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“We all want you there.”
“I know. As soon as I take her home, I’ll be right there. I promise.” Draven turned back to him. His word was always good. He never made a promise he didn’t keep.
“Good, and when you come back, I’ve just got to know how you pulled her.” Ridge grinned wide.
Draven rolled his eyes at him and walked up the stairs.
“Hell if I know. Maybe my winning personality,” he muttered, going into the house.
Ridge’s laughter echoed behind him.
Draven blinked and came back to the present. He dropped another kiss on Cashea’s lips before exiting the truck. Ridge’s question still played in his head. What was it about him that made Cashea drawn to him? He didn’t know, but he would thank whatever higher power that was out there that she was. He was one lucky son of a bitch. He slammed the door shut and casually looked around the gas station.
Just as he figured, the two trucks pulled in. Draven’s gaze narrowed on the oversized pickup truck. He immediately recognized it now that it was closer.
Brett.
And he wasn’t alone.
“Lock the doors,” Draven said to Cashea through the window.
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t hesitate to obey. He was satisfied to hear the click of the lock engaging. He pushed away from the truck and walked to the back of his vehicle and opened the door to the gas tank. He moved over to the pump to choose his gas.
“Harvey,” Brett called out. The slamming of doors cut through the air, followed by chuckling.
Draven stiffened. He glanced over and took in Brett strolling over to him with about four other men. Draven wasn’t worried about the odds.
“You don’t want to do this,” Draven warned. He continued what he was doing. He pulled his wallet out of his back jeans pocket and took out his credit card. He slid it in and followed the prompts on the screen. “So why don’t you and your friends go back home before someone gets hurt.”
“Oh, really?” Brett snickered.
He and his friends shared a good laugh. Draven didn’t find anything funny. He certainly wasn’t a comedian so he didn’t know what they found so amusing. He put his credit card back in his wallet and popped it back in his pocket. He lifted the nozzle and inserted it into the truck to allow it to start filling up. He angled himself at the edge of his truck so he could take in the friends who Brett had brought with him. They all appeared to be physically fit. He didn’t recognize any of them. Draven folded his arms in front of his chest.
“I don’t think the person getting hurt is going to be any of us,” Brett said.
“I can guarantee it won’t be me,” Draven growled. He almost felt sorry that they had allowedBrett to talk them into coming for him. None of them stood a chance against him. “Are you coming to pay for Cashea’s tires?”
“Not a fucking chance,” Brett spat. He motioned to his friends. “You came to my place of business and decided to try to extort money out of me. Well, fuck you. It’s payback time.”
“I’m going to warn you one last time. All of you.” Draven met each one of their eyes.
Brett was about to land all of these men in the hospital. A deadly calm came over him; it had been a long time since he’d had this feeling. He was a rancher now, no longer a soldier, but old ways died hard. He took a few more steps away from his truck toward Brett and his goons. He had never wanted Cashea to see this side of him. He had wanted to bury the darkness that lived inside him, but apparently it needed to come out one last time.
He relaxed his arms at his sides.
“You can end this right now, Brett. Give her the fucking money to pay for what you did.”
“So what, I fucking slashed her damn tires. The bitch needed to learn to appreciate when a man is trying to give her his attention,” Brett snarled.
His friends circled Draven. He sensed their positions without looking around.
“I told you, don’t call her that,” Draven growled. The shit hadn’t learned his lesson before. It would seem that Draven would have to teach him again. Only this lesson was going to stick.
“Oh, so you’re fucking her.” Brett’s gaze flicked over to Draven’s truck. He barked a laugh. “That bitch doesn’t know a good man when she sees one if she’s with you.”
Draven’s rage reared its ugly head. He wouldn’t stand for Cashea to be disrespected. He was certain she could hear the entire conversation.
Brett motioned to his friends. “Fuck him up.”
