In Too Deep (11 page)

She sneered,
“And what do you want?”

“
To work together, of course. You are a very clever and extremely beautiful woman, but someone is standing in the way of the one you want. I only want what you want. I want Fallon out of the picture. She belongs to
me
.”

Dacia kept her face blank. She may hate Fallon, but she wasn’t willing to hand her over to a
Shadowstalker either. They were pure evil, and this one was ancient. His power resonated in her bones. “And why would I help you?”

“
With Fallon out of the way, you can finally have Brody Dean. I can wipe away his misgivings about you. I can even make him want you and only you.”

Sure, the bastard could mindfuck Brody into wanting her. Tempting, but whatever Brody felt wouldn’t be real. He wouldn’t be the same. She wanted him to want her for her.

No matter what the vampire did to Brody, he was too noble. Handing Fallon over would land Dacia on Brody’s shit list. Not to mention that the Dales already tried to take him, and according to everyone, Fallon saved his ass. Dacia felt like she owed the woman something.

She
shook her head. “The only thing I want from you is to leave me the fuck alone.”

The shadows swirled up and around the vampire.
“Think about what I said.” His shadowed fingers traced the curve of her cheek, leaving an icy sensation that made her skin crawl. “I have ways to help you win Brody, but not if he has Fallon. I’ll be seeing you.” The darkness streaked out of the house and up into the sky.

With quaking knees, she shut and locked the door before
taking a seat on the couch. She would get Fallon out of the picture without pissing off Brody.

* * * *

Fallon was pleasantly buzzed, waiting for her turn while she watched Brody bend over the table to line up a shot.

Danika hopped onto the stool next to her and smoothed out her skirt. She leaned over and placed her shot glass in Fallon’s hand as she asked,
“Like what you see?”

Fallon arched a single brow and whispered back.
“Pregnant? Is it a secret?”

She nodded, and her gaze slid back to Brody
. “I answered yours. Now answer mine.”

Feigning innocence, Fallon batted her lashes.
“Hmm?”

Twinkling blue eyes cut to her.
“Don’t play coy. He’s obviously into you. This is the first time he’s been interested in anyone since Sarah. He looks at you like you’re the only woman who exists. Before you showed up, he didn’t look at women at all.” She motioned around the room. “In case you haven’t noticed, he gets more than his fair share of admiration.”

Fallon had. Two different women
had offered to buy him a beer but he brushed them off. Another asked him to dance and he turned her down.

She knocked back the whiskey and looked Danika in the eye.
“I just got out of a fucked up relationship. I’m not looking to be the rebound girl for a wolf who still misses his dead wife.” She looked over at the man in question.

Brody was a great guy, and she’d be a fool not to realize that. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin him.
“He needs a good woman. I’m not her.”

“
All right,” Danika replied. “I’ll drop it right after I say that I thought the same thing about Adam before I admitted what I felt for him.” Dani nodded at the pool table. “Now go take your shot before Brody accuses me of meddling.”

“
You are.” Fallon smirked but grabbed her cue.

Brody gave her a sexy grin as she walked past him.
“Good luck with that shot.”

He left the cue ball in a bad place, but she wasn’t worried. No problem. She smiled back.
“Hate to break it to you, but I don’t need luck.”

She glanced toward the door and watched Dacia walk in with an uppity blond. Fallon was having too much fun to worry about her.

The eight-ball was the only one she had left. She called corner pocket and made the shot in time for Dacia to walk over and sling an arm around Brody. Fallon wanted to slap her silly, but pretended not to see.

H
e threw Dacia’s arm off and snarled something at her. Then the dumb hooker tried to run her hand over his chest, but Brody batted her away and backed up with a scowl.

Hiding her smile, Fallon set her cue
against the table and told Danika, “I’m going for a drink.”

Danika
finger waved.

Fallon
took the corner stool as Jess walked her way with an icy look pointed at their table.

Dacia only
seemed to infuriate Brody, and that probably shouldn’t have amused Fallon so much. Maybe if he was interested in the bimbo Fallon wouldn’t be so tempted by him.
Yeah, right.
She had a feeling that seeing Brody with any woman would piss her off.

Jess snorted.
“Dacia will never give up. She’s pathetic.”

“
So I’ve heard.” Fallon shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I need a Long Island, pretty please.”

“
Sure,” she tucked her hair behind her ears, “but are you sure you want something that strong? You had what? Five beers and two shots?”

Four shots spread out over almost three hours because Danika handed hers to Fallon, but she’d keep that to herself.
“I’ll be fine. Brody promised to get me home safe and sound.” She winked.

“
All right, and he will.” Jess mixed her drink. “You two sure have some chemistry you know.”

“
Don’t start. Danika is already on my case.”

Jess slid her drink her way.
“Give him a chance.”

Fallon swiped her drink off the counter and glared at her best
friend. “Maybe I need some time.”

“
Isaac is an ass.” Jess drummed her fingers on the counter and narrowed her eyes. “Brody’s different.”

She was so over men and all the bullshit that came with them. Fallon threw some money on the counter, and stood.
“Do me a favor and drop it.”

“
Fine, fine. Just don’t let one bad relationship ruin something with so much potential.” Jess glanced over at Brody, and opened her mouth to say something.

Fallon flipped her off as she turned. She walked back to the table, slurping down her drink as she went. Dacia stepped in front of her about halfway there, she wore a deadly glare. Her sidekick stood right next to her with a matching expression.

“What are
you
doing here?” Dacia snapped.

Between Jess and Dacia, her mood was ruined. Fallon sighed.
“Enjoying a few games of pool.” She moved to walk around the snotty, obsessed woman until Dacia put her hand on her shoulder. Fallon glared at the offending hand until Dacia removed it, and then in a low icy tone said, “You don’t want to touch me.”

“
There a problem?” Brody asked in a low and deep voice. Fallon hoped ignoring Brody would diffuse the situation before it blew up.

Hayden stood next to Brody like he expected trouble. She had to wonder if Dacia was really stupid enough to think
she would actually play along with the sheriff right there.

“
About to be. The new slut wants a fight.” The blond bimbo sneered.

“
No.” Fallon stepped to the side and met Hayden’s dark gaze. “Actually, I have every intention of simply ignoring these two.” Without looking back, she walked to their table.

Maybe the sheriff would keep Dacia in line.
Okay, maybe not.
The woman was deranged.

For half a second, Fallon entertained the idea of flirting with the sheriff to throw Dacia off the scent. He was big and brawny, with dark wavy hair and deep dark brooding eyes. He was one of those men who had perpetual five o’clock shadow. However, there were a few problems with that scenario. One, she had a problem with authority, and he was the sheriff. Two, the man did nothing for her. Three, she wasn’t a good enough actress to pull it off.

Tom laughed as Fallon made her way back to the pool table. “She really doesn’t like you.”

“
No shit.” Fallon muttered.

Someone grabbed her braid, yanked her head back, and didn’t let go. Fallon sat her empty glass down, grabbed Dacia’s wrist and spun around, pressing into her pressure point. She squeezed harder as she glared back at Dacia, who finally let go with a cry of pain.

Fallon dropped her wrist. “Really Dacia, you’re embarrassing yourself. Brody is a big boy. He can make his own decisions. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not standing in your way.”

“
Liar,” she screamed.

Closing her eyes, Fallon took a deep breath, and reminded herself that hitting this woman would only land her in jail.
“I haven’t had nearly enough alcohol for this.” She glanced over at Brody, who now stood next to her. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

“
What? Too chicken to fight a real woman?” Dacia barked.

With a cold laugh, Fallon moved right past them and started for the back door. The blond roughly grabbed her arm as Dacia stepped in front and tried to push her. Fallon closed her eyes, took a deep breath, drawing in all the loose ambient energy. She pushed
it out in a pulse of power. Both women were knocked to the ground.

“
Really ladies, I’m not playing games. I’m just leaving.” Fallon felt the weight of everyone’s eyes, and she just wanted to escape. She turned toward her new friends. “It was a pleasure meeting all of you, but I’m going to bounce.” And she did, right out the back door.

She stepped into the parking
with Brody on her heels.

“
Stay,” she told him, not bothering to look back. “Hang out with your friends. I can get myself home.”

“
How?” he demanded and she was caught somewhere between pissed off and turned on. The alcohol might have had something to do with that.

Shaking her head, she turned toward him with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I’m not going to walk.” But she wasn’t ready to tell him how she’d get home.

“
You would have to call and wait for a cab. No sense in that when I’m ready to go home.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping lower. “I don’t want to be around her either.”

She sighed.
“Fine. But I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I would have made it home.”

“
I know, but I feel better driving. I have plenty of beer there if you still want a drink.” He nodded toward the truck. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Gritting her teeth, she muttered,
“Fine.” At least he didn’t bother trying to open her door this time. She still couldn’t believe he slept with that psychopath.

* * * *

Before Brody drove three blocks, his phone rang. “Hey.” He listened for a moment. “Sure thing.” He set the phone down, and gave her a grin. “Looks like the party is moving to my place. Jess and Slater are coming too. Even Hayden.” He pulled into his driveway and parked.

Fallon groaned.
“You should have let me leave on my own. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s night. Besides, who’s going to work the bar?” Her hands dropped to her lap, and her frown was a little too adorable. He was tempted to kiss the pout right off her luscious mouth.

“
Jess has it covered. Besides, Tomahawk wants a rematch.” He hopped out and she followed him outside.

She paused and took a step toward her apartment.
“You should just go back to the bar.” Her tone was cold. “I don’t care if one crazy bitch hates me. I just didn’t want to get into a bar fight in front of the town’s sheriff. My tolerance for bullshit only goes so far, and she was working the tail end of it.”

“
Hayden wouldn’t arrest you for knocking some sense into her.” But Brody loved her attitude. Fallon knew who she was and didn’t care what anyone else thought of her.

“
In case you didn’t figure it out, Dacia wanted me in cuffs.”

“
Yeah, but no one in their right mind would ever side with her. Besides, she dragged Bridget out the front door at a dead run before you got out the back.” Fallon took another step toward the stairs. “No one knows what you did to those two bimbos, but everyone thought it was pretty damned funny.”

Her eyes slitted and
she shook her head. She was mad and that was hot, but he couldn’t help wondering why.

“
Come on,” Brody told her, hoping to lighten the mood. “I have a pool table and you can get back to kicking my ass.”

“
Fine,” she muttered, rolling her emerald eyes as she marched past him to his back door, which he opened quickly. She stepped inside and turned toward him with a vicious look and acid in her words. “You really slept with Dacia?”

Shit, her glare shot straight to his cock, which hardened in a rush. Trying to ignore his dumb tool, Brody shrugged.
“Once, when I was young and stupid and didn’t realize what can of worms I was opening.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Apparently I was too good because she won’t leave me alone.”