Cook's Choice: A Bad Boy Protector Romance (Lost Boys Book 4)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  “Maybe.”

  “That’s not the answer I wanted.”

  “Doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one.” Levi glances my way. “Do you still have the envelope that the picture came in?”

  “It’s on my desk.”

  “I’ll get it when I bring you lunch.”

  I slump down in my seat and shovel my way through the rest of my breakfast. It’s warm and comforting and right now I need that.

  A lot.

  Levi pulls into the parking lot at Elm Grove, but instead of pulling up to the front like normal, he fits the truck into a spot and shuts off the engine.

  “What are you doing?” I tuck my coffee into the crook of my arm as I hook on my purse.

  “Just coming in to have a little chat with the security guard.” He climbs out, and by the time I’ve collected all my dishes Levi is at my door, opening it for me.

  Because he’s also a gentleman.

  A blind one if he can’t see how obvious his real self is, but I’m not going to mention that now. He rests one hand on my back, pressing me toward the glass doors as he scans the lot.

  “You think someone is here?” It takes everything I have not to look around too.

  But I don’t want them to think I’m worried.

  I’m not.

  “Just being careful, Pinky.” He pulls open the door, directing me through as his eyes drag the lot one more time.

  I give the new security guard a smile as I walk in. “Good morning.”

  “Morning, Carly. How’s it going?”

  My smile freezes. “Fine.”

  Definitely not fine. My head hurts and my eyes are burning.

  “I’ll see you at lunch.” Levi doesn’t make a move to kiss me goodbye, just gives me an easy smile as he leans against the rounded counter surrounding the security station.

  “Okay.” I turn, knowing it looks awkward, and hustle down the hall to my office. I glance back the way I came as I unlock the door, catching sight of Josie as she walks past the main entrance, clearing the opening before taking a couple steps back, craning her neck toward the front of the building. When she turns back my way her eyes are wide and her steps are speedy.

  “Good morning.” I give her a smile. I know she’s my boss, but I really like Josie in a friendly sort of way. She’s about the same age as me and has a daughter who is sweet and smart as a whip. Sometimes Josie brings Clara in to read to the residents, and the little girl is just as kind and caring as her mother.

  Which the people here eat up.

  “Holy shit.” Josie comes in close to me. “Did you see that man at the front desk?” Her fingers skim down her arms. “Tattoos everywhere.” She starts to back down the hall, leaning to peek around the corner. “Damn. He’s gone.” Her head is shaking as she comes back my way. “He was beautiful.”

  I press my lips tight together, trying not to smile.

  Josie’s eyes widen. “Carly...” Her mouth drops into an open smile. “Is that this man I’ve heard about?”

  “Where did you hear—” I roll my eyes. “Never mind.”

  “I’m going to have to have a talk with Violet because she left out a lot of important information on that one.” She gives me a slow nod. “I’m so proud of you right now.”

  “Thank you.” My face is hot again, but not because of the odd mix of anger and panic I was dealing with this morning.

  I’ve never had a friend my own age before. No one to talk about the things women usually discuss.

  But maybe Josie is not just my boss.

  Maybe she’s my friend too.

  I plop down at my desk. “He’s really, really amazing.”

  “He looks amazing.” She blows out a breath. “That one’s got a body on him.”

  “Yeah. He does.” I rock in my seat a little, working up the nerve to spit out the rest of what I want to say.

  “And he knows how to use it.”

  15

  “WHAT’S GOING ON?” Gypsy glances up at me from his desk at the warehouse. “Why in the hell aren’t you at work?”

  “Carly got this picture in the mail yesterday.” I toss it onto his desk as Moon comes in.

  Gypsy picks it up, shaking his head. “I heard about it.” He passes the photo to Moon. “Just when I thought he couldn’t be a bigger piece of shit.” He leans back in his chair. “How’s she taking it?”

  “That woman can handle just about anything.”

  I slowly turn to Moon. “Watch yourself.”

  “Come on, man. You know I’m not trying to mess with your girl.” Moon holds the photo out to me. “You can’t get pissed any time someone compliments her.”

  “I can do whatever the fuck I want.” I move toward him.

  I don’t like him thinking she’s strong.

  I’m the one who sees that.

  I’m the one who knows who she is. That she’s not just the soft sweet woman she shows the world.

  “Don’t come at me like that, Cook. It won’t end well.” The warning in his tone only pisses me off more.

  “She’s fucking mine, dick.” I lunge at him, taking Moon down hard and fast.

  I’ve fought my whole life. It’s easier than talking shit out, and gets the point across way fucking faster.

  And I’ve got a point to get across.

  I will take down anyone who tries to take Carly from me. Anyone who even thinks about it. I don’t care who it is.

  Moon is bigger and heavier than I am and that works against him. I can move faster and untangle my limbs just as quick as he can get a hold of them.

  “Fuck, man. Calm down.” Moon smashes his hand into the center of my face, pushing my head back. “I don’t want your fucking girl.” His other hand plants in the center of my chest and shoves, knocking me back even more. “But she’s cool as hell, and I’m not going to pretend she’s not.”

  “That might be what you should do for a minute.” Gypsy’s leaned against the desk watching us with no small amount of amusement.

  “Your wife is cool as hell too.”

  Gypsy holds his arms out. “See, I don’t mind ‘cause she’s mine. Got papers to prove it.” He leans down as I grab Moon again. “But I’d of been a lot more touchy at the beginning.” He straightens, pointing a finger at Moon as I get him in a choke hold. “You’ll see.”

  Moon’s face turns pink, but he refuses to tap out.

  And I’m not letting go.

  Jeff comes through the office door, the clipboard he always carries gripped in one hand. His eyes fall to us on the floor and a second later he’s wailing on me, the metal of his clipboard catching me in the back of the head. “Come on. Stop acting like you don’t have any sense.” He hits me again. “Let him go, Cook. Stop acting like an ass.”

  I flinch as he knocks me again. “I’m not fucking acting.”

  “You sure as hell are.” He manages to catch me hard enough with his next swing that I lose my grip.

  Moon rolls away from me, throwing an elbow into my ribs as he goes.

  I stay on the floor, my arms stretched out as I try to catch my breath.

  Jeff stands over me. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “King’s going to try to get her.” I swing back, punching a fist onto the concrete floor. “He’s going to try to take her from me. I know he is.”

  “Probably.” Gypsy’s still as relaxed as he always is. “But if we’ve learned anything, it’s that women are way more dangerous than he thinks they are.”

  Moon rolls one shoulder. “Who’s watching her now?”

  “They’ve got security where she works.”

  “He armed?”

  I nod. “I talked to him today. Told him to keep his eyes out.”

  “You think he will?” Gypsy shoves the end of a pen in his mouth and bites down.

  “He fuckin’ better.” The kid said he was in the academy, but that doesn’t mean he’ll do what needs to be done when the time comes.

  “Get up.” Jeff holds his hand out for me, yanking
me hard when I grab it. “Stop acting like a dick.” He slaps Moon in the center of the chest, keeping his palm where it lands. “These are the best friends you have. You think one of them would ever take your girl?”

  I squint up at Moon. “Better not.”

  Jeff flicks me in the nose. Hard. “That’s not what I asked.” He points at Moon. “You think this man would ever betray you like that?”

  “Maybe.”

  Moon’s brows jump up. “Seriously?” He tosses his hands in the air. “What kind of a son of a bitch do you think I am?”

  “It’s not you, son.” Jeff turns his hard eyes on me. “It’s him.” The man old enough to be my father tips his head to the door leading to the warehouse. “Walk with me.”

  I shoot Moon a glare as I pass. One that keeps me from seeing Jeff’s hand as it latches onto my ear and yanks me along. “You boys never had anyone teach you how to act right and it shows.”

  His comment only irritates me more. “Jill does.”

  “She might teach you how to use your manners, but you need someone to kick your ass into seeing what’s right in front of your face.” He pulls me toward the back of the huge space, leading me along stacks of boxes and bins. When he finally lets me go I rub the cartilage he’d been gripping, making sure all my gauged earrings are still in place. Jeff points back toward the office. “Those boys are like brothers to you.”

  He’s not wrong. I’m closer to them than I’ve ever been to anyone besides my grandma.

  But that’s not saying much.

  I would do anything for them. Protect them and theirs with my life.

  But...

  “Why in the hell do you think they look at you different than you look at them?” He steps in closer, coming almost nose to nose with me. “I see what you do for them. You take care of them. Feed them all the damn time. Clean their house. Protect their women.” His eyes narrow. “And you think they wouldn’t do the same for you.”

  I stay silent.

  “Fine.” Jeff steps back. “Pretend you’re right.” He shoves one finger in my face. “But I can tell you right now, those boys would do anything for you. They love you the same damn way you love them.”

  Love.

  It’s something I’ve had very little of.

  “Whatever.” I turn and leave, kicking an empty box across the cement floor as I go.

  I peel out of the lot and speed the whole way to the building that serves as home base for FrankenFood, pulling in and parking beside Roy and Shirley’s car. They both look my way as I come in the back door, throwing my keys across the counter.

  One of Shirley’s brows lifts. “Bad morning?”

  “I’m fine.” I go to the sink and wash up.

  “Seems like.” Roy’s at the large prep area, chopping up the day’s fresh ingredients.

  Shirley straightens from where she’s separating out stacks of paper trays and paper liners. “Have you got a girlfriend, Levi?”

  “Why would you ask me that?” I snap a handful of towels out of the dispenser and shove them over my skin, drying off my hands.

  “Women are usually the reason men act like babies.” She’s back to her task, not even looking up as she shoots out the insult.

  “Babies?” I look to Roy who’s nodding along with his wife’s statement.

  “You’re throwing a fit.” Shirley points to the wad of towels in my hand. “Throw those away. We’re behind because someone was late.”

  “Who’s the boss here?”

  Shirley stands tall, her hands on her hips as she stares me down. “Don’t think that just because I love you I won’t walk right out of here and leave you on your own.”

  I take a step back.

  She comes my way. “Now, you can either tell us what’s wrong so we can help you, or you can get yourself together and start working. Either way, I’m not going to have you act like that.” Shirley stops in front of me and waits.

  I drop my head back and close my eyes.

  “I just got in a fight with Moon.”

  “Well why would you do a thing like that?” Shirley’s eyes are on me, but they don’t carry the judgment I’m expecting.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well that’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one.” She taps me on the arm. “Come on. You can work and talk at the same time.”

  I glove up and take my place between her and Roy. “I met this girl.”

  “Mm-hm.” Shirley grabs a head of iceberg and starts chopping, breaking it down until she can slice it into the thin shreds we use to top some of the tacos. “What’s her name?”

  “Carly.” I hesitate for just a second. “She’s King’s daughter.”

  Roy’s attention snaps my way. “What?”

  “It’s a long, fucked-up story. She didn’t know until after her mom died a few months ago.” I grab the peppers I always chop so no one else has to risk burning their skin or eyes. “She moved here to find him.”

  “Oh no. Honey, you can’t let her find him.” Shirley’s eyes are wide and worried.

  “He found her.” I mince the bright orange flesh of the tiny habanero on my cutting board. “She was following me and The Horsemen saw her. Probably ran her plates and went from there.”

  “How in the world did that cause a fight with Moon?” Shirley goes back to chopping, but her cuts have more force behind them now.

  I don’t answer her for a minute.

  She’s not going to like what I say, and I’m not in the mood for a second lecture before noon.

  “Carly’s special.” I work my way through how to explain things. “I don’t like it when other people point it out.”

  Roy’s head drops back and he starts to laugh. “That’s a good sign, son.”

  “That I get pissed?”

  “No.” He points the tip of his knife my way. “That other people think she’s special too. Means you got something worth having.”

  I work my knife across the board. “We’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one.”

  “Stop being a brat.” Shirley leans to look at what I’m doing. “And quit murdering that poor pepper.”

  I use the blade of the knife to add the habanero to the mango salsa Roy’s working on. “I’m not being a brat.”

  “You are.” Shirley turns to me. “Do you think she acts the same way when one of her friends notices you?”

  I drop my eyes. “No.”

  Carly is too sweet to—

  No. That’s not why.

  She’s grown. Confident. Secure in what she is.

  “Damn it.” I slam the knife down on the board, bracing my hands against the edge as I lean forward, hanging my head low. “I’m not fucking good enough for her.”

  “Of course not.” Roy adds diced red onion to the mix he’s assembling. “We never are.” His eyes linger on his wife as his voice drops. “But sometimes we can trick them into liking us anyway.”

  ****

  CARLY’S AT HER desk, sitting with her eyes glued to the screen of her computer. I watch her for a minute as she plays with one of the buttons on her sweater, twisting it as she uses her other hand to scroll.

  “Knock, knock.”

  She jumps a little, her brown eyes bouncing my way. “Oh. Hey.” Her attention falls to the containers in my hand. “Is it lunchtime already?”

  “Looks like.” I move into the space, looking around at the bare walls. “How long have you worked here?”

  “Six months.” She’s leaning forward. “That smells really good.”

  “Good. I’m trying to find reasons to keep you coming back.”

  Carly’s eyes lift to mine. “I have plenty of reasons to keep coming back already.”

  I barely nod.

  She’s never been shy with compliments. I’ve tried to ignore every one of them.

  But maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe I should listen just a little.

  Believe she means them.

  “Are you having lunch with me?” She grabs a bottle of water f
rom the pack sitting behind her desk and holds it out for me.

  “Not today.” The disappointment on her face makes my gut warm. “I thought maybe your friend Violet might want to have lunch with you.”

  She beams at me. Not a smile.

  Not a grin.

  She lights the whole fucking room up.

  Something I did put that smile on her face.

  I want to do it again.

  “Do you want to meet her?” She stands up and rounds her desk.

  “She sounds like trouble.” I’ve heard stories about Violet since Kerri met Tracker, but I’ve never had the chance to meet her.

  “She definitely is.” Carly pulls her door closed and locks it.

  “Do you have problems with people stealing things?” I scan the empty hall, suddenly feeling less confident in the security guard, who I also brought lunch.

  “What?” Her eyes squint for a second. “Oh. No.” She crunches her nose up. “The ladies did not enjoy their aerobics class today, and I’m expecting retaliation.”

  I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of a bunch of old ladies wreaking havoc around this place.

  “You think it’s funny now. Wait until you have to help me unwrap ten skeins of yarn from everything in my office.” She peeks my way as we walk down the hall.

  “Pinky, I will happily do anything you want me to do.”

  She smiles. “I just want you to be you.” Her brows go up a little. “If you want to make French toast while being you, that would be fine too.”

  I laugh again. Every time it gets a little easier.

  “I can make that happen.”

  “I never doubted it.” She stops in front of a closed door and turns to me. “I need to warn you.” She glances at the wood separating us from her friend. “She will probably try to grab your butt.”

  The door whips open.

  A pair of cool blue eyes land on me. “Well hello there.”

  The tiny woman in front of me would look harmless at first glance. Her knobby hands grip a walker with tennis balls on the feet. She’s thin and delicate.

  But there’s a look in her eyes I’ve seen many times before.

  “You must be Violet.” I reach for her hand and pull it to my lips, pressing a light kiss on her knuckles. “I’m Levi.”

  “Aren’t you a charmer?” Violet’s eyes move to Carly. “He’s a looker too.”