Tap Out by Michele Mannon Page A

window. Hi, honey!” She waved at the small, dirty store window.
    The bulkier guy snorted. A low, disconcerting sound. Hard to tell if he was buying her story or not.
    “When he’s not beating the pulp out of someone, my fiancé likes cruising around in his car.”
    “Hear that, Pete? We’ve got a tough guy on our hands.”
    Pete cracked his knuckles.
    “Pete here packs quite a punch. Would hate to see him finally lose a fight.”
    Oh , crapola. “He’ll just be a second...and has the car keys.”
    The two men looked at each other, sending an unspoken message that Sophie read clearly. Trouble .
    She stepped back until her bottom pressed up against the trunk. “You’re not mugging me in a Cuppa Joe parking lot. Heck, there are cameras everywhere .”
    The tall mugger pulled his cap lower on his forehead while the stout one looked anxiously around the dirt parking lot—one better suited to a truck stop than any sort of retail space.
    “Empty your pockets.”
    She thought about reaching into her pocket and texting for help, like they did in the movies. Except her Smartphone was buried inside her purse, which was tucked away safely under the passenger seat.
    “Look, I don’t have any money.”
    Both men looked from the Aston, to her, to her bulging pant pocket, incredulous. “Sugar, you’ve got something stashed away. I can see it.” Pete offered her his palm.
    “No.”
    “What did she say?”
    Sophie straightened, putting her hands on her hips. No way in crapola was she giving up the contents of her pocket. “N.O.”
    Pete stepped forward, so close she could smell his breath. The man certainly could use some lessons in oral hygiene. He grabbed her arm and held her still while he jammed his hand inside her pocket. The pink thong fell to the ground as he held up the nightie. His expression was one of utter stupefaction, until it changed. Then, he looked like he’d won a prize at the local fair. “What have we here?” he exclaimed.
    “What have we here?” Caden repeated, his voice deep, calm and surprisingly unaffected as he took strode up to them. He bent, scooped up her thong and tucked it into his pocket nonchalantly, like he was gathering rocks for his collection. Sophie frowned, then noticed how he wasn’t carrying any coffee.
    “Quite the little fiancée you’ve got, buddy. Hot and ready for some action, huh,” Pete mocked, his mouth twisting into an ugly grin. “Sure you can handle her?”
    The man was still way too close, close enough for her to give him a quick knee to the crotch. She contemplated whether to escalate the situation or let Caden handle matters. Judging by Caden’s laid-back manner, as if the redneck had asked him if he liked cold beer or big-busted women, she’d better act. Sophie flexed her leg, warming it up for action.
    “Uh, Pete. We gotta head out. Nice meeting you, Mrs. Kelly.” The tall man began to walk away. Pete, however, wasn’t biting.
    “Nah, man. I’m taking a ride.”
    Pete wasn’t looking at the car. Sophie felt an icy chill shoot up her spine, even though the only ride she planned on giving the man was a long trip in an ambulance. How hard did a woman have to knee someone in the groin to warrant major surgery?
    “Come on, Pete. That’s Caden freakin’ Kelly.” The mugger with a newfound conscience—or was it perspective?—turned toward Caden. “Honestly, he didn’t mean any harm to your fiancée.”
    Stepping several feet back from Sophie, Pete’s full attention swung toward Caden. He stood impassive, with his arms folded across his body like he was waiting on the tide, like the jerk had offered her flowers instead of trouble. His focus wasn’t even on Pete. Instead his attention fixed on her, as if he was assessing her worthiness as his better half, or something.
    Sophie contemplated giving Caden a swift kick to wake him up. Was he just going to stand there, without doing or saying anything?
    He shook his head. God , was he enjoying this?