Luscious (Topped #1)(9)

He was also probably about to fire her.

Damn, but she’d liked this job. It wasn’t fair.

When everyone was gone, he looked down at his pastry chef. Sean stepped up and reached down, giving Timothy a hand up. “Are you all right?”

At least the crowd was gone. There would only be a couple of people to watch her get fired.

Timothy’s eyes narrowed as he allowed Sean to help him up. “No, I’m not all right and I have to insist that you fire that *. I was taking the girl up on her offer when that meathead came out and went berserk. I want the police out here. I’m having him arrested for assault.”

Oh, god, she was going to get Macon arrested. She couldn’t stand that thought. He’d tried to help her. “It wasn’t Macon’s fault.”

Sean turned her way, one brow arched. “Really? Macon didn’t rearrange this guy’s intestines?”

She shook her head. She had to cover for him. “I did.”

Macon stepped in front of her again, as though protecting her from both men now. “That’s utterly ridiculous. It was me, boss. He was…”

Sean held a hand up. “Don’t. I don’t need an explanation.”

“The cops will,” Timothy said.

“Yes, and if you call them, I’m going to give them one,” Taggart said before turning around and kicking Timothy squarely in the balls. Timothy groaned and fell back to the ground. Taggart turned back to her. “That is how you kick a guy in the balls, sweetheart. You gotta have a little space between the two of you and then you have to visualize your foot actually going into his body cavity. That way you put some power behind it. Don’t forget that for next time. Miles, you all right?”

“I’d feel better if he was dead,” Macon admitted.

Taggart gave him a sure smile. “He’ll wish he was tomorrow.”

“He’s going to call the cops.” Ally was still shaky. Sometimes cops didn’t believe victims.

Taggart winked her way and pointed to a security camera placed above the back door. “He can and then he can explain why he was trying to rape an obviously unwilling woman. But he’s not going to call anyone because if he does, I’m going to let Miles here take out his frustrations on him.” Taggart took a knee beside the moaning Timothy. “Because if he tries to call the cops, I’ll show him what we do to *s who attempt to molest one of my female employees. Here’s a hint. It’s not pretty. We’ll give him a Taggart special. My big brother has been dying to murder someone ever since his club blew up. Miles, take her inside and finish up your prep. I’m going to have an exit interview with this guy. Can you handle a promotion?”

Macon stilled, as though processing his good fortune. He nodded slowly, but there was a satisfied gleam in his eyes. “I can do it.”

“Good because that’s the last time I hire some dude from France.” His eyes trailed to her. “Can you handle her? She’s shaky.”

“Yes, Chef. I’ll take care of her.” Macon reached out a hand.

She wasn’t getting fired? She wasn’t getting fired. The knowledge seeped into her like a warm blanket. She really should have tried harder. She would have liked to have been the reason Timothy had turned that peculiar shade of purple.

She looked at that big hand of Macon’s. It was callused and rough and it had defended her. Maybe he’d been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but it seemed like years in the Army and hard work in the civilian world had toughened him up. He wasn’t the guy she’d thought he was.

“You don’t have to be scared of me, sweetheart,” he said quietly. “Let’s go and I’ll get you a drink and you can settle down. He’s not going to hurt you. No one’s going to hurt you here. Not while I’m around.”

She put her hand in his and the minute that massive slab of flesh closed over hers, she felt warmer, stronger than before. Safer.

She followed him inside, her fingers tangling with his.





CHAPTER TWO





“That wind is picking up,” Sean said as he stepped out into the alley. “Has anyone checked the weather?”

Macon hadn’t worked at another restaurant, but he was fairly certain most head chefs didn’t take out the trash. Sean dumped the bag and let the lid close with a crash.

“We’re under a watch until two a.m. Both tornado and flashfloods.” It wasn’t raining yet, but there was a heaviness to the air he didn’t like. Dinner service was long over and the rest of the staff had done their jobs. It was just him and Taggart and Ally.

“Okay, let’s clean up and then I’ll come in and do the books tomorrow. I don’t want to risk getting cut off. The road into our neighborhood floods sometimes and I don’t want Grace and Carys alone if we’ve got tornados to worry about.”

“I’ll do it.” It seemed a shame to make the man come in on his day off when Macon didn’t mind. “I wasn’t doing anything else tonight anyway.”

Except maybe talking to Ally. Since that moment he’d opened the door and realized she was in trouble, something had taken root in his chest. She needed someone to look out for her. She’d made a single, pitiful attempt to protect herself, but he hadn’t missed how her eyes had slid away after he’d clocked Timothy the Ass. She’d expected to get fired. She’d been surprised when it didn’t work out that way. She would have walked out with her head hung low if Taggart hadn’t proven to be the man he was.