Page 98 of Against All Odds

“Jack, I’m sorry about what happened with Molly and?—”

“You don’t get to pity me!” he snapped, stepping closer.

The guy who ran the auto store next to the coffee shop came up to me. I shook my head. I didn’t want the situation to deteriorate. He crossed his arms and stood still, his demeanor saying he wasn’t going anywhere. “You let me know if you need help.”

“She doesn’t need help,” Jack yelled. “She’s…my…wife.”

Christ on a crutch!

I shook my head and started to walk toward my car. Enough was fucking enough.

He wavered for a moment, and I thought maybe he’dlisten. But then his face twisted, and before I could react, his fist flew.

The impact sent pain shooting through my cheek, and I went down hard, the coffee cup slipping from my hand and splattering across the pavement. The world spun as I landed on the sidewalk, my head throbbing, and my vision blurred.

“Sable!” Jack roared.

I blinked, trying to focus, and saw a pair of red-soled stilettos step into view.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Jack?” A female voice cried out. The voice was unmistakable. Cold. Sharp. Haughty.

Alexa?

I groaned, trying to sit up when I heard a loud thwack followed by Jack’s drunken yelp. I gasped as I took the scene in. “Did you just?—”

“Hit your sorry-ass ex with my Chanel bag?” Alexa interrupted, her tone as dry as the Aspen air. “Yes. Yes, I did. And I’ll do it again if you don’t stay down, Jack. You hear that, you lousy son of a bitch.”

I blinked up at her as she extended a perfectly manicured hand. Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves, her makeup flawless as ever, but her eyes were fierce.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice still sharp but softer around the edges.

“I—uh—yeah.” I let her help me to my feet. My cheek throbbed, and I could already feel it swelling. And obviously, this was an alternate universe because Heath’s ex-wife was helping me.

Jack groaned from the pavement, clutching his stomach. Alexa gave him a withering look before hooking her bag over her shoulder.

“Can you take care of him?” she ordered the auto store guy, who nodded, grinning.

“Sure. Come on, bud. Let’s see if you need to go to the ER. That bag may have concussed you.”

Alexa walked with me to the Wildflower, and I was suspicious as hell about her agenda.

Inside the Wildflower, Casey took one look at me and swore under her breath. “What the hell happened?” she barked, already pulling a chair out for me to sit.

Alexa hovered nearby, her arms crossed as Casey dabbed at my cheek with a napkin.

“You’re going to have a black eye.” Casey winced. “But I don’t think anything’s broken.”

“Great,” I muttered, flinching as she touched a tender spot. “Just what I need.”

Alexa sniffed, glancing around the Wildflower like she was inspecting it for flaws. “I don’t know if I like what you’ve done with the place.”

“And somehow, we’ll survive your criticism,” Casey shot back as she wrapped ice inside a towel and handed it to me.

I gave Alexa a flat look. “I…ah...thanks. But you can go now.”

She shrugged, unbothered. “I just saved you from your idiot ex. You could be a little more grateful.”

Casey snorted.

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