“You okay, Dawn?” The soft murmur of Benson’s voice grated on Cade’s already taut nerves, but not as much as his fingers stroking her neck.
Cade’s body reacted before his mind had processed what he was about to do. One minute he was standing beside Dawn, the next he had Benson up against the wall, his hand pressed against Benson’s chest. The depth of his fury shocked even him. “Thought I told you to let her go.”
“Cade. Stop.” Dawn’s voice barely registered through the pounding of blood in his ears. “You’re doing exactly what you just told him not to do.” Dawn stepped between Cade and Benson, her head barely reaching Cade’s outstretched arm.
Benson met his gaze, his direct stare raising Cade’s hackles and loosening the last threads of his self-restraint.
“You don’t want to do this, honey.”
“Outta the way, babe, or you’re gonna get hurt.” Cade tried to maintain his resolve, but it was damn hard with the scent of her perfume surrounding him, the soft brush of her hair against his skin, and when she wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed him back, he couldn’t hold on.
“Fuck. Dawn. Stop.”
But she didn’t stop. And even though he could have easily pushed her aside, he let her back him up until five feet separated him and Benson.
She looked up and glared, her beautiful face doing strange things to his stomach. For a moment he lost himself in her gaze, perversely pleased that she was here and not five feet away. She’d put her arms around him. Not Benson. She’d determined he was the bigger threat. Not Benson. And now she was looking up at him with those big liquid eyes and all he could think about was kissing her soft lips.
“You don’t have to solve every problem with violence,” she said softly. “I can’t go down that road again.”
“You don’t have to.” He bent down to kiss her.
She turned her head so his lips brushed over her cheek. “I like that you let me handle this myself. I liked knowing you were there as backup. Don’t ruin it by playing into Doug’s hands. He wants to arrest you. Don’t give him an excuse. I’m safe. Isn’t that all that matters?”
Cade looked up and stared at Benson. The deputy was leaning against the wall, arms folded, the faintest smirk playing out on his lips. Cade needed to hit something. Benson’s face being the most desirable target. Sensing Dawn might not be pleased, he smashed his fist into a table instead, his anger dissipating as the legs cracked and the table tipped sideways toward the floor.
“Tsk. Tsk. Destruction of property.” Benson’s voice was laced with amusement. “Maybe you should cool your heels down at the station.”
“Doug.” Dawn looked over at Benson and scowled. “Don’t make it worse.
“And you…” She poked Cade in the chest and lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I told you to let it go.”
“Dawn.”
She looked up when his voice cracked, and her face softened. Pressing herself against him, she wrapped her arms around his chest and gave him a hug.
“Must have been a really bad week.”
And it just had gotten worse. What the hell was he doing? Leaving his brothers at Peelers? Walking away from Delilah? Fighting over a woman? Women fought over him. And assaulting a police officer? No doubt Arianne had seen what he’d done and would report back to Jagger. Not that he was afraid of Jagger, but he structured his life so he was rarely in a situation where he could lose control.
He needed to get away from here. Clear his head. These confusing feelings he had weren’t rational. This wasn’t him. After growing up in a household where he could only sit by and watch his mom suffer, control was of the utmost importance to him, and right now it was slipping away. “I gotta go.” He pulled away and caught Benson studying them with interest. Their gazes met, locked, and then Benson dropped his eyes.
Primal satisfaction flared in Cade’s chest.
Mine.
And then he turned and walked away.
Not Benson.
*
“I hate her.” Dawn screamed and threw her phone across her living room. In an incredible show of agility, Arianne leaped over the coffee table and caught the phone before it hit the wall.
“What did she say?” Arianne stumbled to a stop and then fell heavily on the couch, her chest heaving.
“She won’t bring the girls because I don’t have the extra money. She says it’s not worth her time. The court order gives me three hours with them every Sunday. I can call social services, but she’ll just make something up about how she brought them here and I was high and she was afraid to leave the girls. She did it once before, and because of that damn court decision the people at social services believed her over me.”