by Peyton Banks
“Candi.”
“I have to go,” she muttered. She dug through her bag trying to find her wallet. Seeing Moody had brought back too many memories of her husband and was a reminder that she should have left Las Vegas once Lamont had gone to jail. She blinked back tears. She had been a fool to try to stay here. “Here, I’ll pay for breakfast—”
“No.” The hardness in Dallas’s voice snapped her out of the fog.
His eyes narrowed in on her. He stood from their booth and grabbed her hand. His eyes searched hers, and a storm rolled in on his face.
Dallas was pissed.
“I told you I wanted to repay you for everything you’ve done.” She tried to push the hysteria down that was growing inside her chest. Her hand connected with the few bills that were sticking out of her wallet, and she pulled them out.
“And I told you to just keep the coffee coming,” Dallas murmured. He gently pushed her hand back until it met her chest. “If you need to leave, I’ll take you home.”
She nodded and allowed him to guide her to the counter. Too embarrassed to say anything, she waited by his side while he paid the bill.
They left the diner and made their way back to his truck. Dallas escorted her to the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the door for her. Helping her in, he shut the door and walked around the car. Her gaze followed him, and she swallowed, knowing she’d probably just messed up whatever chance she had with him.
The trip to her apartment building went by in silence aside from her occasionally murmuring directions. She clutched her bags in her hands, waiting for the moment that she could jump out.
“Who was that?” The deep baritone of Dallas’s voice broke through the uncomfortable silence.
“Nobody,” she breathed. She didn’t want to explain the whole my-ex-husband-is-in-prison-and-that-was-his-shady-ass-friend situation.
“It didn’t look like nobody.”
He turned into her parking lot and pulled up to the building.
“Thanks for the ride and the meal,” she muttered before grabbing her bags and bolting from the truck.
Chapter Six
Dallas strode through the door of The Commoner. He was in a shitty mood. He was early but didn’t care. He had to see Candi. He scanned the bar, but she was nowhere to be seen.
His gaze met Van’s who tipped his head in a nod. Security would be upped now that the weekend was upon them. Most of the shifts Dallas picked up at the bar were on the weekends.
It was a Friday night, and the basketball playoffs were starting this weekend. The bar would be packed with people coming to watch the games and have a good time.
He was certain Candi would be working. She was one of the best servers, and tips would be great tonight.
He didn’t know what had spooked her the other day, but he knew he didn’t like it. The guy at the diner had certainly frightened her. Something had changed about her. Everything had been going great. He’d even gone ahead and asked her to go out with him, but her answer had never come.
The fear in her eyes didn’t sit well with him, and he would get down to the bottom of it.
Making his way past the bar, he walked down the corridor for employees only. He watched Kay come from out of the back storage room.
“Kay, where’s Candi?” he asked.
She paused and eyed him up and down. He bit back a curse at the defiant look that crossed her face.
“What do you want with her?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a bun on top of her head. She was a pretty woman but she didn’t do anything for him.
“That’s none of your business. Is she working tonight?” he asked, trying to keep his voice low.
Kay stepped close to him and narrowed her eyes on him. “She’s been through a lot, you know. You’re too intense, and I’m not sure she’s ready for the likes of you.”
She reminded him of a momma bear protecting her cubs. Fierce, loyal, and would probably scratch his eyes out.
“I’m not going to hurt her. I just want to talk to her,” he said, running a hand along his jaw.
Her scowl grew, and he rolled his eyes.
“I promise. I just want to talk to her.”
“Fine, but if you hurt her, you’ll be answering to me!” she snapped. Kay stepped to the side and waved him past.
He brushed by her, determination set in his stride. He pushed the door open. Candi teetered on a ladder, pulling a large box off the shelf in front of her.
“Dammit,” she cursed, tugging on it. She gave it one good yank, and the ladder wavered away from the wall.
She shrieked, and Dallas flew across the small room.
“Gotcha,” he announced.
She turned to him with wide eyes. Her chest was rising and falling fast. Dressed in a dark shirt and skin-tight jeans, she made his heart race. He shifted to put his body in front of the ladder and held his hand out.
“I’ll take that.”
“Thanks,” she breathed.
She handed him the box, and he set it down on the floor. She turned on the ladder, facing him, and stepped down the few rungs until she was trapped in his arms. He bit back a groan at the feeling of her breasts pushing into his chest.
“Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself,” he murmured. His cock strained against his jeans. He wasn’t ashamed of how his body reacted to hers.
She smiled and tilted her head back.
“Always protecting me.” She chuckled. Her face was relaxed and her smile genuine.
He released the ladder and slid his arms around her. Ever since she’d run from his truck, she’d filled his thoughts and dreams. He couldn’t ever remember being this infatuated with a woman before.
“Seems like I’m always around when you need me,” he whispered, drawing her close.
She leaned into his arms as he lowered his head to hers.
Damn talking to her.
A kiss could say so much more.
He crushed his mouth to hers, which immediately opened for him. He slid his tongue between her soft lips, and the taste of her exploded on it. She was just as sweet as her name implied. Thoughts of licking her slick folds had a growl ripping from his chest.
It hadn’t been his intention to touch her, but he couldn’t control his hands.
A moan slipped from her, and it fueled his desire for her. Her hands trailed up his chest, and her fingers disappeared in the hair on the nape of his neck. Her large breasts were crushed against his chest, and he knew one thing.
He wanted more.
Dallas slid his hand down to her ass and gripped it. He angled his head to deepen the kiss. He loved how her ass filled his large hands. He pulled her closer, pressing his length into her belly.
He needed the woman in his arms and he would have her.
“Dallas.” Candi drew back, breathing hard. Her large brown eyes stared up at him. Her lips were swollen from his kiss.
He leaned his head down and rested his forehead on hers. “Yeah, Candi?”
“I don’t know what we’re doing, but I do have to tell you that I’m complicated.”
He chuckled and gathered her close. Little did she know, he was, too.
“Hell, I am, too.”
“So what is this between us?” she asked, stepping away.
He shook his head, unsure himself. “I don’t know, but there is one thing I do know, Candi.” He paused, lifted his head, and stared down into her eyes.
Her lips curled up into a soft smile.
“And what is that?” she whispered.
The trust in her eyes was almost enough to bring him to his knees. Panic settled in, heavy on his chest from that blind trust. It was almost like an elephant had decided to use his chest as a chair.
He swallowed hard and dragged air into his lungs.
The last time someone had put their trust in him, he’d failed. He brushed that aside. Candi wasn’t a soldier putting her life in his hands. She wasn’t a team of me
n being led into a desert full of enemies set on annihilating them.
“I want you, Candi.”
Her gasp filled the air.
He rushed to continue, “You never answered me at the diner, and I want to do it right. A real date. You and me.”
He paused and glanced down at her, finding a wide smile on her lips.
“I’d like that, Dallas. Very much so.”
“What did Dallas want?” Kay asked.
Candi couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across her face. It was almost closing time, and the bar crowd was thinning out. She walked over to one of her empty tables with Kay behind her.
“Someone is being nosy,” she teased, piling the glasses on the tray she’d set down on the empty table beside it. She didn’t want to share the intimate details of what had passed between her and Dallas.
“I want to know all the details on what happened in the storage room,” Kay demanded. She began helping Candi by wiping the table down.
“He asked me out,” she admitted.
Kay paused with her eyes growing wide.
“What did you say?” Kay’s voice ended on a shriek.
“Keep your voice down,” Candi snapped. She looked around the bar and didn’t see any sign of Dallas at the moment. He and some of the security team must be doing rounds to check out the other areas of the bar. She turned back to her friend who had a shit-eating grin on her face. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“I knew it. I tried to tell you that you two had the hots for each other,” Kay bragged. She finished wiping the table off and rearranged the condiments on it. “You giving him coffee every time he worked. You knew what you were doing.”
“Whatever. I was being nice.” Candi sniffed.
“Are you sure you’re ready for a relationship?” Kay asked.
Candi paused, unsure of how to respond. She’d thought long and hard about it. Dallas was a great guy. She felt safe with him. She couldn’t stop thinking of their short time in the diner. He’d been relaxed, smiling, and she had to go and ruin it by being spooked by the sight of Moody.
If she was ever to take a chance with a man again, Dallas would be that guy.
“Well, hell. If that’s what it takes to get a man, then let me see who needs coffee tomorrow,” Kay joked.
Candi rolled her eyes. She grabbed the tray of dirty glasses and headed toward the kitchen with Kay in tow. She turned around and pushed the door open with her back. She stuck her tongue out at Kay before walking into the kitchen.
“So what are the details? When are you going? Where is he taking you?” Kay asked, following behind Candi.
“I don’t know. He said he’ll give me a ride tonight when I get of work and we’ll hash out the details.” Candi set the dirty glasses down with the other ones, near where the washers would grab them. Usually Candi pitched in and washed glasses, but not tonight. They had much to do out in the bar to straighten up from the large crowd that had just left.
“Wait a minute.” Kay stepped in front of the door, preventing Candi from going back out into the restaurant. “So, he’s taking you home tonight.” She wagged her eyebrows.
Candi rolled her eyes. She thought back to their kiss, and her core clenched. She would have to admit that it had been a while since she was with a man. The cobwebs that had collected down there may scare Dallas away.
“It’s just a ride. You’re reading way too far into this, Kay. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you needed to get laid more than I do.” She laughed and brushed past her friend and went back out into the bar. She looked around and froze.
Moody was standing at the bar with a few of his goons. She swallowed hard and met his gaze.
No use in running now.
How he knew where she worked, she didn’t know.
“Oh, shit. They put someone in my area,” Kay muttered, rushing over to the table with a couple sitting at it.
Lamont can’t hurt me.
He’s locked away.
Moody reached for the shot that was placed in front of him and knocked it back before sitting the glass back down on the counter.
She pulled in a deep breath and decided to confront Moody and see what the hell he wanted. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life in fear of Lamont and any of his associates. Her feet carried her over to him. She slowed as she got close.
“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” he said.
His dark eyes bored into her. She didn’t like the look, but there was nothing she could do.
“What are you doing here, Moody?” she asked. She prayed her voice remained strong and didn’t reveal the fear that was hiding beneath her false brave front.
“I’m here like everyone else. To enjoy a nice drink or two before heading home.” A sinister smile spread on his face. He glanced over at the men with him who let loose a chuckle.
“Cut the bull. What do you want?” she demanded. She kept her voice low, not wanting any of the bartenders to hear their conversation.
Moody’s face grew hard. His dark eyes narrowed on her. He wiped a hand along his jaw and nodded. “Fine. You haven’t been taking any of your husband’s—”
“Ex-husband. He’s my ex-husband,” she corrected.
Moody pushed off his chair and moved closer to her. Her heart raced, but she refused to back down. If she didn’t stand up for herself now, then not only would Moody win, but Lamont would as well.
“Yeah, my man told me he didn’t appreciate getting those papers in the mail. He didn’t consent to no divorce.”
“He didn’t have to.” She’d had it easy. With Lamont in prison, the judge immediately granted her freedom. It had been the best day of her life. “What’s between Lamont and me is none of your business.”
“That’s true, but because of you, he’s locked up.” Moody’s gaze grew fierce.
His two friends glared at her, and it left her feeling uneasy at the same time as pissed off at Lamont.
How dare he!
Because of her?
Her body trembled from rage. It was not her fault that he’d chosen to use his fist on her. Nothing she’d done had ever warranted her husband to hit her.
“No, he’s in prison because of his actions,” she growled. She would not be made to be the victim any longer.
Moody chuckled. “I told him that I saw you at that diner with that white dude. He wasn’t too happy with that.”
“Again, none of either of your business.” She tried to keep her voice down. She didn’t need any of her coworkers knowing the private details of her life.
“Is there a problem?” a hard, deep baritone voice asked.
A presence appeared behind Candi, and she knew without turning who it was.
Dallas.
Chapter Seven
“So who is he? Your guard dog?” the man snarled at Candi.
Dallas focused on the man and took quick inventory of him and the two men with him. He was a gangster. Of that, Dallas was sure, just as the ones with him were.
The one thug to the man’s right had a scar on his right cheek that was deep and ran the length of his face. The other man had long, dark dreadlocks and a deadly glare in his eye.
Dallas gaze moved back to the main guy. This was the man who had spooked Candi.
That put him at the top of Dallas’s shit list.
Dallas also didn’t like the way he was eyeing her, and the tone of voice he used when speaking to Candi. It was filled with hatred, and for that, Dallas was ready to kick his ass.
“Don’t worry about who I am. Just know that I’m the man about to put you out of here,” Dallas growled. He gently took Candi’s elbow and moved her behind him.
The men with him stood from their seats.
Dallas wasn’t intimated in the least.
He was trained in the deadliest of hand-to-hand combat, and most gangsters or thugs were not true fighters. They tended to rely on their guns.
Dallas held back a snort.
Most of
them couldn’t even use a knife properly.
Now that was what Dallas preferred.
Using a knife was personal.
Invading one’s space.
“You and Candi were looking mighty cozy in the diner,” the man taunted.
His men moved next to him.
The tension in the air was palpable.
Each patron sitting at the bar was openly watching the exchange.
Dallas knew without a doubt Tanner and the others were closing in on the situation.
“Just leave, Moody. I told you what I do is my business,” Candi spoke up from behind Dallas.
“The lady just asked you to leave. Now if I have to tell you, I won’t be as nice.” Dallas stepped forward. He could feel the beast inside him growing. It had been a while since his fist had plowed into someone’s face, and right now, Moody’s would be perfect.
“Back off, white boy. I haven’t done nothing. Me and Candi were having a friendly conversation until you butted in,” Moody snarled. He returned Dallas’s glare with one of his own. “So back up off me and let me talk to my man’s wife.”
Wife.
An invisible fist landed a punch to Dallas’s stomach.
What the fuck?
“Ex-wife,” Candi snapped from behind him.
He blew out the air that had been trapped in his lungs.
“Out,” Dallas snapped, no longer wanting to play this game.
“Man, fuck you.” Moody shoved Dallas back.
Candi’s startled cry rang out behind him.
A red haze came over Dallas.
A growl escaped him. Moody swung on him, but Dallas was able to swiftly move to the side.
He instantly swung a left hook that connected with Moody’s smug face.
He celebrated at the feeling of his fist meeting the gangster’s nose.
Screams pierced the air as the other men converged on Dallas.
He grinned.
A rush of adrenaline slid through his veins as his training kicked in.
Once a Marine, always a Marine.
He blocked a punch from Scarface and returned with a right, connecting with the man’s jaw, sending him hurtling onto the table behind him.