Page 2 of Shadow Touched

Brim watched the woman come from the back,looking like a scared rabbit tossed in the lion’s den. He peggedher to be young, perhaps just over the legal age to be in the bar,but way too young for his sorry ass. Still, there was somethingthat glued his eyes on her. Maybe it was the way her long auburnhair swung as she moved, or the delicate line of her jaw. Orperhaps the vulnerability that screamed for him to rescue her. Hehad to remind himself that he didn’t need to interfere. He’d gonenomad to regroup and lay his grief to rest, not find a cause tochampion. Even if the package drew him in like a siren song. It washard to determine her features since she kept her face down withbangs covering her eyes. When the bartender yelled at her and shejumped, Brim got a glimpse of pretty features. She headed to thesection of the bar where people waited for beer. Her lack ofexperience was obvious, and her awkwardness slightly amused him.The out-of-the-way bar had become a sort of sanctuary from life inhis MC, and usually he simply sat in the shadows to drink and chillout. Tonight, however, offered him a different type ofentertainment.

The woman floundered for a bit, until shefound some sort of rhythm. The more she moved, the more he began toreassess her age. She didn’t flirt or try to talk up the customersfor more tips. Instead, she kept her head down and filled theorders coming in.

He nursed his beer as he watched her, andover time the bar began to clear out, until only a few peopleremained. A man sat at the counter, half falling over. His jerkymovements showing his inebriated state. The woman kept ignoring theman, skirting out of reach every time he tried to get herattention.

He tensed when the drunkard managed to grabher arm. The woman struggled to break free. Brim didn’t like thatthe asshole touched her, although he didn’t linger on the reasonwhy. He rose from his table, grabbed his empty bottle, and made hisway to the bar.

“Don’t touch me,” the woman muttered,yanking on her arm to get the drunk man to release her.

“Ah, sweetheart,” said the drunk man, hiswords slurring together. “Come on. Be nice.”

“She said let go,” Brim warned, coming upbehind the man.

The woman looked up at him, their eyes met,and a ton of bricks immediately fell on Brim. He’d never, in allhis forty-five years on Earth felt such a visceral reaction towardanother human being. Dark eyes regarded him with a touch of panicand fear, causing all his protective instincts to rush to thesurface.

“I’m pretty damn sure those ain’t the wordsshe said,” the drunk said, laughing at what he thought wasclever.

Brim wasn’t amused. “Then listen to these.Get your fucking hand off her or I’ll break it. Do you comprehendthose words, cocksucker?”

The man stopped smiling, and when he surgedto his feet to square off, Brim was ready. He flipped open hisbutterfly knife in a flash and then pressed the blade under theman’s chin.

“What pisses you off more?” Brim asked. “Thefact you like sucking cock or the fact I called you out on it?”

The drunk let go of her. The woman stumbledback, eyes wide. Brim stared at the man a moment more, waiting tosee if he’d do anything else. When he didn’t, Brim closed his knifeand slipped it back into his pocket.

“Get the fuck out of here,” he muttered.

“I ought to kill you,” the drunk mumbled,weaving on his feet.

“You can’t even piss straight,” Brim said.“Get out of here before I throw you out.” He moved enough so hisclub patch was revealed, a devil wearing a crown. The man’s gazefell and even drunk, he recognized the president of an MC wasn’tsomeone to mess with. Immediately, he backed away.

Brim watched him until he left the bar. Thenhe turned back toward the woman and sat down on a stool.

“I’ll take another beer,” he said, placinghis empty bottle on the counter.

Her chest heaved as she caught her breath.Wariness widened her eyes, but she got him his beer. Popping thecap off as she sat the bottle in front of him.

“My name is Brim,” he said. “It’s short forBrimstone. My mother said she named me that as a reminder of thehell her pregnancy put her through.”

Her boss came out from the kitchen, carryinga large box. He sat it down on the counter with a heavy thump.

“Last call!” he yelled.

Brim ignored the warning. “What’s yourname?”

“Leia,” she said quickly. “Thanks for thatguy.”

“I didn’t like him touching you.”

Her hesitancy showed she didn’t know how tointerpret his statement. Hell, neither did he, but there wassomething about her that he found fascinating. Suddenly, she lookedover his shoulder and horror blossomed over her face, so intense heautomatically reached for his knife once more as he spunaround.

Nothing.

Relaxing, he turned back toward her, butfear still blanketed her face. She backed up and hurried away fromhim, disappearing into the kitchen. Something had spooked her sobad she’d run from him. Unsettled, Brim closed his knife back upand slid it into his pocket.

“Ready to settle your tab?” Clint asked.

“Yeah,” Brim muttered.

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