Page 51 of A Protector For Phoebe (Love will OUT 2)

Chapter 22

Always hear a person out. Unless he’s a jerk. Feel free to ignore jerks. ~ Phoebe’s rules for becoming a better person

“Ugh,” I complain to Hailey as we walk into her dad’s bar. “It’s boring enough sitting outside someone’s house all day waiting for them to mess up, but now I’ve got a group of old men following me as well.”

“Who you calling old?” Sid asks as he follows us into the bar. “I’m in the prime of my life.”

Hailey leans in close. “Rumor has it he has wife number six on the hook.”

“Six?”

Sid pushes past us. “I told you, I’ve only been married four times.”

“And I’ve told you, common law marriage is still marriage,” Hailey shouts after him.

I shudder and feign gagging. “Being married once was quite enough for me. Five times? No way, Jose.”

Hailey flashes her left hand at me. “I don’t know. I’m willing to give it a try.”

I snort. “Of course, you are. Mr. Perfect Detective is your future husband.” I’m not jealous. No, really, I’m not. Being around someone as perfect as Aiden would drive me bonkers. I’m done with perfect people. Blech.

We join the uncles at their corner booth. They make way for me until I’m secured in the middle of them. They’ve been doing this a lot since I was kidnapped. Making me feel safe in simple ways. Unlike the people in my former life, they don’t brag when they help me. No, they make me safe and carry on with their business. They make me feel cared for. It’s a heady feeling after being brought up in my family.

Pops sets a martini and a shot of tequila in front of me. I raise my eyebrow at him. The martini I get. I always drink vodka martinis but the tequila? What’s up with that? He leans over to kiss my hair. “So, you know, I was against this idea.”

I freeze. “What idea?”

He moves and Ryker appears. I scream and scramble to my feet to run away. The uncles pin me down. Holy shit. They weren’t being protective putting me in the corner, they were being pro-active. I glare at them. If I could shoot lasers from my eyes, they would be dead now. Stone cold dead.

“Traitors,” I hiss.

And I know a thing or two about traitors. None of it good. My eyes swell and I sniff. I will not cry. I will not. It doesn’t matter the family I thought was coming to love me betrayed me. I was planning on leaving anyway. I’ve already researched where to sell my jewelry and picked out a sturdy car to buy. I even have an idea of what village in Canada I’ll be hiding out in.

“You are not running away,” Wally hisses.

“I’ll run away if I damn well want to. You are nothing to me. Nothing.”

He flinches at the venom in my voice, but I don’t care. He’s breaking my heart.

“Move,” Pops orders. When Sid doesn’t get out of his way, he pulls Sid up by his shirt and throws him out of the booth before taking over his place. He places an arm around my shoulders and pulls me close. “I don’t agree with these asshats, but you need to listen to what Ryker has to say.”

I hide my face in his shoulder. “Why?”

“Darling, I wouldn’t allow this if it wasn’t important.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Be the brave woman I know you are.”

Me? Brave? I’m a chicken shit intent on running away as soon as I get a chance.

“Princess,” Ryker says, and I growl.

“I am not your princess!”

He holds his hands out in a placating gesture. “Sorry. Can I sit down, please?”

I open my mouth to tell him he most definitely cannot sit down. In fact, he should get his ass out of the bar and leave the state. I’ve got enough assholes in my life – I glare at the men at the table – I don’t need another one.

But Wally answers before I get the chance. “Please, sit.”

I snarl as Ryker takes a chair.

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