Deliverance (The Maverick Defense #1) (9 page)

“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 and Joy? My beautiful, pure, delicate Joy with Donnie. The same Donnie who had hated his family’s connection, his uncle’s business. The same Donnie who was forever telling me to follow the rules and keep out of trouble. The same Donnie who got shy whenever a girl spoke to him. No way.

“With you?”

“She’s my girl,” he sneered, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe that sleazy grin off his face.

“What the fuck? Your girl? Why would you let her dance on the stage like some whore?” I glared down at him. Anger blazed brighter in his eyes, and I wondered where the guy I once knew had gone.

“I can do whatever the fuck I want. I’m the one running this town. Joy.” He snapped his fingers and held out his hand, never once taking his eyes off me.

“I’m sorry, Dawson,” she whispered before the heat from her body disappeared as she emerged from behind me and took his hand. The triumphant look on his face was worse than the sleazy grin.

“A lot has changed since you were last here, Dawson. Do everyone a favor and go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.” I bristled at the possessive glint in his eye as his arm slid around Joy’s waist and he tugged her closer. And because I couldn’t take my eyes off her, I saw the shiver that passed through her body. Coupled with the look on her face, I knew she didn’t want him touching her. It did something to me, watching him with her, treating her like that. Like a piece of meat. He was going to make her dance, to belittle herself. And for what? His entertainment.

I lost it.

“You fucking slimy piece of sh-” I pulled my fist back and swung at him, wanting the satisfaction of hearing my fist connect with his face. Of busting his nose wide open and seeing the blood splatter on his cheap-as-fuck suit. Soil the white shirt he was wearing. But I was pulled backward at the waist before any of that could happen.

“Leave it, Dawson,” Lex said in a hushed voice in my ear. His tone flat and deadly serious. I knew that tone. He’d used it on me too often, trying to calm me down and talk me out of beating the shit out of someone. He hooked an arm around my shoulder and pulled me away.

“Troy. Barkley.” Donnie clicked his fingers at the two men standing just behind him. “See Mr. Spencer, his brother, and friend out.” He gave me one last long look before he turned, his arm still around Joy, and walked away through the club. With a ramrod straight spine, she went with him and didn’t even turn around as she walked away from me.

The two heavies stepped forward as I shrugged off Lex’s arm and marched toward the entrance. I kicked open the door with the sole of my foot and got some satisfaction when it smashed off the wall behind and splintered at the hinge. They waited until we were outside.

“And don’t bother coming back.” One pointed his finger at us and Lex burst out laughing.

“Yeah, like being banned from here is the worst thing in the world. You’re doing us a favor,” he shouted as the door slammed shut.

I started to pace. I couldn’t stand still. My brain scrambled to keep up with what I had witnessed. Mikey and Lex watched as I paced back and forth in front of Shakers. I kicked an empty bottle propped up on the curb. It shattered against the wall, but it did little to ease my rage.

“Dawson,” Lex shouted, but I waved him away. “Dawson, man, calm the fuck down.” I stopped in front of him and he laid his hands on my shoulders.

“I can’t believe it, Joy with Donnie.”

“Told you we shouldn’t have come here,” Mikey muttered from where he was leaning against the wall. I moved to stand in front of him.

“You knew,” I gasped as it all started to make sense. “You knew about Donnie and Joy, and you never said anything.” His dipped head and his refusal to look at me were confirmation enough. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It wasn’t my place to say.”

“Not your place? I’m your brother.” I shook my head unable to understand why he wouldn’t tell me.

He snorted at me.

“Are you still pissed at me for not coming home?” I asked.

“No. But it was up to Joy to tell you. I meant it when I said things have changed.”

“That’s a fucking understatement.”

“What is the deal with Joy and Donnie?” Lex asked.

With a sigh, Mikey pushed off the wall. “Let’s go. There’s no way Donnie will even let you have a glimpse of her now.” Mikey started down the street, Lex and I following.

“He wanted this. Why else would he ask us here and bring her here on the same night?”

“You’re right.” Mikey lifted his head to look at me. “I know Donnie, and he’s a sneaky shit. He planned this. He wanted you to know about him and Joy. He wanted to get a reaction and warn you off.”

“You need to be smart, Dawson,” Lex warned and clapped a hand on my shoulder. He was right; I needed to keep my cool around Donnie. Because one thing was certain; we would run into each other again. I would make certain of that.

The three of us walked in silence, but I couldn’t keep quiet for long.

“What the fuck is she doing with him? I don’t understand it.”

Lex groaned. “Maybe she loves him.”

“Fuck off,” I barked unable to accept that.

“I wouldn’t put it like that,” Mikey mumbled, and I put out an arm to stop him.

“What do you know?”

“From what I hear, Donnie can be … intense.”

“Intense how?”

“Shit, Dawson, I don’t know. It’s up to Joy to tell you.” Mikey shoved his hands in his pockets, end of conversation.

“I don’t trust Donnie,” Lex reiterated what we were all thinking.

“You don’t say,” I muttered.

The remainder of the walk home was in silence, and once inside, we all muttered ‘good night’ and went off to bed. The evening had not turned out how any of us had imagined. In fact, the whole fucking day sucked. Even later, when I was lying in bed, I couldn’t switch off. I still couldn’t get my head around it. One thing was for sure, she was far too good for him. If she loved him and he made her happy, I’d like to say I would be man enough to step aside. But I can’t say for certain that I would. It still didn’t explain why in the hell she was with him. In what alternative universe did Joy end up with Donnie DeLuca? It was my worst nightmare come true.

I couldn’t ignore the fear in her eyes or the way she readily let me shield her. I saw the regret in her eyes when she went to him and the shiver of revulsion when he touched her. Hell, I couldn’t ignore any of it. As far as I was concerned, unless Joy could convince me of her undying love for Donnie DeLuca, then I wasn’t going to stop until I found out what the fuck had been going on with her since I left.

“D
on’t you think you should take it easy?” Sherri eyed me warily.

“No,” I said bringing the glass to my lips. “The burn helps.” I gulped down the clear liquid. My throat exploded with heat as it slid down. The burn was better than remembering the disgust twisted into Dawson’s features as he realized I was with Donnie.

“I can’t believe he was going to make you dance.”

“Really?” I replied unable to hide the sarcastic bite to my voice. Donnie had planned the whole thing. He knew Dawson was going to be here tonight—probably invited him along, and I walked straight into it.

Sherri hissed through her teeth. “He took it one step too far.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t do it, did I?”

The pathetic thing was that I was going to. I was ready to step up to the podium and dance. Not for him—no, never for him, but for my last shred of self-preservation. Or desperation. I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Except for the constant emptiness in my stomach.

My chest.

My heart.

When Dawson left me, he ruined me. Even though he didn’t want to, didn’t mean to, he ripped open my chest, tore out my heart, and took it with him. Donnie comforted me. We comforted each other … and he helped me forget. The first time was just supposed to be a one-off. Donnie said it would numb the pain, and it did. Until the high wore off and I slipped back into the black void consuming me.

“Joy,” Terry, one of Donnie’s right-hand men leaned close. “Donnie wants to see you.” His hand hovered above my arm, a look of regret shining in his eyes.

I gave him a terse nod ignoring Sherri’s pleading glare.

I’d made my bed.

Now, I’d have to lie in it.

I found Donnie standing at his desk. Had it really only been a couple of hours since we were last in here? It felt longer somehow. A different night.

“Baby, come over here.” Donnie’s hardened glare tracked me as I moved across the office.

“Why?” The word tumbled out. I hadn’t realized until I saw him standing there with a smug look on his face that I was going to challenge him, but something Sherri had said to me kept replaying in my mind.
He took it one step too far.

“Shh.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and buried his face in me, his alcohol-tinged breath licking my skin.

My eyes clamped shut. “Why, Donnie? Just tell me why?”

Donnie’s hands tightened on my shoulder, biting into my slick skin. “You know why,” he breathed against my neck raggedly.

Overcome with something I hadn’t let myself feel for a long time, I felt the tears build behind my eyes.
Don’t cry, don’t cry. Don’t give him the satisfaction.

“Tell me you’re mine, baby,” Donnie’s voice was softer this time, but his grip didn’t loosen.

I drew my lip between my teeth, biting down the urge to scream or cry or pound Donnie. How could he embarrass me so openly? Behind closed doors was one thing, but parading me in front of the whole club. In front of Dawson. I didn’t ever doubt Donnie’s sick and twisted streak. He loved power, got off on it, especially when exerting it over others. Over me. But making me dance in front of his friends, business associates, the girls … it was different. Even for Donnie. He flaunted me, wore me on his arm like a trophy, let men watch me with him in his back room, but he never allowed his men to look or touch in public. It was his golden rule, and tonight, he’d almost broken it.