Page 92 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

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Laney gasped in shock as Ethan’s fist met Bobby’s cheek, knocking him back a few inches, but Bobby recovered quickly and lunged at Ethan, who was cupping his right hand in his left like he was in pain.

“Stop!” Laney tried to put herself in between the men, but it was a losing battle. She had to do something quick before anyone noticed them brawling, so she did the first thing she thought of and dialed her brother. He picked up with a laugh. “Why are you call—”

“Get your ass out to the hall right now! Bobby’s here.” Then she hung up, attempting to pull Ethan from Bobby, but they had their hands wrapped around each other, wrestling on the floor.

“You need to stop,” she said, uselessly tugging at Bobby’s shirt when he maneuvered Ethan to his back.

“You don’t know when to give up, do you?” Ethan goaded, even though his glasses were long gone, and Bobby had him by the scruff of his shirt.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Bobby seethed.

“Fuck you,” Ethan said, kicking his leg, trying to wiggle out of Bobby’s grasp. Right as Bobby raised his fist, Dean burst through the doors.

“What the—” He threw himself at the fighting pair, knocking Bobby sideways, giving Ethan enough time to scramble to his feet, holding his hands up, as if he wanted to go another eight rounds. Dean held his arms out, separating them. “Ethan, go back inside. You don’t need this trouble right now. Not tonight.”

“Yeah, run along.” Bobby flicked his hand like he was brushing away dirt, and Ethan stepped toward him, but Dean thrust his arm out.

“Be smart, man.” Dean grabbed a fistful of Ethan’s shirt and shook him, and after a moment, Ethan blinked at his friend. “Go back inside,” Dean said slowly and definitively.

Laney could see Ethan’s jaw working, but he eventually gave in with a nod to Dean, bent down to grab his glasses, and then faced her. He raised his eyebrows expectantly. Dazed over the clash that had just taken place, she didn’t move.

“Really?” he asked in almost a whisper.

She didn’t speak, and he offered his hand, probably assuming she would go back inside with him, but she couldn’t. She had to take care of this. He shook his head, his gaze darting between her and Bobby. “I told you,” he said quietly, his teeth clenched together. “I told you.”

She swallowed her guilt at not putting an end to this situation earlier, but she had nothing to be sorry for. She wouldn’t apologize for something that wasn’t her fault, especially Ethan’s anger or the fight between him and Bobby. “I know.”

A few more moments passed, as if Ethan was waiting for Laney to change her mind, but she stayed in her place, and he grumbled a curse before stalking off, back into the ballroom.

Then Dean swung his attention to Bobby, his own eyes full of ire. He marched over to her ex. “We’ve never had the displeasure of meeting. I’m Dean.”

“Laney’s brother,” Bobby filled in. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Yeah. Same, but nothing good.”

Bobby combed his fingers through his hair and fixed his shirt as if his appearing more presentable would erase the last five minutes. “Well, I’ve come to make it right.”

Dean tossed Laney a look, and she lifted her hands. She was as shocked by all of this as he was. She’d never expected Bobby to show up, and never in a million years had she thought Ethan would ever punch someone. Although she had to admit—in the very back part of her brain, filled with smut and hidden desires—it was kind of hot, his being all protective and jealous.

Though, this was the real world, and Ethan could have ruined his own fundraiser. If anyone caught wind of the fight, this would be the first and last RAHD event.

“What do you want me to do?” Dean asked her.

“Go check on Ethan, please.”

He gave her one single nod then headed back inside, while Laney breathed deeply through her nose, holding it for a while, closing her eyes to picture a serene river in nature, then slowly let it out. But once she opened her eyes again, the calming visualization faded, and her blood boiled.

“How did you even know where I was?” she asked, coming to stand right in front of Bobby.

He grinned as if he hadn’t created a nightmare by showing up here. “Instagram. You weren’t exactly hiding this event, which, great job, by the way, babe.” He clicked his tongue, winking at her. “You know how to throw a good party.”

She ignored his flirtations. “Why are you here?”

“I came to talk to you, like I said. You haven’t responded to me at all. What else was I supposed to do?”

She swiped the back of her hand across her forehead, wicking away the sheen of sweat that had gathered there. The whole incident had probably only lasted a few minutes, but she felt as if she’d been out here for hours. She only hoped it wouldn’t take that long to sort this all out.

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