Keegan (Wounded Hero Book 1)

by Marysol James

  Crying and blubbering and begging like a fucking pathetic little wimp.

  Funny how guys like this saw exactly zero wrong with physically dominating and damaging a woman, but turned into squealing losers the second someone their own size showed up and laid into them.

  Asshole.

  Keegan eased up a bit now, knowing damn good and well that the guy had had enough and was near the end. He was barely conscious and Keegan wanted to make sure that he heard every word that Keegan had to say to him. He placed his knees firmly on the jackass’ chest, leaned down hard, cutting off his air for a few seconds before taking the weight on his ankles and hands.

  “Listen up, you fuck,” Keegan snarled into the guy’s face. “You listenin’?”

  The guy gave a long groan and Keegan sighed, exasperated. He grabbed the guy’s hair, jerked his head up.

  “I said, are you listenin’.”

  “Yeah – yeah.”

  “Good. Now let’s get somethin’ clear between us, boy.” Keegan gave him a smart slap on the back of the head to get his full attention. “You are never never fuckin’ ever to touch a woman or anyone else like you just touched her. If you gotta drag a woman kickin’ and screamin’ to your car, then she ain’t into you and you’re gonna be a man and just accept that. Now, I can keep poundin’ on your ugly face or I can go and get that sweet girl home.” He paused. “Which is it gonna be? Because I gotta tell you, I’m completely enjoyin’ myself here and I got a clear schedule and can stay for a few more minutes. If you want.”

  “No!” the guy said quickly. “No, no. I – I got the message. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to every woman who’s ever been forced by a guy, just because she said no and he wasn’t man enough to respect that.”

  “I – I won’t ever –”

  “You’re goddamn right that you ‘won’t ever’,” Keegan snapped. “Because lemme tell you what: I took it easy on you and I have enough self-control that I can stop. Next time, you might not be so lucky.” Keegan got to his feet, gave the guy a sharp kick that rolled him over onto his side. “Now fuckin’ stay right where you are until I say you can move, and if you breathe one word about what went on here, I’ll be happy to tell the cops what I saw. My account will be backed up by sister, who’s a lawyer, by the way. Ain’t nobody gonna take your word over ours, and I ain’t above sayin’ that you had a knife to that girl’s throat and I beat the snivelin’ snot out of you in self-defense when you turned it on me. Am I bein’ as clear as you need me to be, asshole?”

  “Y – yes.” The guy coughed weakly. “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Good. Now stay down in the dirt like the pig that you are.”

  He turned and headed over to the cabin. He went around the corner, saw the women on the porch. When his sister spotted him, she called over:

  “Grab his phone, Kee. He was recording everything.”

  He stopped walking, just stopped dead in his tracks, amazed at the wave of anger that rolled on over him at the humiliation that the blonde woman had suffered. And why? Because she was waitressing at the wrong event on the wrong night, with the wrong guy in attendance? Fuck that. Without a word, he pivoted and went back to the idiot.

  He held out his hand. “Phone.”

  “Wait – what?”

  Keegan snapped his fingers. “Phone.”

  “But –”

  “Now or I’m gonna forget that I just agreed to stop beatin’ your wanna-be rapist face into the ground.”

  “Shit,” the guy muttered as he handed over the cell. “All this over a stupid fucking slut…”

  This time, Keegan didn’t bother to hold back even slightly. The punch was merciless and pitiless; it was the kind of punch that put a big strong guy into bed for two days.

  Or in this case, it knocked him out cold in the dirt.

  Hovering over the prone body, Keegan exhaled hard, checked in with himself. No, he wasn’t the kind who went around looking for fights but he never ran from one, either. And no, he hadn’t wanted things to go this far but they had – and Keegan stood by what he’d just done. He always stood by the things that he did.

  “Great,” he muttered. “Now I’ve gotta go and get some backup. Dammit.”

  He contemplated his options for a few seconds and decided to go get Adam. He thanked God that Nick and Mia had disappeared already, off to start their honeymoon in their Open Skies cabin and in the best way possible, because Keegan would have felt like six kinds of shit to ruin their big day with a dust-up in the parking lot. But reality was what it was: he’d knocked the guy out and he couldn’t be left alone out here to recover. With Keegan’s luck, the jerk would wake up all disoriented and wander off into the mountains or into the road to be hit by the one car to pass that way that night. Yeah, the guy was an asshole but he didn’t deserve to die tonight by mountain lion or truck or whatever, and Keegan wasn’t interested in being an accessory to involuntary manslaughter or some such fancy legal thing.

  He pocketed the cell phone, then went back over to Kelly and the woman. Without a word, he climbed the stairs, stood in front of them.

  “Keegan,” Kelly said brightly, as if she were at some fancy work function and doing introductions over eye-wateringly expensive champagne. “This is Trish.”

  “Hi,” he muttered, automatically extended a rough hand. When he saw the blood on his knuckles, he snatched it back, stuck it in his pocket. His fingers touched the phone and he pulled it out. “For you.”

  “Oh, God,” she said in a voice that broke his heart just a little bit. “Thank you. Keegan, thank you. I can’t tell you – this means so much. You’ll never know.”

  A bit taken aback at her vehemence, he peered down at her more closely, taking her in fully. Yeah, she looked seriously freaked out and her gorgeous hair had been pulled out of her ponytail and her eye makeup was streaked and her cheeks shiny with tears – but Trish remained the most breath-stealing creature that Keegan had ever seen.

  He had a fleeting image – one totally unworthy of him in this moment of trauma and violence – of Trish gasping and panting after coming in his arms. She’d be all soft and warm, all curled up against him with her hair tousled around her face and shoulders, her makeup nothing but a memory, her cheeks shining with sweat and a sweet pink glow.

  She’d be so perfect, it would take his breath away.

  Not now, you fuckin’ creeper. Jesus.

  “You’re welcome,” he said. “I know I already asked you this, but did he hurt you?”

  “No,” Trish said, then paused. “Well… a bit here.” She indicated to her wrists and Keegan and Kelly were horrified to see a few red marks and small bruises coming up. “He – he dragged me and I didn’t get on board with that, really.”

  “Goddammit,” Keegan hissed. “We’re takin’ you to the hospital.”

  “No!” Trish exclaimed. “No, please. I don’t want to do that. I won’t.”

  They look at her, then shot glances at each other: Keegan and Kelly could talk without saying a word and a whole bunch of stuff passed between them in just a few seconds. They were pretty uncomfortable with not taking Trish to the hospital, but they weren’t going to force her. First, though, Kelly had a few questions and Keegan was more than happy for her to take the lead. When it came to talking, his sister was a megastar. She looked back at Trish and Keegan saw her shift into lawyer mode:

  “Did you hit your head?” Kelly asked her. “Did he hit you in the face?”

  “No and no.” Trish shook her head, her blonde hair framing her sharp cheekbones. “He covered my mouth but that’s as close as he got to my face.”

  “Did you know him before tonight?”

  Trish blinked. “What?”

  “Do you know him?”

  “No.”

  “Who did he think you were?” Keegan broke in now and Kelly gave him a look, backed off. “Outside, when he was callin’ you names and I walked into what looked like an argument.”
r />   Kelly’s green eyes narrowed as she waited for the answer.

  “He thought I was someone he used to go to a state college with,” Trish said, the lie coming out so smooth and easy; then again, she’d used it before when people had thought that they recognized her from school somewhere. “But I don’t know this guy. I told him that I never went to college and I’m not from Colorado anyway, but he didn’t listen. He was pretty drunk.”

  “OK,” Kelly said slowly. “So a case of mistaken identity?”

  Trish thought about herself in her old life in L.A., the one where she’d been Thalia Flame, Porn Star Extraordinaire. The person that she was now was nothing, nothing like that person. Not even goddamn close.

  “Yes,” she said crisply. “Whoever he took me for, I’m not them.”

  Not anymore. Not ever again.

  Keegan and Kelly looked at her some more and Trish was struck at how they had the exact same look on their faces. They actually looked remarkably similar in some ways, despite not looking at all alike in others. But that intense, searching, no-bullshit double stare was like a spotlight on her face and she fought to hold both sets of eyes. She knew that if she looked away now, they’d pounce on her like a tag-team of feral tigers.

  “All right,” Kelly said at last and Trish almost sighed in relief. The woman was clearly smart as hell and probably not much got past her. “But I want to spend a couple of hours with you to make sure you’re OK.”

  Oh, no.” Trish shook her head. “Kelly, that’s not necessary.”

  “It is, actually,” the other woman responded. “I need to see if you start to look sick or shaky. If you’re not telling us the truth about being hit around the head, then I’m not sending you home to sleep. Or…” She cocked her head and her chestnut waves fell over her shawl. “…we could take you to the hospital after all. Your call, Trish, but one or the other is happening.”

  “Are you being serious right now?”

  “I am.”

  Trish fell silent.

  “So?” Kelly prompted her. “A couple of hours with us to make sure you’re alert and OK to be on your own, or to the E.R.?”

  Trish sighed, feeling like this goddamn night was never going to end. “I’ll go with you guys.”

  “Yay!” Kelly said and Trish almost laughed at the girlish exclamation, so unlike the way that Kelly had spoken so far. “So… coffee then, like we talked about earlier?”

  “Uh, what?” Keegan asked, obviously thrown. “What coffee?”

  “Oh.” Kelly turned to him. “I asked her for coffee while we were waiting on the porch.”

  “You did?”

  “I did! And she said yes.” Kelly grinned. “So let’s go. I’ll drive.”

  “But –” Trish began. “My car is here and I’ll need it tomorrow.”

  “I’ll give you money to take a taxi back and pick it up,” Kelly said to her. “You’re not driving mere minutes after being attacked, it’s a car wreck waiting to unfold. It’s just not happening, Trish.”

  “You’d better do as she says,” Keegan said wryly. “The woman always gets her own way, believe me. Resistance is futile.”

  Trish figured that if anyone knew this about Kelly, it was going to be her boyfriend; besides, she’d figured out for herself that Kelly was small but mighty and Trish doubted that many people said no to her. Best to just stick it out for two hours, even if it meant watching the hottest man that she’d ever seen interact with his girlfriend on a coffee run doubling as an act of mercy for the poor chick who got knocked around by a drunk jerk.

  Life has a messed up sense of humor.

  “OK,” Trish said, bowing to the inevitable. “Coffee it is.”

  Keegan looked at her now, and she found herself being drawn forward and into that amazing silver stare. The man had eyes like moonlight on a river and Trish never thought such a thing was possible.

  “Well.” His voice was soft and at complete odds with his hard, handsome face and swollen, bloody hands. “Huh.”

  “Huh?” Trish repeated blankly. “Huh what?”

  “Looks like we’re goin’ for that coffee after all, darlin’.”

  Trish looked at Kelly quickly, stunned that Keegan would mention him asking her out in front of his damn girlfriend – but Kelly looked totally untroubled.

  “You asked her out for coffee after all?” Kelly said, very interested. “And she said no?”

  “Yep.” Keegan grinned. “Said that she can’t date customers.”

  “Really?” Kelly asked her. “You can’t? Surely you can make an exception for the man who saved you?”

  “I – I’m sorry.” Trish wondered if maybe she had been hit in the head, because nothing was making any sense right now. “I don’t get this.”

  “Get what?” he asked.

  “Get… this!” Trish waved her hands at them. “Don’t you – aren’t you guys a couple?”

  They stared at her for a few seconds, then burst into laughter. Trish just blinked back at them, totally confused.

  “I’m guessing that you’re not,” she mumbled. “I just assumed…”

  “Because I brought her as my plus-one to Nick’s wedding,” Keegan said. “You thought we were together.”

  “Yeah. Of course.” Trish defended herself. “I mean – of course.”

  “We get this a lot, but nah, darlin’,” he said and she found herself liking the way that he said that. “Kelly’s my sister.”

  “Twin sister, actually,” Kelly chimed in. “And he might be the big, strong, scowly one, but I’m four minutes older so I’m always in charge.”

  “Uhhhh.” Trish stared at Kelly’s light-brown hair, sparkling green eyes and light dusting of freckles across her porcelain nose and cheeks, then took in Keegan’s dark hair, silver eyes and golden skin. “Twins?”

  “Fraternal, not identical,” Keegan said. “And if she can get through the night not mentionin’ again that she’s four minutes older than me, I’ll eat my damn tie, I swear to Christ.”

  Both women laughed. Suddenly Trish was feeling much, much happier about this coffee.

  Chapter 4

  “How do you take your coffee?” Keegan asked Trish abruptly. “I’m buyin’.”

  “Oh.” She stared across the table at him. “Ummm… actually, I’d prefer green tea. I never drink coffee this late. If I do, I won’t get to sleep.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard of people like you,” Kelly said teasingly. “People who don’t have caffeine flowing through their veins. Kee and I can drink coffee ten minutes before bed and drop off to sleep, no problem.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.” Keegan caught the waitress’ eye and she shot over. She’d been hovering and staring at him for the past five minutes, much to the women’s amusement. “Two coffees and one green tea. Milk and sugar in one coffee, the other black.”

  “The black one’s for you?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him. “Industrial strength?”

  “Nope. The black one’s for her.” He gestured at Kelly who grinned. “She’s the industrial strength one, trust me.”

  “Ah.” The waitress looked slightly deflated, then ramped up her flirting game again. “So you’re the sweet one?”

  “Nope. Her again.”

  “Oh,” she mumbled as she skulked off. “I’ll – I’ll get the drinks.”

  “The charm of Kee strikes again,” Kelly said dryly. “Every waitress is dying for a date with the man, I swear it.” She looked across at Trish who was fiddling with a placemat. “Every waitress except one, it seems. I’ve got to tell you, he doesn’t get turned down much.”

  “No?” Trish cleared her throat. “Well… it wasn’t personal. I just – I don’t like to mix business with other stuff.”

  “Smart,” Kelly said. “But I think you can be flexible now, huh?”

  “Well… yes. I mean, it’s not every day that a guy saves me from – whatever was going to happen.”

  It was only then that Trish suddenly and full
y realized what could have happened to her that night: that guy had ben determined to rape her and film the whole thing, then put it online for the sadistic and gleeful consumption of the world at large.

  “Hey.” Keegan saw the look on her face and he gently, slowly, reached across the table to take her hand. “You’re OK, darlin’. He got away with exactly nothin’ and he got his fuckin’ face caved in for good measure.”

  “Kee,” Kelly reproved him in a low voice. “Language.”

  “Aw, shit.” Keegan shut his eyes as his sister glared at him. “Sorry. Twice.”

  Trish giggled and the sound surprised the others: it was a surprisingly sweet sound from a woman who was clearly pretty tough and suspicious. A bit vulnerable, a bit shaky, but still – it was nice to hear.

  “It’s OK,” she said to Keegan, gently prying her hand away and brushing her hair off her face. “You should hear what’s said in a kitchen during a wedding when things start to go wrong.”

  “I can imagine.” He gave her a slow smile, one that made her feel all squirmy. “You’re OK now.”

  “Yeah. Thanks to you two.” She looked over at them as a thought came to her. “Actually… you guys were leaving early, huh? You’re not big partiers?”

  “We’re really not,” Kelly said. “But I was the one leaving tonight and Kee was just walking me to my car. He was going to go back.”

  “Oh no. I’m sorry that I ruined the night for you, Keegan.”

  “You kiddin’ me?” he growled as the waitress appeared with their coffee and tea. She set the cups down without once making eye contact. “Nothin’ better than gettin’ my coffee date after all.”

  “I don’t think you imagined your sister tagging along though, right?” Kelly said pertly as she sipped her coffee. “Total buzzkill.”

  Trish laughed again and settled into her seat a bit better. She was relaxing now.