Ethan blew out a frustrated breath. "It didn't sound like they had any plans to make an arrest anytime soon. They were pretty dicey as to what was really going down. I got the impression they were just paying me a curtsey call at the same time making sure I understood I was too small town to be overly involved." Ethan smirked. "But you know how us country folk are, we ain't real keen at minding our own business," he added with an exaggerated drawl.
"What did you do?" Travis cocked an eyebrow.
"I sicced Butch on them." Ethan's lips twitched. "If anyone can find out what those two suits are doing, he will."
"Good call, Gargantuan." Travis sat back in the booth.
The sick feeling crawling around in his stomach settled some. Butch Meyer was ex-Navy Seal and a sniper to boot. If anyone could stay under the radar, it would be him. Travis didn't know much about the guy personally, other than he kept to himself and lived in a small hunting cabin out in the mountains.
Most of what he learned came from the gossip network. He heard his last mission in Afghanistan had ended in tragedy. His whole team wiped out except for him and he had barely come out alive. The man was seriously scarred and not just on the outside, hence why he lived the life of a hermit.
"How did you get him to agree to it?"
"Butch actually came to me. Seems the Feds have been tromping through his neck of the woods and Butch didn't like it. So, I told him what I thought was happening and he agreed to keep an eye on them." Ethan signaled the waitress for a refill. Once he had it and doctored to his liking, he focused back on Travis. "Right now there isn't much going on. Butch doubts the men the Feds are chasing are even here...yet." He frowned, looking down into his cup. "Just a lot of watching on everyone's side." He gazed over at Travis as he took a sip. "Basically, we just have to wait until Rafferty shows his cards or somebody makes a move."
Travis snorted. "What if showing his hand or making a move means Harley gets hurt? We have to be able to do something. Harley is in the middle. We can't leave her there and make her the sacrificial lamb." Blue eyes bored into green. "She needs protection, Ethan."
Travis felt the primal urge to defend his woman from the outside evils who threatened her. His blood fairly thrummed with a desire to protect her. Frustration made him impulsive. For once, he didn't take the time to understand the implications or work out any pros or cons, something which was very unlike him.
Usually, he would sit and stew over any given situation, taking his time, looking at it from all angles. This balls out approach was a foreign concept, but he embraced it. The consequences were too high for him not too. Thoughts of Harley being in danger or getting hurt bombarded his brain making his stomach pitch violently. He clenched his fists as the rage of what Rafferty had done washed over him. Now that everything which had stood between them was gone, he'd be damned if he was going to let something happen to her.
"We won't leave her unprotected." Ethan grabbed Travis's upper arm. "I promise you brother, I will keep an eye on her and so will my deputies." He waited until he saw a small nod of agreement before letting go. Sitting back slightly, Ethan's green eyes scrutinized him with that cop-like ability which caused Travis to squirm.
"What?"
Ethan chuckled softly, giving him a knowing grin. "If that look in your eye means what I think it does, I don't think there will much to worry about since I have a feeling you're going to be all over her like white on rice."
"Like you only read about big brother," Travis found himself answering before he could stop himself. Shocked at his slip of the tongue, Travis mumbled, "I have feeling she has the unique ability to get into trouble on a regular basis. So, it would only be to keep her from getting hurt." It sounded lame even to his own ear, but dammit, it was the best he could come up with. Ethan's laughter didn't help his mood. "You haven't met her," he growled. "She is a freak of nature on two legs, trust me."
"You don't say?" Ethan gave Travis a wink over his coffee cup. "Then perhaps I should take a friendly visit out to her place. Show her some small town hospitality and check out the condition of her legs for myself."
Travis's less than gracious remark was left hanging at the end of his tongue as Ethan's cell phone rang. "Saved by the bell," he muttered when his own cell vibrated in his pocket. He whipped it out and saw a text from Brady. Frowning about the possibility of something going wrong with his feed order for the week, he opened the text.
Trouble @ feed store. Harley needs help.
His blood ran cold as he responded with a quick message to let him know he was on his way.
Just as Travis jumped to his feet to leave, he noticed Ethan had matched his movements with his own ants in the pants behavior. Both cowboys' eyes met for a moment. "Feed store," they said together. Within seconds, they put their boots into motion and hustled it out the door.
Harley took a step back from Rafferty, not in fear, but to try and get a breath of fresh air. Seriously, didn't this man believe in the power of soap and water? She glanced up at Lloyd who suddenly was obsessed with a speck of dirt on the old counter he stood behind. Harley could tell by his body language he wasn't comfortable with the turn of events and probably had little to do with Rafferty's claim they didn't serve "her kind".
Harley narrowed her eyes, sending Rafferty a glare through her sunglasses. She noticed two other slimy looking cowboys had joined in on the fun and flanked him on both sides. Great, he had backup. Furious Rafferty's issue with her had involved Jenny and her husband, Harley straightened her spine and faced the disgusting bully. Her evil inner demon started to gear up in gladiator splendor in preparation for a monumental battle.
"You claim you own this town, Chucky. But the funny thing is, when I pulled in, I didn't see a sign with your name on it. But then again...Ignorant Asshole probably isn't the best choice for a name of a town. Not good for tourism," Harley stated flatly, hearing a few muffled chuckles in the background.
"I would watch my tongue if I were you, bitch," the greasy cowboy next to Rafferty spat in her direction.
"I don't believe I have had the pleasure or displeasure of meeting you." Harley turned her attention to him and just about tossed her cookies as she watched him wipe a stream of tobacco stained drool off his chin with the back of his sleeve.
"The name's Dick Finley, darlin'. If you need some feed, I got a few moldy bales out behind my barn. Course," he reached down and cupped his cock, "you'll have to work for em." He gave her a perverted grin, showing a minimal amount of brown, stained teeth and spit a stream of disgusting chew down by her boots.
"Why does it not surprise me your name would be Dick?" Harley took a step back to keep her suede boots from getting tobacco juice on them. "As far as your offer goes, Dick...if you're looking to get the smell of Rafferty's ass off your cock, I'm afraid I can't help you," Harley sweetly drawled. "Perhaps you should try soap. Obviously I don't think either of you have ever smelt it before."
"Why you dirty whore!" Rafferty roared, launching himself at Harley with his hand raised ready to send a solid backhand across her face.
She closed her eyes and readied herself for the blow which was about to come. Unconsciously, she set her body into defense mode. As soon as he threw the first punch, she thought, a good kick to his meaty throat should shut him down efficiently enough.
Time moved in slow motion as a vicious grin crept across her face. Damn. It was going to feel good to open a little whoop-ass and knock the fat bastard on his egotistical butt. Even though she cringed slightly at the thought of pain she would feel when his hand connected with her cheek, the diabolic demon inside her let out a war cry and raise a battle ax in the air.
Harley had never been an overly violent person, but the self-defense lessons her father had insisted on proved to be priceless when necessary. Like anything else Harley had set her mind to, she had graduated at the top of the class.
"I wouldn't touch her if I were you, not if you plan on still breathing later," a deep, unmistakable growl rumbled inches from Harley's ear.
Opening her eyes, she glanced over to see her very pissed off Adonis standing next to her with Rafferty's arm in a death grip. Pure intimidation oozed off him and Travis's blue eyes glittered with menace. Harley relaxed her stance, gazing in slack jawed utter amazement. Even though she should be thoroughly and righteously pissed he had stepped in and took away her ability to kick a little ass...okay, in Rafferty's case...big ass, she couldn't help but to admire his masculine physic and salivate just a tad.
He looked like a crouched panther about to rip its prey into a million pieces. Never the type of girl to dream about a knight in shining armor, she was pleasurably surprised to find herself getting extraordinarily turned on. The thrill of seeing him in full male dominance caused her panties to dampen and a pleasant throb to start in her clit. Woo-boy! He was glorious in full threat. Her diminutive demon rolled its eyes at her and stomped off to go pout in its corner.
"What's going on here?"
Harley's wicked thought about Adonis wearing nothing more than a loin cloth or perhaps a fig leaf, were interrupted by another deep throaty command. Looking over to her other side, she saw the local Sheriff striding up to join their little party. Holy shit on shingle! He was freaking HUGE!
Harley got a slight crick in her neck trying to see his handsome face which was a mask of barely contained fury underneath his cowboy hat. If it wasn't for the proof of pure ugliness which made Quasimodo look good sitting in front of her, she would have thought this whole town possessed nothing but men right off the cover of every romance book ever written.
Instead of Wolf Springs, they should have called it Fabio Valley. Harley couldn't contain a soft giggle and received a disapproving look from both her rescuers. She immediately sucked it up, ducking her head behind her hair to hide her smirk. Thankfully, they couldn't read her out of control thoughts as she pictured both men half naked, posing with some lucky damsel in pure orgasmic bliss clutched in their arms.
What a picture they would make with the wind playfully blowing their magnificent locks and the setting sun glistening off their rippling, naked, muscled chests while they leaned aggressively over their lady loves for a kiss. Drool.
"Sheriff, you're just in time to remove this woman from the premises," Rafferty boomed in an authoritative voice, trying to yank his arm loose from Travis's steely grasp.
Ethan gave Travis a slight head bob and he reluctantly let go with a snarl.
"She's insulted my associates and me. Plus...," he paused to grab a lung full of air which sounded suspiciously like a porky snuffle, "she became belligerent when Lloyd refused her service. She's been flaunting herself all over the store and making a spectacle in front of descent hard working folks. In fact, she has been nothing but trouble since she came into town."
Rafferty gave her a disgusting once over with his small, dark, piggy eyes making Harley's skin crawl. "Just look how she's dressed. She's damn near advertising it and the last time I checked Sheriff, prostitution is illegal." He glared at Harley when she let out a shocked gasp.
Her momentary pleasures and entertainment forgotten as she reset her body back into her attack crouch. Screw defense mode, she was going to draw first blood, Harley thought as she locked her fists. The diminutive demon returned, racing back from its pout, pleased at Harley's vicious thoughts.
Travis moved in and quickly grabbed her in a powerhouse grasp, trapping her from making any move towards the self-centered swine while the Sheriff stepped in front of her making an excellent wall of solidly built muscle.
"What are you doing?" Travis growled quietly as he tried calming her while she spit and hissed like a wildcat, squirming in his arms.
"Saving him from future plastic surgery by rearranging his face!" she snarled back, struggling against her bulging bicep prison to lash out at her target. So enraged by Rafferty's little vile speech of lies, Harley didn't even take the time to enjoy the fact she was back in his arms.
"See? She's a menace to society, Sheriff." The second scum sucking pig in Rafferty's ranks spoke up pointing a grungy finger in Harley's direction.
"I'd slap you, but shit stains!" Harley spat as she thrashed to get loose from her muscled restraints, giving Adonis a few good blows and bruises in the process.
The scruffy cowboy made a move towards the wiggling Harley, but thought better of it when Ethan stepped forward, glaring down at him. "You got something more you need to say Earl?"
"No, sir," he mumbled, shuffling his way back over to Rafferty. He sent Harley a threatening glare.
"Bring it asshole," she grumbled, wriggling once again to get loose.
"Settle down, sunshine," Travis whispered sternly in her ear, locking her even tighter against his body. "Or do I have to apply the little trick I learned the other day to hush you up?" His breathy threat tickled her ear, sending a delightful shiver down her body.
Harley looked up and came nose to nose with his handsome face, his eyes smoldering in a toe tingling lustful promise. Woo-boy...he truly was beautiful to look at. Travis chuckled and she couldn't help but to relax in his arms, snuggling closer. Her inner demon stomped off, dragging it battle ax in defeat. "That's my girl," he whispered, brushing his lips against her ear.
Harley barley got the chance to absorb his "my girl" comment before her attention was pulled from his memorizing blue gaze by Rafferty's nasally voice.
"It was a good thing you showed up when you did. I was about to show her the door myself." His beady little eyes skittered over to where Travis held Harley and grinned, enjoying watching Harley's useless struggles.
"Funny, it looked like you were about to hit the lady to me, Rafferty," Ethan said, his deep drawl doing nothing to hide the growl which accompanied it. He took another calculated step and efficiently blocked Harley from Rafferty's view.
"Now Sheriff, you know I would never to something like that." Rafferty narrowed his eyes, returning them back to the mammoth of a Sheriff looming above him. "I was simply trying to defuse the situation by escorting the trouble maker out before she could do more damage." He puffed out his chest which only made his sizeable belly rounder. "There are children present and we don't need that kind of language or behavior around here." He snorted in disgust. "You are sadly mistaken Sheriff if you think that," he pointed a pudgy digit in Harley's direction, "is a lady." His buddies beside him snickered, loudly.
Harley could feel Travis stiffen at his humiliating insults. "Watch your fucking mouth, Rafferty," Travis snarled.
He took a large step towards the fat bastard, dragging Harley along with him, but was stopped by Ethan grabbing his shoulder and pushing him back. Tension flowed through his arms which were still tightly wrapped around her. Looking up, she shivered at the icy glare he was sending Rafferty, full of promised painful retribution later.
I wanted to take this time to thank you for reading! I really hope you enjoyed this installment of When Roses Collide, and that you'll consider giving it a vote. I can't tell you how much your support means to me and how much it motivates me to keep going.
If you find any errors along the way, don't be afraid to point them out and I enjoy any recommendations or critiques you may have. As always, I will try and update once a week, but if you don't see an update here, check out my other story Bending Steele and FANGED. Thanks again!