Page 89 of Beyond the Cut
Someone thudded on the door. She half expected it to be Banks, but when she heard Cade’s voice, her heart warmed.
“You okay in there, babe?”
“Yeah.” She stepped over Shelly-Ann lying stunned on the floor. “I got this.”
***
“Fucking hell.” Cade moved to the side as Shelly-Ann pushed her way past him in the hallway, her face swollen and red and her eye half shut. “You do that?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Proud of you, sweetheart.” He gave her a hug and Dawn laughed.
“You didn’t even ask why.”
“Didn’t have to. Knowing how you feel about violence, I figure she must have deserved it.”
“She did.”
While Dawn told him about her altercation with Shelly-Ann, Cade discretely gestured to T-Rex and the prospect to follow Shelly-Ann. Yeah, his girl had this, but he wanted to make sure it didn’t come back on her in any way.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” she said as he led her to the dance floor. Jagger caught his eye and frowned, but Cade didn’t give a damn if he provoked Mad Dog. In fact, he hoped Mad Dog started a fight so he would have an excuse to off the bastard tonight, instead of hunting him down tomorrow.
“Got a lead on a coupla guys who were in the van with Mad Dog. I know how Banks doesn’t like blood spilled on his floors, so Zane, Gun, and I took a little side trip.” He tensed, worried about her reaction, but Dawn just laughed.
“I thought Mad Dog’s group of supporters was looking a little thin.”
“Five down. One to go.” He held up his hands. “But I washed up before coming here.”
“That’s sweet in a fucked-up-violent-biker-gets-revenge kinda way.” She turned to face him and Cade rumbled his approval. God, she looked hot. Tight black dress showing way too much cleavage. High heels, totally inappropriate for waiting tables. Little white apron. Her beautiful hair flowing over her cut in a golden wave… Hell, he knew what every biker in the bar was thinking and he wanted to kill them all.
Mine.
They reached the small dance floor at the back of the bar and her gaze fixed on him as if he were her anchor in the storm. He wanted so badly to take her away—shelter her from this world—he could almost taste it. But another part of him, impressed at how she’d handled herself, wanted more.
“I’m a bad girlfriend…” Dawn mouthed the words to the song as she laced her hands around his neck, her body swaying to the beat.
“But you’re a damn fine old lady, and I’ll prove it to you when I have you alone and in my bed.” Unable to stop himself, Cade slid his hand up her thigh beneath her dress, his finger tracing along the edge of her stocking.
“Later,” she whispered.
Desire shot through his veins with violent intensity, and a wave of possessiveness crashed over him so hard he could barely breathe. “Banks got an office here?”
She laughed and tilted her head into his palm. “No way would he give it up. He heard what you did at Riders.”
“That was a good night.”
“The best.”
Cade bent down to kiss her, frowning when she tensed and leaned away. He followed her gaze to Mad Dog, standing in the corner, his face a mask of rage. And although he knew it would only inflame the situation, he pulled her close and covered her mouth with his—a full-on, one-hand-in-her-hair, one-hand-on-her-ass, totally possessive kiss that was as much a statement for her as it was for Mad Dog.
Take that you fucking bastard.
“Let’s get outta here, babe. I can’t wait to get you home.”
***
Jimmy followed them through the bar after the dance, gaining on them as they neared the door. Dawn tried not to look, but she couldn’t help herself. She wouldn’t put it past him to shoot them in the back. She couldn’t understand why Cade didn’t look, but he kept walking with the same even, measured steps, his arm around her, his free hand nowhere near his holster where it needed to be.
