Page 18 of No Second Chances

It is bad enough that he had the woman I loved when I couldn’t. But he hurt her somehow, made her afraid of him, and there isn’t anything I can do about it because Kennedy hasn’t told a fuckin’ soul.

“I’m not going anywhere, Linc.” Royal crosses his arms and leans against the bathroom wall, apparently oblivious to the fact that he is wearing a designer suit and the bathroom is less than clean. “You need to get used to it. You threw her away, and I was there to pick up the pieces.”

Biting my tongue while that jackass keeps talking about Kennedy becomes my sole focus in life, and my hands grip the sides of the sink so hard I think I’ll either break it or shatter a bone in the process.

Royal takes my silence as his cue to keep talking, just making everything worse. He goads me, I know it, but that doesn’t stop the frustration or rage at his words.

“You broke her, Linc. You left and never came back. You don’t deserve her, and you know it. And when I convince her to end all this bullshit, she’ll end up with my ring on her finger, and then there won’t be anything you can do to interfere.”

Yep. That’s about the moment I snap. At least, that’s what I plan on telling Kennedy’s father in the aftermath of what I have planned. The hard part will be cleaning up Royal’s blood from the grout on the floor.

Royal’s head snaps back and slams into the tile on the wall when I shove him back, my hand wrapped in the material of the ridiculously douchey tie he has on. The brief flash of fear is the only indication that Royal doesn’t have his shit together. That, and the fact that I’m holding him against the wall with his feet a few inches off the ground.

“I’m only going to say this once.” My voice is nothing more than a low, threatening whisper. “If I find out that you even breathe the same air as Kennedy Townsend again, I’m going to destroy you. It won’t be with a badge on my chest or a gun on my hip, either.” I don’t hide the menace in my voice, not when I’m delivering a threat that can destroy my career, and we both know it. “I’m not afraid of you, Royal. And I’m sure as fuck not afraid of losing my job. Not when it comes to Kennedy. I know you hurt her. I know you did something. And I’ll fucking die before I let you hurt her again. Remember that.”

The door slams open behind me, but I don’t let him go. Not when he opens his mouth, a cocksure smile gracing his slimy face. And definitely not when I see another lawyer, Benton Mays, step up to my side with a concerned look on his face. Not for Royal, but for me.

Royal tries, and fails, to pull himself from my grip.

“I’m not done yet.” I lower my voice even further, ignoring the man at my side and focusing all my attention on the one I still hold against the wall.

“As amusing as this is,” Benton drawls. “We’re due in court, and I don’t think Judge Michaels is going to give a shit that he insulted you.”

Royal’s smile falters slightly when Benton doesn’t move to help him, and I practically snarl in delight.

“Thanks, Ton.” I hate calling Benton by his name; it makes him sound like some preppy douchebag like Royal, which he isn’t. Then I drop Royal to his feet, smiling when he gasps for air. “I’d hate to piss off the judge.”

Royal glares at me, ignoring the other man completely. “This isn’t over, Linc. In the end, I’m going to win, and she’s going to be mine.”

My knuckles crack, and Royal flinches at the sudden sound filling the silence in the bathroom. I hadn’t even meant for it to happen, but he pisses me off and I clench my fist too tight.

Royal steps around both me and Benton, and since neither of us move for him, it is funny to see him plaster himself against the wall like the weasel he is.

The bathroom door shuts behind him as he flees, and the laugh I’ve been holding in escapes. Benton just stands there and rolls his eyes. The white button-down shirt he wears under the dark-gray tailored jacket stretches over his chest as he crosses his arms.

“You know he’s gonna be a big problem for you, right?”

“Honestly, I don’t care as long as he leaves Kennedy alone.”

Benton snorts and walks away with one parting shot over his shoulder. “Maybe you should ask yourself why you’re so obsessed with her after all these years, rather than worrying about her ex.”

The bathroom door shuts behind him with a finality that sets my teeth on edge. When I finally drag my eyes back up to the reflection staring back at me over the sink, I want to throw up.

Royal Prince is a piece of shit. It isn’t a secret that I’ve hated him since my last deployment when I found out about the way he weaseled into Kennedy’s life. But having him, of all people, rub my face in the fact that I’d been the one to walk away from Kennedy in the first place hurts more than I’ll ever admit. My chest aches worse than it does when I ignore the only woman I’ve ever loved. The only one I’ve ever been able to call my own, and she doesn’t even belong to me. Not really.

Once I splash cold water on my face and mentally slap some sense into myself, it is time to get back to work.

Dom stands outside the bathroom, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I see you had some fun in there.” He nods down the hall, where both Royal and Benton are standing with their backs to us, waiting to go through the oak doors that lead to Birch County’s courtrooms.

“Yep.” I shake my head. “Don’t know what she ever saw in that douche.”

Dom snorts. “Maybe his balls are bigger than yours.”

I turn, my neck practically creaking with the restraint it takes not to whip around. “Don’t ever talk about my balls again.”

Dom just snickers. “Not a chance in hell, pretty boy. Who plays football and doesn’t put underwear on? Your balls touched my hand, man. I will forever get to give you shit about it.”

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