Read Shield My Heart (Heaven Hill Book 9) for Free Online Page B

am, but trust me, sweetheart; all of us are men who want a woman with a little more experience and age than what you have.”
    He slid a ten-dollar bill across the counter toward her, walking away without waiting for his change.
    Shaking his head, he pushed the door to the store open and stopped in his tracks. Waiting at his bike was the man he’d been trying to get a meeting with for weeks. Calvert stood beside the front tire, facing him down.
    *
    Dalton wasn’t sure if his dad had actually come through or if the rumblings going through Bowling Green had finally flushed the bookie out. Either way, he was thankful, because he was sick of trying to chase his tail.
    “Calvert.” He hitched his chin up as he walked towards his bike.
    “Barnett.” Calvert did the same move, almost mirroring Dalton’s gesture. “I hear you’ve been looking for me.” He walked to meet Dalton where he stood in the middle of the parking lot.
    Needing something to do with his hands, Dalton worked on packing his cigarettes, beating it roughly against his palm. “I have,” he acknowledged. No use in denying it; anyone he’d talked to would have told Calvert he was looking. “I need to talk to you about Samuel.”
    Calvert nodded his head up and down in an exaggerated way. “Samuel. Yeah. He owes me big, and he’s walking a thin rope on his payment plan.”
    “Payment plan?” This was something new and really kind of pissed Dalton off. He had been hoping to go to Calvert himself and ask for an extension. Looked like that was now out of the question.
    “Yeah. Samuel owed me money two months ago. You’re a little late to this party. Been too busy with that hot lady of yours, I guess.”
    Dalton took in a few deep breaths, holding them so that his heart could slow down, so that he didn’t speak out of anger. “She has nothing to do with this.”
    “But she will.” Calvert smiled. “Because I want my money way more than I want to hurt anybody, and while I know you have access to some, the down payment on that land you have your eye on, doesn’t touch what your uncle owes me. The person who does have access to that kinda money? Liam Walker. And if you don’t ask him for it—then I’ll do whatever it takes to get it. If Mandy ends up bein’ collateral damage, or any other female belonging to Heaven Hill, then so be it.”
    Finally done packing his cigarettes, he flipped open the top, got one out, and stuck it to his lips. His movements were deceptively lazy as he lit the end and took a huge drag off the end. “You’ll get your money.”
    “I have no doubt that I will, Dalton, no matter how I have to get it.” He walked closer to the younger man, his voice low and threatening. “Remember that. I think you know I’m just dying to prove to Heaven Hill I can take what’s theirs. I don’t need to hurt anybody to prove I can do it either. Just the thrill of pulling one over on the pied pipers of Warren County is enough for me.”
    He reached over, took a cigarette out of Dalton’s pack, and leaned in, lighting it with the glowing end sticking out of Dalton’s mouth. “I’m never too far away. Doesn’t matter if you’re with her or not, doesn’t matter if she’s alone. Doesn’t really matter if she’s going to the doctor either. Appointments every month at an OBGYN office? That could give someone the idea she’s carrying a bun in the oven. Until I get what I want, I’m gonna keep her in my sights.”
    With those words, he walked off, blowing smoke in the air. As Dalton watched Calvert leave, more than ever he knew he had to get this taken care of, and he would do his best to do it himself.

‡
Chapter Seven

    D alton tapped a beat that only he heard against his jean-clad thigh. Nerves caused his stomach to clench and a slight sheen of sweat to pop out on his forehead. He’d been waiting for what felt like a year to get a one-on-one meeting with Liam. While their pres was accommodating, times had been busy, and he