Page 84 of Claiming Ours
Oliver dipped his chin in agreement. “Baylee suggested that too. I promise I’m on it, guys. Listen, you’re both exhausted from all you did in Caper. Go back home, for fuck’s sake, and take showers. I can smell you from here. Then spend some time with Baylee. I’ll handle this thelegalway,” he emphasized, “and I’ll update you if I find out anything.”
The muscle along Liam’s jaw twitched as if he was grinding his teeth. With a clipped nod, he spun on his heels and stormed back to the truck. I watched him for a second before turning back to Oliver.
“He needs a warning that will stick,” I stated. “He has to know what he did is not allowed, to Baylee or any other woman. She felt uncomfortable, and that cannot slide. If you don’t make that clear, then I’ll make damn sure he understands.”
Oliver’s brows rose, lips parted in what I assumed was shock. “Should’ve known that the newest addition to our town and the Uplift community would be just as violent and considerate of women as the rest of them.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Them? Do you not live there?”
“Nope, just outside town, but I can see why you’d think that. I’ve been there a lot lately working with Hudson on the missing women’s cases.” He rubbed his scruff-covered jaw. “I’ll admit,it’s nice there. The community feels like one extensive family that supports one another.”
The dip in his tone spoke to longing or sadness, making me wonder about the deputy sheriff’s life, and if the lure of the community would someday entangle him in its web like it had me.
With a curt wave, I headed back to the truck, a grumbling Liam already behind the wheel and ready to go the moment I slid into the seat. The ride back was less tense than going, mostly because I couldn’t help but find a pouting Liam hilarious. He caught my smirk a few times and snapped at me, but it only made me laugh more.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get your bloodbath, Gramps.”
The back of his hand connected with the center of my chest so hard that I swore he broke through my sternum and bruised my heart. I coughed to catch my breath, the force knocking the air out of me.
“How’s that for Gramps, fucker,” he said with a sharp smile. “But yeah, damnit, I needed that fight to get this buildup out of me. I’m scared of what I’ll do to Baylee if I see her like this.” At my shocked expression, he cursed. “Not like that, you asshole. Hell, I’d never lay a hand on her like that. I mean I might?—”
“Fuck her until she screamed so loud and long from you taking her over and over that she doesn’t have a voice left?”
Liam grimaced. “Shit, that sounds bad.”
“I bet she wouldn’t think so. Fair warning, though: Don’t hold back. I tried that and got a verbal lashing from that woman. She told me not to make decisions for her, and I listened. Tell her you need it hard and fast, to fuck her until the pictures fall off the wall, and see what she says.”
Liam grumbled something under his breath and shifted on the seat, adjusting his jeans with the hand not on the wheel.
“Maybe she’ll even let us use some of those toys tonight,” I mused while swiping a hand across my mouth to hide my smile. “I have some ideas. Though with your age, should we be worried about getting your heart rate up too high?—”
“I will murder you in your sleep if you say one more word. I can outrun, outfight, outwork—hell, I bet I can last longer with her than you can, kid. Don’t push me. I’m not in the mood.”
I couldn’t help it. It was just right there on the tip of my tongue.
“I think Gramps needs a nap. So grouchy.”
The truck slammed to a stop, the seat belt snapping taut against my chest. For the second time in the short ride, the air was forced from my lungs.
Knowing my life was about to be cut short, I clicked the seat belt free with one hand while gripping the door handle with the other. His fingertips skimmed over the back of my shirt just as I lunged from the truck out onto the wooden sidewalk of downtown Anchor Bay, laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.
The driver’s door swung open, and a furious Liam stepped out. With the truck between us keeping me safe for now, I waited, breathing harder than necessary from the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Liam folded his arms over the hood of the truck, and I mimicked his stance, returning his glare with a smile.
People hurried by, clearly sensing something was about to go down, though I had no idea what.
“You won’t hurt me,” I forced out, hoping like hell he liked me as much as I thought he did. “You like me too much.”
“Debatable,” he said with zero emotion, his gray eyes never leaving my face.
“Listen, fine, you’re not a Gramps. Can we please get back in the truck and go see Baylee?” I lifted my shirt and sniffed. “And shower.”
His gaze snapped to something over my shoulder. Afraid it was a trick to get me to let my guard down, I kept one eye on him while twisting to look down the walkway for what snatched his attention. The man from the hardware store, the one Liam said he hog-tied, stood just outside the coffee shop’s glass door, glaring at Liam.
“It’s that guy again,” I said, turning to lean my ass against the hood of the truck, not liking keeping my back to the guy who looked ready to stab us both.
“Jasper Cain.”
“The one who broke into your friend’s?—”
