Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

" W hat do we do?" Kitty whispered. "Attack him? Bribe him? Claw his face off?"

Piper heard the car door slam, and her heart started to race. She frantically tried to think of all she knew about Clark. Assuming he meant to cause her harm, what was the best way to stave him off? "Text Dylan that I think we're with Clark."

"Got it. Will do. Who's Clark?"

"My ex." God, she had the worst exes. "He's the one who taught me never to trust a man again."

"That's a stupid lesson. My son is fabulous. Unlearn that shit right now."

Piper almost started laughing. "Don't make me laugh. This is serious business right now."

"Only if you make it serious." Kitty elbowed her. "Let's have some fun with this."

"Fun?" She listened to the footsteps coming toward the trunk. "You're insane."

"I'm not insane. I just know that the best ideas come when I'm having fun. Plus, it deescalates. I've been a cop's wife for too long, plus a celebrity, and going in aggressive usually isn't the best choice."

"No?" Piper raised her brows. "What's the right choice, then?"

Kitty grinned. "Pretend we're drunk and we have the giggles. It'll get him totally off guard and then we can attack him when he's not looking."

"Drunk giggles? You want us to fake drunk giggles? That's insane?—"

The trunk flew open, and Piper found herself staring at the man she'd almost married.

His face was chiseled and model-worthy, his muscles sculpted, his blue eyes blazing. But as she stared into them, she saw that they were cold. Ice cold. No warmth. No laughter. No vulnerability.

Nothing like Declan, who was so full of warmth and depth, even though he'd hidden it for so long. How could she ever have thought Declan was an anti-social grump? He was vibrating with passion, unlike Clark, who was…just…a lump.

"Whoohoo!" Kitty tumbled out of the trunk and landed on Clark's foot. "That was fun!"

Piper bit her lip as Clark looked down at Kitty, a surprised look on his face as Kitty wrapped herself around his leg and began singing the newest Taylor Swift song.

Her voice was stunning. "Holy crap, Kitty. Your voice is amazing!"

"I know! I'm a star!" Kitty sat up and leaned against Clark's leg, belting out the next verse.

"What is that? What is she doing?" Clark kept staring at Kitty, and Piper realized that Kitty's plan was working.

Clark wasn't a hardened criminal. He was a stupid, arrogant jilted man who was jealous of her new fiancé, and therefore susceptible to manipulative ex-pop stars with as much sass as sense.

"That's Kitty Jones. She's famous. "

"I know who she is. That's why I brought her." Clark stepped back and pulled out a gun. "Both of you, on your feet."

Piper froze, her heart stuttering. "Since when do you have a gun?"

"Get out of the car, Piper."

Kitty stopped singing, and she scrambled to her feet. "Guns are dangerous, young man," she said. "Put that away."

Clark pointed the gun at her. "Get in the house. Now."

Piper gripped Kitty's arm, squeezing it, begging her not to get herself shot. "Let's go, Kitty."

"Party time!" Kitty burst into more songs, and she started dancing her way through the garage.

There was no way Piper could do that. No way she could fake being oblivious, drunk, and dumb.

She'd spent her life disempowering herself and running away, and she was over it.

Instead, she shoved her hand in her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the ball, then turned to face Clark. "Kidnapping us is a felony. Jail sucks, Clark. I know that. You don't want to wind up there."

He narrowed his eyes and walked up to her. "You humiliated me, Piper. Dumped me at my wedding. And then you got engaged to a cop. "

Piper stiffened and pulled her shoulders back. "You don't get to have me, Clark. You hit me."

"Once! One fucking time! I made a mistake!"

"No." Power was coursing through her, power she'd never felt before in her life. The power to stand up for herself, to finally understand herself. It was so clear what Clark was. She saw him now. He was just a bully, and he'd swept her into his web because she'd been too afraid to stand on her own.

Not anymore.

"Look, Piper." He softened his voice. "I told you I'm sorry. Let's try this again. We're good together. You know we are."

God, how she'd convinced herself she loved him. How she'd sat at his family's dinner parties and pretended his life was the one she wanted.

She glanced over at Kitty, who was spinning in circles, still singing, and her heart softened. That was the people she wanted. The life she wanted. Real people with flaws and truths and huge hearts.

Like Kitty.

Like Declan.

Like her friends.

She faced him. She didn't need to trick him into leaving her alone. All she had to do was give him the honesty she'd hidden for so long. "My father is in prison for murder," she said, admitting a truth that had never before left her lips.

His eyes widened. "What?"

"My brothers have all been in prison for dealing drugs. I was shot twice in a drug deal gone wrong. My family is dirt poor and dedicated criminals. My whole fancy life is a lie, Clark. I grew up in a trailer park. My brothers are still dangerous, and I came up here to get away from them because if I'd stayed, I'd be dead by now."

He stared at her. "You're lying."

"I'm not lying. I've hidden who I was this whole time because I wanted to fit in, and be accepted, but you know what? I don't care about the people who won't accept me for who I am."

"I accept you," Kitty called out. "Even if your dad did murder someone. You didn't, so hugs to you! Or did you?"

Piper's heart swelled at Kitty's response. "I haven't killed anyone yet," she called out. "But it's in my genes."

"Of course it is, dear," Kitty said cheerfully. "Once a killer, always a killer. Did you know I also grew up in a trailer park? My mom was a gorgeous singer, but she had to be an exotic dancer to pay for our food and rent. I bought her a lovely mansion when I was twenty-one, because money can buy your way into any social circle."

The disgust that curled Clark's lip lit a fire in Piper like she'd never felt before. She poked Clark in the chest. "Never, ever look at Kitty like that. She's amazing."

"He can look at me however he wants. I don't care! Money and power make you immune to little gnats like him." Kitty was spinning around a pole in the middle of the garage. "My mom was a great pole dancer. I wonder if I remember any of her moves?" Kitty began working the pole with an expertise that was extremely impressive.

Piper almost started laughing at the shocked look on Clark's face. "Yes, Clark. Your garage is being used for exotic dancing by my new business partner."

"What?" Kitty stopped. "We're in?"

Piper started laughing. "How could I not team up with you? You're amazing."

"Yay! That's fantastic. We're going to make brides everywhere the happiest women on earth!"

Clark looked at Piper. "You're opening your own bridal company? With a stripper?"

"I'm not a stripper! I'm the daughter of a stripper. I'm a pop star, incredibly wealthy and connected. Oh, and I'm trailer trash too," Kitty said cheerfully as she bounded up and tucked her arm through Piper's. "We're in the wedding planning business."

He looked back and forth between them. "No one will hire you, Piper. No one. I'm going to make sure the world knows exactly who you are. You're finished. I'm calling the papers to tell them about your past. I'm calling the cops. You stalked me, and I'm filing for a restraining order." Then he spun around and stalked out of the garage into the house, making sure to slam the door behind him.

Kitty put her hands on her hips and stared after him. "Did you know we're stalkers? I had no idea."

Piper said nothing. She just wrapped her arms around Kitty and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for accepting me."

Kitty laughed and hugged her fiercely. "You're a treasure, Piper. Imagine if you'd married him? That monster can't accept you for who you are. How could you marry him?"

"I couldn't." Piper tucked her arm through Kitty's and headed toward the garage door. "Was all that true about your childhood?" Piper pushed the button to open the door.

"You bet." Kitty shrugged. "When you're a pop star, colorful backgrounds are an asset. I never hid who I was. If people don't like me, they aren't worth my time."

Piper hugged Kitty's arm more tightly as the door rolled open. "My mom taught me that we had to hide our truths in order to be accepted into these circles."

"There are some who will never accept you," Kitty agreed. "You have to decide whether that matters."

Piper stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine, looking around at the beautiful landscaping. She'd loved Clark's house. It had been the one she'd always dreamed of. But as she looked around, she saw heartless perfection. Not the artistic, heart-felt beauty of Declan's home. "I always thought it mattered."

"And now?"

She looked at Kitty as they began to walk down the driveway. "I told Declan the truth about my past. And then he fell in love with me."

Kitty smiled. "Of course he did."

"And you don't hide your past, and yet all those brides were so excited to work with me when you told them I was great."

Kitty grinned. "This is true. What does that teach you?"

"That it's time to stop hiding." She paused as a big, black pickup truck sped down the quiet street toward them. "Declan's driving very fast."

"He's terrified you're about to die in his arms," Kitty said, waving cheerfully at the truck. "I'm sure this has been a very traumatizing half hour for him. Normally, I would be very upset, but I think maybe this is going to work out exactly the way I want."

Piper's heart tightened, and she waved at the truck as well. "Your son is a good man. "

"He is. You love him?"

Piper smiled. "I do."

The truck skidded to a stop beside them, and Declan launched himself out of the truck. "Piper! Mom!"

"Hah! He said your name first. Good boy," Kitty chuckled.

He raced toward them, and Piper saw the expression on his face. Raw, unfiltered emotion that went right to her heart.

This man would never hurt her.

He'd die before he'd hurt her.

"Go get him," Kitty whispered, elbowing her in the back.

Piper broke into a run. "Declan!"

He reached for her, and caught her as she jumped into his arms, locking her legs around his waist. She threw her arms around his neck, holding tightly as he pinned her against his chest. "Fuck, Piper," he whispered. "I was scared shitless."

She pulled back so she could see him. "I love you, Declan. I love you with all my heart, and I'm still scared, but I don't care. I'm not going to run this time. Not from you. Not from us. Not ever."

His face softened, and pure love filled his eyes. "I'm in it as long as you'll have me, Piper. I love you, too."

"I want you for all of it."

He grinned. "You've got it." He kissed her again, then framed her face. "This whole thing with you getting targeted by Dick and then getting kidnapped has showed me that I'm done with any kind of life like that. I'm not going to be a cop. I'm not going to do work for the Harts. I just want to build a life with you."

She smiled, her heart dancing. "I would have loved you no matter what, but I'm thrilled not to have to worry about bad guys in our lives. What are you going to do? Build houses?"

He shook his head. "I think I'm going to start investing in businesses, like my mom does."

"Businesses? Like what?"

"Like a taco truck franchise. I thought I'd start there. We need more tacos in this world, and I like the idea of supporting businesses that have trouble getting funding. Helping out where help is needed. Like owners who have been in prison, for example."

She blinked. "Taco trucks? You want to invest in a taco truck franchise owned by an ex-convict?"

Before he could answer, Angel jumped up, knocking against them. They both laughed, and Piper slid down his body to hug the dog. "And you, too, sweetie. You've made me into a dog person!"

"Piper!" Keira came racing up. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Keira?" Piper stood up, bracing herself as Keira launched herself at her. "Oomph."

"Don't ever get kidnapped again. Do you understand?"

"I won't. It's a one-time thing." Piper laughed and hugged her friend, her heart contracting as she watched Declan walk over to his mom and envelop her in a huge, long hug. Yes. "I?—"

She stopped, frozen, as she saw her brother get out of the truck. "Roman?"

Declan turned and walked over. "You want me to make him leave?"

She shook her head silently as tears filled her eyes. It had been so long. Roman had been a scrawny, dangerous criminal when she'd left, and now he was tall, muscular, and presentable. He looked so non-criminal. It almost made her miss who he had been, but then he smiled, and it was the same cocky, mischievous unapologetic smile he'd always had.

He paused, looking hesitant. "I barged in on the rescue mission," he said. "I had to come see you. I missed you, sis, and I wanted to tell you that I love you, and I've got your back?—"

His voice was so familiar. He was home to her, the good home. Her mom. Belonging. Family. Being accepted. "Roman!" She held out her arms, and he grinned.

They both broke into a run, meeting each other halfway. She buried herself in the arms of her brother, no longer the little sister who made herself small to survive, but as a strong, powerful woman ready and able to stand on her own…but she didn't need to.

She held out one arm to Keira, Declan, and Kitty. "Family hug," she said. "Everyone in."

And then, like the old days with her mom and her brothers, before everything had gotten so bad, she was squished in the middle of a love sandwich with the family she'd chosen: friends, lover, bonus mom, a great dog, and her big brother.

She met Declan's gaze and he smiled. A special, warm smile just for her.

Yes.

Her days of running were over.