Four weeks later...

Quinn strolled through the front door at a quarter past five, to the smell of dinner and the sound of three shrieking little girls.

Owen stood at the stove, brandishing a spatula.

The girls were not impressed or intimidated.

Quinn grinned and shrugged out of her coat, hanging it on the peg near the door.

“Hey.” Owen grinned at her and put the utensil down. “How was your first day? Levi treat you well?”

“It was great.” She gave Owens waist a squeeze. She hadn’t been totally sure about Levi’s suggested career change until after her prototype won the grant. The win was a feather in her cap and the money would go a long way in finding someone else to steer HI-Co. Leaving had been easier than she’d imagined, once the initial uproar subsided.

Things were...looking good.

She was hopeful about the future, where her career was going. Now, if they could sort out what Owen was going to do, things would be perfect. She’d enjoyed having him here the last few weeks. Hell, without him around post-surgery, she’d have been in a world of hurt.

“Daddy’s home,” Kierra shrieked.

“What?” Quinn gaped at Owen, who looked equally shocked.

They turned toward the door as it opened and Quinn’s father stepped through the door in time to catch Kierra mid-air.

Quinn pressed a hand to her heart, as though she could calm its irregular beat. The shock of seeing Dad now, after calling and calling him for help, was doing nothing to help her ticker.

Whatever Pearl had injected her with had done its damage. The pacemaker would do the rest.

“Dad?” Quinn glanced from her dad to Owen.

She hadn’t heard so much as a peep from him in all these weeks, and now he was just there? He was the same larger-than-life man she remembered, always showing up after the hard stuff had happened to revel in the good days.

Typical Dad.

She clenched her other hand into a fist.

Giving into her anger would solve nothing, especially with Kierra there.

Quinn took a deep breath and focused on what she could control.

Logistically, it was a nightmare, since Owen had taken over the closet in Dad’s bedroom. At least she hadn’t given in yet and fully moved into the larger room.

“How’s my girls? Quinn!” He grinned and threw his arms around Quinn, his grip tightening around her.

“Stop!” She yelped, half in panic. He loved picking them up and tossing them around as though they were children.

Dad let go of her and took a step back, hurt shining in his eyes. Quinn focused on sucking down calming, even breaths, her hand pressed tighter to her chest now. She wasn’t quite at one hundred percent yet.

“Quinn’s still healing.” Kierra took his hand in hers, her gaze serious. The poor thing had learned the hard way after jumping on a half-asleep Quinn that it was easy to hurt her post-surgery and rehab for whatever cocktail Pearl had pumped her full of.

“Healing? What happened?” Dad’s gaze flicked to Owen.

“A lot.” Quinn cleared her throat. More than what they would get into right now. “Sorry, it’s just—you normally pick me up and...that might...”

“No, no, I’m sorry. I—I didn’t know.” Dad turned around, his gaze landing on Owen, an obvious change of topic. “Who’s this young man?”

“Owen King. Nice to finally meet you, sir.” Owen shook Dad’s hand then turned to the girls. Quinn appreciated Owen’s polite attitude. She knew what Owen really thought, but he would play nice for her sake. “Kierra, will you put another plate at the table, then go wash up? All of you girls. Go. Get to it.” Owen clapped his hands.

Dad watched the girls run down the hall, and Owen retreated to the kitchen.

The first moments after Dad’s arrival were always a bit circus-like. The initial excitement, the contagious joy. He was a pleasure to be around, but not someone Quinn had ever counted on. It hurt to know that in her greatest times of need he couldn’t even pick up the phone, but she had Owen now. Maybe it was time to reframe her relationship with her father.

“Would you like to put your stuff away before dinner?” Quinn asked.

“Just got my bag.” He toed the duffle on the floor.

“We can put that away.”

He undoubtedly had questions, and wouldn’t ask them in front of Kierra or Owen. It was best to get this handled now, so that maybe she could enjoy this visit.

Dad slung the bag over his shoulder.

Quinn led the way down the hall and into what had been her parent’s bedroom. She’d made a few changes, first to accommodate Owen during his stay, and then with the long-term goal in mind. Marriage. A family. They weren’t shy about admitting what they both wanted.

Dad set the bag on the bed then turned to face her.

“Can I get a gentle hug from my shooting star?” Dad held his hands out, his expression pained.

“Of course, Dad.”

Quinn walked into her Dad’s arms and gave him a squeeze. He might lose his way, but in the end he always came home.

He wasn’t a bad man, and he didn’t mean to be a poor father. Losing Mom had changed him in ways that couldn’t be fixed. He was Peter Pan without his sensible Wendy, no anchor, no guiding star, and maybe he’d never be whole again. In truth, they were all hurt people learning to move on, to live and love again. Some of them better than others.

“Karen ripped into my ass on the phone a week ago. I hadn’t seen your emails, yet. They didn’t make a whole lot of sense, so I figured I needed to come find out for myself what was going on.” He leaned back, the lines on his face deeper. There was more silver in his short-shorn hair now than ever before. “What happened?”

Quinn opened her mouth, but her carefully rehearsed speech about how much he hurt them, what a failure of a father he was...disappeared. Quinn was a Schaeffer, and the one thing Dad had given her was the ability to survive through the hardest of times. She might not be a soldier, but he’d taught her how to be strong by example. She might have wanted him there to help her through the last few months, but she didn’t need him and she couldn’t find it in herself to hold onto that anger. After all, how long until Dad, too, was gone?

“In short? I fell in love, left HI-Co and changed careers.” She smiled. The rest were details. Things Dad didn’t need to be burdened with. He couldn’t fix what Pearl had done to her, and the whole nightmare was better left in the past. The things Pearl had done, how she’d betrayed their family, it ran deeper than Quinn could have ever thought possible.

“That’s a lot.” He sat on the edge of the bed. He gestured to her chest, where she kept placing her hand. “And your...?”

“Pacemaker. Guess I have a weak heart.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here, sugar bear.”

“Me, too. But, you have two very independent, capable daughters. Let’s be honest, would I have accepted help if you were here?”

“I’m your dad. I should be here for you.”

“Dad, don’t.” She sat on the bed and stared at the floor. “We are who we are. What...good does it do me to be upset at you for not being here? I’d rather be happy you’re here.”

Quinn turned her head and stared into his gaze, seeing much of herself reflected back at her. She’d spent her whole life trying to be like mom, when maybe, deep down, she was more like Dad. An army of one. Without his strength, she’d have crumbled long ago.

“That Owen, he seems pretty comfortable here,” Dad said.

“He lives here.”

“Where?”

“My room.”

“Quinn...” Dad shook his head. “That little closet?”

“Well, you haven’t exactly answered my emails or anything for me to make a decision on sleeping arrangements.”

“Guilty.” He winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Dad.” Quinn scooted over to his side. As much as he frustrated her, he’d been part of creating her to be who she was. “You raised a fully competent daughter. I wouldn’t be your kid if I was calling for help every time something went wrong, would I?”

“That you wouldn’t be.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “It doesn’t excuse me from not checking in more, at least.”

“I’d like to hear from you more often.”

Sometimes Quinn forgot how big her dad was, until he was there. Carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he was still human, and at his age, how long would he be around?

“So, this guy? He make you happy?” Dad asked.

“I’m going to marry him. It would be convenient if you liked him, or at least tolerated him. That would make visits home easier.”

“He asked you already? I was just here.”

“How long did you know mom before you asked her to marry you?”

“That’s different. She was a brilliant scientist with citizenship issues.”

“Yeah. Right. Uh-huh.” Quinn had heard that story, how mom’s dual citizenship got misplaced and she’d been stuck trying to get back into America. The story Dad told was that he’d married her to ensure her American citizenship was intact.

“Three days,” Dad mumbled.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Quinn cupped her hand around her ear. “Did you say a day?”

“Two days.”

“Um, I think Mom said you met her in the morning and by dinner had proposed twice.”

Now, where had Quinn gotten that from?

She really was more like her dad than she realized.

Owen stared out at the darkening sky.

Quinn had taken the girls back to Chloe’s, leaving Owen with her father. They’d settled on the old bench on the porch he’d fixed up a few weeks ago, sipping coffee in silence, listening to the sound of summer insects and the breeze rustling in the trees. It wasn’t exactly companionable, but neither was it hostile.

“Quinn says you two are getting married?” Brad Schaeffer’s voice was a deep, baritone rumble.

Owen blinked.

What?

That was news to him.

They’d talked about it a few times as a possibility. It wasn’t something he’d come out and asked her, not yet at least. They needed to settle, to heal, to figure out what came next. But he knew he wanted it to be with her.

“Eventually, when Quinn’s ready,” Owen said.

“I wasn’t a good father to her. I’m worse with Kierra.”

Owen kept his opinions to himself. Until he had a chance to find out what Quinn had said to her father, it wasn’t Owen’s place to meddle in their relationship.

“I don’t have any right asking you to be better than I was, but I am.” Brad tilted his head and stared at Owen. “Treat them better than I do.”

“You know, Quinn would love to have you here, if you wanted to?”

“I can’t be in this place. This house.” Brad sighed. “Quinn looks just like her, you know? Right down to her eyes. Looking at her, it’s like seeing Jules again.”

“Quinn has you in her, too, you know?”

“Yeah, she does. She does.”

Owen stared into the night, the realization hitting him. Losing Quinn would shatter him, just as losing her mom had shattered Brad. Quinn had become part of Owen, a piece of his heart and soul. Without her, he’d never truly be himself ever again.

Headlights turned into the drive. A dark SUV shifted into park and the lights cut off.

“Your friends?” Owen asked.

“Not mine,” Brad drawled.

A man got out of the driver’s side and paused to button his coat. The light glinted off a head of vibrant red hair.

Owen knew three men with red hair.

Ian—who was home with his pregnant wife.

Ryan—who was out on a job.

And Rusty.

Owen pushed to his feet and met Rusty at the foot of the stairs.

“Sorry to drop in on you like this.” Rusty shook Owen’s hand then nodded to Brad. “Can we talk in private?”

“Sure.” Owen gestured to the front door.

Was this about the list? The dirty cops? He hoped not. He just wanted to sort out his life now. Quinn was doing better, they were settling, it was time for Owen to actually get a new job, despite his termination still stuck in flux.

They entered the house, the smell of dinner still hanging on the air.

“What’s going on?” Owen turned to face Rusty.

“In short?” The FBI agent planted his hands on his hips. “I want to offer you a job.”

“I’m...sorry—what?” Owen blinked.

“You don’t have a job. We need good people. It seems like a fit.” Rusty shrugged.

“You want to offer me a job?”

Owen continued to stare.

A job? With the FBI?

It was doing good on a national scale.

But at what price?

“Doing what?” Owen tamped down on his excitement.

“Nothing exciting, I’m sorry to say. We’re in bad need of people we can trust. Good people. Here in Seattle. Now, it’ll mostly be boring stuff, but every now and then, it’ll get exciting.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m leaving my division and moving to Seattle. I’m going to head up the Seattle FBI office, and I’d like a guy on my team who has proven himself to be solid and trustworthy.”

Owen’s knee-jerk answer was yes. Hell, yes. But nothing was that easy or clear cut.

“I need to talk about this with Quinn,” Owen said.

“I understand. This isn’t classified.” Rusty pinned him with a stare. “A man of your talents and experience shouldn’t go to waste. What happened to you wasn’t right, and I’m hoping to benefit from that.”

“I really need to talk to Quinn about it.”

Rusty left a folded pamphlet of information with Owen for later.

He was still looking at it when Quinn and Kierra got back.

“Where’s Dad?” she asked.

“He was on the porch.”

“He must have gone for a walk or something.” Quinn chewed her lip.

“Kierra, go get ready for bed.” Owen stared at Quinn. She was worried her dad was gone again. Did she fear Owen would leave them, too?

Kierra skipped down the hall, not the least bit aware of what was going on.

Owen took Quinn’s hand and pulled her to him.

“First, your dad’s coming back. His car’s outside and his stuff is in his room. Second, I just got offered a job with the FBI.”

“What?” Quinn’s jaw dropped. “That’s—is that good?”

“Maybe? We’ll have to read this together and make a decision.”

“But, wouldn’t this be perfect for you?”

“Would it be perfect for us?”

Quinn stared at him like he’d just asked her a question in a foreign language.

“Marry me?” he asked.

“What?” Quinn shook her head.

“You heard me. I want you to marry me.”

Her mouth moved in silence, eyes wide.

“Here, I’ll get down on one knee even.” He took her little finger and hooked it in his. In lieu of a ring, this seemed perfect. “Quinn, you and Kierra will always come first in my life, above what I want, or anything else. So, marry me? Let’s stop pretending we aren’t both thinking about forever, and let’s start acting like it. Before we decide anything else. Marry me?”

Quinn covered her mouth with her free hand, lashes fluttering. He could see her smile, the upturned corners. Quinn happy, smiling, playful, prickly, he loved all of her, in every way he could get her.

“What do you say?” he asked.

She curled her finger around his, tugging at him.

“It’s a deal,” she whispered.

The best deal ever.

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Alpha Prince

Twisted Royals 1

Once upon a time there was a princess with an evil step mother, who wanted her dead, and a prince ready to stand by her side...

Ian Kelly never thought he'd see her again. The woman who ran out on him after some of the hottest sex of his life. Taylor Carter. He knows a damsel in distress when he sees one, but Taylor doesn't want saving.

Taylor only meant to do the right thing. Now she's on the run from her mafia step-mother and her best friend might be dead. Even the FBI has turned on her, and the only person in her corner is a hot Irishman with a nose for danger.

Ian can't turn his back on Taylor, not when his gut tells him she's an innocent in a den of thieves. Soon enough her past comes calling, and it'll take more than true love's kiss to fix Taylor's problems.

Her Prince

Twisted Royals 2

Once upon a time there was a brave princess and a smart gypsy boy who saved the day...

Kade Tsaplin left behind his nomadic family to live a different kind of life—one where he doesn't have to read cards and lie for his next meal. When a beautiful woman with adventure in her eyes crash lands into his life, the last thing Kade expects is to get drawn into one of his brother's cons. But Shelby is more than she appears, and makes him an offer he can't refuse.

Shelby Amos is an art thief trying to right the wrongs of her past. Kade’s supposed to be a means to an end—an accomplice she can trust on this most dangerous undercover job. With Kade's help bringing down a criminal mastermind she might finally get the answers she's been searching for. Only, she never counted on falling for Kade.

Working both sides of the job takes its toll, until Kade and Shelby find themselves in a den of thieves, with only each other to rely on. As danger draws them closer, the lovers unwittingly play right into the spider’s web, handing over the true prize—Shelby herself.

Bad Boy Prince

Twisted Royals 3

A princess locked in a tower, the bad boy prince out to save her, and the mad man who wants to marry her...

Jaxon Wilson is driven by one need: Rescue the woman who made him want to live again. The woman kidnapped right under his nose. He's found her, but saving her from the man holding her prisoner won't be as easy as he'd hoped.

Freya Thorburn knows what it's like to live in a cage, and she'll stay locked up in the Swan Palace if her twin sister gets to go free. Even if that means giving up the one man who can open her heart to love.

Jaxon’s playing a dangerous game of deceiving the deceiver. He must walk the edge of honor, playing the criminal, until the right moment to save the woman who holds his heart. But in the end, they may be out-maneuvered by the one person Freya should be able to trust.

Book List

Twisted Royals

Alpha Prince

Her Prince

Bad Boy Prince

Noble Prince

Aegis Group

Blind: Killer Instincts

Dangerous Attraction

Dangerous in Training

Dangerous Games

Dangerous Assignment

Dangerous Protector

Hot Rides

Drive

Shift

Chase

Bayou Bound

Picture Her Bound

Duty Bound

Bound Memories

Bound & Tamed

Other BDSM Titles

Committed

Bound with Pearls

Collar Me in Paris

Festive Seduction

Electric Engagement

So Inked

Under His Skin

The Harder He Falls

His Marriage Bargain

Standalone Titles

Falling for His Best Friend

Dream Vacation (free read)

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