Page 20 of Bartender Daddy's Girl
Frasier, on the other hand, is howling with laughter from behind the counter. I’m glad to see nothing happened to the old man while they were alone with him.
“Hmm,” Allistair pulls a face that’s trying to sayI’m not amused. “The girl. I want her. Are you really going to stand in my way?”
With those words, his men stand up, with exception of Baldy and Shades, all posturing aggressively at us.
“Now, I told them we don’t want any trouble, but that scrawny one wasn’t hearing any of it,” Frasier shouts from across the room.
“The fun’s already started, old man.” Judge nods his head toward Baldy and Shades.
“Should have known that was your doing,” Frasier cackles, and while no one else pays attention to him, I watch as he circles the bar to join whatever’s about to happen.
“Those two not getting up?” Judge cracks his neck from side to side.
“No, no, they’ve had their fill for today. Wouldn’t want them risking their delicate sensibilities on a brute,” Allistair pats Baldy on the shoulder.
“Christ, do you always talk like a prick?” Judge asks. It gets another round of laughter from the guys.
“Do you always rush into an unwinnable fight headlong?” Allistair replies.
“Yup.” Judge’s answer makes Allistair’s eyes widen behind his shades.
Before anyone can say another word, Frasier’s behind one of them. He pats the guy on the shoulder and delivers a thunderous punch that echoes through the otherwise quiet barroom. Judge and Sheriff Larry rush to his side, throwing vicious blows atanyone who gets in their way. Frasier swings with the force that carries the weight of his boxing days. Larry gets a few hits in, takes a few, but mostly holds his own. Judge uses his elbows and forearms to silence anyone who steps in his way.
All three men have their own style, but together they make an unstoppable team.
And as the five who remained lay grumbling on the floor, Judge turns his attention to Allistair. Baldy and Shades jump out of their seats, but Larry and Frasier knock them down.
“Unwinnable fight?” Judge asks, standing opposite Allistair.
“What the fuck are you?” Allistair recoils in his chair.
Judge doesn’t answer, but while his eyes are firmly locked on Allistair, he grabs one of the chess pieces and moves it over the board.
“Checkmate,” he says, and for the first time in my life, I wish I understood the first thing about chess to know what he was doing.
Leaning over the table, Judge grabs Allistair’s tie and pulls him forward. Allistair’s face slams against the table. Doing the same thing he did last night to the guy who grabbed me, Judge presses Allistair’s head into the table and keeps it pinned there.
“I’ll say this once, and you better listen. If you come sniffing around for my woman again, you won’t be walking out of it alive. Do you understand?”
My heart swells a thousand times its size in my chest.His woman. I could really get used to hearing him say that. It fills me with so much joy to be called his. Makes this once regrettable stop in Sugarcreek a dream come true.
It even makes watching him beat the shit out of the man who’s tormented me for weeks feel like a secondary prize.
“Come on, man. You can’t say shit like that in front of me,” Larry says, but after what they just collectively did, I don’t think anyone’s going to get in Judge’s way over a few words.
“I understand,” Allistair grumbles against the table.
“Good bitch,” Judge says, and Frasier gets a good chuckle out of it. “Now get the fuck out of my bar.”
As soon as his hand is off Allistair’s head, I start sprinting toward him. While Allistair and his men scurry out of the door, I launch into Judge’s arms and tangle my body up with his, kissing him passionately.
It’s the best way I can thank him with so many eyes on us. But I’ve got much bigger plans for when we’re in private again.
“Thank you,” I whisper once our lips have parted.
“You don’t have to thank me, Carrie. I meant every word of what I said. I’m going to protect you … us. Forever.”
I kiss him again to hide the tears forming in my eyes.
