Page 3 of Relentless Surrender

“Fuck, he’s back early. Quick get in the car, Melissa,” called out Sage.

Conner was on his feet in an instant. He heard Sage through the open bedroom balcony door. She was out front in the apartment parking lot. Dammit. The “asshole kind” bastard boyfriend must have returned. Throwing on a pair of jeans, he started for the front door.

“Get your hands off her asshole!” screamed Sage.

No time for doors thought Conner as he turned and headed straight for the balcony door. Bracing his hands, he vaulted over the railing, thankful it was a first-floor apartment with only a short ten-foot drop. Landing in the soft, slightly wet grass with his bare feet, he ran the quick distance to the parking lot.

There he found a stocky, Hispanic male wrestling with his Spitfire and her friend. The guy had her friend by the upper arm, trying to force her to drop that ludicrous, pink suitcase.

“Let go, bitch!” he growled. “It’s mine!”

“You owe me, bastard!” yelled Melissa. “I’m taking the Hello Kitty suitcase!”

“Seriously, people?” blurted out Sage. “You are both adults! Are you seriously arguing over a little girl’s suitcase in the middle of fucking parking lot right now?”

Melissa was so ashamed at her friend’s chastisement, she suddenly let go of the handle. Unfortunately, the Lying Latin Lover Ricardo did not expect it. The suitcase swung in a wide arch, hitting Sage squarely in the chest, knocking her onto the asphalt.

Sage launched to her feet, spitting mad. Just as she sprung at Ricardo, claws bared, there was a crushing weight against her stomach and a powerful force hauling her backwards. From the top of her head to the curve of her bottom, all she felt was solid muscled heat.

“Easy, Spitfire. I got this,” whispered an amused voice warmly against her ear.

Shocked, Sage looked down to see a large toned arm wrapped securely around her waist. Tilting her head back…way back since the top of her head barely reached his shoulder…she stared into the presumptuous blue eyes of the stranger from across the hall.

“You again,” she sputtered.

Conner’s lips quirked up in the right corner in a half smile. Thoroughly enjoying how his arm had pushed the top of her full breasts up above the neckline of her tiny tee, he chuckled, “Me again.”

Shifting her slight weight to his right side, Conner once again leaned down to whisper suggestively in her left ear, “You can think of way to thank me properly later.”

Ignoring Sage’s indignant retort, Conner turned his attention back to the unknown male and her friend, Melissa, who had resumed their struggle over the suitcase. He assessed the male. Taking in the scuffed combat boots, the hint of a beaded chain around his neck and the faded regiment tattoo on his forearm, he would say Army. The guy was also out of shape, needed a haircut and obviously lacked discipline. Ex-Army. Definitely not a former officer more than likely a grunt.

“Heel little Doggie,” Conner barked out, knowing the derogatory term the Marines’ used for Army soldiers would get his attention. He wasn’t wrong. Ricardo immediately swung his attention to him.

“What the fuck did you just say?” His eyes glowing with anger.

Sage, who had been heretofore struggling to no avail to get out of Conner’s grasp, stilled. Sensing how the tension ratcheted up to a scary degree, she shot glances between the two men.

“It figures an Army would need a command repeated,” smirked Conner. The animosity between the Marines and Army was well documented. Even if this guy hadn’t been Army, Conner would have had an issue with him. The hit to Sage was enough but he also noticed the faint bruise under her friend’s eye that makeup failed to cover in the bright daylight.

“Get the fuck out of here, Jarhead,” Ricardo sneered. “This is none of your business.”

“I’m afraid that’s where you and I disagree. Now you are either going to clear out and give these ladies a chance to load up or I’m going to beat you to a pulp with my bare hands…and then you’re going to still clear out and give these ladies a chance to load up. This should be a decision so easy even an ex-Army can make it,” snarled Conner, his warning and stance radiating danger.

Conner would like nothing better than to just skip the options and beat the man bloody for hitting a woman alone but it was strictly against military code to engage in a fight with someone who was now a civilian. Unless of course the piece of shit was dumb enough to throw the first punch, thought Conner with a derisive smile.

Sage was not fooled. Plastered against his side, she could feel the coiled tension radiating from his body. He was poised for a fight. It was almost as if he was eager for one!

Slinking away from the threat of a fight with the large Marine, Ricardo turned to the easier target of Melissa, pointing in her direction he warned, “This isn’t over, bitch.”

“Oh, it better be, dude. I literally know where you live,” threatened Conner.

Ricardo turned on his heel and ran to his car with Melissa shouting curses in his wake.

The threat of a fight gone, Conner turned his attention back to the squirming little package in his arms, settling her more firmly against his chest.

“You can release me now,” she stated through clenched teeth. Sage was alarmed at her body’s reaction to him. He was too…too male. It was almost primal. She was a modern woman for Christ’s sakes! Not some cave woman swooning at the thought of her man swinging his big club around. Speaking of big clubs, she could feel his pressing against her stomach, it both frightened and aroused her.

“What if I don’t want to?” he teased.

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