Page 60 of Sweet Dreams

Hercules looks at Silas, pressing his lips together. “I’ll take her back; you probably should keep your distance for now.”

He wraps his arm around my waist, and I grip his shoulder. He slowly walks as I hobble alongside him; the cold air hits me like a freight train, sending shivers down my body. Hercules pulls me in closeras we near an SUV with a group of guys standing around.

“Buck, what are you doing?” The old man shakes his head.

“We need to get her home; we can’t leave her here, Leroy,” Hercules tells him.

“You ditched the sack of shit, did you?” The baldie asks.

Hercules growls. “Griff shut the fuck up.”

Ginger smacks Griff on the back of the head. “You wonder why you can’t get a woman. That fucking mouth of yours. You can stay behind with Silas and find a car.”

“Weldon, fuck off. I’m not staying with him. He’s on his own.”

Maybe I should find my ride home. These guys act like a group of teenage girls. “Don’t you guys still have to find the mayor?” I remind them.

“Who’s the mayor?” Silas says from behind me.

I look over my shoulder. “Mr. Montgomery. You didn’t know?”

“Are you kidding me? We had a shootout with the goddamn mayor?” I look at Leroy, who is now pacing.

Sirens scream in the distance and Hercules’ hand tightens on my waist. “We need to leave now. In the car, Sugar.”

Leroy climbs into the driver's seat, and Griff and Weldon climb into the back. Leaving Silas, Hercules, and I standing outside.

“Get the fuck in, we don’t have time for this,” Leroy yells from his window.

Silas runs to the front, and Hercules helps me climb into the back. “What about you?”

“Easy, L, pop the back open.” The back hatch opens, and Hercules grins at me before closing the door. This can’t be happening. I’m a simple bookstore owner, and now I’m caught up in a mess. Take me back to a few days ago when I didn’t know this didn’t exist.

Thetension in the car is suffocating. I knew she wouldn’t forgive me, but her words cut me deep. I royally fucked it up with her, and I’ll never be able to get it back. When I stepped into that shop and saw that asshole standing next to Teagan, I damn near lost my shit. How did she end up there in the first place? Buck had just seen her at my house a few hours beforehand.

I turn in my seat and stare at her. She looks so at ease, with her head comfortably resting on Weldon's shoulder. Her wrists have stopped bleeding, and I pray they don’t leave scars. I resist the urgeto ask the questions that are bouncing in my head. Who knows if she’ll even answer me.

“So, the mayor is a crooked sonofabitch. Who would’ve known.” Leroy chuckles. “Didn’t see that one coming.”

I face the front. “I should’ve. Explains why his wife is a cunt.”

“You don’t even know the half of it,” Teagan mumbles.

“Well, fill us in,” Griff ordered forcefully.

“No need to be a dick about it, baldie. Didn’t mommy teach you fucking manners?”

The car fills with laughter. I watch her from over my shoulder, and she combs her fingers through her tangled hair; her mouth pulls into a slight grimace when she moves her wrist wrong. I look into her eyes and notice a tear forming as our gazes lock. My own eyes narrow in concern.

“No need to be a bitch, didn’t your mommy teach you that.”

The car goes quiet, and I watch Teagan. Her eyes are still on me, and her face has gone hard. I’ve seen that look once before.

“My mom is the reason why I am a bitch. Your dad must be a pussy because you act like one to be picking on a woman. Grow a pair asshole.”

Griff goes to reach for her when Buck and I move. Weldon blocks her, and Leroy slams on the brakes.

“That is enough. If you can’t handle backtalk from a fucking woman, get the hell out of the car. She’s right you are a pussy, Griff. Jesus Christ, can’t we just get back to the house in one piece,” Leroy barks.

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