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I spin her away from me and slap her ass. “Get in the car, you minx.”
Phillip holds out his palm in a wordless request for the keys, but I shake my head at him. I know this whole situation has my blood boiling—the nerve of that bastard, showing up at her house like that—but I need something that’s in my control so I don’t lose my shit.
Driving will keep me busy enough that I won’t have my entire brain taken over by fury. It’s only a sliver of my brain that’s hanging on to rationality, but it’s enough—it’ll have to be.
Avery knows about my outbursts of rage and she was surprisingly accepting, but knowing and seeing are two very different things. There’s never been any footage of the fights I got into, but people who’ve witnessed it tell me I look possessed—that’s how radically my temper changes me.
I cannot ever let her see me like that. I have to remain in control of myself, and I know this situation will be my most difficult challenge yet.
The whole drive to the condo, I force myself to stay grounded. I focus on the feel of my foot on the gas pedal, the sounds of nervous chatter from my family, and every last detail of the cars in front of me.
I only have a tenuous grip on my self-control, but that’s better than no grip at all.
“That’s the truck there,” Phillip says, nodding toward a pea-green monstrosity parked in the front row.
It’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It doesn’t even look like a real truck—more like a child’s drawing of one brought to life. Somehow, it looks both ridiculously gaudy and shoddily made all at the same time.
This is exactly the type of vehicle that rich douchebags buy to show everyone just how much money they have.
My assumption is confirmed when we park and he jumps out of his “truck”. I stifle the laugh that sneaks up my throat, but only barely.
This kid has the worst case of round-cheeked baby face that I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t be surprised if his mother still picked out his clothes because they are wearing him rather than the other way around.
He’s supposed to be this powerful businessman hunting down our woman? Just the thought of him wearing a suit has me fighting to hold in my laughter. No wonder he feels like he needs to overcompensate with the whole “big and bad” attitude.
The icing on the cake is that he’s incredibly short, and coming from someone whose girlfriend is taller than him in five-inch heels should tell you all you need to know. This man literally looks like a chihuahua whose owner dressed them in business casual wear.
Then I look over at Avery. The color has completely drained from her face. She looks like she’s psyching herself up to fight a giant.
You do remember part of his overcompensation is hitting women, right? How funny is it now, asshole?
That horrible thought sobers me up immediately.
This barely grown man-child doesn’t deserve to even have his feet on the ground that Avery walks on. How insecure does someone really have to be to feel threatened from their ex appearing in a promo video for her school?
Pathetic. He is nothing but pathetic, and I’ll be damned if we let this faded copy of a man continue to harass her.
Even if it kills me or sends me to prison, this is going to end today.
“Avery, are you ready?” Phillip asks softly. “It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind. You can wait in the car or we’ll walk you inside, if you want.”
She swallows hard. “No, I need to do this. Confronting him is for me, not for him.”
“If you change your mind at any point of the conversation, just work your safe word into the conversation and one of us will get you out of here,” I add.
“I love you all so much.”
“We love you too.”
Kyle hasn’t moved a muscle since we parked. He’s frozen in place—arms crossed and sulking in front of his truck. His scowl deepens when he sees us help Avery out of the SUV, but beyond that, nothing happens.
“I guess we’re going to him.” I shrug. “Phillip, you good with documenting?”
“Given that it’s a big part of my day job, I think I’m up to the task,” he says with a forced attempt at lightheartedness.
No one buys it, but it means a lot that he’s trying to lighten the mood.
“What, were you too much of a pussy to come without your whole goon squad?” he snaps.
