Free Never Give You Up by Shady Grace

seemed to reach out for acceptance even when he felt like he wasn’t good enough. His father always made him feel inadequate. And here he was, away from the responsibility of the business in order to spend time with a woman. He wasn’t there to watch over things even though Colton told him to go away for a short while. He blamed himself for Ben going rogue and causing a shit storm in Mima and Mary’s life. Gabe almost got killed because he was blind to what was going on, and he was the animal who took advantage of Mary in her emotional state. He still remembered that kiss and her passionate response in vivid detail.
    When he’d first seen her tied up in a chair a few months back, when Ben had kidnapped her, it hit him like a sudden downpour that he wanted her as more than a friend. He wanted something good with a good woman. And he took pleasure in being the one to slit Ben’s ankles and slowly lower him into the pigpen.
    Colton McCoy’s prized pigs could devour a man whole within five minutes. Once those beasts had the taste for blood and raw meat, they’d eat anything put in front of them. Don’t go inside the pen if you have a fresh cut on your person, his father had said to him when he was little, before he even had hair on his balls. They’ll corner you and eat you in a hot second.
    Terry had always been afraid of his father’s pigs, and for good reason. Ever since that time he’d thrown an injured rabbit inside, still screaming into the pen, he’d seen the crazy, wide-eyed looks from the beasts before they tore it apart. That’s scary shit for a kid to see , he remembered. Exciting but scary as hell .
    He wished he could get rid of them, but he wasn’t the boss. Besides, they served a quick and deadly purpose. He’d use them when the need arose.
    Nobody fucked with Mary, and if this town kept giving her a hard time, he’d make them burn.
    But he had to be careful.
    He’d seen how she looked at him, curious but unsure. She just needed a gentle hand from a man with confidence. But he hoped he had enough of it to show her the man he really was. To show her a part of himself nobody else sees.
    If Gabe could land a woman and convince her to marry him, then Terry at least had a small shred of hope that one day he could be happy, too.
    “Where are we going? There’s a nice burger joint down the road.”
    Terry tipped his head back and laughed. “We’re not dressed up for beef on a bun, silly. We’re going out in style.”
    They arrived at the only fine restaurant in town, a bistro-type diner Terry found seriously lacking, but it was his only option. Thank God Mary had said yes because he’d already made reservations at their most private table, and even had them hold a bottle of fine wine he’d brought from home. Wine that probably cost more than their monthly food order.
    “I’ve never been here before,” Mary said in awe. “It’s too expensive.”
    He opened the door and guided her through. “Not anymore.”
    Mary looked up at him, clearly confused. “What?”
    He didn’t answer. Instead, he gently shoved her inside, ignoring how she glared at him with those stunning eyes.
    The hostess, with her dark hair pulled tight at the back and red lipstick, reminded Terry of one of the guitar girls in that eighties music video. She smiled at Terry, but when she saw Mary her demeanor changed instantly.
    “Didn’t you recently bury your husband?” She looked her over and made a disgusted face. “Kind of early to go out on a date.”
    Mary pulled back in horror but Terry wouldn’t let her shrink away. He put his arm around Mary, keeping her close. He wanted to deck the broad behind the cedar podium, but hitting a woman went against his moral rule. Just because he lived on the wrong side of the law didn’t mean he was an animal.
    Terry placed his free hand on the podium and leaned closer. “People die all the time. Life goes on. If I were you I’d apologize to the lady. I’m not spending good money