Beyond the Cut (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #2)(18)

Dawn sucked in a breath and her vision sheeted red. A tiny niggle at the back of her mind warned her this was a fight she couldn’t win. But she’d done enough running away in her life. And this time, she had backup.

“You got this, Dawn?” Cade appeared at her elbow, his calm, steady presence spreading over her like a warm blanket.

She scowled at the man in front of her. “Yes, thanks. This gentleman was just heading to the back of the line.”

The giant looked back over his shoulder at the angry crowd, then he locked gazes with Cade. Electricity crackled between them. Cade growled, ever so softly, cold and menacing, dark and threatening. Dawn sensed rather than saw the shift in the balance of power.

“Didn’t want a damn soda, anyway.” The bully lowered his gaze and stepped out of line.

“Wait.” Dawn’s voice cracked through the shocked silence. “You owe my daughter an apology.”

“Fuck you.”

Wham. Cade shoved him up against the wall, with a strength and ferocity that made Dawn’s heart pound. He closed his hand around the bully’s throat and Dawn leaned right up in his face.

“Apology. Now.”

Eyes glittering with repressed anger, Cade loosened his hand enough for the man to speak.

“Sorry, kid.”

“Thank you.” Dawn took a step back and nodded at Cade, indicating he should release his grip. Cade lowered his hand and the man stumbled away to the murmured appreciation of the crowd.

“Thanks for having my back. Whenever anyone threatens my children, I just see red.”

“Pretty damn hot seeing you go all mama bear on his ass.” Cade chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders while the girls leaned over the counter to choose their ice cream. Although outwardly he appeared calm and relaxed, she could feel the blood pounding through his veins and the quiver of his muscles from unspent adrenaline. “Good thing we’re in public.”

“Pretty damn hot seeing you go all alpha wolf and slam his sorry ass against the wall,” she whispered. “Definitely a good thing we’re in public.”

Cade leaned down, and his voice rumbled in her ear. “We don’t have to be in public. We could go back to your place, and I’ll show you how to make an alpha wolf howl.”

“It will be a howl of frustration,” she said. “There is no being alone when you have two little girls who only see their mommy on Sunday.” And thank God for that because after Cade’s show of dominance, and with the adrenaline still streaming through her veins, she was ready to tear off his clothes at the first available opportunity.

For the next half an hour, Dawn and Cade took turns pushing Maia and Tia on the swings. Cade took Tia’s refusal to speak to him in stride, including her in their conversations even though she didn’t respond. Dawn hadn’t seen the girls as relaxed around a man as they were with Cade, and when he finally told them he had to leave, Maia didn’t hold back her disappointment.

“Do you have to go? You pushed Tia three times and you only pushed me twice.”

“Got work to do, Maia-who-wears-pink, but I’m glad I passed the swing test.”

Her mouth turned down and she squeezed Tia’s hand. “Will you come back? You make Mom smile.”

Cade didn’t miss a beat. “Your mom has a beautiful smile. Just like her girls.”

Dawn fought back a sigh. So charming. And yet why would he be interested in a woman with a f*cked-up life, two kids, three jobs, fifteen extra pounds, and baggage in the form of a psychopathic outlaw biker ex who had already tried to kill him? Maybe it was just his way of getting back at Jimmy, or maybe he wanted another notch in his belt.

Cade leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek before mounting his bike. “See you later, beautiful.”

Or maybe not.





FIVE

I shall savor the ignorance of those who do not know me.

SINNER’S TRIBE CREED

“He’s on his way.”

Cade startled when Zane stepped out of the shadows. He’d brought Zane and four brothers with him after receiving a tip that Rusty, the redheaded bastard from Mad Dog’s van, was at Peelers Strip Club, but Zane had the unnerving ability to move without making a sound and damned if he’d known his brother was right behind him.

“Christ.” He lowered his weapon and drew in a calming breath of night air, cool but damp with an oncoming storm. “Don’t sneak up on a man with a gun. I almost shot you.”

“Your gun was pointed in the other direction,” Zane said. “Mine was aimed at your back. Wasn’t feeling the threat.”

Shaggy joined them from the far side of the parking lot, located at the side of the small brick building. “He’s got a woman with him. There’s a buncha Brethren inside, but doesn’t look like they’re planning to go anywhere. We should be good if we keep it quiet. If any of his buddies decide to join him…” He raised his weapon. “I figure the only good Brethren is a dead Brethren.”

“In a normal situation, I’d agree with you.” Cade checked his magazine and holstered his gun. “But we’re here for Rusty only, and the rest of those Brethren will soon be our brothers.”

Shaggy’s face curdled beneath his beard. “I voted to protect the club, same as you, but I still don’t like it. The Brethren can’t be trusted. We learned that lesson the hard way and had to run them outta town. Why the hell are we bringing them back?”