Stepbrother Bastard (4 page)

“
Look.
I
’
m
just trying to enjoy my drink in peace,
”
I inform the first man,
as his buddy steps up to box me in.
“
Please
respect that and leave me alone.
”

“
Or
what?
”
the hairy ape grins,
crushing his beer can against the bar.
“
What
the hell are you gonna do about it?
”

“
You
need to work on your manners, Missy,
”
the second man adds,
cracking his yellowed teeth into a malicious grin.
“
Around
here, it
’
s
up to you ladies to show us men some respect
…
Or at least a good time,
if you catch my drift.
”

My
hand inches toward my back pocket as they go on. I
’
ve
never had to use my pepper spray on anyone before, but these guys are pushing
me way out of my comfort zone. My mind spins desperately through the options at
hand. Should I bolt? Stand my ground? Mace the shit out of these assholes? 

“
What
do you say?
”
the
first man grins, placing his hand dangerously low on the small of my back.
“
You
gonna be a good girl and pay your respects?
”

Fight
wins out over flight for control of my body. I leap up from my stool and whip
around to face the man who
’
s harassing me, fingers
closing around my canister of pepper spray. But the surge of adrenaline is shot
through with baffled surprise as I watch a firm hand fall on the hairy man
’
s
shoulder and yank him away from me.

“
The
fuck do you think you
’
re doing, Vaughn?
”
snarls the dark-haired
Adonis who blew me off not ten minutes ago. His eyes are bright with contempt
for the man he
’
s pulled away from me, for reasons
that still remain unclear.

“
I
’
m
just having a word with this lady, here,
”
the man called Vaughn
says defensively.

“
Really?
”
says my unexpected
defender,
“
Cause it looked like you were being a
damned idiot and giving her a hard time.
”

“
What
the hell do you care?
”
Vaughn whines,
“
She
’
s
fair game.
”

“
Fair
game?
”
I echo, my voice dripping
with ire,
“
What the hell is this, some kind of
frat house? What grown man talks that way?
”

“
Couldn
’
t
have said it better myself,
”
says my sudden ally, giving Vaughn a shove
back in the direction of his biker buddies. I
’
m
relieved to see that none of them rush to their friend
’
s
defense. Maybe this is a familiar routine with this jerk.

“
You
think you
’
re noble or some shit, Hawthorne?
”
my aggressor grumbles,
retreating with his grimy pal in tow.

“
Not
really,
”
the hazel-eyed stranger
replies,
“
I
’
m
just not the kind of guy who enjoys picking on little girls.
”

My
relief at being saved from those assholes deflates slightly. Is that how this
guy sees me, as a little girl? Is that why he stepped in to protect me
—
because
I don
’
t
look like someone who can stand up for myself? I
’
ll
own the fact that I was scared shitless for a second there, but still, I would
have come out swinging if I
’
d had to.

“
You
didn
’
t
have to do that,
”
I say, crossing my arms tightly over my
chest. I
’
m
suddenly very aware that my black bra is showing slightly through my white
tank.
“
I
could have handled those guys myself.
”

“
Oh,
is that so?
”
he
grins back, peering down at me with those dazzling hazel eyes.
“
What
exactly was your plan of action, huh?
”
I produce my canister of
pepper spray for his appraisal, which only makes his patronizing grin grow
wider.
“
Got
a sidearm, huh? You
’
re tougher than you look.
”

“
And
how tough do I look to you, exactly?
”
I reply heatedly.

“
Not
tough enough to be in a place like this on your own,
”
he says frankly.

“
Well,
maybe I should get out of here then,
”
I say, reaching for my
whiskey and taking another big gulp that drains the glass. I have to say, I don
’
t
totally hate that burn after all.

“
Why?
You
’
re
not on your own anymore,
”
he replies, settling onto the next
barstool and giving mine a pat.
“
Now
that you
’
ve
got me for company.
”

“
Did
I say I wanted your company?
”
I shoot back, though of course I do.

“
No.
But I want yours,
”
he replies evenly, taking my hand in his.
Electricity shoots up my entire arm, shocking me into stillness.
“
And
I
’
m
in the habit of getting what I want. Remember?
”

If
anyone else in the world tried a line like that on me, I
’
d
laugh in his face and walk away. But coming from this guy, it doesn
’
t
come off as bravado. Actually, it somehow has the ring of a promise to it.
Maybe it
’
s
because he stopped those guys from harassing me, maybe it
’
s
his winning smile, maybe it
’
s just the bourbon, but I
do want to stay here and get to know him. At least a little. Every cell in my
body is screaming to be closer to him, even if it
’
s
just as close as the next barstool.

“
What
’
s
your name?
”
I
ask him quietly, letting my hand rest in his.

“
Cash
Hawthorne,
”
he
replies, his fingers tightening ever so slightly around mine in something
between a handshake and a caress. 

“
I
’
m
Madeleine. Maddie,
”
I tell him, pulling my hand away as the
sensation finally becomes too much to bear.

“
Well
Maddie,
”
Cash grins,
“
You
just became my new drinking buddy for the night. I suggest you get comfortable.
We
’
re
gonna be here for a while.
”

He
catches Jimmy
’
s eye and holds up a couple fingers.
In a moment, two fresh glasses of bourbon have appeared on the bar before us. I
settle down before my replenished glass, already very much feeling the buzz. I
don
’
t
usually take my liquor straight, and though I
’
m
no light weight, I have no doubt that Cash here could drink three of me under
the table. But I know full well that there
’
s
no leaving now. Something about this guy has snagged my interest
—
and
I intend to find out what that something is.

“
To
new friends,
”
I
say, lifting my glass to his.

“
I
’
ll
drink to that,
”
Cash
says, knocking the rim of his glass against mine as those hazel eyes bore into
me.

A
new song comes on the jukebox as we sample our fresh drinks
—
it
’
s
“
A
Boy Named Sue
”
by
Johnny Cash. The coincidence isn
’
t
lost on me.

“
Wait
a minute,
”
I
say, angling my body toward my sexy new companion.
“
You
’
re
not named after
—”

“
I
am, as a matter of fact,
”
he says proudly,
“
My
dad is a big fan. All me and my brothers listened to growing up was Johnny
Cash, CCR, and The Stones. Could have been worse though, right? What if he
’
d
been into Hootie and the Blowfish?
”

“
That
…
would
have been unfortunate,
”
I laugh, feeling my guard lowering with
every passing second. This guy is dead
sexy
and
has a sense of humor? He
’
s
earning some checks in the plus column after a rather unimpressive start, that
’
s
for sure.

“
Damn
right, it would have been unfortunate,
”
Cash says, his deep,
changeable eyes lingering on me,
“
How
in the hell would I get a pretty girl like you to have a drink with me with a
name like Hootie?
”

So
he thinks I
’
m pretty. That shouldn
’
t
make me as giddy as it does. And yet
…

“
That
interception you ran with those assholes still would have done the trick,
”
I reply,
“
Thank
you for that, by the way. I would have dealt with it somehow, but I appreciate
you stepping in back there.
”

“
Don
’
t
mention it,
”
he
shrugs,
“
Their
bark is worse than their bite. Just a bunch of wannabe MC tough guys who
watched a little too much
Sons of Anarchy
. Besides, they don
’
t
fuck with guys like me.
”

“
Guys
like you?
”
I
ask, taking another sip of whiskey.

“
Vets,
”
he replies, putting away
some more bourbon of his own.

“
You
’
re
in the Army?
”
I
ask, surprised.
“
But you can
’
t
be much older than me.
”

“
I
’
m
26,
”
he tells me, a hint of
hardness coming into his voice.
“
Plenty
old enough to serve. Hell, I was right out of high school when I enlisted.
”

“
I
guess so,
”
I
reply. It
’
s so hard to think of guys that young
fighting overseas. But then, there
’
s
nothing easy about that kind of life.
“
But
I thought you said you weren
’
t very good at taking
orders?
”
I go on.

“
I
’
m
not,
”
he replies bluntly,
polishing off his drink.
“
There
’
s
a reason I
’
m sitting here with you instead of
coughing up sand in some fucking desert right now.
”