Page 76 of The Obvious Check

It was worth it.

I try to catch another glimpse of her, but the two men dragging me out are too fast. Within seconds, I’m at the back of the club, and the heavy steel back door crashes open. They throw me against a couple of trash bags, and before I’ve recovered from the fall, a fist slams into my stomach.

I grunt, used to the pain from hockey and fighting, and pull myself up, only for a second punch to land in the same spot. Harder this time and knocking the wind straight out of me.

I bend forward, pretending it hurts more than it does. It’s an old trick I used to use when fighting. Pretend I’m injured so I can catch them off guard. Before I can even throw a punch, Luke’s out the door, and he steps forward so we’re face-to-face.

“Can I help you?” I ask, my voice hoarse from getting the wind knocked out of me.

Luke just laughs and tilts his head in amusement as he points at me. “See. This is why I like you. So fucking unhinged over a girl you’ll never have.”

I smile as a dark and breathless chuckle rumbles in my chest. He doesn’t even know what the hell he’s just ignited in me.

“It was worth it,” I say, squaring up to him.

“Well, I hope you enjoyed it because that’s the last time you’re going to see her. You’re barred from this place, asshole.”

“No problem.”

Little does he know she’s coming home with me tonight.

Luke’s jaw twitches, and for a second, I think he’s going to hit me himself. Instead, he snaps his fingers, signaling his guys to back off.

“Get the fuck out of here.” He snarls, his voice ice-cold.

I stay crouched, smiling as I walk out of there knowing I made Savannah’s night just that little bit more bearable.

And now? Now, I’m going to make sure Luke never touches her again.

Chapter 18

Cade hasn’t said a single word the entire ride home. Frankly, I’m surprised he even waited for me since I’m the sole reason he got beaten up in the back of the club. His hair’s a mess, there’s a tiny cut to his temple, and he winces with every turn of the wheel.

He barely acknowledged me when I slid into the passenger seat, and he completely ignored me when I reached for the bottle of water in the center cupholder and offered it to him. Luke told me Cal and Mark beat the shit out of him before I left, and I don’t know what to do. I want to help him. Ineedto help him, but how can I when he won’t even look at me?

I bite the inside of my cheek, hating this. The silence. The distance. He waited for me outside that club, beaten halfway to hell, and now he won’t say a damn word.

Not even when I shift in my seat and whisper, “Cade—”

His jaw tenses, so sharp it could slice through steel.

Fine. If he wants to be stubborn, I won’t push. But when we get back to his place, he’s letting me clean him up whether he likes it or not.

At least Luke sent me home quickly after everything. The kind, caring boss he pretends to be told me to take a couple of days off to recover from the trauma of Cade kissing me.

I wanted to laugh. If only he knew. If only he realized that Cade didn’t just kiss me, but he made me feel things I’ve never felt before. I shift in my seat, stealing a glance at him, wondering if he even realizes how much he helped me through something that could’ve been the worst night of my life.

Gosh, even admitting that in my head has me bursting in hives of embarrassment. I never ever thought I’d be able to associateBehind Closed Doorswith anything other than the tragic reality of my life, but somehow Cade managed to flip that… Again.

He’s been doing that a lot recently and it’s giving me hope. Hope that maybe he’s right. Maybe I can get out of this. Maybe I can get Adley back. Maybe Icanbe with Cade.

When we finally pull into the apartment complex, he kills the engine and gets out of the car without a word. He moves stiffly around the front, and I sit frozen in my seat, not sure what to do.

Do I follow him? Do I say something?

How the hell am I supposed to break the ice with him after I… well, after I came on his lap and he got beaten to a pulp because of it. Heat rushes to my face at the memory. The way he touched me without really touching me. The way his voice dragged me under, coaxing me toward pleasure like it was the only thing that mattered in the world.

Cade opens the door for me, which surprises me, and as I step out, I mumble a soft ‘thank you.’

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