5. Benito

CHAPTER 5

Iopen the door and the light from the living room drifts across her tiny figure in the bed. Her fierce glare is softened in sleep and my body aches to be the one to hold her all night long.

I close the door and sigh, running my hands through my hair. I sit down on the couch and the black cat wanders across my lap and settles by my head, staring out into the night.

"I know. I don't like it either. Too much out there is waiting to touch her and sully her. I'm not letting that happen. But it's out there." The cat purrs as my hand digs into the top of its head.

"She's strong. She's a scrappy one. I like that."

I like it a fucking lot. I've never met a woman like her. She looks so soft and sweet and yet she's sassy and hits when you least expect it. Fucking makes my dick hard as a rock.

I pick up my phone and dial my brother. He picks up on the first ring even though it's the middle of the night. Neither of us sleeps worth shit. Everything wakes us up. Hazard of the job.

"What the hell are you still doing up, asshole?" He snaps, his voice gruff.

I hear the worry in his voice though. My brother and I are all we have left. Mom died of cancer when we were still young and Dad raised us alone.

After she died, he didn't date any other woman. He always stayed loyal to her memory. That's the kind of love I want. I know I can have it with Red.

"Hey, did you get that information on the bookstore in town?"

"I don't know what you want. The bookstore is just that. A bookstore. It's not a front for anything. The woman that owns it is so damn clean, she might as well be a ghost."

"Tell me about her." I know I shouldn't do this but I want to know everything about her. I can't wait.

"Scarlett Carson. Used to be a librarian in Salt Lake before she came home when her mom passed away. Inherited the store which was struggling. She started book clubs and some children's activities and story time that really picked up the business. She managed to get the store out of the red."

"Is that all you know?"

"What else do you want to know?"

"Is she involved with anyone? Is there a man I have to kill?"

There's dead silence on the other end of the line and then Tomas growls, "have you lost your mind? This woman lives there. She's planted her roots deep. She's not leaving. And you're interested in her? How the hell is that going to work? You live and work here."

"I'll worry about that later. Does she have a man?"

"Jesus! NO! No men that I could find. She appears to be exactly what you'd think a small-town bookstore owner would be."

"Humph! I know that you're saying that like it's a bad thing but I don't think you know what you're talking about."

"Just watch it, brother. You don't want to get tied down with some woman and have to leave her there."

"I know what I'm doing."

He snorts. "Yeah, right. I've never seen you wrapped up in some chick and I gotta say. I don't like it. Especially now. I can't seem to find out where the guy went and who he works for."

"I forgot to tell you. I'm staying with her right now because someone shot at us tonight."

"What! Why the hell didn't you tell me that before?"

"Doesn't make any difference except that I'm not leaving Red alone. Gotta make sure she stays safe."

"How about making sure you stay safe, asshole?"

"I am."

"Doesn't sound like it. Sounds like you're fucked in the head thanks to this woman."

"Stop talking about her like that," I growl, my hands clenching into fists.

"You better keep your head straight! If I have to come down there for a fucking funeral because you can't keep your dick in your pants, I'm gonna drag your ass out of the coffin and kick it myself!"

I snort. "Yeah. I'm good. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"I'd believe it better if you weren't so wound up that you're asking about non-existent men instead of chasing down a real one that wants to kill you."

"I'm good. And believe me. I'm gonna find him. He shot at her. He could have killed her. I don't accept that."

I can practically hear him rolling his eyes through the phone. "Yeah, yeah. Just be careful. I'll start tracking into your area and see who pops up on the radar."

"Thanks, man."

"Just don't get killed. You're all the family I have left."

"Ditto."

Then I hang up and set my phone down, running my hand down my face and staring at the cat. "I guess it's just us now. I don't even know your name."

The cat sniffs my finger and drags it over to nip at it and purrs like it's chewing on a piece of sausage. "Don't you dare take a piece out of me, cat."

I lean back on the couch and let my eyes close, my mind wandering to my girl.

Scarlett. Pretty little Red. My cock jerks and weeps in my pants and I growl under my breath. This is going to be a long night.

I turn on the couch and stare off into space, wondering who the hell is after me and what the hell they were thinking trying to get my little Red involved. That's a sure-fire way to piss me off so bad that I'm gonna make sure that you die slowly.

I'm not a merciful man if you mess with the ones I love. I jerk and my eyes open wide. I've never believed in love at first sight but I've been following my girl for a week and I've watched how sweet she is with everyone she meets.

The first day, I saw her sit and talk to a little girl who was all by herself in the bookstore and seemed so nervous. Within seconds, she had the girl laughing as they strolled through the bookshelves and she helped her pick out some books which I saw her hand to the girl and the little one put them in her book bag. She didn't take any payment for them at all.

I also saw her grab a coffee at the little coffee shop in town and she bought an extra one to give to an old man outside the store who was sitting on the bench by the road, his chapped hands clasped in front of him and his eyes far away. He took the coffee and she smiled and sat down and talked with him during her whole lunch break.

She's an angel on Earth and I probably don't deserve her. Hell, I know I don't deserve her. She's a sweetheart of a woman that looks to have adopted the whole town since she came back home and they love her just as much. But it was so easy for me to fall in love with her.

I'm a bastard. I know I'm a bastard. But I am the only man she's ever gonna get because I'll kill any other dick that looks at her.

And call me a possessive asshole but I don't fucking care. She's mine.