Velvet Fire - Ashby Crime Family Romance

“Not today,” he said, flashing what under normal circumstances would be a killer grin.

“Only a man could have a response like that without any understanding.” The men in my family were overprotective to a fault, and I wished one of them—any of them—were here right now.

Before either of us could say another word, two people walked into the room. A petite woman came in first, so well put together she could have been ripped from a Rich Ladies of a Certain Age Clothing catalog. And, hello, the gorgeous man from the bar close behind her. The woman gave me a long, assessing glance before turning to the sexy lumberjack.

“Thanks, son. You’re excused.”

“Later, Ma. Virgil.”

So Virgil was his name. It suited him, all strong and manly. Like he was capable. Lethal, even. And this tiny but formidable looking woman was his mother? Unbelievable. “You can calm down, child. No one intends you any harm.”

My shoulders fell at her no nonsense tone. I’d grown up with a woman like that and I could handle her.

“How am I supposed to know that? Scratch that, how the hell did I get here? And how long have I been here?”

The woman and Virgil shared a look that immediately put me right back on edge once again.

“You should tell her, son.” She put a hand on his heavily muscled, Henley covered arm and sighed. “I’m glad you’re safe, Ms. Nilsson.”

Ms. Nilsson? “Have we met?” The woman only smiled mischievously at me as she left the room, as if carried out on a breeze.

“No.” Virgil cleared his throat before he spoke again and I couldn’t look away. Up close he was even more striking than under the dim lights of the club. Everything about the man was dark. Dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, dark stubble marring his cheeks, and the look aimed my way was very dark. Intense. Like it was the way he lived his life. Intensely.

“I don’t know if you remember me from the club.”

“I do,” I answered quickly just to dispel any notions that this man was in anyway unforgettable.

He flashed a quick smile that told me he was nervous for some reason. Then I remembered that I woke up in a strange place and this guy was somehow involved.

“You were pretty wrecked last night, stumbling all around asking for your friend. I don’t know your friend’s name and you couldn’t find her, and I couldn’t leave you like that. It was about two, three hours ago, so I brought you here to sleep it off.

“To your mom’s house?” That was either incredibly sweet or super creepy. I hadn’t made up my mind yet.

“It’s actually our house. My family owns the club and casino, and I couldn’t risk something bad happening to you, could I?”

“No.” My shoulders fell at the thought. This was a liability issue, not a gentleman issue. “I don’t suppose you could. Well thanks for the assist, Virgil.” With the entire story out there, mostly, there was no reason for me to stick around since Virgil’s chivalry was about the bottom line, not my bottom.

“Where’s my purse?” If I left it at the club, I’d have to get a new I.D. card and replace my favorite lipstick.

“Downstairs. I went through it to see where to take you home. Texas?”

I flashed a grateful smile. “You went through my purse? And then decided Texas was too long of a drive?”

“Something like that.” He was cute when he smiled, less lethal and more approachable. “How about a ride to wherever you’re staying locally?”

A ride would be my best option, but after everything that had supposedly went on tonight, did I really want to tempt fate by getting inside a car with a stranger? That was literally the opposite of Opey, Texas, Stranger Danger lessons.

“Thanks, but I can just grab a ride share. There are plenty in this town. They run all night.”

Virgil stood in front of me, doing a damn good imitation of a statue, all dark and permanently brooding while he stared me down. “Are you sure?”

“Yep. Not to seem ungrateful or anything but this night has been really weird, and I have a terrible headache for some reason so I just want to get home.” I found my phone in the back pocket of the denim skirt I was still wearing, because of the country & western theme of the casino and winced at the blinking battery icon. “Damnit. Phone’s dead.”

“All the more reason you’ll let me, a stranger who’s already helped you once, do it again. You’re tempting fate with those guys, especially in your current condition.” He wasn’t wrong. My vision was still a little blurry and nausea was making an appearance on top of the still pounding headache.

Since my phone was dead and this hottie had apparently saved me from assault and who knew what else, I nodded. “Okay. You can give me a ride home, but I’m keeping my eye on you.”