Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
A thick cascade of warm, blonde hair rolled down her slender back, and a mountain of grief weighed down her shoulders.
Found myself itching in my damned seat every time I glanced her way. Some fucking twisted thing inside me wanting to cross to her. Brush back those full locks of hair so I could get a good look at her face. Promise her that things would get better, even though I didn’t have the first clue what she was going through.
“Ah, I see the way you’re really wanting to get dirty.”
Theo’s razzing snapped my focus back to him, and I shook myself out of the stupor and pasted on a grin. “Not my type.”
He busted out a full laugh. “Bullshit. Everyone is your type.”
Okay, fine. I wasn’t one to typically deny myself pleasure.
But I was pretty sure this girl wasn’t out looking for a good time, and I wasn’t the kind of prick who preyed on that.
But apparently that basic human decency wasn’t extended by everyone because one of the assholes who’d been loitering at the bar went sauntering her way, all cocky sleaze, encouraged by the three other dickbags who were hooting vulgarities in their direction.
Rage fisted my stomach, rising up from the chaos that lived inside me. For the most part, I could contain it until the moments when I was able to set it free.
When I unleashed it on the most perverted of society.
I tried to tamp it then. Get it under lock and key because it wasn’t any of my business if this douche attempted to hit on this girl. None of my business if she packed up her things and walked out the door with him, though there was something about her that left me confident she would tell this idiot exactly where to shove it.
Still, I clutched my tumbler like it might keep me rooted as I watched him waltz right up to her and lean in close to her ear.
I saw her flinch, her back going rigid as he got in her personal space.
My teeth ground with restraint.
She shook her head and shifted farther away from him, and I almost sank back with relief until he reached out with a giant mitt and took her by the elbow.
And that was the moment it completely became my business.
Asshat trying to force her to look at him, arrogant disbelief tromping all over his pompous face, like she didn’t have the right to tell him no.
A shocked gasp ripped from her, and I could hear her rasp, “Let go of me.”
She spun on the stool and attempted to yank her elbow from his meaty grip.
“Motherfucker,” I growled, no restraint left, already on my feet and pushing from the booth when she finally ripped herself free.
Only the movement set the stool off balance, and it wobbled as the monster went to reach for her again. She flailed to get out of his reach, and it sent the stool toppling backward, taking her down with it.
Her ass hit the ground, and the stool clattered on the hardwood floor beside her.
There was no longer any keeping that rage at bay.
Because that bastard still moved her way.
Only a feral shout came from her when he reached for her, and the woman kicked and flung her arms out to fight off the bastard.
The bastard who yelped, “You bitch,” when she clawed him across the face like she was the one in the wrong.
I’d made it right up behind him by the time he was getting ready to retaliate, and I had him by the nape and was hauling him back at the same second I was driving my fist up under his ribs from behind.
He howled, bowing back as I delivered the blow, and he tried to swing around to get to me.
He was twice as wide as me, but I kept his back pressed to my chest as I dragged him backward toward the door. “You want to touch someone when they don’t want to be touched? This is what that feels like.”
I repeated the punch in the exact same spot, knowing it was going to hurt a whole hell of a lot worse that time. Doubted anyone would blame me that I was probably a little too satisfied by the fact.
He floundered and thrashed and wailed while his group of friends came running up to assist.
Fuckers stopped dead in their tracks when Theo stepped out in front of them, all that bravado wearing thin once they realized they’d picked the wrong place to get stupid.
Towing the piece of shit to the door, I yanked the front door open with one hand while I tossed him out of it with the other.
Asshole rolled across the wooden planks of the sidewalk out front.
He scrambled around onto his hands and knees, panting like mad as I stepped out and let the door drift shut behind me.