“It’s okay,” Ellie said to Lacey, who looked apprehensive. Max didn’t like how the sunny Lacey had changed so suddenly. That spoke volumes.
“I know.”
“He’s not going to hurt you ever again.”
Hurt? What the fuck?
An angry-looking man in a suit and tie swaggered through the restaurant, making a straight line for their booth. Max sized him up quickly. A big man, but a soft one. He worked out some, but he wasn’t hard. He had a gut, though not much of one. His forearms were beefy, and his neck looked like he’d been a football player at one time.
He didn’t appear to be armed, but you could never be 100 percent sure about that until you patted someone down.
Max got to his feet instinctively, to defend his ground and the women should it be necessary, and the man’s attention landed on him. He puffed up even more as he approached, his face growing angrier.
“Brice Parker, we don’t want any trouble in here,” the heavyset woman at the counter called out.
“I’m not bringing any trouble,” he said over his shoulder. “Just come to see my girl.”
“I’m not your girl anymore, Brice,” Lacey said, her face red and her eyes angry. Except she was trembling, and Max didn’t like that at all. “I ceased being your girl when you cheated on me.”
Max stepped into the man’s path before he reached the booth. Brice kept on going, trying to bulldoze Max to the floor, but Max threw his weight forward and Brice bounced off.
“Don’t make me kick your ass,” Brice said. “All I want is a couple of minutes with Lacey.”
“Go away, Brice,” Ellie growled. “Lacey doesn’t need your empty apologies.”
“No, I definitely don’t.”
Max shrugged. “I think maybe Lacey doesn’t want to talk to you, man.”
Brice puffed up like a rooster as he gave Max a sneering look, his gaze sliding up and down disdainfully. “You going out with this piece of shit, Lace? Is that why you keep ignoring my calls? You got a taste for laborers now or what?”
Max didn’t let things like that bother him, but he could see that Lacey had shrunk in on herself, as if she was afraid of what else this asshole might say. Or do.
“You need to get back in your BMW and head down the road,” Ellie said.
“You need to shut up and stay out of this,” Brice sneered. “If not for you, Lacey wouldn’t be getting ideas into her head about me. You’re nothing but trash, and everyone knows it.” He sniffed the air. “You smell like horse shit.”
Max growled. It was time to put an end to this. “Don’t talk to Ellie that way. In fact, don’t talk to her or Lacey at all.”
“Says who?”
“Me, asshole.”
“Oh yeah? You big enough to stop me?”
Max snorted. “You have no idea.”
Brice reared back like he was going to throw a punch, and Max rolled almost casually into action. It was easy enough to step into the man’s space, grab him, and flip him around with his arm wrenched high.
Brice arched backward, whining but still defiant. “I’ll fucking sue your ass!”
Max started marching him toward the door. Chairs scraped as people got out of the way. Someone opened the door and Max shoved Brice outside. He didn’t let him go, however. He walked him onto the sidewalk and then pushed his face close to the man’s ear.
“Sue me, asshole. I am your worst fucking nightmare. You get close to Lacey again—or Ellie—and I’ll make sure they never find the pieces of what’s left of your body. You got that?”
Brice stank like sweat and fear. He was nothing more than a small man in a bully’s body, and he was used to getting his way. He would not get his way with Max around. Max welcomed the fierceness, the wild part of himself that could never be tamed, the part that got off on violence and adrenaline. There was a reason for that part of him to exist, and right now that reason was to protect those two women in the restaurant.
“I’ll sue—” Brice’s words cut off as Max twisted his arm higher, driving it upward painfully.
“Go ahead. The name’s Max Brannigan. Staying at Ellie’s place right now, so you can find me there when you’ve got your papers to serve. You feel like tangling with me, I’m ready.”
He shoved hard, and Brice went stumbling onto the sidewalk. He didn’t quite stay upright, however. His arms sprawled in front of him as he went down on the concrete. And then he picked himself up without looking back, scrambling upright as he ran down the street and yanked on the handle of a black BMW.
Max waited until Brice peeled out of the parking slot before he turned around and headed back into the restaurant.
Twenty people started clapping as he walked in. They were on all their feet, looking outside. Ellie and Lacey were by the counter. They’d been watching the street. Watching him. It occurred to him that he didn’t know if they’d be pissed at him or what. Not that he would change what he’d done. Brice Parker was a jerk who needed his ass handed to him. If this hadn’t been downtown Versailles, Kentucky—and therefore a reasonably civilized place—Max would have made sure the man never crossed him again.
Lacey’s smile covered her whole face at that moment. Ellie’s eyes sparkled as Lacey threw herself at him and hugged him hard for one quick second before she stepped back again.
“Thank you, Max,” she said. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Honey, that was mighty fine of you,” the big woman behind the counter interrupted. She cocked her head to the side as she studied him. “I been thinking about this since you came in—you’re a Hayes, aren’t you? Look just like one of the Hayes girls what used to live here. Good girls they were. And Pammie,” she added, smiling at Ellie. “Thick as thieves Kathy Hayes and Pammie Applegate were.”
There was a knot in Max’s throat. “Kathleen Hayes was my mother, yes. I’m Max Brannigan.”
The woman’s eyes glistened. “I’m Mary Lou,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Max. A pleasure.”
“Thank you, ma’am. You too.”
“I was sorry to hear about your momma,” she said. “Everyone in Versailles was.”
“Thank you.”
“Well,” Ellie said brightly, “let me pay you so we can be on our way.”
Mary Lou held up her hand before Max could begin to insist he was buying. “No, honey. It’s on me today. Y’all enjoy your afternoon—and don’t let that rotten Brice spoil your day, Lacey-bell. He’s mean as a rattlesnake because his momma didn’t cuddle him enough. Not your problem.”
Lacey’s smile shook at the corners. “I know, Mrs. Fuller.”
Mary Lou patted her arm. “You go on home and don’t worry about Brice. He’ll think twice before bothering you again.”
They left the restaurant and stepped onto the street. Out of habit, Max surveyed their surroundings. Mary Lou might think Brice wasn’t coming back, but Max’s training wouldn’t let him assume that was the case.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” he said to Ellie. She didn’t argue with him, and the three of them headed down the sidewalk for the small parking lot where they’d left Lacey’s vehicle. It was a bright red Honda, which didn’t help her stay off of Brice’s radar at all. Max had half a mind to drive them back to the farm in his truck, but he knew they weren’t going to accept that.
“Thanks again,” Lacey said as she hit the button to open her doors. “I’m sorry you had to get involved, but so thankful you did.”
“It’s not a problem, Lacey.”
She ducked her head as if she was embarrassed, and Ellie smiled softly. He liked that smile. She looked pleased with him. He shouldn’t care, but he did.
“Guess I’ll see you later,” she said.
Oh yeah, the mattress he was supposed to go get. “Not a chance,” he told her. “I’m following you both back to the farm.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s not really necessary. Brice won’t go to the farm. Not since Miguel ran h
im off with a shotgun a couple of months ago.”
Max wanted to laugh. He already knew he liked Miguel. He liked him even more now. “Still, I’ll see you both home.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “You planning to spend another night on that saggy mattress?”
“Only if you don’t offer me a better alternative.”
A better alternative? What the heck did that mean?
Ellie thought about it all the way back to the farm. She could see Max’s gray truck every time she looked into the side mirror, and a current of jagged heat sizzled into her as she thought of him on the sidewalk with Brice Parker’s arm shoved up between his shoulder blades.
Oh my God, the way Max had flipped Brice around and immobilized him. It would be imprinted on her memory forever. She’d actually been worried that Brice would throw a punch—but he’d never gotten the chance. Max had turned the situation around as if it was so simple to do.
Lacey had both hands on the wheel, gripping it tightly. She chattered about lunch, about Max, about anything but Brice.
Finally, Ellie couldn’t take it. She put her hand on Lacey’s arm and squeezed. “It’s okay, Lacey. You can be upset about what happened.”
Lacey shuddered and glanced at her. The stark fear on her face worried Ellie. “I know I can.”
“There’s something more, isn’t there?” Ellie asked. “Has he done something? Are you keeping something from me?”
Lacey’s face was pale. “He calls me. He leaves messages.” Her fingers tightened on the wheel. “He says he won’t let me go. That I have to come back.”
Ellie’s gut twisted. “He’s an abusive jerk, Lacey. He thinks because he’s a big shot business owner, he can get away with that shit. But he can’t. You need to take those messages and file for a restraining order.”
Lacey made a noise. “You know how he twists things. You know that none of those messages will induce a judge to grant a restraining order, especially since Brice donates heavily to the police fund-raisers. He knows how to manipulate things. He’ll spin it into being heartbroken and begging for forgiveness—and he’ll turn today into something else too, no matter that there were witnesses. He never actually threatened me. Max acted first, even if Brice tried to throw a punch. Et cetera. He’s a financial wizard, and I’m just a hairstylist and a gold digger—you know the drill.”
Ellie’s heart sank as she thought about it. Lacey was right that Brice would say those things. But Brice was a bully, and anyone who knew him knew that was true. Always had been. He wasn’t going to win this one. Ellie wouldn’t let him.
“You’re staying with me tonight. No arguments.”
Lacey glanced at her. “I can’t do that.”
“You can. You are. No arguments. I’ll loan you clothing. Or we can stop by your place later.”
Lacey sighed. “I don’t think Max would approve of us going by my place, would he?”
Warmth spread inside her. They weren’t alone in dealing with Brice. Not this time. And while she didn’t ordinarily let a man tell her what to do, she figured he would be right to disapprove of a plan to make a run to Lacey’s.
“Probably right. So you’ll borrow some clothing. We’ll have a slumber party.”
Lacey smiled, and Ellie’s heart hitched. She loved her friend and didn’t want her hurt.
“Okay,” Lacey said. “We’ll pretend we’re sixteen again. We’ll paint each other’s nails and giggle about Max.”
Ellie snorted. “No nails. And no giggling.”
Lacey shot her a look. “Okay, no nails. But we are totally giggling.”
Ellie glanced into the mirror again. Max’s truck was right there behind them. Yeah, there would be giggling all right. Because she was totally infatuated with the man who wanted to sell her farm. There was no denying it. He was tough and kind and gorgeous. Enigmatic. He intrigued her and infuriated her, and she wanted to know more.
It wasn’t safe for her, emotionally, to know more. She knew that. But it didn’t stop her from wanting to. He’d been in her life for a sum total of twenty-four hours, and she couldn’t stop thinking about him. But was that a bad thing? He was single and gorgeous—and he held the key to her happiness so long as he had the deed to her farm.
No, bad Ellie.
She wasn’t going to sleep with him just because he owned the farm.
She wanted to slap her hands over her cheeks at that thought. Sleep with him? Where the heck had that come from? Ellie did not do casual sex. Not ever. She never had.
But she was tempted to start…
9
“She okay?”
Ellie jerked her head up to find Max standing in the barn aisle. She and Lacey had fed the horses and Lacey was down at the other end, tugging the hose from stall to stall and filling water buckets.
“So far, so good,” she said, smiling. She’d been sweeping up the tack room and checking bridles and saddles to make sure everything was in good order for her clients. The barn cats took care of the rats pretty good, but you never knew when one would take a shine to leather and get past them.
“What can you tell me about that guy?”
Ellie frowned. “He’s not coming out here, Max. I promise.”
“I believe you. But he’s not going to stop harassing Lacey because of me.”
Ellie sighed. “No, probably not. I don’t think he’d physically hurt her—but he’s mentally abusive. Always has been. They dated for six months. He was sweet as could be to her at first. Attentive, kind, always interested in what she was interested in. Hell, he came out here and watched her ride—though sometimes I caught him checking his phone instead. Still, I figured it was typical guy stuff. Boyfriends aren’t interested in horses necessarily. And when you don’t understand how difficult training and showing can be, watching a horse perform can be boring. We ride in circles. I get that. You need to be an aficionado to understand it.”
She sighed. “He was interested though. He said all the right things. And then he didn’t. It was little stuff at first. Calling her at all hours to ask where she was and if she was with anyone. Then he’d apologize profusely and tell her he was afraid of losing her. She’d swear she wasn’t going anywhere. But then he got careless and sent her a text meant for someone else—he talked about their hot date and the sex they’d had in a hotel, but it wasn’t Lacey he’d been with.”
“Ouch.”
Ellie leaned against the doorjamb. “Yeah. He swore it was a onetime mistake and it would never happen again. Then he showed up with an engagement ring at her work. He thought that would do the trick, but Lacey told him to fuck off. He’s been harassing her since.”
“She should get a restraining order.”
“She should, but she’s convinced it won’t fly. Brice runs a construction business, and he’s made a lot of money. He’s on the city council, and he contributes heavily to police causes.”
Max was frowning. “I’ll take care of it.”
Ellie’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean, you’ll take care of it?”
He shrugged then, the fierce look on his face softening as if he hadn’t meant her to see it. “I know people. She needs to file for the restraining order. I’ll make sure it happens.”
Ellie knew her jaw was hanging open. “How can you do that?”
The sudden grin he gave her was seriously sexy. And confident. “Trust me.”
It hit her that she did. How could Max Brannigan not know people? He said he didn’t have a fortune of his own, but he was still a Brannigan. And he was a badass Navy SEAL. Well, former SEAL.
“Okay.”
One eyebrow arched. “Okay? Just like that?”
She couldn’t help but grin. “Well, yeah. Just like that.”
The look on his face grew suddenly intense, and her insides squeezed tight. His gaze had settled on her mouth, and her lips tingled. Her nipples tightened and her core grew hot and achy.
No, Ellie. Not now.
Yes, now.
It h
ad been so long and she’d been so lonely.
“You need to stop looking at me like that, Ellie.” His voice was a sexy growl that shivered through her nerve endings.
“Like what?” Now why did she have to sound so breathless? The horses munched their grain, and Lacey dragged the hose farther down the aisle, talking to the horses as she filled their buckets.
“Like I’m a hero.”
Her breath hitched. “Aren’t you?”
He stepped into the tack room, and the space seemed to grow suddenly smaller. He was big and tall and she felt his presence keenly.
“No. I’m a man, Ellie. I have faults, and I have desires.”
Her heart was tapping out a staccato rhythm. “You do? Er, um—”
Now what, Ellie?
Did she ask him what those desires were? Did she assume he meant her? Did she close her eyes and purse her lips?
God no, that was silly!
He was there in front of her, his big body overwhelming but not threatening. He lifted a hand and she thought he might touch her face. She closed her eyes, leaned into it—
But he didn’t. He backed away, and she opened her eyes to find him standing in the door where he’d originally been.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Ellie Applegate. But you deserve more than what I want to give you.”
Her breath shortened. Dammit. “What do you want to give me, Max?”
One corner of that gorgeous, sensual mouth quirked up. “Don’t you know?”
Heat slid through into her bones, her blood. “Not really, no.”
His laughter surprised her. “God, Ellie—you’re too sweet. You aren’t prepared for the likes of me, I promise you that.”
Okay, so that statement pissed her off. “How do you know what I’m prepared for? You’re unbelievable! Think you’re God’s gift to women or what?” She sniffed. “For your information, I’m not interested in deciphering whatever the hell you mean. And I’m not interested in you, either.”
Max (7 Brides for 7 Brothers Book 5) Page 8
