Page 25 of Fastlander Fighter

His life was complicated and dangerous, and couldn’t accommodate a mishandled woman and a fragile little human kid.

He shouldn’t have come tonight. Now he liked her more.

“I want to talk to you both,” Ryan said as he approached, Naomi trailing behind him.

“She’s busy, and whatever you have to say, I’m betting it won’t be appropriate in front of Ruger. She ain’t playing that game, bud. Say what you want. She’s taking Ruger home.”

“I have a right to talk to both of you about my concerns—”

“Your concern doesn’t fuckin’ matter.”

“Excuse me? Do you know who I am?”

All right, that was enough. Captain tossed a look over his shoulder to make sure Sloane and Ruger were out of earshot. They were. They were headed back to the parking lot. Captain slid his attention back to Ryan. “I know you.”

“Barely.”

“Nah, I mean I know the kind of man you are.”

Ryan’s blond eyebrows arched up and he parted his lips to fire off, but Captain interrupted him and stepped into his space. He looked down at Ryan and didn’t hide the growl in his words as he murmured, “I’m not fuckin’ done talking. You hurt her. I can tell. You hurt her, and you put that one in front of her and forced her to deal with it,” he said, gesturing to Naomi. “And you want her to stay single because then you don’t have to deal with your complicated feelings over her, right? She’s gorgeous. You knew the second you left she would have men interested. You probably tried to put her down over the years so she wouldn’t realize how fucking sexy she is, right? If she lost herself, you could keep her under your thumb, right? That’s how scumbags like you work. Here’s how it will be from here on out. Sloane will date whoever the fuck she wants—”

“The hell she will—”

“I’m not finished,” he snarled in an inhuman voice.

Ryan shrank back and dropped his gaze off to the right.

“She’s going to find herself again. She’s going to get fucked by a real man over and over again, and she’s going to realize how inadequate you are. We’re going to laugh about you.” He lowered his voice to a murmur and promised, “I’m going to make her forget all about you.” He clapped him on the shoulder roughly. “You have a good night at the bars, Ryan. I’m going to take your ex-wife and your kid to dinner.” He walked away, but turned and walked backward as he said, “Maybe a movie night or something. See you at the next game, Ryan, and…” He paused and snapped his fingers. “What’s your name again?” he asked Naomi.

“Naomi,” she said softly.

“Right.” He shook his head. “Damn, I’m just not good at names I guess. Have fun tonight, you two.”

“I’m going to call Damon Daye!” Ryan yelled behind him. “Or your Alpha! I’m going to tell them what you’re doing with a human.”

Captain belted out a laugh as his only answer. So pathetic. Aww, was Ryan going to tattle to the blue dragon? Or to Gunner? Okay. They would eat him alive for bothering them with stupid shit like this.

“Naomi, was it?” Captain asked. “You should be worried that your man is so interested in his ex’s love life. Just saying.”

When he looked back at them, the look on Naomi’s face as she glared at her new husband said she agreed.

Mental warfare. Captain was not the one to mess with. He was the brother of the biggest asshole in Damon’s Mountains, and was in a Crew of troublemakers that were always taking digs at each other.

Ryan should adjust quickly to the actual loss of Sloane.

Clearly he was still hanging on to something there.

Captain didn’t like it. Not one bit.

Chapter Nine

Movie nights were our thing.

What the heck was Ryan talking about? She read the text from him for the third time, but it still didn’t make sense.

“There he is!” Ruger yelled, startling Sloane.

“Buddy, that was so loud,” she murmured, tracking Captain’s movement toward his truck, parked several cars to their right. He had removed his hat and was running his hand through his hair, eyes on the ground as he strode for his rig.

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