Page 5 of Ferocious Protector

We all finish the last swallow of our drinks and stand as the couples gather their things.

I remove my purse from the back of the chair. Mr. handsome with a whole lot of muscles leans down slightly. “I’ll see you tonight.”

I meet his eyes. “Maybe.”

He leans in so close I can smell that woodsy scent of his skin just like on the dance floor. “It wasn’t a question, Patti Ann. I’ll see you tonight. Wear a pretty dress,” he says, leaving me to watch his fine ass walk away and climb the stairs to the hotel rooms above.

5

Blake

Once in my room, the shower is my first stop. I toss my clothes to the floor and get under the water, letting the pelting rain hit my muscles to wash away the aches of two days in an SUV and another day on a jet while I imagine that pretty little thing downstairs and give myself some much-needed tension relief.

Patti Ann is the hottest woman I’ve ever seen but doesn’t even act like she knows. A late Friday afternoon nap beats the hell out of the days we’ve been spending dealing with enemies of the Larussios out in Vegas.

I may not have worked for the family long, but I know they wouldn’t have this big of a crew out here if they didn’t have vast interests in and around this town. It has to be worth a whole hell of a lot of money for what they pay because I’m making more now than I ever have and these guys have been with them a whole lot longer than me.

My phone beeps and I glance at the screen, smiling at the picture of my nephew before I set the alarm to go off in an hour. As long as they’re taken care of, the work doesn’t matter.

I doze off, dreaming of the blue-eyed blonde who has me rattled more than she should after an afternoon of flirting.

When the alarm goes off, I’m already almost awake. Ready to eat and to go see if Patti Ann decided to wear a pretty dress just for me. The minute I’m freshened up , I tug on a fresh pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and pull on my boots. A rough hand through my unruly hair and I’m ready to go.

I meet Dereck coming out of the room a couple doors down from mine. “Where’s Damian?”

He gets in step with me. “Don’t know, my friend. He said he was going to take a nap before we went our separate ways. I’m sure he’ll be down in a while.”

We’re halfway down the steps when the rest of our crew and the ladies walk toward the same table we occupied a couple hours ago. I look past everyone though, unable to focus on anything except that sexy little thing in that pretty pink dress that she wore just for me. My cock shifts against the inseam of my jeans. He likes that dress, those bare shoulders and long gazelle-like legs too.

I close the distance between us holding her eyes captured in mine. I don’t say a word while her friends all watch me. “A seat?” I ask, holding out a chair for the beauty.

“Thank you,” she says demurely while her friends try their best not to smile but fail miserably at the job. The others begin taking their seats, talking amongst themselves as Lettie arrives at the table. I lean towards Patti Ann. “You look beautiful in that dress.”

Her cheeks flush noticeably even in the dim lighting of the club. It makes my dick hard. I hold her gaze. “What would you like to drink? I’ll order.”

Those baby blues meet mine. “Strawberry margarita, please.” She crosses her leg under the table, and it brushes mine. I lean in close. “That will get you whatever you want, love.”

Patti Ann swallows, drawing my attention to the creaminess of her throat, and the pulse beating on its side. Lettie’s hand on my shoulder draws my attention. “What would you like to drink? It’s Blake, right?”

I smile at the grandmotherly lady who always seems to have something friendly to say. “That’s right. I’ll take one of these,”—I point to a domestic beer on the laminated menu—“and Patti Ann will have a strawberry margarita.”

Lettie’s eyes light up like it’s Christmas. “Oh, Patti Ann will, will she?”

Patti Ann blushes. “Lettie,” she whisper hisses.

“Oh, don’t mind me. My life’s mission is to get her partnered with someone who isn’t a damn fool.” She looks up and grimaces. “Looks like one of the damned fools just walked in where he isn’t supposed to be.”

My eyes track to the door and sure enough Tucker’s back, and this time he doesn’t look so steady on his feet. “Your ex doesn’t seem to take the word no or don’t come back too well at all.”

Patti Ann scowls. “I swear, every week he seems more determined than the last. Let’s just see what he does,” she says although every guy at this table knows he’s got one thing on his mind stumbling in here like that.

And he proves everyone right, when although we give him the space to do the right thing, he doesn’t. He stumbles in and around the tables, making his way toward our table by the dance floor.

I watch carefully as he points a finger at me. “You, I came to warn you. This little bit…” I’m up and have him by the throat before he can say another word, walking him backward and toward the door. It won’t do to mess up Kenny’s club.

I hear one of the guys ask if I need help, but I’m too focused on this douchebag to answer so Beckett does it instead. He laughs. “Blake doesn’t need any help. He’s got this.”

The minute we’re outside he shrugs out of my grip but only because I let him. He leers. “She may toy with you a little bit, but after three dates she’ll toss you out the door.” He waves a hand. “You ask any guy in this town. She’s a cold, frigid little bitch!”