by M. S. Parker
Somehow, I didn’t think that Syll would think that way. Which meant I should have been analyzing her business, coming up with a new approach since I hadn’t even had the chance to tell her what I’d pay for her bar. Working on a Saturday was normal for me, but I couldn’t get myself to focus on anything other than how much I wanted to see Syll again.
By late afternoon, I’d given up on concentrating on anything and decided to head over to her bar. I hadn’t gotten a look inside last time, which meant I did have a legitimate reason to go there. Seeing Syll was just a bonus.
If it was really business, I should’ve put on a suit, and if it was just to see inside, I could’ve worn the same casual clothes I’d been in already. Instead, I chose a nice pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that I’d always been told I looked good in. I didn’t even bother to try to explain it away.
The moment I got out of the car, I realized something was wrong. The bar wasn’t open yet. Or maybe it was. It was difficult to tell since there wasn’t a sign on the door. Because there wasn’t a door. More or less.
“Syll?” I didn’t even try to hide the concern in my voice as I went inside. “Hello?”
“Hello?” She stepped out of the back room, a broom in hand. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw me. “It’s you.”
“What happened?” I gestured around me as I took in the chaos.
“Some asshole broke into my bar, trashed the place, and left a threatening note.” She glared at me. “That’s what happened.”
A flash of anger went through me, and I took a step toward her. “Are you okay?”
Any decent guy would’ve asked the same question, but that didn’t explain me wanting to find out who’d done this and kick his ass. And if he’d hurt her…my hands curled into fists at just the thought of it.
“I’m fine,” she said, a bit of surprise in her voice. “But I can’t say it makes me feel good that I was sleeping when this happened, and I didn’t hear it.”
I leaned down and picked up a tipped over table. “Did you call the police?”
“They left about five minutes ago.”
“And they just left you by yourself?” I ran through a mental list of my contacts at the local police department, wondering who I could talk to about getting a squad car to watch over her…the bar. Watch over the bar.
“I am an adult, Mr. Hunter. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.” I had to admit, she sounded more pissed than scared. “Even when people aren’t above trying to bully me into doing what they want.”
I turned at the accusation in her voice. She’d set aside the broom and was now glaring at me, hands on hips.
“Are you trying to imply something?” I asked mildly.
She shook her head. “Not implying anything. I’m flat-out saying it. You came here, with your expensive suit, said you wanted to buy my bar, and when I said no, you acted like you hadn’t heard a word I said. Like you had some right to keep talking when I said I wasn’t interested.”
Was she serious?
“I just think it’s kind of funny that the day after I told you something you didn’t want to hear, my place gets trashed and I got threatened.”
“I would never–” The sentence broke off the moment I realized what she’d said. “You were threatened?”
“The cops took the note and the knife–”
“The what?” I took another step toward her, vaguely aware that I was getting into her personal space.
“I’m fine,” she said, holding her ground. “But I still think it’s a little suspicious that this happened right after I turned down two of your offers to buy my bar.”
It finally hit me then. She thought I had done this. Trashed her place. Threatened her.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, or what you think you know about me,” I fought to keep my voice even, “but I would never resort to threats or vandalism because a deal didn’t go through.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” Her eyes met mine.
“I wouldn’t hurt anyone,” I insisted. “Least of all you.”
“Least of all me?”
Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Hell, I hadn’t meant to feel it. She was close enough now that I could smell her citrus shampoo. I wasn’t going to try to explain to her what I meant because I didn’t want to think about it. I did, however, want to see if she tasted as good as she smelled.
It would be so easy to reach out and touch her, to put one hand on her waist and pull her against me so I could feel how her body curved. My other hand tangling in those curls to hold her still while I took her mouth, explored every inch with my tongue.
She swallowed hard, her eyes wide. I had no doubt she could read on my face everything I was thinking, but she didn’t step back, didn’t tell me to keep my hands to myself. I gave her a minute to decide if she was going to stop me because, if she didn’t, I’d kiss her and damn any consequences to my business venture.
Just before I acted on my desire, I heard crunching glass behind us.
I spun around, automatically putting myself between Syll and the stranger who was walking into the bar. He was short and stocky, with buzzed hair so pale that it had to be either a very light blond or premature gray. The arrogant light in his hazel eyes told me that he was sizing me up as competition of some kind, underestimating me, and most likely overestimating his own ability.
Even though I’d never set eyes on this guy in my life, I knew his type. Ones who carried chips on their shoulders and thought that the world owed them something. He was exactly the sort of man who’d do something like this, whether for revenge or for money. If he thought he could intimidate me, he–
“Hey, babe.”
The glare he gave me was at odds with the easy tone of his voice and his word choice. Which meant he was talking to Syll. And calling her babe.
“I came as soon as I could,” he continued, opening his arms as Syll stepped around me. He hugged her, shooting me a smug expression over her head. She pulled back enough to look up at him, and he kissed her.
I clenched my jaw tight and forced myself to keep my expression blank. I didn’t know Syll, and I sure as hell didn’t have a claim on her. Which meant that there was no reason why watching her being kissed by that smarmy asshole should piss me off so badly.
“Thank you for coming,” she said when he finally let her come up for air. Her face was flushed, but something about it told me that it was more from embarrassment than passion.
Or maybe I was just reading her completely wrong again. After all, I had thought that she wanted me to kiss her less than two minutes ago.
Then again, maybe she had wanted it, and I’d misjudged her character.
All of this flashed through my mind in the time it took for her to turn back toward me.
“Ja–Mr. Hunter, this is Billy Outhwaite, my boyfriend.”
Boyfriend.
Right.
“Billy, this is Jax Hunter.”
“What’s he doing here?”
I shoved my hands into my pockets, so I wouldn’t ‘accidentally’ punch this douche in his face. “I stopped by and saw what happened. I was helping her clean up.”
“And how do you know her?” He stepped toward me, a mulish glint in his eyes.
“I offered to buy her bar yesterday.” I hadn’t done anything wrong, and I’d be damned if I let him make me feel like I had.
He looked down at Syll. “You didn’t tell me that.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I haven’t talked to you since then.”
I wondered if I was the only one who could hear the irritation in her voice.
“Well, I’m here now, so you don’t need to be.” He crossed his arms, puffing out his chest in what I was sure was supposed to be a threatening gesture.
Too bad for him that I had three younger brothers, all well over six feet tall, and much more intimidating than him. If I didn’t let them push me around, I sure as hell wasn’t going to let this guy do it.<
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“I don’t think that’s your decision to make.” Thanks to dealing with all sorts of people in my business, I’d learned how to keep my cool when talking to pretty much anyone, but Billy was pushing my limits.
“Listen here, asshole.” He crossed the distance between us until only a few inches remained, but I didn’t flinch or back away. “She’s my girlfriend. Mine. You got that?”
For a moment, I thought he was going to poke me in the chest, and if that happened, I knew I’d snap and probably break his finger. I needed to calm down because escalating this wasn’t going to be good for anyone involved.
But that didn’t mean I was simply going to take his shit.
“Step. Back,” I said through gritted teeth. “She was here by herself, and after what happened, I didn’t think that was safe.”
“She wasn’t by herself. I’m here.”
I didn’t bother pointing out that being here now didn’t mean she hadn’t been alone when I arrived. He didn’t seem like the sort to take to kindly to that kind of help.
“Now you are,” Syll spoke up. “He came in, we talked. He picked up a table. Knock it off and help me clean up.”
He didn’t even look at her, but after a few seconds, he must have considered me sufficiently cowed, because he took a step back.
And then he sucker punched me right in the face.
Ten
Syll
“What the fuck, Billy?!”
Jax had his hand to his face, muffling his curses as he took a step back. He wasn’t retreating though. I could see in his eyes that he was thinking of his next move. If this turned into an all-out fight, my already-trashed bar was going to be destroyed, and Billy would get his ass kicked. I didn’t doubt that for a minute.
Part of me wanted to let it happen because Billy had been out of line. Not to mention the fact that when he pulled this possessive bullshit, it didn’t make me feel safe and protected. It made me feel like I was a piece of property. That I belonged to him, and no one else was going to get to play with his toys.
Not exactly how a girlfriend wanted to feel. Not this girlfriend, anyway.
“You heard him,” Billy said, his face red.
“Yeah, I did.” I stepped between him and Jax. “And absolutely nothing he said made him deserve a punch to the face.”
I didn’t mention the fact that, right before Billy arrived, I’d thought Jax was going to kiss me. It would only make things worse, and I didn’t even really know that’s what Jax had been thinking. He could’ve been staring at me like that because he was trying to figure out the best way to convince me to sell.
Sometimes, lying to myself was the only way to get through the day.
Besides, even if Jax had kissed me, that would’ve been for me to deal with, not Billy. Not unless I had needed his help. And Jax wasn’t like that.
“I can’t believe you’re defending him,” Billy said. His voice had taken on that whining tone that always set my teeth on edge. “You’re my girlfriend! You should be on my side.”
“That’s enough,” I said sharply. “You need to apologize and back off. Jax didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Jax?” Billy glowered at me now. “What happened to Mr. Hunter?”
I shook my head, my patience wearing thin. “Suck it up and apologize to him. You were in the wrong here.”
Tension stretched in the silence as I waited to see what Billy would do. He’d never gotten violent with me, but I knew he had a temper. And a childish streak that could make him unpredictable at times. If he thought I was taking Jax’s side over him, he could sulk and leave, or he could make matters worse.
“No fucking way.”
Okay, so it was making matters worse.
“Can I get some ice?” Jax asked. He was holding the bridge of his nose, but I didn’t see any blood, so I hoped that meant nothing was broken. “I have a meeting next week that I’d rather not have black eyes for.”
He was taking this rather well. I took a step toward the kitchen, intending to get him what he asked for, but I didn’t make it any further because Billy’s hand closed on my upper arm.
“Don’t.”
I turned around, looking down at his hand, and then back up at him. “Let go of me.”
His grip tightened, a stubborn look on his face. “I mean it, Syll. Don’t.”
I tried to pull my arm free, but his fingers dug in, and I made a pained noise.
“She said to let go.” Jax was suddenly there, towering over us both. “I suggest you do it.”
“Or what?” Billy said belligerently. “I can break your nose this time.”
“I don’t think so,” Jax countered, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re not going to catch me off-guard again. That was your one freebie.”
“You know what, Billy,” Syll sighed, “get out.”
Both men looked at me, surprised, and I took the opportunity to pull my arm free. I took a couple steps back but didn’t take my eyes off Billy. I pointed at him. “You need to leave. You’re behaving like a child, and I’ve got enough to deal with right now. I can’t handle this too.”
“C’mon, Syll,” Billy protested. “I’m your boyfriend, and you’re going to kick me out?”
“You’re the one causing the problems,” I said. “Leave.”
“Say the word,” Jax said quietly, “and I’ll make him go.”
For a moment, I worried that, rather than preventing a fight, I was provoking one, but then Billy scowled and looked away. “Fine.”
I waited until he left before looking over at Jax. My annoyance shifted from my boyfriend to this near-stranger as I saw him looking far too pleased with himself. “And what the hell were you thinking? Provoking him like that?”
His eyes widened. “I provoked him? Do I have to remind you that he punched me in the face for no reason?”
“I don’t know about that,” I said. “He came in here and saw a strange man in a trashed bar with his girlfriend. For all he knew, you’d done that to get to me.”
Jax shook his head, but he looked amused more than angry. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
I pushed back sweat-dampened curls from my face and sighed. “I believe that I’m tired of men talking over me and around me.”
“That’s not what I was doing,” he said. “I was trying to protect you.”
“Protect me? He’s my boyfriend. I was never in any danger from him.”
“I think the bruises you’re going to have on your arm would say otherwise.”
I glared up at him, all my previous thoughts about how gorgeous he was disappearing as I realized how annoying he was. “I had it under control.”
“Yeah, you did.”
I reached out and poked him in the chest, then tried not to show how surprised I was at just how hard his chest was. “You don’t know me. I don’t care how much research you did on me and my family before you came in with your offer, but that doesn’t mean you know shit about who I am, or what I’m capable of.”
He held up his hands in the universal I surrender gesture. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I’m just saying that I can fight my own battles. I always have.”
Something in his face softened. “But you shouldn’t have to.”
No. I didn’t want him to say something like that. I didn’t want him to look at me like he wanted to protect me. I didn’t need that from anyone. I never had. My father had raised me to be tough, to think for myself. I knew he hadn’t wanted to leave me so young, but he’d always meant for me to be able to look after myself when he was gone. He’d never trusted Billy to do it.
And I was starting to think that I never had either.
“Don’t get cute,” I said quietly. “Billy’s my boyfriend. Yeah, he was out of line, both with you and with me, but what would you have thought if you’d been in his position?”
He was silent for a minute, considering the question before answering it. “Did you call him as soon as y
ou saw this?”
“Right after I called the cops.” I narrowed. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“The cops have been here and left again,” he said. “I didn’t see any of them, so I’m guessing they were gone about five to ten minutes before I got here. But he was completely calm and relaxed when he got in here. Acting like it was okay that it took him all this time to get here.”
“He was at work.” Even as I defended him, I couldn’t help but remember how frustrated I’d been when he hadn’t answered his phone.
Jax moved into my personal space with one step, his expression serious, his eyes darkening. “No work, no person – nothing in this life – would have kept me from getting to the woman I loved if I thought she was in trouble.”
Oh.
Then he was cupping my face and lowering his head.
His mouth was firm against mine, nothing timid or hesitant about it. His lips moved, parting mine so he could trace my mouth with the tip of his tongue. His teeth scraped against my bottom lip, and I made a sound I’d never made before.
It startled me enough to make me realize what he was doing. To really realize it.
I pushed him away, intending to simply tell him never to do it again, but then I saw the smirk on his face, and my temper got the best of me.
I slapped him.
Eleven
Jax
It had just been a kiss.
A fucking kiss.
I’d had my first kiss in sixth grade. Katie Paladino. A seventh-grade volleyball player. I’d been the envy of every boy in the sixth and seventh grades, and probably some in the eighth grade too.
Remembering my first kiss wasn’t weird. Most people remembered that.
A single kiss that took less than a full minute, and had happened a few hours ago, should not have still been on my mind.
Then again, it could have been because I could still feel my cheek stinging from where she slapped me.
