Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Pandora sat at one of the tables in On The Rocks with her heart hammering in her chest. She shouldn’t have lied to Blaze about her tears. But what else could she have done? She needed to release him. He didn’t belong to her and he’d made that clear.
Besides, he had given her strength and courage.
But not by having sex with her. He did that just by being by her side.
The door to the bar swung open and in strolled Sully with his two sidekicks. They were almost always together.
She lifted her glass and took a small sip of her tequila. She’d promised Blaze she’d keep her drinking to a minimum, but damn, she needed a little.
Blaze rested his hand on her leg and scooted his chair closer. He pressed his lips against her cheek. “I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.”
“I want to fucking string him by his balls,” she whispered.
“There’s a long line of people right behind you who want to do that too.” Blaze chuckled.
“He didn’t rape them,” she whispered.
Blaze stiffened.
Before she could defuse the rage seeping from Blaze’s pores, Sully strutted across the room like he didn’t have a care in the fucking world.
The asshole even smiled as he made eye contact.
Blaze squeezed her leg. Tight. Hard.
She wasn’t sure if that was to keep her from bolting or his reaction to the situation.
“I don’t want any problems.” Sully raised his hands. “I’m just here to grab some dinner with my friends.”
“Then fuck off and leave us alone,” Blaze said with a deep growl. “Better yet, why don’t you find somewhere else to eat.”
“I’m not going to do that.” Sully cocked his head. “Pandora, you’re looking good.”
“Don’t speak to my girlfriend.” Blaze pressed both hands on the table and leaned closer. “Don’t even look at her or we will have a problem.”
“Seriously, Pandora.” Sully shook his head. “You’ve got to stop filling people’s heads with lies about me. It’s called slander and I’m getting tired of it. I spent seven long years in prison for a crime I didn’t commit, thanks to you.”
“A jury thought otherwise,” Pandora said with a voice more powerful than she ever imagined she’d have when faced by her attacker.
She owed that to Blaze.
“All because you fed them a bunch of bullshit. Not to mention you turned Andrea against me.” Sully shook his head. “I’m real sorry about what happened to you, but it wasn’t me. You should be focused on finding out?—”
“I wouldn’t go there if I were you.” Blaze rose, inching closer to Sully.
A collective hush came over the bar.
Rocky stepped from behind the counter. Ethan appeared from the kitchen. Talon was one step behind Ethan.
Pandora swallowed her beating heart.
“We all know what happened that day and like I’ve said before. You will pay. One way or another. Whether it be at the hands of the law, or by my hands, I don’t give a shit. Just remember what I said about dark alleys because justice is coming for you.”
“Threaten me one more time, and you’ll be sorry.” Sully turned on his heel and went back to his friends.
Blaze eased back into the chair and nodded to Ethan, Rocky, and Talon, who went back to whatever it was they had been doing before. Blaze took a slow sip of his beer, keeping his focus on Sully.
“Do you really think all this talk about fighting him in a dark alley is going to push him over the edge?” Pandora asked.
“Yes,” Blaze said.
“Why?”
“Because if we can get him to believe I’m a loose enough cannon to go after him, he’ll be dumb enough to try to take us both at the same time. That’s exactly what I want.”
“Right. Get him to confess after he’s kidnapped us both.” She tipped her head back and downed the last drop of her drink. “But did you ever think that he might kill you before we ever get the chance to get that confession?”
Blaze chuckled. “Axel used to tell me I had nine lives. From my count, I’ve only used up eight. I don’t plan on dying.”
“And I didn’t plan on being raped either,” she mumbled. “Don’t joke about death. Sully’s a dangerous man.”
He reached out, tracing his finger over her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so flippant about that. But I’m serious. While the plan is a little bit crazy train, it will work or I wouldn’t even consider it.”
“Isn’t it what you’d call lose-lose?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “Using only you as bait would be that. Tossing me into the mix gives us better odds. You need to trust me.”
“I do, except you seem to have a bit of a death wish.”
“That’s not true and dying at the hands of that asshole certainly wouldn’t be how I want to leave this earth.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over her mouth. “Go easy on the alcohol.”
“What do we do now?”
“We watch and wait until the waitress brings them their check. Then I will go have a few more words. After that, we go home. We’ll start up again tomorrow. He’ll want me gone in a day or two.”
“You really can be an arrogant fuck, you know that?”
“I do.” Blaze nodded. “Now, eat your food. We have to be ready when they are.”
Pandora ordered a soda and fiddled with her salad. She did her best to ignore Sully and his friends, but it was hard not to constantly glance in their direction.
Sully would laugh and he too would occasionally steal a look at her table. Part of her wanted to pack up her belongings and leave Fallport. She could get a job as a firefighter anywhere and not have to worry about Sully ever again. She could start her life over.
But that would make her a coward.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He tapped her knee with his index finger. “And we can scrap the plan if you want to. This is your call. It always has been.”
“And do what? Because my only other choice would be to run from a life I’ve worked hard to build and you, of all people, have to know that wasn’t easy for me to do.”
“This is your life. I’m only trying to make it better.”
“I adore you for that. And everyone else in this town. I can’t keep living in fear, so we keep doing this. Just understand facing him is hard as hell.”
“I know that, babe, and I can’t say I like it any more than you do.” He pulled out his wallet. “Get the waitress and pay our bill.” He handed her his credit card. “Don’t get up from this table, no matter what happens.” He tipped her chin with his index finger and kissed her softly. “I’ll be right back.”
“Blaze.” She grabbed his arm as he stood. “He might not be able to carry a gun, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have one.”
“Well, I’ve got two.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “And a small army.” He strolled off in the direction of Sully, leaving her sitting there by herself.
Wonderful.
Blaze locked gazes with Sully and smiled. “You should have left when you had the chance,” he said.
“Get out of my face.” Sully moved to the right.
Blaze moved with him. “Nope. I’m not going to do that.”
“I’ve got no beef with you.” Sully lifted his chin. “And you don’t own this bar. Hell, you don’t even live here. You’re a washed-up Marine who doesn’t belong in this town. Now get the fuck out of my way.”
Blaze inched closer. “I don’t want you anywhere near Pandora. Like I said, you’re going to pay for what you did to her, if I have to make sure you do with my bare hands.”
“I’m growing tired of your blanket threats.”
Blaze raised his hands. “No threat. Just promises. Now, why don’t you get the fuck out of here before I throw you out.”
“Not going to happen.” Sully moved to the left, and once again, Blaze moved with him, this time, letting his shoulder hit Sully’s. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Sully glared.
“I should be the one asking you that. You’re the one who walked into me.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?” Sully asked. “Hey, Pandora, call off your watchdog before I call the cops.”
“I told you not to even speak her name,” Blaze said in dark tone, inching closer, careful not to touch Sully. He needed Sully to make the first move. Or at least that’s what he wanted. But if he had to, he’d toss the first punch. “As a matter of fact, don’t even look at her again, because if you do, I’ll lay you out flat.”
“I don’t know what you think you know or the lies that bitch has been filling that fat head of yours with.” Sully took one step back. “But I’m not doing this with you, man. I just came in here to eat. Leave me alone. I don’t want any trouble.” He turned and made a beeline for the bar.
That wasn’t quite what Blaze expected or wanted.
So, he followed Sully to the counter.
“Jesus, what the hell is your problem?” Sully leaned against the bar.
“You,” Blaze said. “I don’t like rapists. They tend to sour my mood, especially when they rape people I care about and think they can get away with it. Well, not when I’m in town. Like I’ve said now three times, you’re going to pay?—”
“I didn’t rape anyone,” Sully said behind gritted teeth. “This is harassment and I’m calling the cops.” He pulled out his phone.
“Do it. I dare you.”
“You’re not fucking worth it.” Sully dropped a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. “Keep the change.” He nodded to his friends. “Don’t even think about following me out of this bar.”
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. And remember, I’m still coming for you. When you least expect it, I’ll be there and you will pay.” Blaze turned and made a beeline for the table, keeping his back to Sully. “Did he leave?” he asked Pandora.
“He’s walking out the door now.”
“All right. Let’s go.” He took Pandora by the hand.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Nope.” He tugged her through the bar and out the front door where he saw Sully and his two friends leaning against the hood of a sports car.
Fuckers.
“I told you not to follow me.” Sully pushed from the vehicle and inched closer.
“I’m not. Me and my girl are just leaving to go home.”
Pandora squeezed Blaze’s hand so hard, he thought she might cut off the circulation.
“Yeah, right.” Sully continued to walk toward Blaze, stopping about five paces away. “You’re a real piece of work, Pandora. You better stop this bullshit, or I’m filing a complaint with the cops. I served my time.”
“Don’t say a word,” Blaze whispered. “We all know who’s the liar and it isn’t Pandora. Now, I’m going to get in my truck and drive away. But we’re not done. Not by a mile. You fellas have a nice night.”
Sully laughed. “You know, I looked you up, Blaze Wright. Yeah. You told me to remember the name. So I did. Decorated Marine. Bunch of medals. Glowing career. But you couldn’t save your brother, now could you.”
“You motherfucker.” Blaze shoved Pandora to the side and charged at Sully. He grabbed him by the shirt collar and shoved him up against the wall. “What the fuck did you just say?”
“Oh, ex-wives love to talk smack about asshole ex-husbands.” Sully laughed in Blaze’s face. “Deadbeat husband. Deadbeat Marine. Deadbeat brother who let his own flesh and blood die.”
All Blaze could see was red.
He cocked his fist, but a warm, gentle hand grabbed his wrist before he could swing.
“He’s not worth spending the night in county lockup,” Pandora whispered. “Not tonight anyway.”
“You better thank your lucky stars she was here to stop me from beating you to a pulp.” Blaze released his grip. He should have known Sully could find his weak spot. Not that Ashley had any details about how his brother died, but she knew enough. And the fact that Sully had found her in such a short period of time meant he’d gotten under his skin.
Game on.
But that meant he had to get his head in the game and not lose his cool again.
That wouldn’t be good for Pandora.
He brushed down the front of Sully’s shirt. “But next time things won’t go so well for you. Remember what I said about dark alleyways. Come on, babe. Let’s go home.” He looped his arm around Pandora and with his heart in his throat, he strolled to his truck.
“He wanted you to hit him,” Pandora said as he helped her into the passenger side. “And you would have if I hadn’t stopped you.”
“Giving him a black eye wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.”
“But Weston was right there watching and he has to follow the law.”
Blaze shut the door and nodded to Weston. He climbed behind the steering wheel and pressed the start button. “It would have been best if I could get him to swing first, but we don’t want him in jail either. The point is to escalate and we’ve done that.”
“How did he know about your brother or your ex-wife?”
“Ashley has social media. She’s not hard to find. Even if it is private. However, she doesn’t like me much. If someone contacted her and wanted information on me, she’d most likely give it if she thought it was either helping me get out of my funk or helping someone else who could be hurt by me.”
“Why would she think you could hurt anyone?”
“Because it wouldn’t be the first time I did.” He let out a long breath. “Ashley and I had a complicated relationship. During our separation, we were free to see other people. I did. That didn’t sit right with her and she never forgave me for it, especially since one of those women was a friend of hers.”
“That’s a dick move.”
He laughed. “Maybe. But it was meaningless on her friend’s part as much as it was on mine. But the problem was it happened when I came back from my last mission.”
“When Axel died,” Pandora whispered. “And Ashley didn’t understand why you went to her friend and not her.”
“That’s part of it.” He slammed his hand on the steering wheel as he pulled out onto the street. “I don’t want to talk about this. Axel is gone. I can’t bring him back. Ashley told Sully whatever she felt she needed to and it doesn’t matter. I won’t let him get under my skin again.”
Pandora rested her hand on his leg. “Blaze, you have to talk about this. You need to get it out the same way I had to work through what happened?—”
“Don’t, Pandora. Just stop. It’s not the same.”
She recoiled and stared out the window. “That’s just cruel,” she whispered.
And it was, but he couldn’t take the words back and he wasn’t going to tell her the story anyway.
It wouldn’t help her, and it sure as shit wouldn’t help him.