Saving Rose Red - Maggie Dallen Page 0,2

they were being funded by Anthony, the man walks right into his tattoo shop. What were the odds?

The reason for his visit quickly became apparent. Anthony smiled, revealing shockingly white teeth. “Well, well. So we meet again.”

He was talking to Andie, of course. Anthony had yet to glance over at Cole. He’d bet his entire life savings that this pretty boy had zero interest in getting a tattoo. His eyes were glued to Andie and his gaze never wavered—neither did his cocky smile.

He’d hated this guy on principle before, but now? His hands clenched at his side as he envisioned beating that face to a bloody pulp.

Andie returned his smile—of course she did. The woman seemed to love everyone. And it was also possible that she couldn’t see past the preppy, pleasant-looking exterior to the criminal beneath.

In fact, if an unsuspecting casting director were to walk in on this scene, Anthony would surely be cast as the leading hero and Cole would most likely be the scary villain sent to rain down vengeance or something. He definitely wouldn’t be the one paired with the innocent ingénue. Guys like him didn’t get the girl.

But a smarmy punk-in-disguise like Anthony shouldn’t get the girl either.

Anthony walked toward Andie, his hands tucked in his pockets in an unassuming, casual sort of way. As if this guy made a habit of following women into tattoo parlors.

“Hey, didn’t I see you down by the park earlier? You were taking pictures, right?”

Andie’s face lit up. Just when he thought she couldn’t get any more beautiful. But the fact that she’d lit up for some other man took some of the pleasure out of it.

“Yeah, that was me,” she said.

Anthony glanced down at the camera hanging around her neck as his lackey made himself invisible, roaming around feigning interest in the art on the walls. “So you’re a photographer?” Anthony asked.

Andie looked down at her camera. “Amateur photographer.”

If it was possible, Anthony’s grin grew smarmier by the second. “I’d love to see your photos sometime.”

Ugh. Of all the terrible come-ons.

He watched in disgust as Anthony sidled up beside her as if they would share a cozy moment looking at her photos in his shop. No, thank you.

Then the jerk asked her for her number. Just like that. Like he had every right to ask out a nice girl like her. Like he wasn’t a drug lord—all right, alleged drug lord, with more skeletons in his closet than yuppie suits.

And she gave it to him, spouting out her digits with a smile. Of course with a smile. When the douchebag reached for her phone so he could enter his contact information, Cole lost his patience.

That was it. He was putting an end to this disaster waiting to happen. He wouldn’t let this angel fall into the devil’s hands, not on his watch.

“Sorry, guys, we’re closing up soon. This lady is our last customer of the day.”

Anthony looked up at him and a flicker of anger marred that perfect friendly facade. “C’mon, man, we won’t stay long.”

It was the tone that did it. That entitled, spoiled, overgrown-frat-boy tone. The one that made it seem like they were old friends. And while he did need to get close to this guy, watching him hit on the girl of his dreams was not what he’d had in mind.

No, when he got close to Anthony it would be to slap a pair of cuffs on him. In the meantime…

“Sorry, man. The owner is strict about not letting people hang out in the shop after hours.” He’d heard Stuart slip out the back a little while ago but they had no way of knowing that, and no one wanted to get on Stu’s bad side. Not if they had a brain. As he spoke, he headed out from behind the counter and in their direction.

He didn’t have to take more than two steps before Anthony and his goon started backing up toward the door. Taller than average and with a muscular build, Cole tended to have that effect on people. They got out of his way. Steered clear.

Everyone except for Andie, apparently. She smiled up at him as he drew near and escorted her wannabe suitor out the front door. When they were out on the street, he locked the front door, meeting Anthony’s stare as he did.

Great work, officer. He’d gone from lowlife lackey on the Corada gang food chain to the top of Anthony Gallagher’s enemies list. How was he going