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Oh. Shit.
She hadn’t recognized him from last night, but perhaps he’d been there. Or just heard about it.
Either way, she tensed.
“He touched a woman without her permission. Hurt her. You got a problem with me dealing with him? Do you like to touch and hurt women too?” Tanner asked the guy.
The other guy started to bluster, his face growing red and then purple as people glared at him. Finally, his friends pulled him back into his seat. By this time, her heart was racing, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath.
“Lilac? Lilac, breathe, baby.”
She jumped as she realized that Tanner was somehow standing right in front of her. How had he gotten there so fast? She tried to step back, but he placed his hands on her hips, keeping her still.
“L-let me go,” she whispered, aware that people were still too quiet. They were watching them . . . waiting for a show.
Well, she was tired of being a fucking spectacle.
“Never,” he said in a low voice.
She jolted at that word. It was said calmly, but in a voice that brooked no hesitation. There was weight to that word that shouldn’t be there.
Because he had no right to her. No right to think he could hold onto her.
“Let me go. I’m working.”
“You don’t work here.” His gaze was narrowed.
“Yes, I do.”
What the hell? Why did he think he got to tell her anything about her life? She was the one living it.
“You work at Dirty Delights. Or are you giving that up?”
“It’s not any of your business, Tanner.” She attempted to move away again, shocked when he let her.
But even more stunned that she felt disappointed. What was wrong with her? She didn’t want him to touch her. Didn’t want him near her.
Liar.
“It will be,” he said as she turned away. “You’re going to be my business, Lilac.”
Fuck.
She was trembling as she headed to the counter to pick up an order. She tried not to look over at him, to see those broad shoulders as he sat at the bar, greeting everybody who spoke to him.
Everyone seemed to know him. And like him.
Well, except for the people sitting in the booth of the guy who’d spoken out earlier. And their meals had just come up. Great.
She walked over with their food. The guy who had spoken up sneered at her. “When you want a real man, doll, you come to us. Not to that little cunt.”
She dropped their plates on the table and glared at the asshole. “A real man? Really? Well, where is one? Because I certainly don’t see one sitting at this table. All I see is a bunch of little boys with equally small appendages.”
As the asshole stood up, an arm suddenly wrapped around her from behind. “Get behind me, baby. Now.” He shoved her behind him, making her wince as pain shot up her side.
“Right. That’s it. All of you are leaving.” Peggy walked up and glared at the men in the booth.
Great. She’d just gotten this job. And now she was probably getting fired. Why did this keep happening to her? What was wrong with her?
