Page 11 of Within Shadows
“What do you think—sweater dress for a night out, right?” Garrett asks, grinning when the guy looks over his shoulder, checking for any excuse to bolt.
Chapter 6
Knox
Watching Maeve look over her shoulder all day is enough to drive me to insanity. Mostly because it’s not me she’s watching out for, but that is going to change soon. She has a brand new front door, a bedroom door with reinforced locks, and a fancy security system. I know all of this as I stare at my phone screen to check her house once again, easily getting access to her cameras. Maeve felt a little safer with them, and she should, because the only one watching her is the man who wants to hear her scream for all the right reasons.
“You think she’s going to fall in love with Garrett before you make your move?” Al wonders, his voice coming from my phone as he waits for Jess to finish getting ready. I snort as I watch Maeve dance around her kitchen with her music turned up high, shaking her ass to one of our songs.
“Maeve thinks she wants someone soft and gentle because of her past. I can guarantee you she needs something more, something darker than whatGarrettcan give her,” I mutter. Al sighs and lowers his voice.
“Maybe you should just introduce yourself and shoot your shot,” he suggests, still not understanding the game I’m playing. That’s fine with me, I don’t need anyone else to understand except Maeve. Before I can respond, Maeve turns on all the lights inside as she heads towards the front door. Her electric bill is inevitably going to suffer from her new fear of the dark, and I make a mental note to add her bills to my account. There are a hundred ways I can take care of her without inhibiting her freedom, and I plan to do all of them. I end the call as Maeve steps through her front door and turns to lock it before scanning the cars until she finds Garrett’s. Her beautiful smile isn’t intended for me, but I soak it in as she confidently struts across the sidewalk. My heart thuds in my chest and sucks all the air from the car as I watch her. This night is going to be torture, and I’m beyond excited.
That little minx is begging for me to cross this dance floor and peel that slimy bastard away from her. I watch as she glances over her shoulder, pinning him with a look that would cause most others to shrink away, but this drunk idiot only smiles at her. Maeve returns the look with a slow curl of her lips, and I watch her heeled boot slowly raise before slamming down onto his foot. He howls, scuttling back, and I snort a laugh, pride flaring in my chest. His pain quickly morphs into anger, and my body tenses, ready to break his jaw if he takes one step closer, but Jess cuts past her, barking at him like she’s lost her mind.
Al leans against his pool stick, shaking his head as the two girls fall against each other with laughter and the guy backs away, melting into the crowd. Al catches my eye across the bar and tilts his head, but I just shrug until the bartender interrupts us. He sets my beer down and I nod to him, taking a slow sip while my eyes skim over the crowded space. When the girls decided to go out, I knew there was no way I was going to sit at home and leave Maeve without supervision. She felt safe because Garrett was with her, but he’s too nice. Too reserved.
A small hand rubs along my arm, and I cast a glance down at the woman at my side. She’s been trying for the past hour to get my attention, and I didn’t want to hurt the poor girl's feelings, but I’m only interested in one pouty smile, and it isn’t hers.
“Do you want to dance?” she purrs, leaning closer and batting her eyes at me. Before Maeve, I wouldn’t have hesitated. The girl is pretty with curly brown hair and curves a man could worship, but she didn’t hold a candle to my woman. I take a small step away, trying for an apologetic smile.
“I’m fine, thank you. My girl is here already.” I tip my bottle towards the pool table Maeve and Jess have taken over, with Al keeping an eye on them both. I was going to rip him a new one for letting that guy grind on Maeve, but I did enjoy watching her stand up for herself. My little spitfire.
“She looks pretty busy, and I’m lonely.” She tries to pout, but it only raises my irritation. I throw back the rest of my drink, tapping the bottle on the bar as I push it closer to the bartender. He nods once, replacing my bottle almost instantly.
“I’m not fucking interested, go find somebody else to bother.” I dismiss her, and she jumps up with a huff, stomping away while I shake my head. When I look back at Maeve, I almost drop the cold bottle in my hand. She’s wearing a tight black dress that barely covers her ass and a mesh long-sleeve shirt that clings just as tight to her curves. And she’s bent over the table, her ass towards me as she wiggles her hips, staring down the pool stick while taking her shot.
I stare openly, my mouth watering at the sight, and I don’t blink until she hits the ball, throwing her head back with a groan when her shot misses and sinks the cue ball. I frown at the obvious outline of my hard cock through my jeans and have to fight the urge to bend her over the table in front of everyone. A better idea quirks my eyebrow, and I pull my phone out, quickly pulling up and ordering a pool table to be delivered to my house. A thousand depraved ideas blur through my mind at once, all of them including Maeve begging for me to fuck her as she bends over the table.
I check my watch, forcing my eyes and mind away to calm my aching erection that is almost painful while rubbing against my jeans. My phone chimes, and I glance down at the screen. Al’s text flashes across my screen with one word.
Al:Incoming.
I look up to see him watching me, his head slightly tilted towards the entrance, and I see the cause for his concern. Oliver and a group of his little buddies have just walked in, and he already looks half drunk.
I stop a server as she passes and lean close.
“Can you do me a favor and take a strawberry margarita to the pretty girl in the black dress playing pool?” I ask. She nods, and I hand her a twenty. My attention is divided now, and I hate that I can’t just enjoy watching Maeve let loose and have fun with her friend, but I refuse to let Oliver out of my sight. After just a few minutes, the server steps up to Maeve and hands her the drink, pointing me out as she looks around in confusion.
We lock eyes and I wink, holding my drink up and she smirks, mirroring my movement as she leans against the pool table. I watch as she hands it to Al, and he frowns but doesn’t complain as she steps around the table to take her next shot. This time she’s facing me and leans over the table, and my resolve starts to crumble. Her perfect tits are pushing out of the top of her dress, beckoning me to hold them in my hands. Concentration pulls tension into her shoulders and face, sending my mind right back to the gutter. I wonder what her face looks like when she’s coming, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’ll find out soon enough.
My attention is dragged back to Oliver, and he’s caught sight of Maeve. He’s standing still, his arm wrapped around the same girl that was clinging to me earlier as his lip curls up in disgust. I slam my bottle down harder than I intended on the bar and draw more than a few stares, but I don’t care right now.Don’t do it, you dumb fuck. For once in your pathetic life, use your brain.My mental pleading falls short when he shoves the woman at his side away and heads straight for Maeve.
I move to stop him, but Al is already there to block him, tapping his stick against Oliver’s chest as he leans forwardto whisper something. To anyone else, it might look like he’s just having a friendly conversation, but I know my best friend. There’s a threat in that easy smile; his shoulders are tense and ready to back up whatever he’s saying. Oliver shakes his head, putting his hands up as he tries to win over Al. But he doesn’t buy it, and if anyone’s hatred towards this worm matches my own, it’s Al’s.
Oliver realizes he’s not going to get his way and casts one more look at Maeve before storming away just as she looks up in confusion. Jess puts an arm around her, and their earlier show of bravery wavers beneath fear. It makes my hands ache to crush that fear in my palms, to cut the life from the one responsible, but I can’t be rash. Not if I want to get what I want—and always get what I want. This entire experience is going to push my patience beyond any and all limits it’s had before.
“Garrett, your girl is drowning here and could really use some backup,” Al calls with a mischievous glint in his eye as he looks at Maeve. She crosses her arms and takes offense to his accusation.
“I am doing just fine, thank you very much. But if Garrett wants to help me, then I would be happy to carry him.” She huffs, and Jess bumps her with her shoulder.
“So youaredating him, and you didn’t even tell me!” Jess throws her hands up, and Maeve opens and closes her mouth as she searches for the right words.
“Potty break, right now,” Maeve says, grabbing Jess by the elbow as they hurry towards the bathroom. I take this moment to nod at Al before ducking out of the bar through a side door. The temperature has dropped since they all arrived. A cool breeze brushes across my neck but doesn’t touch the heat in my chest. I pull out my phone and a signal blocker from my pocket, using both to cut the security feed from the parking lot as I hunt down Oliver's car.
Just as I thought, he’s got a fresh set of tires, and I grin while checking to make sure I’m alone and won’t be interrupted. I pull my knife out, walking around the car as I draw the blade over the obnoxious red paint. The shrill sound of metal against metal is music to my ears before I stop and sink the blade into three tires. Once again, I only spare the front driver as a warning. I’ll let Oliver live for now, but it’s only a matter of time. Pursing my lips, I decide to have a little fun and use my blade to engrave a tiny dick above the driver’s door handle. Stepping back, I admire my work.
Happy with myself, I check over my shoulder again before heading back through the door I snuck out of. Before I’m fully back inside, I bring the camera back online and stretch my neck. The satisfying pop of the tense joint only adds to my joy, and the night is still young. Al is watching me with a raised brow, and I shrug, mouthing, “Just wait,” as I lean against the wall and pull out my burner phone. I send a quick message to one of the few numbers I have saved, nearly grinning at the words, “Nice Car.”before powering it off and slipping it back into my jacket.
