Scott. Who the fuck are you?”
Mortified, Hannah opened her mouth, but the man next to her spoke up first.
“Dante Blackstone.”
She hadn’t heard him project his voice before, and the bass tones vibrated through the concrete into the soles of her feet. Wow.
Scott rocked back a half step. “What the hell are you doing fooling around with my sister?”
She wanted to dissolve into the cracked pavement.
Although he remained civil on the surface, Dante’s censure was obvious. “There was no fooling around, as you say. It didn’t seem right to make your sister walk home in the dark. I’m surprised you don’t have more concern for her safety.”
Scott sputtered. “Well, I’ve got my own business to take care of, my man. It’s cool. She can take care of herself. She’s a big girl.”
Her brother didn’t look at her but instead glanced at Brandon. After a long draw on the beer, Brandon leered at her and nudged Scott.
What the heck? Her brother had become another person altogether around this guy. How much she’d give to keep Scott permanently away from his so-called friend.
Brandon’s narrow face squished into a scowl. “You don’t want a random dude sniffing around your sister, do you?” His nostrils flared as he smirked at Dante with open hostility.
Just being in the same zip code as Brandon made Hannah’s skin crawl.
Dante reared back and stared at Brandon as if the ginger jerk had given him the worst news of his life. Dante’s brows drew together, and his mouth clamped into a hard line. Did these two men know each other? Their reactions were unusual, to say the least. In the silent standoff, she squirmed.
“No way, bro.” Scott wiped his mouth on his hand and glared at Dante. “All right, buddy. You did your charity work for my poor sister.” She flinched at Scott’s sarcasm. “You should head on home now before you try to get your hands on her. Payment for your services and all, right?”
Dante actually growled, and the heat coming off him increased until she started to sweat. How was that possible? It had to be her nerves. Mortified, she half turned to Dante. Although his hands had curled into massive fists, he kept them pressed to his sides. Maybe she could salvage the evening and whatever the heck was going on between these guys before an actual fight broke out. Dante’s electric-blue eyes had turned black. Had to be a trick of the streetlight.
“Thank you for walking me home.”
When she placed one finger on his arm, his black eyes bore into hers, and she froze. Thankfully, she had secured the transfer instinct, but warmth flowed up her finger into her hand, and she yanked her hand back. Somehow, Dante appeared bigger. Muscles stood out on his neck as rage radiated out from him, like a crazy, blond grizzly about to charge.
Standing stiff against the waves of disapproval behind her and the waves of anger in front of her, she repeated herself with as much force as she could muster. “Thank you again. I appreciate it. Have a good night.”
Dante looked like he was about to rip everyone’s arms off with his bare hands. Then he blinked down at her. Black eyes lightened to blue.
“I enjoyed the company. Hopefully, your brother will realize it’s inappropriate to make a lady walk home.” He stared down Scott and Brandon. Through gritted teeth, he said, “And adjust his priorities accordingly.”
He nodded curtly to her, spun, and walked off, his heavy tread fading into the night, leaving her empty and alone. And pissed.
She whirled around. “What’s wrong with you, Scott? Are you a gangster now, threatening folks?”
“Go in the house. Brandon and I have business to discuss.”
“What business?”
“None of your business, that’s for sure.”
“More drugs?”
“Shut up. Just let me do my work and look out for you. I need to provide for us.”
“This?” She motioned at Brandon’s thin, sneering leer. “This is looking out for me? I seriously doubt
Mortified, Hannah opened her mouth, but the man next to her spoke up first.
“Dante Blackstone.”
She hadn’t heard him project his voice before, and the bass tones vibrated through the concrete into the soles of her feet. Wow.
Scott rocked back a half step. “What the hell are you doing fooling around with my sister?”
She wanted to dissolve into the cracked pavement.
Although he remained civil on the surface, Dante’s censure was obvious. “There was no fooling around, as you say. It didn’t seem right to make your sister walk home in the dark. I’m surprised you don’t have more concern for her safety.”
Scott sputtered. “Well, I’ve got my own business to take care of, my man. It’s cool. She can take care of herself. She’s a big girl.”
Her brother didn’t look at her but instead glanced at Brandon. After a long draw on the beer, Brandon leered at her and nudged Scott.
What the heck? Her brother had become another person altogether around this guy. How much she’d give to keep Scott permanently away from his so-called friend.
Brandon’s narrow face squished into a scowl. “You don’t want a random dude sniffing around your sister, do you?” His nostrils flared as he smirked at Dante with open hostility.
Just being in the same zip code as Brandon made Hannah’s skin crawl.
Dante reared back and stared at Brandon as if the ginger jerk had given him the worst news of his life. Dante’s brows drew together, and his mouth clamped into a hard line. Did these two men know each other? Their reactions were unusual, to say the least. In the silent standoff, she squirmed.
“No way, bro.” Scott wiped his mouth on his hand and glared at Dante. “All right, buddy. You did your charity work for my poor sister.” She flinched at Scott’s sarcasm. “You should head on home now before you try to get your hands on her. Payment for your services and all, right?”
Dante actually growled, and the heat coming off him increased until she started to sweat. How was that possible? It had to be her nerves. Mortified, she half turned to Dante. Although his hands had curled into massive fists, he kept them pressed to his sides. Maybe she could salvage the evening and whatever the heck was going on between these guys before an actual fight broke out. Dante’s electric-blue eyes had turned black. Had to be a trick of the streetlight.
“Thank you for walking me home.”
When she placed one finger on his arm, his black eyes bore into hers, and she froze. Thankfully, she had secured the transfer instinct, but warmth flowed up her finger into her hand, and she yanked her hand back. Somehow, Dante appeared bigger. Muscles stood out on his neck as rage radiated out from him, like a crazy, blond grizzly about to charge.
Standing stiff against the waves of disapproval behind her and the waves of anger in front of her, she repeated herself with as much force as she could muster. “Thank you again. I appreciate it. Have a good night.”
Dante looked like he was about to rip everyone’s arms off with his bare hands. Then he blinked down at her. Black eyes lightened to blue.
“I enjoyed the company. Hopefully, your brother will realize it’s inappropriate to make a lady walk home.” He stared down Scott and Brandon. Through gritted teeth, he said, “And adjust his priorities accordingly.”
He nodded curtly to her, spun, and walked off, his heavy tread fading into the night, leaving her empty and alone. And pissed.
She whirled around. “What’s wrong with you, Scott? Are you a gangster now, threatening folks?”
“Go in the house. Brandon and I have business to discuss.”
“What business?”
“None of your business, that’s for sure.”
“More drugs?”
“Shut up. Just let me do my work and look out for you. I need to provide for us.”
“This?” She motioned at Brandon’s thin, sneering leer. “This is looking out for me? I seriously doubt
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