Beyond the Cut (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #2)(22)

“Quiet,” she whispered. “I can’t afford to lose this job.” And then she raised her voice loud enough for Stan to hear. “How would you like your eggs, sir?”

Cade ripped the napkins from the holder and crumpled them in his fist. “Scrambled.”

“Any toast?”

“Yeah,” Cade muttered. “He’ll be f*cking toast when I’m done with him.”

Dawn leaned in and tugged the napkins out of his fist. “Bad pun. And get it together. My boss isn’t the most understanding of people.”

“How the f*ck am I supposed to get it together when I walk in here and see your face all banged up? I don’t see you for one day and look what happens.”

“Life is what happens. My life. And yeah, it’s f*cked up. But I have a plan to get back at him.”

Resolved not to let Jimmy scare her, she’d come up with her plan last night while tending to her cuts and bruises. This was her town. Her safe place. Jimmy had never assaulted her in public before, and she’d never had a friend in the sheriff’s department. Maybe this time, the police could help.

“I’m going to see the sheriff’s deputy after work tomorrow to report the assault.” She tucked her order pad in her apron and gave Cade a cheeky smile, hoping to calm him down. “Want to come?”

“Why the f*ck would you go to the police?” Cade attacked the napkins again, grabbing the bundle she had just tucked away and tearing it apart with one fierce yank. “They can’t help you.”

Dawn glanced quickly behind her and saw Stan frown. When he took a step in her direction, she turned back to Cade and cupped his jaw in her hand then bent down to touch her cheek to his, whispering in his ear. “Cade, honey, please calm down. Stan is on his way over and I really, really need this job.”

Cade gave a contented rumble and stroked his thumb over the bruised apple of her cheek. “I shoulda been there. He said he was going to give you an ultimatum. I shoulda realized he wouldn’t do it over the phone.”

“It’s nothing to do with you.” Dawn drew his hand away from her cheek and backed away. “It’s my messed-up life and I have to deal with it.”

“Everything all right here, Dawn?” Stan came up behind her, so close she could smell the bacon on his breath and feel the faintest brush of his belly against her back. Stan never went farther than surreptitious touching, but even that made her skin crawl.

“Yes, just taking this order.”

He rested a clammy hand on her shoulder. “You’re taking a long time and we’ve got other customers waiting to be served.”

Dawn gritted her teeth and shook Stan’s hand away. “I said it’s fine, Stan. I’ll finish here and then I’ll go and check on the other tables.”

Cade tossed a wad of twenties on the table. “Buy ’em some coffee on me. I’m not done deciding what I want.”

Stan frowned. “I’m afraid I can’t allow—”

“Now.” Cade shoved the money to the edge of the table. “Or I call up a bunch of my brothers and invite them all for a free meal.”

“Cade!”

Stan reached for the money, and Cade slammed his hand over the man’s thick wrist. “Before you take that cash, one thing you need to understand. You. Touching her. Not on.” He squeezed Stan’s wrist and Stan paled. “Looking at her. Thinking what we both know you’re thinking. Also not on.”

“Stop it.” Dawn tugged on Cade’s arm but he was in full-on alpha mode and didn’t flinch.

Sweat beaded on Stan’s brow. “I get it.”

“Make sure you do.”

“I cannot believe you did that.” Dawn’s voice shook so hard she could barely get out her words after Stan scurried away. “How am I supposed to work now? Stan’s going to hate me.”

“He didn’t get that boner in his pants ’cause he hates you.” Cade pulled out his phone and stabbed at the screen. “But I agree, you might want to find a different job. I know his type. He’ll keep pushing unless you push back in a way he understands.”

“You don’t understand.” She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure Stan couldn’t hear. “This is the only restaurant near the school, and Stan lets me go during our busy time so I can see the girls. I don’t just need the job; I need this job. And I have my own way of handling Stan.” Although Cade was right that Stan kept pushing despite her firm rebukes. But she couldn’t go much farther without risking her job, and for all that he was annoying, Stan was harmless.

“Your way of handling Stan means Stan gets to touch something that doesn’t belong to him.” Cade leaned back in the booth, arms folded, legs spread. “Something I want. That causes a problem.”

Dawn’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “For him or for you?”

“For him, since I always get what I want.”

“Cocky.”

Cade licked his lips. “Maybe you should drop a napkin and bend over and pick it up so I can show you just how cocky I can be.”

“Always about sex.”

He reached for her hand and stroked a thumb across her knuckles, sending a wave of heat through the body. “Always about you. What happened last night won’t happen again. I’m gonna protect you and keep you safe.”