“What happened?”
“What happened is that it was a mistake to let Nick cook,” Jo grumbled. In the distance, Dan could hear Nick cursing along with the sound of a… fire extinguisher?
“That bad, huh?” Dan asked with a chuckle.
“Probably worse,” Jo lamented. “Are you still at the bar?”
“About to head out. What’s up? You looking for me to pick you guys up something on the way back?”
“Chinese takeout, pretty please?”
Dan barked a laugh as he exited the bar. “All you guys eat is that same old Chinese takeout! Don’t you guys get bored of the same thing over and over?”
“Well, we tried a decent home-cooked meal and look at how that turned out,” Jo grumbled.
“Fair enough,” Dan replied. “Any special requests when I get there?”
Mentally cataloging Jo’s order, Dan set off in the direction of the takeout place. “And make sure to get something for yourself, too,” Jo finished. “The romantic evening plans are thoroughly botched, so you’re more than welcome to join us at the cabin for dinner.”
“Join you there? I can’t imagine eating around that stink. I can practically smell the burnt food form here!” Dan joked, wrinkling his nose for good measure even though Jo couldn’t see it.
Jo groaned. “You heard the fire extinguisher, didn’t you?”
“And Nick’s bickering,” Dan added with a laugh. “I’m just kidding. I’d love to join you guys. I’ll grab the food and be right over.”
“Thank you, Dan,” Jo said gratefully. “See you soon; hopefully. I’m starving.”
Chapter Five
The Chinese takeout place was quiet as usual, and it didn’t take long for Dan to place his order. His run through the forest had finally begun to take its toll on him, and the smell of dumplings and Lo Mein made his stomach grumble. He hastily exchanged cash for the bag of steaming hot food. He couldn’t wait to get back to the cabin and chow down.
As he stepped back out into the cool night air, the flitting whisper of a voice on the wind caught his ears. Something familiar tingled in his stomach, and his bear raised its head in interest. He gently tipped his nose skyward to sample the air, and the scent of cinnamon and vanilla met him halfway. It was her.
As much as he hated to eavesdrop, he couldn’t help but creep closer to the conversation she was having with someone he couldn’t place. Whoever it was, they were giving her a hard time. Her breathing was elevated, her words came quickly, and he could even smell a bit of her sweat in the air. It set Dan’s bear on edge to feel her so distraught.
Taking a few more tentative steps forward, he narrowed his eyes toward the dimly lit alley where the sound of her voice was coming from. Slowly, she came into view. Her body language punctuated her words, as she argued with the person who remained in the shadows.
“I said no, Dominic!” she hissed, giving the unknown man a shove. “Back. Off.”
The man stepped forward angrily as if to retaliate against her shove. Dan’s heart fell as he noticed the muscled angry guy from the bar as he loomed over her.
“Where are you gonna go?” he taunted in a voice that reeked of arrogance. “You’ve got nothing and no one, Lucy. So stop your pointless bitching and move your ass, because you sure as hell aren’t leaving.”
“Yes, I am” the woman shot back as the man — Dominic —turned to leave. “You’re not my boss and I’ll be damned if I allow you to order me around like one.” The look on the man’s face as he turned back to face the woman could have wilted flowers, and Dan felt genuinely concerned for her safety. Even still, she didn’t back down. “I’m done putting up with your bullshi—”
Dominic’s hand shot out, wrapping around the woman’s tiny bicep in a vice. Watching the woman lurch forward as Dominic yanked her, Dan’s feet moved as if they had a mind of their own. He tried to remain casual as he walked toward the mess unfolding before him, gently placing his takeout on the sidewalk beforehand. “Everything alright here?”
“If you know what’s good for you,” Dominic sneered angrily, “you’ll stay the hell out of our business.”
“With all due respect, my question was directed at the lady you have so rudely vised in your grip,” Dan rebutted quickly, not bothering to police his tone. It was different at the bar when he just wanted to drink his sorrows away, but now this man was threatening the wellbeing of a defenseless woman. Dan wasn’t above punching someone as cowardly as that, even if they were only human.
He turned an encouraging smile towards the woman he now knew to be Lucy. A beautiful name for a beautiful person. “Everything all right?” he repeated softly.
Unlike at the bar, she didn’t take the time to smile back. Her face was etched with anxiety as she took in the sight unfolding before her. Her eyes flitted from Dan to Dominic and back again, all while still being latched in the large man’s grip. “Fine,” she amended shortly, though Dan could tell she was anything but.
His eyes glanced once over the fuming man before returning to Lucy. “You sure about that?” The man’s lip curled in disgust, confirming the instinct that had already taken over. Dan wouldn’t leave this alley unless Lucy was with him. There was no way in hell he’d leave her with a man as volatile as this guy. He took another cautious step forward. Just a bit further and maybe he could wrestle Lucy from the grip with minimal effort.
“Like I said,” Lucy repeated hastily, yanking on the grip Dominic still had on her. “Everything’s fine. We’re siblings.”
“That doesn’t make it okay for him to be an asshole,” Dan quipped with a small smile. He made the mistake of giving Lucy his full attention, and before he could react, the full force of Dominic’s large fist collided directly with his face. It slammed into him like a tire iron to the side of his head, connecting hard enough to make him spin a bit before falling. Stars exploded across his vision as his face met the concrete of the alleyway, and though his bear roared in pain, Dan was too busy being in absolute agony to make a sound.
He tried to roll into a sitting position, but his vision was spotty and his arms had decided to stop working correctly, and for a moment, all Dan could do was lay in the alley and moan. Everything was spinning and blurry, and he feared he might throw up right where he lay. So rather than trying to move further, he focused on staying as still as possible. He’d made enough of a fool of himself in front of this woman. The last thing he needed was to punctuate it by lying in a puddle of his own vomit.
He didn’t know if they had completely stopped talking or if Dominic had knocked him deaf, so rather than try to do anything cognitive, Dan closed his eyes and waited for the nausea to pass.
Today really sucks…
***
“Dominic!” Lucy shouted, shoving him hard again as the man groaned weakly on the ground. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she snapped. She watched as the man tried to sit, but his arms seemed to twitch against his will.
She stepped forward to help him, but Dominic interrupted her. “Leave him,” he growled, grabbing her arm once more. “Let’s go.”
His grip was tight and unforgiving, but riding on the coattails of her shock and anger of what he’d just done, she wrenched herself from his grip. “For the last time,” she growled back. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Fuck off!”
Something like fury flashed in Dominic’s eyes as he glared down at her. He was her brother in blood as in pack, but he wasn’t above handling her roughly if it meant he got his way. She was done with him thinking he could just throw his weight around and do whatever he wanted. Hitting strangers carried real life consequences. She didn’t want to be a part of this cycle of violence anymore.
The stare-down lasted a bit longer before Dominic broke his glare with a derisive snort. “Find your own way home, then,” he sneered, promptly stalking off into the night alone without another word.
Lucy allowed herself a moment of relief as he rounded the corner before turning back to the man
who was still groaning in pain on the concrete.
“I’m so, so sorry,” Lucy murmured worriedly bending to help the man into a sitting position. His large frame was hard to support at first, but she made it work until he regained enough consciousness to sit freely on his own. “He… I won’t say that he’s never done something like that before, but here… now, I honestly did not expect him to just up and hit you like that. I’m so sorry,” she finished limply. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, fine,” Dan muttered softly, his eyes still looking a bit unfocused. A lazy kind of smile played along his lips, and for a moment Lucy feared that he might have been knocked senseless. “But that show of heroics I put on, eh? It was pretty amazing, wasn’t it?” He opened his mouth to laugh, but it came out in a painful groan that made Lucy wince.
She gave him a sympathetic smile. “The best hero I ever did see in all my years,” she answered, affecting a slight southern belle accent to play along. She couldn’t keep up her façade of amusement for too long, her smile giving way to a long sigh as she took in the sight of the fallen man. The side of his face was already beginning to swell with the dark purple hue of a good-sized bruise.
“My goodness, I can’t believe this is happening. He promised we’d keep a low profile while in town. He wasn’t supposed to cause any trouble.” She gazed apologetically down at him and hoped silently that he wouldn’t ask too many questions. She rambled when she was upset, and she didn’t want to say the wrong thing. “That’s why I wanted you to stay out of it. I know how to handle my brother, but he can get a bit… volatile around strangers. I appreciate your help, but I really wish it hadn’t come to all this.” Despite the guilt she felt, she couldn’t help the warmth that lingered in her belly at the way he’d stepped forward to help without a moment’s hesitation. It had been a long time since anyone thought to look after her so selflessly like that, especially when it meant going up against the likes of her insane brother.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he repeated, touching a hand gingerly to his swelling cheek as he gazed up at her, his brown eyes hazy, but kind. “I could do with some help up though, eh?” He grinned, raising his hand and wincing slightly as the smile tugged at the inflamed tissue of his face. “Can you lend me a hand?”
Lucy barely bit back the bark of laughter and tickled her throat as she registered her own words from just earlier in the night being used against her. The fact that the roles were so thoroughly reversed was almost too comical to endure. Or maybe it was just her way of fighting back the impending hysterics. Rather than dwell on it, she grasped hold of the man’s large hand and pulled with all her strength. It took some effort, and more than a little pain for him, but he was finally standing once more.
“How are you feeling?” Lucy asked with a grimace.
“The side of my face feels pretty gross and probably looks worse by now. I’m also pretty sure one of my eyes is swelling shut,” he replied. “But I’ll live.”
Lucy shook her head, frustration building up now that she didn’t have to worry about any undue lasting damage on this stranger from the bar. How could she have allowed herself to get in so deep with someone like this? Family or not, the time to sever ties was long ago. She was fully committed to letting their lives go in separate directions from here on out.
“I’m Lucille Winters, by the way,” she said with a small smile. “I think I might’ve been in too much of a rush to tell you that before, so at least for all of this, I get a second chance to meet you correctly. Call me Lucy.”
“I know.” The man’s smile grew despite the pain she knew he must be feeling. Suddenly the smile fell as if he’d just realized what he’d said. “I mean… my name’s Dan. Dan Hart,” he corrected hastily, as a redness that had nothing to do with the swelling washed across his cheeks.
“So, uh, what were you doing with a dog like him anyway?” he continued, eager to change the subject.
Lucy shrugged, gazing off in the direction her brother had left and already feeling a soft pang of regret for sending him away in anger like she had. Deep down she knew what had happened wasn’t her fault, but she could never stop feeling responsible for her brother’s mistakes. “He’s family.”
“Could be worse, I guess,” Dan muttered to himself, but not quiet enough to keep it from Lucy.
“What do you mean?” she asked, a single eyebrow raised inquisitively.
“I mean, you know, he could be…” Dan’s voice trailed off as he floundered for the right words. Lucy was sure he was alluding to the fact that she’s luckily single, but she didn’t dwell on the hope that warmed inside of her at the thought that he might care about that at all. Sure this man was attractive enough, beaten face notwithstanding; he had strong, muscled arms that boasted just how strong he was, his brown eyes were honest and almost always held a bit of mirth in them, and he always seemed to find a reason to smile. But even still, Lucy wouldn’t fool herself into thinking she had a chance with the likes of him. Life was too complicated for things like relationships right now.
She stepped back slightly and cleared her throat. “It’s fine,” she assured, and the rest of Dan’s excuses promptly died in his throat. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel important, aware, and completely on display. She wasn’t sure if she liked it, but she also didn’t want him to look away.
“Well, uh,” Dan began after a couple of beats of silence. “I suppose I’d better head home,” he said. “Maybe get a compress on this or something.” He tried to chuckle, but it left his lips as an awkward cough.
She spotted a bag at the edge of the alley and quickly walked to retrieve it. Returning it to Dan, she said, “I really hope everything clears up nicely. Again, I’m sorry for what happened. There’s no excuse for his actions.”
Dan shook his head. “Don’t be sorry for something you didn’t do, Lucy.” He grinned. “Besides, I’d gladly take another wallop to the head if it means I’d get to see you again.”
The shock of Dan’s sudden flattery brought a bright smile to Lucy’s face. Try as she may to quell it, her lips only spread further. It wasn’t often that she encountered a man who knew how to sweet talk. “I’m not worth physical injury, but I’m flattered nonetheless.”
“I meant every word of it,” Dan guaranteed with a light nod. His face fell somber as he glanced down the dark alley. “So where’s home for you?”
“I—” Lucy’s voice cut off, unsure how to answer the question. They’d left the only home she’d ever known only a short while ago to come here, and any place they’d have called home since was no longer welcome to her since she decided to cut ties with Dominic. Her brother wasn’t lying when he’d said she had nothing and no one without him. She’d lived in his shadow all her life. He dictated everything that she was allowed to have or do, everyone she was allowed to see, and she’d let it all happen because it meant she wouldn’t be alone. But now she was, for the first time ever, and she wasn’t sure what the next step was supposed to be. “I’m… not sure. To be honest, I don’t actually even know what to do now that…” She let her voice trail off, not wanting to get back into her nasty habit of rambling when upset. And to a stranger, no less.
“You don’t have anywhere to go?” Dan asked.
Lucy she could see the complete and honest concern on his face. She shook her head. “Dominic was all I knew. He was my home and decided to move here to help out a family member of ours.” She steeled her gaze. “But I’m tired of helping him do terrible things for terrible people. I’m tired of putting family above my own wellbeing. If it means being homeless the rest of my life, I’ll still be better off because I’ll be away from him. Thanks for helping me see that.”
She could see the confusion and curiosity coloring his face, and for a moment she thought he might start asking questions, but he only touched a gentle hand to his cheek with resolve in his eyes.
“Listen,” he began. “The takeout is getting cold and my friends are waiting for me. Why
don’t you just hang with us for a while? Just until you can get back on your feet.”
Lucy tilted her head, not sure if following him was the best idea at all, but definitely still interested. “Where to?”
“My friends have this cabin on the outskirts of town and I was gonna catch dinner with them,” Dan replied, holding up the takeout in his hands for emphasis. “I always grab a little extra for some guaranteed leftovers, but I’m not above sharing if you’re hungry and aren’t afraid of a little small talk while we all eat.”
Lucy wasn’t sure how to respond. Surely, it was crazy to run off into the forest to a place she’d never been to with a man she’d just met to meet people she didn’t know and eat food she didn’t buy. However, at the same time, she didn’t feel anything other than safe with Dan. The logical warning bells rang in her mind, but never made it to her heart, and she found herself nodding before she could talk herself out of the decision. “If you don’t think they’ll mind, that is…” her voice trailed off as his hand reached for hers. Their fingers touched in a sizzle of electricity that left her breathless.
“No, of course they won’t!” Dan promised, completely unfazed by whatever shock she’d felt between them. “I hope you like shrimps; I put it on everything! Good stuff if you like Chinese, I guarantee it!”
A tiny laugh tumbled playfully from Lucy’s lips as she watched the swollen man speak animatedly about takeout fast food. It was both reassuring and comforting to watch him be so alive before her. “It sounds perfect.” She was glad she’d taken his hand. Hers felt warm and secure, as she secretly hoped he’d never let go.
“And thanks, Dan.”
Chapter Six
“Is something burning?” Lucy asked as they approached the cabin, her small button nose wrinkling in discomfort.
Dan glanced down at her, mild surprise on his face. “That’s an impressive sense of smell you got there,” he quipped.
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