AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Daniel stepped toward him, but he didn’t back down. He’d faced deadlier things in his life to let a custom-tailored suit intimidate him.
“None of this is your business.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. It became my business the minute you walked in that door. And it definitely became my business the minute you grabbed her.”
Daniel looked around him to Olivia. “Do me the one favor, and you can come back to my place and take anything you want.”
Olivia blinked up, uncertainty in her big brown eyes. Shane’s heart sunk. After everything, she was going to walk out the door with this jerk?
“I…” She shook her head, shoulders rolling back, and stood to her full height. “I don’t want any of it.”
Shock spread through Daniel’s face. “You have got to be kidding me.”
She stepped toward him, never once cowering at his vengeful gaze. “I love my job in this ‘shithole’, and I make a decent salary. I may not have the things you gave me, but I don't need them. I have my family and friends who love and care about me—not to mention the people of this town who support me. Everything else is meaningless.”
Self-confidence looked amazing on her. She glowed with poise and conviction, and he’d never been more attracted to someone. The wall around his heart cracked, hope and love forcing their way inside. He’d worry about it later. Right now, he needed to get rid of the trash.
“You heard the lady. She doesn’t want any of it, including you, so why don’t you leave?”
He pulled at his shirt sleeves and adjusted his stupid cuff links. “I’m not done eating.”
Shane grabbed Daniel’s hand, snatched up what was left of the burger, and slapped it down into his palm. “You can take it to go.” Shane shoved him toward the door, and Daniel smacked his hands away, the burger going airborne with the motion.
“I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but your ass is mine. Where’s the manager?”
Connor uncrossed his arms in his spot behind the bar and gave a wave. “That would be me, and whatever my cousin says, I back him up a hundred percent.”
“You shoved me. That’s assault. I’ll have you arrested.” Daniel reached for his phone.
“You can try.” Connor stepped out from behind the bar. “But from what I saw, you attacked Olivia, and Shane was defending her.”
Disbelief shone in his eyes. “That is not what happened.”
“Is it not?”
“That’s what I saw,” Jean called from the end of the bar.
“Me too,” Maria said.
“Me too,” the chorus around the pub echoed.
Olivia stepped in front of Shane, and he didn’t stop her. This was her battle, not his. He shouldn’t have gotten involved in the first place, but seeing Daniel’s hand on her wrist tossed out every rational thought. .
Olivia smirked. “Wouldn’t want to tarnish your good name, now would you?”
Daniel stared at her, angry daggers shooting from his eyes, but Olivia didn’t back down. She stood tall, facing the man who betrayed her with the grace and strength Shane knew she had from the moment he met her.
“It’s probably best you leave.”
The entire pub’s attention focused on them and Olivia firmed her stance. Pride erupted in his chest as Olivia refused to back down.
“It’s only a matter of time before you come crawling back,” Daniel spat.
“Never going to happen.”
“We’ll see about that.” Daniel threw a twenty on the table and stormed out. The door slammed shut behind him and the entire pub erupted into applause.
“Good riddance,” Jean called out.
