Page 16 of Take Me to Church
In addition to a man willing to do unspeakable things to protect what’s his.
Attempting to steal her from me would be a mistake.
The last one Rodney would make.
Lydia’s head tips to one side. “Why will I be safe with you?” She continues to study me. “And how do you know Rodney?”
I open my mouth, ready to argue the connections she’s clearly making, but the door at my back swings open and her bartending friend tumbles out, wild-eyed and breathing heavily. “Who in the hell was that creepy guy trying to talk to you?” She rushes forward, one hand outstretched as she scans the parking lot. “Is he gone?”
Lydia steps away from me, putting distance between us. “He was just trying to get some money.” Her words are a distortion of the truth that comes a little too quickly and too easily, making me wonder if maybe Lydia isn’t quite as sweet and innocent as she seems. “I told him I didn’t have any and he left.”
Her friend’s searching gaze swings around, leveling on Lydia. “He believed you?” She’s obviously skeptical of Lydia’s story and it makes me feel a little better knowing at least her friend sees how dangerous this city can be.
Lydia shrugs, looking surprisingly calm considering what just happened. “I guess so.”
Her friend huffs out a loud breath, shoulders slumping the tiniest bit as her outstretched hand drops to her side. “Damn. I thought I was gonna finally get to zap somebody in the nut sack.”
My eyes drop to the small device clutched in her grip.
Shit. Maybe her friend is just as unaware of how bad this world can be as she is. I hold my hand out, palm up. “Give me the taser.”
Her friend scoffs. “No way.” She flips the safety on and slides the item into her pocket. “Get your own.”
“Tasers are one of the most dangerous self-defense devices to carry.” I wiggle my fingers, trying to encourage her to offer it up. “They’re easy to take. If you use that on somebody stronger and faster than you, they’ll yank it right out of your hands and use it against you.”
Lydia’s friend scoffs. “Do I look like an idiot?” She strides up to me, staring me down in a way most men won’t. “I grew up in Memphis. I know how fucking dangerous this place is and I’ve taken more self-defense classes then you can count. So if a motherfucker wants to try and take away my stun gun,” one hand flicks behind her body in a quick smooth motion, snapping free as the blade of a knife flicks open, “he’s going to end up with more than just twenty-five thousand volts to his dick.”
I look over the way she grips the blade, point coming out the bottom of her fist instead of the top, sharp edge directed back toward her arm. Most people grip a knife in the opposite direction. It’s how they end up cutting themselves all up. But she’s holding it in a manner that will allow her to inflict maximum damage while reducing risk to herself. I’m impressed.
I turn my focus to Lydia. “What about you?”
“I took a self-defense class with Piper.” She glances at her friend. “But I need to take a few more.”
“Lydia carries an alarm on her keychain so if something happens I can come find her and shock and stab.” Piper’s brows pinch together as her eyes move to Lydia’s hands. “Where’s your alarm?”
Lydia wilts. “On my keys at our apartment.”
Piper’s head tips back to the night sky as she groans. “God dammit.” She straightens, frowning at Lydia. “When we get home we are ordering a ton more and I swear to God I’m hooking one to everything you own.”
“She’s not going home,” I say with confidence. Piper’s going to be on my side with this. She clearly knows firsthand how ill-equipped Lydia is to take care of herself in this world. “She needs to go somewhere safe.”
Piper’s eyes swing my way. “That’s the lamest attempt any guy has ever made to try to get a woman to go home with him.” She loops one arm through one of Lydia’s, yanking her a few steps away. “At least pretend like you want to show her something cool or like you have a cute dog or something.” She leads Lydia across the parking lot, headed straight for an aging SUV.
I cross my arms, keeping my eyes on Lydia as Piper loads her into the passenger’s seat and pulls away, leaving me standing alone.
I could’ve argued. Filled Piper in on all the secrets her friend is keeping, making it clear they’re both in way over their heads. But I’m pretty sure that would have earned me an electric current to the cock, and that is not how I want to end this night.
I wait until they’re out of sight and then dig one hand into my pocket, fishing my cell phone free. I dial Tate’s number and wait for him to answer.
“Where in the hell did you go?”
I scrub one hand down my face, suddenly more exhausted than I’ve been in a long time. “I’m out the back door. It locked behind me. Come let me in.” I disconnect the call before he can ask anything else. I need every second to figure out what the hell I’m going to say.
Our night is about to get a whole hell of a lot longer.
The back door shoves open and Tate and Simon stare out at me. I shoulder past them, going back into the bar so we can finish loading up our equipment. “We probably need to make this a rush job.”
I don’t expect Rodney to immediately show up at Lydia’s apartment, but that’s the exact reason I want to be there as soon as possible. The man I thought was in my past is unpredictable, and his interest in Lydia was apparent. If he does wait, it won’t be long.
