Page 61 of Saving Bonnie

“My cell.” I snatch the phone off the table.Please have a message.Anything to give me a few precious seconds to figure out what to do. Nothing.

“Bonnie,” he states in a demanding tone. “What’s going on here?”

I wet my lips, starting with what he must know already.

“Rick—”

A vehicle comes into the drive, stopping me cold. The driver parks by the entrance, drawing our attention outside. Tino’s coming our way, his mouth a hard slash on his face.

“Um, he’s back,” I announce. Gravel crunches underfoot. Does it always sound so loud? A mix of anticipation and dread flows through me.

“Damn it.” Cord’s nostrils flare. He exhales angrily then turns, pushing a hand through the hair at his temple.

My pulse kicks up even more. The door opens, his big body filling the entrance. Anger flows off him like wave after wave hitting the beach. He doesn’t spare me a glance. Instead, he barrels past without a word.

“Tino?” My voice trembles.

“Man, I…” Cord turns, his annoyance disappearing as he centers on Tino’s face. The scene is almost a replay of last week.

Cord takes a step back, his eyes darting from Tino’s face to his torso. “What the—”

Tino’s fist comes shooting up from below, landing at the edge of Cord’s jaw with a resounding crack.

He moved with such speed and ferocity, my whole body twitches. I gasp, bringing my hands to my mouth. I’m stuck to the floor, shocked at what’s going on in front of me.

Cord raises an arm, staggering back, and Tino disappears through the door after him. Chairs tumble to the floor. Another strike. A thump.

I’m so scattered, it takes me a second to move. What am I supposed to do? When I round the table, Tino’s arm is on a downward swing, while Cord’s are spread wide.

“Stop!” If he heard me, he isn’t bothering to listen. I’m too late to stop the savage blow. But even when I push against him, it’s like trying to dislodge a boulder.

Blood is pouring from Cord’s mouth. “You’re hurting him.” I’m slapping my palm against his shoulder ineffectively. “Stop it. Stop.”

Still crouching, Tino turns on me, knocking me off-balance. I stumble, catching myself against the wall.

His eyes are hard. The lines surrounding them are carved into his skin. “You.” His voice is thick with accusation. “Why do you protect every piece of garbage out to get your ass?”

“He’s out cold.” What the hell is he thinking? “And he’s notout to get my ass.”

His lip curls, and he scoffs, “Sure.”

The word is a slap in the face. What the bloody hell? Cord’s never been anything but professional. “You’re the one who sent him here.”

“You know what?” He shakes his head, his lips stiff. “You can do whatever you want with him, or Rick, or anyone else, for that matter.”

Shame. Hurt. Disappointment. I can’t tell what’s roiling through me. Here I am, upset at him. Missing him. And what do I get? He’s ready to hand me off to the next guy coming through the door, without a second thought.

Anger bubbles inside me, burning behind my eyes. “Get out.” My words rasp past my lips, unleashing a helpless tirade. “Get out.” I point to the kitchen door and catch sight of the box. In the next second, I’m grabbing the cardboard containers. I launch the first one, hitting his side. “Get out.” Two more leave my hands, one hitting his shoulder and the other missing him completely. “Get out.”

I grab more of the small containers I thought to be useless. I put all the strength I can muster into the pitch. His arm goes up to block his face. “Just get out of my life.” The words tear through my heart. “And don’t come back.” With the box empty, I turn on my heel, giving in to the need to escape.

Thankfully, I make it through the door before the tears fall.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Tino

Catching her at the top, I grab her biceps, jerking her back mid-step. Rolling her around to face me, I’m ready to rip into her like a grizzly on its prey.

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