Page 30 of Consume Me

I glare at the prick, who looks from her to me with furrowed brows. He struggles to say something, trying to act like a man who can handle me. No one fucking can, and I hope he gives me another reason to beat the shit out of him.

My hands curl and uncurl at my sides when she tilts her head and rolls her eyes at me. Fucking rolls. Her. Eyes. At. Me.

“Ignore him,” she says, waving a dismissive hand and redirecting her attention to him.

I am one second away from throwing her over my shoulder and telling her if she can’t be mine, I’d be damned if anyone else can have her. I am an absolute asshole, and I don’t fucking care.

“Get lost,” I say to him, and his eyes widen, looking like a damn fish out of water.

“Dude, I don’t have a beef with you, but you’re interrupting our date.”

“Should I leave, Mia?” I whisper in her ear, staring him down. Her neck breaks out in goose bumps. She’ll never remain unaffected by my presence. I hate it as much as I fucking love it.

She sucks in a breath, spins in her chair, and digs a finger into my chest. “It’s whatyoudo best.”

Fuck, that stung. Would she be as offended and hurt if I revealed the reason I left to begin with?

“You think he deserves you?”

“I just want to have some fun.”

“And I want more for you.”

She glares at me. That fire licks at my skin, making me feel alive. No amount of fighting and alcohol could come even close to what she ignites in me.

I jerk my chin in his direction. “Do you know who I am?”

He stammers, “Y-Yes…”

“Okay, I will allow you to date her if you beat me in the ring.”

He wants to run away. It’s in his eyes, flitting toward the door while his leg bounces up and down.

Mia sees how nervous he is and sighs. “Really, Blake? He doesn’t stand a chance.”

I smirk, fully aware.

“You don’t have to do this,” she tries when we both know it’s a lost cause.

“He most definitely does.”

“We’re not in medieval times, and I am not some damsel you have to fight for her honor.”

“But deep down, you want that, don’t you?”

Her mouth parts, but she clamps it shut. If her eyes could talk, that would be a different story. Mia is honest to the bone. A good person. The woman I should have never laid eyes on. It was bad enough that she haunted my days and nights while I was away, but it’s worse now that she’s so near, and I can’t do a fucking thing about it.

“Look, Mia, I like you, but I….” He doesn’t even finish his sentence before he stands up. That this bastard doesn’t even have the decency to fight for her pisses me off even more than my jealousy. I fucking lose it. I grip the back of his collar and smash my fist into his nose. He stumbles back, wailing.

“Blake! Oh my god,” Mia says with wide eyes. She tries to go to the douchebag, but my next words stop her.

“He asked for it, and Silver, don’t test me right now. I’ll paint this damn floor red with his blood.”

Holding his bloody nose, he scurries away as everyone watches with rapt interest. Good. The news will spread, and that’s one less thing I have to worry about.

I take his seat while she squints at me, her nose making these cute crinkles. Even mad, she looks adorable.

“That was unnecessary.”

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