Free Hell Bound (Seventh Level Book 2) by Charity Parkerson, Regina Puckett Page A

door.
    * * * * *
    When Mark pulled into the parking lot of Champ’s, Morgan all but groaned. “I thought this place closed down last year.”
    Mark glanced over at her. “Wade bought it and is in the process of remodeling. It’s going to be a great starting place for local artists by the time he is finished.”
    “He bought a club,” she repeated, unable to believe her ears. Mark shrugged. “I guess it’s sort of a retirement project for him. You know, so he can keep doing what he loves but on a smaller scale.”
    “Wade retired?” she asked in amazement. Without waiting for an answer, she added, “I can’t believe he would give it all up. He finally had everything he’d ever dreamed of having.”
    “No. He didn’t,” Mark said shaking his head. “He had everything except for what he wanted.” Glancing over his shoulder, he changed topics as if he’d not dropped a bomb on her. “Cole’s asleep. If you’d like, I can sit out here with him while you talk to Wade.”
    “That might be best,” she confessed. “That way there won’t be any ‘you have a baby in a bar’ comments.”
    Mark released a low chuckle. “There shouldn’t be too many people around, but if you go through that door,” he said, pointing out a single door on the side of the building. “Then you should be able to avoid most of the construction going on.”
    With a nod and a cleansing breath for courage, she grabbed the door handle, but Mark reached out, stopping her. “I’m probably going to regret this, and I know you’re angry, but the man inside the building right there, loves you. Maybe he made bad choices, but maybe you did too when you chose not to tell him about Cole.”
    Oddly enough, coming from anyone else the words might have upset her, but she knew Mark’s heart was in the right place and he wasn’t wrong. After seeing Wade’s face in the hospital, a part of her recognized she should have said something. Instead of admitting to such a thing, she chose a different confession. “I’m not angry. It’s not money I want from Wade.” Before he could comment on her admission, she stepped from the car and followed his directions into the club.
    With the exception of a few workmen, the building was empty. It didn’t matter. Even if the place had been full of people, Morgan would have seen Wade first. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the low lighting, they landed on him. He was in what she’d always thought of as his work-mode, and she stole a guilty moment of watching him unobserved. Straddling a bar stool at a high-top table, he scribbled something inside a notebook. A white Stetson hat sat at his elbow and earbuds ran to a nearby IPod explaining why he’d not heard her arrival.
    From her vantage point, she could see his lips silently moving. Her guess, he was writing a new song. Dropping her gaze to the floor, she absorbed everything from his booted feet and wrangler jeans, all the way to his tight t-shirt. When she made it back to his face, she realized he was watching her. After the way she’d ogled his body like a lovesick teenager, she expected a knowing smile, but his hot look caused the breath to catch in her throat. This was their club. Of all the places in the world to do this, she hated it had to be here the most. It left a taint on something beautiful. On rubber legs, she closed the distance between them, suddenly conscious of every out of place hair on her head.
    Pulling out his earbuds, he continued watching her without saying a word. Only his eyes gave any hint of emotion as she dropped the check on the table and backed away. “I can’t take your money. I never wanted it. There’s no need for you to buy me off. I accepted things as they are a long time ago.” In a flash of movement, Morgan found her back pressed against the edge of the table and Wade hovering over her. “Damn you, Morgan,” he growled, boxing her in with his arms. “Damn you for not believing in me enough to tell me about