6
Kent
All I see is fucking red. Rage floods my body. The second I walked in the bar I spotted my girl. When that fucker leaned in and put his hand around the back of her neck, I lost it. No one touches her but me. It is clear as fucking day that she is telling that asshole to stop.
Obviously whoever this asshole is, he doesn’t understand what the word stop means. I know his type. I went to school with a bunch of entitled assholes like him.
It takes nothing for me to toss that trust fund baby across the bar. I want more. I saw the fear in my girl’s eyes, and throwing him off of her isn’t enough for me. I know he hasn't learned his lesson. When he realizes I’m coming for him again, his eyes go wide. He hurries to his feet. I can see the trace of blood on his lip.
“Sorry, man. I was just—”
I grab him by the collar of his shirt. I notice the bouncer has turned around, giving us his back. The bartender continues to watch the show.
“What you were doing was not listening when a woman told you fucking no.” I give him a kidney punch. He lets out a yelp of pain. “I should break all your fingers for the safety of the female race.”
“Please don’t. Stop,” he begs as tears roll down his face. I release my hold on him. He stumbles back a step. I punch him square in the face. The sound of his nose breaking is music to my ears. He falls to the floor again.
Kimmy puts her hands on my back. Her touch cools some of my anger but not much.
“How does it feel when you tell someone to stop and they don’t?”
“I’m sorry!” he cries.
“Not so tough when someone bigger than you uses that against you. You’re scared shitless. You need to remember this fear. Because if I ever see you around my girl again, a broken nose will be the least of your worries.”
He nods his head quickly.
“You ready, baby?” I ask Kimmy.
“Yes.”
I put my hand on her back to lead her out but not before I stop and pull the asshole’s wallet out.
“I’ll be keeping this.” I hold up his license before I drop his wallet back down on him. I hear people cheer as I guide my girl out of the bar. Her friend follows closely behind us.
“That was awesome,” the girl says. “I’m sorry, Kim. I didn't see him start to get aggressive until the end. I thought you knew him or something.”
“It’s fine, and I do know him. We grew up together. We went to the same prep school and now college.” I file those comments away to be taken care of later. He’s not going to be going to the same college much longer if I have anything to do with it.
“Damn. What a jerk,” her friend mutters. “Are you ready to head out?” Her eyes bounce to Kimmy and back to me. She holds her hand out, and I take it. “Kristen.”
“Kent. I’ve got her.” I’m not going to let her ass out of my sight for the next few days. Kimmy smiles up at me.
“Thanks for the girls’ night.” Kimmy steps over to hug her friend, saying their goodbyes before I get her into my SUV.
“So…” She starts tapping her fingers on her thigh, causing her dress to ride up some. She’s trying to kill me. “You followed me.”
“Yep,” I answer before reaching over to buckle her in.
“Thanks,” she says after a beat as I pull out to head to my place.
“For the seatbelt or for tracking you down and laying the frat boy out?”
She snorts a laugh. “Both I suppose.” She puts her hand on my thigh. “Where are we going? I think you missed your turn.” She tries to look back.
“Home.” She’s quiet for a long moment.
“As in your home? Is it done?”
I don’t miss the way her shoulders drop and her lips form a frown for a brief moment.
“It’s been done for over a week.” I glance over at her. Her eyebrows are furrowed together, her nose scrunched up.
“But…” She trails off, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
“Are you starting to put the pieces together?” The ones that will reveal I’ve been staying at Max’s way past the completion of work at my house so that I could spend more time with her.
“I think. You stayed because of me?”
“Yeah, and I’m done with this hiding shit you have us doing.” I pull up to the front of my place. I bought it a few months ago. I was over living in a giant building. So I decided to purchase a brownstone townhouse. A few things needed to be updated, but it didn’t need a ton of work.