Chapter Three
~Scarlett~
The online gallery that I looked at earlier today is nothing like the bar that I’m currently standing in.
This place looks old as hell and has been kept up about as well as the crawl space back at the homestead.
The walls are dark, the paint is peeling, and is that smoke I see?
Smoking indoors has been illegal in Oklahoma for at least a decade, so unless this place has a fog machine, the bar hasn’t been aired out since I was in middle school.
Glancing around the large room at the clientele doesn’t really ease the knot of worry in my stomach either.
Everyone in the room looks pretty rough and like they could shiv you at any moment.
No wonder my brother’s didn’t want me coming to this place.
My instincts are telling me to run back outside and see if Stewy is still around to give me a ride home, but I’m still miffed enough about how Sawyer brushed me off earlier to stick it out.
Movement at the bar has me looking over there, and my eyes widen when I see the behemoth of a man that is currently staring at me, a smirk on his face.
He’s handsome, there is no doubt about that.
His light brown hair is cut neatly, there’s a little silver at the temple, which tells me this man is experienced and has seen a thing or two.
There’s the shadow of stubble on his face and he’s wearing a tight tank that shows off ripples of muscle along his arms and shoulder as well as what looks to be a military tattoo on his left arm.
The man is yummy personified, but when his eyes rack over my body and his smirk widens, my feelings go from warm and tingly to a little hostile.
The outfit I chose for my night out shows a good amount of flesh, flesh including rolls on my stomach and dimples on my thighs.
I’ve heard on more than one occasion that I should cover up, hide my body away, but I like the way I look and if this guy has a problem with it, he’ll just have to suck it up and deal.
Before I know what I’m doing, my feet are carrying me over to the man in question until I’m standing directly in front of him. His eyes move over my body again, this time much more slowly and I shiver at the thought that maybe he actually likes what he sees. Could that be possible?
Most guys that look like him don’t go for girls that look like me.
Oh well, their loss not mine. Clearing my throat draws the man’s attention up to my eyes, and I have a hard time finding my voice as I stare into the dark grey depths of his irises.
It’s like being caught up in a thunderstorm, except I don’t want to seek shelter, I want to run right into the middle of it.
When I finally find my voice, I prop my fists on my hips and shoot my most intimidating look his way. “I couldn’t help notice you staring at me. Do you have a problem with the way I’m dressed or something?”
A low chuckle escapes his chest and he holds his palms up.
“Slow down there, Firecracker,” he commands, the low timbre of his voice sending another shiver down my spine.
The man clocks it and the grin on his face widens.
Damn, he has a gorgeous smile surrounded by full lips that I want to suck on, maybe bite a little.
Before I can travel down that lusty rabbit hole, he’s talking again. “The only problem I have with the way you’re dressed is that there are far too many people in this room getting a peek at what belongs to me.”
The possession of his words has me wanting to fight him, but the way he says it paired with how he’s looking at me has my panties growing damp. Still, I scoff. “I don’t belong to anyone but myself, so I don’t know what you think you’re talking about,” I say defiantly.
The man reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, the brush of his fingers against my skin causing goosebumps to break out all over my traitorous body.
“You know what I’m talking about, darlin’.
You just don’t want to admit it to yourself yet,” he says smugly, leaning back and crossing his thick arms across his chest, causing his biceps to pop pleasantly. “That’s okay. I’m a patient man.”
I swallow the drool that’s been steadily pooling in my mouth since I laid eyes on this man and try to play off that everything he has said has had zero effect on me when that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The more he talks about me belonging to him, the more I want it to be true.
He is definitely not the type to back down from a challenge, and a challenge is something I can definitely be, even at the best of times. Still, I’m not one to give in easily.
“Well, you better be more than patient because you’re going to be waiting a long damn time before I admit that I belong to you," I tell him.
He nods and smiles knowingly at me. “If that’s how you want to play it, Firecracker, I’m game.” The gorgeous man winks at me and reaches onto his plate, popping a fry into his mouth. “A little cat and mouse could be fun.”
I take the seat next to him and nab one of his fries, enjoying the warm, salty flavor as it hits my tongue.
The man’s eyes are on my mouth the whole time I’m eating, and when I swallow, I reach over and nab his beer bottle and take a sip to wash it down.
“So, which of us is the cat and which is the mouse?”
The man’s tongue peeks out and licks across his bottom lip. “It could go either way, though if I’m the mouse, you better know the only way I’m running is towards you,” he promises, and by the determined expression no his face, I know he means it.
He reaches over and pulls my stool closer to his and leans down to whisper near my ear. “And if you’re the cat, you can be sure to scratch me with those claws anytime you like, carve your name on my chest. I have a feeling I would enjoy it.”
Whelp, my panties just burst into flames.
Never before has a man been so singularly focused on me, and the attention is already a bit addicting.
Someone as gorgeous as him could probably get any girl he wants, so to have all of his intense focus on me is one hell of an ego boost. It’s probably what gives me the confidence to reach up and rake my fingernails down his arm, leaving faint red lines in their wake.
When he shivers, I take it as a good sign and lean in a little myself, loving the leather and citrus scent that wafts over me as I do. “If I’m going to be scratching my name onto you, I think it might be a good idea for me to know yours.”
When I lean back and look up into his eyes, they are darker than before and filled with what looks like desire. As a virgin, I wouldn’t know much about that kind of look on a man, but I’ve read enough romance novels to think that’s what I’m seeing.
“Ryker,” he says, his voice low and rough. It’s like sandpaper scraping along my skin, but it feels so good that I honest to God tremble at the sound of it. “You can call me, Ryker.”
The name suits him. It’s rough and sexy, just like the man in front of me. We sit and stare at one another for a full minute, the air thick with sexual tension. Finally, when I can’t take it anymore, I break the silence. “Don’t you want to know my name?”
Ryker’s head moves from side to side. “I already know your name, Firecracker.” He smiles and brushes the back of his fingers along my arm. “But you can tell me what everyone else calls you if you like.”
“Scarlett Marie!” My name being shouted from across the room has my head whipping around to see two of my four brothers standing near the door, looking pissed off beyond recognition.
“Shit on shingle,” I say before whipping my head back around to Ryker. An idea popping in my head and coming out of my mouth before I can think any better of it. “Pretend to be my boyfriend for the next five minutes and I’ll owe you big time.”
Ryker smiles. “Oh, Firecracker. I will be whatever you need whenever you need for as long as you need it,” he vows before wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in between his legs. “Wherever you lead, I will follow.”
My eyes widen at that declaration, but I don’t have time to mull it over since my brothers are up next to us in seconds. Peeking over my shoulder, I see Wyatt and Sawyer standing in front of me with their arms crossed, both looking like they would rather be anywhere else than this run down bar.
Twenty minutes ago, I would have agreed with them, but that was before I met and spoke to the man in front of me, the one who is currently snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me towards him. My brothers don’t miss the movement, and their expression go from bad to worse.
“What the hell do you think you are doing in a place like this, Scarlett?” Sawyer asks, his mouth pulled down in a frown.
When they use my given name, I know I’m in trouble. Still, they don’t own me and I don’t owe them any explanations. “I’m doing whatever I feel like. Last time I checked, it’s a free country and I can come and go anywhere I please. Isn’t that right, honey bear?”
I don’t know where the hell I pulled that nickname from, but by the look on Ryker’s face, he doesn’t mind it one bit. “That’s right, Firecracker.”
“And who the hell are you?” Wyatt asks, his glower now directed at the man next to me.
Ryker sticks his hand out for Wyatt to shake, only for my brother to completely ignore it in favor of glowering at him instead. Ryker drops his hand back to my hips and nods at my brothers. “Ryker Finley. Scarlett and I were just sitting down to enjoy a meal.”
Sawyer looks around the room and snorts. “If you thought this was an appropriate place to take our sister, than you’re more of a scumbag than I thought,” he grits out.
“Sawyer!” My brother barely looks at me after I scream his name and it pisses me off even more than I already was. How dare they come here and confront me, especially after the way my ideas got blown off earlier.
“I don’t remember anyone inviting the two of you. How did you find me anyway?” As I ask it, I realize that I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Well, anyone except for my best friend. “Dammit, Georgie,” I mutter, seeing Wyatt’s face fall as I say it.
“Don’t be made at Georgie, Lettie,” he tells me. At least we’re back to him using my nickname. “I forced it out of her.” A wicked smile plays across his face and I try not to gag in my mouth.
My hand flies up to stop him from giving me any more information I don’t want or need. “Do not even think about telling me how,” I tell him. “Just, please leave so I can spend time with my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Wyatt shouts just as Sawyer blurts out, “Oh hell no.”
“That’s right,” I tell them, moving my arms around Ryker’s neck. “Ryker is my boyfriend. So if you two could leave us alone so we can get back to our date that would be great. Our food is getting cold.”
“This," Sawyer scoffs, his finger moving between Ryker and me, "is not a thing, and it’s not going to be a thing, so grab your purse and let’s go,” he says, grabbing my arm.
So far, Ryker has mostly been pretty relaxed and just going with the flow of what’s happening, but as soon as Sawyer puts his hand on me, Ryker is up and off his stool, spinning me around so that I am shielded behind him.
“Touch my woman again, and we’re going to have a problem,” he says, his voice low and menacing.
I wish I could tell you that it didn’t turn me on even more than I already was, but that would be a lie.
Even though the protection isn’t needed, my brothers would never hurt me after all, I can’t help but enjoy the fact that my man is standing up for me. My man? Did I really just think that?
Sawyer drops his hands and sighs, looking over at me as I peek out from behind Ryker’s tall, broad form. “Lettie, can you please just stop with this little rebellion and come home. The girls are all worried sick about you being here and I just want to put them at ease.”
Knowing that I caused my sisters-in-law worry makes me feel a little guilty, so I step out from behind Ryker and nod my head. “Fine. I’ll come home.”
Ryker grabs a jacket off the stool next to him and drapes it over my shoulder. “I’ll drive you.”
Sawyer looks like he’s about to argue, but Wyatt stops him with a hand to his chest. I give him a grateful nod and fall in next to Ryker. “Fine,” my eldest brother sighs. “Just get her home in one piece or they’ll be finding pieces of you scattered all over the county.”
Ryker nods. “Believe me, this woman’s safety is my top priority,” he says before smiling down at me and kissing my forehead. By the look in his eyes, I think he means it.
Normally this is the type of thing that gets me riled up.
I can take care of myself and don’t need a man taking care of me, but with Ryker, somehow it’s different.
It doesn’t feel controlling, it feels more like he really cares about who I am and what happens to me.
A warm feeling spreads through my chest as we walk out of the bar and Ryker leads me over to a motorcycle.
“Fuck no,” Sawyer exclaims. “You are not getting on a motorcycle, Lettie.” But his protests die off as Wyatt leads him over to the truck and practically shoves him into the driver’s seat.
When I turn back to Ryker, he’s got a helmet waiting for me and places it on my head, buckling the straps until it’s nice and tight.
“You ever ridden a motorcycle?” When I shake my head, he smiles and helps me into his jacket.
“Just hold on tight, and lean when I lean. You’re safe with me, Firecracker.
Now that I’ve found you, I’m not letting you go. ”
As Ryker helps me onto his bike and kick starts the engine, I warp my arms around his warm middle and lean against his chest. I think over his words and smile because I’m pretty sure he means it.