Page 6 of The Chance

She’d bodily protected Genesis, no question. Instantly. Instinctively. Michaels had been going after Genesis that night, not Aubrey—he’d yanked Aubrey out of his way to get to Guthrie’s sister, hurting Aubrey in the process. Guthrie hadn’t been able to forget that.

It didn’t fit with Guthrie’s perception of that woman at all. He was starting to accept that maybe he’d been wrong all along. That woman had secrets that Guthrie wanted to figure out.

Guthrie wondered that the other man didn’t hear the growl Chad released.

“Hold up, Michaels, Dr. Fields and I want to have a small… word… with you. About a private matter.” They’d talk first—before Guthrie’s fist went down the man’s throat.

Talk, not pulverize.He was seriously trying hard to remember that.

He wanted to pulverize so damned much.

Too bad he had better control than that.

Maybe.

Aubrey would have scars forever from this man’s actions. That was hard to forgive. And he couldn’t forget the fear in those big, perfect blue eyes of hers. Or that she hadn’t felt safe enough in her own home that night to stay.

“Of course. About a patient?” Michaels was close to Guthrie’s six-four and two hundred sixty pounds. A good ten inches taller than Aubrey’s five-five and one hundred forty pounds or so.

Guthrie’s baby sister was even smaller. He doubted Genesis would hit one hundred pounds on the scale—unless Guthrie put his foot on the scale next to her. And pushed down. Hard. “No. About Friday, actually.”

Michaels tensed. “What about it? It was one hell of a party at the Barratt with the Carrington Group and Dr. Alvaro’s wife’s family. I don’t recall seeing either of you there.”

“Here’s the deal, we’re not going to play stupid,” Chad said, almost menacingly. Guthrie held a hand out to his friend.

Chad had one hell of a temper. But it was Guthrie’s sisters who were involved. And Aubrey. This was Guthrie’s battle first. “You put your hands on women you shouldn’t have. Womenwecare about.”

Surprise hit the man’s eyes. He lifted his own hands almost in surrender. “Now whatever they said… they’re lying. I may have gotten a little out of hand with Dr. Fisher, but it was just a little quarrel, that’s all. Her little… friend… and the rest of them blew it out of proportion. You know what women like that are like.”

“You mean the other women there at Aubrey’s house, like my other littlesister?” Guthrie’s own tone dropped. Michaels flinched. So he hadn’t known that. “Just how are theylike, Justin? Tell me. I’d really like to know what my babysistersare like.”

“I don’t mean to be insulting, but everyone knows Dr. Fisher and your sister… well, they get around. Give off signals, women like that, that look like that… guys notice… easy women like that.” There was a smirk on the guy’s face. A smirk that made Guthrie want to pound him into the wall. But he had outgrown those days years ago.

“That’s a load of bullshit, and you know it.” Easy? Were they living in the Dark Ages here?

Chad reacted before Guthrie ever could. He had Michaels against the wall in a heartbeat, arm at the guy’s throat. “You eventhinkthat about either one of them ever again, and you’ll be eating your own teeth. No one hurts them again. Not on mywatch. Stay away from Genny and Aubrey. Stay away. Period. Or I’ll annihilate you. Destroy you. Understood?”

Michaels actually looked at Guthrie. “He just assaulted me. You’re a witness. I’ll have his job for this.”

“And you’re a fool.Isutured Aubrey’s arm where you grabbed her, Michaels. If I’m a witness to anything, it’s what you did toher.As for Dr. Fields here… He just beat me to it. No one messes with my family. No one. Remember that. You want to have his job? Want to press charges? Well, I’ll call his brother with the TSP Major Crimes unit about the assault we have onvideo.We’ll have your medical license. It might be hard to make it happen, but you’d better believe I’ll find a way.”

“Shit. It all just got out of hand. Just an argument when I’d had too much to drink. That was all.”

They watched Michaels scurry away like the sewer rat he was. Guthrie looked at Chad. The other man was flexing his fists, as if he was imagining… “I thought you were going to ram your fist in his throat.”

“I thought about it. I just kept remembering those bruises and lacerations on Aubrey’s arm, and the fear in Genny’s eyes, and it pissed me off all over again. I almost lost my control.”

Guthrie just nodded.

He didn’t blame his friend one bit. Chad was almost as protective of Guthrie’s three sisters as he was Chantal. Of course he was—he had known them their entire lives, after all. It made a man want to protect. Just like Guthrie would kill for Chantal, if the need ever arose.

It was what good big brothers and best friends did.

Not that he felt the least bitbrotherlytoward Dr. Aubrey Fisher at all. But he would keep that little fact to himself until he figured out what he was going to do about that now.

Justin Michaels wasn’t going to mess with her again. Guthrie was going to make sure of it.

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