A pair of arms held me back long enough for Perry to get a sucker punch in. I spat out the blood that was pooling around in my mouth. He covered his nose with his hand. “Are you fucking crazy? What are you taking about?”
I broke free from his friend’s grip and lunged for his throat. “Lee Bennett? Ring any bells you fucking serpent?”
Perry’s face paled and his eyes widened for an instant, before twisting into a sneer. “That bitch is crazy. You’re welcome to her; she sure tastes good doesn’t she?”
“You’re a fucking dead man,” I threatened as I rushed him, but his fucking friends’ grabbed me and it was my turn to take an ass kicking. They held me down, as Perry returned the favor. I struggled to break free, but the bastards’ had me trapped with my arms behind my back. His fist cuffed me and my neck snapped back.
“Oh hell fucking no,” I heard Derek shout, as he dragged Perry’s goons off me. All hell broke loose and there was a lot of screaming and kicking and punching, before a tap of beer sprayed all over us.
I looked up and saw Cam standing on the bar, holding the beer tap in her hands.
“Stop Kyle,” she shouted. “Think about Lee. He’s not worth going to jail for.”
I took a sharp breath and looked down at Perry, who was lying on the ground beneath me. His eye was swollen shut and blood was trickling from his mouth, but he was conscious, which was a lot more than he deserved. “I’m gonna take you down for this,” I warned in his ear, before staggering to my feet. “This isn’t over.”
The bouncer rushed towards me with a bat and I held up my hand. “We’re going.” Derek helped Cam down from the bar and we walked towards the door. I kept my back to the door, watching Perry and his henchmen every step of the way. “You know you really should be more selective with who you serve in here,” I said when we reached the door. “Rapists are bad for business.” I pointed at Perry’s stunned face and walked out.
I drove back towards Lee’s house, convincing myself that it had been at an hour; she was bound to have gone inside, but when I pulled back up outside her house, she was exactly where I left her.
I slammed the steering wheel with my palms. Fuck, this was gone beyond complicated. My legs carried me towards her, but I shitless. I didn’t know what to do. When I heard her sobbing the closer I got, I darted forward, pulling her into my arms. I didn’t think about it, I just held her.
“Shh baby, don’t cry.” I would have given a kidney to stop the pain for her. I knew how she felt; I was feeling it too. It shredded me to know that I was the cause. I was destroying this amazing girl, piece by piece.
She clung to me like a child and I held her tighter. Her eyes were clenched shut; she couldn’t look at me either. “I can’t help it, Kyle you’re hurting me so bad,” Lee said and I swear that was a new low point in my life.
“I don’t want to hurt you baby,” I whispered, hoping she’d believe me, but that’s what I do, I fuck things up. I’m not good for you Lee, I’m destroying you.” I needed her to walk away from me, while I could still let her go, but she held onto me even tighter, her frail fingers clasping my shirt.
“I love you,” she whispered. Her eyes met mine and my heart fucking leapt out of my chest. “I'm so in love with you, please, please don’t leave me again,” she repeated.
I was drowning in an overwhelming cocktail of emotion. My heart was bouncing between utter possessiveness and sheer adoration for her. Fuck staying away from her, I couldn’t do it anymore. I wanted so bad not to let her down again. I wanted to deserve her love.
I stood up with my new found resolve and carried her inside. “Shh, baby I’m here, I’m not leaving anymore.” I wasn’t. I couldn’t. I carried her upstairs her to her room; there was no fucking way I was leaving her tonight.
I sat her on the bed and undressed her, and then undressed myself. Tonight there would be no more barriers. Lee had blown them clean out of the water anyway.
I pulled back the covers and laid her into bed, then climbed in beside her and drew her into me. I felt her body relax against mine and then I did something with Lee that I had never done with anyone before. I made love.
Chapter Thirty-four
Lee
I knew I was asleep but on the cusp of waking up. The wonderful dream I was having pulled further away from my reach as I was dragged into consciousness. Sunlight poured into the room and I tried to twist myself u, but couldn’t move. I was trapped under six feet two inches of man and muscle.