Page 18 of Mine to Keep

Chapter Twelve

She was with another man.

He could see the pair easily through the diner window. They sat in a booth next to the glass, oblivious to the stream of people passing on the sidewalk, oblivious to the pair of dangerous men observing them. The guy was big and mean looking. Every bit as rugged and confident as Rob. He was tall and muscular with a full head of hair and a dark beard. Every visible inch of the guy’s skin was tattooed. He looked like a biker. Someone Rob might hang out with if he didn’t intend to kill the guy first chance he got. Veronica’s small hand was sitting casually on top of the stranger’s hand, as though touching was the norm for these two. The guy looked enthralled with whatever she was saying. Not that Rob blamed him, Veronica would be enchanting while reciting a cookbook.

Every muscle in Rob’s body vibrated with the need to crash into the diner, tear them apart and then make the man bleed. For a long time. Then murder him, slowly and painfully. Jay chuckled and smacked him on the shoulder, drawing Rob’s ire from the window down to his younger friend. He growled and shifted his eyes back to the beautiful smile Veronica was bestowing on the giant asshole.

She tucked a strand of red and black hair behind her ear and laughed, reaching for a cup of tea with her free hand. She couldn’t even be bothered to take her hand away from the biker dude’s long enough to drink her damn tea. Rage detonated through Rob’s chest stealing his breath and sending him bolting forward. Jay jerked him back, shoving him into a concrete wall.

Rob growled and lifted an arm to shove him aside.

“You forced me to listen to reason, now you can listen to me, old man,” Jay snapped.

Rob glared at him, but didn’t try to shove him away again.

“His name is Caleb. He’s her sponsor,” Jay said quietly. “They’re very close, but only when it comes to supporting each other. Nothing else. These two have never been anything more to each other. You have to know I’d never let a bad influence anywhere near Veronica. I’ve had the guy thoroughly checked.”

Rob gradually relaxed as Jay’s words penetrated the fog of jealousy at seeing his woman touching another man. He glanced toward the window. She’d taken her hand back and was sitting back comfortably in the booth with her leg curled up on the set. She was adorable. He took a deep breath.

“She won’t forgive you if you try to cut her sponsor out of her life. Or her group or one-on-one counsellor. She needs these things for security,” Jay continued. “Just like you and I have ways of coping with the things we’ve seen and done, so does she.”

Rob pushed away from the wall and straightened his leather jacket. “I hear you. She can keep the sponsor, but we’re having a talk about touching and boundaries.” He glanced toward the window and caught the carefree smile flashing across her face. He didn’t have the heart to hurt her feelings. “Tomorrow,” he amended.

Jay chuckled and opened the door to the diner.

Jay was ahead of Rob, striding down the aisle of the diner toward Veronica, intent on getting to her. It looked like Rob was going to have to get in fucking line just to get a glimpse of the woman that belonged to him. Before he could tell Jay to get out of the way and back it up with a thump on the back, Jay was easing into the booth next to her and wordlessly gathering her into his arms. Veronica went without hesitation, melting against him as though they’d hugged a thousand times.

Jealousy shot through Rob like a lightning bolt and it took every ounce of self-control in him not to wrench Jay out of the booth and start de-limbing the younger man. He was getting really fucking sick of other guys touching his woman.

He crossed his arms, clenched him fists and went over a litany of facts in his head. Fact: Veronica loved Jay as a savior and younger brother figure (or she damn well better if she wanted him to keep breathing). Fact: Jay had saved her life and that alone would save his. Fact: Jay loved Allison romantically, not Veronica. Fact: though not as bulky as Rob, Jay was just as deadly and Rob could end up pretty maimed if he tried to fight the crafty criminal. Fact: he was pretty sure Jay would fight back this time.

His glance cut to the two of them. Jay was whispering in Veronica’s ear, probably apologizing for being a fucked-up asshole with a mean streak a mile wide. She was nodding, her face pressed against his shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks and clutching him against her. Finally, he kissed the top of her head and pushed her gently back.

She tilted her head and looked past Jay toward Rob. Guilt flashed across her features. Something eased inside him. He thought maybe she would be mad at him for attacking Jay and not dealing more calmly with the situation. Or for pushing her into bed and a relationship before she was ready. He kept expecting her to wake up and realize he was not a good guy. That she could do so much better. But the glowing look in her eyes was telling him he still had time, he still had the woman of his dreams in the palm of his hand.

The kernel of worry fled completely and a stupid grin spread across his face when she crawled over Jay, putting her elbow in his chest on her way past and stepping into Rob’s embrace. Rob held her close, inhaling her scent and wondering how this woman had come to mean so much to him in so short a time. He loved everything about her. Even the fact that she’d picked the biggest, scariest motherfucker as a sponsor, because she would be protected whenever she met up with the guy. Though he was pretty sure that hadn’t been her consideration when she’d chosen her support buddy.

“I’m sorry I took off,” she murmured against Rob’s chest. “And that I took your car.”

He squeezed her tighter. “It’s okay, sweetheart, you had shit to sort out. Where is my car anyway? I didn’t see it outside.”

She tilted her head up and gave him an incredulous look. “Are you nuts? Bringing a car like that down here is just asking to get carjacked. I parked it and took the bus.”

He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “I think I’m in love with you, woman.”

She huffed a laugh, tightened her arms around his neck and replied softly, “You need to make up your mind pretty damn quick, big man. I have major life plans that include selling your crusty mansion and getting a place in the mountains.”

“Oh yeah,” he said, gathering her closer against his chest until her feet barely touched the floor.

“Yeah,” she breathed, batting her silky lashes at him. “And I want a Porsche.”

He winced and asked tentatively, “Why, what’s wrong with the one we have?”

She laughed, “Nothing, you big baby, but I want one that has automatic transmission. It’s a gorgeous car, but I hate driving stick shift.”

“Anything you want, sweetheart,” he growled, kissing her head and turning her back toward the booth. “Just promise you won’t take off on me again. Those cars are damn fast and I don’t know if I’ll be able to catch you once you get those little hands on one you can actually handle.”

Her laugh wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed. She took his hand and tugged. “No promises, Robert. We both know you like the chase. Now come meet Caleb. I’ve told him all about you.”

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