Dare to Trust Read online

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  “Good afternoon. Would you like to sit at the counter or do you need a table?” Marlena asked Vicky Reynolds. The woman was dressed up like she was going to some garden tea party in Charlotte. However, she faked her conservative Christian values, especially when it came to men and being pretty promiscuous. She had money, charm, and a way about her that had men drooling or at least giving her their full attention. Truth was, as Mercedes had witnessed, Vicky was nothing more than a Southern slut on the prowl for a rich husband.

  Vicky gave her the once-over and scrunched her face as if Marlena smelled or had vomit on her clothes. She was insulting and arrogant. Something Marlena had had enough of years ago back North.

  Vicky ignored her and glanced around the diner. She pushed past Marlena, like she had done a time or two before, like she was an object in the way and meaningless. Despite her mind telling her to not be insulted or feel like a nobody, Marlena did. She lowered her eyes and walked back toward another table.

  “Hey, sweetie, don’t let that prissy witch make you sad. You’re way prettier than she is, and have a lot more class and appeal,” Johnny Jacobs told her as he took her hand and placed the bill and some money into it.

  He and his brother had just finished up lunch. She gave a soft smile.

  “Thank you, Johnny. I’m fine. See you again next week?” she asked him, and he winked.

  “You betcha. Maybe let Roy and Regan know it would be nice if they put Rita’s meatloaf on as a special. Love that woman’s cooking,” he said and tipped his hat before him and his brother headed out. She walked over to the register and counted the money. Johnny had given her a hefty tip. She smiled. Then glanced toward the table where Mike and his brothers were just as the bell chimed for her to deliver food. She knew it was their order. Vicky stood there, smiling and trying to ease her way onto Danny’s lap because there wasn’t an additional seat.

  “Vicky, cool it, will ya? There’s no room for you. Why are you here anyway?” Jack asked her.

  Marlena could hear the conversation but tried not to listen as she delivered the food to their table.

  “Excuse me,” she said, trying to get past Vicky. The woman huffed and puffed as Marlena had to give her a slight bump in order to not drop the platters of food onto the men’s laps. When she finished, the men were smiling.

  “Can I get you anything else to go along with your lunches?”

  “Coffee please, doll,” Mike told her and winked.

  “Make that three,” Jack said and smiled at her. Vicky gave her mean looks and placed her hands on her hips.

  “I thought we were going to get together again. Didn’t the three of us have a good time at my place last week?” Vicky asked and Marlena was shocked. Hell, she was angry and jealous and she had no reason to be. She hurried away and could hear some heated discussion going on between the men and her, but Marlena didn’t care. They were just like men back in New York and North Carolina. They were after one thing and she sure didn’t need any of that, and not triple time.

  She made the coffees and then hurried to the table to deliver them. She just wanted to get to the other two tables she had now that lunchtime was dying down and the place was emptying out.

  “Excuse me,” she said as she heard Jack tell Vicky to leave and that they weren’t interested in what she was offering.

  “But you were interested the other night. Three times,” she said.

  Marlena was placing the cups down.

  “Cool it, Vicky. Your lies don’t work with us. You’re delusional,” Danny told her.

  “Me? You know you want a piece of this. Hell, the three of you been sniffing around for months. Now, you can’t seriously be blowing me off,” she was saying as Marlena was passing the cup of coffee to Jack. She pulled back the tray, noticing the men staring at her, not Vicky.

  “Are you kidding me? She’s a mouse,” Vicky yelled out, slamming down on the tray and sending the hot coffee onto Marlena. As Vicky stormed out, Marlena cried out and bent forward, trying to pull her blouse out to get the hot liquid away from her skin. The men stood up.

  “Oh God, Marlena,” Jack yelled out.

  “Here grab the cloth, some cold water quickly,” Danny said and Marlena pushed his hand away. She could feel her skin burning. She felt the tears reach her eyes. She needed to get this blouse off. The place erupted in chaos and she was embarrassed, in pain, and angry. She pulled away and hurried behind the counter, passing a concerned Roy and then Regan as she headed to the side bathroom. She closed the door and unbuttoned her blouse, pulling it open. Her skin was bright red along her ribs and belly. She felt the tears in her eyes and with shaking hands turned on the faucet.

  The door opened and there was Mike. She pulled her blouse over her bra, covering her breasts.

  “Go away. I’m fine. I’ve got this,” she said and scrunched her eyes together as her skin felt on fire.

  “I can’t believe she did that. I swear that woman is an idiot. Let me take a look, Marlena. I know first aid. I know about burns.”

  She shook her head as Rita came in.

  “Here’s the first aid kit and some burn cream.”

  “I’m okay, Rita. Just give me a minute and I’ll finish up the last tables.”

  “Don’t be silly. You let Mike check out that burn and get some burn cream on it. While I take care of the tables and Roy calms down Danny and Jack.”

  “Please tell them it’s okay. I’ll be fine,” she said and felt the tears on her eyelashes.

  Rita left the bathroom and Mike stepped closer. “Let me see the damage.”

  She lifted her blouse, holding it against her breasts so he couldn’t see.

  He held her gaze and licked his lower lip. He took a deep breath and then looked down. His face scrunched up and he knelt down lower.

  “Son of a bitch. This is going to blister. That stupid bitch. I swear that woman needs a swift kick in her ass.”

  “You sound like you don’t like her.”

  He looked upward, locking gazes with Marlena, then opened up the first aid kit. He looked so huge kneeling down in the small bathroom and in full uniform. He was big, tall, and so very handsome. She felt her belly flutter and certain parts come to life being this close to him. She swallowed hard. She didn’t need any trouble. She had enough back in Connecticut.

  “Who said I like her? My brothers and I can’t stand her.”

  “Then why did you sleep with—”

  She bit her lip and stopped from talking.

  She felt Mike’s hands on her hips and then he gave them a squeeze. She looked at him.

  “Don’t believe everything you hear, darling. People lie all the time.”

  “You don’t have to tell me,” she replied, staring at him.

  “Lift that blouse higher. This is going to sting a bit. I just want to wash my hands to ensure that they’re clean.”

  He stood up and squeezed next to her to wash his hands with soap and water in the sink. He reached past her, brushing slightly against her breasts and the blouse she held in a death grip against her body.

  “I can do this, Mike. You should go back to enjoy lunch with your brothers.” He stepped in front of her, lowering his eyes as if peeking at the gap to check out her cleavage. She wanted him, too. The thought surprised her.

  “Let’s get something straight, Marlena. You are our number-one concern. You’re too beautiful, too sweet to have to feel any pain. What Vicky did was unacceptable and downright mean. She’ll pay for it. Now let me take care of you.”

  She swallowed hard and nodded her head.

  “Good girl,” he whispered. Those blue eyes held hers and damn it did her pussy just leak some serious cream. The man was so sexy he should be illegal.

  She held her breath as he prepared to place some burn cream onto her ribs and belly. His hard thick fingers caressed softly.

  He paused a moment. “What’s this?” he asked. She swallowed hard. She didn’t have to look down. The hip-hugger
black dress pants she wore revealed her hips and the scar from the burn she got from the fire Peter set.

  “It’s nothing. I’ve had it for a long time,” she told him.

  “You’ve gotten burned before?” he questioned.

  “Hazards of being a waitress, I guess.” She lied and looked away from him. He didn’t need to know the truth. No one did. It was bad enough she allowed Peter to control her life, her every move. She didn’t have to reveal how stupid and gullible she had been. The older, sexy man with charm and power turned her world upside down and then lost all control and tried to kill her. Yeah, she definitely needed to keep that to herself.

  She swallowed hard. She took quick breaths as he spoke to her and eased her pain.

  “That’s it, nice and easy breaths, I’m almost through. You’re very strong, Marlena.”

  The door opened and she gasped then closed her eyes. Danny and Jack were there.

  “Are you okay? Is it bad?” Jack asked.

  “I’m applying some burn cream. Hopefully it doesn’t blister,” Mike said.

  She opened her eyes and locked gazes with Jack. His blue eyes held hers then his eyes swept over her breasts.

  There was no way the two of them could fit into the small bathroom with her and Mike.

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Please just go finish eating,” she said to them as Mike pulled back.

  “I’m going to apply some gauze to place over the cream. It might be smart to go see Dr. Anders.”

  She shook her head. “I’m fine, Mike. Really. It’s just a burn,” she said, and in her mind she had flashbacks of Peter, and how he torched her apartment in anger and how she nearly died in the fire. She shivered.

  Marlena felt the hand on her waist then another hand take her hand.

  She opened her eyes. Mike’s hand lay half over her hip and ass. Jack’s held her hand.

  “Are you okay? That coffee was piping hot.”

  She nodded her head and pulled her hand from his.

  “Please, go back out there to eat. I feel terrible for ruining your lunch.”

  “Ruining our lunch? That wasn’t your fault, that was Vicky’s,” Danny said from behind Jack.

  “Just go. Please,” she said and tried stepping away from Mike.

  “Let me tape this last side so the gauze stays in place. He unrolled the tape and added it to the bandage and against her skin. He stood up and she held the blouse against her chest. Mike stared at her.

  “You sure that you’re okay?”

  She nodded her head. “Go. Please,” she whispered.

  He nodded his head and Jack and Danny walked out. She felt badly and as Mike began to leave she reached out and touched his arm. The contact burned, she was so attracted to the man. To his cologne, his muscles, his compassion.

  “Thank you, Mike,” she said, and he gave a soft smile, nodded his head, and walked out of the room. The door closed and she turned around to look into the mirror. She was shocked to see how flush she was, how her eyes sparkled, and her body hummed with an awareness. She looked at the bandage, almost feeling his fingers gentle against her skin again. She couldn’t trust him or his brothers. She couldn’t trust any man. They could be just like Peter.

  She felt the tears sting her eyes as she washed the coffee from her blouse, wrung it out, then used the air dryer on the wall to try and dry it a little. Then she put it back on and thought about Vicky and what she’d said. She’d said they spent time together and that they enjoyed one another’s company at her place last week. Could it be true? Could they not be as kind, and caring as they seem to be to Marlena? What if they slept with Vicky and now ignored her and pretended they never did? They were men who used women for what they wanted. She already experienced that once before, and look what it cost her. The fear had her forcing the thoughts from her head as well as any attraction to Mike, Danny, and Jack. She didn’t need more pain. She had a lifetime full already.

  Chapter 2

  “Her friends are here but she’s not. Do you think she’s in pain from that burn today at the diner?” Danny asked Jack as they stood by the bar in Spencer’s.

  “Probably, although she rarely goes out,” Jack replied, his eyes on Marlena’s friends, who all looked like they were uncomfortable and not having fun. It was strange, but the three women were all stunning, yet they didn’t date or seem to be interested in doing so. He had to laugh. His good friends Will, Leo, and Hank Ferguson from Ferguson construction were very protective of their personal assistant Adele. By the way they talked about her, he’d say they were interested in getting to know Adele outside of work. But Adele was a lot like Marlena. She was shy, reserved, didn’t give much info on herself, and was a hard worker. She was an overachiever like Marlena.

  “Mike got off work at five and saw Marlena heading out of the diner. He said that Mom said Marlena was in pain and that she told Marlena if she didn’t think she could work tomorrow, to let her know tonight. I doubt she’ll call in sick,” Danny said to his brother.

  “I doubt it, too. She’s not a quitter, or at least doesn’t seem like one. Damn, I’m still so pissed off at Vicky. She’s such a troublemaker,” Jack said.

  “I know she is. You never should have fooled around with her.”

  “I was drunk, bro. What the fuck. It’s not like I slept with her,” Danny stated in annoyance.

  “No, you didn’t. I could only imagine what type of stalker she would be.”

  Danny chuckled. “We’d probably have to call in some favors or get Mike to pull one of his Navy SEAL moves.”

  Jack laughed.

  They were both quiet a moment. Danny thought about Marlena. She was so beautiful, with long blonde hair and those bright green eyes. She was young, too. Twenty-three, he thought his mom mentioned. Eight years younger than Mike, who was the youngest. She had an amazing body, too, but she didn’t flaunt it. Instead she covered it up and tried to hide her beauty. It often made him wonder why.

  “I can’t stop thinking about her, Danny,” Jack said then took a slug of beer from a bottle.

  “I know what you mean. Neither can I. Especially after today. She looked so insulted and scared. God, when we walked into that bathroom and I saw her body, holy shit,” Danny said and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “I know. I felt like my heart was in my throat. She’s sexy and voluptuous. It makes me feel protective and possessive of her, especially after what Vicky did.”

  “I hear ya. It’s the same here. I just can’t help but to wonder about her and why she’s so secretive.”

  “Jack, what do you think about what Mike told us? You know, about the scar on her hip. He thinks it was a burn.”

  “It could be anything. What are you thinking?” Danny asked while he played with an empty glass of whisky.

  “I don’t know. Like she might have had a hard life. Like maybe someone hurt her and that’s why she’s so quiet,” Jack replied.

  “Well, when we get to know her, and she finally lets her guard down, maybe we can ask her about that scar, and why she held back.”

  Jack chuckled. “You sound pretty confident that she’ll let us into her life.”

  “She’s the first woman in a while that the three of us are attracted to. We’ve talked about sharing a woman and making that commitment for years. We’re older than her, we’re tired of messing around. We look at her and think of all the things Mom had with our dads. I’m ready,” Danny admitted.

  They heard some laughter and turned to look at the large crowd of people who showed up. There was Vicky, her arm wrapped around some idiot’s arm as she hugged it and smiled. They looked half in the bag already, and Danny wondered why the bouncers even let them in.

  “Looks like trouble if you ask me,” Jack said, nodding toward one of the security guys nearby. He nodded back, spoke into his wrist mic, and Danny knew that they would all keep an extra eye on this crew. But it didn’t take long for trouble to brew. Vicky gave them the evil eye and then whispered to the bozo w
hose arm she was hugging. The pompous ass looked straight at Danny and Jack, and Jack smiled.

  “Let me get this one. You got the last asshole.”

  Danny chuckled.

  “There are more of them than you. Let our security handle it.”

  “What? And miss the look on that bitch’s face when we send her and her entourage of shit on their asses out the front door? No can do, bro. Her stinking reputation is going to get more ruined than it already is. She’ll never step into this place again,” Jack said and stood up from the stool. He turned his back on the crowd.

  “Not so smart. That guy is bigger than you and he’s drunk. He’ll think nothing of—”

  “Hey, assholes. I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” The guy approached from behind and Danny slightly turned on his stool.

  Jack chuckled.

  The guy pressed a finger into Jack’s back. In a flash, Jack had the guy’s finger bent backward and the man kneeling on the floor crying out in pain.

  “Hey, asshole, you don’t belong here and neither does that trash. You’re going to leave our fine establishment right now in one piece or in multiple pieces. Your choice.”

  “You’re such an asshole, Jack. You’d pick that low-class waitress over me? Your loss,” Vicky said from behind him.

  Jack looked her over.

  “I don’t think so. Take your slutty, disgusting, unladylike self out of our place now and don’t ever return. You and your friends aren’t allowed here.”

  “What? You can’t do that,” she yelled as the security guys grabbed the one guy on the floor and another took Vicky by her upper arm.

  “Yes, ma’am, he can. They own the place. They can do whatever they want,” the bouncer told her and started directing her toward the front door.

  “You’ll be sorry and so will the ugly bitch waitress. I hope I scarred her today,” she spat out, and Jack started walking toward her all pissed off, but Danny grabbed his arm and pressed up against his side.

  “She isn’t worth it. We’ll protect Marlena from her. She’s just making idle threats.”