by Piper Stone
“Who the hell is she?” I barked out the question, expecting an answer.
“No one from around here, Mr. McKenzie. Although she came to check out the bar for a particular reason. You might want to be nice to her. If you need anything, just ask me. I sure do hope you clean up this joint. Been overrun with animals for almost a year.”
He made the statement as if the woman was some bigwig. I couldn’t care less. As far as cleaning up the bar, I doubted a torch and a fumigation system could handle what was needed.
A deep rumble drifted up from my chest as I glared at him. “You tell anyone who I am, you’re fired. You got it?”
The bartender swallowed before nodding, reaching under the bar and grabbing the bottle of whiskey. I allowed him to fill my glass before returning my attention to the hapless female. I wasn’t thrilled I could hear every word, the males’ ridiculous attempts at getting the little filly to allow them to rip away her panties disgusting. And the boys were getting far too aggressive, fueled by alcohol and testosterone.
“No, boys. I don’t think so,” she huffed, pushing her palm against one of the rugged cowboys’ chest. “I think we’re done here.”
“Wait a minute now,” one of them said as he crowded closer. “You can’t just tease us and expect we’ll leave you alone. We take what we want.”
I watched as he brushed his fingers across her cheek, only to have his face smacked hard by the frisky feline. I was beginning to like this girl, her chutzpa unusual in this kind of a setting.
Lifting my beer, I gave her a silent salute.
Until things got ugly fast.
“I don’t think so, bitch. You fucked with the wrong cowboys.” The gruff cowboy fisted her hair, yanking her off the stool.
Sighing, I took a long pull on my beer before slamming it onto the bar. I’d been back to the states all of twelve hours and I was about ready to get myself tossed into jail. What the fuck? At least the reason would be a beautiful woman.
I rounded the bar, moving within less than a foot from the four men.
“Get off me, you fuck!” she screeched, managing to punch the man holding her in the gut.
The asshole merely laughed before cupping her breast, yanking her onto her toes. “You like it rough? Trust me, you’re going to get it rough, bitch.”
Without hesitation, I snagged the asshole’s arm, using the kind of pressure that could snap his ulna bone.
“Fuck!” he screeched, trying to jerk away from me. Thankfully, he opened his hand. Good thing, because the next tactic would be to smash his fingers into crumbs.
“That ain’t any way to treat a lady,” I hissed as I yanked him closer.
“You need to let him go, asshole,” one of the other jerks dared to say.
I slowly turned my head in his direction, my nostrils flaring.
“Oh, this fucker thinks he’s somethin’ special,” another roared as he shoved up his long sleeves, obviously preparing for a fight.
“Like I said, you don’t treat a lady in that manner. Period,” I countered.
“Fuck you,” the abusive cowboy snarked, laughing until the others followed suit.
When I snapped my hand around his throat, digging my fingers into his skin and lifting him off his feet, he sputtered. I especially enjoyed the way his eyes bulged, his arms flailing even as I cut off his air supply. “Now, you boys can leave this bar right now and you’ll be able to do so in one piece.”
“You ain’t the manager here,” the gruff voice said from behind me.
“You ain’t nobody but a dead man,” another dared to say.
“You’re right. I’m not the manager, I’m your executioner.” By now, there was a small crowd surrounding us, the majority cheering on the cowboys. It would seem Missoula had changed a hell of a lot since I’d been gone these last few years.
“Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight.”
A deep exhale rushed from my gut because of the chants.
I noticed out of the corner of my eye the bartender lifting a bat. The second he cracked it against the well-worn bar, the crowd quieted to a dull roar. “There isn’t going to be a damn fight,” he stated with more authority than I would have thought him capable of.
“He’s right. You have five seconds to decide whether you’re leaving or soon to be roadkill.” The slight hesitation pissed me off. “Five. Four. Three. Two.”
“Fine,” the aggressive jerk hissed between clenched teeth.
I dropped him like a rock, wiping my hands on his shirt as he shifted his hand around his throat, rubbing while coughing. “Good choice.” I stepped back and closer to the female, folding my arms as I glared at them.
The cowboys started to shove their way through the crowd when the abusive jerk turned once again to face me, sticking out his finger. “This ain’t over by a long shot, tough guy. We will meet again.”
“Looking forward to it,” I stated, amusement in my tone. I refused to take my eyes off them until they’d walked out the door.
The explosion of applause quite frankly pissed me off even more. Even the bartender gave me props, immediately filling my glass to the rim.
“Who is he?” some girl purred.
“One hot hunk,” another mused.
I kept the stern expression, making certain the cowboys kept their end of the bargain.
“I’d be careful of those boys,” the bartender said half under his breath as he leaned over.
“And why the fuck is that?”
“They’ve got powerful friends.”
I shifted my gaze as the one who appeared to be the leader smashed his hands on the exit door, tossing it open, the others lifting their middle fingers before they left.
“Yeah, well, they have no idea that pissing me off isn’t in their best interest,” I said, half under my breath. “Now, it’s time to deal with the woman.”
“Boss, I wouldn’t do that.”
This time, I ignored the bartender’s comment, taking long strides in her direction.
“How dware you,” the little filly managed, slurring her words. “Dose boys were just...” She seemed to fade away for a few seconds before shaking her head and running her hand through her hair. “They were just... Just having some fun. You know, cause it’s a bar?”
Exhausted, I wasn’t in any kind of mood to deal with a prima donna who’d almost gotten herself into a situation she’d soon regret, let alone one smelling of tequila. I took one long stride in her direction, crowding her space to the point I was able to gather the scent of her perfume. Damn if the intoxicating fragrance didn’t sear every nerve ending, driving my hunger off the charts. For a split second, all I could envision was her gorgeous body writhing underneath mine, her soft purrs filling my eardrums. I was attracted to the girl, although I could see the glassiness increasing in her eyes. I doubted she was going to last very long.
“How dare I? Did you have any idea what those boys wanted to do to you? I’d venture a guess that tying you down and keeping you in a cage was one of the choices.”
“You’re an asshole,” she muttered.
When she tried to slap me, I caught her hand. “That wasn’t very nice of you. Good girls don’t do that kind of thing.”
“Yeah? Who said I was nice or a good girl?” she countered as she struggled in my hold. “As a matter of fact, I’m a brat.” She wrapped her arm around my neck, drawing me even closer, crushing her breasts against my chest.
Her breathing shallow, she dragged her tongue across her lips, trying her best to entice me.
“You know what happens to bad girls who don’t obey,” I huffed.
“No. Show me.”
Fuck, it was working. I was famished, my entire body aching. Unable to control myself, I jerked her hard for emphasis as I crushed my mouth over hers, immediately thrusting my tongue past her soft lips, gathering a taste of tequila and lime. This time, I was in control and she had no idea that she’d awakened the savage beast.
Wiggling, she moaned into the kiss, pushin
g her hands against me, yet her entire body was on fire, the electricity crackling like a live wire.
I felt a rush of adrenaline, her scent filling my nostrils. Everything was a blur, my desire soaring. I could take her right here, placing her beautiful body on the bar and fucking her like a wild man.
Then that would make me a savage.
Maybe that’s exactly what I was.
As I dominated her tongue, her body began to yield, her scattered moans becoming ones of longing. Every time she shifted her hips back and forth, I almost lost all control. I couldn’t get enough of her, savoring her taste as I explored the dark recesses of her mouth. Even the way she fit against me was perfect.
What the hell was I thinking?
When she pushed hard against me, only then did I break the kiss with a series of growls.
Damn, the woman was feisty as hell. “Yeah, you’re a brat all right. However, you’re going to do exactly as I say. Give me your keys,” I demanded.
“What?” she asked, completely breathless.
“You heard me, sweetheart. Give. Me. Your. Keys. You’re not driving anywhere.”
“Not a chance, buster. I’m just fine. And I’m not your sweetheart!” She gave me a hard shove with her other hand, just enough to break the connection even as I continued to give her a stern look. “I’ll drink water. Okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
Wham! Bam!
The raucous sounds were ones I would recognize anywhere. A bar fight. “Sit your pretty little ass down. We aren’t finished with our conversation. If you move from this seat, I will tan your hide.”
She obeyed me almost instantly, her lovely mouth pouting.
I shifted my gaze toward the bartender. “If she tries to move, lock her in the office.”
“Yes, sir,” the bartender saluted, his entire face beaming. “By the way, I’m Brant.”
“Yeah? Well, Brant, it’s about to get ugly.”
Jesus Christ. What the hell would I be forced to deal with?
Huffing, I turned my attention toward the fight breaking out, no longer shocked at anything I witnessed. Chairs were flying, at least one table smashed, and the crowd was still pitching beer bottles at the cage surrounding the band.
“Do you have a manager in this shithole?” I yelled the question over the roar at the bartender.
Brant snorted, once again pulling the bat into his hand. “I ain’t seen Billy in several days now. He comes and goes as he pleases, only when he needs cash and a free bottle of liquor. Hey, you don’t understand about that girl.”
Fury yanked at everything inside of me. Whoever Billy was, the first thing I was going to do was fire his sorry ass.
“No need to understand. I’ll handle this,” I stated before yanking a twenty from my pocket, shoving it across the bar. As I walked toward the ugly scene, I could swear I heard her voice behind me. What troubled me were her words.
“Be a hero, cowboy. We all need one.”
Hero. As if I’d ever be able to tolerate hearing that word again.
Shutting it down, I stormed in the direction of the fight. I might not like the shithole of a place, but no two-bit group of cowboys was going to destroy it. I might get a pretty penny on the market if I spent some time and money fixing it up.
Maybe.
At least the bouncers had made their way toward the melee, ceremoniously yanking first one then another smashed cowboy toward the door. However, they were outnumbered, the punches flying. When I noticed a glint of a blade under the garish lights, I reacted instantly, swinging around and kicking out, my foot smashing into the asshole’s wrist. As the blade flew out of his hand, several of the girls able to see what was going on screeched, tumbling backwards as additional furniture was turned into splinters.
“You fucking asshole,” the knife-wielding jerk roared, coming at me like a bull in a china shop.
I sidestepped him, adding a solid kick to his kidney, sneering as he went down with a hard thud. As two more ugly brutes jumped forward, acting as if they had a chance to take me, I threw one punch after another until both finally went down. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed another asshole ridiculous enough to come at me with a broken beer bottle. I rubbed my jaw then landed a kick to his neck, the force pummeling him backward.
As I turned away, the bouncers seemed in shock, although their eyes were filled with venom.
So much for simply observing.
Fortunately, within minutes, the fight quieted down, yet as I stood glaring at the outcome, I wanted to drag my uncle from his grave and beat the hell out of him.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” One of the bouncers yanked me by the arm, his chest rising and falling as he struggled to catch his breath.
“I already told you.” That was the only answer they were going to get. I pushed my way through the admiring crowd, my eyes landing on the empty seat at the bar. When Brant threw up his arms and pointed to the opposite side of the bar, I hissed.
“Woo-hoo. Bull ride.”
The shout came from across the room. Exhaling, I counted to five before turning around and fighting my way through the crowd. Somehow, it didn’t shock me seeing the little brat straddling the massive fake bull, her skirt coming dangerously close to showing off her pretty pussy.
I was forced to shove my way through the leering group of men, unable to get to her before someone pulled the trigger on the mechanism. While she whooped and hollered as the bull tossed her around, within seconds, it was obvious she was losing control. “Damn it,” I snarled. The girl was losing her grip and given the speed of the bull, she was going to get herself hurt.
As soon as I made my way to within feet of her, it became obvious that I wasn’t going to be able to stop the damn thing before...
The second the bull jerked in the opposite direction, the brat lost what was left of her control, her grip slipping. As she was flipped into the air, I had a split second to react, catching her just before her body slammed into the floor.
“Let me go!” she squealed, pummeling her fists against me.
“Not a chance. You’re not going to act like a misbehaving brat inside this bar.”
I knew there was no controlling her, not as long as she had an entire bar rooting for her demise. So I did the only thing a decent cowboy could do.
I tossed her over my shoulder and left the bar.
Chapter Two
Scorpion
Bratty.
Mindboggling.
Growling, I couldn’t believe the woman was acting like some spoiled child. I also couldn’t believe my cock was aching to the point I was ready to strip her down and take her like some wild animal. Granted, it had been one hell of a long time since I’d been in the company of a beautiful woman. And she was drop dead gorgeous.
But she was without a doubt the most infuriating woman I’d ever experienced.
“Where the hell are you taking me?” she demanded as I planted her onto her feet.
I threw open the door to the truck, not bothering to try to get her to obey. As I stuffed her inside, she issued a volley of curse words that would make the majority of Marines blush. My answer was terse. “Somewhere that you won’t be able to hurt yourself.”
I attempted to fasten her seatbelt as she fought me the entire time.
“That’s crazy. I don’t know you. And just who do you think you are, the owner or something?”
“First, of all, I am the owner of this bar.” I glared at her, allowing her to process what I was telling her.
“Now I know you’re a liar. Jasper McKenzie owns dis bar,” she stated in a nasty voice, her words slightly more coherent.
Shrugging, I debated telling her a damn thing. “Well, Jasper is actually my uncle. Unfortunately, he lost his battle with cancer about two weeks ago.” I added the last part to try and force her to calm the fuck down.
“What?” Her eyes opened wide, her expression shifting to confusion. “Oh... I’m... That can’t be.”
“Ye
p. Afraid so. I was left this godforsaken piece of shit in his will. As far as where I’m taking you. Home, little brat, where you can sleep this off,” I said gruffly, finally taking both her wrists into one hand. “You need to be a good girl. Let me fasten the damn belt.”
“Or what?” she demanded, although she stopped struggling.
I clicked the belt before leaning into the cab. “Or I’ll yank you back into that bar and spank your pretty little ass in front of all those bad men. I don’t think you’d like that very much.”
“You wouldn’t dare, you prick.” She glared at me, the light over my dashboard highlighting her blue-green eyes, her irises surrounding by the most engaging golden color.
“Trust me, sweetheart. That’s exactly what I will do.”
First, she gave me one hell of a sexy smile, the kind that could keep my cock hard for hours. Then she gave me one hard kick with her cowboy boot, her aim missing my cock by only a few inches.
Something snapped inside, pushing me straight into one controlling man.
“That’s it, sweetheart. You messed with the wrong cowboy.” I yanked her out of the truck, kicking the door shut before tugging her behind me.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Making good on my promise. I never go against my word.”
She gasped, struggling to get out of my hold. “No. No. No! Don’t you dare!”
Chuckling when she dug her heels into the gravel, I was forced to drag her like a misbehaving kid. I whistled as I continued my trek, enjoying her yelps and moans.
“Let go of me!” she demanded.
“Nope. Not gonna happen. You need to learn a lesson and my guess is it’ll only work the hard way.”
A few seconds of silence was augmented by another ferocious attempt at getting out of my hold.
“Damn you. You asshole. You fucking jerk. You bastard.”
“Such a mouth on you, little brat. We might need to do something about that.” When I was within a few feet of the door, she panted, still struggling to get out of my hold. I wanted to get out of here before she became heavily intoxicated.