Page 1 of Protected

Chapter One

Hail

“There a reason why you’re staring at the door?”

I grunted and shook my head. Staring at the bar's door was pretty obvious, but she was late. Every night at twelve-thirteen, she walked through the door and climbed the steps at the back of the bar to her apartment. Her eyes focused on her door, and she never looked at anyone.

She didn’t know I was watching, but I was.

I also had no clue about anything about her other than the time she got home from work. Well, I assumed she was coming home from work. I didn’t know that, either.

“He’s waiting for her,” Jersey chuckled.

“Her?” Tiger asked. “Who the hell is her? Did the prez get an ol’ lady, and we don’t know about her?”

“I know about her. You would know about her too if you paid attention to what is happening around you, Tiger.” Jersey waved his hand in front of my face. “Earth to, Hail,” he called.

I swatted his hand away. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Again, I needed to be less obvious.

I wasn’t sure what it was about this woman, but something drew her to me.

“Who is she?” Tiger asked.

“Don’t know,” Jersey smirked. “Hail only stares at her, never talks to her.”

I curled my lip and let out a growl. “Fuck you.”

Tiger reached behind him and pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. “I got a hundo in my wallet that says you won’t talk to her.” He pulled out the hundred-dollar bill and laid it on the bar top. “You talk to her, and it’s yours.”

“Not interested in taking your milk money, Tiger,” I grunted.

“But I am,” Jersey called. “If Hail talks to whoever this chick is, then I get the money. If he doesn’t, then you can keep it.”

“So Hail does all the risk, and you get the reward?” Tiger laughed.

“He’s not interested,” Jersey pointed out. “Come on, you seem pretty confident that he won’t talk to her, so you don’t have anything to lose.”

The front door opened, and my world froze. She was here.

“Holy shit,” Tiger called. “If he doesn’t talk to her, then I sure as hell will.”

“Stay the fuck away from her,” I growled, “or I’ll string you up by your balls and use you as a punching bag,” I threatened.

“How the hell does he get to call dibs on her?” Tiger grumbled. “He doesn’t even know her name.”

“Because he has been watching her for months, brother. Like, day after day after day.” Jersey whistled low and shook his head. “It’s like she makes him mute whenever she’s around.”

I glanced at Jersey. “And you’ve been watching me for months, apparently.”

Jersey shrugged. “I’m a watcher. I like to know what’s going on around me,” he explained.

She went through the crowd by the door and skirted around the pool table. At least she tried to.

She stepped to the side to avoid a guy bent over lining up his shot, but he quickly stood up and slammed into her.

“Oh, boy,” Jersey whispered.

“Where’s my beer?” Tiger asked. “I’m going to need refreshments for the entertainment.”

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