But I know that look. She’s ready to party. And I know she needs to let off steam.
“Go ahead,” I tell her. “I’ll text you if I’m leaving.”
As soon as I’m alone, a large, muscled man pushes up to the bar. He knocks into my arm, causing me to spill my nearly-full beer all over his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” I say automatically. My parents’ training in politeness was too ingrained in me.
The guy turns to face me, and I immediately stand up off the stool. I don’t like the glazed look in his eyes. Even half-hidden below his cowboy hat, his expression spells danger.
“Hey!” he says to me, jabbing his finger into my chest. “You did that on purpose.”
I roll my eyes. “Youbumped intome. Relax.”
Wrong thing to say.
He pushes me, and my ass slams into the back of the stool.
And I’ve had enough.
“You want me to report you for assault?” I nearly shout at him. “I suggest you back off.”
His laugh is crude and unpleasant. “Little lady, you ain’t doing nothing to me.”
Before I can react, he grabs me by the arm and spins me, pulling me hard against him.
“I’ll show you what I can do to you, though,” he says angrily in my ear.
Oh, fuck.
Chapter Five
Declan
Arch, Tex, Jared, Max, and I slip in through the back of Lucky Cowboy and grab a booth. We might be the only guys here not wearing cowboy hats. I may live on my cousins’ Wild Ranch, but I’m no cowboy, and I don’t like to fake anything. I’ve got my baseball cap pulled low on my head, hoping to get through the night unrecognized.
After years of playing in the pros, I’ve gotten comfortable being approached by strangers for selfies and autographs. But tonight, I’m not in the mood to socialize.
My teammates, on the other hand, are happy to cut loose.
Within the hour, Arch is hanging out with a redhead next to our booth, and Tex is chatting up her blond friend. Jared and Max are in a more serious mood, and I’m right there with them.
“You guys doing all right?” I ask them as Arch and Tex do body shots with the two women a few feet away.
Jared rolls his shoulders. “We will be.”
Max tips his glass of whiskey back into his mouth until the glass is empty. “Liam says this will bring us closure. Catching the killer.”
“You think it will?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “I’m not as optimistic as my big brother.”
I’m not sure what to say to that. The Storm brothers’ family situation is so heavy.
“I hope the guy goes to prison for life,” I say.
“Thanks, Dec.” Jared nods at me appreciatively, and then he glances to his left. “Hey, the blond hottie one booth away is staring at you. I bet she’d be fine with a one-night thing.”
I shrug. I’ve got too much to worry about right now to be thinking about a one-night fuck. But that’s just an excuse. The truth is, I can’t remember the last time a woman caught my attention. I never thought I’d be thirty-eight and single, but here I am. I want a wife and kids. At least, I always did. But somewhere along the way, my little brother figured his shit out before I did. And now I’m about to become an uncle with no future as a father in sight.
