Red

Red is
living life in the spotlight, a place she always dreamed of. Stripping was a
way of escaping from her past, and it was something she was well-known for.
But, Red’s fight to remain queen isn’t the only battle she’s facing. And when
the war against her addiction is won, it’s not in her favor.

Facing
three to five years in a federal penitentiary, Red feels like her life is over.
But, just like he always does, Luke Carmical, her childhood best friend, comes
to the rescue. Only this time, he’s brought Devil’s Renegades Regg with him.
Having no other option, Red is forced to spend the next ninety days in a place
she’s never been and in the care of a man she hardly knows.

Spending
three months of her life on a secluded farm turns out to be a lot more than Red
bargained for. Because, it’s there that Regg stands by her side through endless
hours of withdrawal, constant mood swings and restless pacing. It’s there that
the MC family reminds her of their motto:love, loyalty and respect. And it’s there she learns that hitting rock bottom, doesn’t keep you
from falling…in love.

<br />

BONUS SCENE

SAVING DALLAS MAKING THE CUT

LUKE

I stood in the doorway, helpless as the woman that I had
devoted my life to lay lifelessly in the bed before me. Her nightmares were so
frequent that I was afraid to even leave the room for fear she would wake and I
wouldn’t be there. It had to be well past two in the morning, and my body was
now running on adrenaline alone. Less than twenty-four hours ago my girl was
being sexually assaulted by a man that I once called my friend. I felt my grip
tighten around the coffee mug I held in my hand.

Breathe Luke.

Breathe.

The last thing I needed was to harm a part of myself in a
way that would prevent me from holding her when she needed me. My hands no
longer belonged to me. My eyes were only for her, and my heart was held in the
tiny palms of the hands of Dallas Knox. I had no idea what they had done to
her. Earlier, as I had washed her broken, dirty, battered body, I noticed the
way she cringed when my hands fell to the places where she once enjoyed my
touch. He had touched her. He had put his hands on something that was mine. I
knew I sounded like some kind of barbarian getting territorial over my
property, but that was not the reason I was so pissed. I was pissed because
they had stole something from her that she would never be able to get back. Her
pride, dignity and her right to say who could touch her had been taken. She was
now a broken woman and I would spend my last days on Earth piecing her back
together.

“Luke.” I heard her whisper in her sleep. I knew a
nightmare was soon to follow. She often called out my name as if she was
preparing me for what was to come, although I knew that was not possible. If
Dallas could control the torturous dreams she would.

I sat down my now cold coffee on the night stand and
climbed into bed behind her. I was no longer the man I once was. Many people
who saw me every day in my cut, proudly sporting that Devil’s Renegades patch
would not think that I had succumbed to a man who was willing to cradle his
woman like a baby just to reassure her she was safe. Some would say I was
losing my edge, or going soft, but that was not the case. Dallas might have my
heart, but the blood that ran through my veins was cold. Frankie would die and
it would be me who pulled the trigger to end his life, if he was lucky. I would
much rather cover him in peanut butter and bury him alive in an ant hill
somewhere, but I would probably be forced to take a more humane route. I felt
Dallas’ small frame curl deep into the mattress and I was pulled from my
thoughts of Frankie and back into the situation at hand.

“Please.” I heard Dallas cry as her body started to convulse
into shudders that made my heart clench and my eyes fill with tears.

“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” I turned her to me and buried
her face in my chest, rocking us back and forth as I whispered reassurances in
her ear. I felt her body take a sudden deep breath and I squeezed my eyes shut
at what I knew was to come.

Screams.

Loud, blood curdling screams
echoed off the walls of the bedroom. I pulled her closer, tilting her head back
so I could look in her face as I shook her gently, waking her.

“Dallas. Wake up, baby. You are
safe. No one can hurt you anymore.” I had said the words so many times, but
each time hurt just as much as the first. When her beautiful green eyes opened
up to me, I could see the sorrow that filled them. Her right eye was barely
visible through her swollen lid that was so many shades of blue and purple that
it looked almost unreal. Sobbing always came next, and this time was no
different. It was like she was ashamed to look at me, and the thought made me a
die a little on the inside. I rubbed her hair continuously until her breathing
slowed and I was sure she knew she was safe. We had followed this same pattern
every few hours for the last day. I knew she would request something to drink,
and since I couldn’t leave her alone for even a moment, and she wouldn’t go by
herself, I cradled her in my arms and carried her to the kitchen with me. I had
become an expert at maneuvering around with her in my arms. With her legs
wrapped around my waist, and her arms wrapped around my neck, I moved around
the kitchen to service her every need.

Water.

Pain reliever.

More water.

Another round of tears, as her
need for me sunk in.

Apologies from her.

Apologies from me.

Reassurances from her.

Reassurances from me.

Bathroom.

Back to bed.

As I carried her down the hall
and to the bathroom, my anger flared, just as it always did. My strong,
independent, talented, thoughtful, wonderful girl couldn’t even take a piss on
her own without fearing for her life. Yes, Frankie the Cutter was going to die,
and the pleasure was gonna be all mine.

Kim Jones is a writer with big
dreams and a creative imagination. Her infatuation with the MC lifestyle
inspired her to write a short story about a love affair between a prestigious
young woman and a bad-ass biker. After falling in love with her characters, she
turned the ten-thousand word short story into a novel. Juggling her writing and
her role as ol’ lady to her husband, Reggie, her first novel, Saving Dallas,
was published in May of 2013. Saving Dallas Making the Cut, the sequel to
Saving Dallas, was published in September 2013 and she plans to release Saving
Dallas Forever, the final book in the Saving Dallas trilogy, in February 2014.
Kim resides in Collins, MS with her husband Reggie, two dogs Neo and Maggie and
a twenty pound cat named Cici.

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Synopsis

Red is living life in the spotlight, a place she always dreamed of. Stripping was a way of escaping from her past, and it was something she was well-known for. But, Red’s fight to remain queen isn’t the only battle she’s facing. And when the war against her addiction is won, it’s not in her favor.

Facing three to five years in a federal penitentiary, Red feels like her life is over. But, just like he always does, Luke Carmical, her childhood best friend, comes to the rescue. Only this time, he’s brought Devil’s Renegades Regg with him. Having no other option, Red is forced to spend the next ninety days in a place she’s never been and in the care of a man she hardly knows.

Spending three months of her life on a secluded farm turns out to be a lot more than Red bargained for. Because, it’s there that Regg stands by her side through endless hours of withdrawal, constant mood swings and restless pacing. It’s there that the MC family reminds her of their motto:love, loyalty and respect. And it’s there she learns that hitting rock bottom, doesn’t keep you from falling…in love.

Excerpt

*Regg*

It’s been three months since I’ve seen Red. The phone call Luke got Saturday morning had me thinking the worst. To say I was relieved when I found out she’d been locked up is an understatement. I was afraid she was dead. I knew she’d been hitting the dope pretty heavy. Luke never said anything demeaning about Red, but he did confide in me about her addiction. Still, I never thought any less of her. Sometimes life makes you do stupid shit. I know because I’ve done my fair share of it.

When you meet someone who has a fire that burns as bright as Red’s, it does something to you. That’s what happened the first time I laid eyes on her. She did that something to me. She has a gravity about her that pulls me in. She makes me want to live in a world that thrives off of her energy. She makes me want something more than what I have.

A little over a year ago, I thought my life was complete. I had everything; a good job, money, a full patch with my club. There was literally nothing else I wanted. And then I saw her. She was so fucking beautiful. Waves of red hair, bright hazel eyes, an infectious smile and a personality that was sexier than those long, tan legs of hers. She walked with confidence, spoke with pride and made everyone in the room feel better by just breathing.

I’ve never been so affected. I’ve never desired anyone or anything so much. I wanted more of her. This was the first woman I’d seen who exuded raw sexiness, but wasn’t flashing naked in my mind. I just wanted to talk to her. I wanted her to smile at me. Even if she didn’t, I just wanted her in the same room so I could admire her beauty and let her presence possess me. She’s what was missing from my life. When she looked at me, it was like we’d know each other our whole lives. Ten minutes was all it took for us to build a connection. And in that time, I knew I would do anything to have her. Now, I’d get my chance.

Luke sat next to me at the back of the courtroom. He was trying to look calm, but I knew better. I shot a wink at the girl in front of us and waited for her to turn around before nudging his arm.

“You alright?”

“I don’t know if I can do this, man. I’ve seen her like this before. It’s bad.” His voice was low and I knew was taking all he has to keep it together. He ran his hands through his hair, drawing the attention of the girl in front of us again. I motioned with my finger for her and her giggling-ass friend to turn around. They looked confused, so I gave them my best ‘mind your own fucking business’ face. It worked.

“This is my fault, Regg.” Here we go.

“Luke,” I said, grabbing his shoulder until he met my eyes. Those baby blues that make all the bitches go crazy were now dull and lifeless. “This ain’t your fault. She’s a big girl. You can’t make her do anything she don’t wanna do. You did the right thing by stepping back. Getting locked up was the best thing that could happen to her.” My words did nothing to ease his mood. I had to dig deeper and fuck, I didn’t want to.

“Do you trust me?” I asked, hating that I had to.

“With my life.” No hesitation.

“With Red’s?” This time, Luke hesitated but eventually answered.

“Yes.” I hated seeing my brother go through this. I convinced him that I was doing this for him. It wasn’t a lie. I would cut my own heart out and give it to my brother if it made his whole again. Red had done some damage to Luke. She was the sister he never had, and her fuck-ups always fell on his shoulders. He always thought he was responsible for her. If I could take that burden from him, I would. And it would be a lie if I said I didn’t want it. Red needed a man in her life. She had Luke, but he was a brother. She needed a man to take care of her. Protect her. Be with her. I was that fucking man.

“Then trust me, brother. I got this. I promise.” The conviction in my words broke through to him. He lets out a breath and nods at me.

“I know you do.” Finally. I focused my attention on the front of the room while Luke finally noticed the girls sitting in front of us. Good. He needed the distraction.

When the side door opens, I hear her before I see her. Red is laughing, and I can’t help but smile at the sound. But I can physically feel my face fall and my heart nosedive when she comes into view. This is not my Red. This is only the shell of the woman I met a year ago. When I last saw her, I could only see a slight difference in her appearance. She’d lost some weight and looked exhausted, but she still had her spirit. Now, she just looked broken. Even though she is smiling, you can tell that she is in another world. I’m not even sure she knows what’s going on.

She’s thin. Too thin. Nothing but a sack of bones in an orange jumpsuit. The chains on her arms and feet are heavy in comparison to her frail body. They pull at her wrists, causing her to slouch over from their weight. Her feet shuffle across the floor slowly. When she lifts her head, thin, red hair frames her face that seems sunken. Even though I can’t make them out perfectly, I can tell that her eyes have lost their sparkle. But, even at her worse, that magnetic pull is still there and I want nothing more than to go to her. I want to rip those fucking chains off, carry her to my truck and drive her away from everything that has ruined her. I want to heal her. I want to help her find herself. And when she does, I want to find the motherfuckers that did this to her.

I stare at the back of her head, wishing I could be the one standing beside her instead of the fucker in the cheap suit. The judge speaks to her and I listen for her voice, but I can’t hear it from where I sit. I grind my teeth, waiting for the moment I can take her with me. I feel Luke’s hand on my shoulder, but I refuse to look at him. This is why he is so upset. This is what he’d witnessed only a few weeks ago. No wonder he felt guilty for not doing something then. As much as I wanted to blame Luke, I wouldn’t. Red wouldn’t have gone if he’d asked her and she wouldn’t have stayed if he’d made her. This was for the best. It had to happen like this.

I don’t wait for the judge to call me up. I can’t just sit here any longer. I’m ready to get this over with. I’m ready to have her with me. I can feel her eyes on me as I make my way down the aisle, but I don’t look at her. I keep my face impassive. I’m composed, ready to deliver my shitty little speech to please the DA. What I say doesn’t matter, though. Nothing can keep me from getting what I want. I’ll rip through this place like a mad man. I’ll bring hell to Forrest County. I’ll tear the roof off this motherfucker with my bare hands for what’s mine. I’m here for one reason- Red.

And I’m not fucking leaving without her.

Author Bio

Kim Jones is a writer with big dreams and a creative imagination. Her infatuation with the MC lifestyle inspired her to write a short story about a love affair between a prestigious young woman and a bad-ass biker. After falling in love with her characters, she turned the ten-thousand word short story into a novel. Juggling her writing and her role as ol’ lady to her husband, Reggie, her first novel, Saving Dallas, was published in May of 2013. Saving Dallas Making the Cut, the sequel to Saving Dallas, was published in September 2013 and she plans to release Saving Dallas Forever, the final book in the Saving Dallas trilogy, in February 2014.
Kim resides in Collins, MS with her husband Reggie, two dogs Neo and Maggie and a twenty pound cat named Cici.

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