Page 55 of Clinch'd

“You're lookin’ good, Minnie,” he says, licking his lips.

“Great,” I mutter.

I’m over here trying to contemplate my shitty life, that and get shit faced and this douche thinks he has a chance? Fuck me.

“Maybe we could hang out sometime?” He runs the tip of his finger down my bare arm, and I watch blankly, a thousand memories rolling through my head.

Goosebumps rise in direct competition with the bile surging in my throat and before I have time to think about the consequences, I pop him in the nose.

“Ow, fuck,” he cries, clutching his face.

I watch through a tunnel, blood rushing in my ears as he stands and raises his fist. Cooper’s grim face blocks his view when he grabs the dickweasel and pushes him back.

Suddenly I’m surrounded by muscle as Beast, Cross and even Rafe join the fray. Rafe grabs Coop who’s shaking dick like a ragdoll and I snap out of it, grabbing Beast's arm.

Everything pops and I can hear the shouts around me.

“What the fuck! Get off him,” Beast roars.

I stumble off the chair holding onto Beast’s arm which for the record is like wrestling with a python.

When he glances down at me with flared nostrils, I shout over the din, “I gave dickweasel the bloody nose.”

Beast pauses, his brows dropping over his eyes. “You?”

With a kernel of irritation, I slam my hand on my hip as Cross says behind me, “Oh snap.”

“Yes, bitch. You think I can’t handle myself?”

Beast raises his brows as Cooper shoves the dick to his ass, shrugging off Rafe at the same time. He swings toward me, and caution slides down my spine at his expression.

He looks positively feral, and I blink. Note, he’s fucking hot but damn, I don’t know whether to run or climb him like a tree.

“Did he touch you?” Cooper asks, his tone so low I have to lean forward to hear him.

“I handled it,” I say firmly but his eyes flash and he turns back to weasel. “Coop. It’s done.”

Thankfully, he pauses, and I sag when Rafe whispers in his ear. Beast glances at weasel before scooping him up and shoving him toward the exit. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Weasel flinches away and whines, “Why? I didn’t do anything wrong. She’s a bitch.”

I’m stepping forward, my arms swinging when Cross picks me up and turns away.

“I’ll fucking kill him,” I holler as Cross chuckles.

“Okay tiger. We know.”

“Fuck off,” I snarl when Cooper appears in my vision.

I’m assuming Cooper’s thousand-yard stare inspires Cross to dump me in his arms. Without another word, he carries me away and out the door.

I breathe in the fresh air while he stalks toward a car idling at the curb, a two-seater convertible with the top down. Afterdepositing me in the passenger seat, he tips the valet and slides inside.

His jaw is ticking, and he avoids my gaze as he pulls away. I gasp when we speed up a street before turning down the next.

“Coop?” I ask, but my words disappear in the air.

He grips the wheel tighter and merges onto the freeway and I glance at the speedometer. We’re going a hundred miles an hour but it’s late enough that we’re virtually the only car on the road.

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