Defended & Desired (6 page)

“Were you scared?”

“Shitless.” He chuckled. “But when we dropped the car off to the authorities the next day, he slapped me on the back, told me I’d done a great job and he was proud. And that my second repo was waiting for me that night.”

“That’s crazy. Did the family business start out doing repossessions and move into bounty-hunting?”

“Uncle Joey, Adam and Liam’s dad, steered the business in that direction. More lucrative, but also more dangerous. Took a long time to convince my dad, but when the profits started rolling in, he finally got on board. He took over when Uncle Joey died of a heart attack, at thirty-nine. I won’t swear by it, but I think he was so worried about the times when bounty hunting affected his personal life and family, it sent him to an early grave.”

“That’s so sad.” She shook her head. “I can’t imagine doing that every day, constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for someone to take aim at you.”

He frowned. “It gets old, trust me.”

Devon gazed at Trey with a whole new level of admiration. The courage it must’ve taken for him to earn his father’s approval by joining such a dangerous line of work floored her.

After he swallowed a large gulp of wine, two faint red stains marked his chiseled upper lip like tiny parentheses. She wanted to smooth them away with her thumb, lean over and kiss him, but curled her fingers against her palm instead. She doubted his strong sense of pride would appreciate the gesture, and she didn’t want to distract him from telling the rest of his story.

She asked, “Why did you come to Denver?”

“The God’s honest truth?” He released a heavy sigh and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “I did it for Cade and Liam. Adam may be too far gone. I haven’t figured that out yet, but I’m sure he’ll let me know. In no uncertain terms.” He huffed a humorless laugh. “Cade has a frigging MBA in business management. His loyalty brought him back to the family business after Dad died, but he deserves the chance to run a real company. And Liam…”

The pained expression on Trey’s face wrung her heart.

“Liam deserves the chance to live out his life in some resemblance of normalcy. He’s only twenty-eight, you know? I won’t let him take a knife to the chest or a bullet to the head in the name of family tradition. And he would, all of us would have, if I hadn’t changed things. From the day Dad died—because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time without backup—I took over the books. I took over everything. I kept the family business running at a huge profit, even though I hated having to bury some of our guys along the way, so I could save up and approach Logan with an offer he couldn’t refuse for his bodyguard business.” Trey tipped his glass back and drank his wine to the last drop. “There’s the long answer to your short question. In all its ugly glory.”

“It’s not ugly, Trey.” She rested her hand on his forearm and squeezed gently, wishing she knew how to reassure him. “That’s true honor. That’s real family loyalty. Creating a new legacy in a safer place can’t be easy, but it seems so worth it in the end.”

His eyes held hers, revealing his personal torment in their dark depths.

Peanut chose that moment to howl. Sprawled on his back in her lap, his little front legs pawed at the air, his muscles twitching. Devon sighed, disappointed but slightly relieved that the spell of their intimate moment had been broken. “Isn’t it so bizarre that dogs can dream?”

Trey revealed a wide grin. “He must be chasing after a buffalo.” Peanut kicked Trey’s thigh. “You get ‘em, tiger. Show them who’s boss in Peanut dreamland.”

Devon snorted. She finished her wine and slid to her feet, resting her dog on the couch to continue chasing bison in his dreams. “Ready to head out?”

“Sure.” He looked relieved, and the mood lightened. “I’ll drive.”

Ten minutes later, as he drove them toward the city limits, she relaxed against the luxury of his convertible Audi’s buttery leather seats.
“So where is this place?” he asked.

The warm night wind raced around them, snatching his words and making it difficult to have a conversation. “Turn left at the next light.”

She guided him down a dark side street, and they parked next to the curb outside Jake’s Bar. Trey insisted he get her door, so she waited until he helped her out of his low-riding car.

Pleasure swirled in her belly. The unexpected gesture made her feel special, and she hadn’t experienced that with a man in a long time.

Trey
stood with his hands in his pockets, peering at the bar’s disheveled roof and slightly dilapidated entrance. “This is your idea of a big night out?”

“Hey, don’t knock it. This is one of my favorite dive bars.”

“I’d hate to see the others,” he muttered. He scanned her up and down, a territorial gleam settling in his eyes. “You’re dressed for deluxe, not dive.”

“They cater to all kinds. Even uptight guys in suits,” she teased. He was still dressed to the nines in his work attire.

“I’ll leave my jacket in the car.” He shrugged out of his suit coat, removed his tie, and tossed both into the small backseat. Then he released the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing the hollow in his tanned throat surrounded by cords of muscle.

She licked her lips, unable to look away from the intimate glimpse of skin. She wondered if the rest of him was equally tanned and toned. He leaned into the car, offering a stellar view of his backside, and pressed a button on the dashboard. While the convertible top glided up to seal with the windows, he rolled his white shirtsleeves back on his forearms. His sexy look could’ve been printed in GQ magazine, one of those spreads where a gorgeous man in a thousand dollar suit was attempting to look casual and effortless. Only, Trey succeeded.

When the convertible roof slid into place, he locked his car and spread his arms. “This is as dressed-down as I can get on short notice.”

She entertained several descriptions—hot, delicious, and drool-worthy—but kept those to herself. “You look fine.”

He held the door open for her and they walked inside.

The muted lights, tobacco-stained ceiling, tacky wood paneling, familiar faces, and the jukebox waiting in the corner, filled her with fondness. A stab of nostalgia reminded her how much she loved coming here most Fridays after work to relax and unwind. No computers or keyboards, no deadlines, no one to impress or answer to. Just a fun group of low-key regulars who worked hard and played harder. She’d miss this place when she took the job offer and moved to Phoenix. Along with so many other things that made Denver
home.

She scanned the bartenders, hoping to recognize one. When she recognized both, she smiled and waved.

Mo,
wearing his signature flannel shirt with hacked-off sleeves,
paused while wiping a glass. He elbowed Mitch, who dressed like he’d time-warped out of the 1980s hair
band era. “Hey, she’s here.”

Mitch turned away from a cooler where he was stocking bottles. When his eyes met hers, she broke into a smile. “Hey, Snow. You abandoned us for three weeks in a row.”

“Snow?” Trey repeated with a blank look.

“They call me Snow White. The whole pale skin, dark hair thing, I guess.”

“I like it,” he said in a low voice that sent a quiver down her spine. “Where are your seven dwarves?”

“Pick one,” she said, gesturing to the row of regulars lining the bar. She tapped them each good-naturedly on the shoulder as she passed. “Happy. Sleepy.
Slumpy.
Wheezy.
Drunky. They’re all here.”

The older men waved in succession and then proceeded to bicker over which name belonged to whom.

A strained look crossed Trey’s face. “Another legion of fans I have to contend with. Great.”

“What do you mean?”

He sent her a wry smile as they approached an open space at the bar. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the way your minions hang on your every golden word.”

A laugh caught in her throat at his misguided but entertaining observation. “Cheer up.” She patted his shoulder. “You can be my Prince Charming for the night.”

“Now that’s a job description I can handle.”

With a dazzling grin that made her knees weak and rivaled any Walt Disney prince, he pulled out her chair and waited until she was seated before he slid onto the bar stool next to hers.

Mo moseyed on over to them. “The usual?”

She turned to Trey. “Care for a shot of whiskey?”

“I’m in.” He reached for his wallet and handed Mo a red American Express card. “Whatever Devon orders, it’s on me.”

Mo regarded him with a sour expression. “We don’t take American Express.”

“Then here.” Trey tossed a shiny platinum card on the counter. “Again, whatever she wants.”

“Again. We don’t take Discover.”

Sensing Trey’s growing agitation, Devon interjected. “I’ve got it, Mo.”

Trey grabbed her wrist to stop her from reaching into her purse. He proceeded to slide a hundred dollar bill from his wallet and slap it on the counter. “Is this acceptable?”

Mo’s eyes bugged for a moment then narrowed on Trey. “Yup.” The bartender turned away and shouted to Mitch. “Grab me two Millers from the cooler.”

Devon glanced at Trey, who was in the process of sizing up Mo and Mitch. With his history of locating and confronting scumbags, he probably did that instinctively.

“Trey.”
She rested her hand on his arm and felt the livewire tension that turned his muscles into granite. While his expression remained neutral, his posture was anything but. If the situation required it, he was poised to strike. “Trey,” she repeated, “ignore them. It’s nothing personal.”

“Sure as hell feels personal.”

“They’re just a couple of guys who own a bar that’s been in the family for three generations. They cater to blue-collar people who cash their checks on Friday and come straight here.”

Trey visibly relaxed. “Right. I get that.” When Mo returned with two shots and two beers, Trey added another hundred to the one resting on the counter and leaned over the bar. “Get everyone here a shot or whatever they’re drinking. Say it’s on the house.”

For a second Mo looked guarded, but slowly his face brightened.
“Yes, sir.” He turned to the crowd and bellowed, “Everybody! Drinks on the house!”

A collective cheer rose up, people rushed the bar, and Trey settled back into his seat. He shook his head. “One year, and I’ve forgotten where I came from.”

She squeezed his forearm. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight.”

The look of reverence in his eyes stopped her heart for two beats. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” They shared a smile. He lifted his shot glass. “To old roads that lead to new horizons.”

“Cheers.” She clinked his glass and tossed back her shot.

With a twinge of guilt, she thought of
her
new horizon. Of the sun that would set on Denver and rise in Phoenix. While part of her wanted a new start, a fresh perspective, this is where she’d earned her professional stripes, found a sense of belonging—and she knew she would always have the roots of her foundation here.

Again, the word circled her mind like a hawk on a cloudless day.
Home.

“You asked me a personal question, now it’s my turn.”

Extracting herself from her thoughts, she glanced at Trey. “Okay.”

“Every time I look around, your regulars are glaring at me. Why do I feel like some red-headed step-child?”

She glanced around the bar and realized he was right. Maybe coming here with Trey had been a mistake. She hadn’t brought a date here since the night… A chill ran through her. “Don’t worry about it,” she said and reached for her beer.

“I’m not worried.” He lifted her chin until she met his eyes. “I’m curious.”

Her chest tightened because she hadn’t discussed that night with anyone outside the bar besides Allison and Logan in nearly a year. “You were honest with me. I guess I owe you the same.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” He clasped her shoulder with a gentle, reaffirming touch. “I just want to understand what’s going on.”

A swirl of apprehension snaked through her gut. She didn’t want to talk about Trevor. Not tonight. But Trey deserved to know the truth, the same respect he’d given her when he’d bared his soul about his past. “It’s a long story.”

He set his elbow on the bar and propped his chin in his hand. “I’ve got nothing but time.”

His powerful presence and total attentiveness overwhelmed her. She scraped her beer label with her thumbnail. “It’ll sound stupid.”

“Nothing you say could ever sound stupid.” The sincerity on his handsome face soothed her nerves.

“Okay.” She exhaled a slow breath. “The majority of the guys I dated I’d met in the military or, later, men with similar careers in IT. Around the time Allison started working at Stone Security, I decided to try online dating.”

Trey straightened. “I would’ve expected you to go that route first. Being a technology pioneer and all.”

She shrugged. “I’d heard mixed reviews. Other women’s bad experiences left me leery. Finally, I decided what the heck, I’ll give it a shot. I viewed plenty of profiles, but no one really stood out or clicked. When Allison and Logan got together, and I saw the amazing connection they shared. While I wasn’t looking for forever, I missed spending time with someone.”