Deliverance (The Maverick Defense #1) by L.A. Cotton, Jenny Siegel Page B
Authors: L.A. Cotton, Jenny Siegel
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stage. My heart jumped into my throat, and I froze, the beer bottle halfway from my lips as I stared. Fucking hell, what was Joy doing here? In a place like Shakers? Dressed like that? My eyes cut across to the table where she’d been sitting and my hand dropped, slamming my bottle to the table when I saw who was sitting with her. Donnie DeLuca, there was certainly no love lost between us—not after he left me high and dry when I’d saved his ass. No wonder he looked so fucking smug at the funeral. What in the hell was she doing here with him?
Before I processed what I was doing, I was out my seat and making my way over to the stage. I was vaguely aware of a loud groan coming from Mikey when I stood, but by the time it registered, I had already crossed the club, my feet sticking to the carpet as I strode over to the stage. It was a dumb move, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. Every instinct told me to get her out of there before she stepped up on that stage. She didn’t belong up there; she was so much better than that. Something about her body language told me she wasn’t comfortable with it either. Perhaps, it was the tension in her shoulders or the way her hands curled into fists at her side.
All good sense along with everything Maverick Defense had taught me flew out the window, my mantra to think before I act. Fuck that. She was not getting up on that stage. My peripheral vision caught movement; Lex and Mikey were moving out of their seats at the same time as Donnie and two security guys were making their way over to me. Too late. I was at the stage reaching out for her as her foot hit the first step, a slight sway to her gait. My fingertips brushed against her skin; electricity skittered up my arm and shocked me with its force. Her head jerked to look at me, wide eyes clouded with confusion. She wobbled on her skyscraper heels.
“Joy.” At the sound of my voice, she turned to look down in my direction, and her mouth formed a small o . Her wide eyes clouded with confusion, replacing the same dull, lifeless look from before.
“Dawson?”
My hand slid down to her wrist and my fingers curled around hers, her nails digging in as she gripped me tightly. Her gaze jumped over the top of my head at the commotion behind me. Fear flickered in her hazel eyes and she tried to pull out of my grasp, but I refused to let go. Instead, I tightened my grip and tugged. Caught unawares, she pitched forward, stumbling off the step and straight into my arms.
Small hands landed on my chest, burning through the material of my shirt with their warmth. Her touch so familiar yet, at the same time, new and exciting. My hands gripped her hips as she righted herself, never taking her eyes from me. I saw a flash of desire, which disappeared the second a loud roar came from behind me.
“Get the fuck away from her.”
I turned, still keeping a hold on Joy as Donnie stormed over to us followed by two bouncers. Lex and Mikey halted a few paces from me as both of them eyed Donnie and the bouncers warily. Donnie’s eyes were wild, his face flushed with anger, and spit had gathered at the corners of his mouth. If he weren’t directing his anger at me, he would look almost comical. Reaching around me, he tried to grab Joy, but I was quicker and maneuvered her behind me. Her palms flattened on my broad back, pressing herself to me.
I forced myself to keep calm or, at least, appear calm. Inside, I was raging as anger coursed through every vein and every cell of my body as I looked at Donnie. Who the fuck did he think he was telling me to keep away from Joy? My Joy.
“She’s with me,” he growled, his eyes narrowing to slits as we stood toe-to-toe. I was a good three inches taller than he was and bigger, much bigger. Gone was the scrawny kid I’d been when we were growing up. Now, I was two hundred and ten pounds of solid muscle. Donnie was no lightweight, but unlike me, not much of it was muscle. His statement took me by surprise. Donnie
Before I processed what I was doing, I was out my seat and making my way over to the stage. I was vaguely aware of a loud groan coming from Mikey when I stood, but by the time it registered, I had already crossed the club, my feet sticking to the carpet as I strode over to the stage. It was a dumb move, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. Every instinct told me to get her out of there before she stepped up on that stage. She didn’t belong up there; she was so much better than that. Something about her body language told me she wasn’t comfortable with it either. Perhaps, it was the tension in her shoulders or the way her hands curled into fists at her side.
All good sense along with everything Maverick Defense had taught me flew out the window, my mantra to think before I act. Fuck that. She was not getting up on that stage. My peripheral vision caught movement; Lex and Mikey were moving out of their seats at the same time as Donnie and two security guys were making their way over to me. Too late. I was at the stage reaching out for her as her foot hit the first step, a slight sway to her gait. My fingertips brushed against her skin; electricity skittered up my arm and shocked me with its force. Her head jerked to look at me, wide eyes clouded with confusion. She wobbled on her skyscraper heels.
“Joy.” At the sound of my voice, she turned to look down in my direction, and her mouth formed a small o . Her wide eyes clouded with confusion, replacing the same dull, lifeless look from before.
“Dawson?”
My hand slid down to her wrist and my fingers curled around hers, her nails digging in as she gripped me tightly. Her gaze jumped over the top of my head at the commotion behind me. Fear flickered in her hazel eyes and she tried to pull out of my grasp, but I refused to let go. Instead, I tightened my grip and tugged. Caught unawares, she pitched forward, stumbling off the step and straight into my arms.
Small hands landed on my chest, burning through the material of my shirt with their warmth. Her touch so familiar yet, at the same time, new and exciting. My hands gripped her hips as she righted herself, never taking her eyes from me. I saw a flash of desire, which disappeared the second a loud roar came from behind me.
“Get the fuck away from her.”
I turned, still keeping a hold on Joy as Donnie stormed over to us followed by two bouncers. Lex and Mikey halted a few paces from me as both of them eyed Donnie and the bouncers warily. Donnie’s eyes were wild, his face flushed with anger, and spit had gathered at the corners of his mouth. If he weren’t directing his anger at me, he would look almost comical. Reaching around me, he tried to grab Joy, but I was quicker and maneuvered her behind me. Her palms flattened on my broad back, pressing herself to me.
I forced myself to keep calm or, at least, appear calm. Inside, I was raging as anger coursed through every vein and every cell of my body as I looked at Donnie. Who the fuck did he think he was telling me to keep away from Joy? My Joy.
“She’s with me,” he growled, his eyes narrowing to slits as we stood toe-to-toe. I was a good three inches taller than he was and bigger, much bigger. Gone was the scrawny kid I’d been when we were growing up. Now, I was two hundred and ten pounds of solid muscle. Donnie was no lightweight, but unlike me, not much of it was muscle. His statement took me by surprise. Donnie
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