Safe Harbor by Tymber Dalton Page A

Sully suspected the older man wanted to talk with him alone.
    “Promise me, boy,” Tad said. “Promise me you’ll make the bastard pay.”
    “I will.”
    Tad leaned back and closed his eyes. “She never wears makeup.
    Your idea?”

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    “I didn’t want to shock you.”
    He snorted. “Takes a lot more than that to shock me. I’m just glad she got out alive. I always worried that asshole would kill her.
    Fucking mean son of a bitch. Damn bully. She really gonna live with you?”
    “As long as she wants. You have my word.”
    Tad arched an eyebrow at Sully. “She already know about you two?”
    Sully laughed. “Yeah. We told her the basics. Needed to, don’t you think?” They hadn’t told Tad all the details of their pastimes, but he knew Sully and Mac had more than just an average relationship.
    Tad slowly pulled himself up from the couch. “I suppose.” He started for the kitchenette to get plates. Sully stood to help him. “You know,” Tad said, “you two could be good for her, long term. Security.
    Safety. Someone to rely on.”
    Sully took several plates from him and laid them on the table.
    “What are you getting at?”
    He turned. “I’m just saying there’s something to be said for a girl having a couple of strong guys in her life.” His eyes twinkled. “If you get my drift.”
    Sully was afraid he did, but he let the subject drop. Tad apparently felt content to leave his piece said at that.
     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Clarisse stared out the window as Mac drove them to Dodecanese Boulevard and found a parking spot. It’d been years since she’d last visited the Sponge Docks. Much to her surprise, many of the restaurants and shops still bore the same names and signs and even merchandise, in some cases. He led her to Plaka’s where they placed their food order. Then, while they waited, they walked a few doors down to Hellas and bought several items for dessert from the Greek bakery there. He sat her in a booth and bought her a Coke. After he

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    sat, he handed her two Tylenol.
    “Take these, sweetie. You need them. You look like you’re hurting.”
    She didn’t fight him, gratefully took them, and washed them down. “Thanks.”
    He gently squeezed her hand. “Let us take care of you, okay?”
    “I don’t think I can get used to having a slave, Mac.”
    He grinned. “Well, don’t think of it that way, honey. Think of it as having a guy Friday.”
    Clarisse glanced over at him, loving his friendly, easy smile and twinkling brown eyes.
    Safe.
    She glanced around before studying the table again. Her hair hung in curtains beside her face, which helped her feel a little more secure about her appearance in public. “I promise I’ll pull my weight. Please tell Sully I mean that.”
    “Hey, honey, we don’t care. We told you we’ll figure something out.”
    “I can get a job, at least part-time somewhere, to pay rent.”
    “Clarisse.”
    Her head snapped up at his firm tone, fear tensing her body.
    He squeezed her hand again, his voice gentling. “Stop it. Don’t worry. It’s okay.”
    She’d glimpsed a hint of Mac on the boat, the way he’d handled Sully.
    In charge.
    After she finished her Coke, they picked up their order from Plaka’s. Mac insisted on carrying everything, juggling the food to open the Jag’s door for her.
    “Listen,” he said when she protested, “Sully’d kick my ass in a bad way, he catches me slacking. Unless I can’t do it, you don’t open your own doors, girlie.”
    She blushed. “I’m not an invalid.”

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    “Despite rumors to the contrary, I am a gentleman.” He grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. “And I take care of my lady.”
    Another pleasant flood of heat raced to her face and down her body at the possessive tone in his voice. If only he wasn’t gay, she’d gladly be his lady. Meanwhile, she would be happily content to have him in this way, at least.
    It didn’t matter. She had no intention of getting into