“So you should just take theL, Dutch. Make it easy on both of us. You don’t want to wrap this up in courts for years do you?” His ego firmly back in place, he walked onto the grass. “I heard your new book is decent. With Monte’s help you’ll be just fine for the preorder launch. Again, your secrecy works in my favor. No one will ever know about Lana’s book.”
“My fucking book,” I snarled and swung on him. My height and wingspan working in my favor as his head snapped back and he hit the ground.
“Dutch!” Phoebe ran down the hill to me, her fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Don’t.”
Chris looked up at me, blood on his teeth as he smiled. “There’s some fire under there after all.” He wiggled his jaw.
“Hundreds of hours of my life,” I shouted down at him as my fingers throbbed.
Mouse inched down beside me, his growls increasing.
“Keep going. An assault suit will cover me for a few months.” He thumbed away the blood on his lip.
“You’ll never get another dime from me even if I have to spend all of my money in court. Get the hell off my property.”
He rolled to his knees and staggered up. “You’ll come around. You always do.”
“Not this time.” I wrapped my fingers around Phoebe’s and pulled her in close. “I have people around me who actually care about me, not about what I can do for them.”
Chris flicked his eyes over Phoebe. “Country bumpkin? I guess she probably knows how to keep you warm anyway.”
I lunged for him and Mouse followed suit, his bark menacing.
Phoebe hauled me back. “No. It’s not worth it.” She lowered her voice. “He’ll get his. I promise.”
Chris sprinted back to his car, gravel spitting as he bottomed out his sports car before fishtailing toward the main road.
She spun me around and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you.”
I cupped the back of her head, holding her against my chest. Her heart was racing against mine—or maybe it was just mine. I wasn’t sure. “I can’t believe he showed his face.”
“He’s scared.” She looked up at me. “Couldn’t you feel the desperation? God, what a weasel.”
I laughed. Shocked that any amount of happiness could live inside of me after seeing him. But having Phoebe in my corner showed just what a weak, pathetic shitbag he was. I tangled my fingers into her waves. “I’m not sure I could have faced him if you weren’t here.”
“You would have.”
“Well, maybe I should edit that statement.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes.
“I might have dragged him into that lake and drowned him.”
“You can kill him in your book.”
“Diabolical. Maybe I’m rubbing off on you.”
She walked her fingers up my chest. “Just maybe.” She went on her toes and I lowered my mouth to meet hers. As always, her touch grounded me. Bringing me into the here and now. Shesighed as our lips parted. “Maybe we should skip my brother’s party.”
“With all that baking you did? Absolutely not.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not letting Christopher take anything else from me. Period.”
“I’ll remind you of that when you’re surrounded by a bunch of hockey players talking about their best shots.”
“Worth it.” I lifted her off her feet. “Maybe we could be a little late?”
