She stared at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was sincere or just blowing smoke up her ass.
He lifted one hand and ran one knuckle down the side of her cheek.“I never let a woman walk out of here alone after dark.It’s just my thing.”
“All women?”she asked, frowning and remembering how the women who had left earlier, while she’d been sipping her drink hadn’t been alone either.She’d assumed at the time it had been whoever had put the property patch on their backs going out with them, but now she tried to remember if Joe had said anything to anyone or if the men who’d gone out with them had come back in.
She couldn’t recall.
“All the women.I don’t have to worry about it most of the time because it’s usually regulars around here and they know how I work.Plus, my brothers are as protective of their women as I am, so I don’t have to remind them of my rules.”
Ronnie tilted her head and frowned.She’d been trying not to watch Joe too hard to pay much attention to most of what was going on.
“I guess.I’ll use the restroom then maybe you’ll be ready to walk me out?”
“Sounds good.Next door on the right is a restroom.It’s the staff one so it’s not fancy, but it’s clean.”He motioned down the hall, away from the main room of the bar, as he spoke.
She slipped past him, taking care not to brush up against him, then headed for the bathroom.She needed to take a deep breath and figure out what the hell was going on here.
13
Demonstoodinthedoorway of the storeroom and listened as Ronnie went into the bathroom a few steps away and closed the door.He closed his eyes and let his head fall backwards to prop against the door he leaned against as he willed his cock to behave.
By the time the bathroom door reopened, he had himself under control.He stepped into the hall, turning off the light and pulling the door closed as she did the same for the restroom.
"Ready?"Demon asked.
"Yes.But I can walk out to my car on my own, Joe.You don't need to walk me out."
"First, either I walk you out or one of the others out there do."He motioned to the door to the bar proper."Second, my name is Demon.Only Nan calls me Joe anymore."He opened the door to the bar and held it so she could go at first, but she wasn’t there.
"I don't even know where to start," she said as she started moving again.This time she didn’t make a point to avoid brushing against him as she walked past.
He pulled the door closed and went to the drawbridge in the counter and hit the catch out of habit as he lifted and held it up for her.
"I'll be right back," he said to Puck before lowering the countertop into place and hurrying to beat Ronnie to the door.
Together they stepped out into the cool evening air.Beside him, Ronnie shivered.Demon had to resist the need to pull her into his arms, to run his hands up and down her arms to warm her up.Instead, he walked beside her to the parking lot and to her truck.
"Well," her voice shook slightly, and Demon wondered if she regretted coming in tonight."Here I am."
"Here you are."He looked down into her face, waiting to see what she would do or say next.
"I’m having a hard time believing anyone who would willingly go by Demon."She didn't unlock her SUV, but propped her ass against the side and looked up at him.
"I do."There were two words he'd never planned to say, but here they worked.
“But..."She seemed at a loss for words."Why?"she said after several seconds.
Demon shrugged, and didn't bother to tone down the amusement in his voice."Why do they call me Demon?"
She tucked both hands behind her ass as she leaned against the truck.She nodded as she looked up at him but never looked away.
"I used be a bit of a hothead.Something pissed me off one time, I don't even remember what it was, but I'd learned to channel it by then.Anyway, I was in the gym working off a rage.Anyway, another jarhead who’d seen me in there later asked what was up.He wanted to know why I was going after the heavy bag like I was possessed or as if I was fighting off demons."He shrugged again, not telling her the rest."It stuck."
No.He’d adopted it on purpose to remind himself that he was in charge of what haunted him.He'd decided that day that he would no longer allow the things he’d seen, the things he’d had to do, and the guilt and anger he felt over them to control him like that.
It hadn't been the easiest thing he'd done, and sometimes it was a fresh battle easy day.
Still, it was better than letting other people's poor decisions rule his life.
