Chapter 6
Leo had taken the booth for some quiet time away from his own worries. When this redhead had burst into the pub, his peace had flown out of the window.
He had been prepared to take another booth or find another pub. Then she’d sat there with that cutie pie of a bairn and muttered something about keeping her daughter safe.
The woman was on the run. Why else would she be here with a baby making such promises?
When their eyes had met, and he’d actually seen her face, his heart had squeezed.
Fuck, she was a stunner. Skin like silky porcelain, eyes like shining emeralds, and her curls breaking free from the neatly pressed down hairdo. This woman was a siren.
And just when he’d been about to approach her, she’d loosened her top to breastfeed the bairn and he’d seen the scars and welts from beatings that had no place marring her skin.
Leo’s fingers curled into fists, his instinct to go over and demand the name of the person who had left those injures on her. The worst of it was, some of the scars were still red, meaning they were brand new.
What sort of a coward hurt a woman that badly?
Leo bared his teeth, then realised he needed to do something. His AWOL cousin had worked with women’s shelters so maybe if Leo thought hard enough, he could remember the name or location of those shelters and lead this woman and her bairn there. Or he could give her cash. He had plenty of it now.
Either way, with just that wee baby bag, and the dark, almost formal clothes she wore, Leo doubted the woman had supplies with her.
He slid out of the booth, leaving the mother-bairn pair to their privacy, and went over to the bar.
Know anything about that woman there?
The bartender came over, a rag to clean the bar in hand. Something’s nae right. He watched the area where Leo had come from. Trouble at hame, maybe.
Leo studied the man. He looked like he’d seen his share of trouble. And with the sort of patronage in this bar, Leo wasn’t sure the woman was safe. Yet the bartender was his best bet. Not to mention, he’d observed that the woman needed help.
She’s got bruises. Don’t let anyone near her. I’m almost sure she’s on the run.
The bartender pulled out his phone. I know someone who can help. I—
Leo shook his head. At the moment, all he had was his gut instinct and speculation. While he didn’t know much about rescuing victims of domestic abuse, he did know that sometimes in these cases the best thing was to ask them what they needed.
And he couldn’t help her if she wasn’t willing to escape her situation. Not sure what the story is exactly. See, I’m going to nip out and get them supplies, then I’ll talk to her. If someone comes looking, turn them away.
The bartender picked up an empty glass and cleaned it, giving him a slight nod. No one’s going past me.
Leo bobbed his head in thanks, then hurried out, his mind trying to bring up the map of the area. He needed to find a wee grocery store and get some supplies for the woman.
Locating a Tesco’s, he strode in and picked up a basket. Then he went over to the household section and raided it. He picked up some shampoo, soap, diapers in all sizes—how old was the wean?—a blanket, some snacks, and fruit.
Hoping he had thought of everything, he paid and hurried back to the pub, waiting at the bar for a report from the bartender.
The man jerked his head towards the booths.
No one’s come by. I’m making her some lemonade.
Take her a packet of crisps. Figured nuts could be a health hazard with the bairn.
Leo pulled his phone out to pay, but the man waved him off. Get them to safety. That would be payment enough. Then he cracked his fingers. And send the bastard who harassed her my way. A man who hurts women is the worst of worst scum on earth, fecking bastard.
Leo agreed with that assessment.
Muttering Cheers and placing a salt and vinegar crisp packet in his shopping bag, Leo headed back to the booth. She’d just finished breastfeeding, judging by where the bairn’s head was on her shoulder, and the fact that she was patting it on the back.
He slid into the booth.
Ouch! She jerked, making him almost reach out and apologise.
The movement caused her breasts to shake before she pressed the bairn close to her chest. Why hadn’t she covered up if she’d finished feeding the child? This woman was something else.
Start talking, you eejit! So that’s what he did. He kept his gaze on her lips and focused on each word he spoke. He tried broaching the topic of her being a single mum, which put her on edge.
So he reassured her he wasn’t a threat. The longer he sat there, talking to her, the more her hair curled up thanks to the humidity and the more that neatly tucked away sass emerged.
Look, sir— Her words cut off when a loud smack reverberated through the pub.
And then a familiar voice yelled, Where is she?
The woman gasped, her eyes widening in panic.
Leo followed her lead and cursed. What the hell was Johnny E doing here?
Her eyes met Leo’s. That. That is the man I’m running from.
His father’s bastard of a protégé was her partner?
Talk about a small fucking world.
Leo should have slid out of this booth, said goodbye to his altruistic intentions, and walked away. But Johnny had rubbed him the wrong way.
No fucking way was he leaving this incredible woman and her sweet child to Johnny’s wrath. If Leo left, she’d have little hope left and even less faith in his gender.
Lying low, the woman was about to slip out of the booth. I’m hiding in the toilets.
Fuck this, Leo muttered, then stretching his leg out, he barricaded her from leaving. Wait. The loos are where he’ll check first.
He reached over the table as discreetly as he could, so he didn’t draw any attention to their dark corner. Then pulling his jacket close around her, he said, I know you don’t trust me or know me. But we’re breaking out of here.
She opened her mouth to say something, but he grabbed the plastic bag. As per his instincts, Johnny had just barked at the bartender to show him to the toilets. The bartender was pretending to not have heard him.
Standing up from their booth, Leo blocked Johnny’s view of the woman with his body.
The man’s eyes fell on him, and a slow smirk spread across that demon-like face.
So, Johnny said, the rat slides back into its familiar drain, does it?
He took a step closer, his lips pulled back in a menacing sneer.
You do realise your brothers are of a higher class than you, don’t you?
Burrowing in this hole will only make it worse for you.
If the man got any closer, he would spot the woman and the child.
Leo walked up to him instead, knowing he could distract Johnny. As someone who enjoys the finer things in life, I never pictured you at a pub in Saltmarket.
That caused Johnny’s upper lip to curl. I lost something of mine. I’m just looking for it.
Leo’s fingers clenched into fists. Something? That woman back there was a goddess. Still, he couldn’t show the anger raging in his veins. Not to someone like Johnny who’d catch on to it. I didn’t take you for someone who forgets their belongings.
Stepping to a side, Johnny sneered. I don’t. Get out of my way.
Distract him, you prick!
Leo laughed using all the mirth he couldn’t feel. Come on now, don’t be like that. It’s not shameful to be caught frequenting a man’s den kinda space. Sometimes you just need to let lose someplace you won’t be judged, you know what I mean?
Johnny straightened, his attention back on Leo.
Look here, you wee fecker. You don’t know what a man like me wants.
A loser like you never will. You don’t know anything about money, especially the kind that’s sitting in your bank account.
You’re nothing but a cunt from the gutters who got lucky. But luck doesnae last.
Sneering at Leo but unable to touch him—as Leo was now his boss—Johnny retreated towards the bar. Then to the bartender, he growled, Where the fuck are the loos?
Finally!
The moment Johnny disappeared, Leo turned his head and whispered from between his teeth, Come on. Now! He reached out for the child. Give it to me. You hold the bags.
To her credit, the woman didn’t object. And to his credit, he didn’t drop the bairn. He hadn’t ever held a bairn before, and the sleeping child wiggled.
Get it together, man.
When the woman gripped the plastic bag and her wee bag, ready to break free from someone who had possibly left those bruises on her skin, she looked like a fearsome Queen of Scots who’d stop at nothing to keep herself and her child safe.
She urged him to move when he kept staring at her. And together, they broke out of the pub.