Page 38 of Tainted Beginnings (Dark Syndicate 7)

“Don’t that sound fancy?” Sarcasm ripples through her voice. “Kurt, you’re the last person my cousin wants to eat with, and she doesn’t want your stupid flowers, either. So why don’t you take them and shove the bunch of ‘em right up your ass.”

“So classy, Georgia.” He gives her a haughty glare.

“I don’t care what you say to me.”

“Georgia, please. I got this,” I cut in before she can continue. My cousin always has my back. I love her for it, but I know when I need to speak up for myself so I don’t appear weak. This is one of those times.

“Alright. I’ll be out back, if you need me.”

She struts toward the breakroom, throwing daggers at Kurt right up until she walks through the door. Once the door clicks shut, I return my focus to him.

“Shouldn’t those flowers be for Mary?” I ask. “Or the stripper you’ve been dating?”

The bastard looks thrown off kilter. “What stripper, baby?”

“Kurt, please leave and leave me alone.” I don’t need to put up with him anymore. He disgusts me. “If you’re going to deny the stripper that everybody knows about, that’s fine, but I don’t think you can deny the woman who just had your child.” Mary gave birth to his son a few days ago, so he really shouldn’t be here.

“I wasn’t. I was hoping we could talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t want you.”

“Look at you. You’re a mess. You need me. You’re not going to make it out here without me. You aren’t clever enough to run a business.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment, but I stand my ground. “You never knew me.”

“Of course, I knew you. That’s why I’m telling you you’re setting yourself up for a fall. What you need to do is come back home and be my wife. We can sort out this mess.”

“You’re deluded if you think this can be sorted out. You and Mary just had a child.”

“I know, but I still want you back.”

“I don’t want you.” It’s amazing how I’ve never considered taking him back. Maybe because I knew he’d only end up hurting me again. Apart from Mary, the stripper wasn’t the only woman I’ve heard about hanging off his arm. During the months we’ve been apart, there have been several. “I’ve moved on. You need to do the same and leave me alone.”

He laughs. “Moved on to what? Who the hell do you think is going to want a woman who can’t have kids?”

“Me,” comes a voice from the doorway. The voice I thought I’d only be hearing in my dreams for the rest of my life.

Nick’s here in my world again, saving me in another way.

Dressed in full black, he looks like the Dark Knight.Mydark knight. And he’s here.

His hair has grown slightly longer, and so has his beard, but he’s even more handsome than I remember.

“Who the hell are you?” Kurt challenges, looking like a weakling when Nick walks inside the shop.

The only claim to being athletic Kurt had was when he played football in high school. He didn’t completely lose his physique, but he looks nothing like Nick, who is slightly older.

“My name is Nick Bellotto, and I’m who Tennessee has moved on to, so I don’t really appreciate that shit you’ve said to her.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Then you really never knew her,Kurt.This woman is strong and beautiful. She’s intelligent and witty, and most of all, she knows her worth. That’s why she’s not taking you back. I can only hope I make her and all the children we’ll adopt as happy as they deserve to be.”

Oh my God, what is he saying? I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s looking at me, too, and I can see he’s serious. Everything that came out of his mouth was true.

“I didn’t know Tennessee had anybody like that in her life.”

Nick walks up to Kurt and squares off with him. “She does, and we’re about to head to Italy for her birthday. So,Kurt, you need to leave her alone and never come back. Believe me, you don’t want a problem with me. Capisce?”

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