Page 38 of Tied to You
Too late.
Dean slaps my back, joining me, saving me from my head.
I can’t say I pay much attention to what’s being said around me. I manage to nod when needed and do a good job of making it look like I’m listening. But I’m not. There’s too much invading my mind. Too much ofher.
Hitting the Scotch, I feel my unrecognisable nerves settle, the torment subsiding briefly. “What about you, Trav?”
I don’t instantly recognise I’m being spoken to. “What?” I ask, lifting my glass to my lips, taking a small sip, the liquid swilling in my mouth before I swallow.
“This weekend, brother. You ready for it?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I snap, talking as though they’ve been able to hear my thoughts all this time.
“You seem, distracted.”
I look up at Skitz, slowly lowering my glass to the table, my stare on him bordering on feral in a heartbeat. “Distracted? What have I got to be distracted by?”
Mollie.
He lifts his palms to the ceiling. “You tell us. It’s obvious your head’s all over the place.”
“Like yours?” I hiss, the alcohol fuelling the fight in me. Last thing I need to do is be challenging one of my brothers. But fuck me, if I can release some of this tension, then that’s what I’ll do.
Skitz’s laugh is sardonic, his gaze on me completely unwavering as he waits for me to take the bait. “At least I’m comfortable with who I am.”
The fuck?
“Skitz,” Dennis pacifies.
Comfortable with who I am? “No, fucking let the nut job say his piece, Den.”
“Nut job?” Skitz laughs again, this time turning his body toward me.
A few guys adjust their stances. Ready.
“Says the man too scared to step away from the security of his uncle.”
Knocking Dennis out of the way, I grab Skitz by his leather, pulling his face to mine. Younger in age, but stronger and twice his size, he doesn’t stand a chance against me. He looks me directly in the eye. “You think I’m scared to leave Mick’s?”
His eyes shoot across my face. “Terrified.”
My fist pounds his cheek before he sees it coming.
Skitz falls back, my blow knocking his eyes into the back of his head.
I’m grabbed from behind, being held back as the others put their bodies between me and him. “Knock it off!” Rocco’s order echoes around us, doing nothing to my vibrating body.
I try to fight off whoever’s holding me, twisting my arms to find freedom. I get it, thrusting my arms up before yanking them down. Spinning around, I look deep into Dean’s eyes, seeing it was him holding me.
Both of us huff, eyes locked, my head fucking ringing. Hearing the door swing open, both our heads then turn and I’m paralysed.
It takes a moment, but the brunette finds my eyes, looking directly at me. Her hands fall to her sides. She can't move either. Frozen. Waiting. Her chest rising like she ran here.
Dean double takes, looking between us both.
“What’s she doing back here?”
“She works for Mick,” Dean tells Rocco, taking a step toward her.
