Page 14 of Sizzling In the Mountains

“Want some beer?”

“Yes, please.”

He pours me a cup and even though I don’t really like beer, it’s still cold and better than the wine.

“Hey, that’s my seat,” Doug says when he returns, flashing his three hundred dollars.

James just glares at him, daring him to object.

“No worries,” Doug says as he heads to the other side of the table. “You probably need some rest after that fight.”

I can’t help but smile. I’m glad James didn’t move.

I like him right here beside me.

CHAPTER SIX

James

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I say as I lean in close to Victoria’s ear. She smells so good, like vanilla cupcakes. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s not a safe place for you.”

She looks up at me and my heart squeezes in my chest. How does she keep doing this to me? That monster in the cage couldn’t knock me down if he tried, but this beautiful girl can bring me to my knees with one flash of those big innocent eyes.

She has no idea the power she has over me. She could wrap me around her little finger and I’d be happy to just be close to her.

“You want me to leave?”

I almost die when I see a trace of disappointment on her face. I don’t ever want to see that again.

“No,” I say with a fierceness that surprises me. “But these guys…” I look around. “When they get drunk, they get rowdy. After midnight, it’s a real shit show.”

I could protect her from half a dozen of them. Maybe more, and I’m sure the guys would have my back, but that’s not a situation I’m willing to put her in. Something could go wrong. The unexpected can always happen in a fight.

“Okay,” she says smiling sadly at me. “I guess I should get going.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Thank you.”

She stands up and the boys look at her as she waves. “I will be leaving now.”

They all nod and smile politely at her. All but Doug, who’s practically sulking at the end of the table. I couldn’t fucking care less.

“Come,” I say as I stand up and offer my arm. She wraps her hand around it and my heart pounds in approval.

My eyes are scanning the tables for danger as I walk her to the door. I’m like a pitbull guarding his most prized possession. If any of these fuckers even look at her, I’ll take their fucking eyes. They all avoid us like we’re invisible. They’re smarter than they look. They saw what I’m capable of and don’t want any part of it.

The cool mountain air hits us as we step outside. Three or four guys are smoking by the motorcycles, but we head the other way.

“I’m sorry your library burned down,” I say. “We’ll make it right.”

“I’m so heartbroken about it,” she says with a heavy sigh as we arrive at her small blue car. “It makes me sick whenever I think about it. I can’t believe I did that.”

We were chatting inside and she told me the insurance is only going to cover half the cost of the repairs. I want to charge into that company and demand they treat my girl right, but I know it doesn’t work like that.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I tell her as I take her delicate hand. “It was an accident.”

“A stupid one.”

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