by Robbie Cox
He ignored the pained expression on her face as he turned to Lainie. “Deputy Everest, right?” Lainie nodded, confusion on her face mixed with the anger she felt over Kyle at the moment. “Pardon me, while I whisk this one out to the dance floor while you tend to…” He glanced at Kyle, his eyes narrowing into angry slits. “…whatever this is.”
Lainie nodded. “Good idea.”
The others just stood watching. Eve didn’t understand how they could just stand there, letting this man take her away from the answers she needed. Yet, a part of her was glad he did. She needed to get away from Kyle, because she almost did something she would have regretted in front of a bar full of witnesses. When she took Kyle Wagner down, there would be no witnesses; she’d make sure of it. And there was no doubt in her mind that she would take him down, like the rabid dog he was.
Turning, she realized she was already on the dance floor without even realizing she had crossed the bar. The tall, dark man in front of her spun her, his hand sliding to her waist as he pressed her against him, lifting her hand in the air as he began to sway. His smile sparkled, matching his eyes, and she could feel the hardness in his jeans press into her as he held her tight against him. “By the way,” he said, “my name’s Arlin Landry.”
She smiled, feeling the blush warm her neck. “Pleased to meet you,” she said. “I’m Eve Hartlow.”
Four
“Sorry for the intrusion there,” Arlin said, enjoying the way she felt in his arms and especially against his growing cock. “However, the situation appeared to be getting a little tense for this place. Besides, you really looked like you needed a dance.”
Her arms stiffened a little, as she pushed back on him in a feeble attempt to put some distance between them, but he didn’t allow it, keeping a firm grip on her waist as he pressed her against him. Her frustration was quite evident on her face, but Arlin just smiled at her. “Do you always insert yourself into people’s lives like this?” she asked, giving up the struggle with a frustrated sigh. “First at my cabin and now here.”
“Insert? I didn’t insert myself anywhere. At your cabin, I wanted to make sure someone didn’t run you over due to the way you carelessly walked in the middle of the road.” She started to make a smartass comment, but he talked right over her. “And as for this dance, I’ll be more than happy to let you return to your table and whoever that is making a nuisance of himself if you’d like, just say the word.” He twirled her as she opened her mouth, and then jerked her back against him, his hand sliding lower down her back. He knew he wouldn’t let her go back to that table even if she wanted. His tiger would rip out of him and tear the place apart if he did, and that didn’t work out so well in Blue Creek. As it was, his tiger was hard to contain just witnessing the scene. It would only have made things worse for him and probably for her as well if he lost control. “Some people would think I was being chivalrous,” he said, smiling.
She rolled her eyes, the gesture triggering his tiger’s urge to take her outside and have his way with her. Did she really not know how he felt about her? The mate call was instant and powerful, but she was clueless, even after living with shifters for however long. “Do I look like I need someone to be chivalrous for me?” Her body stiffened again in his arms, her frustration shifting to irritation. “Do all men insist on portraying the white knight of sappy romances? Women aren’t fragile creatures, you know. We can take care of ourselves.” Just then two guys helped a drunk female across the floor and toward the front door, the sagging woman blubbering about wanting just one more drink and how she could drive herself home. Eve blew out a disgusted breath. “Well, most of us can, at least.”
“A man being chivalrous has nothing to do with a woman being weak, and everything to do with him being a gentleman. It’s about respect and giving the lady honor.” He shrugged as they danced. “If anything, I think it elevates the woman in everyone’s eyes, especially his, not diminish her.”
A scuffle jerked their attention to the side and Arlin watched as the man at the ladies’ table snatched his arm out of the deputy’s grip. The man turned and glared, first at Eve, and then at Arlin, who only smiled back, giving the man a wink as he did. “When a man doesn’t treat a woman with chivalry, then that’s what you get.”
“That’s what you get when the man is a class-A asshole.” She shook her head. “I need to get back there. They shouldn’t have to put up with him.”
“Looks like they can handle things pretty well,” he said, wanting to keep her in his arms. Of course, he would much rather have her in his bed, but he was willing to take what he could get for now. “Care to tell me what his problem is?”
“Outside of being a douche,” she said with a sigh, and he knew then he’d do whatever it took to keep that man away from her. He wasn’t sure what the deal with the guy was, but he was damned sure going to protect her from it. She turned away from the scene at the table. “Kyle’s just someone from my past who doesn’t want to go away. He thinks me leaving somehow is a personal affront and can’t handle it. He lost and he despises losing.”
They heard a crash and watched as Wes’s bouncer, a burly man with arms the size of Arlin’s thighs, grabbed Kyle by the arms and shoved him toward the front door. Kyle tried to turn back around, but the other man was taller, thicker, and quite a bit stronger. Even Arlin wouldn’t have wanted to go up against him. The man’s size didn’t seem to be deterrent enough for Kyle, however. He snarled some nasty comment Arlin couldn’t make out and then took a swing at the man. The bouncer ducked to the side, Kyle’s swing going wide and missing its target, causing Kyle to spin and fall into the man’s arms. People watching cheered, as the bouncer grabbed Kyle by the nape of his neck and strong-armed him out the front door, shoving him into the parking lot. While it was fun to watch, Arlin knew it would just bring more trouble to Eve’s front doorstep eventually. Arlin needed to know more about this Kyle guy, so he could keep catastrophe from chasing her.
Turning her, he smiled down into her eyes, relishing how lost he could get in her pretty golden eyes. “Let’s go join your friends and get another drink, shall we?”
She only nodded as she let him guide her off the dance floor and back to her table. He flagged down the waitress as they walked and ordered another round for the table. While he knew the alcohol did nothing for the others, Eve could use it to help calm her nerves.
“That man is an ass,” Lainie said as they approached.
Arlin noticed Alanna stared at Eve with sympathy and care. “Are you ready to tell us the story now?” Alanna asked. “I don’t think this is something you can keep quiet anymore. First, your cabin is ransacked—and I’d guess we’re pretty sure we know now who did it—and now that ass shows up to stir up trouble.”
Adira reached out and placed a hand on Eve’s, patting it sympathetically. “It’s okay, sweetie. We all have reasons for being here. We just want to help.”
Arlin decided to allow the women to talk Eve into sharing her story, while he just stood there and waited, hoping they would forget he was there until he had the information he needed. Luck was not on his side, however. All three women turned to him with questioning, suspicious eyes. He just stood there, smiling innocently.
“And who are you again?” Lainie asked, her eyes narrowed as she leaned on the table, staring at him with a deputy’s intense glare.
Alanna cocked her head to the side as she stared at him. “That’s twice now you’ve shown up right after something has happened to Eve. You wouldn’t know about Kyle and what he’s planning, would you? Perhaps his scout of sorts?”
Adira placed her palms on the table, blue sparks bursting from her fingers. She didn’t need to say anything else.
Arlin held his hands up in surrender, just as the waitress brought over the round of drinks he ordered and set them on the table. “I’m the guy buying this round?” Smile, Arlin boy, or they’re going to have that bouncer toss you out on your ass as well. “I’m Arlin Landry. I worked for Aric Wolf
e at the Wolfe’s Den and I’m on vacation, staying at my brother’s cabin.”
“Nathan Landry’s your brother?” Alanna asked, her gaze still saying she was suspicious.
“You came to Bull Creek for a vacation?” Lanie snorted a burst of laughter. “You didn’t have high hopes, did you?”
He glanced at Eve, his smile genuine as he felt the stirrings of his tiger wanting to take her in his arms again right there. “I don’t know. The place seems to have everything going for it so far—adventure, intrigue, pretty ladies. What else could you really ask for?”
“Some peace and quiet,” Alanna said. “Thanks for the drinks and all, and trust me when I say I understand the urges your animal is feeling, but this is ladies night.” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Time for the male to leave.”
He kept his gaze on Eve. “Do you want me to leave?” God, he hoped she said no.
However, she disappointed him, and he knew he would have a hard time getting his tiger to just walk away. “Thanks,” she said, “but the four of us need to talk. I appreciate the distraction and the dance.”
“And the beer,” Adira said, holding up the bottle with a smirk.
Eve gave a soft laugh that was music to Arlin’s ears. Still, she didn’t change her mind. “Perhaps we can have drinks another time,” she offered.
He nodded, not letting his smile slip, even though he felt more like growling. He lifted Eve’s hand to his lips, kissing the back of her knuckles softly. “As you wish,” he said, gazing up into her eyes. “You know where I’m staying if you need anything, or if that idiot comes back.” He then said goodbye to the others and left, leaving money on the table for the drinks.
He fought the urge to look back as he reached the door, his tiger growling inside at the thought of leaving her unprotected. Yet, Arlin knew she was far from unprotected. She was surrounded by shifters and a witch. She had more protection than anyone else in the bar. No, he felt all right leaving her, and to be honest, he had something else on his mind he needed to do before Eve returned home. He needed to make sure her cabin was secure enough for her return. She didn’t need a reminder of the destruction that shattered her life earlier. While he might not be able to stand guard over her right then, he sure as hell could make sure her place was presentable for when she came home.
Five
Eve couldn’t help but to keep her gaze fixated on Arlin’s ass as he walked away, his back straight, shoulders thick and square. If she was honest with herself, she really didn’t want him to leave, but her friends deserved to hear the story first, just for putting up with her. Besides, she didn’t know Arlin, where he was from, what he did, what he was really doing in Bull Creek. For all she knew, he could be in cahoots with Kyle to drive her crazy, keep her distracted, make her drop her guard enough so that Kyle could slip in and finish what he started months ago.
The memory sent a shiver down her spine.
She hit the floor, her back smacking against the coffee table before she landed on the carpet. Her face stung from where he backhanded her. The only plus to it was seeing him shaking his hand from where it hurt him as well. Her joy was short lived, however, as he reached down, yanking her partway off the ground only to slap her again, her head snapping back, only to spring forward again for him to repeat it, over and over. She tried to fight him, but he just laughed at her, daring her to hit him again. For every one of her blows that struck him on the shoulders or arms, he’d land two on her face. He squeezed her so hard at one point, she had bruises on her arms for weeks. Bruises covered the rest of her, as well, from where he knocked her around the house, slamming her into the furniture and walls.
“I told you,” he snarled, “I don’t like other people sniffing around my woman. Yet, you just had to flirt with that waiter tonight, didn’t you? Didn’t you?”
She tried backing away, doing a backward crab walk until her back hit the couch, halting her escape. He reached down, gripping her shirt front and yanking her to her feet. “I wasn’t flirting,” she cried out. “I just smiled at him. That’s all. I never flirt with anyone, Kyle. I swear.”
“I was there,” he shouted, his spittle spraying her face. “Are you calling me a liar? Are you telling me I didn’t see what I saw?”
“No, Kyle, I would never say that. I promise. I’m only saying what I did. Or rather didn’t do. I wasn’t flirting. Stop hitting me. Please.” Tears streamed down her face, her pleas echoing off the walls. At one time, she hoped her neighbors would call the cops, but after the third time of no one hearing anything, she gave up. This was her life from now on and everyone around her must have thought she deserved it, because no one ever came to her rescue.
“You lie! You always lie. You’re always flirting with men we meet. If you do that in front of me, what the hell do you do behind my back? I always treat you so well, give you everything you want, and this is how you treat me?” He hit her again. And again. Again.
And all she could do was take it, crying, begging for it to end, but she knew it wouldn’t until he spent all of his anger on her. When it finally ended, him throwing her down on the ground and kicking her for good measure, he spit on her, and walked toward the front door. “I don’t know why I keep putting up with you,” he snarled. “You’re just lucky I do.”
She straightened against the couch, doing her best to appear brave, strong. “I don’t need you. I can escape this life. I will escape it.” It was her mistake, mouthing off to him, trying to put up a front, posturing. She should have just kept her mouth shut and snuck out once he left. Then there would be no more beatings, no bruises and cuts, no more pain.
He spun on his heels, stomping his way back to her. She sat there, her chin held up, her back straight. He backhanded her, her head snapping to the side, and she took it. He did it again, grabbing her hair and holding her head still. He leaned down, snarling, his lips twisted in a nasty pinch. “There is no escape. Never. You and I will always be together.” He shoved her back on the couch. “I’m going for a beer. Clean this mess up. Consider it your punishment for embarrassing me in public.”
Eve watched as he walked away, barely closing the front door behind him. She didn’t know how long she sat there, huddled on the floor, crying her eyes out. It seemed like hours, but in reality, only a few moments passed.
When the sobs finally subsided, she wiped her eyes, as well as her nose, with the back of her hands, her sniffles loud in the quiet that swallowed the tiny home after the storm that was Kyle Wagner. She stared at the mess, the broken coffee table, the knocked over lamps and knickknacks. She needed to clean it up before he came back or she knew there would be more beatings. It was her life. She deserved it, she knew, for whatever she did wrong in her life. This was her punishment. Kyle was her penance.
She wiped her face again. That is, he was as long as she allowed his abuse to continue, and she was tired of allowing it. Pushing herself off the floor, she decided Kyle was wrong. She could escape. She would escape.
She went to her room and stuffed her clothes and anything else she could grab into a green garbage bag and tossed it into the trunk of her car. She didn’t even turn around to take a final look at what was her home for the past three years. All she wanted was to escape.
And she did.
“Oh, baby,” Alanna reached out and squeezed Eve’s hand when the story was finished. Pity and sympathy was the last thing Eve wanted from her friends.
“How in the hell did he find you?” Adira asked, her arms folded, one on top of the other on the table as she stared at her friend. “It’s not like Bull Creek has a massive spot on a map. I wouldn’t have known it even existed except for Barbara Wolfe sending me to help Dimitri with the coyotes.”
“Oh my god, my mother!” Eve snatched her cell phone out of her purse, and punched her mother’s name. If Kyle’s hurt her…
Eve let out the breath she held until her mom finally answered the phone, cheerful and perfectly fine. And talkative. Eve almost regretted calli
ng to check on her. The others stood there, sipping their drinks as they waited for Eve to get off the phone with her mother.
Once she was finally able to hang up, she grabbed her beer and took a long swig. Setting the bottle back on the table, she blew out a deep breath, letting the stress roll off her shoulders. “Well, needless to say, Mom’s fine.”
The others just laughed as some of the tension relaxed from around the table.
“Let’s get one more round and then head home,” Adira suggested.
Eve stared at her beer bottle. Home. How can I go back to that place?
“Why don’t you crash at my place tonight?” Alanna suggested. “Then tomorrow, we can get your windows repaired and clean up the rest.”
Eve nodded. While she didn’t want to sleep anywhere else besides her cabin, she knew it would be miserable in the condition it was in right then. A night to gather her strength would be best, even if not ideal.
“Now that we’re pretty sure Mr. Scumbag did it, I can steer my investigation his way and see what I can dig up,” Lainie said. “We’re not going to allow him to get away with it.”
Adira nodded her agreement. “I can also make wards specific to him to keep him from getting onto your property. He won’t reach you so easily next time.”
Eve sighed, her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t want there to be a next time, but she knew if he traveled this far, Kyle would not give up. She appreciated her friends help, but she wanted to take care of herself. She needed to take care of herself. They may not understand it, but being self-reliant was important to her. She would not allow herself to be the helpless victim ever again. She had allowed it too long as it was.
