Page 22 of Scent of Home

“Alpha,” Locke pleads, “keep me safe. Please, make them stop.”

“You’re safe, Locke. It’s safe here. I won’t let anything happen.”

He exhales and falls back into a deep sleep. I stroke his back and lie there awake for a long time, wondering what exactly I’m keeping this man safe from.

It doesn’t occur to me to refuse.

Chapter seven

Bray

Finn’s words come backto me all night and into the next morning. I pull out a rag, slap it against my forehead, swipe at the sweat, then wipe my hands on my jeans.

“Try it now.”

Benson, a teenage trouble maker that Finn foisted on me, turns the key in the ignition. The car starts after a hesitant final splutter. I lean over the engine, listening to the sounds rumbling out of it, checking what I can see. Leaks? Nah, this baby’s all good to go.

I close the bonnet and step back. “Right, Benny, turn it off. Pack it up, give Mr Egglefield a call, and let him know his car’s ready for pick up.

“How much?”

Benny’s face is thin and narrow, his eyes are wide with mischief most of the time, but the kid’s a sponge when it comes to engines. Everything I show him, he soaks it up and just gets what I’m teaching him.

I reluctantly hook my thumbs on my belt loops.

“On the house,” I end up saying with an internal groan.

Benny shakes his head. “How do you make enough money to stay open?”

I don’t acknowledge the truth of that question. I barely make ends meet. The business is not something I’m good at. When I inherited it from Mr Myers, it was in the shit. I’ve gotten it floating, but it’s not turning a profit. It’s all I can do to get the bills paid at the end of the month, but charging Egglefield, who is old enough to be my great-great-grandfather, doesn’t sit right.

And if I don’t charge him, I can’t charge Sonja Tatts, and then Penn Carter would be upset, and it just continues until I find I’m working more for free than not.

So, I drink a bit of beer, and I get into fights, but only with people who deserve it.

Okay, mainly only with Shane, but in truth, the arrogant prick deserves it. He’s so high and mighty.

Benny bounces back towards me with too much energy. “Lunch, boss?”

“Do you ever stop eating?”

Benny grins.

“Get out. Take the afternoon off. I’ve got one more job, and then we’re done till Monday.”

Benny whoops! “Thank you, boss.”

“Stop calling me boss,” I grouch.

Benny grins as he backs towards the washroom. I ignore him and go to the other car, opening the hood and staring blindly into it.

“Why do you have to be an ass? You know he’s got his reasons. Just get off his back.”

The words had pissed me off, but worse had been the shame. I exhale, trying to get rid of the words Finn had whipped me with. I don’t mean to get Shane murderous with me. It’s just so easy. But last night had nothing to do with Shane and everything to do with the man and woman who had arrived in my life like a breath of fresh air.

I want them.

I’m a simple man. I like what I like; I know what I like, and most of the time, it’s easy to get.

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