Page 33 of Irresistibly Wicked

“How are you holding up?” he asked as they drove away from the convenience store.

“I don’t know. I’m overwhelmed, confused about what to do, and relieved that you and your brothers are willing to help, but I’m sorry for interrupting your lives.”

“You didn’t interrupt our lives. You’re a welcome addition to them.”

“Yeah, right,” she said sarcastically. “It’s okay to say I’m a pain in the ass. I feel like a freeloader.”

“You’re not a pain in the ass. You’re going through some shit, and we’re happy to help. Besides, there’s not going to be any freeloading going on at my place. If you think you’re just going to walk around looking pretty, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“What does that mean? I told you I’m not having sex with you,” she said flatly.

“Who said anything about sex? I’ve seen what you can do with tiles. I’m going to put your sexy ass to work.”

Sexy ass? Nobody had ever called her sexy. She tried to ignore the flutter that flattery caused. They were quiet the rest of the way to his place. When he turned onto his gravel road, she was hit with an unexpected wave of relief. The kind of relief she’d once found coming home to her and Brian’s rental cottage, when it had been the one place she could let down her guard and relax.

As they neared the house, a man came into view leaning against a post on the porch, and she gasped.

“It’s okay,” Zander said. “That’s my brother Maverick, and that mountainous man coming around the side of the cottage is my cousin Tank. They go by their road names. They were keeping an eye on the place.”

She exhaled with relief as he parked. “When did you have time to coordinate all of this?”

“I was texting Zeke when you got to Brian’s. I told him what was up, and then he put the word out. We’re used to this. It’s what we do.”

“Like the Mafia?” She’d never seen anything like this.

“No, darlin’. We’re better than the Mafia.” He grinned. “We’re Dark Knights.” He threw his door open. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to two of the greatest men you’ll ever meet.”

As they climbed out of the truck, she saw two motorcycles parked by the trees on the other side of the house. Zander put a hand on her back as his brother and cousin met them halfway to the front door. They were rougher-looking than Blaine and Zeke. Maverick had a mop of dark hair, a trim beard, and ice-blue eyes. He could definitely pass as a blood relative of Zander’s, while Tank had Shauna’s nerves pinging. She thought Zander and his brothers were big, but Tank was enormous, with coal-black eyes and matching hair and beard. Every visible inch of him was tattooed, and he had piercings in his nostril and his ears.

“Hey, Mav,” Zander said, and they gave each other a quick one-armed embrace. Then he and Tank did the same. “Thanks for watching out for the place.”

“No problem,” Maverick said, tossing a smile and a nod to Shauna.

“Gunner and Colonel are set to relieve Zeke and Blaine tomorrow afternoon if you need them,” Tank said in a deep, gruff voice.

“Thanks, man.” Zander turned to Shauna and pressed his hand to her lower back, settling her nerves a little as she processed how much they were doing for them. “Guys, this is Shauna.”

“Hi. I’m sorry for all of the trouble tonight,” she said.

“It’s no trouble, sweetheart,” Tank said. “Keeping you and your friend safe is all that matters.”

“It’s in our blood. Hang around Zan enough, and you’ll realize he shows up for us and anyone else who needs it, too,” Maverick said. “In any case, it’s nice to meet you, Shauna. Thanks for dragging this guy’s ugly ass out of his burning car. We’d’ve been lost without him.”

“No truer words,” Tank said.

It was nice to see they admired Zander as much as he did them.

“You guys can take off,” Zander said. “I’ve got it from here.”

“You sure?” Tank asked. “You want to get some rest? We can take shifts out here, and I can cover you tomorrow, too, if you have to work.”

“I appreciate it, but we’re good. Go home to your wives and babies.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Maverick glanced at Shauna and said, “Let me give you a reason to smile. I’ll show you my little girl.” He whipped out his phone so fast, she didn’t have time to respond.

As Maverick showed her pictures, gushing about Marybelle, his adorable chubby-cheeked, blue-eyed, almost-two-year-old daughter with wispy brown hair and a smile that melted Shauna’s heart, Zander said, “Dude, Shauna’s had a rough night. Give her a break.”

“Let’s go, braggy daddy.” Tank grabbed Maverick’s sleeve, dragging him away, and Maverick tried to get Tank to look at the pictures.