Millie's Second Chance Read online

  He walked into the kitchen and noticed some things on the counter. Moving closer, he saw what appeared to be a long, thick stick that had one side wrapped in thick electrical tape like a handle and the other end was narrower. There was a note on a piece of paper that said, “Pain equals submission and respect.”

  Detective Flynn swallowed hard. Millie was in trouble and it appeared that Frank had been in her apartment. He knew this weapon. And indeed it was a weapon. Detective Flynn recalled the scene of the attack on Millie. Frank had been beating her with a similar weapon. He had come onto the scene after a desperate call from Stacy. That woman had been incredibly brave and determined to save her friend.

  The detective shook his head as he looked at the weapon. He had to find Frank before Frank located Millie.

  * * * *

  It was six o’clock in the morning and Millie sat on her front porch looking out toward the fields. She inhaled, smelling all the old scents of country life and the thick indicator that the horse stables were just beyond the row of large trees and her Aunt Marie’s home.

  She missed those scents and strangely enough, they provided some comforting feelings. She took another sip of the fresh-brewed coffee and exhaled. Last night had been fun hanging out with Stacy and Anna, but once she got back to the cottage and settled in, fear began to ride her mind hard. Both Anna and Stacy noticed her reservations and offered for her to stay at one of their houses until Millie was ready to be by herself. But she didn’t want to admit to that weakness, especially with their men nearby. Millie didn’t want to be that weak, fragile female she had been years ago when involved with Frank. No, things were different. She was different.

  She took a shaky breath, her subconscious reminding her about her faults and about how easily Frank put fear into her. Did that make her the same weak woman from two years ago? As much as she hoped not, the reality was clear as day. Apparent in her shaky hands, her rapid heartbeat, and the anxiety that he was out there, he was looking for her and he wanted her dead.

  She had had little sleep and mostly tossed and turned last night because of similar thoughts. She didn’t miss the sounds of living in the city, the slight hum of traffic outside her apartment complex, and the bright city lights invading the blinds in her apartment. Surely the quiet sounds of night in the country on a ranch were more appealing and better for a good night’s sleep. However, that same quietness that once brought her peace and relaxation had her anxiety levels higher. The creaking of the old porch as the wind blew and the sounds of bugs in the night had her straining to hear what she really feared—the footsteps of a man coming to get her, the crackling of leaves beneath his feet as he approached the cottage, ready to strike. Crazy thoughts like that had kept her up most of the night. She knew that she wasn’t completely alone out here and that her aunt’s workers were yards away in their sleeping quarters, but still, her mind played tricks on her. It became apparent that she was still deathly afraid of Frank.

  She swallowed hard, feeling her heart rate increase and her throat clog up. Then she took a sip of coffee to try and alleviate the sensation.

  Then came the anger. She had worked hard after surviving the attack. She never wanted to be a victim again. Now images of Stewart jumped into her mind. She shook her head and sighed. So much for gaining back self-confidence and taking all those martial arts classes. She had been just shy of achieving her black belt when Stewart demanded that she quit messing around and act more ladylike. She, of course, didn’t stand her ground and she caved in. Her instructors were disappointed and so was she.

  When will I gain a backbone and learn to stand up for myself? Where do I go from here?

  She heard the horses approaching and glanced up to see two cowboys in the distance. She smiled at the sight. It appeared the men were hours into their work already and here she was sitting around feeling sorry for herself.

  She shook her head as enthusiasm for the day ahead motivated her movements. Standing, she stretched, took a breath of fresh country air, and headed inside the cottage to start her day. Anna and Stacy were picking her up at nine to go into town.

  Change begins within myself, and today is a first step toward that change.

  Chapter 7

  “Jacob Frost, is that any way to treat your brother, a fellow student?” Dalton Lewis asked his student as Jacob tripped his brother, Thomas, then sat on him. He had to hide his chuckle. They were young and quite the handful. It was tough sometimes teaching martial arts to children, but Hank and his brother loved doing it.

  “Sorry, Sensei Dalton, but he’s annoying,” Jacob responded as he continued to sit on his five-year-old brother.

  “Get up off of him now, Jacob, and get serious.”

  “I am not annoying. I do better front roll dan him, dat why Jacob mad at me,” little Thomas replied as he attempted to wiggle his way from under Jacob.

  Dalton placed his hands on his hips and eyed the two boys. Immediately, they scrambled up off the mat and got back into line with the rest of the class. The other ten children were doing kickboxing drills on the bags with Dalton’s brother, Hank.

  Dalton looked at the clock. It was nearly ten and class would be out soon. He had an hour before the next class started at eleven. That was a mixed martial arts class that was used as a training session for both firefighters like himself and Hank as well as deputies and law enforcement officers like their brother, Marco.

  “Fall in!” he called and the children hurried to their positions.

  “Attention!” Hank called the class to order and all the children lined up in order with their hands by their sides.

  He looked at a few of the younger ones who were at their limit of concentration.

  “Remember, when I say ‘attention’ you bring in your right foot to your left foot and stand tall with your hands by your sides.” He nodded his head as the few who made the errors fixed themselves.

  “Very good, class. I expect there to be no other problems or unnecessary outbursts during Wednesday’s session,” Hank began to say then looked directly at Jacob and Thomas. Dalton held a firm expression as well, even though he wanted to chuckle at the sight of fear on Jacob’s and Thomas’s faces. They were so little and both Dalton and Hank were over six feet tall, ex-military, and highly trained.

  “Yes, Sensei!” Thomas blurted out and the other children chuckled low but held it together. Maintaining their attention for the full hour at their young ages of five through eight was difficult at times.

  “Be sure to practice your moves for the test Wednesday. You are all doing great.” Hank bowed his head, they did the same, and then he dismissed them.

  * * * *

  “Hey, what is that place over there?” Millie asked as she, Stacy, and Anna walked past Main Street.

  “Oh, that’s Anthony and Jeremy Lewis’s brother’s place. It’s kind of like a mixed martial arts school, a combat training school for the law enforcement officers, firefighters, and even some military guys. Pretty cool stuff. They even offer classes to children,” Stacy told Millie, and Millie was surprised. She also felt a spark of enthusiasm.

  “Really?”

  “Hey, didn’t you do that martial arts thing for a while?” Anna asked.

  “Sure did. I loved it until Stewart made me quit.”

  “He made you quit? What for?” Stacy asked.

  “He thought it wasn’t ladylike.”

  “Asshole...” Anna sang the word as she took Millie’s hand and began bringing her across the street toward the dojo.

  “Hey, what are you doing?” Millie asked as they crossed the street.

  Anna looked over her shoulder at Stacy and winked. Stacy chuckled and Millie wondered what wasn’t being said amongst the friends.

  As they approached the front window, they could see the class in session.

  Millie smiled at the sight of such young children enjoying the training and discipline of the sport. Then she caught sight of a very large, tall man dressed in an all-black gi. One child
was sitting on top of another child.

  “Oh my goodness, it looks like the Frost boys are at it again.” Stacy chuckled.

  Millie smiled as the Sensei defused the problem and the children returned to class. She peeked to the right and saw another man leading the group. He was very tall as well and nearly identical to the first man. They had hard expressions.

  “The first one in all black is Anthony and Jeremy Lewis’s brother, Dalton. The blond is their other brother, Hank,” Anna offered.

  “Very sexy and mysterious men,” Stacy added.

  “And feared, too. Not men to mess with from what the guys have talked about.”

  “They look like they know what they’re doing. They seem to be doing great with the kids,” Millie stated, not taking her eyes off the two men as she watched them prepare to dismiss the kids.

  “The parents think that Hank and Dalton are great. So do our men. Those two are disciplinary and strict. They both compete in mixed martial arts competitions, too,” Stacy added.

  “Wow. That is impressive.” Millie moved closer and looked around the gym. It was pretty big and looked like they had multiple rooms. There appeared to be military pictures on the walls, from what little she could see from outside, and then she saw the parents come out from a side room and gather their children.

  “I’m going next door to the boutique,” Stacy stated.

  “Oh, I’ll come, too, and see what new clothes Melissa and Diana got into the boutique. Why don’t you check out the programs they offer, Millie? Getting back into something you love would be a step in the right direction,” Anna offered. Millie looked away from the window and at her friends.

  “I’m not sure. It’s been a few months since I worked out and did the moves. I’m not even sure they’ll have the same programs.”

  “Check it out. The blond with the green eyes is Dalton and the other blond with the blue eyes is Hank.” Anna began to walk away toward the boutique.

  Millie waited as the children filed out.

  * * * *

  Hank watched from the mats as the parents and children left the building. He immediately noticed a young woman looking through the front window along with Anna and Stacy. He wondered who she might be.

  “Okay, next time you take the lead with that class. I’ve been heading up the last few weeks and I’m not sure what to do with Jacob and Thomas.” Dalton undid his jacket and tossed it onto the chair.

  The bell above the door jingled and the young woman Hank had noticed entered.

  When she did, she bowed her head in respect, clearly familiar with the ritual of honoring the dojo, then smiled as she approached.

  She reached her hand out to them.

  “Hi, I’m Millie, friend of Stacy and Anna. I was just reacquainting myself with the town when I noticed your place. What kinds of programs do you offer?” she asked, and Hank shook her hand first.

  “Hi, Millie. I’m Hank Lewis and this is my brother, Dalton. Welcome to Pearl.”

  “Thank you. Well, to be honest with you, I grew up in Pearl on Marie Lamorte’s place, but then my mom moved us to Connecticut. I’ve been living in New York for a few years and just moved back here for a bit.”

  Dalton shook her hand next and he held her gaze. Hank wondered if he felt what he was feeling right now. Millie was gorgeous and had a beautiful smile. He actually felt a funny sensation in his gut.

  Caught staring at her, he cleared his throat and tried to gather his thoughts. That had never happened to him before.

  “Well, come on in, Millie, let’s show you around and tell you about our programs,” Hank began as he motioned with his hand for her to enter the main area.

  Dalton’s deep voice made her immediately stop and look up toward his face.

  “Do you have any martial arts training?”

  She nodded her head but seemed to be caught off guard by his authoritative tone and height. Or maybe it was the large scar from shoulder to ear. The crazy bastard was nearly killed by insurgents in Fallujah and the scar was noticeable.

  “Well, what kind?” he asked.

  “Self-defense,” she replied rather abruptly then turned away from his brother. Hank wondered if Dalton had scared her. She seemed real friendly when she entered, but Dalton seemed to put her on the defensive.

  Without meaning to, both he and Dalton blocked her only exit from the main dojo and she suddenly appeared concerned. They both towered over her, so Hank took a step back, but Dalton crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at Millie.

  “Do you have a flier or something? Maybe times and types of classes that you offer?” she asked as if she were in a hurry. But she did look at Dalton and her cheeks appeared pinker. Was she attracted to his brother?

  She had a great body. She looked solid, muscular, and sexy. Her hourglass figure was perfection, but her eyes, deep, dark, and blue, looked like a deer caught in headlights right now. Sometimes he forgot how intimidating he and his brothers could appear.

  “Sure, let me grab you our latest flier. It contains our upcoming schedule and payment plans.” Hank walked back toward the front desk.

  * * * *

  Dalton cleared his throat and eyed her from head to toe. She was stunning, but he didn’t like the way his body instantly reacted to her. His heart actually felt as if the beat increased, and damn it, she smelled really good, too. He wondered if she was just like some of the other single women who came in to the dojo claiming to need self-defense training or wanting to get stronger and learn to fight, but really, they were after one of the brothers. The Lewis brothers were pretty well-known around Pearl and Turbank. They had each established good businesses and came from large families, wealthy from striking oil. Though he and his brothers chose different paths, their cousins continued in the oil business and were doing very well.

  “So what specifically did your sensei teach you?” He pushed for more information even though he really didn’t care. She was just like the other women. She was probably single and looking to land a husband or two. Well, he wasn’t going to fall for it. Then she stared right back up at him with such annoyance he nearly faltered a moment. But like most women, she was probably turned off by his scar and wouldn’t like to see the other more defined ones across his chest and back.

  “Karate, jujitsu, tae kwon do.”

  “He didn’t stick to one teaching?”

  “No. Like I said, it was kind of a self-defense class that I enjoyed and continued to participate in. He wanted to keep me interested so he threw in various things. I liked it.”

  “You sound like it was in the past. How long has it been since you worked out?”

  Her mouth opened wide and she lowered her head a moment. She pulled at the loose-fitting black T-shirt she wore as if he was insulting her. Then it hit him. She thinks I’m calling her fat.

  “I didn’t mean that you need to work out. I just meant if it’s been a while, you may have forgotten a lot of the moves,” he rambled on as his brother, Hank, gave him a dirty look.

  “I had to quit. But that was before and this is now,” she told him. Dalton couldn’t help but sense some upset in her comment. Perhaps someone told her to quit, or maybe she got lazy. It didn’t seem like a possibility.

  “Here you go, Millie. Just stop in or call me if you have any questions.” Hank handed Millie a few fliers with class schedules. “We have two programs starting tomorrow. One is at nine in the morning and is for self-defense and kickboxing.”

  She looked at the paper.

  “What’s this one at seven in the morning? Mixed martial arts and grappling?” she asked.

  “Oh, that’s for the more advanced students. We usually have law enforcement in there and black belts, people training for deployment,” Dalton told her as he walked past her and leaned against the desk. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at her.

  “Oh, well that sounds like a good workout,” she replied with an attitude back.

  Hank watched as Dalton looked Mil
lie over.

  “It’s for experienced fighters and martial artists. You said you did self-defense classes.” He sounded like he was interrogating her and Millie stepped back.

  Hank interrupted.

  “We would test you first, Millie, to see how much you know and then we can place you in the right program. If we don’t have something for you, we offer one-on-one training, too, and not at a higher price.”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “It’s a small town and we’re here for the people. We help to train the deputies in the latest techniques as well as military getting ready for new deployment or ex-military like my brothers and I who want to stay in shape and love to train.”

  “Sound good. I’ll think about it and let you know.”

  She began to leave.

  “Come back tomorrow at nine and we’ll see what you remember. There’ll be a few other women and men here. They’re beginners, too,” Dalton added then got up from the desk and began to walk toward the water cooler.

  Millie followed him with her eyes then looked at Hank.

  She smiled.

  “Thank you, Hank. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at nine.”

  * * * *

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Hank asked Dalton after he watched Millie cross the street and head into the boutique.

  “Nothing’s wrong with me, why?” Dalton asked.

  “You were all over that girl. Shit, Dalton, I know it’s been a while since you had a woman, but don’t you remember how not to bite their heads off or make them run for the hills?”

  Hank knew exactly what was up with his brother. Dalton had been immediately attracted to Millie just as he was, but Dalton thought that Millie was another one of the many single women walking into the dojo looking to land a man or mess around. They had had their share of women and Hank knew women well. Millie was different and he couldn’t wait to see her tomorrow.

  “She doesn’t know shit about martial arts, karate, jujitsu, or whatever.”