Dylan stepped forward and told the man that he needed to back off of her right now.
“Look, buddy, I don't know who the hell you are, but you need to get the hell away from her, talking to her like that.”
Dylan was a little surprised at how harsh his voice was and the words that he chose.
“We're in the middle of a business decision. You're going to have to wait a minute to buy your little bride.”
Something in the way that he said it made Dylan react in a way that he hadn't wanted to. He knew as soon as he walked in that the man was a shifter and not human, so maybe that was why he was a little more animalistic in his response. The guy was a danger, and if there was danger around, the only way to take care of it was to take it out. He pulled his arm back and smashed his fist into the man's face.
“Leave now!”
William started to say something, and Dylan started to move towards him. “I won't say it again. Leave now, or I will throw you out personally. You have nothing else to say to her.”
Jamie was standing there, unsure what to do. Dylan took another step towards her, putting himself between her and William. He didn't want to know what was going on, not at the moment. All he wanted was for whoever it was to leave. His hackles were up, and it wouldn't be long before the beast inside of him came forward. Whatever he turned into, whatever animal it was, Dylan knew that he would kill it.
“Jamie, tell this man—”
“I said to leave! You do not talk to her. You leave!”
Dylan's blood pressure was up sky high. He couldn't think straight, and he felt a little buzzing in his ears. The defensiveness that he took on was unlike anything he’d felt before. All he knew for certain was there was no way in hell that he was going to let anything happen to Jamie.
The man looked like he was going to say something else, but then he shut his mouth like he had decided against it. Dylan thought that it was probably the best thing he could have done at that point. Nothing that could be said was going to make anything better. He had never been so mad in his life. Why he was mad, he wasn't sure; maybe it was that it was Jamie, or maybe it was because the man had a familiarity with her that he did not like. Jamie could very well be single, but that didn't mean that she didn't have a man on the side that was taking care of her needs.
Once he was out of the building, Dylan was able to release the anger that was inside of him. His hands were folded up into fists so tight that they hurt when he finally opened them. He looked to Jamie, not sure if she would be upset or not. If it was her lover, she probably did not appreciate the way he had just treated him.
“I'm sorry about that. I don't know who he was, but when I walked in...”
His voice trailed off. Dylan couldn't really express in words how he felt. All he knew was he wouldn’t let somebody put their hands on her, or even yell at her. She didn't deserve it, and Dylan was going to make sure that none of it came her way. He felt like a protector, like it was his duty to make sure she was safe. It was also his duty to not let it go too far. He had to play the role of hero, even if his immoral side wanted to take advantage of the situation.
“It's okay, really. I'm glad that you showed up. William has been more and more unhinged every time I've seen him. I don't know what is going on in his personal life, but it is certainly making him go a little crazy.”
Dylan wanted more. He wanted to know who he was and what he was to Jamie. Was the man with her? Finally, he asked because it was driving him crazy, the wondering.
“He used to work for me, but things went south, as you can see. I’ve been trying to break the connection, but he is raising his price and making it impossible to get out from underneath him.”
He was almost immediately relieved. He wasn’t a lover. He could breathe again. Jamie had obviously had lovers, she was older. He didn’t like to think about it, though. Dylan wanted her to be as innocent as those other girls were, just so he could be the first and only man to ever touch her.
“Good, so let’s get out of here and get a drink. I don’t think coffee is going to do it for me.”
Jamie only paused for a moment before she grabbed her jacket off of the back of her chair. “You know, after the day I’ve had, I think you’re right. I do need a drink. Thank you.”
Dylan told her that it was no problem. He wanted her to know that she was safe with him. He was going to move slowly, not taking any chances to scare her off again. Dylan was sure that Jamie was the one; he just had to convince her of it.
Chapter Seven
When Jamie saw Dylan attack William, she was embarrassed by how much of a turn-on it was. Obviously, she wasn’t supposed to tingle in the nether region when violence was around her, and she usually didn’t react in such a way, but she had then. Jamie figured it was because he had done it to keep her safe, and it was Dylan protecting her. The man was hard to forget about.
Going out with him was a bad idea. The sad part was that she knew she was pushing it. Jamie had been thinking about him all week, and now she was looking at him differently. How could she not?
She rode in the back of the limo, not even asking where they were going. It didn’t matter. As long as there was something to drink at the end of it, that was literally all that mattered to her. She was a little shaky from the whole ordeal, and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was excited or scared. Jamie had a feeling that it was a little bit of both.
He seemed to notice and asked her if she was cold. Jamie said that she wasn’t, but he insisted on throwing his coat over her shoulders. She took in the smell of him and then sighed to herself. Why did she want him so badly that very moment? Was it the musk scent that enveloped her or something else? Was it the scene of violence?
She shivered again, gaining the answer she needed.
“Thank you. You are far more chivalrous than I thought you would be.”
“Is that so? Why would you think that I would be any different?”
“You should have seen yourself back there. You made quite the scene. I suppose you know that, though. I have a feeling that you Dylan, have caused a lot of scenes.”
It was quite clear to Jamie that he was the sort of person that got into scrapes, and probably a lot of them.
“Most of them were not my fault.”
“They deserved it then?”
He smiled. “Didn’t you just say that this William guy did too?”
Jamie didn't agree or disagree. She certainly thought that William had needed an attitude adjustment and undoubtedly had gotten it. The most she could hope for now was a little bit of reason to be added to it. She was still a little shaky inside, but it wasn’t from fear of William. It was something else that made her tremble now.
“Where are we going?”
“The place that has the best food in the city. I couldn’t offer any less than the best.”
“Well, that is a pretty ambiguous answer.”
“There is a chef down on Third Street that has the best sandwiches. It's like a little barbecue place that is just a hole in the wall. You probably have never been there, but you’ll go back for more, guaranteed.”
Jamie was a little bit surprised. She was figuring that he was going to throw some money around and try to impress her. It wouldn't have taken much, of course. His presence was enough to impress. Money didn’t matter.
“Never heard of the place. It sounds a lot better than the hoity-toity place I thought you’d take me to.”
“I didn't realize that you had so many expectations of me.”
“Come on, Dylan, the way you've been laying it on thick, it's not hard to see that you're trying to impress me. You want me.”
“And how am I doing? Are you impressed yet?”
She shrugged.
“Taking down William, even if for a short time, was definitely worth it. You get an A-plus for that for sure. If anything was going to impress me, Dylan, it’s that.”
They walked into the restaurant, and it was not at all what Jami
e had been expecting. She was expecting a little bit of high-class, and the deteriorating inside showed a place that had seen better days. Dylan told her it had been run by the same people for over thirty years, and Jamie could believe it. It looked like there had not been many updates in that time either. What surprised her the most, though, was how many people had stacked into the tiny place. There were only about ten ratty tables and about fifty chairs total, but there were people lined up at the counter and a lot of to-go orders stacked by the door. This was obviously a hidden gem.
“I can't believe I've never heard of this place. It looks like I'm the only one that hasn’t.”
“It is my favorite place. I found it years ago, and I usually come at least once a week. The food can be addictive, though.”
Jamie liked the idea that he was taking her to his favorite place. Even though it was a seedy barbecue joint, it made her feel like they were a little closer because of it. That's how she wanted to feel, closer to Dylan.
“Thank you for bringing me. It definitely smells good in here, and I just realized how hungry I am.”
“Wait until you try it; you'll never go back to any other place again.”
Jamie thought that he was a bit dramatic about it. It was just smoked meat, after all, but she quickly learned that she was wrong, and he was so right.
She couldn't hide her pleasure when she first tried it, and he caught it. He smiled and said something along the lines of, “I told you so.” Jamie was going to give it to him because he really was right. It was the best thing that she had tried in a very long time.
When they were done, she had a smile on her face that most likely was because of the smoked meat, maybe a bit about the man too. He mentioned something about how he should have brought the food with him and he could have gotten a date quicker.
“You have to know that I shouldn't be doing this. It is highly unprofessional, and I really do take my business seriously.”
“But you spend all this time setting people up and you're single yourself? It doesn't make much sense to me. You should have someone too.”
Jamie looked away because his eyes were intense and she was trying hard not to fall. She was already falling for the candor that he expressed and the twinkle in his eyes, paired with the easy grin that slid across his face every time he looked her way.
“It just doesn't seem to work out for me. I have dated in the past, obviously, given my age, but it always goes south. So, I gave up. I was always good at setting other people up, though. I have three friends that are married still to people that I set them up with. Blind dates and such. I guess that's what gave me the idea; they said that I should do it for everybody. So, I figured, if I can't do it for myself, at least I can make other people happy.”
It sounded kind of sad when she said it out loud, and Jamie looked away. She didn't want his pity, and that was exactly what she saw in his face.
“I think maybe it's time for you to have a little bit of happiness yourself, Jamie.”
He said something about how she deserved it, and Jamie didn't feel that way. If he knew who William really was and what he did, what she let him do, Dylan wouldn’t be looking at her with the same expression.
They got to the limo, and he stopped in front of her. When she turned around, he was pulling her close and kissing her. It happened so fast that it took a moment for her to respond to his lips, ever insistent and soft to the touch. For just that one moment, Jamie took his advice and carved out a little happiness for herself.
Chapter Eight
Dylan had actually questioned the crazy feelings that he had about Jamie. As soon as he met her, he had just known that their lives were going to interconnected somehow. That they were supposed to be together.
Now his lips were touching hers, and it felt just as magical as he knew it would. Dylan had felt in his heart that the two of them were supposed to be together for one reason or another. He had the answer that he was looking for. He was right; the confirmation was concrete.
Her lips were resistant only for a moment, and that was most likely from surprise. Dylan usually was a bit suave, and he had better manners. He should have asked, he should have done a lot of things, but as soon as their lips touched, he didn't regret any of it. When she melted against him, her body molding against his own, Dylan knew that he had done exactly what he was supposed to do.
She pushed back against his chest after a while, and Dylan realized that they were still standing next to the limo. The driver had not gotten out of it and was waiting behind the wheel. Dylan felt his face getting red. He’d lost himself, which was not that hard to do when it came to Jamie. What was it that made her so different than all the other women that he'd been with?
“I'm sorry. I just had to kiss you. I hope you don’t mind too much.”
Jamie looked up at him wistfully. “Don't apologize. It just makes it worse.”
He didn't know what that meant and apologized again for apologizing. Dylan really was out of his element. The confidence that he usually had was at an all-time low. He was unsure. That was something that Dylan never wanted to be. He was about to be Alpha and lead hundreds of people into the future; he had no room for no lack of confidence and second-guessing.
“I just know that you want it to be professional, but it's really hard to stay that way with you.”
She waved him off and told him that it was fine. Jamie opened the door herself and got in. He was left standing outside of it, and again, he felt a wave of embarrassment go over him.
Getting in, Dylan avoided her gaze for a few minutes. He really did feel out of sorts when he was around Jamie. They drove back to her office in silence because Dylan could not think of what to say. He couldn't come out and express his true feelings; she wouldn't understand. He didn't even understand it, and they were his feelings. Dylan worried that he’d gone too far or done too much and now she was going to be even harder to get to.
“So how did your date go with Jessica? After all of this mess tonight, we didn’t even talk about it.”
He blew out a big breath next to her.
“Was it really that bad?”
“Yeah, it really was.”
“She hit all the criteria that you gave me; maybe you need to give me a little bit more information. I don't think I've ever had a man refuse two of my picks before. Jessica is quite beautiful; I thought you would really like her.”
“She is beautiful, and she is young. And too innocent for my tastes.”
“Virginal women are always sought after in these kinds of marriages.”
Jamie looked surprised, and Dylan just smiled. She didn't get it either. When he had told his father and uncles that he did not want to marry a virgin, they had looked at him like he was stupid. Like he was making a decision he would regret for the rest of his life.
“I don't know what to say. They are just not my cup of tea. I want a woman that knows what she wants. I don't really have the patience to teach anyone anything. I'm getting too old for that, and that girl was about twenty years old. She is just way too young for me.”
Jamie's eyes were wide, and Dylan could tell that she was surprised by his stance. Most men wanted a woman that they could teach the ways of love to. Dylan had no desire to do such a thing. As much as he liked the challenge, that was not the one Dylan was looking for. He was looking for an intellectual challenge and certainly did not like the look of fear when he got down to business. He was massive, and it would just scare them. That immediately killed the mood.
“Okay, well, that changes things. I can't tell you honestly that I have too many girls that fit the parameters that you're giving me. You are definitely not a normal client, Dylan. Your tastes seem to be a bit different.”
“Evolved.”
She smirked and agreed. “Maybe.”
“That is what I've been trying to tell you the whole time, Jamie. Now you need to go on another date with me because you did find me who I wanted, but she is playing hard to get.”
“It was. We kissed and everything. Had dinner, drinks: that’s a date. Do you think that we should kiss again?”
Jamie swallowed and looked away. Dylan’s confidence was back, and he was ready to get the answer that he was looking for. She could be coy and play all the games that she wanted to. Dylan knew he would have his way.
When he got out and opened the door for her, Jamie was smiling up at him.
“Agree to go out with me, Jamie, or I will have to use all of my wiles to get you to say yes.”
“All of your wiles?” She giggled, and he loved the sound of it. “I didn’t know that men had wiles.”
He grinned and then picked her up. His lips smashed against hers while his body pressed her into the metal of the limo. He heard a gasp and moan, but the sound was muffled by his kiss.
Her legs wrapped around his waist. It wouldn’t have taken much for him to take her. He could have moved a few things to the side and slid right in. How badly he wanted to do just that. Dylan could barely breathe, suffocated by his needs and desires.
It was Dylan that pulled back in the end. He knew that he was just working himself up for no reason. It was all too much, she was overwhelmed, and he was about to do something that he would regret later. He had to hold off, even if he was throbbing painfully as he walked away.
She agreed to go out with him again, and he felt like things were starting to look up.
“What has gotten into you, brother? I don't think I've ever seen you look like that before.”
“Look like what?”
Dylan looked at his brother Edward, and he had a feeling that he knew what was going to be said next. Dylan had caught himself smiling a bit too much. He wasn't as on edge as he usually was, and his temper had almost gone to zero. Dylan had passed up several chances to put his hands-on people, even when he wanted to. Once Jamie got into his life, nothing was ever going to be the same again. He knew it was a good thing, but it was also strange as well. People would notice the difference.
Alpha Shifter Bride Service: (A Paranormal Romance Series) Page 25
