Chapter Ten
Reid
Robin makes a point of not looking my way for the entirety of her second set on stage. I can’t blame her after that kiss. She’s a stubborn little thing for denying the attraction between us. I don’t think I’ve ever been so drawn to another woman before, but with my reputation for being a woman claiming wild man, I can see why she’d want to err on the side of caution.
That’s all well and good.
I can be a patient man when I want to.
After she wraps up her songs, I decide to leave her alone.
Then I can’t.
More like won’t, because just as Robin is packing away her guitar from her spot on the stage, all the blood drains from her face when she makes eye contact with someone near the front entrance. It’s pure fear. She has never reacted to me that way. I follow her panic-stricken eyes to the source, and catch sight of him.
From this distance, there’s nothing out of place with the clean-shaven, well-dressed man standing there. He’s in his mid to late twenties, wearing a wavy medium-length hairstyle, a tailored black suit with the jacket open and showing his lean physique under a white shirt. No matter what he looks like, his presence alone has Robin scared as fuck. That means he and I have a problem.
I head over to her. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. I’m…I’m fine,” she stammers, voice tense, eyes trained on the man.
“You don’t look fine right now. Were you planning on leaving now?”
“I…yes. I’ve got to go.”
Because she’s still staring at the guy, I finish closing her guitar case, and rest the handle on the palm of her hand, but Robin’s shaking like a leaf as she clenches it. I have to assume she’s terrified of this guy.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” I tell her.
“You don’t have to do that,” she replies, still not looking at me.
“I didn’t have to kiss you either.” Picking up her purse, I grab the guitar from her and take her hand. “Let’s go.”
My instincts are right on the money as we get a few feet from the man. Up close, there’s a malicious expression on his face. His watery gray eyes are devoid of emotion, and the closer we get to crossing paths with him, the more his eyebrows bunch. The man licks his thin lips as he stares at Robin’s and my joined hands. Robin slows her pace, cowering, with part of her body behind me.
“Well, well. Look who it is,” he says, almost snarling. “How are you doing, Robin?”
“You don’t have to talk to this man if you don’t want to,” I state with self-assuredness.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Leo and Beau drain their beer mugs. Leo slaps some cash on the counter and approaches us. That’s one thing I can always count on. My boys have my back in a pinch.
“Relax, asshole,” the idiot crows out. “I’m going to have a word with my girlfriend here, and neither you nor your band of jacked-up muscle heads are going to stop me.”
“I’m not your girlfriend, Dave,” Robin shouts, which also tamps down any surprise I felt about the guy’s announcement. “And I don’t want to talk to you, or see you, just like I said the last time you came around.”
“You heard her, buddy,” I add. “Step aside.”
“Who’s going to make me?” Dave scoffs. “You? Who the fuck are you, anyway?”
I release Robin’s hand, and both Leo and Beau step in front of her protectively. Leaning down to show this dickhead that I mean business, I meet his eyes. “Who I am, is the guy that’ll make you regret not moving out of my way when you had the chance.”
Dave tilts his body to the right, trying to make eye contact with Robin. “You’re gonna play this, Robin?” he snaps out the question. “Okay. We’ll see how it works out for you.”
With a nod and a grimace in my direction, Dave stands down. He’s mad as hell, but he eventually turns and leaves.
“What the fuck was that about?” Beau asks me.
“Hell if I know.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him while you get your friend home,” Leo says with finality, heading outside. Damn straight I’m taking her home, whether she likes it or not. Even if I have to follow her in my vehicle.
I turn to face Robin. She’s still shaking like a leaf. Every instinct inside me is itching to pull her into my arms and hold her tight. “Christ. That’s your boyfriend? No wonder you won’t give me the time of day.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” she corrects me.
“How long ago did you two break up?”
“Almost a year.”
“And did good ole Dave get the memo?”
She runs frantic hands through her hair, eyes still fixed on the door. “Forget about it, okay. I just want to go home.”
“Are you sure you’ll be fine there?”
“Yes,” she answers, but there’s nothing positive in her voice.
“Will you be alone?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a good idea, Robin. Look at you. You’re scared of this guy. Can I at least take you to your parents’ place, or a friend’s?”
“My folks are away. My best friend is too. I’ll be all right.”
“I won’t let you face this guy by yourself. I’m betting he’s out there, sitting in his car, waiting to get you alone so he can confront you.”
She absent-mindedly runs the fingers of her left hand down her right wrist. “It wouldn’t be the first time. Eventually, he gets the hint and leaves. And when he doesn’t, it’s just a matter of reinstating another temporary restraining order.”
“Jesus, Robin. I have a real problem with that. He shouldn’t be showing up in the first place. Wait a second. Has he…has that bastard hurt you?”
“I need to get home,” she announces, avoiding my question. “It’s none of your business.”
“I’m making it my business.”
“Look, you don’t have any reason to do that. You’re not my friend, you’re not family, you’re not even a coworker. Just let it go. I can take care of myself.”
“You know I can’t do that, Robin.”
“Then you’re no different from him,” she shouts.
This woman is testing my patience right now. “I’m nothing like him. Can I at least walk you to your car and make sure you get home in one piece? I’ll drive my own car, and I’ll only wait a few minutes. I’ll even stay outside your place. You don’t have to let me in.”
She mulls it over for some time, and looks up at me. “Okay.”
“Good. Let’s get you out of here.”
I take her hand again and lead her outside. Leo and Beau are in the parking lot waiting for us.
“Is he gone?”
“Yeah,” Leo answers. “It took some convincing.”
“Thanks. Did you get his plate number?”
“Got it. He was driving a red Jeep Grand Cherokee.”
“I’ll keep an eye out.”
“Beau and I need to get back to the office. Give us a holler if he shows up again.” Leo pulls out a business card and passes it to Robin. “Take care with that one,” he tells her. “I’ve got a kid sister your age, and ain’t no way I’d let a man like that near her. Our emergency number is on there. Call anytime at all if you have a problem with him.”
Robin hesitates for a moment, seeming to contemplate whether or not to accept the card. “Thanks,” she answers, and takes it, sliding it into her purse.
I walk her to her truck. There’s a lot I want to tell her, but she has already insisted that she doesn’t want me to stick around at her place, so I respect her wishes. Still, I follow her for her trek home, watching my rearview mirror like a hawk just in case this dickbag shows up. We take the side roads to get to the small, detached one-level house she’s renting out near that spot where she was taking pictures. The place is secluded. On her side of the road, the houses are separated by large yards, and there’s nothing but bare land, cattle, and a few barns on the other side.
Robin steps over to my driver side door once she parks in her driveway and unloads her purse, guitar, and a file folder that was in her back seat.
“I’m good from here,” she tells me.
“I don’t agree, but I’m not gonna argue.”
“Thanks. Have a good night.”
The unsettled feeling in my chest doesn’t let up after she goes inside and locks up. It’s still with me when I get home. I twist and turn all night, and there are several points where I want to vault out of bed to check up on her. The next morning, just so that I don’t end up going batshit crazy, I take the long way to the office, intent on passing by her house.
Except I don’t count on seeing Robin’s baby blue relic of a Chevy truck a few cars ahead—or a dark gray late model Honda sedan that seems to be following her.