Of course he doesn’t leave me with the last word. That would be the gentlemanly thing to do, and ratbag isnota gentleman.
“How do you think your boss is going to feel when she finds outyoucame afterme?” he growls like a rabid dog.
My confidence falters, leaking through the cracks in my bravado. “That isn’t what happened.”
His hand clamps around my wrist, forcing me closer. “Who do you think she’s going to believe? Me or you?”
Rebecca is my friend. She won’t believe him.
She dated Josh for years. Why wouldn’t she?
“Let me go.”
A hand lands on Josh’s shoulder. “Back the fuck up, Joshy.”
Elliott…
Thank God.
Josh jerks out of Elliott’s grasp, his hand falling away in the process. “Fuck off.”
Elliott inserts himself between us, giving Josh his back, an impenetrable wall of muscles between my ex and me. “You okay?”
I nod even as I blink back tears, hating that Josh’s words are rolling around in my mind like a bunch of loose marbles.
No, not marbles. They’re too colorful and fun. Josh’s vicious promise is like cement in a mixer, growing heavier, thicker, harder to ignore.
I’m sick to my stomach and it has nothing to do with the drinks I had.
Elliott gently takes my hand, leading me toward the door.
“What did you say to Meg?” Thankfully, it’s too loud for him to hear the tremble in my voice.
If only there was some way to hide my brittle smile.
Remember when folding fans were a thing? I could use one right about now.
“I told her that I’m stealing you for myself.”
Cue stomach-flip. “What’d she say?”
“She told me it was about damn time.”
CHAPTER 41
ELLIOTT
Chaos
You thirsty?
The Lorenwho climbs into my truck isn’t the same confident, flirty woman from the bar. She fidgets and keeps tapping her phone screen, watching it light up and then letting it go dark again. Like she’s expecting someone to text her.
Tell me it isn’t her ex.
After what we just did, she shouldn’t be wasting her time on him.
Was I wrong? Is she still hung up on that asshole? Is that why she was crying?
