Dangerous Lovers (88 page)

They both looked at each other and snickered. “No one is ‘just friends’ with Pete McKay,” the brunette argued.

Pete? That was his first name? Dinah looked them over with a confused face. What were they expecting her to say exactly?

“Look,” said the blonde, stepping closer. “I get that you’re new, so you don’t know how things are around here, but let me make it clear for you. We don’t like new people, especially around our boys.” Dinah bit back her laugh and retort. Our boys indeed, she thought wryly. “So I suggest you call it a night and take off.”

The reply, ‘or what’, hung on the tip of her tongue. It was really hard not to fire, but Dinah was trying to be on her best behaviour. It wouldn’t do her any good to get in a hair pulling contest in the bathroom of some hole-in-the-wall bar. Biting her tongue, she nodded and said, “I’m pretty tired anyway.”

“I bet you are,” the brunette said mockingly.

She deserved a medal for the amount of control she was exercising right now. Forcing out a smile, she moved around them and walked back into the stuffy bar. The guys were laughing when she walked up. Grabbing her leather jacket from the back of her chair, she gave them all a quick wave.

“I’m heading home,” she said.

“What?” Seamus exclaimed. “Why?”

The door to the washroom slammed behind her. Dinah took a quick look over her shoulder at the two women staring at her. If looks could kill…Well, my gun certainly can, she thought with a mental chuckle. No, Dinah. Be good.

She turned back to the boys. “I’m tired, so…” Her eyes glanced to McKay who was looking at the other two girls behind her. He met her gaze and she could see questions there. Maybe he knew, but it didn’t matter. She really was tired. Plus, she had survived the night so far with no one being killed. There was no point in pushing her luck by staying any longer. Now that she had established herself with these people it would be easy to come back.

“It was nice meeting you all,” she added.

“You too, Di,” Garrett said with a lopsided smile. She liked McKay’s younger brother. He was much more baby faced than his brothers, but still had a certain charm to him. Plus he was much nicer. Trent had spoken to her more than McKay did, but she didn’t think he was much of a talker in general. Most of the night’s conversation was monopolized by Seamus and Garrett.

She turned and walked back to the entrance. It wasn’t until she was outside that she realized she wasn’t alone. Dinah turned to see McKay just behind her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Walking you out,” he said as if it were obvious.

She balked. “Why?”

He shrugged, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. “Did you have fun?” he asked, ignoring her question.

“I did actually,” she admitted.

“You going to tell me why you came here?”

Dinah sighed. “I’ve already told you why. Is it so hard to believe I just came out for the fun of it?”

“Yeah, actually, it is.”

“McKay!” a voice called out. They both turned as a man came walking up the sidewalk.

“Tommy Boy,” McKay greeted.

“What’s this?” the other man, Tommy, said looking her up and down. “Got yourself a new girl, McKay?”

“Mate,” he said with a shake of his head. “Not now.”

Tommy nodded, giving Dinah a wink. “I’ll just go in and sit with the boys then.” He walked between them, entering the bar. As soon as the door shut they were surrounded by an awkward silence.

“Well, I’m going to take off,” Dinah said. “It was nice seeing you again, McKay.”

He took a pull on his cigarette, narrowing his eyes at her. The tattoos covering the bottom half of his arm caught her attention for a second while he pinched the smoke between his thumb and forefinger. She wondered how far those tattoos went, and then shook that thought right out of her head. What did it matter? Clearly he wasn’t going to say anything, so she just turned and started across the street to where her bike was hidden.

“How are you getting back to headquarters?” he asked, the word ‘headquarters’ dripping with disgust.

She looked back to see him following her again. What was with this guy? He acted like she was the plague incarnate, and yet he wouldn’t leave her alone.

“I’m driving,” she answered. She reached the spot where her bike was hidden and quickly pulled out her helmet from where she stashed it.

“Holy shit,” he said with a low whistle. “That’s what you’re riding?”

She nodded, watching him as he walked around the bike slowly.

“You just got even hotter,” he said absently, running his hand along the bike. Her breathing stopped, and her face burned. Thankfully it was dark. He just said ‘even hotter’ as if to imply he thought she was hot to begin with. Why did she suddenly feel like squealing and jumping around like an idiot? Note to self, wait until you’re back in your room before doing any such thing, she thought.

She just started putting on her helmet when he spoke. She froze. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

She stared at him, wide eyed. “Tomorrow night?” Her stomach rolled and she couldn’t understand why. Words also seemed to have fled from her brain, making speech impossible.

“Yeah,” he said easily, looking up at her now. His eyes roamed her face, but his expression was neutral.

“Uh, nothing I don’t think.”

He nodded like he had expected that. “Meet me here tomorrow around ten.”

“Why?”

McKay flicked the butt on the ground and walked back across the street, not bothering to answer her question. She shoved her helmet on a little harder than she needed to, and straddled her bike. The sound of the engine purring was like music to her soul. Driving around on the bike was the only time she felt truly free. She gave the pub one last look before taking off down the street. McKay had already disappeared inside. If he thought she was going to show up tomorrow just because he said so, he was sorely mistaken.

Who was she kidding? She was so going to be there.

Chapter Nine

Pete stood by the front door just long enough to hear her bike drive down the street. Danielle and her friend Raven were standing by the bar talking to two guys he saw around often, but didn`t know too well. He walked over and waited for them to notice.

“McKay,” Danielle said sweetly, tossing her blonde hair over one shoulder. She walked up, resting her hands on his chest as she batted her eyelashes up at him. He hated when she used that fake, high voice. It was like nails on a chalkboard. “I haven’t seen you in days,” she continued, pushing her bottom lip out in a pout. Ugh. How had he ever considered her attractive? Right now she was nothing but annoying.

He took a step back so her hands fell away. “You wouldn’t happen to have said something to my new friend that just left, did you?”

Her arms crossed over her chest, the fake pout now gone. “Did she say I did?”

Well there was his answer. “No, she didn’t actually. I was just wondering.”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder again. “Then no, I didn’t say a word. Why? What does it matter?”

He stepped closer to her, watching as her eyes filled with excitement then quickly changed to fear when she read the anger in his own eyes. “Trust me when I say, for your own good, I wouldn’t be saying anything else to her. You got me?”

She huffed, stomping her foot like a child. Seriously, what had he been thinking? “I thought you didn’t do relations –”

He held up his hand, cutting her off. “This isn’t about me. You don’t say another word to her,” he pressed. “Got it?”

She looked away sullenly saying, “Yeah, I got it.”

He walked around her, heading back to the boys. The clock on the wall said it was one in the morning, which meant he had a couple of hours before he needed to go see Bridge. He always liked to make sure she got home safe, even if she didn’t know he was there.

“You sure found yourself a prize,” Tommy Boy said the second Pete sat down.

“Her name is Dinaaaah,” Seamus said, nudging Pete.

“You guys are so lame,” Pete said, taking a sip of his drink.

“Did you see the eyes on that girl?” Tommy Boy whistled. “What I wouldn’t do for a night along with that g–”

“Enough,” Pete interrupted.

Trent chuckled deeply. “I think Petey here has a bit of a crush.”

“I know,” Garrett laughed, slapping the top of the table. “Did you see how stiff he was all night? It was like he was nervous. I’ve never seen him nervous around a girl.”

Pete shook his head, taking a big swig of his beer this time. If they understood who she really was, they’d know why he had been a little stiff. The whole night he was partly waiting for her to do something nefarious, and partly obsessing over her nearness. It just about drove him nuts. The sound of her laughter was musical, and every time she did it at whatever her brother or Seamus said, he wanted to groan in frustration. Being around her was messing with his head, and then he’d gone and invited her out again tomorrow night. Masochist, he chided himself.

“I think he actually likes this one,” Seamus teased.

“Okay, okay, enough about Dinah. She’s just a girl, nothing more to it. And don’t be mentioning anything around the General. You all know how he is when it comes to newcomers,” Pete said.

“He doesn’t just like her, he looooves her,” Garrett said, making kissy faces at him.

“You’re all a bunch of idiots. I’m out.” He stood up, throwing on his jacket.

“Where you off to?” Trent asked. His older brother didn’t like Pete out and about on his own.

“Bridge’s and then home. Have a nice night, boys.” He threw some money on the table and walked out, lighting another cigarette as he made his way out of the bar.

The streets were empty as he walked, his footsteps echoing in the night. He turned the corner, ducking just as a beer bottle flew past his head, shattering against the brick wall of the building beside him. He cursed, jumping out of the way of the glass shards. He looked around, spotting the culprits walking slowly toward him from the shadows across the street. Two of the three held steel bars in their hand. The middle sported brass knuckles on his right hand.

“Well that got your attention,” the middle one sneered.

“Mate, are you insane?” Pete replied, bracing his feet apart. This was just what he needed – a good fight to wind down the day.

They walked closer, practically twitching with energy. Pete took in their plain clothing of jeans and sweaters and knew these weren’t soldiers. None of the New World army boys went out without their black outfits. This lot were from around here, which meant they would know who he was and who he’s involved with.

“Do you know who you’re dealing with, mate?”

“Oh yeah,” the middle one said, laughing. The other two goons joined in. “The big, bad Pete McKay. We know exactly who you are.”

“Then you should know this is a really stupid idea,” Pete said calmly.

“Considering there’s three of us, and only one of you, I’d say it’s not that stupid.”

“Debatable.”

They stopped ten feet away from him. “We also know that you met with Weapon X – alone. Seems the General ain’t too happy you neglected to tell him about that.”

Pete covered his shock with a bland look. Jesus Christ, he thought. The General sent these idiots? Genuine anger burned through him. This was the second betrayal in a week from Douglas Hatcher, and he was not going to stand for it.

“So he sent the three stooges to get me?” he asked drolly.

“Watch it McKay,” the one on the left warned. “We’re supposed to just rough you up, but accidents can always happen.”

“I’m terrified,” he replied dryly as he took off his jacket. “Why don’t we just get on with it then, yeah?”

There was no warning before the three attacked. Pete blocked the one who had just spoken, grabbing his wrist and twisting it until he dropped the bar. Then he sent a punch right into the man’s gut. He fell, gasping for breath. Pete turned and ducked just as the other man swung his bar. He felt the air whizz by his ear. If that had hit him he would have been out cold. He brought his fist up into the guy’s jaw, followed by an elbow to his nose. A nasty crunching sounded on impact. Blood gushed from the guy’s face as he held both hands to it.

Pete turned to the last guy, jumping back as his metal-covered knuckles breezed by his nose. He blocked another punch before landing one of his own. He went for another hook when hands gripped his arms from behind, pulling them painfully back. The nose bleeder held him as the other two righted themselves.

“Your head always was too big, McKay,” brass knuckles spat.

“I’ve been told I’m exceptionally proportioned,” Pete replied with a wink.

A blow hit him right in the gut, air expelling from his body. Bloody nose kept him upright as more blows hit him, one right on the left side of his face. He could feel the skin break beneath the brass knuckles. The two guys switched so the other one could get in his shots. Pete braced for it, but before he could attack there were hollers from behind them, and the pounding of running feet. Pete knew those shouts well.