Page 5 of Ignited Heat

I don't scare easily, but that moment scared me. I've been watching over Cassie for as long as I've known her brother, Carlos. She was younger then, sweet and naive. She's not much better now. I've seen her go through several deadbeat boyfriends, but this Marcos Solis is the very definition of bad news.

She's always looked at me with admiration in her eyes, but she doesn't know the truth. That I'm a stone-cold killer, and I don't regret a thing I've done in my career. And that's why Carlos will let me protect her but at the same time, he warns me against her. My past could hurt sweet, innocent Cassie.

How could I ever be a husband or a father with a past like his? How do you tell your children you've killed for money? That is definitely a conversation that I would never want to have. Cassie Dalton is and will only ever be a dream.

I look up and realize I've driven my motorcycle to the Lee family compound. Cassie's car is in the driveway, and there's no light coming from her window.

Yes, I know where her window is located. This is not my first time here, spying on her in the dark. I look around the grounds, and Tuck shows himself for just a second, so I know he’s there. I don’t know why I had to come here when I know I’ve got someone on her 24/7. But if I don’t make this stop every night, my chest feels heavy, and then it's hard to breathe.

Althea, who runs the security team at Midnight Heat with me, tells me it's anxiety. The fuck I'm having anxiety. I gave her my scariest look, and she backed away. Althea's tough, but she won't be saying that to my face ever again. I don't even know why I confided in her, but it started happening right after Marcos attacked Cassie.

After about fifteen minutes looking up at her window, I put my helmet back on and leave. I won't be able to sleep like this so I go back to the club and help with security. However, it doesn't take all of my attention and that lets thoughts of Cassie filter through my brain. I can never be the man she deserves.

Going back to the conversation I had with Carlos, I realize Cassie needs me now more than ever. I know I'm not the right man for her, but I'll always be there for Cassie. It's more than a promise. It's a vow I make to myself. And whoever fucks with her will have to deal with me.

Chapter 3

Cassie

It's been a long night. More people going to Midnight Heat means more people coming to eat at the restaurant before they go party. I haven't seen Jason in a couple of days. He's always somewhere else when I bring his take-out order to him, and I wonder if maybe it's for the best. Our conversations never turn out the way I want them to anyway.

Besides, silence is what Jason does best. Silence with a menacing look.

I told my mother that I'd close up the restaurant, so I'm checking to make sure everything that needs to be done for tomorrow is set. I go into the bathroom and change from my red Quipao dress into my jeans and t-shirt. I wear the Chinese dress to honor my parents and because The Dragon's Lair is a Chinese restaurant. My mama says that if I dye my hair black, I'll look like the perfect porcelain doll, but I like my hair blonde like it is. Sucks to be adopted.

Before I'm ready to go I text Tuck next door so he can come walk me to my car. Jason was adamant about this, and truth be told, I'm still having bad dreams about the incident. I prefer to call it an incident instead of the other scary word, 'assault,' so that it doesn't seem like a big deal. But it was. Marcos hurt me, and I don't doubt he'll do it again if he gets a chance.

The soft knock on the back door, followed by a quiet "It's me, Tuck," tells me my security detail is here. I open the door and give him a smile.

"Hey, Tuck."

"Hi, Cassie. Ready to go?"

"Yup."

"Let's go then."

Tuck never makes conversation when he's with me and is always vigilantly searching for signs of trouble. I know from my brother Carlos that Marcos is still coming to the card room to play. They watch him while he's playing and then make sure he leaves the premises. But my brother's attention is always split between the game and the patrons, just like the night Marcos confronted me.

When we get to my car, Tuck checks that there's no one in the back and waits until I get in. Then I wave him goodbye and get ready to turn on the car. My phone vibrates, and I see a message from Anne. I’ll call her back later. I put the phone away and turn the engine on.

It happens so fast that I can't really do anything about it. A hand is put over my mouth from behind the seat, and I watch powerlessly as Tuck walks away toward the nightclub.

My hand reaches out to press on the horn, but a sharp blade touches my throat, and I can feel its bite into my skin. I'm too scared to move even if I could.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cassandra."

Tears flow down my face, and I try to control my breathing because if I take a deep breath, the knife digs deeper into my neck.

"Looks like your little neighbor is making sure you're safe and sound every night. Are you fucking him?"

I'm trembling, and I'm not sure he really wants me to answer his question, so I stay silent. The knife pushes a little deeper, and I gasp from the pain.

"Get out of the car, you slut. Hands where I can see them."

I open the door and put my hands up. I look around to see if there's anyone that can help me. This is all my fault. I should have been braver and talked to my brothers and made them see how dirty and corrupt Marcos was.

I'm almost out of the car when he drags me by the arm and throws me against the wall of the building. My breath wooshes out, and I double over in pain. My mouth opens as if to scream, but nothing comes out. He pulls me back up and looks at me like I'm dirt on his shoe.

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