Выбрать главу

“Because the only person you really care about is yourself, Jeff,” Casey says, and then she steps up to him and snarls, “You’re a pathetic loser.”

He takes a hint… takes a cautious step back. “Oh-kay,” he drawls out. “Apparently, you got hit with a little case of the crazies today, so I’m just going to head back into the restaurant—”

“I’m not crazy,” she says quietly. “I merely wanted to confront you for what you did to me all those years ago.”

“What I did to you?” he asks in confusion. “What the hell did I do to you?”

“I heard you that night,” Casey says softly. “At the beach party that I couldn’t go to. I snuck out of my parents’ house and went there… and I heard what you told your friends.”

The guy just stares at Casey with a blank face, completely not remembering anything about that night. It makes my gut tighten in sorrow for Casey, that whatever he did to her, it apparently didn’t mean anything to him because he’d forgotten it.

“I gave you my virginity after you gave me false comfort over my brother going to prison and told me you loved me. Then you turned around and told your friends I wasn’t good enough for you. I didn’t have the “credentials” to be a part of your circle. You said I wasn’t the type you marry, but I was the type of woman you’d fuck behind your wife’s back. But hey… at least you told them I was a fantastic fuck.”

That motherfucking douche bag scummy fucking asshole.

My head feels like it’s going to explode so great is the rage that rockets through my system now that I know exactly what went down. I don’t even think twice but start walking toward the guy with a film of red haze over my eyes for what he did to Casey. For what he said about her.

For fucking hurting my woman.

I’m going to kill him, and he has no clue it’s coming because he’s staring at Casey.

Ten strides from him, the sheepish look on his face morphs and his eyes glint with malice at Casey.

Eight strides from him, and he shrugs his shoulders and says, “What can I say, Casey, you were a fantastic fuck.”

Four strides from him, and he says, “But yeah… you are the type you fuck behind your wife’s back.”

Two strides from him, and I see Casey raise her hand to smack his face and then her hand is striking at nothing but air because I have the fucker by the neck and I’m walking him backward toward the restaurant. Both of his hands come up and try to claw at my one that has him gripped tightly. His eyes bug out of his head and his face goes beet red as he tries to suck in air.

I push him back up onto the sidewalk, where he nearly stumbles but I pull him up, then I’m slamming him up against the exterior wall of La Papillon, knocking off one of the lighted wall sconces to the left of the door. His head makes a nice thudding sound when it smacks the brick and his eyes start to roll in the back of his head.

The door to the restaurant flies open, and the little maître’d comes out to see what the noise is all about. He takes one look at me, I growl at him, and he goes scurrying back into the restaurant.

Swiveling my head back slowly to look at this scumbag, I loosen my grip a tad, let him suck a gulp of air, and then tighten my hold again. His eyes bug once more.

I’m amazed at how calm my voice is since I’m practically buzzing with the need to do serious violence. “Now, that’s my girl there that you just insulted. And do I look like the type of guy that’s going to let something like that pass?”

He shakes his head frantically at me.

“That’s right,” I say calmly… and yeah, with maybe a slight taunt. “So I’m going to give you one of two choices. You can either apologize to Casey or I can stomp your ribs in with my boots, and just so you know… the toes are reinforced with steel.”

I loosen my grip, he wheezes in air, and then I tighten up again. Eyes bug out once more.

“Now, since you currently can’t talk, I suggest you hold up a hand and indicate which option you want… one or two.”

His hand immediately flies up, and he’s holding up one finger while his eyes silently plead. I wait a moment and consider, then I loosen my grip slightly but still keep it tight enough that I can easily pull him away from the wall. He stumbles immediately but I haul him back up by the neck, turn him, and march him back over to Casey, who is now actually reclining back on the seat of my motorcycle, watching me with amused eyes.

“That was really hot,” she says, her eyes sparkling at me mischievously.

“Thanks, Goldie,” I return jovially, and then give old Jeff a little shake. “Now, I think this guy has something to say to you. Right, Jeff?”

His head frantically nods up and down. I give him a little push toward Casey as I release him. Stumbling, he drops to one knee right at her feet. He starts to rise up, but I squat down and clamp my hand on the back of his neck to hold him in place. “Uh-uh,” I admonish him. “I actually think I like you kneeling down before my girl.”

Casey snorts and when I look, her eyes are admonishing. “Now, you’re just being mean, baby.”

“I’m sorry,” Jeff blurts out, and I can feel his entire body shaking under my grasp. “I’m so fucking sorry, Casey. What I said… it was awful. Rude. You totally didn’t deserve that.”

She stares at him a moment, and then asks, “Do you really mean that, Jeff, or are you just afraid Tenn here is going to put you in the hospital?”

“I really mean it,” he practically screams, and the smell of ammonia greets my nose. I tilt to the side and look at the dude’s crotch, which now has a wet stain starting to spread.

“Uh-oh,” I say with a chuckle. “Jeff here just pissed his pants.”

Casey dips her head and covers her mouth with the back of her hand to hide her smile. She looks at me and shakes her head, telling me it’s done.

I release my grip on the fucker’s neck and stand up, walking around him to my bike and my girl. “You cool, baby?” I ask her as my fingertips stroke her cheek.

“Yeah,” she whispers with gratitude in her eyes. “I’m actually really cool.”

Chapter 17

Casey

“Wake up, Tenn,” I say as I shake his shoulder. He’s in the classic position I’ve found him in almost every morning. While we go to sleep wrapped up in each other’s arms, I always wake up on one side of the bed, practically clinging to the edge, while he sprawls out on the other seventy-percent of the mattress. Face down, arms wrapped around a pillow his head is resting on, gorgeous naked ass for me to look at.

I shake him again. “Come on, dude. Places to go, people to see.”

Tenn groans and opens one bleary eye to look at me. “What time is it?”

“Eight,” I tell him and give him a tiny shove. “Zoey will be here soon.”

“She won’t be here for another two hours,” he says and then turns away, giving me his back. “Plus… she’s not coming here. We’re meeting them over at the Sand Shark. Remember?”

Yeah… we decided to meet them at the Sand Shark because it was right at the intersection where the highway ran north and south up the islands and connects to the mainland. Apparently, Zoey’s mom and her boyfriend were going to make their way south and spend a few days down there, so we agreed to meet them at a convenient place.

“I know… but I want to make sure we get the bed made in here, and then see if there are any last-minute arrangements we need to do, and are you sure I got all of Zoey’s favorite foods? Do we need to run to the grocery store again? It probably wouldn’t—”

“Jesus, woman,” Tenn growls at me as he flips over so fast I have no clue what’s going on until he has me flat on my back and he’s pinned me down. “Why can’t you seriously just sleep in a little?”

“Because there’s too much to do and I want everything to be perfect for her,” I say quickly.