Here Comes Trouble (Trouble, Tennessee 0.50)

“Well if all it takes for a little respect around here is a shot fired, then I don’t want any of you boys getting all jumpy on me when I show up at a shootout and aim my weapon at the target.”

Draegan shook his head and Allister counted to ten, hoping he wouldn’t say something he’d later regret. Besides, he needed to find out more about this blonde and her cute car. Maybe if he could locate her, Draegan wouldn’t do something stupid like ask to join them in Ellie’s room.

“What do you know about this blonde, Nicholas?” Allister asked.

“She’s one of Craig Stillwell’s exes. Rumor has it, he’s the money behind Denny Marshall’s dope operation. She’s tried to leave him and he won’t let her out of his sight. She was pregnant recently and nobody knows what happened, but whatever it was, it must’ve been bad. Stays doped up on tranquilizers and from what I saw tonight, that’s probably not by choice.”

“What did you see?” Draegan clenched his fists. Like Allister, Draegan despised men who kept their women in check by doping practices.

“She didn’t look like she’d come here by choice, but it appeared to work out in her favor for about a second. Once the fighting started, she wandered off. Hales should have the surveillance footage. She tried to get in our back gates. Craig caught up to her and made her get in the car before any of us saw her.”

“Damn it.” Draegan looked tortured then. “We need to find out what he’s doing to her.”

“We have a rule,” Allister reminded him. “They come here of their own free will.”

“Yes, I see that,” Draegan said, swinging his gaze to Derek. “And sometimes, they have a little birdie in their ear giving them step by step directions on how to get here.”

Derek laughed. “Busted.”

“About that—” Allister crossed his arms over his chest. “What kind of friend talks to his buddies’ woman and doesn’t tell them about it?”

Ryan put his arms around Derek’s and Allister’s shoulders. “I guess the same kind of friend who sneaks off to said woman’s room and fucks her without anyone else knowing about it. Wouldn’t you agree, Bradley?”

They turned to look at Bradley, who was watching Draegan from a distance. “I don’t get him. I mean, five hours ago, he was talking to us about talking to you about sharing Ellie.”

Allister balked at that. “Ellie’s bed is crowded. I thought all of you knew.”

“You ain’t tellin’ me anything I don’t already know,” Derek said. “One McCall in my woman’s bed is one McCall too many.”

“You think so, huh?”

“Yep.” He thumbed the others. “Ask them.”

“I’d better not. From what I hear, one snake in the grass worming his way into a woman’s heart by hissing sweet nothings in her ear is one snake too many.”

“Point taken.” Derek turned up his beer and finished it off. He tossed his cup and then grabbed his crotch. “Fellas, this snake is gonna go worm his way in between a mighty fine pair of legs.”

“I could’ve lived my life without hearing and seeing that,” Bradley said.

“If you’re in Ellie’s bed, you’ll be seeing more than that,” Allister pointed out.

“He’s right, so feel free to back away from temptation at any given time,” Derek said.

“I’m comfortable where I am, boys,” Bradley said, smiling like a recent virgin who’d just lost his first seed. “And as long as Ellie stays here, I’m not going anywhere.”

Chapter Nine

Ellie returned from dinner and tossed her keys on her dresser. She’d met a few people at the café and one of the younger women, Serena, seemed really nice. She’d even invited her over for a movie later tonight, but Ellie had declined.

She had her reasons—four of them to be exact.

Whatever apprehension she’d felt in the past now seemed like a wasted breath or a passing thought. Trouble was where she belonged.

Glancing at her bedside clock, she decided she probably had time to walk down to the vending machines. Allister had provided quick details about the property earlier that morning. Trouble was laid out like a country club or a summer camp and she’d yet to tour the entire place, but locating a vending machine didn’t seem like a major undertaking.

She opened the door and was immediately swept off her feet. “And just where do you think you’re going?” Allister caught her around the waist, scooped her into his arms, and carried her back inside. Ryan and Derek followed him to the sitting area and Bradley hung back long enough to close and lock the door.

“Either you guys are happy to see me or you’re carrying around some mighty big guns in your blue jeans tonight.”