Because You're Mine (6 page)

              “I burned it. Archer had a crawfish boil a few weeks ago for the staff, and said he needed wood for the fire.” she chuckled. “I had some guys at work chop it up for me. I got shit faced and watched the damn thing burn to ash. It felt so good, Maddie. It was…liberating.” Katy and her boyfriend Luke had broken up a few weeks back. They’d been together two years before she caught him screwing another girl.

In her bed.

“Shit. I’m so sorry, Katy,” I offered, moving in to give her a hug.

She held her hands up to stop me. “Don’t. I’ll cry. And I’ve cried enough tears for his sorry ass. I’m DONE!” she sucked in a breath.

Her big brown eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. Grabbing her bag, we left the bare room. I silently prayed that I would never have to go through something like that. I was a strong woman, but finding the man you love in bed with another woman…or man…would be devastating.

              Upon arriving at Windy City Grill, we were seated by the window overlooking the courthouse square.

              “Come hang out at Archer’s tonight? I get off at nine and Reckless Heart is playing. They’re really good, and they always bring in a fun crowd.” she beamed.

              “Sure.” I agreed, looking over my menu.

              “So,” Katy laid her down menu on the table, clasping her hands. “How’s work?”

              “Work’s good.”

              She leaned forward. “Are you still sleepin’ with him?” she whispered across the table.

“No. That was…that was a big mistake.” I shook my head, still refusing to look up.

Huge
. 

              “Yes,” She sat up straighter. “Fallin’ in love with your boss could be a disaster.”

              Katy would never have casual sex. Either she was in a committed relationship, or she was single. There was no in between. She’d had two serious relationships in her entire life. Ben had been her first boyfriend right out of high school. They were together for three years before he decided that being in a rock band was way more important than being in a relationship. Then, there was Luke. I thought that was going good, until she caught him with another woman.

              “Well, you don’t have to worry about that. I don’t plan on falling in love for a good long while. I’ve got too much shit to do before I even think about settling down.”

              “You can’t control who you fall in love with, Maddie. That shit sneaks up on you.” she dipped her head, trying to catch my eyes.               

              “Speakin’ of bosses, what’s up with you and Archer?”

              “I like him. I like him a lot, actually. But I don’t think I’m ready yet. Luke really messed me up this time, Maddie. He’d been sleepin’ with that girl behind my back for months. How do you trust another man after that?” I’d never seen Katy like this. She looked so…defeated.

              I was the last person who should be offering relationship advice, so I told her what I thought she wanted to hear. “He’s still out there, Katy. He’ll find you.” The waitress placed our drinks on the table with two straws.

Katy had always been a true romantic at heart. She believed in true love, soul mates, and all that fairy tale bullshit. Since we were kids, Katy had been searching for her knight in shining armor, a prince charming to swoop in and sweep her off her feet. It was sweet, really…the
idea
of true love. However, I was smart enough to know that wasn’t reality. That kind of stuff only happened in books and movies. Not real life.

              Katy sipped from her straw, gazing out of the window. “Maybe.” she shrugged.

              I quickly moved on to more tolerable lunch time topics. Avoiding subjects like love and men.

CHAPTER seven

Fear is stupid. So are regrets.

-Marilyn Monroe

HOLDEN

             
Fuck
.

              I told myself I wouldn’t do this. I told myself she was off limits and that I absolutely could not and would not cross that line. But I was learning quickly that I was a weak bastard when it came to her. This morning, when I’d found her in the barn, standing there with her long dark hair cascading down her back in a messy ponytail, talking and cooing to the horses…I thought I’d lose my fucking mind. She was the most beautiful women I’d ever seen in my life.

The look in her eyes when I got close to her in the kitchen, told me that she felt something too. She just didn’t want to admit it. I wondered if she ever would.

              Shaking my head, I turned into Archer’s. Saturday nights were always busier than Fridays, which was a good damn thing. Maybe, that would help me keep my mind off her.

Katy was busy wiping down glasses when I walked in. “Hey, Holden,” she greeted.

              “What up,” Katy had on her usual Archer’s tank top, but while the other girls wore cutoffs she always wore ripped blue jeans instead. “Gonna be busy tonight.” I said, leaning across the bar.

Reckless Heart was playing tonight. The band was made up of five members. The two lead singers were married, and they’d been singing together for years. Their harmony was insane, and they sang a broad range of music from country to pop. They brought in a good crowd, and they were entertaining has hell.

              “Yep. Hey, my best friend is stoppin’ by later tonight. I want you to meet her.” Katy smiled.

Yes. Just what I needed. A distraction
.

“You tryin’ to hook me up, Katy Vaughn?”

Her innocent smile morphed into a mischievous one.

“We all set up back there?” Archer asked with folded arms from my side of the bar. 

Rolling her eyes, Katy straightened to face Archer. She tucked her bar towel into her back pocket. “Good to go.”

              Archer’s jaw tensed. “Did you really just roll your eyes at me?” he asked, a deep scowl creasing hard face.

              Katy fixed her tiny hands on her slim hips, lifting her chin.

              “Careful,” Archer cautioned with narrowed eyes before he addressed me. “I want you to watch the door like a hawk tonight. I’m gonna find out who’s lettin’ in bait. And when I do, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill ‘em.” He turned his attention back to Katy. “Everybody gets carded. Got it?”

              “Gah, I know that Archer. I always ID everybody.” Katy huffed.

              Archer’s face twisted in anger and his deep voice echoed throughout the empty bar. “Can you please, for once, just fuckin’ say
’yes sir’
when I tell you to do something? I know you card everybody; I am just reiterating the fuckin’ need to be
extra
cautious.” I’d seen Archer reprimand the staff before, and I’d never had a problem standing witness. But this was different. I didn’t want to be a witness this at all. Katy was a good employee.

              “Yes, sir.” Katy gritted through her clenched teeth.

              “Now was that so hard?” Archer relaxed his shoulders.

              Her voice was tight and clipped. “No.”

              It sure as hell
looked
hard.

              “I’ll be in my office if you need me. And I’ll be watching.” he said with a nod before stalking off.

              “Got it.” I threw at his back then I leaned over the bar, making eye contact with Katy. “I look forward to meeting this friend of yours.”

She gave me a weak smile. “Me too.”

***

For the next four hours, I was focused and alert. The crowd was getting thick but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. I tried not to think about her, only to wonder why I wasn’t thinking about her, and then in turn, leading me to think about her. It was a pleasant mind fuck to say the least. The woman was literally making me crazy. Getting sucked into my own head, I never had a chance to prepare myself for what happened next.

Maddie walked into Archer’s.

I take that back.

              Maddie floated into Archer’s. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the whole goddamn bar and my knees wobbled due to the lack of oxygen traveling to my brain.

Yep, they fucking
wobbled
.

She walked towards the bar slowly with ease and grace, looking perfectly confident and impossibly fucking beautiful. It was difficult to pull my eyes away from her. My hands itched to know if her legs were as soft as the cotton dress she wore. The one that swished across her creamy thigh with every step she took.

              Sweet fucking hell…it
swished
.

              Madison Waters could very well be described as every country boy’s dream. Well, this country boy anyway. Every swinging dick in her path had their eyes on her. My pulse quickened and my teeth felt like they could crush granite as jealousy washed over me. If one of them even thought about touching her, I’d lose my fucking shit. The overwhelming need to prevent that from happening had my feet moving in her direction.

Hoisting her sweet ass up onto the empty bar stool, she crossed her delicate arms in front of her. Merging with a shadow on a nearby wall, I stood back and observed as she rifled through her small purse. She then studied her phone, oblivious to the predators lurking nearby. It didn’t take long before the first wolf descended. My body tensed, and I had a strong urge to stop him from approaching. Instead, I flexed my hands and tried to take a deep calming breath.

Justin Webster was an arrogant prick whose money and looks could easily land him any woman in this bar. But he didn’t have a chance in hell of luring in this woman. I couldn’t help but smile to myself. My Maddie would eat him alive.

My Maddie?

              He moved in too close right away, and I felt my face heat with anger. I crossed my arms and pressed my back further into the wall. Inhaling and exhaling deep through my nose, I resolved not to fuck him up unless he
physically
touched her. Then all bets were off.

              Justin kept talking. Maddie laughed and then shifted away. He leaned in closer, and my back jerked from the wall. When his grimy hand landed on her shoulder all I saw was red. Since I had only been standing a few feet away, my angry stride was noticed by Justin right away. His body straightened and he took a cautious step back.

              Smart fucking man.

              Standing as close as I could without touching her, I glared at Justin over Maddie’s head.

              “Can I help you?” Justin asked.

              “Go find someone else to harass, Webster,” I dismissed him with my chin. 

              “She your’s?”

             
YES!

              “No.” My hands curled in on themselves.

              “Then we’re good?” He took a step forward.

              “
NO
.” I growled.

              Yes, I fucking
growled
.

My front collided with her back, and delicious heat penetrated every inch of my body. “She’s not for you,” I warned, trying to stay focused on Justin, and not the fact that Maddie’s body was touching mine. The impulse to wrap my arm around her and pull her against me…

Unfuckingreal
.

              “Holden…” Her soft voice wrapped around my name like sweet southern honey.

             
Fuck
.

              “She’s not interested motherfucker.” I bit out then shifted my body.

              “Well, I don’t see her tellin’ me that.” His hand moved to her knee. She jerked it away.

             
Good girl.

              I stepped around Maddie. My fist clenched as I pushed my face just inches from of his. Justin had a death wish. “I swear to Christ…”

Maddie’s tiny hands pushed up on my torso as she slid from her stool, moving between us.

Not a good place for her to be right now.

“Holden, please just walk away.” I looked down into frightened blue eyes.

              “You can have ‘er. Plenty of other bitches to choose from in this shit hole.” Justin’s mouth turned up into a cocky smirk.

              My hand shook as I gently grasped Maddie’s wrist. As much as it killed me to do it, I pulled her hands away from my chest, and then moved her to stand behind me. My hands then found the collar of his pussy pink polo.

             
Only pussies wear pink.

              And I was about to fuck this pussy up. I could see Archer approaching out of the corner of my eye. I was usually calmer than this when extracting an asshole or a piece of fucking shit, in this case, but I needed to make sure we had an understanding. “If I ever see you walk inside this bar again, I’ll break your fuckin’ legs. And if you
ever
look in her direction again, I’ll make sure they never find your filthy fuckin’ body. We clear?” I jerked his collar tighter. “Are. We. Clear?”

              “Ye…yes,” he sputtered.

              “Alright, Webster, you’re done.” Archer gripped the back of his neck, leading him from the bar. 

The world around me slowly slid back into focus. Turning around, I found Maddie standing behind me with her arms crossed.              

             
Aw shit.

              “What the hell was that?” Her mouth pressed together while her sparkling blue eyes zeroed in on mine.

              “That guy was a dick.” I stated the obvious.

              “Obviously. What I wanna know is why you found it necessary to step in? I know how to tell a guy no. That’s exactly what I was doing before you went all crazy caveman and shit.”