He stepped closer and pressed his hand against her waist. He was looking down into large emerald-green eyes.
He released her hand and cupped her cheek, being careful not to hit the bruised bone.
“You can’t handle it and you’re not handling it alone. Do you have everything you need in the bag, Sally?”
She attempted to turn away from him, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and hoisted her petite body against his much larger frame.
“Don’t pull away. You’re coming with me, Sally, and Mason and I are going to keep you safe.”
* * * *
“I don’t want to talk about it, Mason. I don’t want any more problems or trouble. You shouldn’t even be here,” she exclaimed, feeling on edge with these two sexy, dominant men in her home. They were completely alone. She kept trying to forget the way it felt to be in Steven’s arms. She wanted to deny the way his hand felt against her cheek and his arm around her waist. Why did they have to say they were interested in her now? She didn’t want to be some damsel in distress.
“We’re here because we care about you.” Mason leaned against the doorway on the living room.
“Care about me? You haven’t given me the time of day, Mason. You usually walk away or snap at me, and Steven, he just goes about his business and never engages in further conversation. You feel you need to be here because you’re all good friends with Michael, Chad, BJ, and Monte.”
“Bullshit. That’s not it at all.”
“Then why, Mason? Why? Because one night I let you touch me. Obviously I wasn’t good enough for you then, so what makes me good enough for you now?”
Sally stood by the window in the living room. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and felt confused. If she looked at Mason or Steven, she would become putty in their hands and perhaps lose her last bit of control in her life. She didn’t know the difference between what she wanted and what she really desired. She couldn’t trust her instincts anymore. She was a complete mess and she feared Garret’s capabilities.
In a flash the window she stood in front of shattered, the alarm instantly blared, and a moment later, Steven tackled Sally to the ground. She hit the carpeting with a thump. He was an instant shield against the attack. Mason was by the window, pointing a gun into the darkness.
“You got her covered?” he yelled over the house alarm siren to Steven.
“Yeah, go!” Steven yelled.
“No. They might shoot him,” she cried out, and Steven began to slowly get up. With each bit of weight he released off of her, she cringed in pain.
“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” he asked as he brushed the glass off of her shirt. Her chest and the V-neck of her shirt had shards of glass on it.
“Oh God, Steven.”
He cupped her face between his hands. He was breathing heavy, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
“When I heard that shot and the window shatter…” he began to say in a panic.
He covered her mouth with his. He kissed her passionately, letting all his fears subside, and when she began kissing him back and gripping his waist, he moved his lips away from her mouth and hugged her to him.
“Thank God you’re okay, baby.”
Steven’s phone was ringing, and police sirens echoed outside. Lights illuminated the house. The cavalry had arrived.
* * * *
“I want to know all the fucking details now,” Mason demanded of BJ and Monte.
Steven was helping to remove the glass from Sally so she wouldn’t get cut.
“It’s complicated. She doesn’t want everyone to know, Mason. She feels responsible,” Monte told them.
“I don’t give a shit. Someone just took a fucking shot at her through the goddamn window. I know that Garret and Keiffer are involved with th
is. I know he was arrested, got out of jail, and went to see her at Dixie Chix. Fill in the rest of the fucking details. If she’s in danger, then I want to know.” Mason raised his voice.
BJ looked at Monte.