Chapter 3
Morgan had overreacted. She realized it when blood was flowing down the man's face.
When the guy had smiled at her and offered to buy her a drink as she came back out of the hallway that led to the restrooms, she had made a comment about hell freezing over. Undeterred, he had come up behind her and put a light hand on her shoulder. But suddenly it wasn't this random stranger's hand on her, the grip wasn't light, and she wasn't in Denver anymore.
Reacting to the memory that overtook reality, Morgan had grabbed an empty tray from the counter and whirled around with an angry cry, smacking the innocent man alongside the head.
One of his friends had shouted at her and Morgan had instinctively slammed her makeshift weapon against that man's face.
It wasn't until she saw the blood spurt from that man's nose that she realized what she had done.
And then Vin Tanner was next to her, gun drawn, angling his body to keep her shielded from the men and the crowd watching everything.
Buck waded through the crowd, taking in Morgan holding the tray, and grabbing the one with the bloody nose by the back of the collar and roughly shoving him toward the hallway. "What do you think you're doin'?" he demanded, seeming not to care when a shove had the man bouncing off the wall with a thud.
Chris had his gun pointed to the first man who was holding his head and looking stunned.
Morgan tossed the tray away from her like it singed her. It clattered onto the nearest table. She looked at Buck with a groan and gave Vin a light shove to move him out of her way.
He didn't move, looking down at her with those unnerving blue eyes. Her heart gave a sudden stop at the look in his eyes, like he was going to figure out everything about her. She steeled her jaw, sending him a silent message to stay out of it before she looked away.
"Buck!" she yelled, stopping her brother before he shoved the poor guy against the wall again. "Buck stop!" She managed to get past Vin that time and grabbed Buck by the arm.
"What is going on?" a dark haired woman demanded, coming out from behind the bar, eyes blazing. "Buck?" she asked, her voice rising. "What are you doing?"
"These men attacked my sister!" he all but shouted, Morgan's hand restraining him, but not calming him.
Somewhere in the chaos of the men shouting they hadn't done anything wrong, the woman yelling at Buck for answers, and Chris shoving both men into the hallway where he could keep an eye on them together, Vin leaned down and murmured into Morgan's ear.
"You ok?"
She jolted, and he wisely refrained from laying a hand on her, stepping back to give her space. "I'm fine," she snapped. Then looked at the pandemonium around them and clenched her fists.
"Chris!" she yelled, changing tack. At least he had holstered his weapon and wasn't holding it on the two men. Although the look on his face was no less threatening than his gun.
He looked over his shoulder at her, not fully turning his back on the bleeding men.
"It was a misunderstanding," she said, yelling to be heard above the men, Buck, and the woman yelling at Buck.
"A misunderstanding," Chris repeated.
"I overreacted," Morgan said.
Chris' green eyes pierced her, but Morgan met his stare.
"Buck," Chris called, finally stopping the woman's tirade and Buck's hollering. "Morgan says it's a misunderstanding."
"A mis— That's a hell of a misunderstanding!" he yelled, looking at the blood covering the man's hand where he held it up to his nose.
Morgan looked at the men and grimaced.
Vin moved to the men, reaching in his pocket for his wallet. He pulled out some bills and handed the cash to the two men. "Drinks on us tonight, ok?"
One of the men looked like he was going to argue, but the other looked down at the amount Vin had handed them and elbowed his friend.
"Yeah, sure," the first man finally agreed. They kept an eye on Morgan as they edged around her. Morgan stared defiantly back at them. If they didn't want to get walloped with a tray, they shouldn't be hitting on women who weren't interested she reasoned.
A quiet laugh next to her drew her attention back to Vin. A small smile played at his lips.
"It's nice you don't figure they need an apology for nearly breakin' their skulls," he said.
Before she could respond, Buck was bringing the woman who had been yelling at him over to Morgan.
"Inez, this is my sister Morgan," he said. "Inez owns this place," he said to Morgan.
Morgan inwardly cringed. Those two would-be Romeos may have deserved a couple of cracked heads, but Inez hadn't deserved a small brawl in her restaurant.
"It's nice to meet you," Inez said, though Morgan thought her tone was slightly skeptical. Not that she blamed her.
"Sorry about…that," Morgan said.
Inez softened slightly at the apology. "Next time, please try to break one of my trays over your brother's thick head. At least then I'll know it was deserved."
"Hey now, is that any way to talk about one of your best customers?" Buck asked. He looped an arm around Inez. "And you know I could be more than a customer," he said lowering his voice.
Inez smiled up at him. "The tray is within my reach," she said evenly.
Buck took his arm off her shoulder, holding up both hands in a sign of surrender.
"Go sit down, Buck," Inez said. "I'll bring you all a new round of drinks."
She walked away, back behind the bar, and Buck watched her go a smile on his face. "What a woman," he sighed.
Chris let out a quiet snort, but didn't comment.
"I'm going to call an Uber," Morgan said, withdrawing from the small group. "It's probably best if I call it a night."
"Over that little squabble?" Buck asked.
"Can I get your keys?" Morgan asked, thankful for how Buck completely wrote off assault and battery.
"I'll take you home."
Vin's soft drawl drew her attention.
Morgan frowned at him. "You don't—"
"Thanks Vin," Buck said. "You can use your key to let Morgan in if JD isn't home."
Vin nodded and looked to Morgan. She huffed out a sigh, knowing if she argued too vociferously Buck would get suspicious. "Fine. Let's go."
"Hey, Morgan," Buck called after them.
Morgan stopped and waited for Buck's long-legged strides to bring him up to her.
All teasing was gone from his face. He looked down at her seriously. "I'm glad you're alright," he said.
Morgan forced herself to brush off the concern that was evident.
"Thanks," she said. She inwardly fought for words, figuring she should find a way to tell Buck she appreciated him and Chris jumping in to make sure she was safe without hesitation. All she could manage was, "I'll see you at home." She glanced at Chris. He looked like he understood and one side of his mouth quirked in a slight acknowledgement.
Buck stepped back, not pushing any further. "See you there," he said. He gave Vin a nod of thanks.
Morgan ignored her brother's teammate, brushing past him when he held the bar and grill door open for her, silently following him to a battered four door Jeep at the far edge of the parking lot.
Vin unlocked the passenger side, but didn't open the door. Instead he leaned back against the door and folded his arms, studying her.
Morgan forced a bored look. "What?" she asked, like it didn't matter, like his blue eyes didn't unnerve her.
"Nice sweater," he finally said.
Morgan crossed her own arms defensively in front of her. "It's Buck's," she said, not sure what to say to the seemingly random comment.
"I s'pose you didn't pack a turtleneck of your own," Vin said.
Morgan's heart stuttered. Was he going to tell her that he had figured out why she left Vegas?
"It's colder in Denver," she said, repeating what she had told Buck earlier.
"And Buck might get a touch suspicious if you're wearin' a scarf your whole visit."
Morgan glared at him, hoping her silence would throw him off balance better than an argument could.
He pushed off the Jeep so he was standing up straight and moved within her reach.
He slowly lifted a hand to the oversized collar of the sweater. Morgan met his questioning eyes with a challenge in her own. She wasn't going to flinch or back away, or whatever he thought she might do.
Vin used a finger to move the collar down and expose the bruises.
His hand was warm against skin that was suddenly exposed to the chilly night air. He was a few inches shorter than Buck's 6'2 height, but still tall enough that she had to tilt her head back to look up at him when he stood so close. Her heart skipped at his touch and she hated herself that it wasn't from fear or anger, but a spark of desire.
He moved a finger to rest on her pounding pulse alongside her neck. He frowned slightly at the rapid beat before removing his hand, but he didn't back away.
Morgan made a show of annoyance and adjusted her collar back in place.
"Did he hurt you anywhere else?" Vin asked quietly.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Morgan said.
"Is he gonna follow you to Denver?" Vin pressed. "If he's dangerous, you need to tell Buck so he can—"
"He's not dangerous," she finally burst out. "Just an idiot." She held Vin's eyes, willing him to believe her.
Vin didn't look convinced. "Then what happens when you go back to Vegas?" he pressed. "If he did this once…" he trailed off at the look on Morgan's face. "He did this more than once." It wasn't a question.
Morgan finally looked away. "Can you please take me back to Buck's now?" she said, her voice tight.
She felt his eyes on her face, studying her, trying to read her, and she refused to let any hint of emotion onto her face.
Vin stepped back and a rush of the cool night air filled the space his warmth had occupied. Morgan shivered slightly as he opened the door for her. He didn't touch her as she climbed into the Jeep and she didn't look at him when he closed the door.
#
"You know something's not right with Morgan, right?"
Buck was relieved Chris brought it up. He knew Chris had a soft spot for his little sister, always had, and shouldn't have been surprised his oldest friend had picked up on something being off with Morgan.
"You mean besides her startin' a riot tonight?"
Chris grinned slightly. "Pretty sure she's done that at least once before."
Buck laughed. He had been required to go to Vegas after Morgan started a fight with another girl at the senior prom and the other girl's family had wanted to press charges. And the school had wanted to hold Morgan responsible for all the damages. It had only taken a quick survey of the other kids at the formal dance to find out the girl Morgan had started the fight with had been mocking a shy boy in Morgan's class. Morgan never said anything about coming to that boy's defense, willing to take whatever consequences came from the fight she had started, but Buck had learned the entire story and had convinced the school not to expel Morgan and the police to drop charges.
He sobered as he thought about Morgan's stubborn silence back then. "She ain't goinna tell us anything about what's wrong."
Chris nodded. "You gonna come right out and ask her?"
Buck slowly shook his head. "That's a surefire way to get iced out. She'll tell us when she's good and ready." Maybe. Hopefully.
Chris shared his look of doubt.
Buck rubbed a hand across his face.
Inez set a fresh round of drinks on the table with a thump. "Where did Vin and your sister go?" she asked, looking at the empty seats.
"Morgan figured she'd call it a night," Buck said. "Vin gave her a ride."
Inez nodded. She started to clear away the extra drinks.
"You could always have a seat and drink with us," Buck offered, his ladykiller grin making an appearance.
"I am working," Inez responded tartly. She paused, though. "Your sister, she is ok?"
Buck's grin fell, his face going back to serious. "As far as I know. I'm real sorry about the commotion, Inez. I know you're workin' hard to make a go of this place and us flyin' off half-cocked doesn't help anything."
Inez' features softened at Buck's sincerity. "Those two men are regulars. They can be a little obnoxious, but they would never harm anyone."
Buck nodded. "Morgan just read the situation wrong." And that was what concerned him the most. Morgan didn't usually read the situation wrong. She had been raised by the dancers their ma had worked with and they had taught her about men and their signals. Probably too much about men, if he was honest, but he had never doubted her ability to take care of herself, which had been something of a relief to a young man suddenly saddled with guardianship of a preteen and needing to pass the day-to-day responsibility of raising her off to a group of women while he was in the Navy. He had done the best he could with his strong-willed, often defiant sister, but the old fear that he hadn't done enough started to surface.
Inez' brow furrowed as she looked at Buck's serious face, she glanced at Chris and read the worry there, too.
"If you need anything, or if your sister does, you can let me know," Inez offered. "That is what friends are for, right?"
Buck perked up. "Sure is." He snaked an arm out and around Inez, pulling her close. "And how about more than friends?" he asked.
Inez leaned down close, her face inches from his. "Buck," she said softly.
"Yes, Darlin'?" Buck said, his voice low, moving closer.
"Let me go or you will find out how unfriendly I can be."
#
"You don't need to walk me to the door." Buck's sister glared at Vin.
He nodded and continued to get out of his Jeep. She huffed a sigh, which he was pretty sure he was meant to hear and got out before he could get around to the other side to open the passenger door for her.
She was halfway up the sidewalk to Buck and JD's townhouse and Vin jogged to catch up to her. She stopped at the front door, looking at him impatiently. "You're not driving me home from a date, so don't get any ideas."
A small smile played at Vin's lips as he looked at the pretty girl standing in front of him. He had plenty of ideas, alright. Hard not to have ideas when a girl was that pretty. He had thought she was beautiful when she came into the office earlier, with all her makeup perfectly done, her auburn hair long and shiny in its braid. But she was drop-dead gorgeous the way she looked now, without any makeup to hide behind.
"Ain't gonna make a move until you're good and ready," he said, letting her hear the teasing in his voice.
Surprise widened her eyes before she narrowed them and waved an irritated hand toward the door. "Then you're not going to be making a move until hell freezes over. Unlock the door."
Vin grinned, pulling the keys from his pocket, looking for the one to Buck's front door. The team all had keys to each other's residences thanks to an abundance of caution that came with threats, undercover assignments, and just plain long hours that necessitated picking up a change of clothes, or spending the night.
He followed her in, provoking a sound of annoyance, but he ignored her, crossing to the keypad for the alarm system and punching in the numbers to disarm it before it blared a siren.
"0609," he said, looking at her.
Morgan frowned. "My birthday," she said to herself.
Vin looked at her in question.
"June ninth," she said before catching herself and scowling at him again. "Thanks for the help," she said. "You can go now."
Vin nodded, but motioned to the keypad. "Just hit this button here, then enter the code, and push this button to arm it."
Morgan nodded.
Vin looked around the house, shadowed except for the lamp on an end table someone had left on earlier. "You sure you'll be ok here till Buck gets home?"
Morgan rolled her eyes. "I'm a big girl. I've been taking care of myself for a long time."
Vin frowned, all teasing gone.
Morgan caught the look and ran a hand along where the bruises were hidden by the sweater. She caught herself and folded her arms defiantly. "I'm fine here."
Vin nodded reluctantly. It went against everything in him to leave her alone, but nothing he could do if she was insisting he leave. He wasn't entirely sure he bought her line about the guy who did that to her not following her to Denver.
"Lock the door behind me," he said. "And you can call if you need anything."
For a split second, he thought he saw her amber colored eyes soften, but then she reverted back to that smug half-smile that hid any hint of real emotion. "I'm so glad I have a trained ATF agent to tell me how to keep myself safe by locking a door. Years of training have taught you so much."
The sarcasm didn't hit its mark. Vin ignored her mocking, waiting until he had her full attention. "I mean it," he said. "If you need anything." He fished one of his cards out of his pocket and held it out to her. For a second he thought she would refuse to take it, but she finally plucked it from his hand. She followed him to the door. Vin didn't expect a sincere thank you, and she didn't offer one, but he saw her glance down at his card and hoped she would call, give him a chance to help her with whatever, whoever, she was running from.
She closed the door behind him and he listened to her turn the lock and the deadbolt. He scanned the darkened neighborhood for any sign of a threat as he went back out to his Jeep. Nothing was out of the ordinary.
Once inside the vehicle, he didn't turn it on. He reclined his seat back slightly, settling in to keep an eye out until Buck got home.
#
