Page 11 of Fearless Protector
Dear Mason:
Thanks for a great time.I don’t expect you to continue babysitting me today or to feel tied down to me for the weekend after what happened last night.Enjoy the wedding, and I will do the same.
Jules and I are taking Bobby Ray’s truck into town to meet the ladies for hair and nails, and we’ll go to the church with her and her dad later in the day.
Warm regards,
PJ
My jaw tightens with irritation.“Warm regards,” I say aloud.She came onto me, flipped my world upside down, and now it’s have a great life.What the hell.
I get ready for the day and head into the kitchen to make some coffee, finding it’s already been made.I pour a cup and spit it into the sink and run it down the drain with water.“Damn, that’s awful.”
I roust Bobby Ray from a sound sleep to let him relieve himself in the bathroom.I give him some of the horrible coffee to go along with a bagel and banana that will have to tide him over after someone comes for him.
I have far better things to do than to deal with him today, including setting a little missy straight on a thing or two.I get into the rental with my bag tossed into the back seat and head toward town, veering clear of a salt truck the minute I hit the main drag.She could have at least waited until she knew for certain the roads were clear.
My jaw clenches tightly recalling the night the police came knocking on the door and the people from social services took us to a temporary home for the night until our aunt could come.The roads were bad that night too.The thought of her in a ditch up ahead somewhere spurs my speed, faster than I should be going on roads that were a few hours before covered in a sheet of ice.
I keep a close watch out, not seeing any signs of a car in the ditch, but I’m not going to rest easy until I know that they’re safe.“Call Garrett.”
His voice comes over the vehicles speaker, and I hear the rest of the guys in the back.“I just dropped Lacy and the others off at the salon.Tommy’s men are guarding them while we eat some breakfast and figure out a plan for later.I thought Jake Eldridge got the message the last time, but him and those Chicago boys don’t listen so well.It’s like they have a one-track mind when it comes to honing in on the territory around here and bothering Lacy.”
My hand tightens on the steering wheel as I maneuver around a patch of ice that hasn’t melted.“The guy who took Jules, Bobby Ray, he’s tied up in one of his side bedrooms.He said he was supposed to hold Jules for Jake and his boys, until they got Lacy.
“I may be wrong, Garrett, but I got the distinct impression that this was more personal than business related to the land they wanted last year.I would have gotten the information out of Bobby Ray, but the ladies were in the house.Maybe send Tommy or a few of his boys over there now.Everyone’s gone.”
Garrett clears his throat.“He’s always had a thing for her; even when she told him nicely, he kept on.She thought he was trying to be a middleman between her and his dad when Eldridge Sr.wanted her land, but I think he was just using it to get her.”
“You may not be wrong.This was probably his last-ditch effort to get to her before you married her.You didn’t find them?”
Garret almost growls in my ear.“Wherever the fuckers are they better stay hidden because every one of our team is on the prowl searching for those assholes.Jay, Matt, Damian, Dereck, Sheldon, Nick, Cole, and Tommy’s boys.Every single one of them are on the lookout.He messes with Lacy or any of the ladies again today, and that’s going to be the last thing that son of a bitch ever does.”
“Copy that, my friend.I’ll be there shortly.I was taking my time and making sure the ladies didn’t drive off the road.They should have waited for me, and I would have given them a ride into town.They must have been up early despite the shots they put away last night.”
“Lacy chugged down one of her gramma’s concoctions last night, with a few pieces of bread and something for a headache.She said she was a little peckish this morning, but aside from that, just fine.I’m not one to get into anyone’s business, but did something happen between you and PJ last night?”
“Nothing terrible, why?”
Garrett doesn’t answer right away.“She just about bit Jules’ head off for bringing you up in the car when I gave them all a ride to the salon.Said that as far as she was concerned you were already on that jet plane back to Vegas.”
My hand tightens on the wheel.“Did she now?It seems Priscilla Jean needs to learn some manners, and I’m just the man to teach her a few.”I disconnect the call, easing my foot on the gas, already contemplating the little miss’ fate.
Chapter10
Pj
Lacy squeals as our friend turns the styling chair around, and she sees her hair and makeup for the very first time while my freshly manicured nails dry.“Sally, I can’t believe it’s really me.You are so talented.”Her bright red curls cascade past her shoulders from a pearl slide that keeps her hair in place and matches the ones on the old styled wedding dress that start at her cleavage and end at her navel.Our dearest friend has always been beautiful with all the creamy lightly freckled skin, but she looks extra special today, just as she should.
Sally narrows her eyes at me.“You next, while Liza works on Lacy’s nails.Did you even brush your hair today or just throw it up in that messy bun for me to detangle while you nurse that coffee and hangover you’re trying so hard to hide?”
I laugh.“You’re not far off.It’s a long story, but I’m sure it will be all over town tomorrow.Jules and I stayed out at Bobby Ray’s last night.He drugged her so that Jake Eldridge could get to Lacy.One of Cole and Garrett’s buddies was with us and took care of Bobby Ray, but the roads were too bad to get back into town.The good thing is that we’re all okay.I ended up with a shower, but the only thing available to wash the smell of the bar from my hair was a bar of soap.So don’t pull too hard.”
She rolls her eyes to the heavens.“Good Lord.Say no more.I heard all about what happened to Jules when I was getting bakery goods this morning.Sherriff was in getting some for his crew, and it’s all everyone is talking about.Garrett called him last night.That no good Bobby Ray is going to wish he had never cozied up with those Eldridge boys and their friends from out of town.That’s a fact.”
I don’t doubt a word she says.He has that and more coming after what he did to Jules who’s quietly sipping her coffee and seemingly tuning us out.“Earth to Jules,” I tell her as I get put in the hot seat and Sally goes to work on my rat’s nest.“Ouch!”
Sally gives me a roll of her eyes.“You did this; now I have to undo it, so sit still.”I don’t tell her more than half of the fault lies with a blue-eyed devil who likes to snake his hand in my hair and wasn’t gentle one little bit.
