Dare To Run (The Sons of Steel Row #1)(22)

But she did.

No one was that sexy without knowing it.

She said something else, laughing and shaking her head. The guy got up and walked to the door, not taking his eyes off her until the last possible moment. The clock on the wall showed me why he’d left. It was closing time. Good.

I’d had enough of this waiting bullshit for one night.

When I glanced back at Heidi, she quickly looked away, as if she hadn’t been watching me all along. I involuntarily smiled. Her show of independence was . . . cute. Her attempts at making her disinterest known were even cuter, especially since she thought it would actually work to get me to back off.

Little did she realize, it had the exact opposite effect.

The harder she pushed me away, the more I wanted to pull her closer.

It was in my nature. Who I was, and who I would always be. Tell me I couldn’t have something, and damned if I wouldn’t stop trying until I proved you wrong with a big f*ck-you emblazoned in the sky for all to see—after I’d taken the very thing you told me I’d never have. Twice.

Heidi had just made herself even more irresistible.

All last night, I’d sat on the couch, watching both the front door and the bedroom door, where everything I wanted was lying—more than likely naked—in my bed. And I’d been a perfect gentleman. Hadn’t moved off that couch.

If she hadn’t been nearly raped yesterday, I would have taken up the challenge of convincing her to admit her desire for me, before f*cking her in every possible position. As it was, it looked as if I’d have plenty of other opportunities. As I’d predicted, those little shits from Bitter Hill were hanging around, just waiting for an opportunity to take her from me.

Waiting to pounce like the dirty vultures they were.

I knew three of the men from past sales, and I recognized the last one from somewhere, too, but I couldn’t quite place him. Business with them was a necessary evil. They dealt in drugs, while we did guns, so there was no competition there. Up until now, we’d peacefully worked side by side without issues.

Up until I’d killed some of their guys last night, anyway.

They’d been tailing me all day, and I knew it was only a matter of time until they made their move. What that move would be? I had no clue. But it wouldn’t happen in here. Heidi didn’t need us breaking up her bar or causing the police to shut her down. If they wanted a fight, they’d get one.

Hell, I’d love to give them one.

Just not here.

I lifted my empty glass at Heidi, and she rolled her eyes from across the room. I’d been slowly sipping my whiskey all night, not willing to risk getting shitfaced while we had the enemy in our midst. They weren’t here to drink—that much was obvious, since their still-full beers sat on their table untouched—so I couldn’t afford to be stupid.

Again.

After Heidi had a low conversation with her bouncer, who had reappeared a few minutes ago, the boy looked over at me, frowned, and went back upstairs. I could just barely make out the steps before a door closed behind him. I had a feeling that his dismissal had more to do with keeping him out of trouble than with the time. Judging by the worried glances she’d been throwing at him ever since he’d come down and seen the Bitter Hill Crew still hanging around, she had a soft spot for the boy.

If that was the case, she shouldn’t be so obvious about it.

It was rule number two in this life. Never show your weakness. If you did, it gave them a chance to exploit it . . . and you. A lock clicked as his footsteps climbed higher and higher, and then I heard him walking above us. So did the four men in the opposite corner. Heidi stared at the closed door, let out a sigh, swiped her hands down her shorts, and nodded at me once.

We were the only people left in the bar.

She carried over a glass of whiskey, shooting the men in the corner a narrow-eyed glance as she passed, snapping at them, “It’s closing time. Time to go home.”

Her steps faltered when one of the pricks lifted his hand, made a gun figure, and pulled the “trigger.” It was the guy I couldn’t quite place. It took me a second, but then I finally recognized him. It was the one I’d let go—the one with a star tattoo on his neck. I should have popped him. I’d correct that lapse in judgment tonight.

Growling, I lurched to my feet. “Outside. Now.”

“Don’t.” Heidi slid the glass across my table and shook her head, her lips pressed in a tight line. “It’s not worth it.”

She rested a small hand on my chest. It burned through my shirt, and some foreign emotion swept through me. I shook off the unfamiliar feelings she caused, not even sure what the hell they meant, and filed them away for a day when I was ready to examine my emotions more closely.

Aka, never.

Behind her, the leader, Phil, kicked the one who’d upset Heidi and whispered something to him. The other man lowered his head. I glanced down at her, and she stared back, her blue eyes crystal clear but shadowed. They were still missing that sparkle that had intrigued me initially.

That pissed me off even more than the f*cker’s actions did.

“The hell it isn’t,” I snarled. The other four men stood, hands resting on their pieces. Pieces we’d sold to them. Heidi stepped in front of me for the second time that night. “Get out of my way before you get hurt.”

Curling her hands in my shirt, she held on tight and didn’t budge. “No.”