It was cold outside, but the sun was shining so people were out and about. A woman passed us, led by a tiny dog wearing a sweater. Two teens rode by on bikes, and a delivery guy wavedat Kyle from across the street. He wouldn’t dare hurt me here, not with people around. Knowing that gave me a false sense of courage.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. We’re over.” I kept my voice low, not wanting to make a scene.
His smile widened though his eyes stayed cold. “That’s cute. We’re over when I say we’re over.”
“No.” I held my head high and hoped he couldn’t hear my knees knocking together. Terror ran through my veins like ice water, but I pushed on. “I’m done.”
“Yeah, I heard you moved on. Traded one Mercer brother for another, eh?” His eyes hardened. “You think Levi’s any different? He might be giving you a place to stay, babe, but he’ll never keep you. Your future’s with me, and we both know it.”
I took another step back, right off the curb. My ankle twisted, and I went down. The phone flew out of my hand, landing in a puddle of slush.
Kyle let out a cruel laugh and reached for me. “You can’t even walk down the street without someone looking out for you.”
Shame flushed my face with heat. I didn’t want his help, couldn’t stand the thought of him ever touching me again. Batting his hand away, I got to my feet. “Leave me alone.”
He shook his head as he chuckled. “You always were stubborn. Suit yourself. But it’s only going to be harder when you come crawling back after Levi’s through with you.”
“Brooklyn! Are you alright?” Ruby bustled out from the front door of the Merc, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Kyle.
“I’m fine. Just tripped over the curb is all.” I bent down to retrieve the phone Levi had given me. Hopefully, I hadn’t ruined it by dropping it.
“Come inside and warm up, sugar.” Ruby wrapped an arm around me, and I let her lead me toward the Merc. “I saw youfall while I was watching through the window. You sure you’re okay?”
“We’ll finish this conversation next time, babe.” Kyle had the nerve to press his fingers to his lips and blow me a kiss.
I didn’t bother to reply. There couldn’t be a next time. I’d barely survived seeing him on the street. If he somehow managed to get me alone… a chill coursed through me at the thought.
“You should call Levi, sugar. He ought to know about this.”
The last person I wanted to bother was Levi. He said he wanted to know if I bumped into Kyle, but the sooner I moved on, the happier he’d be. “I’m fine, Ruby. I don’t want to bother him. I’ve got everything under control.”
“Are you sure?” Once inside the safety of the Merc, Ruby let her arm drop and eyed me through her sparkly red frames.
“Positive.” I’d need to be more careful. I also needed to put my plan in motion to get out of Mustang Mountain as quickly as I could.
CHAPTER 5
LEVI
I leanedback in my chair and scanned the interior of Ace’s while my buddy Garner rattled on about his latest conquest. I’d tuned him out, my mind too full of thoughts of Brooklyn. She’d been living under my roof for almost a week, and it was driving me wild. Seeing her in my space, sitting on my couch, cooking in my kitchen, hell, even petting my dog… it was chipping away at my willpower, one tiny bit at a time.
The brunette I’d hooked up with last week spotted me from across the room and headed my way. She had on a tight cropped tee that left little to the imagination. The look in her eyes promised a night of complete distraction. For half a heartbeat, I considered it. Then I thought of Brooklyn back at my place, curled up under the covers in the spare bedroom, probably with Gus asleep by her side.
She was the one I wanted.
“Hey.” The brunette sidled up next to my barstool. “Want to buy me a drink?”
I offered a soft smile. “Not tonight, babe.”
Her forehead creased, and her eyes slightly narrowed. “You sure about that?”
“I’ll buy you a drink,” Garner called from across the table.
She gave me a final, lingering look like she was hoping I might change my mind before heading to the bar with Garner.
“What’s gotten into you?” Huck asked. He was one of my oldest friends, though I hadn’t seen much of him since he’d moved a few towns away after high school.
I reached for my beer and took a long sip.
