Breaking apart for me.
Then, all of a sudden, he releases a long breath. “You got your five minutes of attention. Now, shoo and stop disturbing us.”
Like hell I will.
I’m about to snap her neck right in front of his eyes when a bike stops beside us.
Callahan.
He kills the engine and hops off, removing his helmet.
He flashes a heated look atVee,then wraps a possessive arm around her waist, his attention on me. “What’s going on here?”
So Jude’s her man after all.
Still don’t like that Preston was so close to her.
But I smirk. “Just a friendly drop-by.”
“Nothing about your presence is friendly, Osborn,” Jude says.
“True.” I tap my lip. “IsVeeyour girl, Callahan?”
“Her name is Violet, and yes, she is. You have a problem with that?” Jude stands taller, as if he’ll decapitate me if I take just one step toward her.
“No problem whatsoever.” I point a thumb at Preston. “Armstrong might, though, considering he was flirting with her. Keep a better eye on her, yeah? Wouldn’t want her to end up in a freak accident.”
Jude takes a step forward, his expression hardening, but Preston wraps an arm around my throat from behind, confiscating my air.
“Never mind us, big man,” he growls the words. “I’mma beat the crap out of this creep real quick.”
“Question. What’s with all the choking?” I strain thewords, tapping his arm. “Is it a form of paraphilia up for exploring?”
“Just call someone to throw him out of town,” Jude says to Preston. “And don’t kill him.”
“But why not?” Preston glares down at me, his eyes so alive and green even under the dim lighting. “He’s obviously itching to meet his maker.”
“If you’re my grim reaper, why not? Yum.”
“Fucking creep.” Preston pushes me away. “Your face doesn’t even give me the urge to kill. What a turn-off.”
Jude narrows his eyes at me, then drags them to Preston. “Call someone. Don’t do anything alone.”
Then Jude pullsVeeto his bike and drives away with her glued to his back.
I wave at them with one finger at a time.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Preston grunts, surveying our surroundings before squaring up to me.
“Me telling Callahan to watch his girl if he doesn’t want her to…” I speak close to his face. “Poof.Disappear.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“Youhave, apparently.” I grab a fistful of his hair. “You think you canreplaceme, Preston?”
“Let me go,” he speaks low, looking around again as the engine of a car revs in the distance.
“Why? Because everyone will see you with me? Jude seemed to suspect something was off, don’t you think? He’ll ask you what this was all about, and you’ll lie through your teeth and saynothing.” I brush my lips against his, and a tremor goes through him. “But we’renotnothing.”
