Page 72 of Imperfection is Beauty

However, they had been wrong. They hadn’t foreseen a different front pushing in, making it last longer, and making it worse.

And not only did the weather mess with my mood, but for the first time, I was grateful. Because she was up in the family box.

And as I followed Daemon and Braydon out, much to their amazement, I wanted them to walk faster so I could get to her sooner.

All it took was one conversation for me to about cave in to the urge to pound my fist into my best friend's face for the way he had treated her.

See, it all started when we entered the family box, my eyes immediately scanned for her, and when I found her talking to Aliyah, I smiled and then headed that way.

Bypassing Aliyah who was getting the explanation from Daemon, I dropped to my haunches in front of Scarlett.

“Hey honey,” she said with a wide smile on her face.

I winked at her and then took her in wearing my jersey.

My god, I was right, I really would have given anything to see her in my jersey.

“It looks good on you.” I told her.

She winked, “Yeah? Well, the name on the back of this jersey sure does something to me.”

“Okay, just who is this woman? Never seen her before. She better not be another fucking Tonya.” Ignoring the asshole, I simply smiled at her.

“You need another hoodie of mine?” I asked her as I ran my fingers through the frays on the cuffs of the sleeves.

“If you have one you can part with, then yeah?”

“Doesn’t she know he can run to the souvenir shop and get her one? Or better yet, she can run there and get one herself?”

Scarlett’s eyes widened at that, and then when I lost her eyes, I growled.

Leaning forward, I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck, pulled her mouth to mine, and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“Be right back,” I told her softly. Using a tone so that she would know I would never hurt her, no matter how mad I was.

Then I released her, stood up, placed my hand on the back of Daemon’s neck, and squeezed. Hard.

“Let's you and I go over there and have a little talk.” And then, I didn’t wait for a response. No, I led him, forcefully, over to an area that was unoccupied.

Once we made it to where we wouldn’t be overheard, or at least I thought, I didn’t realize how good a woman’s hearing was.

Narrowing my eyes at him I asked, “Want to tell me what your fucking problem is?”

He knocked my hand off the back of his neck, got in my face, and asked, “Brother, the fuck is your problem?”

“My problem is that no brother of mine would ever talk that way about my woman. That’s my fucking problem.”

He narrowed his eyes, “Come again?”

“You fucking heard me. Brother. Not once, not fucking once did I question Aliyah or your motives with her. No, I had her back. Any time she fucking needed it. And what do you do? Huh? You aim at the person you think she is. So, fucking what if you never met her. I fucking have. Five fucking years ago.” I bit out.

He growled, “Brother, never seen you with a woman. Not even Tonya. So, excuse the fuck out of me for being protective of you.”

I shook my head, “I get it. I do. But that protectiveness should have kicked in after you spoke to her and asked me about her. But fucking before.”

He sighed, realized he was still in my face, then stepped back, “Okay. I’m sorry. you’re right. Now, tell me about her.”

I scoffed, “Fuck you. Not telling you a goddamn thing about her. Not with the way you acted. Here’s a hint. I’m not the one you need to be apologizing to.” And with that, I walked away from him and headed back to my Shortcake.

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