Mostly.
I wave at the same familiar faces I normally do, only stopping to talk to my new sister-in-law outside the general store.
“Can I help you with those, Sophie?” I reach for her bags before she can answer. “You probably shouldn’t be carrying these in your condition.”
“I’m pregnant, Briggs. Not disabled.” She rolls her eyes but flashes me a thankful smile.
“You know as well as I do that Griff would kick my ass if I let you carry your own bags.”
It was true, and she didn’t deny it. My big brother was extremely protective of his young bride.
“I appreciate the help, Briggs.” Sophie rests her hand on my arm when I finish loading her bags in the back seat of her vehicle. “I’ll be sure to let Griffin know how helpful you were.”
“Ha! I appreciate that, but I?—”
The sweet tinkle of female laughter distracts me from what I’m about to say next. I turn to see where the sound is coming from when I hear it again, only this time there’s the slightest change in tone. Sophie hears it too.
“She sounds nervous.”
“She does,” I agree.
I see theherin question a moment later. Half a block away, standing in front of the hardware store, is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. And she’s surrounded by men.
“Who is that?”
I shake my head at Sophie’s question. “I’ve never seen her before.” I’d remember.
“She doesn’t look like she’s from around here.”
She certainly doesn’t. No one from Rock Creek wears clothes that short or tight. Never mind high heels.
No. She’s definitely not from around here.
Again, there’s a high-pitched trill of nervous laughter, and I see one of the men, Joey Cartwright, lean in closer to her.
Something deep inside me snaps. My fists clench at my sides and every muscle in my body tenses.
“Oh.” Sophie puts her hand to her mouth, recognizing the situation at the same time. Joey has a reputation, and it’s not a good one. “Briggs, that girl…she…”
“I know.”
I don’t say another word to my sister-in-law before making my way down the sidewalk. The other men have fallen back by the time I get there. I should pound them all for letting a predator like Joey anywhere near a woman so obviously innocent and young.
The girl’s long, dark hair falls in glossy waves over her bare shoulders, just grazing the top of her ample cleavage that’s on full display in her tight top.
She’s backed up, pressed against the brick wall of the hardware store. She still has a smile on her face, but it doesn’t take a genius to see she’s scared as hell. Joey Cartwright has caged her in with both arms, effectively trapping her.
“Hey there, Joey.” I work hard to keep my voice casual, but my rage is only barely contained. I cannot stand this man and his reputation for taking advantage of women in my town. He never crosses a line—not one that will land him in front of a judge, anyway—so there’s nothing that can be done.
Not legally anyway.
However, my brothers and I have shown him the door to the Den on more than one occasion, and we’re far from gentle about it.
“Back off, Wolf,” the other man throws over his shoulder, hardly even sparing me a glance. “I saw her first.”
The girl swallows hard, her brave facade slipping a little. She’s fucking gorgeous. And way too innocent for this place.
“Mia and I are just getting to know each other,” Joey says, his attention focused directly on the young woman—Mia. And that’s when he makes his first mistake.
