Page 97 of An Indecent Longing

It pissed him off that she could be in danger. Infuriated him that it was probably because of Antonoff. The bastard ruined lives and was never made to pay for it.

Minutes later, Dorrie had packed up her gear and made her way back to them.

“You ready to head out?” Ian asked as she walked over to them, shaking her head at something one of the other players had said before she’d left.

He hadn’t heard exactly what she’d said, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with him and Ben because Dorrie’s cheeks were pink. But that could’ve been from the game or the sunny day.

“Sure. You can just drop me off at home. I need to get a shower and check on Blank and I’ve got some other work I need to do.”

Ian almost said no. The word was on the tip of his tongue but luckily Ben stepped in before he made a complete mess of things.

“Sure, not a problem.”

Nodding, she walked beside Ben, though she checked over her shoulder to make sure Ian followed along. They were nearly to Ian’s car when she froze as the man who’d been watching from the parking lot got out of his car and approached.

Ian’s back went up and he stepped to Dorrie’s side as Ben stood in front of her.

“Miss Haverstick. Can I speak to you for a minute?”

Ben shook his head. “Not sure she wants to speak—”

“Yes, of course.” She put one hand on Ben’s arm and the other on Ian’s, halting them both. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“Dorrie.” Ian felt like his jaw was going to snap, it was so tight.

She turned to look at him. “Ian.”

Sonuvabitch.He wanted to tell her no, absolutely not. He wasn’t going to leave her alone with this guy. Because now he knew exactly who this man worked for and Ian wanted to punch the guy in his expressionless face.

He was pretty sure this guy wouldn’t take that lying down and he’d probably take a swing at Ian. And wouldn’t that be a good way to blow off some steam?

“Yeah, sure.” Ben, always the voice of reason. “We’ll just wait here. Right, Ian?”

She hadn’t taken her eyes off him and now he saw the pleading in her gaze. As if she was afraid of what he would do.

With a short nod, he took a step back and away, focusing on steadying his breathing so he didn’t give away his agitation. But he didn’t trust himself to speak.

Leaning back against his car, Ian watched her walk with the other guy to his car and move even closer when he spoke to her.

Ben leaned over to Ian at the same time. “Tone it down some or you’re going to start something that’s not going to end well.”

“You trying to tell me I can’t take him?”

Ben huffed. “Of course not. And even if he did manage to make it past you, I’d finish the job. But you go caveman on her and we won’t get her back to our place tonight.”

“You actually think she’s planning to come back to our place? I think we’re about to get the brush-off.”

“I think if we play our cards right, yeah. She’ll come back with us after dinner.”

Ian wanted to believe that, but the conversation she was having with the goon seemed to be taking a turn she wasn’t happy with.

After another minute or so, she reluctantly nodded and turned back to them with a look on her face that made Ian start to grind his teeth.

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head, looking genuinely upset. “I need to leave. There’s been an…emergency and I have to be somewhere.”

Ian tried not to let his aggression get too out of hand. “You know you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

Her lips twisted in an approximation of a smile at Ian’s rough words. “I know that. But this is work and I have to go.”

He couldn’t help but think she was lying. Everything about her body language and the way her gaze kept flashing back to the man now waiting by his car again screamed that she didn’t want to go but he had something on her that forced her compliance. Something that probably had to do with Antonoff.

He nodded, the only response he could give without saying something he regretted. Hopefully Ben would be able to say something better.

“We’ll call you later,” Ben said.

Ian didn’t hear her response because he’d turned away to pull open the door and get in the car.

---