Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mia
Ialmost regret my impulsive decision from the second I set foot in the Den. Almost.
The atmosphere has changed from earlier in the day. For one, it’s way busier. Most of the patrons are men, which bodes well for my plan.
But it’s louder and rowdier. It feels rough and slightly scary.
I hesitate at the door, and almost change my mind and run right back to Briggs’s house.
But then I spot Ma behind the bar, with a man who looks like an older version of Briggs himself. His mother must sense my presence because her eyes lock on mine. She gives me a questioning look. I smile and give her a little half-wave before stepping farther into the bar.
I don’t have a plan, but it turns out that I don’t need one, because I only take a few more steps before a heavy arm falls over my shoulders.
“Well, hello there. I didn’t expect to see you here, little darlin’.”
Reflexively, I stiffen but force myself to relax before turning to face the man. “Hi!” I force a smile and flirty lightness in my voice. “Joey, right?”
The man, who looks to be a little bit younger than Briggs, frowns, but it quickly turns into a leering grin. He’s not unattractive, but compared to Briggs, he might as well be. And he definitely puts out creeper vibes. Still, at the moment, he’s my best option. And I did just get here.
“Got sick of Wolf already, huh?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer. “Don’t blame ya. He never did know how to have a good time. I’ll buy you a drink, darlin’.”
Joey steers me toward a table in the middle of the room, where two other men are seated. Mugs of beer fill the table between them. “Boys, this is…”
“Mia,” I supply, considering he’s forgotten that I introduced myself when we met earlier. Before Briggs punched him in the jaw.
“Mia.” Joey nods. “You like beer?”
I don’t. But I don’t want to be picky. So I nod. “Sure do.”
He pours me a mug and watches while I lift it to my lips. The drink smells yeasty and sour. It turns my stomach, but I could use a little liquid courage, so I force myself to take a few big gulps before setting it down.
I swallow hard, and a little burp escapes my throat. Joey and the others laugh, but it doesn’t seem to put them off.
Joey has his arm around me again. He pulls his chair so close to mine that his rough denim-clad leg presses up against my bare thigh.
I tug at my short skirt that rucked up to an indecent length when I sat down. Not that Joey’s noticed; his eyes are locked directly on my cleavage that, without my sweater that I left in my bag, is pressed up and spilling out of my top.
“So what brings a sweet thing like you to town, Mia?”
There’s no way I’m telling them why I’m really here. Or that my brother lives in town. I can’t imagine that these men are friends with Jamie. Not based on Briggs’s reaction earlier. Still, it’s better if they don’t know. “Just a little holiday,” I lie. “What is it you boys do?”
“What do we do?” Joey’s heavy hand pulls me closer to him. His fingertips dangle precariously close to the top of my breast.
Instead of the tingles I felt with Briggs earlier, I’m feeling something very different with Joey so near. But the alcohol is already working its magic, and the sharp edges are starting to soften.
“We have a good time.” Joey laughs. “Don’t we, boys?”
The others join in Joey’s laughter and exchange glances with each other.
I swallow hard and lift my mug of beer to my lips once more. I grimace through another swallow of the sour liquid and gasp when a hand slides over my bare thigh.
I didn’t notice the man on the other side of me move closer. His hand is heavy and hot on my skin but I don’t have time to react, because Joey’s hand has also slipped lower and is now openly fondling my breast over the top of my shirt.
“Oh.” I try to slide back a little, away from both of them, but I’m pinned in. “I don’t think—”
“Come on, darlin’. This is exactly what you’re looking for, isn’t it?”
“Dressed like that in a place like this.” The man across the table lets out a low whistle. “This is exactly what she’s looking for.”
“And you came to the right place.” Under the table, the man grips my thigh so tightly, I squeal, and Joey takes that moment to close in on me.
His breath is rank and hot against my cheek. “You are looking for a good time, aren’t you, darlin’?”
Oh God.
No. I don’t want my first kiss to happen like this. I’m such an idiot.
I squeeze my eyes shut and hold my breath as I brace myself for Joey’s lips to press upon mine.
I never should have come here. I want to be with Briggs. Even if he never kisses me or looks at me the way I look at him, I don’t care. I just want Briggs.
“Get your fucking hands off her.” A familiar, deep, booming voice drowns out the din of the bar.
Briggs.
Briggs
I home in on my girl the second I set foot in the Den.
Of course, she’s surrounded by men.
And not just any men. But Joey fucking Cartwright has his thick, heavy arm draped around her tiny shoulders.
I’ll kill him.
My hands form fists at my side. I don’t take my eyes off her as I stalk toward them. From somewhere, I’m sure I hear my mother sigh, but it has to be my imagination. And even if it’s not, I don’t care.
Mia’s back is to me, so I can’t see her face but I can tell by the way she’s holding herself so stiffly that she’s not happy.
One of Joey’s lackeys, whom I recognize as Jimmy, is on the other side of her, with Rob sitting across from them all, facing my direction.
But he’s too focused on Mia with a lecherous look on his face that I’m going to take pleasure in wiping off in a moment to notice my approach.
When Joey leans into her, I grab the back of his neck with one hand and haul him backward. “Get your fucking hands off her.”
He doesn’t have time to react before I toss him on the ground at my feet. I take another quick step and my fist connects with Rob, who has made the poor decision to confront me.
Mia jumps when he crashes unconscious to the table next to her, sending beer glasses flying.
“You just don’t know when to take a hint, do you, Wolf?”
Joey’s back on his feet, and he’s pissed.
But however angry he is, it’s nowhere near as furious as I am. I warned him, and he put his big ugly mitts on my girl. Again.
He swings a punch but I dodge it easily. Judging by his stagger, he’s at least four beers in.
Good. He’ll fall a lot harder when I knock him out.
“I warned you, Joey.”
“Fuck you.” He swings again, but this time I fire back. My fist connects with his nose in a sickening crunch, but he’s too stupid to back down.
“Briggs! Watch out!” Mia yells a little too late.
I spin around to see that Jimmy’s joined the fight and is in the process of swinging a chair in my direction.
“Fuck.” I grunt as the chair makes contact with the back of my shoulder.
It splinters into a million pieces.
Ma is going to be pissed.
“Bad idea, Jimmy.” I turn to face him, already swinging a punch as I do. It connects. As does the next one and the one after that. He falls to the ground on the third strike, and I hope he’s smart enough to stay down. I don’t want to hurt him any more than I already have.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been in a fight. It’s not my favorite thing to do, unlike my slightly older brother Jaxon. The rest of us have been in our fair share of fights, usually fights that Jaxon started.
With Rob and Jimmy out of the way, I turn my attention back to Joey, who seems to have a much harder time taking a hint.
Again, he’s found his feet and is swaying this time as he stands in front of me, blood pouring down his face.
“Haven’t learned your lesson yet, Joey?”
“Fuck you, Wolf.” He spits on the floor before pointing to Mia and sealing his fate. “And your little cock tease, too.”
Wrong. Thing. To. Say.
I don’t hold back this time. The first punch is almost enough to knock him out. “I guess no one taught you not to disrespect women, hey?”
He staggers backward for a few steps, before finding his footing. He attempts to charge at me, and I land my knock-out blow.
“And that’s for spitting on the floor.”
I don’t wait to see whether he’s out or not—I know he’s done—before I scoop Mia up and toss her over my shoulder.
She squeals in protest, but I clamp a hand on the back of her bare thighs. Her ridiculous skirt is so short, her ass is probably on display, but I doubt any man will risk a glance in her direction now.
I step over the carnage I left behind. “Sorry, Ma,” I say as I pass the bar. “It had to be done.”
I hear her sigh when my father says, “It certainly did, son. Take care of her.”
“Oh, I intend to.”