Damaged Locke (Locke Brothers,1)

by Victoria Ashley

  After the hell I’ve been through, he’s gonna have to try a lot fucking harder than that.

  Still . . . it angers me to have him out here and so close to her.

  I don’t go after him though, not with the bastard just staring, although I want to. I’ll leave him be right now, watch him, make sure he doesn’t fuck things up or mess with Kadence.

  Tossing down my cigarette, I get in my vehicle and watch him. I’ll stay out here all damn night if it means I’m going to make sure she’s okay.

  Hell, I’d prefer to have her at my place, where I know she’ll be safe, where I know I can better protect her.

  But I also know I can’t smother her. She needs to be at her place, needs to feel at home. But I’m not gonna pretend that having this fucker just watching and waiting isn’t working my ass up and making me want to kill him.

  I’m so focused on the house across the street I don’t even realize someone is beside my car until the sound of knocking on my window draws my attention. I turn to see Melissa standing there.

  I roll down the window and immediately notice how nervous she is.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” I say. “We don’t fucking hurt women.”

  She glances away, her focus on the ground.

  “Yeah, but I know how dangerous you guys are.” She lifts her head and looks at me. “Everyone knows.”

  Well, yeah, that’s the truth, but she should have also heard we protect women if it comes down to that.

  “I just want to make sure Kadence is in good hands, that this isn’t some random hookup for you. I can’t just stand back and let my best friend get hurt.”

  I have to give the girl credit; for being afraid of us, she sure has some balls of steel.

  I smile, not trying to be a bastard. “If I wanted her for a piece of ass, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t still be seeing her after I’ve already had my cock in her pussy, nor would I have made it known to everyone that she’s mine.”

  Melissa’s eyes widen, and I grin wider.

  “She’s mine.” I say it harder, wanting Melissa to know I’m not going anywhere. “Now go inside and lock the door. I don’t like you girls being outside when that asshole across the street is. Got it?”

  After a second she nods and heads back inside.

  I glance across the street again, and see the fucker is gone. But I’m going to hang out for a while, because leaving right now is not something I’m comfortable doing.

  If shit is going to go down, I’m going to be here to handle it.

  Even if that means sleeping in the damn Expedition.

  KADENCE

  The next day

  Melissa had an earful to give me the second I stepped into the house last night and shut the door behind me.

  I understand where she’s coming from. I do. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, and we’ve always had each other’s back, no matter what.

  Even when all the kids at school made fun of me because of my mother’s mental instability, her sometimes not leaving bed for weeks, Melissa was the one who stood up for me and offered to ask her parents for permission for me to stay with them from time to time.

  It’s not surprising that she’s still feeling the need to protect me after all these years.

  When my mother decided to take her life last year, Melissa begged me to move closer to her and told me she’d be there for me always.

  I hesitated at first, not wanting to leave the safety of my hometown, but after months of my mother being gone, moving in with Melissa seemed like the best thing for me.

  Especially with all the judgment and whispers being thrown around behind my back. People believing one day I’ll end up like my mother, allowing the whole world to cripple me and hold me down.

  That’s what my mother did. It started out with my grandparents beating her and abandoning her before she even turned sixteen. My mother met my father shortly after that, and he took care of her.

  But after a while he couldn’t take it anymore. Couldn’t handle her waking up in the middle of the night, crying and popping pills. So . . . he left too.

  Left the both of us, and after that everything went to shit, rumors being spread until there was nothing left of my mother, no strength or will to live.

  Then one day I found her lying on her bedroom floor, not breathing.

  She overdosed, looking for a way to escape. A way to run away from all the rumors and twisted facts about her and her life that people chose to believe because no one could understand the suffering she’d been through.

  I guess you can say that’s why I was drawn to Aston in the first place. I wanted to get to know the real him. To see and feel the scars that made him who he is today.

  Sighing, I look down at my tea, the liquid swirling around, the steam rising above it.

  “You know I just worry because I care about you.”

  I glance up at Melissa and smile, thankful that she’s been such a good friend to me. “I know, and I care about you too, but I really do feel connected with him.”

  Melissa smiles, her mood toward him seeming different now for some reason. “Yeah, I spoke to him briefly last night when you got in the shower.”

  That surprises me, and I’m curious about what they said.

  “Basically he said I have nothing to worry about because he’s claimed you.” She scoffs. “Sounds like a caveman.”

  I start to laugh, picturing what her face must’ve looked like when he told her this.

  “But if you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”

  I let her words play through my head. “I’m happy.” I find myself grinning. “He makes me feel like there’s something to look forward to. I haven’t felt this way in . . . well . . . ever.”

  “Good, then I’m going to stop worrying so much, or try not to at least.” She grabs her bag and stands. “I gotta head to work. Please, just text me or call me this time if you plan to stay out with him late.”

  I stand and give her a hug. “Sorry, I know. I should’ve done that, and I will from now on.”

  “Good. Enjoy the rest of your break and don’t work too hard.”

  I watch her leave the coffee shop and sit back down to finish my break and drink my tea. My thoughts instantly go to Aston, about what he said to Melissa and how he makes me happy.

  I want to know more about him, want to have him in my life, bond with him.

  I want him to be mine as much as I’m his.

  The future is still unknown, but that’s part of the appeal, wanting to see where it leads me.

  ASTON

  I pull my Harley up at the coffee shop Melissa said Kadence works at, and kill the engine, my mind being made up about being seen in public.

  Feeling a bit anxious, I slide my helmet off and jump off my bike, setting it on the seat.

  I flex my jaw, feeling gazes on me as I run my hand through my messy hair, smoothing it back while placing a cigarette between my lips and lighting.

  It’s been a while since I’ve been out during the daylight, around the prying eyes of this nosy-ass town, judging me. It’s something I try to stay away from.

  But after spending all of last night and most of this morning sitting outside Kadence’s house, I woke up and instantly wanted to go back to her.

  This need taking over, wanting to make sure that fucker didn’t try anything after I left.

  Although Melissa told me Kadence was safe, I couldn’t help but want to witness it for myself.

  Which is exactly why I’m here, standing in the open, with gazes all over me.

  Standing tall, I take a few drags off my cigarette, keeping my focus straight ahead as the whispers surround me, everyone taking this moment to try to figure out what I’m doing in town.

  I know they are all afraid of me, of the things I’ve done with my brothers to exact revenge. But if they don’t fuck with me, I won’t bother them.

  Everything in this damn town is so close together that it’s not just the people at the
coffee shop getting this very rare glimpse of me, but everyone at the convenient store next door and the hair salon on the other side.

  I can still feel their gazes on me, their curiosity making it impossible to turn away as I toss my cigarette down and make my way to the door.

  If it was dark out, I guarantee each and every one of these people would be running fast and locking their damn doors, afraid of what I’d do to them.

  Smirking, I turn around and give them all a good view of my face before I open the door and step into the coffee shop.

  The scent of coffee and baked goods slams into my nose, surrounding me, momentarily making me feel like I’ve stepped off a damn cliff and entered a different world.

  The amount of times I’ve actually been in a coffee shop, diner, or hell, anywhere that had a group of fucking people in it, equals zero.

  And I sure as fuck wanted to keep it that way, but for Kadence I’d do anything.

  That realization slams into me, and I falter in my steps. Fuck, she’s so embedded in me it’s hard to even fucking think straight.

  I don’t see Kadence right away, so I take a seat at one of the back tables, away from everyone, the shadows partially obscuring me.

  And then I see her walking out from the back, her bag over her shoulder, her focus on her phone. God, she’s so fucking hot, so mine.

  I rise, walk over to her, and in front of everyone pull her close. She gasps and looks up at me with wide eyes, her surprise clear.

  Keeping her body flush against mine, I cup the back of her head, aware everyone is watching us, their scrutiny clear, potent.

  I don’t give a fuck.

  And when I lean in and claim her mouth, press my tongue between her lips, make her taste me, take me, I hear her moan.

  “Kiss me back, baby.” I pull her in closer, harder. “Let’s give these fuckers a show. Let them see you’re mine.”

  I feel her smile against my mouth.

  After a long minute I pull back, loving how her mouth is red, glossy, and so fucking lush.

  “Let me take you out, show you off.” I never do this shit, never wanted to go this route. But with Kadence I want to do a lot of fucking things I never thought I would.

  She seems surprised again.

  I grin. “Let me wine and dine your sweet ass.”

  She laughs, and I pull her in for a hug, loving the feel of her against me.

  “So, what do you say, baby?”

  She makes me wait for an answer, this sexy smile on her beautiful face.

  “Yeah, wine and dine my sweet ass. Let the world know I belong to the youngest Locke brother and I don’t care what the hell they think.”

  I grin. That’s what I’m talking about.

  KADENCE

  Being out in public, doing normal everyday activities is something I know Aston doesn’t do very often. Maybe never. Which makes this moment so damn special, only making it that much easier to allow myself to fall for him even deeper than I already have.

  I’m lost in this man, and I don’t care who knows.

  When we walked in the door over thirty minutes ago and asked for a table, I could see the way people looked at him. I could see in their eyes how much they feared him.

  Could see the judgment.

  Didn’t matter to him though. All that seemed to matter was him taking me out and treating me to the night he believes I deserve.

  He’s barely taken his eyes off me since we sat down, and I love it.

  But truthfully I don’t need these kinds of things from him. I don’t need a nice dinner out in public for him to show me how much he cares.

  I realized that the second we walked inside and all I wanted to do was get him alone again.

  All I need is for him to touch me the way he does.

  For him to kiss me and take me like no other man ever has or ever will.

  As much as I love us being here right now, showing everyone that he’s mine and I’m his, I want to do something for him. I want to show him that I don’t need this nor want it.

  He’s what I want. We’re what I want.

  “Let’s get out of here.” I toss my napkin on the table and walk over to him, leaning down to wrap my arms around his neck. “Take me to your place. I’d rather be alone with you. There are too many eyes on my man, and I don’t feel like sharing you . . . ever.”

  His lips curve into a small smirk as he stands up and yanks me to him. “You don’t want to finish your food first?”

  I smile and shake my head. “We’ll take it to go and eat it for a late-night snack. I don’t have anywhere to be tonight now that Melissa knows I’m yours.”

  With a small growl he leans in and bites my bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth. Goose bumps cover my flesh as I feel the tip of his tongue swipe across where he just bit me.

  He doesn’t bother pulling his mouth away from mine as he digs into his pocket with his free hand and tosses some cash onto the table.

  “Fuck, baby. I love the sound of that.” He possessively grabs my hip and begins walking us to the door. “Let’s get the fuck out of here so I can have you to myself. Forget the food. There’s plenty at the house.”

  We’ve been stretched out on Aston’s couch for the last hour, the house empty, his brothers gone. Although I didn’t finish my dinner, I’m feeling full, content. As if being here with Aston in the comfort of his arms is all I need.

  But what makes me feel even better is the fact that Aston went out of his way earlier, went against his comfort, and took me out. I still haven’t stopped thinking about how he did that for me. He may be a hard-ass who thinks he has no heart, that his soul is black, but he’s proved to me more than once that that isn’t the case.

  My heart goes crazy the moment Aston sits up and kisses my forehead, before he stands to his feet.

  “How about we get some fresh air, talk out on the porch?”

  I sit up and smile. “Yeah, okay.” I want to talk to Aston, want to get to know him more, to have him know more about me.

  I get off the couch, and we head toward the back of the house. I notice he grabs his guitar one the way out.

  Once we’re sitting down, he looks over at me, this intensity on his face, but this softness comes through when our eyes meet.

  “Tell me what makes you happy,” he says the sincerity in his voice not masked by the harshness that is all Aston.

  I glance up at the sky, the stars so bright among the darkness.

  “I’ve never really thought about it,” I answer honestly. I think about his question, about when I was truly, really happy. “Melissa has always made me happy. She’s my best friend, but you know who really makes me happy?” I glance at him.

  He’s picking at his guitar, but I can tell he’s listening to me.

  “You make me happy. So happy, Aston, and that kind of scares me.”

  He sets his guitar down, and before I know what he’s doing, he’s pulling me onto his lap.

  I rest against his chest, his body big and warm, hard and masculine.

  “You make me fucking happy too, more than I ever thought possible in my life.”

  I smile at that, knowing how he feels. It’s how I feel, too.

  “Tell me about your mom? Tell me what happened to her.” He squeezes me tighter to him, his warm lips brushing against my neck as he speaks again. “Tell me everything I should know about you. I want to learn every fucking thing.”

  Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and rest it against his shoulder. “My mother was mentally ill. Severe depression and anxiety that no pills seemed to fully control. She’d been through a lot in her life that no one understood, and when you live in a small town . . . people talk.” I stop to release a small breath, thinking about how damn much I miss her. “It got so bad that my father up and left her with barely even a good-bye. Left us both as if we were nothing, and eventually she realized she couldn’t handle being here any longer. She couldn’t handle being in her own head, and she took her own life.”
<
br />   A tear slides down my cheek the moment Aston’s lips gently press against my neck to comfort me. “I’m sorry, baby. Sometimes a person’s own mind is their worst enemy. I know that feeling all too well, and it can consume you, making it so damn hard to breathe.”

  “It’s been over a year now,” I continue. “I stayed in town at first, trying my best to move on with everyday activities, but it became overwhelming with everyone around me always bringing her up and making snide remarks about her death.” A small breath escapes me when I feel Aston’s thumb run across my cheek, swiping the tear away.

  I take a few seconds to regain my composure before I attempt to go on. “Melissa kept telling me to move in with her and forget about our hometown. Finally, I found my way here. So here I am. Here with you under the stars.”

  “I’m so fucking happy you listened to Melissa.” He kisses my neck again and buries his face in it, his arms holding me protectively. “Remind me to thank that roommate of yours one day. Fuck, I owe her for bringing you here.”

  For long moments we stay this way, the remembrance of the soft tune he’d been strumming filling my head and the stillness of the night surrounding me as he holds me.

  But as I feel myself drifting off, feeling so comfortable in his arms, the sound of tires crunching on the gravel driveway rouses me.

  “What the fuck?” Aston says, his voice harsh, dangerous.

  We rise and walk around the house when we hear what sounds like a truck approaching. By the way Aston pushes me behind his back and how tense he’s become, I’m going to assume this is some bad shit.

  ASTON

  The truck comes to a stop in front of the house, and I know that this isn’t going to be a good fucking night.

  I recognize the truck from the house across from where Melissa lives, and know the fuckers we offered a beat down to have decided to come back for a little vengeance.

  I had a feeling they’d want to retaliate, especially when I noticed that fucker watching Kadence’s house. I just had no idea they’d actually have the balls to do it.