Page 100 of Unexpected

When his punch missed by a mile and I ducked around him, he stumbled forward, almost eating shit on the curb. As he righted himself, I peered behind me to see Hazel frozen in shock, her mouth hanging open as she stood near the rear of her car.

Michael lunged for me again, fist swinging toward my face, but I popped him quickly in the nose. Blood started pouring down his face and drenching the front of his shirt. He let out a wet yelp, and his hands instinctively flew to his face.

“Not a good idea, dude. Go the fuck home,” I said, making sure I stayed between Hazel and the crazy idiot in front of me.

“You’re fucking my fiancé!” he half groaned and half yelled, it was pathetic.

“She’s not your fiancé anymore, so get the fuck out of here and stay away from her. Come around her again, and I won’t be so forgiving a second time. I’ve nearly killed men twice your fucking size.”

Blood continued flowing out of his nose, but he snarled at me nonetheless.

“Michael, just go,” Hazel said in a small voice behind me. His eyes flashed to her like he’d forgotten she was there. I pivoted into his line of sight and shook my head.

He seemed to think about it for a moment—maybe contemplating if he could take me or if he could get a shot in on Hazel—but it wasn’t too long before he turned back to his car parked only a few spaces down.

“I’m going to charge you with assault!” he bellowed before getting in his car and peeling out.

Once he was gone that time, I turned to Hazel.

“Fuck, Luke. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” She stepped up to me and gently prodded my right cheek where Michael had landed a lucky shot.

I cringed because it was tender, and she huffed a breath. “Let’s go home, so I can look at that.”

“I promise I’m fine, Angel. It’s just—”

She leveled me with a look that said I shouldn’t be arguing, so I stopped and helped her in her car.

When I got in my truck, I quickly glanced at myself in the rearview mirror and saw the spot was red and there was a small cut where one of his rings had glanced off my cheek. It didn’t need stitches or anything, but I guess it did look like it would hurt.

I was too used to that type of pain after the years and years of fighting, but I’d let Hazel look it over if it made her feel better. Fuck, I’d take a million punches for that woman.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Hazel

“Sit,”I commanded Luke, pointing to a chair at the dining table as I hurried into the bathroom to grab my first aid kit. The same first aid kit I bought because I had to patch up my own Michael-inflicted wounds.

When I entered the small dining area, Luke had done as I asked. He was sitting in the chair—which seemed small when he was in it—with his legs spread and a nonchalant look on his face. It was like it didn’t even hurt, but I heard it when Michael punched him.

I set the first aid kit on the table and fished out an antiseptic wipe.

“You don’t have to—”

“Don’t argue. Just sit back and let me make sure you’re okay.”

He sighed and leaned back in the chair even farther.

Ripping open the small package containing the wipe shouldn’t have been hard, but my hands were shaking furiously. Between listening to Michael degrade me and casually speak about the things he did and then witnessing him attack Luke for just being there, I was shaken up.

I never meant to get Luke pulled into my shit, and I’d done just that and more. He’d gotten hurt because of me, and so I needed to fix him.

I had to force myself not to replay Michael’s heinous words as I stepped between Luke’s legs and softly dabbed the scratch on his right cheek.

Whether I ever believed a thing Michael said or not, his words and his own brand of venom always impacted me and, at one point, nearly debilitated me. The way he spewed vitriol with no remorse absolutely destroyed every part of me. It made me come undone, which was always the point, and then when I was left broken and bleeding, he’d change his tune to make me feel safe once again.

It was a tormented life. But it was one I wasn’t stuck in any longer.

Although his tongue had just as much bite as it once did, his words weren’t as potent and lacked the impact. It was an eye-opening feeling to know that he lacked the power he once had over me. It still hurt that he completely disregarded my experience and his role in it, but it was progress to know that I was no longer a prisoner to the way he made me feel.

---