Page 51 of Operation K-9 Brothers
“Crap!”What was this?Asshole Man Day?Unfortunately, her restraining order hadn’t taken effect yet or she’d be on her phone, calling the police.
“Hey, Nichole.”Lane walked around the table, stopping a few feet from her.
She lifted her gaze to the ceiling.“Universe, what did I ever do to piss you off today?”
“Huh?”Lane said.
“Go away, Lane.Like far, far away.”Rambo put himself in front of her and growled.She wasn’t sure why the friendliest puppy in the world had suddenly decided to play guard dog, but he was definitely getting extra treats tonight.
“I miss you, Nic.”
“No, you don’t.You just want what you can’t have.”She sighed.“We’re over, and there’s no going back.I just want you to leave me alone.”There was the cold glint in his eyes that she was used to seeing lately.Lane didn’t like to be told no, always wanted his toys and everyone else’s, too.Even ones he could care less about.
“Go out with me tonight.By the time I take you home, if you don’t ever want to see me again, I’ll disappear.”
Lane was also a liar.She’d caught him lying many times during their time together, and sometimes it was about things that didn’t matter.He had no intention of disappearing before he got what he wanted.
She had a feeling that Jack was a part of Lane’s reason for his insistence that he wanted her back.The minute he became aware that another man was sniffing around in what he considered “his territory,” he was back to protect what was his.
“No, I’m not going out with you.”
His eyes went from cold to mean, and this was the Lane that scared her.
There was a mall cop always on duty in the warehouse, and she scanned the aisle, looking for him.She didn’t see him, but she did see Jack, and her heart sputtered, both from relief and...well, just the sight of the beautiful man coming her way.He carried the same hard-plastic cooler as he had yesterday when he’d brought her lunch.
The easygoing man she’d kissed goodbye this morning was gone, though.In his place was a warrior moving with purpose, raw power radiating from him so strongly it was almost visible.Not a sound warned of his approach, not even footsteps.Stealth mode,she thought.He stopped a few feet behind Lane, who was still stupidly unaware that he was in the crosshairs of a deadly predator.
“It would probably be a good idea to leave,” she said to Lane, feeling like she should at least warn him.
“Not until you agree to go out with me.I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“You should take the lady’s advice and go,” Jack said in a voice that dripped menace.
Lane spun to face Jack.“You!”
Jack didn’t respond, only speared Lane with an ice-cold hard stare.Like a junkyard dog spoiling for a fight, Lane charged, his fists swinging, aiming for Jack’s face.
“Idiot,” she murmured.Her incredibly stupid ex didn’t have a clue who he was messing with.She expected Jack to do some kind of impressive ninja warrior moves.What he actually did was swing the cooler at Lane’s head, who stilled as if stunned, and then crumpled.Jack caught Lane’s shirt, slowly lowering him, preventing him from hitting the concrete floor face-first.
Once Lane was flat on the floor, Jack lifted his gaze to her and cocked a brow.
“Myhero,” she said.
A crowd had gathered around them, and the mall’s security cop pushed through.“What’s going on here?”
“They were fighting,” someone said.
The cop glanced from Lane, out cold, then to Jack, and then pulled out what looked like a taser.“On your knees, hands behind your head.”
Jack dropped to his knees, set the cooler next to him, and linked his fingers behind his neck.
Nichole pointed at Lane.“He started it, Mel.Jack was only protecting himself.”
“What she said.”Forest Ellers stepped up to them.“It was self-defense.The man went for him, and all Jack did was bonk him on the head with the cooler.”
Nichole choked on a giggle.
Mel glared at her.“You think this is funny, missy?”
