Chapter Eleven

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Wes~

Gracie was subtly leaning against my chest, trying not to make it obvious that she had put nearly all of her body weight against me, but needed the physical comfort of knowing that there was absolutely no chance that someone was going to sneak up on her.

I took her weight easily and stood there, making casual conversation with Chad as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, but my insides were buzzing and highly aware of the full on contact of Gracie's body against mine even if it was innocent in nature.

When Blake appeared with Gracie's shot and drink in hand, she straightened her posture slightly, but didn't pull away from me which I enjoyed for some reason. Actually the more I thought about it the more my logical mind tried to make sense of it.

There's a gorgeous woman touching me. Of course I am going to have a reaction to that.

It was as simple and as easy as that. Gracie was insanely attractive and was touching my entire torso at the moment. Of course my body is going to react to that kind of contact. It didn't mean I had feelings for her, it was lust - attraction that I'd felt for countless women before her.

Except I've never felt this level of infatuation before...whatever. I don't do feelings and I'm not about to start now. I feel protective of Gracie, but that's just because that's who I am as a person. Right?

My brain wanted to sort out my emotions immediately because they were new and foreign and my logical mind demanded an explanation that I didn't have.

Shaking my head in an effort to shut off my racing thoughts, I grabbed one of the shots that Blake brought over and held it high with the rest of the group.

"Anybody got a toast?" Maggie asked.

"I got one for ya" Blake said, clearing his throat. "Here's to thinking positive and testing negative, Cheers!"

"Jesus Blake," I muttered under my breath as I dropped my head and laughed with my chin tucked against my chest.

"Ew!" Amanda playfully whined, slapping Blake's bicep who was laughing along with the rest of the table.

"I mean I'll cheers to that." Chad said, tapping his glass against Blakes which earned him a comically shocked expression from Maggie, whose jaw slacked open as she folded her arms across her chest, eyeing my friend.

Uh oh Chad. Bad move, buddy. Maggie thinks you either just admitted to cheating or that you think she might have an STD. Either way, you're in trouble bud.

I felt Gracie's shoulders shaking with laughter as she giggled at Chad's mistake. The only one who hadn't noticed Maggie's death stare was Chad himself, who downed his shot alongside Blake and stood there like a happy oblivious idiot.

I cleared my throat loudly and motioned over toward Maggie with my head, prompting Chad to turn and meet Maggie's comically heated gaze.

"What? No! Mag - that's not what I meant! I meant I'd cheers to Blake testing negative... Blake!"

Maggie was grinning at Chad who was panicked and drunkenly groveling, when she raised her shot glass and shrugged Chad's arm off her shoulder.

"I'm not toasting to Blake's STD status. So here's to Gracie being single!" Maggie said, raising her shot glass cheerfully and tossing a playful elbow into Chad's side.

Hell yes. I'll drink to that.

The entire group tossed their shots back before placing the empty glasses down on the table and I watched as Gracie leaned forward and gathered all of the, piling them into a neat stack in front of her.

Of course she's cleaning up, trying to help out the waitress.

Gracie was so selfless and would help anyone with anything if they asked. Hell, she'd help even if no one asked. It was an endearing quality that I never knew I'd find so attractive. Most girls I took home were selfish and conceited but Gracie was just the opposite and would give a stranger the shirt off her back.

Shit now I'm picturing her without a shirt on.

"Wanna go with me to run these up to the bar?" Gracie asked, looking up at me over her shoulder and pulling me from my own thoughts that were currently in the gutter.

"You don't have to do that you know, the cocktail waitress will come around eventually and grab em'." I said, knowing how tired Gracie was and giving her permission to take care of herself instead of others.

"I know that, but look at this place. Look how busy she is." Gracie said, looking around before her eyes landed on one of the waitresses who was frantically moving around the bar.

"Gracie, she's literally getting paid to come pick up the glasses. You don't have to take them back up to the bar." I chuckled, but knew I was fighting a losing battle.

"Have to and want to are two totally different things, so are you coming or not?" Gracie sassed with a grin as she hopped off the bar stool and took the stack of glasses.

Of course I'm coming with you. I gave you my word I'd stay by your side all night and I never go back on my word.

"I'm comin', but let me carry those." I said, smiling down at her and taking the glasses from her hands.

I held the stack of glasses with one hand, steadying them against my chest and extending the other hand out toward Gracie who grasped it instantly, taking a quick survey of her surroundings as if I hadn't already. Her light brown hair, swished from side to side as she inspected the crowd for the face of the asshole who was out to harm her.

No ones gonna hurt you Gracie.

It was painfully obvious how long Gracie had been forced to live in fear everywhere she went, never knowing if Colt would drunkenly show up and surprise her. 

Watching her big hazel eyes dart around the bar for potential threats set my blood on fire and I gave her hand some gentle repetitive squeezes to remind her that she had nothing to be afraid of as long as I was around.

She didn't speak, mostly because the music was too loud, as we passed directly in front of the speakers, but she squeezed my hand in return using the same repetitive pattern.

Why is it that everything this girl does has some kind of effect on me? All she did was squeeze my hand, but that simple innocent gesture made me want to scoop her up and take her home - straight to bed - straight to my bed. What the hell?

We weaved our way toward the bar where it was a little more quiet and I set the empty shot glasses onto the bar top, getting a gracious nod from the bartender who quickly grabbed them.

"See what wasn't so hard." Gracie sassed up at me with a sarcastic smile.

I opened my mouth to give her a snarky reply, but my words were interrupted and overshadowed by a loud male voice that bellowed from behind me.

"What the hell Gracie?" The loud voice yelled causing the hairs on my neck to bristle and my teeth to grit.

Gracie's eyes went wide and scared as she stared at someone who was fast approaching and obviously not a welcomed visitor. I turned my body to confront the source of the obnoxious voice, grasping Gracie's arm gently and steering her behind my back until she was completely concealed by my large frame.

My eyes searched for Colt, but landed on someone else instead.

Wait a minute, I know this fucker.

"You got a fucking problem Collin?" I snarled at the pathetic sack of shit that was yelling at Gracie.

Looking like he'd just seen a ghost, Collin stopped his forward motion and lowered his brows in confusion at my hard stance in front of Gracie.

"Wes? How do you know Gracie?" Collin asked in a much softer tone than he'd dared to use when talking to Gracie.

"Doesn't fucking matter." I said flatly.

Collin did his best to ignore me and tried to talk directly to Gracie. 

"I just need to talk to you okay Gracie? Colt's waiting outside and wants to take you home."

Over my dead body.

Instead of responding verbally to Collin's words, I felt Gracie take in a fistful of my shirt as she clung to my back. She trembled slightly, plastering herself against me which made me want to knock Collin's teeth out. I reached back and kept one arm wrapped firmly around her, trying to make sure she felt protected and secure behind me.

"Are you fucking blind man? She's not interested in talking to you or Colt." I said, glaring at Collin the same way I had when I caught him dealing drugs at the gym.

"Listen Wes, you don't want to get in the middle of this okay."

A smug smile tugged at the corner of my mouth at Collin's weak threat and a part of me begged for him to give me a reason to put hands on him.

"Oh really? And what are you gonna do about it Collin?"

"Don't do this Wes." Collin said, but I wasn't sure if it was a threat or a plea.

"I got no problem rockin' your shit right here in this bar...just give me a reason, Collin."

Holding Gracie behind me, I took a step forward until Collin and I were nearly chest to chest.

"Give me a fucking reason." I growled down into his face, wishing he'd take me up on my threat, but knowing he was too much of a coward.

Fear flashed behind Collin's eyes and it was a pleasure to my senses, causing the side of my mouth to curl into a malicious smile. He swallowed hard and eyed me up and down before he lowered the tone and volume of his voice and had the nerve to speak again.

"Come on Wes. This is between Colt and Gracie." Collin said in the weakest voice I'd ever heard leave a man's mouth.

Yeah I'd be scared of me too, motherfucker.

"Wrong. Colt's got a problem with me now, and you can tell him I said that. So if he's got somethin on his fucking mind that he needs to talk about, give him my fucking number."

My words were cold and settled down into Collin's bones as he quickly put space between us in an act of self preservation. He was scowling, but he nodded his head and didn't challenge me in the least, before swiftly turning to leave with his posture caved and defeated.

That's what I thought...pussy.

As soon as Collin was out of sight and I felt comfortable turning my back, I swiveled my body around and looked down at Gracie who was absolutely terrified which broke my damn heart.

"Is he gone?" she said softly.

"Yeah, he's gone and won't be back."

Clutching her arms tightly across her middle, she tried to soothe her jolted nerves and started to recluse inwardly.

"How do you know Collin? That dude is bad news." I said, trying to get all the information I could so I could gauge exactly how much danger Gracie was in.

Gracie took in a deep, shaky breath before she spoke and I couldn't help but run my hands softly up and down her arms to try and help her calm down.

"He moved in with Colt and Lee almost a year ago. Does nothing but sell drugs and bring shady people around and recently got Colt and Lee to agree to sell for him. I stopped staying at Colt's apartment when Collin moved in...one of his junky friends got high and tried to force himself on me while Colt was passed out...So let's just say I know Collin is bad news."

Balling my fists and clenching my teeth, I dropped my head back onto my shoulders and huffed out an angry breath at the ceiling in an effort to control my temper in front of Gracie, who was already scared enough.

"Goddammit Gracie, how'd you get mixed up with these guys, sweetheart?" I asked as I pulled her in for a hug, feeling her small arms wrap tightly around my torso. I rested my chin on the top of her head and waited for her to pull away, but she didn't. She squeezed me tighter and clutched the back of my shirt with both fists, holding herself securely against my chest. 

In that moment Gracie didn't need me to yell at anyone for her, or fight anyone. She didn't need a lecture or advice, she just needed me to hold her - she needed to feel safe.

I'll hold you for as long as you need me to Darlin'. I'm not goin' anywhere.

I rocked her back and forth slightly, subtly swaying on my feet from side to side as I let her bury her head in my chest and hide from the world for a little while.

My mind was poisoned with hatred, but my body wrapped around her and held her softly, because she was fragile and precious. I had to balance my rage and my compassion perfectly to be able to hold her that way and it was a new compromise that my body and mind had never been forced to make before.

When she finally felt safe enough to lift her head from my chest and pull away slightly, she looked up at me and gave me a small gracious smile.

"I think I've had enough fun for one night." She admitted softly.

"Yeah?"

"If you're ready to leave, you just say the word, but we gotta talk about where you're gonna stay tonight."

Her little wheels started turning rapidly and her eyes went unfocused as she got lost in  her own thoughts, weighing her options as if it had just occurred to her that Colt and his friends might try to follow her home.

"Why don't you and the girls stay at my place tonight, just until we can get this shit sorted out. You can sleep in my bed again and I'll crash on the couch or we can get all three of you guys set up on the pullout couches together. Up to you."

Gracie narrowed her eyes at me slightly as she mulled over my offer, folding her small arms across her chest and grinning up at me with a small grin.

"This isn't some kind of weird pick up strategy is it?" she joked with a skeptical look on her face.

Damn you really have heard quite a bit about my reputation haven't you?

My shoulders shook as I chuckled at her playful accusation.

"No ma'am. All genuine. Scouts honor."

My words sent a ripple of laughter through Gracie, causing her to lift her chin and look up at me with light in her eyes.

"Scouts honor? Oh you're no boy scout." She scoffed.

"I could be a boy scout, how would you know?"

"I mean look at you." She laughed.

Tilting my head down with my chin tucked, I gave myself a once over before bringing my eyes back to meet hers and shrugging my shoulders in confusion. 

"Oh come on, you can't look like that and call yourself a boy scout- The big muscles and fighting scars. Boy scouts aren't that scary looking or that hot."

Hot?

Gracie's face paled slightly and she slapped her hand over her mouth for a second, realizing that the last part of that statement had been said out loud. It was the cutest gesture I'd ever seen and I don't think girls are cute. I don't use words like adorable, but Gracie was exactly that. Her cheeks flushed pink and she gave me a wide-eyed look, trying to gauge my reaction and I was loving every second of it.

"You think I'm hot Gracie?" I teased, looking down at her and taking a small step forward.

"I...y-yes...well no...not in that way...a little...I mean yeah, but..."

Her frantic mumbling was tugging at my heart in a way I'd never experienced, making me want to scoop her up and hold her until she stopped stammering.

God you're so fucking cute Gracie.

She pushed out a hard breath and pressed her lips together into a hard line as if she were physically trying to stop words from falling out before looking up at me with a small embarrassed smile as she started over.

"Yes - you're hot Wes, the problem is that you know you are." she finally sassed.

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about Darlin'" I replied casually, getting nothing but an eye roll in return. She gave me a playful look before another deep drawn out yawn took over and pulled at her jaw.

"Let's go rally the troops and get you to a bed." I suggested, offering her my hand as I started to move toward the tables. She was physically and emotionally exhausted and needed to get some sleep, but I hoped like hell that she'd end up in my bed again, even if I wasn't in it, for reasons that I couldn't comprehend.

I don't do feelings and I don't do overnight visits, so why do I want Gracie in my bed more than I want my next breath? What is wrong with me?

"Okay." she agreed, yawning again.

Another night with Gracie in my house, possibly in my bed was exhilarating and terrifying all wrapped into one. On one hand I felt a satisfaction like I'd never known at the idea of her laying in my bed, wrapped in my sheets again. On the other hand, the fact that I actually wanted a woman in my bed went against everything I'd ever known. I'm not the kind of guy who gets involved with women for more than a few hours, but that hard line I had drawn in the sand was starting to fade. But why? 

******

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