Dallas [Wolfe Brothers 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Kaylee Feagans Page B

a nasally voice informed him. “We had a slight disagreement, and I overreacted. I just want to apologize to her.”
    “Ledbetter?” Dallas couldn’t believe the asshole had the gall to actually call Cristal. His fingers tightened dangerously around the phone.
    “Well, yes. Is this her brother?” Craig asked him as Dallas walked out of the guest room. There was no way he was going to be able to be quiet about this.
    “No, you son of a bitch! This is your worse fucking nightmare! If you come near her again, I will personally break every damned bone in your puny little body,” Dallas threatened the other man. “You don’t fucking touch what is mine. When I find you, and trust me, I will , you’d better have your insurance paid up—you’re going to need it.”
    “There’s no need to get all pissy with me! She deserved it. Just like every other damned woman, she couldn’t keep her mouth closed!” The sniveling wimp tried to plead his case, but Dallas wasn’t ready to let it go.
    “You already fucked up when you dared to touch my woman.” Dallas’s voice had lowered to a deadly level. “Don’t think I’ll let you hurt her again.”
    “You think you could you really stop me if I wanted to hurt her?” Craig sounded even stupider than Dallas had originally thought.
    “Oh yeah. I know I could. It would be in your best interest to get out of town before I come looking for you. I have contacts.”
    “Sure you do! Let me guess, you’re in contact with the mafia!” Craig’s laugh was short-lived.
    “Yeah, I am. Would you like to meet with my associates?” Okay, well, he only knew them through his brother Reno’s girlfriend. She’d found out that her real father was part of “the family,” but what the hell, if it got that loser to leave town, all the better for Cristal. He noticed that the line was dead but didn’t bother to call the asshole back.
    Instead, he banged around the condo. His anger was almost tangible. He needed something to do. He finished the last of his beer and reached for another. He went to his laptop and realized that he had an e-mail from Reno. According to what his brother had found on Craig Ledbetter, the man shouldn’t be allowed to walk the streets. He had several prior arrests for physical abuse against women, but the charges had all been dropped by the victims.
    He responded back to his brother, relaying the conversation he’d had with Craig. He’d just hit the send button when he heard her behind him. “Hey, sweetness, come here.” He set the laptop down and held his arms out for her.
    Cristal looked at him wearily. What the hell was he up to? Where was her phone? She knew she’d had it with her when she lay down. “What’s going on?” When she didn’t readily move closer to him, he surprised her by yanking her over the sofa and into his arms.
    “I’m sorry I was an ass.” He brushed his lips against hers softly. “I’d love to tell you that I’d never let it happen again, but I don’t want to lie to you.”
    “Have aliens taken the real Dallas?” She didn’t realize that she’d uttered those words until she heard him laugh.
    “It’s me. You had a call while you were sleeping.” He nuzzled her neck. “I answered it for you.”
    “Okay. I had some texts I was going to ask you about as well. Craig contacted me. He’s texted me a few more times, and left several voicemail messages.”
    “He called you again. That’s who the call was from. I suggested that he may want to leave town, but who knows if he’ll listen to me.”
    “Good. So I can go home now.”
    “No, I don’t want you to go home.” He slid his hand under her shirt but just rested it against her torso. “I don’t think it’s safe for you yet.”
    “I’m sure that the bully got the idea, Dallas. I know that you’ve got better things to do than have me hanging around your neck like a noose.” She didn’t understand his mood. Where had the angry man from earlier gone? Why was he