Page 47 of Reaching His Heart (The Sartoris 3)

“Mr. Cason,” Vico said, “he touched Ms. Solette.”

“My arm,” she hurried to say in case Cason got the wrong impression. “A light brush. It wasn’t that big a deal.”

She didn’t know how Cason did it, but suddenly he was holding the man by the front of his shirt and thrust him against the wall. Her heart leaped into her throat when he moved in close. The man’s right fist came up, and she cried out, but Cason blocked it. The dull thwack of fist meeting forearm sickened her.

“No one touches Solette.” Cason’s beautiful blue eyes were flat with fury. She knew in that moment he didn’t hear her words that the touch wasn’t more than a brush. Cason had lost reason thinking he needed to protect her. She had suspected it before, and he had even said it a few times, but now she knew better than words could say. Knowing that she had been abused had killed him inside, and he would rip a man apart if he suspected the guy even thought about hurting her.

Vico laid a hand on Cason’s shoulder. “Mr. Cason, let me handle him.”

Cason shifted his shoulder, and Vico’s hand fell away. Neil moved up behind him. “Cason, let us get him.”

Cason moved back from the man a few inches, but he didn’t let him go. “You want to hit me? Per favore, provare di nuovo.”

Vico swore and ran a hand over his face. Neil looked as confused as Solette felt. She moved closer to Vico. “What did he say?”

“He’s challenging him, Ms. Solette. He wants him to do it so he has a reason to put him on the ground. We’re going to have to pull Mr. Cason off him. It’s the only way, but I think we might get fired. I was told—”

“What were you told?”

He shook his head and didn’t answer.

Solette couldn’t stand the thought of Cason allowing someone to hit him. The man might not be as big as her lover, but his fist was plenty thick, and he looked like he knew how to handle himself under normal circumstances. To think of Cason being hurt was more than she could bear. He’d suffered enough pain, and she suspected he still had to deal with it because of the nature of his injuries. She wasn’t going to stand there while he got hurt again for something so trivial.

Vico and Neil exchanged a look, but to head off whatever they were going to do, Solette darted past her bodyguard. She risked her own injury by ducking under Cason’s arm to stand between the two men. Her rear brushed the man’s leg, but she thrust herself at Cason and wrapped her arms around his torso.

“Cason, stop!”

He forgot to hold onto the man and stepped back, pulling her tighter to his chest. “What are you doing, Solette? Either one of us could have hit you.”

“Well, it would have been your own fault for fighting. You’re supposed to leave this to the guys.”

He frowned. “No one touches you. I can’t—”

“I know.” She reached up to press fingers to his lips. He fell silent, looking down at her with such intensity that it went throughout all her body. Her love for him multiplied. “I know, Cason, and I’m going to let you protect me from now on, but not like this. Please? I can’t stand it if you’re hurt. I can’t bear it.”

Tears unbidden welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. He looked like she’d hit him herself. “Don’t cry, Solette. It kills me when you cry.”

She sniffed and scrubbed her face. “I didn’t mean to. Tell me you won’t fight, Cason.”

He didn’t hesitate this time. “I won’t.”

Solette forgot everything and everyone as she looked into Cason’s eyes. She partially registered hearing Shakarri saying, “Clear this mess up, guys, so we can get out of here.” By that, Solette figured she meant for the bodyguards to get the stupid man out of Cason’s sight.

After a while, Solette came to herself. “What are you doing here?”

He raised her chin and kissed her lips. “I wanted to talk to you about something, and I didn’t want to wait.”

“How did you know where I was?”

He raised an eyebrow, and she let the silliness of the question pass. Neil held the car door for them, and Solette climbed into the BMW with Cason close behind. She called to Shakarri that she would see her later at the mansion. Shakarri waved with a big grin on her face as if she had enjoyed the excitement. For the first time, Solette noticed the crowd starting to dissipate. Thank goodness no one had thought to call the cops, or they hadn’t arrived yet. She realized the entire incident began and ended in less than five minutes.

“I’m sorry,” Cason muttered, taking her hand.

At the back of the car, Vico packed her purchases in the trunk. Neil slid behind the wheel.

Solette looked at her lover. “You never apologize. You just hug me or try to give me something when you’re wrong.”

His eyebrows rose. “Am I ever wrong?”

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