Page 19 of Scarred Souls

Vaughn nodded and held my stare. It might’ve been my imagination, but I could’ve sworn he seemed as reluctant to leave as I was to go inside. Which was absurd. Clearly, we didn’t get along and had no reason to see each other again. So why did it feel wrong to turn my back on him and walk away for good?

As though the spell had broken, Vaughn blinked and shifted his gaze to the dash. “Go on, now. I haven’t got all night.”

Ass.

His gruff response provided the timely reminder that I didn’t need this man in my life, so I pushed the bike to the front of the house and leaned it against a wall. The porch light came on, and Daphne opened the door just as I climbed the stairs. She wore a long pink nightshirt that read I’m good in bed. My mastiff cross, Titan, squeezed past Daphne’s legs to greet me while a few of the other house dogs sniffed my shoes and clothes.

Dee remained focused over my shoulder, giving Vaughn the stink eye with her lip raised in a sneer. There was nothing unusual about her expression. Despite having a heart of gold, Daphne was the least trusting person I knew and looked at almost everyone with cynicism.

“You’re home late,” she grumbled.

“It’s a long story.” I closed the door and fastened the lock on the handle as well as the dead bolt.

Daphne nodded toward Vaughn’s truck. “Who’s the prince of darkness?”

“That’s an even longer story.” I pulled back the curtains in the living room and made sure the window was secure just as Vaughn’s truck revved and headed down the driveway. I watched a cloud of dust swallow up his taillights and ignored the heaviness in my chest that felt oddly like disappointment.

Using her cane for support, Dee hobbled toward the kitchen. “I’m up now, so you may as well tell me what’s going on. I’m assuming there’s a good reason you’re checking all the locks.”

I dumped my purse on the counter and sat at the breakfast bar. Daphne took milk from the refrigerator, poured it into a saucepan, and lit the gas burner. Hot cocoa and a chat was a ritual of ours when I came home from work. Daphne would fill me in on any issues with the dogs, and I’d give her the gossip from town. This was the first time in a week we’d had a chance to catch up in the evening. Daphne had been hitting the hay early because her MS had been knocking her around. She’d improved these last few days, though, relying on her cane less and being more upbeat, but she still tired easily.

Titan rested his chin on my lap for a pat. “There was trouble at the restaurant. Four cartel members came in right before closing. I tried to get them to leave. It didn’t end well.”

Daphne’s eyes shot to mine. “Did they recognize you?”

“No. They were low-level.” I took my phone out of my purse and plugged it into the charging cable in the wall. “Vaughn moved them along.”

To avoid Daphne fussing over me, I chose not to mention the knock to my head. I didn’t have a concussion, and I knew this because she’d taught me the symptoms. Not only did I help Daphne with the dogs when they needed treatment but I was also her assistant when people from the village turned up on our doorstep needing medical attention.

Daphne placed the saucepan over the burner, adding cocoa powder and sugar. “Vaughn? Is that who dropped you off?”

“Yeah.”

“And when you say he moved them along?—”

“I mean he beat the shit out of all four of them, and I’m pretty sure that was his version of showing restraint.”

She arched one brow, probably thinking the same thing as me. What kind of madman took on four lowlifes and kicked their asses?

A dangerous one. That was who.

“They’ll be back,” she said.

“Vaughn hopes he hurt their egos enough that they won’t return. Well, not tonight, anyway, but he thinks those guys were at Javi’s because the cartel plans on gaining control of the village in the near future.”

A few years before I’d arrived in Playa de la Palmera, a different cartel had tried to weasel their operations into the village. The townsfolk had armed themselves, surrounded the narcos, and run them out of town. The residents here weren’t easily intimidated by bullies.

“They can try.” Daphne folded her arms. “What else do we know about your new friend? Aside from him having a death wish.”

I snorted. “He’s not my friend. That man is bossy, rude, and the most frustrating person I’ve ever met.”

“Except he just saved your ass and made sure you got home safely.”

I threw my hands up. “He went through my purse and called me a pain in the ass.”

Daphne laughed. “Girl, sometimes, you are a pain in the ass.” She poured the hot cocoa into mugs and passed me one. “He’s no tourist. What’s he doing in Playa de la Palmera?”

I took a sip and shrugged. “Said he was passing through.”

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