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Cason crossed the floor to reach them, and without giving it a second thought, swung one of his canes. It cracked Joe Sr. in the arm, and he stumbled sideways, letting go of Solette. Her knees gave, but she caught herself and moved out of Joe Sr.’s reach.
“What’s your problem?” Joe Sr. shouted, rubbing his arm.
Cason swung again. This time Joe Sr. raised his hand to block the blow, but Cason brought up the other cane and jabbed him in the stomach. Joe Sr. doubled over, and Cason brought the first cane down on his back. Joe Sr. hit the floor and rolled over right away to get out of the way of another of Cason’s blows.
Cason moved over him and pressed the tip of a cane against Joe Sr.’s throat. His eyes widened in shock and fear. “You’re crazy, man!”
Cason snarled at him. “Just giving you a little taste of what you did to Solette. You’re going to marry her, but you’re going to make her afraid? You’re going to hurt her like that? I may be less than the man I was before, but so help me if you touch her again like you just did, I’ll crush your throat with this cane. Try me.”
Joe Sr. recovered himself at the threat and knocked the cane away. He sprang up toward Cason, but when he reached his feet, he crashed into Neil’s steel chest and fell on his rear again. Cason moved out from behind his bodyguard, who had jumped in front of him to make sure Joe Sr. didn’t reach him. He made his way over to Solette’s side.
“Sit down before you fall,” he ordered.
Her eyes glistened with amusement and unshed tears. “Same to you.”
Cason discovered the room was like a living area in a home, complete with couches and a coffee table. There was even a bar in the corner but no one managing it, and the drinks were under lock and key. Too bad. He felt like he could use something stiff about then.
He sat down next to Solette, who reached to massage his leg but froze in mid-movement to look toward Joe Sr.
“Get him out of here,” Cason ordered Neil. “Make sure he’s off the property before you come back.”
“Right away, sir.” Neil’s big hand wrapped around Joe Sr.’s nape.
“Get your hands off me,” Joe Sr. demanded. “I can sue you for this. I said get off me. I’m calling the cops.”
Cason ignored him and turned back to Solette.
“By all means, let’s call them,” Neil said. “Let me do the honors.”
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sp; Their voices faded. Cason leaned against the couch back and shut his eyes. He then slitted them to take in Solette. She still appeared shaky, sitting on the edge of the couch as if she expected more drama at any second.
“You caused me a lot of pain.” He grunted to give emphasis to his complaint. His leg did ache, but not as bad as he led her to believe. “You could make up for it by giving me a massage instead of just sitting there.”
She popped up to rub his aching thigh. “I’m so sorry, Cason. I didn’t mean for this mess to happen at your party. We were back here talking, and I didn’t think anyone would be disturbed.”
He stilled her hands with one of his and tilted her chin higher so she would look at him. Her smooth cocoa skin didn’t bruise easily, but he suspected the spot where Joe Sr. squeezed was sore. He ran a thumb gently over it, and she trembled.
“Are you afraid of me? I’m not going to hurt you the way he did.”
Her eyes widened. “I know. You’re grumpy pretty often, but I can read people really well.”
He frowned at her. “Can you read yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re silly enough to think you’re inconveniencing me by putting yourself in danger with that loser. If you tell me you’re going to marry him, I’ll be happy to inform you you’re a fool!”
She winced and looked away. “I never told him yes.”
“My guess is you never told him no either. Why?”
She didn’t speak.
“Solette.”
She clenched a small fist under his hand and turned her chin away from his touch. “You said you’re not a hero, so don’t get into it. I told you I can take care of my own business.”
