Pretend I'm Yours (Pretend 1)

I frown, but try to be patient. I know Larkyn can handle herself with touchy men. I’ve seen her do it all night. And as much as I want to jump in and defend her honor, I don’t. I’ve pushed her far enough tonight, and I don’t want to push too far and not get to fuck her tonight.

But then he grips her arm far too tightly and pulls her chest over the bar and kisses her.

Hell no.

I storm across the bar toward the man whose lips press against my wife’s. She tries to push him away, but he digs his fingers deeper into her arm.

I push him away from her, and then before I can think, my fist makes contact with his face. Blood pours from his nose, but it’s not enough. I punch him again.

The man laughs as he steps out of reach before I punch him again.

“I’m going to sue. I should get a pretty penny for getting punched by royalty like you.”

“Get the fuck out!” I yell.

The man laughs. I look over at Axel who motions for our security team to grab him and take him out. Two of my security guys catch the man and start walking him out. The man grins as blood drips down his face and he flashes a look to Larkyn behind me.

Good thing I have a security team to handle creeps like this or I might have ended up in jail tonight after I killed him. I need to get a grip on myself if I would kill someone just for kissing Larkyn.

“Man, that guy was creepy,” I say, joking as I turn to face Larkyn who I assume is going to give me a hard time for punching the guy instead of letting her handle him herself.

That’s not what I see.

Larkyn’s frozen. H

er eyes are wide and unblinking. Her mouth tightens into a grimace. And her face is pale white.

“Larkyn, are you okay?” I ask, moving in front of her as I put my arms on her biceps. I try gently shaking like that would someone get rid of the shock she’s in.

It doesn’t work.

“Larkyn?” I ask, my voice catching in my throat.

Something is seriously wrong.

“Larkyn, talk to me. What’s going on?”

Silence.

She does finally blink. Otherwise, she’s still frozen. She’s not going to talk to me here.

The bar has started to slow down, as it’s well past midnight, but there are still plenty of people hanging around the bar looking for drinks.

I motion to Axel who delivers two drinks to one of his tables and then jogs over to us.

“Take over for us,” I say.

Axel takes one look at Larkyn, and he does as I say, hopping into the bar.

I wrap my arms around Larkyn’s shoulders and lead her to the manager's office in the back. I get her to sit on the couch, and then I close the door behind me, making sure to lock it before I take a seat next to her.

And then I wait. I stroke her hair and hold her hand and hope that whatever just happened back there didn’t break her. Because I’m not ready to give her up yet. If she’s broken, she won’t want to stay mine.

“I hate him,” are the words that finally leave her mouth.

I exhale and sink back into the couch, still searching her eyes for signs of life. Her cheeks have pinked, her lips are moist, and her breathing is steady.

“I hate him, too,” I say, with a tiny smile.