Dare To Run (The Sons of Steel Row #1)(76)

I swallowed hard. The incredibly attractive man walking toward me oozed danger. Even more so than Lucas . . . which was saying a lot. He had red hair and blue eyes and was clean-shaven. He looked as if he was more comfortable at a charity gala than in a gunfight, but I didn’t let that fool me into thinking he wasn’t a dangerous man. “I thought he’d be older. I mean, he’s in charge, right?”

“Yeah. His father died recently, and he took over.”

I glanced toward the real threat. Lucas. He was almost at my side, and even from across the room, I could feel his stare, as he did his best to glare holes through my black dress. I stepped closer to Chris. I didn’t think I’d ever see the day where I thought he’d be the safer option, considering how we’d met, but tonight he was. “Oh God.”

“You already said that,” Chris muttered. “Smile, doll. He’s a foot away.”

I plastered a smile on.

Chris stepped forward. “Tate, meet Heidi Greene, the now-famous woman that Lucas risked his life to save,” Chris said, his voice practically booming over the crowded room. “You can see why, I’m sure.”

“Indeed.” Tate held his hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Greene. I’ve heard so much about you. Lucas had said you couldn’t make it tonight, so I’m pleased to see he was mistaken. If he was trying to keep you away, I can’t say I blame him. If you were mine, I’d hide you away, too. And I know exactly where I’d keep you.”

My cheeks heated. I threw a fast glance Lucas’s way before sliding my hand into Tate’s. If anything, Lucas looked even more pissed at the contact. “I was busy, but I cleared my schedule for Lucas . . . and you, of course.”

“Excellent.” He gave me a once-over, his eyes lit up with male appreciation. The significance of that wasn’t lost on me. Another man slipped up to us and whispered something in Tate’s ear. Tate turned aside for an inaudible conversation. After a moment, he nodded. “If you’ll excuse me for a second?”

“Of course,” I said in a rush.

Tate walked away, and I let out a quiet, relieved sigh. One down, one to go. As he walked away, he motioned for Lucas to follow him. Lucas shot me a scowl, promising me that my future would include severe punishment, I was sure, but obediently followed Tate out of the room. I’d been granted a reprieve. A small one, but still.

It was better than nothing.

“Shit,” Chris muttered, stepping closer. His gaze was locked on something right behind Tate’s head, and he looked like he’d swallowed a box full of screws. “Shit, f*ck, shit.”

“What?” I rose onto my tiptoes. “What’s wrong? And where’s Lucas going?”

“Come on,” Chris said, his voice low. Spinning on his heel, he led me across the room. “I need to hide you until—”

We made it only two steps before a voice stopped us.

“Not so fast, Chris,” an unfamiliar, and yet somehow eerily familiar, voice said from behind us. “I didn’t even get to say hello to the lady on your arm.”

Chris’s arm went stiff under my hand. “Didn’t you? We were just—”

“I know who she is.” The man walked in front of us and stopped. The second he did, I knew who he was. Even if I hadn’t seen his picture on Lucas’s fridge, I would have known. The eyes were the same, and so was the hair. They even had the same facial structure, the same cocky grin. But that was where the similarities ended. Where Lucas’s eyes were warm whenever he looked at me, Scotty’s were cold as ice. “Ms. Greene, right?”

I wanted to do something violent. Hit him. Shoot him. Something. Anything. He deserved it for trying to kill his brother . . . and me. But instead, I gave him a bright smile and pretended I had no clue who he was. “Yes. And you are . . .?”

“Scott. Scott Donahue.” He cocked his head and caught my hand, raising it to his lips. When he kissed my knuckles, I had to fight the urge to wipe my hand off on my dress. “I’m sure my brother mentioned me once or twice.”

“Oooh . . . right.” I blinked. “Yes, yes. Of course. I’ve heard so much about you . . . and how much you love your big brother.”

The smile faltered a little bit, but not enough. “Right.”

“Well, now you’ve met her.” Chris cleared his throat. “We should go find Lucas. He’ll be waiting for us.”

“What’s the rush?” Scotty asked, still holding on to my hand. I fought the urge to yank it back, because if I did, he’d think he intimidated me. He didn’t. “He’s with Tate, and I want to get to know Ms. Greene here a little bit better. She is dating my brother, after all.”

Chris’s grip on my waist tightened. “You know her well enough, I think.”

I nodded. “It was nice meeting you, though.”

“Not so fast.” Scotty stepped closer and smiled at me. Chris cursed under his breath. “Tell me more about how you and my brother met.”

Chris stepped closer to me, reaching for his gun. “You need to back the—”

“I heard he saved your life, risking his own in the process,” Scotty said, watching me closely. He rubbed his jaw, rotating his shoulders and letting out a small laugh. “Which doesn’t sound like my brother at all, if you ask me.”