Stolen Kisses

  Kenzi was trying to sit up again, but Dale asked her to stay still until he could see how badly she was hurt.

  Sophie dropped down onto her knees beside Kenzi. “Dale, she’s bleeding.”

  Kenzi blinked several times. “I’m okay, Mom.”

  “No, you’re not,” Dale said and stood up. He pointed to Lance. “Call an ambulance. I want to have her looked at.”

  “Is Taffy all right?” Kenzi asked. Her words slurred slightly.

  Emily bent down with Taffy in her arms. “She’s right here. I have her. Don’t worry. She’s fine.”

  Asher said, “Kenzi, I didn’t mean . . .”

  Dax shed his coat, rolled it up, and handed it to Dale who placed it beneath Kenzi’s head as a cushion. “Kenzi, I shouldn’t have . . .”

  Ian chimed in, “I think you’ve done enough damage for one day, Dax, don’t you?”

  Dale backed them up with an authority that silenced them. “Stop. All of you.” He looked over each of the men gathered around Kenzi. “All of you should be ashamed of yourselves for acting the way you did today. You’re grown men, for God’s sake, not boys fighting in a school yard.”

  In all of Dax’s life he couldn’t remember ever feeling so badly about something he’d done. If he had held his tongue and walked away, Kenzi wouldn’t be lying on the ground. Do I require more evidence that I don’t belong in her life? One day with her family, and we’re in a bloody brawl. He stepped toward her, feeling about as low as any man could. “Kenzi—”

  “Not now,” Dale said forcefully. “First, we’re going to make sure Kenzi is okay. Then you can all apologize to her.”

  Asher opened his mouth to say something, but Dale spoke before him. “We’re all going over to the hospital together, and everyone will be on their best behavior. Is that understood?”

  Kenzi’s brothers nodded.

  Dale met Dax’s eyes. “Whatever our differences are, they can wait until we know that Kenzi is okay.”

  Dax nodded in agreement. There was something about Dale that didn’t leave an option for much else. His strength didn’t come from brute force; it came from a moral rightness that couldn’t be argued.

  “Dax?” Kenzi called out.

  Dale looked down at his daughter then back at Dax again. He moved out of the way, and Dax dropped to kneel beside Kenzi. He lightly touched one side of her face. He’d never been so angry, so scared, so sorry. “How do you feel?”

  Kenzi’s voice was shaky. “Like I tangled with the driveway, and it kicked my ass.” She held her hand out to him, and he took it in his. “You look as bad as I feel.”

  Dax swallowed hard. “When I saw you falling—”

  “I’ll be fine. I have a hard head.”

  Dax took her hand and held it to the side of his face. “I shouldn’t have come here today, Kenzi. This is my fault.”

  Kenzi gave his hand a squeeze. “You came for me, Dax. You couldn’t have known any of this would happen. It was my fault.”

  “No, it—” Dax stopped talking when Kenzi closed her eyes and her face contorted with pain. He looked around until he spotted Lance. “Where is that ambulance?”

  “Two minutes,” Lance said, stepping toward them with a towel for Kenzi’s head. “They said we shouldn’t move her.”

  Sophie spoke up from the other side of Kenzi. “Dax, we saw what happened. It was no one’s fault.”

  A siren announced the arrival of the ambulance. Emergency medical techs asked to be given room while they looked Kenzi over.

  Dax reluctantly stepped back. He didn’t want to leave her side, but he also didn’t want to impede them from helping her. They applied a bandage and concluded she was sufficiently injured to warrant a few stitches and further testing to make sure she wasn’t seriously hurt. Dax hardly breathed at all while they put a neck brace on her then moved her onto a gurney. They were pushing her past him when her hand reached out and grabbed his arm.

  “Dax?” She looked confused and scared.

  Sophie placed a hand on his other arm. “Why don’t you ride with her, Dax? We’ll meet you at the hospital.”

  Dax leaned over Kenzi. “Is that what you want, Kenzi?”

  She nodded and closed her eyes, and a tear slid down her cheek. An army of men couldn’t have pried him from her side after that. He released her hand only long enough for the EMTs to move her into the ambulance. Then he took his place by her side, careful to stay out of the way of the men who were placing monitors on her, but close enough to once again take her hand in his.

  He spoke to her softly for the entire ride to the hospital. Under oath, he couldn’t have remembered what he talked about. He talked about anything that came to mind because the sound of his voice seemed to soothe Kenzi.

  Upon arrival at the hospital, he was asked once if he was family. Without hesitation Dax said he was. He wasn’t asked twice. He quickly realized that the lack of resistance had nothing to do with him. Kenzi was ushered into a private room rather than the usual emergency area. A doctor and a couple nurses were already waiting for her. Someone had called ahead.

  Kenzi was quickly evaluated and a CT scan was ordered.

  In a blink of an eye, Dale and Sophie were in the room with Dax and Kenzi. Dale spoke to the doctor while Sophie came over to check on Kenzi. Dax continued to hold Kenzi’s hand even though part of him felt he should step aside for her mother. He looked at Sophie, feeling conflicted.

  Sophie took his other hand in hers. “I understand now what Kenzi sees in you.”

  Dax looked down at Sophie’s hand in his. He couldn’t remember his own mother, and none of the women his father had married had been the nurturing type. Sophie had Kenzi’s eyes, and in that moment she was looking at him with the same trusting, grateful expression he never felt worthy of. He didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing. He simply held Sophie’s hand while continuing to hold Kenzi’s.

  Kenzi was removed for a few minutes for the scan. Dale and Sophie stepped out of the room to speak with their sons who were waiting in a nearby family lounge. Dax moved to the window and looked out over the hospital parking lot, telling himself that Kenzi was already being cared for by the best doctors money could pay for. All he could do was wait.

  Dale returned before anyone else. He walked over to stand beside Dax and said, “I want to like you, Dax.”

  Dax fisted the hand he had resting on the window frame.

  Dale continued, “When I spoke to you last night, I was angry. I’ve heard your name often recently and always linked to something I didn’t approve of.”

  “That’s a reaction I’m used to.”

  Dale was quiet for a moment. “I’m trying to figure you out. On one hand you have a solid reputation for being a bastard when it comes to business.”

  Dax turned his attention back out the window. If Dale wanted to beat him up he’d have to get in line. Dax was already doing a good job on himself. He knew he should have stayed away from Kenzi. Clay had said it the first time he’d met her, but Dax hadn’t been able to. He’d told himself she needed him. If his only reason for being with her had truly been to help her, he wouldn’t have slept with her.

  Dale added, “On the other hand you’ve been kind to my daughter, and it’s obvious that you care about her.”

  “I do,” Dax said simply.

  “Last night you said love wasn’t in your vocabulary.”

  “I meant it.”

  “Tell me, what do you think love is, son?”

  Dax shook his head in disgust. “A myth. My father loved many women. My uncle loved none.” Mostly due to the anger he felt toward himself, Dax lashed out verbally. “You say you love your wife, but wasn’t infidelity the reason your political career ended?”

  Dale’s harshly indrawn breath was the only sound in the room for a moment. “I haven’t looked at another woman since I met Sophie. She’s everything to me.”

  “I find that hard to believe. I’ve read the reports.”

  Dale’s face tight
ened with anger. “The reports were manufactured.”

  “If there was no truth to it, why didn’t you fight it?”

  Dale was silent for a few minutes, then he said, “When you love a woman, truly love her, her happiness is more important than what anyone thinks of you. Sophie knows the truth, and she knows why I ended my career. Her opinion is the only one that matters to me. Not the public’s. Not yours.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Love isn’t a myth, but it’s also not the fairy tale people make it out to be in movies. It’s a decision you make to put someone else’s happiness before your own and to commit to something no matter what life throws at you. I don’t know if you’re the right man for my daughter or not, but I do know that you don’t want to see her hurt any more than I do. My daughter’s already falling in love with you, Dax. If you think you can love her back, you will always be welcome in my home. If you think you can’t, end it now before she gets more attached to you than she already is.”

  “It’s not that simple. If I could be the man Kenzi needs, I would be.”

  Dale gave him a pat on the shoulder. “I raised five sons, and they’re still a work in progress. Don’t give up on yourself yet.” He sighed. “If I could impart one additional piece of advice: In life you’ll have friends and enemies; be wise enough to know the difference and treat each accordingly.”

  Kenzi was wheeled back into the room. This time, Sophie, all her sons, and Emily accompanied them. The doctor explained that Kenzi had suffered a light concussion. Her head wound required only a couple of stitches and wasn’t nearly as bad as the blood had made it look. He suggested she stay with someone that night who could watch over her.

  Sophie was at Kenzi’s side. “Come home with us, honey, at least until the doctor says you can be on your own.”

  Kenzi looked around the room for Dax. She didn’t ask him to watch over her, but Dax knew she wanted to.

  He thought about what her father had said, and he held himself back from offering. Her family was gathered around her. She’d been worried about the relationship with her mother, afraid it was broken beyond repair. But she was by her side. Kenzi was where she needed to be.

  Dax bent and kissed Kenzi on the cheek. “I’ll call you tonight.”

  She held onto his arm for a moment then released it. There were too many people in the room for either of them to say much. “I don’t know where my cell phone is.”

  Grant said, “We have all your things, Kenzi.”

  Emily stepped forward. “Taffy is still at your parents’ house. I can pick up food for her if you tell me a brand.”

  Willa and Lexi burst into the room. “Kenzi, are you okay? What happened?” they asked in unison.

  Kenzi was completely preoccupied answering questions. Dax excused himself from the room. He looked at each of her brothers as he walked past them. Lance and Grant looked somber. Ian was carefully neutral, and Asher looked as if he wanted to finish what they’d started earlier.

  Dale was right about one thing, though, their opinions didn’t matter much to Dax. Kenzi would be happy they were there, and that’s what was important.

  Once outside, Dax called for his town car. He went to his office and told his secretary he didn’t want to be disturbed. With a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand and a glass in the other, Dax sank into one of the chairs.

  He poured himself a generous shot, downed it, then poured himself another. The door of his office opened and Kate popped her head in. “I know you told me you didn’t want to be disturbed, but Mr. Landon is on the phone. He said he’s been trying to call you.”

  “What part of ‘hold my calls’ is fucking confusing?” Dax snapped and waved for Kate to close the door.

  Kate closed the door hastily which made Dax feel even more like a bastard.

  If that were possible.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Later that night Kenzi rolled over in bed, groaned as the move made her head throb again, and turned on a lamp so she could see the clock on her nightstand. Nine o’clock. Dax isn’t going to call.

  Can I even blame him?

  It was impossible to be angry with him after all he’d done for her. The more Kenzi replayed the last two days in her head, the more she wondered if she’d ever see him again.

  The sex had been amazing, but a man like Dax could probably find a hundred women willing to jump in bed with him who were just as enthusiastic about being with him as she’d been.

  Did he hear me say I love him? I hope not. That’s the only way this could be worse.

  Dax had been clear about his opinion of love. She’d gotten to know him well enough to understand why he felt that way. No one had ever shown Dax how to love.

  Foolish me, thinking I could.

  All I did by saying it was pressure him then toss him to the wolves.

  Being with Dax had brought about so many good changes within Kenzi she’d started to think anything was possible. Like my brothers respecting my wishes.

  I shouldn’t have brought Dax home. I shouldn’t have exposed him to them. I knew they would find a way to drive him away. Who can blame a man for not wanting a repeat of today?

  Taffy whined for Kenzi from her bed on the floor. Kenzi rolled onto her stomach near the edge and dropped a hand to pet the dog’s head. “I want to call him so badly, but that wouldn’t be fair to him. He’d talk to me. He might even come over if I asked him to, but I don’t want him to be with me because I asked him to. That’s probably the one thing that would hurt more than not seeing him at all—knowing he was with me out of pity.”

  A light knock on the door was followed by Sophie entering the room. “How do you feel?”

  “Not so good,” Kenzi answered honestly then regretted it when her mother rushed to her bedside.

  “The doctor said it was fine for you to sleep unless you develop any other symptoms. What’s wrong?”

  Kenzi sat up slowly. “I’m fine, Mom. It’s not my head that hurts.”

  “Oh,” Sophie said and sat on the edge of the bed. “You didn’t hear from your friend?”

  “No, and could I really blame him if he never calls again?”

  Sophie tucked a loose lock of hair behind Kenzi’s ear. “He’ll call.”

  “I don’t know, Mom. Do you know how many of my boyfriends tend to call after meeting my brothers? Zip. Zero. Zilch. The Barringtons have a one hundred percent winning streak when it comes to destroying my love life.”

  Sophie rubbed Kenzi’s arm sympathetically. “Dax isn’t like those other men. You’ll see.”

  Kenzi looked away. “You don’t understand. How could you? Dad never had to deal with anyone like Asher.”

  “He had worse, Kenzi. Much worse.”

  Kenzi turned and met her mother’s eyes. “Your father?”

  Sophie shook her head sadly. “My sister, Patrice. Your brothers love you, and they may not express it well, but they want the best for you. My sister didn’t love anyone. She was jealous and vindictive. She married a man she didn’t love and hated that I had your father. We both had children, and I celebrated the birth of each of hers, but she couldn’t do the same when all of you were born. Your birth in particular was more than she could handle. She’d always wanted a girl and there you were, my little angel. She resented you so much she couldn’t be there for me when I fell into a depression over losing Kent. All she could see was I had something she didn’t. Soon after that, she started a rumor about your father cheating on me. I didn’t believe it, but the press did. False proof came to us in the mail, showing he’d used public monies to support his mistress. The sender threatened to release the proof to the public if your father didn’t resign. It was an ugly lie that we traced back to my sister.”

  “Oh, my God, Mom. Couldn’t you fight it? I mean, if you knew it was her, how could you let her do that?”

  Sophie smoothed the material of her skirt. “I was scared. My family was extremely wealthy, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to protect your father if they came for him. I
begged him not to take my sister on. I knew if he did she was capable of anything. So, your father resigned and let her win. It’s not something I’m very proud of. Your father gave up everything for me. He never complained, never spoke badly of my family. When Dale resigned, I felt guilty that I hadn’t done more to protect him. I’ve regretted it every day since. When I saw you run to protect Dax from Asher I was so proud of you. I was terrified when you went flying but also proud that you’re stronger than I was. If I were given a second chance to defend your father I’d like to think I’d be more like you.”

  Kenzi hugged her mother and rested her cheek on her shoulder. “Well that explains why you never talk about your family.”

  Her mother rubbed her back gently. “Asher didn’t mean to hurt you, Kenzi, but he was wrong to treat Dax the way he did. He’s downstairs along with the rest of your brothers. If you’re up to it, you should talk to him. I moved away from my sister rather than face our problems head-on, and it only made things worse. Tell him you’re angry with him. Make it clear to him that he can’t treat your friends that way. Then tell him you love him because at the end of the day he’s your brother, and I want more for both of you than I had with my sister.”

  Kenzi raised her head. “Now you sound like Dax.”

  Sophie smiled. “I knew there was a reason I liked him. He reminds me of your father in some ways. The way he watches you when you talk. The way he smiles when you smile. He may not have the words to express it, Kenzi, but he loves you.”

  I want to believe that. I so desperately want that to be true.

  Kenzi took a deep breath and moved backward to rest against the headboard of her bed. She arranged the bed sheets at her waist. “Mom, please tell Asher I’d like to speak with him.”

  Sophie stood. She paused at the door before opening it. “Be kind but firm, Kenzi. Men are funny creatures. They’re strong on the outside, but beneath all their talk, they’re just as scared and easily hurt as we are. You can be right and still lose if your talk pushes you farther away from each other.”