“Did I miss something when I was gone on my honeymoon?” Miles asked as he looked around the table. He looked tanned and relaxed from the week he and Morgan spent on the beach at Saint Barts.

“Nah. Pierce here just put his foot in his mouth—or rather, he put a hand over his mouth and didn’t say a word,” Marshall laughed.

“Shut up, Marsh,” Pierce snapped as the others chuckled. Miles looked between Pierce and Marshall as his brow furrowed in confusion.

“See, Pierce here got ambushed by the bimbo duo of Kandi and Jasmine, who proceeded to bad-mouth Tammy up one side and down the other. But, little brother here didn’t say a word. It was Neely Grace who finally took the matter in hand. And I’ll give you one guess as to who saw the whole thing,” Marshall told them with a smile on his face.

“Why didn’t you say anything? You always stick up for people?” Miles asked.

“I didn’t want to get into a big blow-up in the middle of the café. I was afraid if I started in on them, then I wouldn’t stop,” Pierce explained as he ran a hand over his face. “Is Tammy still at your place?” Pierce asked Mo.

“No. Nabi took her home a while ago,” Mo said casually as he was poured himself and Will a drink.

“I'm guessing you’re in such a mood because you realize Tammy isn’t one of those women who will just shrug it off for a chance to be with you. She’s more like Paige. I still haven’t heard the end of giving her a vacuum as a gift. The other day she even admitted that it picked up Chuck hair as she gave me the evil eye.” Cole shook his head as he tossed in a chip. “But it makes marriage worth it. It’s never boring. With loyalty and passion like that, you know you have a lifetime together ahead of you.”

“Now I think we’re getting somewhere,” Cade said with a grin.

“I agree, brother. I think he’s just realized how badly he messed up,” Marshall told the group. “See that look right there? That’s the look of a man who just realized he screwed up big time with the woman he wants to marry.”

Pierce shot up from his seat and stared down at his brother. “I didn’t say anything about marriage!”

“You didn’t need to. We’ve all looked in the mirror and seen that same face,” Marshall laughed. “You just better make up with her before Cy gets home or he might just…”

Pierce had had it! His blood pressure had been steadily climbing all day. He was angry with Ahmed for playing big brother and hiding Tammy all day. He was angry with Marshall for his constant teasing. But as Pierce launched himself over the table connecting his fist with Marshall’s face, he realized he was mostly angry with himself for messing up the best thing he had in his life.

Marshall grabbed him and tossed him to the floor. When Cade and Miles tried to break it up, they got drawn into it. Marshall punched Cade by accident and, in retaliation, Cade tackled Marshall to the ground. Miles tried to pick Pierce up and accidently hit him with an elbow. Then it was just a free-for-all. All they were missing was Cy jumping on their backs and Paige shooting them with her slingshot.

Marcy Davies carried a large basket of food up the stairs to Pierce’s apartment. She opened the door and was transported back in time fifteen years to see her sons rolling around on the floor in an all-out brawl. She set the basket of food down on the kitchen island where Mo, Will, and Cole stood watching the melee.

“Will, Mo, Cole, how are you doing tonight?”

“Fine, ma’am. Thanks for asking. My mother was just wondering when she’d get to see you again.” Will smiled and she couldn’t help but return it.

“That’s so nice of them. I’ll call Betsy tomorrow,” Marcy said as she pulled out the length of the hose from the faucet.

“Lovely evening, Mrs. Davies. Do you require any assistance?” Mo asked curiously.

Marcy turned on the water and took a couple steps toward the rolling mountain made up of her sons. “To break up a fight? Goodness no!” Marcy smiled as she sprayed the water across the island and onto her boys. They shouted and immediately jumped up sputtering. “Good evening, boys. I brought you some dinner.”

She enjoyed herself as her tall, strapping sons all standing and shuffling their feet in embarrassment for getting caught by their mother. They all murmured a hello to her.

Marcy looked around. “Where’s Ahmed? I’m surprised he didn’t stop this the second it started.”

“This was between brothers and he went to check on Tammy,” Mo told them with a playful grin on his face.

All of her sons turned and looked at Pierce and she started to understand what started this fight. When she saw his face turn red and heard Pierce curse under his breath, she knew for sure what it was. Oh, it wouldn’t be that much longer! She couldn’t wait to get home to tell Jake.

Pierce kissed his mother on her cheek and thanked her for dinner. He slipped out the door as Marcy started serving dinner for everyone before she headed home. Pierce didn’t need to tell them where he was going. They'd figure it out and probably tease him some more. But it was worth it.

Pierce ran down the street and up the back staircase to Tammy’s apartment. He stopped himself from knocking to try to straighten up. He tucked in his shirt and wiped the little bit of blood from his lip off on the back of his hand before knocking.

Ahmed answered the door and Pierce reined in his temper. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to check in for the evening before leaving the night shift outside.” Ahmed opened the door wider and Pierce walked in.

“What are you doing here? Did Jasmine leave you all warm and satisfied so you thought you’d come see if your trailer trash girlfriend who put herself out there to protect you is still alive?” Tammy shot at him. “Oh my gosh! What happened to your face?”

Pierce felt a sense of relief he had never known before wash over him as she hurried to look at the cut on his lip. “It’s nothing. My brothers were just teaching me to be less of an ass.”

“I’d like to hear more about that, but first let me get something for your lip.”

Pierce watched as Tammy went into the little kitchen to search through her freezer. She went up on her tiptoes and the hem of her short robe raised up to show she was wearing some very new pink and black underwear. Silk from the looks of it. Pierce whipped his head around and saw Ahmed still standing there.

“Don’t worry. If I didn’t do anything when she was naked in the shower, then I won’t do anything now. Besides, I just spent the last ten minutes convincing her that silence can be golden. Good luck. Remember, if you don’t fix this, I’ll kill you.”

Pierce smiled. “Thank you. I think it’s best that I don’t ask about the shower.” Ahmed started to slip out the door when Pierce stopped him. “You wouldn’t really kill me, would you?” Ahmed just looked at him for a moment and then left. Pierce was pretty sure that meant no.

“Here you go,” Tammy took his hand and led him over to the couch. She leaned over and held the bag of frozen peas to his lip.

“Tammy, I’m so sorry. I should've stopped them. I was just so angry I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control my temper. What I was thinking of calling them was a lot worse than what Neely Grace said. Although, I think what she did will have greater impact than me giving them a piece of my mind. Will you ever forgive me?”

“I already did. Now, I won’t lie. I thought about some very bad things, but Ahmed told me how some men handle conflict quietly and that one of his men overheard a rant you gave yourself in the parking lot after I left,” Tammy told him.

“You, and only you, are who I think of day and night. You are the woman I want to have in my bed.” He traced his fingers down her throat and to the
V
her robe created and Tammy felt her breath quicken. “Did you and your Greek ever talk about marriage?”

Tammy stood up from where she was holding the peas against his face. “No. We only dated a few weeks. Why?”

“Just wondering. So, time is important to you then?” Pierce hedged.

Tammy felt her heart pounding. She felt lightheaded. Was he asking her what she thought he was? “Time is irrelevant when you’re with the right man.” She held her breath as Pierce seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“Am I the right man, Tammy?”

“You’ll have to ask to find out.” Tammy mentally chanted ”Oh my God, Oh my God” as she waited to see what Pierce would do next. She wasn’t completely prepared for him to simply nod and accept what she said as he looked up at her with such burning passion that she thought she’d melt on the spot.

Pierce ran his hands up her legs until his hands grasped her bottom and pulled her near. She straddled his leg as he pulled her astride. He leaned back against the couch and silently untied her robe to let it fall open. He only stared for a moment. Then his hands claimed her. “I think I’m that man,” he murmured the moment before he took her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Pierce slowly pulled his arm out from under Tammy’s head in the early morning hours. They had made love over and over again last night. Most of the time they hadn't said a word, just looking each other in the eyes and conveying all the love they felt in their actions.

Pierce rolled out of bed as Tammy shifted uneasily in her sleep. He quietly whistled for Marko to take his place in bed. Tammy threw her arm over Marko and settled back into peaceful sleep. Pierce slid into his clothes and quietly walked out of the apartment, leaving Tammy sound asleep in bed.

He ran down the street, looking behind him every couple of steps. The sun was just rising and he’d be able to see if he was being followed. The town seemed to be just waking up this Monday morning. He could hear the cows mooing in the distance as farmers started their rounds. The Rose sisters would be unlocking the doors to the café soon.

He picked up his pace, hoping no one would see him as he ducked down the side road and stopped in front of the house he sought. He raised his hand and knocked softly knowing they'd be up. The door opened and Cole stood with his cowboy hat on looking as if he were getting ready to drive into Lexington for work.

“Morning, Cole. I need to see my sister. Please tell me she hasn’t left yet.”

Paige hurried to the door and looked out before Cole even had a chance to call her. “Pierce, what’s the matter?”

“I need your help.”

Tammy snagged a couple pieces of bacon from Miss Violet before walking to work. Bridget had picked up Marko just a moment ago and they had ended up talking about getting something for Tammy in terms of personal protection. While Tammy felt comfortable with a gun, she decided it wasn’t her thing, but the cute pink bottle of pepper spray was.

She took a bite of the bacon as she enjoyed the bustle of the morning. Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as Tammy enjoyed the sense of being part of the morning rituals of the town. Lawyers were heading to court, shops were opening, and she had had the most magical night of her life. She did have to admit that she was disappointed when she woke up snuggling Marko instead of Pierce. But she knew Pierce’s occupation and it required many early morning starts. Tammy just couldn’t wait to see him for lunch.

Tammy unlocked the front door to the law office and knew that Henry, Kenna, and Dani would already be at court. She turned on the lights and opened the curtains to let the sun in. She walked past her desk and into the kitchen in the back. Tammy started the coffee pot so it would be ready when she finished the great cup left by Ahmed.

The phone rang and she hurried to her desk to answer it. “Rooney Law Office,” she practically sang into the phone. “Hi, Mr. Tabernacle! No, I understand. It's very important for Prissy to be groomed. How about she takes the day off?” Tammy giggled to herself as she hung up the phone and finally sat down to turn on her computer.

She heard a beep before she could bend down to push the button on her computer. Tammy looked around but didn’t see where it could've come from. Oh well, she bent down and was about to press the button on her CPU sitting on the floor when she saw a red glow reflecting off the computer.