Page 80 of Until Then

When I come up empty, I face Rob again. “I won’t work with Holston Studios. Look elsewhere, got it?”

Rob’s eyes go wide, but he nods. In our twelve-year working relationship, I’ve hardly raised my voice beyond an even tone. To hear the vitriol spitting over my lips, undoubtedly, is a bit of a surprise.

“Whatever you think, Noah.”

I don’t look at him again before I storm away. I’m halfway down the sidewalk when a deep voice calls my name.

Shane, hands in his pockets, follows me down the road. “What the hell was that?”

“What part wasn’t clear?” A few curious eyes are following us on the sidewalk. Fifteen feet back, Rob looks like he might vomit, but he doesn’t interrupt. He doesn’t even move.

Almost like he realizes this fight just became mine alone.

Shane looks at me, astonished, even a little confused. “I really don’t think you know what I can do for your career—I can skyrocket it, or destroy it.”

“You really aren’t accustomed to people telling you no, are you?”

“You came here and wasted my time. I don’t appreciate people wasting my time.”

I turn, squaring to Shane entirely. “I had no intention to waste anyone’s time, but I certainly won’t spend mine with you. This is me putting you on warning. I’m not going anywhere when it comes to Hayley, so if you hurt her, if you make her feel low or less than in the slightest, I swear to you it won’t go unnoticed. I won’t stand back and let you hurt my girl.”

The two men who came with Shane watch me like I’ve lost my mind, maybe committed career suicide. Maybe I did.

“You think you know things.” Shane’s voice lowers. “But you don’t.”

“Then set me straight. Tell me how a father walks out on his kid, completely disregards her, breaks her heart, rejects her time and time again. What am I not understanding?”

“I never wanted to be a dad.”

“You’re not.” I chuckle bitterly. “You’re a guy who helped make a kid, then decided to toss her aside. I pity you, truly. Because you missed out on the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

“I made a choice. I paid for my mistakes for eighteen years.”

“Strike three, Shane. Call Hayley a mistake again, and you’ll be swallowing a tooth.”

He scoffs. “Violent? Maybe I don’t want you with my daughter.”

“Yeah, I really don’t think she cares about your opinion.” I hold up the text from Hayley, just long enough he can read it clearly.

He sneers. “You think if I went to her, pleading for a relationship, the girl wouldn’t accept me with open arms? She’s wanted me her entire life. Maybe I should step back in and guide her away from guys like you.”

I laugh. It’s ridiculous and disgusting. “Was that your villain speech? You do know she’s twenty-seven, not twelve, right? She’s not pining for any man, especially not a dad like you.”

I don’t wait for his reply before I spin around, ready to stomp away.

“You’re making a mistake, Noah,” Shane’s voice is calm and frigid, but when his hand grips my shirt, when he forces me to turn around, there’s nothing but fire in his expression. “Think about this. Don’t blacklist yourself for a quick lay.”

His hands are on me. He’s trying to intimidate me.

But more than that, he degraded Hayley to the very thing she feared.

Time seems to slow. I don’t know how quickly I spin around, but it feels like a slow drip. The only way I know I even hit the guy is the sharp roar of pain that shoots up my arm.

“Don’t talk about her again.” I hardly recognize my own voice, it’s jagged and harsh.

Shane cups his nose and doubles over.

All at once the slow drip transforms to a furious current. From the corners of the street, from the restaurant, I finally notice how many cameras came out to catch our confrontation from all angles.

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