Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 160042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 800(@200wpm)___ 640(@250wpm)___ 533(@300wpm)
He’s been dragged back, because my stalker has decided to make his presence known.
He’s got Colt by the collar as he slams his back into the brick wall. Colt groans and coughs, but Arsen doesn’t give him a chance to catch his breath before he rears back and punches him in the face. And before Colt can recover from that, Arsen lays another one on him. Then he gets up in Colt’s face, wrapping his fingers around his throat as he growls, “Stay the fuck away from her. You think you can touch her? You think you can touch what’s mine?”
“Arsen!” I call out, his bearlike voice bringing me out of my shock. With my heart racing, I rush over to them. “Arsen, let him go.”
He doesn’t listen to me. Instead, I watch as his bicep bulges more and Colt’s eyes bug out. “What if he calls the cops? You could go back to jail. Stop it, right now.”
But of course he doesn’t listen. If anything, his grip increases, and his expression turns even more mean. When has the threat of cops ever stopped this man? So I say the only thing that I know will get him to stop. “Arsen, if you don’t stop, I’ll… I’ll never talk to you. I’ll never write you another note and I’ll—”
Just like that, he lets go. His fingers around Colt’s throat loosen, and he steps back from him, turning toward me. Colt’s body slumps, and he’s coughing as he goes down to his knees on the pavement. But neither of us pays any attention to him. Arsen’s focus is locked on me as my focus is on him.
I take in his wildly breathing chest, his fisted hands, his clenched jaw as I say, “I’m not yours.”
He wipes his mouth with the back of one hand as he studies me back, my heaving chest, my flushed cheeks. “You did that on purpose.”
My heart is pounding. “You could’ve killed him.”
His nostrils flare with a big breath. “He would’ve deserved it for puttin’ his hands on you.”
I lift my trembling chin. “I wanted his hands on me.”
His jaw tics. “No, you wanted to piss me off.”
“I thought you wanted to watch,” I taunt. “So I gave you something to watch.”
“And put yourself in danger in the process.”
I swallow as a small shiver of fear runs down my spine. Rationally, I know we were out in the open and so I probably could’ve gotten out of the kiss Colt was going to lay on me. But still, no girl wants to be kissed without her consent. So damn it, I’m grateful he came. But he doesn’t need to know that so I lie, “It was fine. I was fine. You didn’t need to barge in and save the day.”
“When it comes to you, I’ll always barge in and save the day. Or die tryin’.”
“God,” I growl, stomping my foot. “What about other guys, huh? Is that what you’re going to do when I start dating other people? You’ll come in and punch them and scare them away.”
His chest shudders with a large breath and something violent passes through his features. “If they hurt you, yes.”
“Oh, so, what, you’re my bodyguard now? A guy has to pass your test to be deemed worthy of me?”
“No one,” he growls, violence flickering through his features once again, “is worthy of you. No one will ever be worthy of you. No one will ever be fit to breathe in your direction, or share the same space as you. No one will ever come close.” Then, with a large breath that seems designed to calm him down, “But I’ll settle for someone who doesn’t hurt you or make you cry. Or put his hands on you in an alley when you don’t want it.”
And you didn’t want it.
He doesn’t say that, but it’s clear he means it; and Jesus, I’m so done with him. I’m done with his tortured expression, his anguish, his stubborn protectiveness. The fact is that I’m so fucking happy he put an end to this farce I started for reasons I can’t remember right now. And I can’t have that. I cannot have him melting me like this. What does it say about me if I keep forgiving him for all his crimes? If I keep giving him second chances.
“For the thousandth time, okay? Just leave. Leave, leave, leave. Go back to your ranch.”
His eyes turn into angry slits and his chest vibrates with his next words: “And for the thousandth time, I’m not leavin’. I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’m not wastin’ my life livin’ somewhere you are not. Somewhere I can’t protect you, keep you safe, watch over you. Even if I have to do it from afar. And you can call me your bodyguard or whatever the fuck you want but you know who I am. You know I’m the man you saved. You know I’m the man you brought back from dead. I’m the man you taught how to dream again. I’m the man you let touch you with his filthy cowboy criminal hands. You gave me the privilege to touch you and I ain’t forgettin’ that.