AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Excuse me,” Frankie said. “I—um—I forgot that I need to do something at the shop.” There was a screech as she pushed back her chair and took off across the deck, heels clicking as she hurried away.
Lex shot to his feet, sarcastic smile gone, and the fucker made as though to follow her.
No.
Fuckno.
Fuckhim.
Raven hit her own feet, her chair screeching back as she grabbed Lex’s arm. He started to push by her, and she growled, “No.”
Then Maggie was on her feet too, and she stepped next to Raven, glaring at Lex. “Seriously,” she snapped. “That’s ano.”
Lex’s gaze whipped from where Frankie had disappeared to Raven. “Let go,” he said quietly.
Quietly.
But dangerously.
That sent a shiver of fear through her, but she stood her ground.
Because yeah, no. That wasn’t going to happen.
“We’lltake care of our friend,” she snapped, lifting her chin and gripping even more tightly. “Not you. Not when you’re trying to embarrass her on purpose.”
His forearm flexed beneath her fingers. “It wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “I thought—” He clamped his lips together, shook his head, a flash of guilt sliding through his eyes.
Okay, so maybe hehadn’tmeant to embarrass Frankie.
But his tone, his sarcasm, the way he’d made Frankie look—hehadembarrassed her.
So, fuck him. Again. “Sit down and eat your pasta salad—”
“Let him go,” Auntie Pat commanded loudly.
Raven tightened her fingers around his arm and stared aghast at Pat. She shook her head. Yeah, no. That wasn’t going to happen. “I—”
“Let him go,” Pat repeated, though did she add a glare at Lex that should have eviscerated him on the spot. “That boy has some apologizing to do.” A beat. “And groveling.”
Lex had tensed further, as though prepared to tear himself from Raven’s hold, as though Pat’s words were going to send him off the deep end, but then he blew out a breath, relaxed all of those manly muscles and flicked his stare from Pat’s back to Raven’s.
Then he nodded.Slightly.
Auntie Pat had spoken.
Groveling and apologizingwouldhappen.
Still not totally liking this, Raven opened her hand, released that tree trunk of an arm, and Lex took off immediately, moving down the stairs and around the corner, turning in the direction Frankie had disappeared from sight.
“Sweetheart.”
She glanced up, realized Connor had moved close. He wove his arm around her waist, tugged her back against him. “I used to like him,” she snapped. “But now I don’t.”
His mouth turned up. “He’s not usually an asshole. I promise.”
“Hmph.” A beat. “Ireallydon’t like him.”
“Seriously, baby.” A kiss to the top of her head. “That was out of character.” He leaned close, murmured in her ear. “I’ll have a word.”
