To Protect the Heart of a Brazen Woman [Brazen Sisters 6] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Free Page A

rage on his side. Beau wouldn’t even spar with him, and the last time he’d managed to kick Jake’s ass. If Bobbie hadn’t left none of this would have happened.
    Without Bobbie at the Chamber of Commerce dinner he would have felt awkward sitting with the rest of the Brazens like he normally did. He’d planned to skip it all together, which would have pissed off the mayor. So when Kerri asked if he wanted to go with her since her boyfriend hadn’t been able to make it to town, he said sure. It had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
    “Are you listening to me?” Tyler asked.
    “Yeah. I’m listening.”
    “Good. The issue isn’t you dating. It’s that Kerri is only two years older than Bobbie.”
    “I didn’t know that.” Jake hadn’t found that out until it was too late.
    “Did you care? I didn’t believe Frankie when she said you were trying to get back at Bobbie for not saying good-bye, but now I’m not so sure.” Tyler shook his head like he was letting the idea rattle around, and Jake wanted to clock him and see if it helped.
    “I wasn’t striking out. I didn’t even think about it getting back to Bobbie.” All he thought about was how he’d rather be going with her.
    “Man, tell her before they do.” Tyler had become a really good friend, and Jake knew he was only telling him what he thought was the right thing to do. “It won’t hurt any less coming from you, but maybe she won’t be as upset if you explain it wasn’t a real date. If it comes from someone else you know she’s going to be pissed.”
    When he didn’t respond right away his brother said, “Never knew you to be chickenshit. Since you won’t tell her, I will. It’ll be good for her to have a shoulder to cry on, and who knows? Maybe when she’s over you she’ll see what’s right in front of her.”
    Jake grabbed him by his collar and pulled him so close they were nose to nose. “Stay the fuck away from her.”
    Beau just smiled. “You had your chance. She loves Charlie, and the kid could use a mother figure.”
    Jake shoved him away hard enough that the shithead stumbled. His brother was an ass, but he’d found the motivation Jake needed. Hopefully, he’d just bruise her heart with his confession, not break it. He had always tried to protect Bobbie by not letting her get involved with him, but it hadn’t helped. She loved him whether he deserved it or not. Now, however unintentionally, he’d put her in the position of getting hurt. It was only right that he should be the one to tell her. He started back toward the bowling alley.
    Bobbie came out the door, followed quickly by her sisters. She moved across the parking lot like someone was chasing her, but they just stood there and watched her go. Jake could only think of one reason that she’d be leaving in such a rush. Like a shot he was off, hot on her heels.
    “Bobbie,” he called out.
    She glanced back and his breath caught in his chest. He could see her tears running down her face. She looked crushed. Never in the whole time he’d known her had she ever looked at him like that. Jake knew she’d found out. She turned and started to run. He stood where he was for a minute or two, debating whether or not to chase her. He’d almost caught up to her when she stopped by a flashy yellow Jeep and climbed in.
    He turned and ran across the parking lot to his truck. His brother already had it running. Jake knew her sisters would have followed her, too, if their husbands hadn’t been there to stop them. He wasn’t fool enough to think they’d be able to keep them there for long, so he needed to handle this fast.
    When Bobbie got upset she could sort of be a loose cannon. There was no knowing where she’d go or what she would do. He headed for her house, hoping she might go there. Jake kept looking for the Jeep on the roads he passed. At least with it being so bright it would make it hard to miss. He wondered who it belonged to. With the way the old