The moment he reaches out his grubby paw to touch her smooth, soft cheek, I lunge into action.
I’m faster and stronger than Joey, and I have his hand in my fist in a flash. I don’t hold back as I squeeze it, crushing his bones as I yank him backward and away from his victim.
“What the fuck, Wolf!”
“You’re going to leave Mia alone, Joey. Aren’t you?” My voice is only barely constrained. Joey knows exactly what kind of damage I can do. At six-five, I’m at least half a foot taller than he is. Never mind the weight difference. I’m two hundred and forty pounds of solid muscle. He stands no chance against me, and he knows it.
When he doesn’t respond immediately, I squeeze his hand a little tighter until he squeals.
“Fine.”
The moment he utters the word, I release him.
Joey staggers backward and clutches his hand to his chest. “Asshole.” He spits in my direction, moments before he makes his second mistake. “The slut is all?—”
He doesn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before my fist connects with his jaw.
CHAPTER TWO
Mia
It all happens so fast, my head is spinning. The massive mountain man comes out of nowhere, pulls the greasy man with the leering grin off me, and punches him in the jaw all in a matter of seconds.
“Come with me.”
The hulking man doesn’t give me a chance to protest, not that I would, before he takes my hand and pulls me after him down the sidewalk.
He drags me right past a pregnant woman standing next to a car, who shakes her head and laughs as we pass. I’m rushing to keep up with his huge strides in my stupid high heels. I knew they were a bad idea when I put them on this morning. But they make my legs look amazing with this skirt I just bought and I just thought…well, I guess I thought I could handle it.
It’s clear now, I can’t.
The man finally pushes open a large wooden door, and we step inside a dimly lit room that looks like a combination of abar and a restaurant and smells amazing. The sweet scent of cinnamon buns washes over me.
“Where are?—”
“What were you thinking?” The man spins on me. His face is lined with frustration. He’s at least ten years, maybe more, older than me, but he’s incredibly sexy. Even with the scowl on his lips that disappears into a scruff of beard, he is easily the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
“What?” I shake my head and blink as my eyes start to adjust to the dim light. When they do, I can see how bright his blue eyes are. They’re locked on me, and I watch while his gaze slowly moves to take in all of me—from the high heels to the micro short skirt, to my bare midriff and ample cleavage. He exhales a slow breath and his pupils dilate, his eyes growing darker the longer he looks at me.
I’m not an expert in men, far from it, but something about the way this man is looking at me sends a shiver of desire racing through me, directly to my core, where it turns into a dull ache between my legs.
“Dressing like that in a town like this,” the man says. “You’re asking for trouble.”
I’m feeling braver now that the sleazy man is gone—which is crazy, because I don’t know this man any better. Yet, there’s something about him. I feel like I can trust him.
I thrust my breasts out until I almost bump his chest. “Maybe it’s trouble that I’m looking for.”
His nostrils flare…and is that a growl I hear?
Again, the shiver of desire flies through me as he backs me up against the wall and leans in close. His breath is hot on my lips as he murmurs, “And what kind of trouble is it that you are?—”
“Briggs?”
An older woman wearing an apron with a towel in her hand joins us where we’re standing, still by the front door.
He lurches backward, putting space between us. “Hi, Ma.”
Ma?
