Page 55 of Always Be True: Tino
Chapter 15
Tino flexed his fingers, trying to control his temper for the next few seconds. He was damned protective of the people in his life, and he didn’t like the fact Natalie’s ex had decided to be a jackass this evening. Not only had Benton been obnoxious to the two of them, he’d also put her parents in a difficult position. If the jerk was smart, he wouldn’t say a single word when Tino stopped by the table to claim her purse. Unfortunately, while Benton might be well educated on paper, he obviously lacked street smarts, the kind that would keep him from shooting off his mouth to the wrong person.
Making a scene was the last thing Tino wanted to do. This wasn’t the kind of affair that he normally enjoyed, but he wanted to fit in for Natalie’s sake. No doubt it wouldn’t be the last one he’d attend if the two of them continued to see each other on a regular basis. Right now, all he wanted was for the two of them to make good on their escape and move on to the real entertainment for the evening.
It was nice of her parents to come up with a way for all of them to make a graceful departure. Granted, he doubted freeing him up to go have hot sex with their daughter was really their intention, but he was grateful.
Meanwhile, he was back at the table. Mrs. Humboldt had made herself scarce, but her son was lying in wait. He leaned back in his chair and stared up at Tino over the rim of his wineglass. “Where’s Natalie? She promised me the next dance.”
Tino didn’t bother calling him on the lie. Arguing with a drunk was never a smart move, and Benton’s speech was slurred enough to make it clear he was feeling the effects of all that excellent wine he’d been guzzling. Tino hoped Natalie would be proud of his forbearance as he did his best to remain polite. “I’m sorry, but we’re leaving. Her mother isn’t feeling well.”
Benton sat his drink down, nearly missing the edge of the table. “Why does Natalie need to leave just because her mother has a headache? Besides, I bet you didn’t come in the same car as her parents.”
And what did that have to do with anything? Rather than respond, Tino reached past Benton to pick up the small black purse lying on the table.
Before he could get it, Benton slapped his own hand down over it. “So tell me, Gianelli, are you the real reason Natalie gave back my ring?”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Because I’ve got to say, you two looked pretty damn cozy out there on the dance floor. I want the truth this time. Just how long have you two been seeing each other behind my back?”
Damn, did the man really want to end the evening with a nice crop of bruises? It was bad enough that he was embarrassing the other people around the table, but he’d just insulted the honor of the woman he’d professed to love.
“If you’re stupid enough to think that of Natalie, you don’t know her at all.” Tino grabbed the chain on the purse and yanked it free from Benton’s grasp. He glanced at the few people still at the table. “Now, if you’ll all excuse me.”
Meanwhile, Benton lurched to his feet and made as if to follow Tino. “Natalie can’t leave until we have that dance. She won’t appreciate your hustling her out of here just so I don’t have a chance to enjoy a little alone time with her. We both know you’re just a stand-in until she comes to her senses. No way she’d give up a man of her own social class for an unemployed, uneducated guy like you.”
Enough was enough. Tino stared at the other man as if he’d just crawled out from under a rock. “All things considered, Benton, I’d say she’s already done that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve kept the Kennigans waiting long enough.”
He didn’t get away before Benton managed to block his way. “Listen here, you and that bitch can’t—”
Tino cut him off right there, crowding in close enough to force Benton into retreat, the first smart move the idiot had made all night. Tino’s tuxedo offered but a thin veneer of sophistication over a warrior’s need to defend those he cared about. Right now, he was about a heartbeat away from teaching Benton firsthand what that meant. He got right up in Benton’s grill. “Shut up while you still have all those pretty, white teeth, or we take this discussion outside.”
Luckily for Benton, his father returned in time to shove his way between his son and Tino. “That’s enough, Benton. Do what the man says and shut up.”
By now, people at several of the surrounding tables were openly staring at the confrontation. At least none of them had whipped out their phones to start snapping pictures. Now that Mr. Humboldt had his son under control, Tino walked away, still fighting the urge to lay Benton out flat on the ballroom floor.
As he rounded the edge of the table on his way toward the door, he caught Stan Grant’s eye. “I apologize for all of that. Regardless, it was nice meeting you and your wife. Please wish your sons the best for me.”
“I’ll do that.” The older man glanced in Benton’s direction and then back at Tino. “You showed more restraint than I would have. Your father was right to be proud of you.”
Okay, so maybe he hadn’t worn out his welcome with everyone. “Thank you, sir. Now, I’d better be going.”
As he wound his way through the tightly clustered tables, he risked a peek back over his shoulder to see what Benton was doing now. He and his father were having a heated discussion. The elder Humboldt looked more than a little disgusted when he finally all but dragged his son toward the men’s room at the back of the ballroom.
Good. At least one member of that family had the good sense to not let the situation deteriorate any further. On the other hand, his wife might have a different opinion on that considering she was now standing with Natalie and her parents. None of them were looking in his direction at the moment, but there was enough tension in their body language to make it clear that the conversation hadn’t been entirely pleasant.
It was time to put an end to this crap. He cleared the last of the tables and headed straight for Natalie. When he appeared at her shoulder, she offered him a tight smile. “Thanks for retrieving my purse for me. I would’ve hated to have left it behind.”
“It was no problem.”
She lifted her eyebrows just enough to let him know she questioned the truth of that statement. Okay, so she knew his encounter with Benton hadn’t gone smoothly. He gave her a quick kiss, needing that small connection with her. After wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he finally made eye contact with the other three people standing there. Tracy and Randall looked intrigued by their interaction, but Mrs. Humboldt’s displeasure was unmistakable.
Too bad. Tino wasn’t the one who’d made an ass of himself tonight.
Natalie’s father abruptly took charge of the situation. “I’m sorry, Gloria, we should be going so Tracy can take something for her headache.”
Personally, Tino thought Benton had been more of a pain in the ass than a headache, but he wasn’t going to nitpick.
Mrs. Humboldt gave Natalie’s mother a quick hug. “I hope you feel better.”
