Unease filled me the moment I shut the car door. Two men in biker boots and leather leaned against the wall of the pawnshop. With a forced determination, I pushed myself forward on shaky legs. As I approached the men, I could feel their heated gaze burning through me, singeing my cotton sundress as they stripped me down with their eyes. A shudder of repulsion ran through me, making me feel dirty and used.
When I met their hooded gazes, I plastered a smile on my lips. “Hello,” I said softly. As I reached for the door of the pawnshop, one of the men stepped in front of me. I couldn’t help jumping back, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle a scream. He cocked his brows at me as he held open the door like a proper gentleman.
Embarrassment flooded my cheeks at my over-the-top reaction. “Thank you. You’re very kind,” I said as I hesitantly squeezed past his body into the shop. My heels clacked along the floor, and I nervously fidgeted with the strap on my messenger bag. As I glanced left and right, I didn’t see anyone behind the counter. “Hello?” I called.
A black curtain was shoved aside, and a tall, hulking man stepped out. Regardless of his enormous size, the kind expression on his very handsome face immediately put me at ease. “May I help you?”
Extending my hand, I said, “I’m Alexandra Evans. I’m looking for David Malloy.”
Instead of shaking my hand, the man crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head at me. “What do you need with him?”
Something about the man’s guarded tone made me uneasy. “I … uh, his daughter, Willow, is in my kindergarten class. She’s missed a lot of days of school, and I was worried.”
My response seemed to appease the man, because his muscular arms relaxed, and he finally offered me his hand. “I’m Nathaniel Malloy, Willow’s uncle.”
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Same to you. Deacon—er, David—is actually at the clubhouse. I can take you there.”
The thought of entering the roadhouse alone made my skin crawl, so I was very thankful that Nathaniel was offering to take me. After he came around the counter, he opened the door for me. “Tiny, keep an eye on the shop, okay?” he ordered to the tallest and biggest of the guys. A nervous giggle escaped my lips at the irony of the man’s name.
As I walked next to Nathaniel, his towering presence somewhat overwhelmed me. He was all man, from his large hands and feet down to the musky smell that invaded my nose and messed with my senses. If I hadn’t been so out of my element, I would have been very attracted to him, even though his faded jeans, tight black T-shirt, and arms covered in tattoos screamed bad boy. But even in the few moments I had been with him, I could tell there was much more to him. The way he carried himself was like a cultured gentleman, not a hard-core biker. “Willow doesn’t say much, but I know she loves going to school.”
“She’s probably the brightest student in my class. Besides my attachment to her, I didn’t want her falling behind after missing school. Considering her potential, I think she could easily skip to first grade at the halfway point in the year.”
Nathaniel’s blue eyes widened. “Really?”
I smiled. “Yes, really.”
“Deacon and our mom will be really pleased to hear that.”
“Who is Deacon?”
Nathaniel grinned. “That’s David’s nickname.”
“Oh, I see.”
A large pickup truck rumbled into the parking lot. When a short, bald man got out of the cab, he waved a brown envelope in his hand. “Hey, Rev. Can you come here for a sec?”
“I’m busy. Get Tiny.”
The man shook his head. “This packaging needs a Malloy signature on it.”
Nathaniel gave a frustrated grunt. “Fine. I’ll be right there.”
When he turned to me, I gave him a slight smile. “Rev?”
He responded with a warm grin. “Just a nickname.”
“For what?”
“Reverend.”
My brows shot up in surprise. “Oh, are you a minister?”
He cocked his head teasingly at me. “Are you a teacher or a reporter?”
I laughed. “Forgive me, but I’m used to answering questions all day. I can’t help but ask some myself.”
“Well, Miss … I’m sorry. what was your last name again?”
“Evans.”
“No, Miss Evans. I’m not a real reverend.”
“Then how did you get the nickname?”
“Yo, Rev!” the man from the truck called impatiently.
With a grimace, Nathaniel/Rev shook his head. “Listen, I have to take care of this. Just go on inside, and I’ll be there in a minute.”
Inwardly, I groaned. I didn’t want to go into the roadhouse alone. I would have much preferred having Rev by my side. But when he started walking away from me, I realized I’d better head inside and out of the oppressive heat, despite feeling out of my element. As I entered the room, I took a deep breath to try to still my out-of-control nerves. Smoke hung heavy in the air, stinging my eyes and causing me to cough. Several men in leather biker cuts lounged on stools at the bar, nursing beers. Across from me, a heated pool game was taking place.
I took a few steps inside and then froze. “Are you lost, darlin’?” a big-busted woman in a halter top asked.
“Uh … I’m looking for David Malloy,” I said.
Two men at the pool table whirled around. The shorter of the two, a tough but cute-looking blond, cocked his head curiously at me. But the moment my gaze locked on the other man, I knew he was Willow’s father. They had the same dark hair, soulful dark eyes, and heart-shaped face. David, however, had dark scruff covering his face. Although he was Rev’s brother, I didn’t see any resemblance between the two. Although he was shorter and slightly less built, David was just as good-looking as Rev. “Mr. Malloy?” I questioned, closing the distance between us.
He tossed the pool stick on the table and took a long drag on his cigarette, then stubbed it out in an ashtray on the table. “What do you want?” he demanded.
I didn’t need to glance around the room to know that every eye in the place was on us. “I really need to speak with you for a moment.”
His dark eyes narrowed as they raked over my body. The next thing I knew, he leaped at me, knocking me back into the wall. One of his hands came to grip my throat while his body pinned me in place. Fear like I had never known overwhelmed me, sending my heartbeat drumming wildly in my ears. It was so loud it felt like a cannon blast going off around me. “Please,” I murmured.