Beyond the Cut (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #2)(34)

Cade shoved back his chair and stalked across the bar, knocking tables and the odd person out of his way. Dawn struggled in her captor’s grasp, then jabbed him hard in the ribs with her elbow. The dude bent over and she spun around and clipped him a good one in the chin. Damn fine woman could look after herself, but the dude’s friends didn’t look so happy. Time to make sure they got the message the party was over.

But before he reached the table, a black blur shot in front of him and Deputy f*cking Benson stole the show.

“I suggest you keep your hands to yourself.” Benson put one protective arm around Dawn and pulled his f*cking shiny sheriff badge from his pocket. The dude Cade had intended to pound into the floor paled.

“Didn’t mean anything by it, Officer. Just joking around.”

“Good to hear.” Benson tucked away his badge., “But I suggest you move on. There are real bikers in this bar who might not take kindly to you playing dress-up.” He nodded to Cade, but Cade wasn’t interested in playing the game. Not while Benson had his hands on Dawn.

“Let her go, Benson. Dawn had this fight.”

“She was in danger. Someone needed to step in and save her.”

“I deal with this all the time.” Dawn struggled to free herself from Benson’s tight grip. “There’s no need for them to leave. I can handle guys like this.” But Benson wasn’t listening. His hand tightened around her shoulders and he glared at the miscreants.

“Go.”

The wannabe bikers threw some money on the table and raced out of the bar.

A sliver of annoyance slid through Cade’s chest. Earlier this week, he’d thought Benson wasn’t a threat, but now he saw him in a totally different light. He wanted what Cade wanted. He’d come to the bar to make his move while Cade had been getting drunk and squeezing tail at Peelers.

“She’s fine, Benson. Get your paws off her. Last thing she needs is more of the same.”

“You okay, Dawn?” The soft murmur of Benson’s voice grated on Cade’s already taut nerves, but not as much as his fingers stroking her neck.

Cade’s body reacted before his mind had processed what he was about to do. One minute he was standing beside Dawn, the next he had Benson up against the wall, his hand pressed against Benson’s chest. The depth of his fury shocked even him. “Thought I told you to let her go.”

“Cade. Stop.” Dawn’s voice barely registered through the pounding of blood in his ears. “You’re doing exactly what you just told him not to do.” Dawn stepped between Cade and Benson, her head barely reaching Cade’s outstretched arm.

Benson met his gaze, his direct stare raising Cade’s hackles and loosening the last threads of his self-restraint.

“You don’t want to do this, honey.”

“Outta the way, babe, or you’re gonna get hurt.” Cade tried to maintain his resolve, but it was damn hard with the scent of her perfume surrounding him, the soft brush of her hair against his skin, and when she wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed him back, he couldn’t hold on.

“Fuck. Dawn. Stop.”

But she didn’t stop. And even though he could have easily pushed her aside, he let her back him up until five feet separated him and Benson.

She looked up and glared, her beautiful face doing strange things to his stomach. For a moment he lost himself in her gaze, perversely pleased that she was here and not five feet away. She’d put her arms around him. Not Benson. She’d determined he was the bigger threat. Not Benson. And now she was looking up at him with those big liquid eyes and all he could think about was kissing her soft lips.

“You don’t have to solve every problem with violence,” she said softly. “I can’t go down that road again.”

“You don’t have to.” He bent down to kiss her.

She turned her head so his lips brushed over her cheek. “I like that you let me handle this myself. I liked knowing you were there as backup. Don’t ruin it by playing into Doug’s hands. He wants to arrest you. Don’t give him an excuse. I’m safe. Isn’t that all that matters?”

Cade looked up and stared at Benson. The deputy was leaning against the wall, arms folded, the faintest smirk playing out on his lips. Cade needed to hit something. Benson’s face being the most desirable target. Sensing Dawn might not be pleased, he smashed his fist into a table instead, his anger dissipating as the legs cracked and the table tipped sideways toward the floor.

“Tsk. Tsk. Destruction of property.” Benson’s voice was laced with amusement. “Maybe you should cool your heels down at the station.”

“Doug.” Dawn looked over at Benson and scowled. “Don’t make it worse.

“And you…” She poked Cade in the chest and lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I told you to let it go.”

“Dawn.”

She looked up when his voice cracked, and her face softened. Pressing herself against him, she wrapped her arms around his chest and gave him a hug.

“Must have been a really bad week.”

And it just had gotten worse. What the hell was he doing? Leaving his brothers at Peelers? Walking away from Delilah? Fighting over a woman? Women fought over him. And assaulting a police officer? No doubt Arianne had seen what he’d done and would report back to Jagger. Not that he was afraid of Jagger, but he structured his life so he was rarely in a situation where he could lose control.