Page 3 of Furious Protector (Ruthless Guardians #4)

Beckett

M y eyes don’t leave the ass of the blonde until she slides onto that bar seat, and even then, I have a hard time getting my mind back to the business at hand.

Mason nudges me. “If you’re going to have a chance with Jules, you better have some pretty thick skin.

That little lady says what’s on her mind and means what she says. ”

I grin. “I’m pretty sure it won’t be a problem.

” Garrett and Cole exchange a look that I don’t miss nor have time to try to figure out right now.

“Alright, you guys, let’s jump out of my personal business and back into the reason you hired me two months post military assignment to jump into this gig.

I had visions of dancing girls, bikinis, and the cool breeze of the ocean on my face for at least a few more months. ”

Cole clears his throat. “It was probably good the ladies stopped by. Now, you have a good idea why we want more men on the ground this time. Those ladies mean the world to us, and we’re spread too thin next week if we’re going to keep our eyes open at the expansion and on them.”

Kenny nods. “I couldn’t agree more. I don’t want the expansion to turn into a bloodbath.”

My eyebrows go up. “I may have misjudged the severity of the situation then when Cole called last week.”

Cole knows exactly what I’m thinking. “Things escalated since we spoke. You were on the road, so I didn’t want to bother you.

Figured I’d bring you up to speed once you arrived.

It sounds like the Eldridge crew, the ones who work for the Chicago Crime Family, have been quietly intimidating the townspeople again.

We’re just getting wind of it, and it’s way more than one. ”

I don’t like the sound of that. Cole’s told me all about the rivalry between the Chicago and Larussio Crime Families and it’s about ready to get pretty ugly from the way things sound. “The Chicago Crime Family just doesn’t quit, do they?”

Garrett shakes his head. “They sure as hell don’t.

My wife, Lacy, and Eldridge Jr. have a rocky history.

They were dating before I came into the picture.

He and his father were trying to intimidate her into selling her family home so they could put in more casinos.

She broke it off and the situation got worse. ”

Now I’m getting the picture. Same MO different town and different revenue stream. The Chicago Crime Family will try to take over anything for an easy buck and a cash flow they can control.

Mason’s face is grim. “Last year, Jake Eldridge and his son had Jules kidnapped and tried to kidnap Lacy from her bachelorette party. We got damn lucky that neither of them were hurt, but Jules, she’ll probably never get over the reality of that night.”

My chest tightens at the thought of the petite little blonde at the mercy of anyone trying to do her harm. I glance over at the bar, and see her friend put a protective arm around her and coax a little smile.

“Let me guess. Everything’s been quiet, but now plans for the expansion are announced, and they start the same stuff all over again, because the Chicago Crime Family doesn’t like to hear the word no.”

Cole points a finger at me. “Exactly. They stayed pretty low after Bobby Ray got locked up, but Sheriff Cates said people have been coming forward with minor complaints of intimidation, and this time, all of the impacted folks have businesses adjacent to Wild Deuces. They’re trying to buy up the surrounding property again. ”

Kenny’s face turns red. “They just don’t stop.

The neighbors have agreements with the Larussios but apparently, they were too scared to tell Cole, Garrett and Mason.

They could have gotten word back to the Larussios and nipped this in the bud before it became a thing again.

Now, the sheriff is involved, and it’s more than a mess. ”

Cole turns to his friend Kenny. “There’s always going to be a bully in every neighborhood who wants to take what’s yours.

And look what you’ve done to this place.

It’s the biggest and most sought-after place in town, the casino and restaurant is par none.

Expand the hotel, add that dance hall and sound stage you’ve been envisioning and it’s going to be even more spectacular than it already is. We’re going to get this resolved.”

“I’m just nervous about the grand opening, and my family being there, all the community members who will show up. I don’t want anyone hurt and the Chicago Crime family is notorious for doing just that.”

Cole puts his beer glass down. “The Larussios, they’re not going to let them. That’s one of the things we want to talk about; the men on the ground we bring in to help, where we locate the Eldridges and their men, and the strategic details of keeping everyone safe.”

I glance toward the entrance as a flurry of chaos catches my eye.

“I think they just found us. I’ll take the right, the rest of you fan out and cover the middle and left.

” My feet start moving with the training that’s been ingrained in them with eight years of active-duty service in combat situations far trickier than this.

Those boys should do themselves a favor and get the hell out of town, but of course they don’t.

Instead, one walks right up to the very blonde I’ve had my eye on all night and starts to pick a fight.

Her blue eyes flare indignantly and the minute his hand comes up to grab her shoulder I intervene, grabbing his hand in mine, bending his arm all the way back to the point right before it snaps in two. “Tell the lady good night.”

The asshole’s mouth clenches and his eyes fill with hatred, but we don’t put up with that behavior here and if he doesn’t do what I say, he’s gonna learn that lesson tonight. “Tell Jules good night,” I growl.

He spits it out reluctantly because he wants to be able to use that hand and arm tomorrow. No doubt for more trouble that we’ll have to deal with then, but for now, I march him to the door and make sure he leaves.

Garrett’s got another guy well under control, and before too long, the others are marching their guys to the door and we’re all watching them leave while the crowd erupts in applause. We head back to the bar as the crowd simmers down.

Lettie sighs heavily, fawning over the ladies. “I was so scared my mouth wouldn’t even open. I swear that never happens to me. Usually, I would have had something smart to say.”

Cole turns to me. “They’re getting braver. I’m going to call the Larussios. We’re going to have to get Tommy and his boys, and maybe even some of the bike clubs they affiliate with in this area to help.”

I nod. Not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.

The guys partner up with their women while Jules and Patti talk quietly with each other. I walk up to the two of them. “Lettie, how about another round for the ladies, and a Dr. Pepper for me.”

Jules looks up at me with those blue eyes swirling with emotion. “So, it begins huh? Those thugs are never going to stop, they’re just going to keep coming and coming until they drive us right out of town.”

“Don’t let it get to you. They’re bullies and they’ll back down when they know they can’t be beat. You don’t worry, because they can and will be beat.”

Still, she doesn’t look convinced. “I’m about sick of it already.

Maybe that’s what I should do, get out of town, quit dealing with their shit day after day, month after month.

If it weren’t for Cole, Garrett and Mason it wouldn’t be safe at all.

It was a great town until those thugs decided they wanted a piece of what Kenny has built.

I can’t believe they had the audacity to walk in here like that. ”

Lacy leans over the bar. “What do you want to make a bet that Eldridge Jr. had his hand in this, at least his daddy did, that’s for damn sure.”

Lettie puts a margarita in front of Jules, a fancy little drink in front of Patti, and hands me a glass of soda before passing out one after another to the others. “Glad you boys were here,” she says. “I don’t know how good of a shot I am these days.”

The blue-eyed blonde’s eyes sparkle as she downs more of her drink before her sass kicks in. “Next time one of those thugs come near me, I’ll put a shot in their ass they won’t soon forget.”

I smirk. This one here is pure trouble, and I sure do love a little trouble.

She turns her pretty little head and looks up at me with those eyes. “Did you hear me? Don’t think that I won’t.”

I heard every single word, but yet it all went in one ear and right out the other because the moment I locked eyes with the hot little blue-eyed blonde with the sassy attitude and tight jeans, my mind was on one thing only, and it wasn’t on keeping her safe, at least not from me.

“I have no doubt you would have put them in their place,” I tell her.

“But let’s be sure this is behind us for the night.

The guys filled me in on what’s happened in the past with Eldridge and his crew.

Finish your drinks ladies. I’m going to walk around outside and take a look-see.

When we leave, I’m going to drive you both home. ”

Jules raises her eyebrows, but she doesn’t say no. Not that I would listen if she did. No one’s getting hurt on my watch, especially not the little sweetheart sitting next to me who’s already more scared than she wants to let on.

She may want everyone to think she can handle herself, but the erratically racing pulse at the base of her neck, and the look in her eyes when his hand reached out, I saw them both.

Patti puts her cell down on the bar after pounding a message into its screen.

I gesture to the phone. “You have someone waiting for you at home?” She shakes her head.

“Nope, Jules and I have become the minority in town. Single, unattached and we like it that way. Well, except when things like this happen, right Jules?”

Jules lifts her head up from the fishbowl of margarita. “It’s a tough job, but someone has to stay available and single these days. Give the single guys in this town someone to dance with.”

I’d like to take the little darling in my arms and make our own little space to dance right in front of the stage, but keeping her and the others safe has to be priority one. At least for now.

I find Mason a little way down the bar sitting next to PJ. She’s looking at me like she overheard the conversation from three seats down. Mason clearly did. He gives me a smirk. I grin at the look on his face. “Mind your business,” I mouth.

He raises his hand as in surrender. “I feel your pain. I really do.” He lowers his voice.

“That was me last year when I saw PJ for the very first time. Man, she was a beautiful mixture of fire and ice, all rolled up into one.”

PJ turns and smirks. “I’m still fire. Bank on it,” she tells him.

“I’m going to take a walk around. You want to help me check the perimeter?” I ask Mason.

“Copy that. You take the left, I’ll take the right,” he answers, giving PJ a kiss on the lips before we head to the door.

“Once we make sure things are okay here, and they’re not still hanging around, I’ll run Jules and Patti home.”

Mason glances at his watch. “Copy that.” Not one of us after the grueling training we’ve endured through the years, no matter which division we received it from, needs to be told to have each other’s six.

It’s ingrained in us, as if we were brothers, because whether we know each other well or not, we are. United in a mission, a plan to rid this beautiful town nestled below the green summer hills of the villains that want to claim and shed blood just like years ago.

The minute we’re both outside, I unholster my Glock from the waistband of my pants.

Something’s not right. I can feel it without anyone saying a word.

Mason feels it too, it’s that sixth sense that gets real sharp when you’re face to face with combat soldiers deep in battle, and you only have your senses and skills to keep you alive.

He presses himself up against the building, walking in one direction. I take the other way, getting our timing in sync with a single nod before we turn our respective corners, out of sight from the other with plans to meet around back.

I walk slow, careful not to make a sound, and when I get to the end of the building, voices let me know that right around that back corner, lurking in the dark, I’m far from alone. I strain to hear every word they say without making a move or uttering a sound.

“No, Cole and his boys were in the bar tonight. And their ladies just happened to be at the bar. We’ll follow Jules home tonight after the guys have said good night.”

My jaw hardens and my hand tightens around the Glock. When they get to Jules’ place, they’re going to have more than a little surprise waiting for them. Because no one, especially them, is messing with the little blonde. Unless it’s me.