Page 81 of Give In To Love
“Youdidcheat. And what I do on the dancefloor and who I do it with is none of your goddamn business.” I looked him up and down with disgust, then turned back to TJ. “Come on, baby. Let’s go grab another drink.”
I took TJ’s hand with the intention of leading him toward the bar, but Steven grabbed my arm in an attempt to stop me. I looked down at his hand, then back at him, hot flames of anger burning in my gut.
I’d been pissed when I’d found out about the cheating, but that had been the kind of anger that freezes in your veins like ice. I’d been upset after the breakup, at the way he’d spoken to me and gotten physical with me. I’d been disappointed in myself for allowing him to treat me the way he had for so long. But now, standing in the middle of the club, with his refusal to leave me the hell alone, my rage was white-hot.
I shook off his hand. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
“Oh my god, you’re always so dramatic.”
“Oh really? I’m not the one who got himself thrown out of an Outback Steakhouse when he made a scene over the way his steak was cooked. Which, by the way, was cooked correctly.”
“Now, listen here?—”
“No, you listen.” I stepped right into his face. “Donottouch me again. Ever. In fact, don’t talk to me either. I gave a year of my life to you. A year of allowing you to belittle me and make me feel small. I bent over backward to cater to your needs, and you fucking cheated on me. You are a vile, disgusting piece of shit, and I don’t want anything to do with you ever again.”
I stepped back, sneering as I looked him up and down. “Now, my boyfriend and I are going to step over to the bar and get another drink. And you… You are going to walk away from me. You’re going to leave me and my friends alone. In fact, you’re going to pretend we don’t even exist. Because I sure as shit am not going to give you another thought.”
His eyes flicked to the crowd of people standing around us, watching the scene unfold. “And what if I don’t?” he asked, stepping back into my space. God, he was as stubborn as he was stupid. “What are you going to do about it.” He shoved a pointed forefinger into my shoulder, eyebrow raised in challenge.
I didn’t hesitate. I popped off and slapped him.
43
TJ
The crackof Jimmy’s hand making contact with Steven’s face might as well have been cannon fire with the way it rang out over the beat of the music pulsing through the club. Our friends had come up to stand in a semi-circle behind us while a group of onlookers had completed the circle behind Steven.
Steven squealed, his hand flying up to cover the side of his face, but not before I saw the outline of Jimmy’s handprint glowing red like a beacon.
Jimmy shook out his hand as he said, “I told you not to touch me.”
A bouncer cut through the circle. He had six inches on me and easily weighed two-fifty. “What’s going on here?”
“Heslappedme,” Steven screeched, pointing an accusing finger at Jimmy.
“Is this true?”
“He was harassing me. I asked him several times to leave me alone and to stop touching me. He fucked around one too many times and found out.”
Jimmy’s voice was calm, but he reached his hand back to find mine, and I could feel him shaking. I suspected he was on the verge of an adrenaline crash. I could only hope a panic attack wouldn’t follow.
“It’s true,” Jason said, stepping forward. Once a linebacker and now a firefighter, he cut an imposing figure. “He asked him to leave him alone several times.” Several other people in the crowd murmured their agreement, and that was enough to have the bouncer nudging Steven away. He shot daggers as he went, but my only concern was Jimmy.
Our friends closed ranks, shuffling us off the dancefloor while the rest of the crowd resumed dancing. Jimmy’s shaking had intensified, and the moment we got back to our tables, I pulled him into my arms. He clung to me, trembling, while everyone else asked a million questions.
“Give him some space,” I said, knowing their concern was well-intentioned but likely overwhelming him. Jason handed me a water, nodding toward Jimmy to indicate it was for him. Jimmy took the water I passed him and drank deeply before turning to face our crowd of friends, all eyeing him with concern.
He addressed Drea. “I’m sorry for making a scene on your birthday.”
She scoffed. “You didn’t make a scene.Hedid. And besides, that was fucking awesome. You’re amazing. Putting that asshole in his place is the best birthday gift ever.”
“The way you weren’t having any of his bullshit reminded me of Sammy,” Jason said, his tone clearly approving.
“What do you want to do, sunshine? Do you want to go?”
He turned his attention back to me, straightening his spine and pulling his shoulders back. “No. I want to stay.”
“Are you sure?”
