Read Online Dare to Dance: The Maxwell Series by S.B. Alexander - Free Book Online

height. “She found me. I don’t pick girls off the street, anyway. They always find their way down here.”
    Dillon pointed to Ruby. “Is her name Ruby Lewis?”
    “No,” Norma blurted out. “She just used the name Ruby for the fight.”
    Tommy knitted his eyebrows.
    I knew she was lying, but I would play along. The last thing I wanted to do was scare Norma or Ruby when she woke up. “Look,” I said to Norma, who reminded me of a cute little pixie. “I’m searching for someone who looks just like Ruby.” I pushed to my feet. “Tommy, you got some ice and a first-aid kit?”
    “I’ll be back.” He headed into a room on the far side of the basement.
    “Bring my money when you come back.” Dillon raised his voice then turned to me. “Well, man? Is that Ruby?”
    I swung my attention to Norma. “We’re not here to hurt anyone. I want to help. I know your friend is Ruby Lewis.”
    She puffed out her cheeks as she grabbed Ruby’s hand. “Then why did you ask?”
    Tommy came back with a first-aid kit and a bowl of ice. I made quick work of getting the necessary bandages and antibiotic cream out. I took a gauze pad and dipped it in the small amount of water in the ice bowl. I was about to clean the blood off Ruby’s face when her eyelids flew open. She zeroed in on me, horror flashing in her blue-green eyes. She scrambled away as though I had just come back from the dead. Maybe I had. Maybe I was dead to her. Or maybe she was disoriented.
    Norma ran to Ruby, who tried to stand but wobbled. Ruby said something in the blonde’s ear.
    “Man, I thought you Maxwell brothers got all the girls, not scared them away,” Dillon said low.
    “Not the time, dude,” I said as I went over to Ruby. “I’m sorry I startled you. I wasn’t planning on everything going like this. I just want to clean up your cuts.” If I started with “where is my kid,” she would take off for sure.
    She jumped to her feet. “Let’s go, Norma.”
    “He wants to help,” she said softly. “At least let him fix you up.”
    Ruby grabbed Norma’s hand and tugged her to the stairs. Norma gave me a sorry look as she went willingly. Ruby was acting as if I was the devil on fire and had come to take her to Hell.
    A pain stabbed my gut. I probably deserved whatever she wanted to throw my way, but she wasn’t leaving until I got answers. Sure, I couldn’t keep her there against her will, and I wouldn’t. But I had to find a way to make sure she didn’t leave.
    She wants nothing to do with you, my subconscious niggled. Even if she wouldn’t talk to me, Dillon had a way with women. Maybe she would at least let someone who she wasn’t frightened of or pissed at tend to her wounds.
    “Dillon, can you help?” I asked in an uneven tone. I was trying to be calm, but questions were on the tip of my tongue, aching to get out, aching to get answers. I was also desperately trying to keep my body from convulsing like a fish out of water.
    Ruby waited for Norma at the base of the stairs.
    Norma ran back and snagged the first-aid kit from me. “I’m sorry.” Then she scurried to catch up with Ruby.
    Dillon ran up to them. “Ruby, please. Let us clean your cuts, or let us take you to the hospital. You might have a concussion.”
    Tommy observed us as though he was watching an intriguing movie.
    “I’m fine,” Ruby said, but her face twisted as she glared at me.
    I wasn’t one for panic attacks, but all the signs were washing over me—racing heart, chest pains, sweat coating my body, and the room was swirling like a F2 tornado. If you let her walk out, you might never find her again. Don’t lose your chance.
    I stalked closer to Ruby, careful not to crowd her space. Apologizing to her might help. After all, that was my plan when I’d gone up to the Berkshires. “I’m sorry for not returning your calls.” I stood three feet from her, itching to get closer and touch her.
    “It’s too late for apologies,” Ruby said as she began her