Devil You Know(Lost Boys Book 1)(111)

“How do you do that?”

He lifted his brow in question.

“Make me want to smile even when I’m feeling slightly terrified.”

He brushed his thumb over my lower lip. “Terrified?”

“For you.”

It was his turn to smile. “I love that you’re concerned for me, but I’m good, babe. And you will be too. You’re covered.”

“I’m covered?” I was slightly distracted from his smile.

“Yeah.”

“Mic?”

“And Razor.”

It took effort to keep my jaw from hitting the table. Razor worked for Damian. “Razor?”

He was enjoying my befuddlement.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see that.”

“One of them will stay at the cottage with you while I’m gone.”

“What about work? I don’t imagine Janice wants me in the bar?”

“She doesn’t have a say.”

“Seriously?”

He didn’t answer but I didn’t expect one. And then a thought turned me cold. “Are you not coming back?”

That earned me an exasperated glare. “I’ll be back in three or four days. The timing sucks, but I have to go.”

“So, you’re not running?”

That pissed him off. “I’m going to put you over my knee.”

My body went up in flames at the thought. Damian grinned. “I like that look on you.”

“What look?”

He leaned over the table. “Hot.”

“Well, you’re in luck since that’s a condition I feel around you all the time.”

“I know.”

“You’re not immune.”

“Fucking hooked too.”

“Good answer.” I looked down and then up at him through my lashes. “Maybe we should get our desserts to go.”

Damian’s voice carried through the restaurant. “Check.”



I was thankful for work, both my graphic design responsibilities and the late hours at the bar, because it kept me busy and being busy helped distract me because I missed Damian. And I worried for him and the others and the shit storm they were wading into at home. Chris McKay had been the one calling me. He had been distraught and angry after his daughter’s murderer had been set free, I understood. But had he intended to do more than harassing phone calls? That thought caused a chill to move through me. And who was behind him disappearing? I hoped he was alive. He’d acted carelessly and emotionally, but he didn’t deserve to lose his life for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I was working the area by the pool tables when I noticed a girl that was being backed into a corner. It was the expression on her face that had me walking over.

“Can I get you something?” The girl’s fearful eyes latched onto me.

The guy barely glanced at me when he said, “We’re good.” It was the creep from the other night who had been hunting.

And even feeling alarm, and a touch of fear, anger had the next words bubbling up my throat. “You don’t look good to me. Why don’t you back off there, pal.”

That got me his face and he was not pleased. “Why don’t you?”

“I’m not the one cornering that poor girl. Step back or I’ll bring one of the bouncers over to make you.”

He stepped back, the girl ran away. “No means no, you know that right?”

“We were just having fun.”

“When you have to force your companion into having fun, that’s called rape.”

“She was playing coy.”

“I’m going to walk over to that big guy at the bar and share with him that you blur the lines from consenting to coercion. Do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here and don’t come back. In fact, why don’t you crawl back into whatever hole you came out of. I’ll be calling the sheriff and giving him a full description.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“And we’re going to make sure it stays that way.”

“Bitch.”

“Yes I can be. So get the fuck out.”

“What’s going on over here?” Razor asked as he stepped up next to me.

“Nothing, just encouraging Don Juan here to move it along.”

“I’ll be seeing you again.” The threat was clear. Razor went on alert.

“I won’t be as nice next time,” I replied sweetly.

He strolled toward the exit; Razor and I followed him. Mic stopped me from walking him to the door. He signaled to the bouncer to make sure the guy left.

“What was that?”

“He had some girl pinned up against the wall. She didn’t want to be there, he didn’t care.”

“Son of a bitch.” I thought Razor was pissed at the guy until he said, “And so you just strolled up to him and got in his face.”