Claim & Protect Page 3

  This whole thing between her and her ex wasn’t his business. With his past and penchant for violence, he was twenty shades of stupid for being here, but he just couldn’t shake the instincts urging him to intervene. To step in and protect her no matter what the cost.

  Wyatt’s an idiot, but not enough to break down the door.

  How many times had he heard his mother with that same fear in her voice? That same dread? No one had helped her, and look how that had ended up.

  He swung his Silverado Dually into a wide spot at the back of the parking lot and killed the engine. Being here might be stupid, but he would not abandon Natalie the way everyone had his mom.

  He’d barely put one boot on the cracked asphalt when voices sounded in the distance, one woman and one man. They weren’t exactly shouting, but it wasn’t a private affair either. More like a heated debate with the potential for a full-blown toe-to-toe.

  Ahead, a sidewalk ran between two long buildings that faced each other. He followed it. Natalie’s light Texas drawl grew clearer with each step, but with the way the voices ricocheted through the tight space he couldn’t judge which apartment was hers. He’d just about neared the staircase when she and her ex came into view on the top floor standing just outside the corner unit. He ducked under the landing right beneath them.

  Despite the calm delivery behind Natalie’s words, her voice shook with impatience. “He was just with you four days ago, Wyatt. The court said we switch every week. This is my week.”

  “I don’t give a fuck about the courts,” Wyatt said. “He’s my boy, and I’m gonna see him when I want.”

  “Well, you can’t see him now. He’s not here.”

  “After nine o’clock on a school night, and he’s not here? Don’t shit me, Nat. You keep that boy so locked to his schedule, he wipes his ass by the clock.”

  “Well, he’s not. Mom took him to a movie.”

  Not a bad tactic, but not one that would work long-term. Not with a dick like her ex.

  “Then maybe I need to file a case for sole custody seeing as how my boy’s mother doesn’t have enough common sense to have her kid home on a school night.” He scoffed. “Hell, looking at this place, I’m thinking I ought to file regardless.”

  “It’s safe, and it’s clean.”

  Movement sounded above Trevor, and Wyatt’s voice dropped low and menacing. “He’s in there, and I know it. Now, open the goddamned door, Natalie.”

  Trevor was in motion and jogging up the stairs before his mind could reassess the action. Adrenaline surged fast and furious, but he reined it in tight. No matter how much he might want to blame his response on his past, his gut told him otherwise. That no matter how odd the idea felt inching beneath his skin, nothing else mattered except protecting Natalie and her kid. He rounded the top landing and forced his steps into an easy amble.

  Nat’s eyes got bigger than a July full moon.

  Wyatt, on the other hand, sneered like he’d just watched a vagrant take a shit in plain sight, and damned if that didn’t give Trevor exactly the plan he needed to knock that son of a bitch off his high horse. It may not be as satisfying as pounding the fucker into next week, but he’d be damned if he let some arrogant, polo-wearing bastard get the better of him. “Hey, darlin’,” he said to Natalie, still twenty feet away. “What’s goin’ on?”

  “Um.” She glanced back and forth between him and Wyatt and wiped her palms on her thighs. “My ex stopped by for a chat.”

  So far so good. Hopefully, she’d clue in to what he was up to as fast as she’d learned how to wait tables. He slid up next to her, wrapped one arm around her waist, and pulled her tight to his side.

  One second.

  A mere step and the touch of her body against him, and his world clicked into place. “Yeah?” he said, a little surprised at how casual his voice came out. “You sounded upset.” He kissed her temple and the scent of wildflowers surrounded him. Peaceful. Grounding him even as the fury fanned higher. He glared at Wyatt. “There a reason my woman’s upset?”

  Wyatt’s gaze shot from Trevor’s possessive grip on Nat’s waist to Trevor’s face. “Your what?”

  “My woman.” Fuck, but that sounded good. A little too good, actually. “Been seein’ Natalie for about a month now and don’t enjoy stopping by to make sure she got home from work all right to find her trading heated words with her ex.”

  Wyatt scowled at Natalie. “You’re fucking someone else?”

  She might have been stunned stupid up until that point, but the crass comment kicked that stubborn streak he’d glimpsed earlier into high gear. Mirroring Trevor’s action and wrapping her arm around his waist, she lifted her chin a fraction. “We’re divorced, Wyatt. The day the judge signed the paper was the day it stopped mattering who I see or what I do with them.”

  “Not with my boy in there.”

  She fisted Trevor’s shirt just above his jeans, and Trevor gave her hip a reassuring squeeze. “Trevor never stays when Levi’s here,” she said. “He only stops by to make sure I make it home. Those are the rules in the divorce decree, and I keep them.”

  “Those are the rules today.” Wyatt scanned Trevor head to toe and cast an evil smile at Natalie. “We’ll see how quick you are to jump in bed with someone else when I take your boy.” He huffed and spun for the stairwell.

  Muscles bunched tighter than a guy-wire in straight-line winds, Trevor fought the need to stride after the uppity jackass and throw a few threats of his own. Hell, he’d be content just to land a handful of punches. Though, God only knew what trouble that would cause Natalie after it was over.

  Together, they waited, both of them eyeing Wyatt’s progress through the parking lot to his shiny black Mercedes without saying a word.

  When the door slammed shut and the engine revved, Trevor spoke. “He really gonna follow through on that claim?”

  Nat sighed, and her shoulders sagged. “With him, there’s no telling. He doesn’t want Levi around. Hasn’t since I got pregnant a year into our marriage, but he does want me. Or thinks he does.” Only after Wyatt sped out of the parking lot did she drop her arm from his waist and hang her head. “Levi makes good leverage.”

  The loss of contact threw him for a loop, and for three or four heartbeats he grappled for what to do next. Part of him wanted to give in, chase Wyatt down, and end Natalie’s problems for good, but most of him was fixated on how to get her next to him again. Without her body next to his he felt unbalanced. Awkward, like someone had forced his feet into new boots that fit all wrong.

  Behind them, a metallic clink rattled from the window.

  Trevor shifted in time to see the window blinds swing. “That your apartment, or a neighbor’s?”

  Nat closed her eyes and frowned. “That’s mine.” She dug in her purse and pulled out her keys, but the door swung open before she could use the lock.

  An older woman about Natalie’s height and build beamed at him from the threshold. Her hair was full gray, but there was no mistaking the resemblance between her and Natalie. Clinging to the woman’s thigh and staring up at him with big eyes was the most adorable kid he’d ever seen. Sandy blond hair that was long enough it hung close to his hazel eyes. Definitely his daddy’s genes, but on him they were pure goodness.

  “Natalie, are you going to invite your friend in?” Her mother stepped forward as best she could with a kid glued to her leg. “I’m Maureen Dubois, Natalie’s mom. This is her son, Levi.” She patted the boy on the back. “Say hi to the man, sweetheart.”

  Levi swallowed big enough his head bobbed, but he released his hold on his grandmother, straightened, and stuck out one hand. “Hi.”

  Careful not to scare the kid, Trevor stepped forward and clasped his little palm. “Hey, bud. I’m Trevor. I work with your mom.”

  Levi’s eyes got big like the sum of two plus
two had just clicked in his head. “You’re my mom’s boss. I know ’cause she talked about you a lot for like three days.”

  “Did she?” Interesting. Especially since she seldom met his gaze when they talked. He’d assumed it was because he intimidated her somehow or she just kept things cool at work, but maybe there was another reason for the evasive technique. Definitely another puzzle he’d have to piece together. Trevor grinned at Natalie beside him and offered his hand to Maureen. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. Sorry if I woke you up. I just wanted to make sure Natalie made it home.”

  “Nonsense.” She stepped back and waved him through the door, not the least bit upset to be talking to a stranger in her pink and gray pajama set. Come to think of it, the outfit looked a lot like the sets his adopted mom, Bonnie, had worn around at night, only Bonnie always favored blue. “Why don’t you come in and visit a bit?”

  Well, this was awkward. Coming home with a woman was one thing. Chitchatting with a woman, her mom and kid took things to a whole different level. “I appreciate the invitation, but—”

  “He might come back,” Levi blurted. “He’s already been by four times tonight, and Mom says he’s persastant.”

  Natalie moved in quick and cupped her son’s shoulder. “It’s persistent, Levi. And Mr. Raines has already done more than I can thank him for.”

  Reevaluating, Trevor wasn’t too sure he’d done anything but stir up trouble. Yeah, he’d stalled the dickhead for tonight, but men like Wyatt seldom gave up without some kind of grenade tossed over their shoulder. Nothing pissed a man off more than another one marking their old territory.

  He nodded to Maureen. “Levi probably needs to get his sleep.”

  “Oh, Levi’s got another thirty minutes at least.” Maureen grinned huge, a happily scheming momma if he’d ever seen one. “And Levi’s right. Wouldn’t hurt to have you here for a little while at least.”

  Trevor coughed and rubbed his chin, too chicken to make eye contact with any of them. Staying was a bad idea on so many levels he couldn’t even count them all.

  Nat smiled at him, the expression soft and mixed with gratefulness and resignation. “It’s okay, Trevor. I appreciate what you did. We’ll be okay.”

  Translation: You staved things off for one night, but this won’t be the last time we deal with it.

  Well, fuck that. She might have to deal with it on another night, but for this one at least, he could make sure the monkey stayed the hell off her back. He winked at Levi and planted his hands on his hips. “I reckon I can stay a little while.”

  Chapter Three

  Nothing made a woman realize how tiny and run-down her place was until a six-foot-three hunk of a man ambled in and took his sweet time scanning every detail. A really good-looking, Adonis hunk of man that had scrambled her wits with nothing more than an arm around her waist. As powerful as his touch had been, it would take a week before her body stopped tingling.

  Tucking her hands in her back pockets, Natalie cleared her throat and nodded toward the kitchen. “I’m not much of a drinker, but I was thinking I’d make some coffee if you’re up for some.”

  “Oh, that’s a great idea.” Maureen ushered Levi toward the kitchen with one hand and waved Trevor toward the kitchen table. “Trevor, why don’t you and Natalie take a load off, and Levi and I will get a pot going.”

  Trevor dipped his head in that polite way Natalie had come to appreciate. “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “You see, Levi?” Maureen said as they rounded into the galley kitchen. “I told you nice men always use good manners.”

  “But you said men should keep their hair cut too, and his is long. If I say yes, ma’am, can I grow my hair long like his?”

  Trevor grinned, ducked his chin, and scratched his jaw like he wasn’t sure what to say. When he spoke, his voice was low enough Levi couldn’t hear from the kitchen. “Sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be,” Natalie said. “Long hair I can deal with, but we’ve really been struggling with manners. If he takes a cue from you on that score, I’ll be grateful.” Realizing she was just standing there like a clueless teen, she hurried toward the kitchen and pulled out a chair. At least her mom had been smart enough to steer things toward the kitchen. With only a couch and an old club chair available in the living room, any kind of seating arrangement would have been awkward. “Have a seat.”

  Instead of following her straight away, Trevor glanced back at the window beside the front door, made quick work of opening the blinds, then strolled to the table. If he’d seemed big in comparison to her apartment before, seeing him rounding the ancient dinette put him on par with a giant. He settled in the chair beside hers with his back to the wall and a straight-on view of the window.

  “Are you a real cowboy, or do you just dress like one?” Levi asked from behind her.

  Natalie spun in her chair. “Levi, that’s a rude question.”

  “No, it’s not,” he argued back, innocent as ever. “Bobby says lots of people dress like cowboys, but they’re really not.” He focused on Trevor, animated and warming up for the details that always followed with stories of his best friend. “Bobby’s dad works on a ranch, so he’s a real cowboy, but says most people who wear boots just wear ’em to look good. Since you have a bar instead of a ranch, I figured you wear ’em ’cause they’re awesome.”

  “Levi!” Natalie shot to her feet. More than anything, she loved the guileless way her son’s mind worked, but not everyone took his comments as lightly as he intended them. “How Mr. Raines dresses and why is none of your business.”

  “Why do you call him Mr. Raines if he’s your boyfriend?” Levi glanced back up at his grandmother. “He told Dad that Mom was his woman, so doesn’t that mean he’s her boyfriend?”

  Her mom patted Levi’s shoulder and cast the same patient smile she always used on him. “I think it’s rude to eavesdrop and bad form to ignore your momma when she says to still your tongue.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” She lifted her gaze to Natalie and Trevor. “Coffee’s brewing. I think Levi and I will call it a night and let the two of you talk.” She held out her hand to Trevor. “Mr. Raines, it was nice to meet you.”

  Trevor stood and shook her hand, but it was a more polite and gentle touch than Natalie had seen him use with men at work. “Call me Trevor, ma’am. And thanks for making the coffee.”

  “I’m happy to do it.” She herded Levi down the hall, a not so simple task considering how Levi kept craning his head around to watch Trevor with those big, adoring eyes. And damn it if that didn’t break her heart a little more. That was the way a boy should look at a man. Not constantly ducking his chin and avoiding eye contact the way he did with Wyatt.

  The door to their bedroom clicked shut.

  “Your mom’s a real nice lady,” Trevor said, still standing.

  Shit. Of course, he wouldn’t sit until she did. Which probably explained why her son didn’t have a clue on manners. Hard to teach them if she didn’t follow them. She eased back into her seat, and Trevor followed suit. “I think she likes you, too.” Probably more than Trevor would be comfortable with if he had any inkling what the gleam in her mom’s eyes meant. On the plus side, Maureen Dubois’s stamp of approval said a lot about a man. Neither her mom nor her dad had cared for Wyatt, and look what ignoring their warnings had gotten her.

  Angling his chair for a better angle on Natalie, Trevor reclined in his seat and rested one arm on the table. “Your ex always pull stunts like tonight?”

  And there was the rub. The reason why she kept herself so isolated as far as friends or relationships went. Being reminded every day of how stupid she’d been marrying Wyatt nine years ago was bad enough. Having to own it with others was mortifying. She studied the dinette’s old cherry veneer and tried to come up with some answer that wouldn’t sound as bad
as reality.

  “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” he said, “but it might help me better understand what I jumped in the middle of.”

  He had a point. And considering he’d bought her and Levi a little wiggle room, he deserved at least the basics. “He wasn’t always this way.”

  Trevor kept his gaze trained on her, his focus utterly undivided. Now that she thought about it, he was always like that. Focused on one thing or person at time, always giving them his full attention. But while his expression stayed neutral, there was something more behind his eyes tonight than she’d seen before. An intensity and a promise that silently encouraged her for more.

  She swallowed, hating the truth as it fought its way out. “I got pregnant with Levi right after our one-year anniversary. Things changed after that.” She shrugged and smoothed one palm along her thigh. “I tried to fix it, but nothing worked.”

  “Tried to fix it how?”

  God, he was quick. Sharp and always focused on the smallest nuances. She’d need to remember that going forward. “To be the wife he wanted. Social events, lots of friends that weren’t really friends, a housekeeper. A plastic surgeon’s trophy wife.” She met his stare and smiled the best she could. “That just wasn’t me.”

  “How long have you two been split up?”

  Not long enough. Every day she prayed Wyatt would find some new focus for his life, and yet the one time he’d backhanded her still felt like it happened yesterday. Like the bruise still pulsed beneath her skin. “About a year. I tried to save up before I walked out with Levi, but time ran out, and I had to make do with what I had. Mom helped. She sold her house and we used the money to cover legal bills and get set up here.”

  Trevor frowned. “What do you mean, time ran out?”