Page 105 of Danger and Dominance
“You, shut up.You’re making me want to drink more.”As if to prove her point, Claudia lifted her glass to her lips, taking a long sip… but Cassidy felt almost sure that she saw the ends of Claudia’s lips curl up in a smile before she covered her mouth.
Maybe Claudia wasn’t as immune to Ian’s compliments as she wanted everyone to think.Or maybe Cassidy was imagining things.
“Why don’t you like your birthday?”she asked Claudia.Some women didn’t like being reminded that they were getting older—Cassidy had a feeling she was going to celebrate every year she was still alive after this one fervently—but Claudia didn’t seem the type for that.
Claudia shrugged.“It’s not like I did anything.If anyone should be getting presents today, it’s my mom for doing all the hard labor to get me here.”
“She’s got a point,” Manuel chimed in.“Mama says Claudia was a much more difficult birth than me.I was nice and easy.Which is why Mama should be celebrated on Claudia’s birthday, and I should be celebrated on mine for making it easier on her.”
“You were easier because you were the second one out,” Claudia retorted.“And ‘easier’ doesn’t mean ‘easy.’You did nothing to get here, either.”
As the siblings fell to bickering, Cassidy couldn’t help but laugh and look around.With the entire Black Fox team here, she was feeling a lot more relaxed than she would have thought possible, being out in a bar.She was surrounded by protectors.It was hard to feel uneasy when there was a literal wall of highly trained muscle on every side of her.
Jennifer and Yasmine had their heads together, and they kept looking over at the bar.Cassidy followed their gazes and spotted Jensen there with Mick, talking to two women.Very attractive women who were obviously hanging out together and were dressed to impress.
No, not talking.
Flirting.Definitely flirting.
As she watched, Jensen turned slightly toward the pair and flexed his bicep.They both touched it and reacted.Cassidy didn’t need to be within earshot to know they were squealing.
She glanced back at Jennifer, who was now scowling and staring down at her phone.
Yikes.
Poor Jennifer.And Jensen.
Poor Jens.
Now, it was her turn to use her glass to cover her mouth so no one could see her laughing.She didn’t want to have to explain why.They didn’t need any more scrutiny.
An arm slid around her waist, David pressing up against her from behind.He was turned sideways from where she was, his palm splayed out across her ribs while he chatted with Drew.It felt both protective and like a claiming.She liked it.A lot.
David
Celebrating Claudia with his whole team and his girl felt better than he could have ever imagined.Cassidy fit right in.With his team.With his life.With him.It was the last thing he’d expected when she’d come to Pittsburgh, but he had decided to be grateful for it.
She leaned back against him as she laughed at something Claudia said, and he stroked his thumb over her ribs.
Fully relaxed, fully in the moment, and enjoying herself, this was the life she was supposed to be living.He was going to do whatever he had to do in order to preserve that for her.In this case, the right thing didn’t coincide with the lawful thing, but he wasn’t going to let her end up like Tasha or worse.
The back of his jeans buzzed, his phone vibrating from a call.Letting go of Cassidy, he reached back to pull it out and check to see who was calling, fully intending to let it go to voicemail, but it was Audrey.
Leaning down, he spoke in Cassidy’s ear.
“My sister is calling; I’m going to step outside to see what she needs.Drew will keep an eye on you.”
Beaming, Cassidy turned her head to him, her drink in one hand, her fingers of the other holding her straw in place.
“Okay.I’ll be here.”She giggled.Yeah, she might be a little tipsy.Smiling, David gave her a quick kiss before straightening up.
“I’m going outside to take this,” he told Drew.“Keep an eye on Cassidy for me.”
“Can do, boss.”Drew gave him an abbreviated salute, grinning widely.Since David was leaving, he immediately leaned over to hear what the women in front of them were talking about.
Even though he knew his team would take care of Cassidy, he couldn’t help but scan the bar for threats as he made his way to the front door of the restaurant.Nothing stood out to him, and no one even seemed to be watching the group except the odd bartender Cassidy had questioned, who glanced over at them now and then, which didn’t mean anything.
David wasn’t sure if he’d met the man before.He didn’t usually pay too much attention to who was behind the bar unless it was someone he already knew.They didn’t come here often enough for him to feel like he knew who all the bartenders were.They tended to gather at the Outlands instead.Obviously, Claudia hadn’t wanted to do that tonight with her brother and Ian.
