Page 16 of Prince of Tides
Eric spun around to face me, his expression apoplectic with rage.
“Who the fuck are you, and what the fuck are you still doing here?” he raved, a wave of spittle flying from his mouth.
Thankfully, it was dark, so neither of them saw me shunt it aside, using the water base to prevent it from landing all over my chin and shirt.
“Enough,” I rumbled warningly.
“Enough of your interference,” Eric snarled, practically foaming at the mouth in his fury. “Leave us alone. This is none of your damn business.”
I was done taking his shit, so I took an intimidating step forward, letting my eyes bug out slightly. “Not until you tell me what your intentions are with Laurie.”
Eric shook his head. “The audacity of the help, sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong. My business with my fiancée is just that, dipshit,my business. So back the fuck up and leave us alone, got it? We were just having a talk.”
I tilted my head down, glaring hard. “A talk, you say,” I replied with false pleasantry. “Really. How interesting. Because, and I mean, I’mjustthe help, of course, so I might be misinterpreting this wrong, but it looked to me like you wereabout to hit her!”
I finished in a full roar, my ferocity sending Eric back a step. Behind him, Laurie dodged out of the way, moving to stand off to the side, not getting between us. Clever girl.
“What did you just say?” Eric hissed. “Did you just accuse me of being a woman beater?”
I looked him up and down contemptuously. “Yes.”
Eric flew into a rage, cursing me up and down. His hands curled into fists, and I let a subtle smirk settle over my face.
Hit me, I dared him mentally.Please. Try it. Throw a punch, do your best. I dare you.
But something about my stance, or the look I gave him, stopped the lunatic from actually taking a swing at me, much to my dismay.
“You’d better leave,” Eric said, pointing behind him toward the door. “Just walk away right now.”
“Orwhat?” I challenged, baring my teeth.
“Okay, that’s enough!” Laurie cried, getting between us and lifting her arms to stop us from closing in on each other.
Eric just sniffed at me in disdain as she pushed him back, but I barely noticed. The effect of her hand on my breastbone was immediate and extreme. My body howled with a need to be closer to her. I wanted to take that hand and yank her toward me. She was a female, and she was with an inferior mate.
I was the superior, and we both knew it. A growl filled the air around us as I locked eyes with Eric, nose flaring, inhaling deep, her hand still touching me. I almost launched myself at him. The pull to defeat her mate and take his place was immense, and I could feel the bloodlust of combat beginning to fill me.
She wasmine, and I would claim her. One way or another.
“Back up,” Laurie said in a stronger tone. “Both of you.Now.”
Eric sneered at me, then took a step back.
I didn’t. I stood my ground, looking down with purposeful slowness to where her hand was still stuck to my chest. She was touching me still, and not him. And it didn’t look like she wanted to let go anytime soon, either.
Her soon-to-be ex-mate noticed as well, his anger redoubling. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her away from me. Even as she was dragged to his side, she looked back at me. Our eyes locked, and I knew, in one way or another, I had her. She would never look at that pathetic piece of shit the same again.
I was the new alpha in her eyes, and nothing would change that. I didn’t intend ever to let her go either. She would be mine.
“Stop looking at my girl,” Eric barked. “She doesn’t like it.”
A low, ominous chuckle filled the air as I rebuked his claim wordlessly. I didn’t have to tell him how wrong he was. Laurie did it for me.
She flung off his grip on her shoulder and stepped away from him. “I’m not ‘your girl’ anymore. Did you not pick up on that?”
Eric looked at her sharply. “You can’t be serious. This guy shows up twice, and you want to leave me? How long has this been going on, you cheating whore?”
Laurie slapped him. “I did not cheat! Just because you’re a lying sack of shit who was trying to use me for money doesn’t mean all of us are like that. I’ve never seen him before today, and nothing has happened between us. He’s just intervening because you’re acting like a maniac. Now get the fuck off my property before I have Winston call the police.”
