“Eden, step away,” I roared. Her eyes shot wide, and she didn’t hesitate. When she was out of sight, I turned back to a smirking Chris and pushed my forearm against his throat.
“How many fucking times do I have to tell you? Stay away from her.” I felt the vein in my neck pulsating under my anger and the thought of my fist connecting with his smug face almost overcame me.
“Always so protective Ky but what happens when you aren’t around?” He shrugged out of my hold and took a step forward, getting right in my face. “I hear her pussy is pretty fucking sweet.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I hissed. “You go anywhere near her and I swear to God I will bring you down motherfucker. Stay the fuck away from her.”
I turned away from him with anger pulsating through my body, desperate to escape, and that was when he spoke again.
“Secrets always come out Crawford, and I’ll be right in the wings ready to swoop.”
I didn’t bother sticking around to hear any more of the fucked-up words he would taunt me with. I needed to find Eden. My head flung back and forth as I tried to find any sign of her. I finally locked onto her retreating figure as she crossed the road. I started jogging and weaved my way through the traffic with Eden clear in sight.
“Eden, stop!” I pleaded when I got within reach.
She froze on the spot and spun toward me, her face completely unreadable. increased my pace until I stopped just before her. I could see the panic falling around her, and it was obvious that her walls were rising at an alarming rate.
My hands cupped her face, encouraging her to look at me. Even when she looked petrified, she was still the most beautiful girl. “Did he hurt you?”
Her bottom lip trembled and she shook her head slightly before speaking. “I’m okay, I just want to get out of here.”
“Hey, come here.” I whispered and wrapped my arms tightly around her bringing her firmly against my chest. Her arms circled my waist and she pulled me closer to her body. I held her as close as I could until she stopped shaking. “Are you okay?”
She lifted her head from my chest and looked at me through glistening eyes. “I don’t know. He scares me.”
“What can I do?” I asked, desperately wanting to stop the fear taking over her. “Will you come and have dinner with Josh, Ashlyn, and me?”
Her eyes swam with indecisiveness before me. She tugged her lip between her teeth before she simply nodded. My irritation grew every time I witnessed this, but I refused to let it boil over again. What if I was someone who wasn’t just going to take her for dinner? What if it was someone who saw how beautiful she was and…I couldn’t even think about it. It made me more determined to get her to say no to something or at least say yes for the right reasons. It ignited a need within me, a need that I shouldn’t crave.
“Come on, let’s go.”
She uncurled herself from my body and I linked my fingers with her and we walked silently back to the diner. My eyes bounced around feverishly searching for any signs of Chris but like a dirty rat he had disappeared into the crevices of the city.
The moment we walked through the door and the warmth of the diner circulated around us, my aunt Carole was in our space and fussing over Eden.
“Sweetie, are you okay? I am so sorry I didn’t notice sooner. You come in here any time okay. You are safe in here.”
My heart warmed at my aunt’s worry. She was like a second mom to me and Josh and knowing her motherly ways, I knew that Eden would get the full Aunt Carole treatment. The sweetness of Eden’s smile was comforting to the brutal thoughts I was having in regards to Chris.
“Take her to the booth Ky, I’ll bring over some drinks and take your order.” She turned to Eden and placed an open palm on her cheek. “This one will take care of you sweetie. He is a good boy.”
When we got to the booth, both Ashlyn and Josh rose from their seats and hugged Eden tightly as I stood back protectively. I directed her to slide in and sit against the window so I could protect her from the world around us. It was my caveman tendencies resurfacing; if anyone wanted to get to her, they had to come through me. Her body shook beside me and she was studying the table top as she clawed her way back into the shell she protected herself with. I grabbed her hand under the table and entwined my fingers with hers, desperate to provide her with solace. Her grip tightened, and she shifted ever so slightly until her body was flush against mine. My thumb rubbed over her soft skin, and I placed our conjoined hands in my lap where they would remain.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.” I dropped my voice so only she heard and my words were complete and utter truth. I would stop at nothing to ensure her safety.
Her eyes lifted to find mine, and it stabbed my heart seeing them clouded with fear. “No one can guarantee that. Not even you Ky,” she admitted in defeat.
“Don’t underestimate me Eden.”
Our eyes latched fiercely onto each other’s, and I hoped to Christ my silent words were understood.
“What’s for dinner tonight pretty girl?” Josh’s soothing voice floated over the table and broke the trance Eden and I had on each other.
“Um, I think I want pasta,” she replied softly and her gaze dropped to the menu on the table.
“Aunt Carole makes the best chicken and mushroom pasta,” I suggested.
“Well I might have to try that then.”
Ashlyn sat opposite us, beside Josh, and had barely said a word since Eden had walked in. Her eyes latched tightly on Eden and her face was like stone. I knew this whole situation was killing her, but she refused to acknowledge it. No matter how many times I told her to speak with Eden, she wouldn’t.
“Ashlyn, I was wondering if you want to go shopping in the city sometime soon. I want to hit up Victoria’s Secret.”
Holy fuck me dead.
Instantly the thought of Eden’s sweet body wearing sexy lingerie appeared in my mind and lust shot straight to my cock. I squeezed her hand so tightly that she gasped beside me and I apologized under my breath. Josh’s roar of laughter from across the table drew me back to reality, and I shot him a look of pure death.
“Oh babe, you have just set my brother on a course of no return,” he teased arrogantly across from us.
I leaned in until my mouth was close to her ear and whispered, “You shop at Victoria’s Secret?”
She shifted until her face was barely inches from mine, and her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Yes.”
“Fuck me,” I growled. “You kill me Eden Rivers.”
I shook the thoughts from my head and looked back at a gleaming Josh and smirking Ashlyn. They pissed me off. I hid my smile behind my glass as I took a drink of my soda and finally Aunt Carole arrived to take our orders.
The rest of the dinner went well. Conversation flowed perfectly at the table and eventually I felt Eden relaxing beside me. I loosened my grip on her hand, expecting her to rip her hand from mine, yet she didn’t, not even when Aunt Carole arrived with our orders. She ate her pasta with one hand, as I struggled to eat my burger with one hand.
“Well kids, I am heading out. I have a hot date with brand new pussy tonight,” Josh announced without a care in the world. He slid out of the booth and stood at the end of the table with a smug look sweeping over his face.
Eden choked on her soda at the honesty that Josh liked to hand out to the universe.
“Shit sorry Eden, I tend to speak before I think,” he apologized profusely and looked at me warily.
“No need to apologize. Go and enjoy your, um, pussy,” Eden murmured, and I swear to God even her words blushed.
Riotous laughter filled the table and Ashlyn followed Josh out of the booth after announcing that she was also heading back to her apartment as she had an early morning meeting. Before Josh left he had invited Eden to his house for dinner later in the week, which she agreed to immediately.