Page 3 of Ferocious Protector

I don’t miss the look PJ and Lacy give their friend or the wide eyes she sends back. I’m finding it hard to miss anything about this woman. And I do love the way her hips begin to sway back and forth in those tight-fitting little denim shorts.

She’s not as oblivious as she wants me to believe. That blush on her cheeks and twinkle in her eyes tell me more than she probably wants me to know. But I notice the guys at the bar, the ones sitting around the tables and the slot machines too. They all have eyes on the woman in my arms.

Patti must be more than used to being pursued with a face like that and a body made for sin. The men in this town have to be lined up waiting for a chance to dance with her. But she seems unaware of their interest at all.

The song comes to an end, and a slower one comes on almost immediately. My colleagues draw their women to them. I hear Patti’s sharp intake of breath as my hand snugs against her lower back, holding her closer while trying to keep her at a somewhat respectful distance. Only because I don’t want to scare the blue-eyed doe away.

The warmth of her breath brushes against my chest as we move, and the silkiness of her hair lies against the hand at her waist as I move her around the dance floor.

Garrett’s wife, Lacy, the tall one with red hair, suddenly stops dancing, talking animatedly with Garrett and Cole. They both turn at the same time, and it’s not hard to spot the riffraff who just walked through the door, heading straight toward Lettie standing at the bar.

.

Cole, Garrett and Mason move in sync, meeting Damian and Dereck as they all head toward Lettie. “Stay with the ladies,” Cole says to the rest of the group. Beckett’s eyes go to the back door. The scuffle up front is not a bad distraction for someone who wants to grab the ladies while the men are busy up there. Beckett and I have seen that maneuver more than once in multiple situations.

Lacy looks at me and Beckett. “Should have known the Chicago boys wouldn’t stay away. I swear no matter what we do, they just keep coming. It’s like they have an endless supply of ugly who are willing to do anything they say.”

A tall dark-haired guy with a hat comes in the back door. “You guys know him?” I ask, cause that man hasn’t taken his eyes off Patti and he’s making a beeline straight our way.

“Tucker has a thing for Patti, and doesn’t like the word no,” PJ says, placing a protective arm around her friend.

Patti’s eyes meet mine. “He moved to town over the holidays. We dated a few times, he wanted more, I said no.”

From where I’m standing it doesn’t seem that Tucker has gotten the message. He doesn’t even bother looking at me or Beckett, just walks straight up to Patti. My jaw clenches, but this is a free country, and he hasn’t done anything wrong, yet.

“Don’t see you around here during the daytime much,” Tucker says.

Her mouth tightens but still, she’s coolly polite. “A friend came to town. We’re just catching up,” she says, taking my hand as Tucker sizes me up.

His dark gray eyes narrow. “Were you cheating on this asshole over the holidays with me?”

Her blues eyes flash. “Look, I’ve never cheated on a soul in my life. You just don’t take no for an answer. You were a nice guy but wrong for me. That’s all Tucker, now can you just leave it be?”

He shakes his head. “I’ll catch up to you soon, Patti,” he says, and that sounds pretty damn threatening to me. I step between them. “You heard the lady. She’s not interested. Don’t come around her no more.”

Tucker tosses his head back in a loud dramatic laugh. “You have any clue who you’re talking to like that, asshole?”

My eyes widen. “I’m talking to the man who just got told no and better get on his way.”

“Or what? You and one of your mobbed-up bodyguards are going to try and make a move? Rough me up? Pretty sure you don’t want a piece of me, city boy. Go back to where you came from.”

In one quick move, I have his shirt bunched up in my hand. “Leave the lady alone or next time, you won’t get the warning so nicely.” I lower my voice so only he can hear. “Get the fuck out of this bar. It’s private property and you’re no longer welcome here.”

Tucker raises a fist but I’m not in the mood to give him a pounding just for being a douche. I catch his fist in my hand, twist his arm and then the other behind him as I walk him to the back door. “Leave the lady alone. Last warning,” I tell him as his face turns red. But he doesn’t take another swing, and instead walks straight toward a souped- up big red Ford and climbs in. I watch as he guns the engine and peels away, while typing his license plate into my phone.

Because I have a feeling I’m going to need to learn a lot more about this man named Tucker.

4

Patti

My heart is still pounding as Blake walks back over to me. Beckett is watching Blake and the commotion up by the bar, but he knows the guys up front have numbers on their side.

Blake, however, did not need backup. “My lord the way he put Tucker in a hold and kicked his ass out the door,” PJ whispers to me. “Shut up,” I whisper hiss.

Lacy laughs. “Patti Ann, one of these days your flitting around is going to get you in a world of trouble. You know you have to settle down one of these days.”

I huff. “Not likely. I said I do one time, and that was the last time I’ll ever do it again. Lying, cheating sack of …. “