Page 25 of Alfie

“Fuck you, man.”

Alfie met Eddie’s gaze and held it, the silence stretching around them.

“You need to go. You’re harassing a woman who doesn’t want to see you, and you’ve been told repeatedly to leave. Besides that, there are witnesses.”

“Who?”

Alfie jutted his chin toward the idling SUV, where Joss and Nathan were standing at the front bumper, arms crossed. Waiting. Silent.

Eddie’s bravado, the sort that came from an entitled life and zero muscles to back up the attitude, began to waver.

“There are security cameras around the building, and street cams as well. And those two are with me.”

“You’re threatening me,” Eddie said, tilting his chin up in defiance.

“Not a threat, just a promise of what will happen if you don’t forget you know Myla and get lost.” Alfie took a step forward, aware that his wolf was very close to the surface. Eddie’s irises went to pinpoints as the primal part of his brain recognized that Alfie was a predator and he’d fucked up. “Myla didn’t get you fired, you did that to yourself. The only one to blame here is you. I can understand you being embarrassed or mad, but if you take one more step toward my female, I will end you where you stand. I promise I won’t think about you again for the rest of my life.”

The words hung between them, as cold as the snowflakes falling.

Eddie’s gaze darted to Joss and Nathan, who hadn’t moved an inch, standing like two sentries ready to deal harshly with him. Then he looked at the theater. His gaze finally landed on Alfie.

“I’ll go where I want,” Eddie said, his voice no longer filled with bravado.

“But not around Myla,” Alfie said.

For a moment, it seemed like Eddie might posture some more, or make a move and do something stupid. Alfie would have zero regrets for using his superior strength and speed to stop this male from coming near his female again.

But then something must have registered in Eddie’s brain that Alfie was the better male. Too calm, too quiet. Too ready to take him on.

Eddie took a step back. And then another.

“You’re a crazy bitch,” he spat, before turning away.

Alfie stared at his back until he got into a car and drove off, his tires squealing on the wet pavement. He turned immediately to Myla and wrapped his hands around her upper arms.

“Are you okay?”

Her eyes were wide, her lips parted, her breath gusting out in white puffs of fog from the chill in the air. “Why won’t you stay the night with me?”

Gun to his head, Alfie would not have been more surprised by the question she asked. “What?”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, then said, “Why do you never stay all night with me? What are you hiding?”

“Myla.”

“No,” she said, taking a step back and easing out of his grasp. “Something is going on with you and I don’t like it one bit. You either tell me the truth right now or you just leave me the hell alone.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Then un-complicate it. Or I’ll call a car service.”

Well, that was not happening.

He stared down at her, his beautiful soulmate, and nodded. “I need to take you back to the park. I’ll tell you everything.”

She looked suspicious, but she relaxed fractionally. “All right.”

He led her to his SUV and said, “I need to talk to my boss for a second and let him know I’m bringing you home. I’ll be right back.” He paused, then asked, “Are you really okay?”