Page 3 of At the Edge of Surrender

Asshat trying to force her to look at him, arrogant disbelieftromping all over his pompous face, like she didn’t have the right to tell him no.

A shocked gasp ripped from her, and I could hear her rasp, “Let go of me.”

She spun on the stool and attempted to yank her elbow from his meaty grip.

“Motherfucker,” I growled, no restraint left, already on my feet and pushing from the booth when she finally ripped herself free.

Only the movement set the stool off balance, and it wobbled as the monster went to reach for her again. She flailed to get out of his reach, and it sent the stool toppling backward, taking her down with it.

Her ass hit the ground, and the stool clattered on the hardwood floor beside her.

There was no longer any keeping that rage at bay.

Because that bastard still moved her way.

Only a feral shout came from her when he reached for her, and the woman kicked and flung her arms out to fight off the bastard.

The bastard who yelped, “You bitch,” when she clawed him across the face like she was the one in the wrong.

I’d made it right up behind him by the time he was getting ready to retaliate, and I had him by the nape and was hauling him back at the same second I was driving my fist up under his ribs from behind.

He howled, bowing back as I delivered the blow, and he tried to swing around to get to me.

He was twice as wide as me, but I kept his back pressed to my chest as I dragged him backward toward the door. “You want to touch someone when they don’t want to be touched? This is what that feels like.”

I repeated the punch in the exact same spot, knowing it was going to hurt a whole hell of a lot worse that time. Doubted anyone would blame me that I was probably a little too satisfied by the fact.

He floundered and thrashed and wailed while his group of friends came running up to assist.

Fuckers stopped dead in their tracks when Theo stepped out infront of them, all that bravado wearing thin once they realized they’d picked the wrong place to get stupid.

Towing the piece of shit to the door, I yanked the front door open with one hand while I tossed him out of it with the other.

Asshole rolled across the wooden planks of the sidewalk out front.

He scrambled around onto his hands and knees, panting like mad as I stepped out and let the door drift shut behind me.

The sound of the music clipped off from where it played inside, and his eyes rounded with fear when I came to stand over him.

Fury a storm around me. Hatred so thick I could hardly breathe.

Sometimes I wondered what they saw in me when I came for them. In that moment before they met their end. Because their expressions so often looked just like this.

This dirtbag was lucky I didn’t know his past. Lucky I wasn’t privy to all the seedy shit he had undoubtedly gotten up to. Lucky I wasn’t wise to whatever played out in his mind.

Otherwise, he would not be receiving this pass.

I crouched in front of him and angled in close to his face, keeping my voice controlled. Maybe even friendly. “I’m letting you off easy because I’m a pretty decent guy like that. But if I ever catch you with those hands touching something that doesn’t want to be touched again, you’re going to end up without them. Do you understand?”

He made a garbled sound, saliva dripping out the side of his mouth.

“Good.” I patted his cheek, a little harder than necessary. “Now get the fuck off my property and take your friends with you before I change my mind.”

I pushed to standing and turned my back on the pile of scum, fighting the urge to whip back around and teach him the lesson he’d earned.

Hands tingling with wrath.

Though I could feel something stronger luring me in a different direction.

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