Page 99 of Danger

Tears fill my eyes, and Inevercry. “What?” I open my eyes, blinking back an errant tear.

“You’re nothing like him. Neither of us are. Mom’s the one who raised us, and it’s her love that manifests deep inside us.”

I stare into her eyes, hoping the answers are there, knowing I could never be like the man who I called father. “I’m a fuck up, Isabella. Monterey deserves so much better.”

“You can’t honestly believe that, do you?”

There’s a list of reasons for me to believe that.

“She’s a different breed.” Number one.

Isabella cracks up, and it’s the same laugh from when we were kids. When I would make her laugh when we’d hole up in my room while our parents fought. “Love doesn’t know any bounds. Love is selfless and it’s pure. It doesn’t care if you are from the same side of life. It only cares if your hearts are true. Dad was a psychopath. He couldn’t love even if it was staring him in the face. He’s never loved a soul, not even himself.” She grabs her plate, taking a bite out of her burger.

Is there hope for me?For us?

“Maybe you’re right.”

“Oh, I am. You’re nothing like Dad because you’re not a psychopath. You know what it’s like to love someone, and you love Monterey. It’ssoobvious.”

I do love her, I always will.

“Thank you, Isabella.” I grab my burger and just before I take a bite I ask her, “And who’s this guy you love?”

* * *

It’sdark by the time I make it over to Monterey’s ranch-style home in the Hills. She’s home.

I head toward her front door, my heart hammering in my chest. I’ve never been in love before, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it’s been love all along.

I raise my hand to knock on her door, but it flings open and Monterey stands there in her signature one-piece pink dress with a slit up the right leg. The designer of those dresses is a fucking genius, and I’m thankful Monterey loves wearing them.

“Dylan, I was just coming to find you.”

“You were?”

“Yes, I wanted to see how things went with Isabella.” This woman… I don’t know what I did to deserve her.

I step closer. “That’s not why you were coming to see me.”

She blinks. “Yes it was.”

A cocky smile pulled up my lips. I’m not playing fair, and I don’t care. In war and love they say, right?

“No it wasn’t. You were coming to tell me you love me.”

She opens her mouth to protest but then steps back, crossing her arms over her chest, pushing up her cleavage just for me, those beauties begging for my attention. “Is that why you’re here.”

I wrap an arm around her waist. “Abso-fucking-lutely.” I kiss her, not letting her get away from me. I don’t think I’ll ever let her get away from me ever again. “I love you,” I tell her once I break the kiss. “You’re the race of my life, Monterey.”

Her eyes bore into mine, full of happy tears. Full of hope. “I love you too.”

And then we kiss, and keep on kissing. That beautiful mouth belongs to me, and I can’t get enough.

She’s like the fuel that keeps me going for life, and I’ll never let her go. Because she has done what I once thought was impossible.

Monterey Grander tamed the baddest of bad boys.

Bonus Epilogue

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