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“You need to leave.” My hands settle on my hips as I straighten my back, my tone not one that leaves any confusion.
“I am not leaving without—” he starts, but I don’t let him finish. We. Are. Done.
“Get off my property before I call the sheriff.” I threaten the words that never in a million years did I ever think I would say. But I will. I will have him arrested for trespassing and email his bosses directly.
“Stop being so stubborn and get in the goddamn car.” Walking toward me swiftly, he snatches my wrist.
“Let go of me!” I yell as I try to pull away. He is such an asshole.
Then I hear it. Tanner’s truck screeches into my property, coming to a skid, stopping abruptly where we stand. Gravel and dust flies out from his sharp braking, and the truck looks even bigger this close, the black gloss now menacing. Tanner jumps out and is on us quicker than I can take a breath.
“Get your fucking hand off my fucking woman!” he roars, and I rip my hand free of Josh’s hard grip as Tanner paces toward us.
“Now you are in trouble,” I murmur to Josh under my breath, rubbing my wrist that is throbbing from his grip. He looks at me, having no idea what is about to happen.Idiot.
Tanner’s eyes flick over me quickly to ensure I’m okay before he focuses on Josh. He is livid, and if I didn’t know him like I do, I would be fearful.
“Oh shit,” Josh whispers, just before Tanner's fist connects with his face.
“Tanner!” I scream, grabbing his arm. “Stop!”
Josh has no hope against a man like Tanner, and I don’t want him getting himself in trouble over me like this. Josh’s body slams against the ground, blood already dripping from his nose. Tanner ignores me and grabs Josh by the collar, lifting him entirely off the ground one-handed, so high his feet are dangling.
“Call the sheriff, baby girl,” he says in his sweet voice that I know is reserved just for me, and I calm down a little.
Josh looks between Tanner and me. “Baby girl?” he questions, blood continuing to drip from his nose that is now red and swollen as he tries to stand, but Tanner has him tightly by the scruff of his neck.
“Yeah,mygirl. Now let's see what the sheriff has to say about you. Maybe you have the same tools in the trunk that you used on her truck?”
46
TANNER
My eyes haven’t left his. Blood pulsing through my veins, my ears ring with the adrenaline rushing around my body. My anger’s right on the edge as I look at this absolute moron who has a death wish, turning up here and touching my girl. His nose is broken, I made sure of that.
“I have no idea what you are talking about. Let me go,” he says, throwing his arm back across my forearm to release the hold I have of him at his collar. It is useless. I am not letting him go. A freight train couldn’t release my hold. I itch to hit him again, but I know Victoria probably wouldn’t like it, so I refrain.
“Is this your car?” Tony, the sheriff, asks him, and my eyes thin. He arrived as soon as Victoria called, given he and his team were nearby.
“It wasn’t him.” I hear her voice from behind me, and my head turns quickly to look at her. Her arms are wrapped around her body, looking frightened. “Tanner, itwasn't him,” Victoria says, looking me right in the eye. Her shoulders slump, and I know she is disappointed it isn’t him who cut her brakes. If it was, it means this would all come to an end, and she could finally fully relax.
“Look, I have no idea what you all are talking about, but if you don’t let me go, I will have you charged with—”
“With what? Trespassing? Harassment? Assault? Because so far, those are the things you will be charged with,” I tell him straight. Regardless of whether he cut her brakes or not, he still came here, touched her, and continues to call her every hour of every fucking day.
“If you have nothing to hide, then you will have no problem answering a few questions,” the sheriff says, and Josh nods.
“Tanner?” Tony says, and I let go of his shirt, Josh stumbling now that he isn’t in my hold. I step back so the police can do what they need to as they start questioning him, and I feel Victoria’s small hands circle around my bicep. Lifting my arm, I immediately bring her into my side as we both stand and listen.
“That night, I was at a work dinner. I have a hundred witnesses. I even have photos on my phone and social media,” Josh says when asked about his whereabouts the day of the car accident.
“Asshole,” I murmur to Victoria as my skin burns, wanting to end him.
“I don’t disagree, but it wasn’t him. I know it wasn’t.” I feel a small shiver go through her. Understanding washes over me that she is still very fearful.
“I think you should probably stay with me for a while,” I offer, because I don’t want to let her out of my sight.
She sighs. “I love spending time with you, but I don’t want whoever it is to run me out of my own home. That means they win,” she says defiantly, and while I admire her bravado, it does little to settle me.
