“Thanks,” I said, letting him take the heavy rack. He started humming a tune as he walked away, and let loose with a full-throated verse and chorus by the time he reached the swinging door into the kitchen. Danny had a great voice, and on any other night, I’d have encouraged him to sing a little for me. But not tonight.

“You can ignore me all you want—it won’t make a fucking bit of difference.”

Kade’s words ricocheted through my head, sending me into a new state of apprehension and panic.

It seemed the guys at the bar took exception to Kade, because one of them piped up, “I don’t know where you’re from, Mister,” he said gruffly, “but round here we watch our mouths in front of a lady.”

I looked up now, suddenly hyperaware of what was happening. Kade didn’t take kindly to people telling him what to do, and tonight was no exception.

Catching his gaze, I saw an eyebrow lift in sardonic amusement. “A lady, is it?” he sneered. “My mistake.” The look in his eyes made me shiver, and not in a good way. “Do excuse me,” he said. The words were a humble gesture, but the way in which he said them was not.

It seemed the man who’d spoken to Kade thought the same way I did, because I saw his jaw harden and he pushed his stool back from the bar. I hurried over before he could get up, forcing my lips into a smile.

“It’s okay,” I said, trying to forestall him. “Really. It’s not a problem. Did you need to settle up your tab?”

The man, I thought his name was Wade, seemed reluctant to let it go, but I guess he also didn’t want to make trouble for me, because he gave a curt nod and tossed some money down on the counter.

“I’ll just get you some change,” I said, but he shook his head.

“Keep it.” He gave me a fatherly smile and a pat on the arm from his work-roughened hand. “You be careful gettin’ home tonight, you hear?” He gave Kade a hard glare.

“I will, thanks,” I said, slipping the change from his tab into my pocket. He left and his friend finished off his beer and left, too.

Carol brought over the tabs for the remaining two tables and I ran them through the register. The one table left and two of the guys from the other as well, but Matt and his buddy Steve remained. I noticed them talking quietly to each other and casting glances at Kade, then me.

I could see where this was going. Shit.

I hurried behind the bar as Carol brought back a tray of empty glasses from the two tables. She, too, eyed Kade sitting behind me.

“What’s with him?” she asked in an undertone. “He looks like bad news. Really bad news. Want me to go call Roger?” Roger was a deputy on the town’s small police force. He ate lunch here all the time and I’d noticed had taken more than a passing interest in Carol. It didn’t surprise me that she would have his number.

“It’s okay,” I said, though I wondered if I believed that myself. “I . . . know him.”

Her eyes widened to the size of proverbial saucers. “You know him?”

I nodded. “He can be a bit of an asshole,” I said, which was a massive understatement. “I’ll get rid of him. It’s fine.”

She looked skeptical but nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure. I’m going to head home, okay? My prep’s done for the night and my feet are killing me.”

I could certainly relate to that. I’d pulled a nine-hour shift with two half-hour breaks and the dogs were barkin’.

“Yeah, no problem. See you tomorrow.”

I turned around as she left and wanted to groan with dismay. While I’d been busy talking to Carol, Matt and Steve had approached Kade, each taking a stool on either side of him.

“It’s closing time, buddy,” Matt said to Kade. “Way past time for you to go.”

He could have been a breeze blowing for as much attention Kade paid to him. Instead, his eyes were locked to mine.

Matt and Steve exchanged glances and silent communication.

“We don’t want any trouble,” Steve added. “Come on outside with us and leave the girl alone.”

Kade rested an elbow on the counter and crooked his finger, beckoning me.

I swallowed, taking hesitant steps forward until I stood directly in front of him. He crooked his finger again and I leaned toward him, my ponytail swinging forward over my shoulder.

Kade caught my hair between his fingers, tugging lightly until my stomach was pressed against the curve at the edge of the bar. Then I felt his lips near my ear, his fingers trailing down my jaw in the lightest of touches, though it felt like an electric current. A shiver danced down my spine. Then he whispered to me.

“I’ve killed ten men over the last few weeks. Do you want me to make it an even dozen?”

The warmth of his breath against my skin was in stark contrast to the ice that froze my veins as the meaning of his words sank in. In stunned horror, I jerked backward, my shocked gaze again meeting his. The corner of his lips lifted in a chilling smirk.

“Matt, Steve,” I said, my voice sounding strangled, “it’s okay. Come on, I’ll walk you out.”

Matt looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“No way, Kathleen,” he said with a disgusted snort. “We’ll stick around until you’re done.”

“You’ve been busy,” Kade said conspiratorially to me.

My jaw fell open in shock at his insinuation.

Kade turned to Matt. “Let me guess, the quarterback? Captain of the football team?”

My cheeks burned because, yes, that had been Matt exactly in high school, right down to captain of the Rushville High School Lions football team. Which was, coincidentally, one of the reasons he’d never noticed me. Girls had trailed after him like they were kitties and he was catnip. Why he wasn’t married yet, I had no idea. I hadn’t asked and he hadn’t said.

“What’s it to you?” Matt retorted.

Kade shot me a sideways look. “Knew it,” he said in an aside.

“Matt, really, you and Steve should just go,” I pleaded. I still had prep work to do, but I’d forgo it and pay the consequences tomorrow if I could just get Steve and Matt to leave. I pushed back from the bar, intending to round it and physically walk them outside, when Matt grabbed my arm, pulling me to a halt.

“What’s going on?” Matt asked, his brows creasing in confusion.

But I was no longer looking at Matt. I was looking at Kade, whose gaze was fixed on Matt’s hand wrapped around my wrist. Kade’s body tensed and a dangerous light came into his eyes. Alarm shot through me. I jerked my arm out of Matt’s grip and hurried out from behind the bar.

“Please, just do what I say,” I said, taking Matt by the hand. “It’s okay. I know him and it’ll be fine.”

Matt let me tug him to his feet and Steve reluctantly followed. I led them out the door and into the parking lot.

“You know that guy?” Matt asked, his disbelief evident.

I nodded. “Yeah. I used to . . . work for him.” What else was I supposed to say? How to explain? I was engaged to his brother, but then I fell in love with him, then I got pregnant and told him I loved him. Then he left me. Yeah, not even I wanted to try and make sense of that pathetic story.

“What’s he doing here?”

Good question.

“I don’t know,” I said, “but I’m sure it’s nothing. He can just be a jerk, that’s all. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you positive?” Matt asked. “Because I don’t mind waiting. I’ll follow you home, make sure everything’s all right.”

“I’m sure. It’ll be all right. I promise.” I smiled. “But thanks so much for wanting to stay and help.” Because it was nice of him. Matt was a nice guy, a good guy, and I didn’t take that for granted. Impulsively, I gave him a hug. He was hard and solid in my arms, hugging me back in the slightly awkward way of a big guy who was aware of his size and didn’t want to unthinkingly crush something much smaller than him.

I stepped back and Matt considered for a moment, studying me, then gave a reluctant nod. “Okay. If you say it’s all right, then I guess it is.”

“It is,” I reiterated.

Steve waved at me and I thanked him, too, watching as they got in their separate trucks and left.

I pondered just walking to my car and driving home, but that would only be delaying the inevitable. Best to see what Kade wanted and send him on his way. Then at least I’d get a decent night’s sleep.

Fat chance of that happening, I thought with a sigh, heading back inside.

Kade had moved to the windows of the pub, startling me as I opened the door to go back inside.

“Were you watching me?” I asked sharply, my eyes narrowing.

“No,” he said flatly. “I was watching the quarterback.”

Before I could retort, the music suddenly got louder.

“What the hell is that?” Kade asked over the strains of Florence and the Machine.

I sighed. “Danny likes to turn up the music after closing and sing while he cleans the kitchen.”

Kade’s eyebrows flew up. “He sings this?”

I laughed unexpectedly at the look on Kade’s face. “No. He likes me to sing, too.” It had become our little ritual, Danny and me. Once he’d heard me singing to myself, he decided that belting tunes out after closing was a great way to “clean out the old pipes,” as he put it. Once everyone was gone, he’d put on different music and turn it up. It was fun and helped pass the time while I finished my work. Sometimes he came out and we’d sing something together before we locked up.

Kade didn’t say anything to that, his eyes searching mine. I liked the song playing, had once listened to it all the time, but now it made me think of Kade, which just tore me to pieces.

I sighed, exhaustion overtaking me. It had been a long day.

“Why are you here?” I asked, passing a hand tiredly across my eyes. “What do you want?”

He didn’t answer immediately, and when I finally glanced up, he was frowning, his brows drawn sharply together.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he said. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be with Blane.”

If he’d said he wanted me to dye my hair purple and dance the hula, I couldn’t have been more surprised. My mouth hung open until I finally closed it with a snap.

“I’m what?” I hissed, feeling the anger rising inside me. Had I heard him correctly?

“You’re supposed to be with Blane,” he repeated.

“I’m supposed to be with Blane? Are you kidding me?” I was fuming now. Deciding I’d better do something else before I flew at Kade in a rage, I spun on my heel and started stacking chairs on tables. The morning crew did the sweeping, so the night crew just had to get things ready.

“No, I’m not kidding you,” he retorted. “Blane—”

I whirled, cutting him off. “If you say that again, so help me God, I’m going to throw this chair at your head.”

The idea that I might actually hurt Kade was laughable, but he shut up, his lips pressing into a thin line as his eyes narrowed.

I turned away and resumed my task. After a moment, I saw Kade in my peripheral vision, copying my movements and stacking chairs on tables. Sooner than it would have taken me to do alone, it was done.

The lights went out, leaving just the ones by the bar lit. I figured Danny must be about done in the kitchen. Sure enough, I’d just gone to get my purse from under the bar when he poked his head out.

“I’m finished back here!” he called. “See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Danny!” I hollered back. He went out the back way and locked up, while I took care of the front. Kade followed in silence.

I walked stiffly to my car, drawing from my energy reserves, which were dangerously low. Gravel crunched under our feet, ratcheting up the tension lodged between my shoulder blades. When I got to my car, I took a deep breath before I turned around to face him.

“Listen, Kade,” I said, “you made it damn clear that you want nothing to do with me, or the baby. So you should just leave. You’re pretty good at that.” And if my voice held more than a trace of bitterness, I thought it was my due.

Kade’s face was stark in the harsh light of the streetlamp in the lot. If I hadn’t known him and had happened to bump into him like this, I’d have turned and run in the opposite direction. The hard edge to him that had been so prominent when we’d first met was back with a vengeance, a malevolence that made a chill creep down my spine.

He took a step closer, but I stood my ground. I’d never let Kade intimidate me into backing down before, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to do it now. He was so close, I could feel the heat from his body, though we didn’t touch.