Page 103 of Beneficial Misfortune

“No? Nothing to say now? Funny, I swear you were real loud a few minutes ago. Not so brave anymore?” Leaning in closer so that we're damn near cheek to cheek, and I can see the sweat as it beads down his head. “I suggest you take your hands off her before you regret it.”

He hesitates a moment before slowly prying his fingers from her skin, and I can’t help but press the barrel in just a bit harder, seeing the red outline of his fingers and the deep indent from his nails left behind on her skin.

Don’t kill him right here.

He removes his hands but makes no move to back away from her, and I’m guessing that might be due to the gun. Against my better judgment, I let it fall to my side but don’t put it away. I’m still not sold on the fact that I won’t have to shoot this motherfucker right here.

“Are you okay, Kat?” I ask her without taking my eyes off the scum that still stands too close to her for my liking. Something I can see she’s well aware of as her own eyes dart between me and him before finally resting on him.

I see her nod from the corner of my eye, but that somehow doesn’t feel like enough. I can’t blame her for being scared with him here. She doesn’t know me, doesn’t know what I’m capable of, and part of me hopes she never really will, but I need to know she’s okay before I wrap this up and get her the fuck out of here.

“Kat.” I try to keep my tone lighter, knowing she’s probably shaken, but it still comes out huskier than usual, making her startle as her eyes fly back to me. “Are you okay?” I ask again, but seeing the fresh panic in her eyes answer’s my question before she can open her mouth.

“Yes,” she mumbles, nodding, and while she doesn’t sound sure, she doesn’t look away.

She’s strong, she’ll be okay.

With a nod of my own, I reach out, grabbing the little pussy by his collar and hauling him back away from her hard enough that he stumbles over his feet and almost falls. With him on the other side of the room, I step in front of Kat, blocking her view of him and his of her.

Staggering on his feet, the asshole chuckles, shaking his head and looking up at me with a confidence that wasn’t there, not two minutes ago.

Or maybe it’s stupidity?

“Real tough, hiding behind a gun.” The venom he had earlier is gone, and I can hear the slight shake in his words, but he sure tried.

They always do, though, don't they? Everyone wants to believe they’ll be tough in the face of danger, but I’ve found most would much rather run away scared. Something I’d be happy to let him do had he been a regular asshole and not the type that puts his hands on women. My best friend’s woman at that.

“Oh, I assure you, I'm not hiding. I could beat your ass without it just fine.” I shrug because it’s simply a fact, nothing special, but I see the disbelief in his eyes. He wants to call me out on that, but he also doesn’t want to be wrong.

I give him a second, almost hoping he does challenge me, but to my regret, he doesn’t.

That’s fine. I owe him a lesson either way. This one will just be a little less fun for me.

“Now, here’s what's going to happen. You're going to turn around and walk out that door.” I use my gun to point at the door, even though I’m sure he knows where it is. He got in here, after all. “And you're never going to talk to Kat again, ever, in any way. If you see her in public, you don’t know her, no calling her, texting, emailing, nothing.”

It’s more than he deserves—damn near a second chance—but we’re in the middle of a school, and I don’t want to scare Kat any more than she already is.

We can always get better acquainted later, and believe me, I intend to.

“And if I don’t? What are you going to do, shoot me in the middle of a school?”

Or we could get better acquainted now.

Lifting my gun, I once again point it in his direction. The click of the safety rings out around the room louder than should be possible.

His eyes narrow at me before darting past me, no doubt looking for Kat.

The very idea of him looking at her pisses me off enough that I’m moving before I can think better of it. It’s not until I’m in front of him, the barrel of my gun pressed up into the underside of his chin hard enough to snap his mouth shut, that I even realize I’ve moved.

“Keep looking at her and find out. I wouldn’t care if we were in the middle of a church.” I lean in closer and hold his gaze, letting him see how serious I am. “I will put a bullet in your brain if it means keeping her safe, and I won’t even lose a moment of sleep over it.”

His eyes dart from me down toward the gun and back up, and this time, I see the crack, the hint of his fear leaking in.

Good.

Most people can sense danger, can look into my eyes, and realize I’m not joking when I threaten bodily harm. Nate always said it was my crazy leaking through, but I don’t really know what it is. It doesn’t matter beyond the fact that it works.

He takes a step back, and I let him, keeping my gun and eyes trained on him as he moves away slowly toward the door. All the while reminding myself this is what I wanted. I want him to leave. I want him as far from Kat as he can be…

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