“Yep.I knew he was connected, but it wasn’t obvioushowconnected until I did a little more digging.”
Cole moved to look out his bedroom window.Every light in Hadley’s house was off.Driveway was empty.So was the street.If Darren was out there somewhere, he was at least smart enough not to leave his car in plain sight of her house.
That was troubling.In Cole’s experience, reasonably intelligent bad guys weremuchharder to deal with than even the most violent idiots.“Who’s backing him?”
“Mafia.The Irish.Your guy’s not a made man, but his father, Aedan, is an underboss.He cut Darren out of the family business when it became clear he was a liability, but they always bail him out of trouble.”
“He’s guilty?You’re sure?”
“I’d bet my hands on it.”
Cole had broken the guy’s wrist, embarrassed him in front of Hadley, and stopped whatever he’d planned to do with her that night.He’d bethishands on the fact that the asshole wouldn’t show up onCole’sdoorstep looking for revenge.No.Bullies and abusers were far too cowardly for that.
He’d take his rage out on Hadley.
Cole grabbed his gun, tucking it into the back waistband of his sweats before ending the call with Ren.
On a good day, he’d take some time before charging into danger to assess the situation.
Too bad today wasnota good day.
Chapter8
Hadley’s eyes widened.Marriage?
She couldn’t stand anothercoffeedate with this fuckwit, let alonemarryhim.Hell, she’d rather put on a raw meat bikini and wrestle a hungry lion, or drag her bare labia across Georgia asphalt in August than leg-shackle herself to Darren for all eternity.
He must’ve seen the horror in her eyes because his expression darkened with what could only be described as pure evil before he added, “Or I’ll let Liam here do whatever he wants with you before he sells you to the cartel.”
Her gaze shifted to Liam just in time to see him grin and lick his lips.She hadn’t known she could cringe with her entire body until that moment.
“You’re a smart girl, Hadley.I know you’ll make the right choice, won’t you?”
Some fucking choice, she thought.Marry a crazy, violent asshole, or let some crazy, violent asshole sex traffic her to a cartel.But at least option A bought her a little time.
She couldn’t nod with Liam’s hand clamped down on her jaw, but she gave Darren a slow blink and the barest hint of a head tilt to indicate her compliance.
The rain clouds seemed to lift from his eyes and the look of pure joy he gave her was somehow more terrifying than his anger.“I knew you loved me, too.”
Delusional fucker.
Hopefully her eyes didn’t say that out loud to him.Her eyes had a habit of telling the truth like that.It wassuperinconvenient.
“Get your hands off my wife, Liam.”
Liam let out a disgusted sigh and pulled his hand off her mouth.“She was probably too old for the cartel, anyway.”
Then he straightened to his full height, which put his crotch within kicking range.
Hadley drew up her knees and swung both feet as hard as she could into Liam’s balls.She put every pound of body weight she had into that kick.
With a sound something like an asthmatic goat, Liam dropped to his knees at her bedside, clutching his balls while staring at her with wide, horrified eyes.Hadley shouldered him out of her way and leapt to her feet.
Darren looked so confused that she would’ve felt sorry for him if he hadn’t just threatened her.So, she threw her elbow as hard as she could at his head.But because she was several inches shorter than him, she only managed to connect with his collarbone.
It did knock him back a step, though, and that was all the invitation she needed.Hadley raced out of the room as fast as her bare feet could carry her, letting out a shriek of the damned along the way.
She’d made it all the way to her front door—inches from freedom—when Darren grabbed her by the hair and threw her back against her living room wall.He was on her before she could scramble away, pinning her with his superior body weight.
