“Then there you go.” Sully dismisses Jeremiah and my father as if it’s so easy.
Problem is, Sully can’t have his arms around me all the time. When they drop away, that safe feeling vanishes with them.
5
SULLY
Orchid is shaking, her cheeks colored a bright pink and her eyes glassy. She’s fucking terrified of these two assholes.
I ease her into the booth beside me and kneel down to check over her legs to make sure she didn’t get cut when the carafe fell.
“Don’t touch her.” The younger one steps forward, his shoe crunching the glass that Charlie is trying to sweep.
I ignore him and finish my inspection. “No cuts. Just a little wet is all. Did you get burned?” I ask her.
“N-no.” She shakes her head.
“Good.” I rise and turn to the jumped-up asshole in the suit. “Let’s take this outside.”
He blanches and moves back. “I didn’t come here for violence. I’m here to take my fiancée home.”
“And Charlie’s here to clean up the mess you made.” I gesture toward the cook. “So how about you fuck off outside so he can do his job?” I step up to the prick.
“Come on, Jeremiah. Let’s not make a scene.” The older man, Orchid’s father I assume, pulls Jeremiah toward the door.
I follow them out.
“I’m not leaving without Orchid.” The prick stops and stares into the diner, his eyes on my Orchid.
“You aren’t leaving with her, asshole. So get used to disappointment.” I stand in front of the door and cross my arms over my chest. I’m perfectly aware that I’m a large man, and the beard only adds to how intimidating I can look. That’s never bothered me, mainly because I’ve never had to deal with people too much. But at the moment, I’m enjoying the fear in the prick’s eyes as he swallows hard and looks up at me.
“She belongs to me.” He fists his hands at his sides.
“Last I checked, she was a grown woman. She doesn’t belong to anyone except herself.”
Jeremiah snorts. “Spoken like a true godless heathen.”
“Godless, eh?” I smirk. “I tell you what, you keep looking at Orchid like that, I’ll make sure you meet God tonight. How’s that sound?” I step to him again.
He makes a whimpering sound in his throat, then tries to cover it with a cough as he backs away.
“I don’t know who you think you are–”
“I’m the grim fucking reaper as far as you two are concerned. Now get the hell out of here before I show you just how much of a godless heathen I really am.” I don’t put my hands on Jeremiah or the older man. I don’t have to.
They back away from me, then turn and hurry to a truck in the back of the small parking lot.
I don’t miss the look Jeremiah gives Orchid or the second one he shoots me. The little prick is pissed off. Good. He shouldn’t be out here pretending to be a man when he’s nothing more than a schoolyard bully with a doomed crush. A crush on my Orchid.
Once they peel off and disappear down the dusty road, I return inside.
Charlie’s already cleaned up the mess, and Dixie is sitting across from Orchid and trying to comfort her.
Orchid wipes tears from her cheeks and gives me a weak smile. “Thanks, Sully. I’m sorry you had to see all that.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not.” I don’t want her to think for one second that she’s not worth fighting for. She is. I’ll always take her side, no matter what.
“You’ll be safe here at the diner, girl. You know that. I won’t let anything happen to you, and neither will Sully.” Dixie looks up at me. “Right?”
“One hundred percent.” I offer Orchid my hand. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
“But my shift’s not over.” She sniffles.
“Yeah, I ain’t taking her tables.” Roxie pops her gum from where she’s leaning on the counter.
“I will.” Dixie rises as I pull Orchid to her feet.
“Thanks.” Orchid hugs Dixie. “I’ll um, I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”
“Sure thing. Don’t you worry. We’ll watch over you.” Dixie hugs her tightly then lets her go. “Sully, you know what to do.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I lead Orchid out to my truck. Once I help her inside and fasten her seatbelt for her, I grab her bike from the rack out front and put it in the bed.
“Let’s go home.” I climb in beside her and pull away from the diner.
“Thank you,” she says quietly, her fingers tangling together in her lap. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been there tonight.”
“I’m pretty sure Dixie would’ve clawed their eyes out.” I glance at her.
She gives me a smile, and something about it soothes some of the anger I feel toward the assholes who tried to boss her around. Orchid’s like that–she can make me feel lighter than air with just a look.