Roman's Vow (Riley's Pride #4) - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,68

of his push broom.

“For treating you like shit since the day you walked in here. I was wrong, and for that I’m sorry.”

“It ain’t nothing, Candy. Don’t worry about it,” Lazarus said.

“It is. I expect every man I meet to only want one thing, so I always make the first move to get the upper hand on them — control the situation. I disrespected you by assuming you’re like all the rest. And even with my attitude and insults thrown at you full force, you still came to save my ass last night. Nobody’s ever done that for me before. I won’t forget it.”

“Patch tries,” Lazarus said. He was never one to accept an apology or compliment easily, preferring to seize on the part of her apology he could turn into a conversation.

Candy nodded and glanced at the broom in his hands before looking back up to meet his gaze. “He does. I owe him an apology, too. But thank you, Lazarus. Thank you for being there for me and doing what I didn’t have the sense or ability to do myself.”

A single tear began to track down her face. Lazarus stepped closer to the table nearest him and leaned the broom against one of the chairs at that table. “Come on now, ain’t no reason for all that,” he said, moving closer to her and reaching out to wipe away the tear with his thumb.

Candy took a deep breath. “It’s been so long since someone treated me like I mattered that I forgot what it feels like.”

“I can understand that. Been there myself,” he said.

“I’m so tired of being strong, being cold, having to pretend everything’s okay,” she said, her gaze glued to the floor and her voice quiet.

“Then don’t be strong and cold anymore. Smile more. Live more,” Lazarus said.

“I’m not even sure I remember how,” she said, and offered a slight laugh.

One of Lazarus’s favorite songs, ‘My Girl’, began to play and he stepped even closer and held out his hands to her, one at her waist level, the other out to his side for her to place hers into. “Sure you do. Come on, dance with me — you’ll see.”

Candy looked up at Lazarus and he realized he could see the slight trace of bruises beneath her heavily applied makeup. He thought she was going to refuse, but finally she nodded and moved forward, placing her hand in his and her other on his shoulder, while allowing him to place his other hand at the small of her back. Together they danced around the room to that song, and the one after. As the third began to play, Laz slowly let her go, and took a step back, clearly uncomfortable. “See, told you you’d remember,” he finally said.

Candy smiled up at Lazarus. “I guess I did.”

“Thanks for the dance,” Lazarus said.

“You’re welcome,” she answered.

Lazarus smiled at her one last time before going back to his broom and taking it in hand again. As he started to push it across the floor once more, he looked back at her. “Thanks for coming in on time today. Appreciate the help.”

Candy nodded and smiled at him before she turned to go back into the kitchen where she’d already stored her purse, and so she could take over the prepping job from her uncle.

Patch was standing in the doorway watching, and he raised his eyebrows when Candy paused long enough as she passed him to drop a kiss on his cheek.

As she walked into the kitchen, Patch stayed where he was and met Lazarus’s look from across the room. He inclined his head at Lazarus, and Lazarus repeated the gesture back to him. If Patch had for one second wondered why he’d created an alibi for a man he barely knew, he no longer wondered. Lazarus was something special, and he was bringing some much needed change to his niece. From the sound of it, he’d even gone so far as to step in and protect her when she needed it last night. He was no fool, and noticed the bruises right away when she showed up at the back door — on time no less. And after listening in on their conversation, he knew all he needed to know. He’d been right about Laz, despite the air of danger about him, he was a good guy.

~~~

Roman packed a couple of business-casual changes of clothes, and his suit. He was sure to put a couple of ties, and his dress