Page 100 of Of Flesh & Bone

"I'll answer your earlier question, Paul.My girl told me your name.She met you yesterday.You might remember her.Tall, long dark hair, perfect body, gorgeous face, and these incredible pale green eyes that...well...make her way too good for a piece of shit like you."

"Fuck you, man.I warned you."

He starts toward me, and I take this moment to finally stand.His eyes follow my face up until his neck is craned to maintain eye contact.Then, he takes in all of me, and he visibly shrinks into himself.This man is a predator, but he's a predator of women.He preys on people who he deems to be weaker than he is.He made a mistake yesterday when he chose Eve.He made another mistake when he neglected to end his own miserable life before I had to do it for him.

"Do you remember my girl, Paul?She kicked your ass on the street yesterday.You picked the wrong girl for so many reasons, Paul."

Paul is shaking now.His eyes dart around the dark, messy room and it's clear he knows he is in way over his head at this point.

"It's too late for that now, Paul.Don't try to complicate things.It will just anger me further."

Paul turns and darts to the back of his shitty little house.I let out a frustrated breath and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Dammit, Paul.Now, what did I tell you?"

There's a loud crash that comes from the direction Paul just ran in.I hear Paul shouting and another loud crash.Now, something heavy is being drug across the tile floor.Just then, Paul's limp body comes into view.He's being dragged by the waist of his jeans back into the living room.Cal slings the unconscious man onto the floor of the living room."This little bitch has a knife collection in there.I thought about letting him grab one but figured we better just stick to the plan."

I smile at my best friend as we move about the room, putting our plan into action.We gather what we need from the house and leave the necessary items, making sure that no one will come looking for Paul.Cal finishes typing on his phone and looks up."He's pulling around."

"Let's go."

Cotton is at the curb with the back hatch open.He helps us heft the now heavier tote into the cargo space then, we get in the SUV, heading to our next destination.

............................................

I get out of the backseat of the SUV, looking over at Eve's Jeep.She's here.She's safe.Eli has her and it's very late.I may have gotten a little too carried away with Paul.

I spoke to Eli this morning, explaining that I had important meetings today and that I didn't want Eve to be alone.He was almost too happy to be spending time alone with my girl.There is just something about him that I trust though.Eve has told me enough about the relationship between Eli and Vaughn for me to know that he feels similarly about her to the way that I feel about Eve.I can also sense that he wants to protect Eve.That's really all I need to know about the man.

I knock on the door even though I have a key; however, I walk in shortly after the knock before anyone has had a chance to welcome me inside.The relief I feel is instant.The sound of her laughter.That familiar scent of honey and jasmine.My girl is here.She's safe.She's happy.I round the corner into the warm, open kitchen and see her sitting at the small round table.Her head is thrown back in laughter and the plate in front of her has been scraped clean.I love that she eats and doesn't give a second thought to her figure.Her figure is perfect, and it will be perfect no matter how it may change.

"Good evening."I address both of the people seated at the table.

Eve looks at me and her smile becomes warm.

"Adam.You're back."

I simply nod and look over to Eli, the smiling bear of a man.He's looking at me appraisingly.It annoys me that he thinks he has the right to appraise me in acceptance of whether he approves of me for what is already mine.At the same time, I appreciate that he cares enough about her to be willing to go to war with me.I've been told that I'm intimidating to look at and I know it to be true.

Eli stands from the table, and I immediately see that he isn't likely intimidated by anyone.He's a big man.He might be as big as Cal.Eve swiftly rises from the table and comes to stand between us.

"Eli, this is Adam, my boyfriend."I look at her with a small smile on my face and cup the nape of her neck."Adam, this is my best friend, Eli."

I'm not a fan of how she refers to him as her best friend.I want to be her everything.I tolerate the title for Vaughn because she's a female and mean as a snake, but Eli is not as harmless as Eve first led me to believe, and I don't like her using the term to describe him.

"I thought V was your best friend."

Eve looks at me with unmasked annoyance on her face.

"Eli and Vaughn are my best friends.My only friends until recently, remember?"

Looking to Eli, I see a look of amusement and satisfaction there on his face.I narrow my eyes.

"Eli, nice to meet you."I hold out my free hand in offer for him to shake while I keep a firm hold on Eve with my other hand."I appreciate that you've kept my girl company while I've been busy."

Eli slowly raises his hand to shake mine and his hold is unnecessarily firm.You mother fucker.I squeeze back, not willing to concede a damn thing in this pathetic play for dominance.Eve must notice something because she places her hand atop ours, pushing them down.

"Well gentleman, I'm so glad that you've finally met face to face."Eve rushes out in a tone that says, 'that's quite enough of that, children'.

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