Chapter 27 Willa
Willa
I’m too busy laughing to get drunk, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had as much fun as I am sitting at the bar with Harloe.
We decide not to join Dean, leaving him to his friend while I catch up with mine.
Venom never shows up to join them, which is unfortunate when I know he’s Harloe’s type.
Tall, tattooed, trouble. Maybe it’s for the best since she’s been talking to her ex again.
I’ve never been Zander’s biggest fan, but if she’s happy, then I have no choice but to support her.
Bad karaoke plays through the bar, and I look forward to the band set to perform in a half hour.
Harloe catches me up on her family, on the bar. On all that’s happened since I left a few weeks ago. It’s strange how nothing seems to change in this town, and yet, I feel like I’ve missed so much.
“Have you seen your family yet?” Harloe asks, taking a sip of her beer.
“Not yet. I’ll drop by the ranch tomorrow.”
“Or…” Harloe’s teeth grit. “You could face your sister right now.”
I follow Harloe’s gaze to the door, where Eden walks in like she’s been summoned. Her blonde hair is even brighter than it was last time I saw her. Her smile perfectly practiced and fake.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grumble, taking a sip of my drink.
Eden is wearing a bright-pink dress that cuts low in the front, showing off her cleavage. Her bleached-blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She’s the picture of sweetness when she’s anything but. Kincaid walks in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist when he spots me.
“Like I said. Asshole,” Harloe mumbles.
My attention moves to Dean and Soul, who noticed Kincaid as well. They stand at once, tension brewing.
“Crap, this isn’t going to go well.” I eye the cops across the bar, recognizing them as some of Kincaid’s closest friends. “They’re already watching Dean and waiting for him to fuck up, but if they get into it, Kincaid will throw charges at them just for fun.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Harloe sets her drink down. “I need someone to call me a ride anyway. I’m sure Dean’s hot, tattooed biker friend won’t mind playing bodyguard while I wait for them to show up.”
“You’re just as bad as they are.”
“One can only hope.” She winks, giving me a quick hug. “Be safe.”
“I can handle Kincaid and Eden.”
“I know you can.”
Harloe splits off, walking over to Dean’s table and smiling at Soul. She must be convincing because I see Dean’s mouth move in the way that says something like he’s got it handled and he’ll see him tomorrow.
Soul leaves with Harloe, while Dean walks over to me just as Eden and Kincaid approach.
“You actually came back.” Her gaze pauses where Dean wraps a hand around my waist.
“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”
“I couldn’t care less.” She brushes a hand down Kincaid’s chest, acting like she doesn’t care when she’s the one who called me begging me to come home. “You aren’t my competition, Willa.”
I huff out a laugh because that’s exactly what this is to her. She only wants Kincaid because he was my fiancé. She enjoys stealing other people’s things and proving she can get anything she wants. Once she realizes I honestly don’t care, she’ll get tired of him.
“Why did you come back if you’re just going to cause problems?” Eden asks, not letting it go. “You left. What does it matter what happens with the ranch now?”
“Don’t worry about it, baby.” Kincaid pulls her closer, smirking at me. “They aren’t getting what they’re after.”
“Aren’t you tired of being his fucking puppet?” Dean levels Kincaid with a glare. “All these years, and you’re still doing your father’s dirty work.”
“We’re business partners now.”
Dean huffs out a laugh. “Is that what you tell yourself? He doesn’t see you as his equal, Kincaid. Not when he thinks he’s the center of the universe.”
“What would you know?”
“I know him.” Dean’s fingers twitch on my hip, but he doesn’t let it show in his expression.
“This isn’t your business anymore. It’s between family, and you cut yourself out of ours.” Kincaid’s shoulders stiffen.
“I cut myself out of Tate’s family. But that land belonged to Grandpa—to Mom. It belongs to you and me, not him. You understood that once. But if you’re going to let him play you like a pawn, then I’m not going to let you desecrate it.”
“What are you going to do? Move back to Texas and work on the ranch again? You care so much about saving it and preserving Grandpa’s legacy, but you’re not here, Dean. I am.”
Dean doesn’t answer that question, and I’m curious myself. His life is in Vegas. Even if he does figure out a way to stop Kincaid and his stepfather from parceling the land, he’s not going to leave his club to be a rancher again. What does Dean intend to do with it?
“That’s what I thought.” Kincaid chuckles.
He lets Eden go and circles to my other side at the bar, nearly brushing my arm. Dean must notice because he shifts us to put himself between me and his brother.
“One little touch won’t erase all the shit I already did to her.” Kincaid grins, waving down the bartender. “Surprised it doesn’t bother you.”
“You know what bothers me, Kincaid? The stupid, smug grin on your fucking face. You should bow down to her for even giving you the time of day. For her putting up with your pathetic ass for as long as she did. You should be on your knees thanking her for the attention she gave you that you didn’t deserve. ”
“Is that what you do, brother, get on your knees for her?”
“I do all sorts of things with her. Gotta make up for the disappointment you left her with.”
Kincaid’s cheeks turn red. Anger etches lines into his face. He tried getting under Dean’s skin, but he forgets who he’s dealing with. Dean might not like the fact that I’ve been with his brother, but he’s secure in who he is. He knows what he has to offer, and he knows that all I want is him.
“You’re a fucking asshole,” Kincaid grits out, downing a shot.
“So I’ve been told. But this asshole is going to make sure you pay for your sins.”
“Like you’re one to judge. You’re no saint, brother. I’ve heard the rumors about what you’ve done for your club.”
Dean turns to face him, his voice dropping lower. “Then you really should have paid attention. Because blood or not doesn’t make a difference to me. You fucked with my girl. With Grandpa’s land. Unless you wise up, you’re gonna fucking pay for that, Kincaid.”
Kincaid’s teeth clench. His eyes narrow. Tension is so thick in the air I can feel it radiating off Dean.
Stepping forward, I wrap my hand on Dean’s arm, and Kincaid’s gaze drops to it.
“I should have known you’d always go back to him.” He glares at me.
“I should have known you were a cheating asshole who would never change.” I lift my chin. “Guess we both underestimated our opponents.”
Kincaid doesn’t break my gaze until Eden stops beside him, and he wraps his arm around her shoulders.
“Let’s go get a drink with someone who isn’t a waste of time.” Kincaid turns Eden away, but she makes sure to glare at me over her shoulder as they disappear across the bar.
I turn to Dean, gripping the front of his cut. “I’m surprised that ended without any broken bones.”
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to break every last one of them.”
“I have some idea.”
Dean glances at the side of the bar, where Kincaid’s friends, two off-duty cops, are watching us.
“It’s not worth it. At least, not here. This isn’t Vegas, and even with Soul and Venom here, we don’t have the sway like we do there.
Just a lot of guys waiting for me to fuck up.
Kincaid will get what’s coming to him, but not tonight. ”
I thought as much, too, which is why Harloe pulled Soul away, but seeing Dean be rational is surprising. And downright sexy.
“Wow.” I smile, lifting onto my toes to kiss his jaw. “Look at you thinking before acting. We’re going to have to change your road name if you keep this up.”
“Nuh-uh, princess.” He leans in to whisper in my ear, “I’m nothing but chaos as far as you’re concerned.”
“Is that so?” I hitch an eyebrow. “What exactly does Chaos want to do right now?”
He wets his lips, looking me over, pausing where my breasts swell at the deep V in my T-shirt. “Go into the bathroom and lose the panties, Willa.”
“Why?”
“It’s a surprise.” He grins, and my heart flutters.
Dean might be trouble, but damn do I love it.