Free Steel Justice (A Romantic Suspense) by Dez Burke

heading my way. “I need to get back to work before I get fired,” I say with a weak smile. “Thanks again for sticking up for me.”
    “Anytime. I’ll catch up with you before you leave tonight. You still owe me a damn good explanation about why you slipped out this morning. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about it. We need to talk.”
    “Sounds good,” I reply with no intention of meeting him later or any other time.
    Now that I know who Jesse is, I have to stay as far away from him as I can get. Pitting Jesse and Big Roy against each other isn’t something that I want to be responsible for.
    This time it’s not me I’m worried about.
    It’s Jesse.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
JESSE
    ––––––––
    “W hat was that all about?” Sam asks when I join him and his harem of girls again. “I was on my way to give you a hand when I saw Roger storming over to break it up. You didn’t look like you needed my help anyway. That motherfucker didn’t stand a chance against you.”
    “No, he didn’t,” I agree. “Someone should have warned him I was a linebacker in high school.”
    “So who is he?” Sam asks. “Anyone I know?”
    “Maybe. Turns out he is Trish’s brother. He looks familiar to me. He said something about knowing me and that I should watch my back. Did you recognize him?”
    “No, I didn’t get a good look at him though.”
    The blonde girl who I had left so abruptly before smiles when she sees I am back.
    “Hey stranger,” she purrs, placing a manicured hand on my arm. “Don’t be running off like that again. I was getting lonely over here all by myself.”
    Shit! I forgot all about her. Now I have to ditch the chick.
    “Sorry,” I say. “I’m not in the mood for company tonight. Maybe another time?”
    She pouts her lips, clearly disappointed. “Your loss,” she says with a flip of her hair.
    I look at Sam over the top of her head and he winks.
    “You can hang with me, darling,” he says to the girl, draping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. “My brother is much too dull and old for you anyway. You need a real man to keep you happy.”
    The girl seems pleased, even if it means sharing Sam with another girl. Maybe that’s what she is into. If so, more power to her and to Sam.
    My brother is truly a piece of work. Watching him in action wears me out sometimes. Maybe I am getting too old for this.

***
    “L isten up, people! Last call for alcohol!” Roger’s voice barks over the loudspeaker. “The bars will be closing in ten minutes. No extensions per county law.”
    “Are you ready to head on back to the hotel?” I ask Sam. “We should probably check on the crew and make sure everybody is still breathing.”
    Sam drains his glass and places it on the table. “Yeah sure, I’m more than ready. I’ve been waiting on you. Say the word and we’re out of here.”
    He stands and grabs the elbow of the girl sitting next to him to help her up. She leans against him unsteadily.
    “I’ll be just a minute,” I say. “I need to ask Trish if she wants a lift anywhere.”
    “In that case, we’ll meet you outside in the parking lot,” Sam says. “This pretty lady is coming home with me.” He hugs the girl tighter against his chest so she can keep her balance.
    I start to say something to Sam then decide to keep my mouth shut. Pretty wouldn’t be the exact word I would use to describe his date at the moment. Her once-smooth hair is now sticking up in all kinds of directions and streaks of mascara are smeared under her eyes. She doesn’t look nearly as attractive as she did two hours ago when she walked up to Sam and plopped her big tits on his arm. I hate to think what she’ll look like in the morning, hung over and without makeup.
    Not for me to judge.
    I’ve fucked worse plenty of times. Beauty is only a light switch away. In the dark, it doesn’t always matter what a girl’s face looks like as long as her pussy is tight.
    “What about her?” I ask, pointing