Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
But I hate the thought anyway.
"Like you far better than any of them, angel baby," he says, taking a step toward me. "You look good enough to eat in that fucking bikini."
"I feel like a slab of meat on display," I admit.
"Who made you feel that way? Tell me."
"No one."
"Tell me."
"Why?" I ask, genuinely curious why he cares.
"Need to know what motherfucker's eyes I need to remove from his head first," he growls, eyes narrowed as he looks over the other influencers scattered around the room. "I already kicked Lyle's sorry ass out of here."
"You did what?" I gape at him, eyes wide.
"Kicked his ass out," he says it as if he's delivering the weather report.
"Lyle was here? And you made him leave?"
"Yep."
Oh, he's going to hate that. No one tells Lyle what to do. Except this giant, apparently.
"He actually left on his own?"
"More or less."
I press my hands to my cheeks, groaning. So that's why everyone is giving him so much space. "What did you do?"
"Nothing he didn't deserve."
"You aren't going to tell me, are you? Oh my gosh. It's that bad, isn't it?"
"I didn't lay a finger on him, angel baby," he promises, reaching out to wrap his hands around my wrists. He uses his grip on me to gently steer me closer to him. "I simply suggested that he not come anywhere near you ever again if he didn't want to find out what his own cock and balls taste like when I'm force feeding them to him covered in barbeque sauce."
"You…I…" I faceplant into his chest, laughing despite myself. That's exactly what I needed to hear to get through the rest of this party.
Chapter Five
Zion
"You're burning, angel baby." I step in front of Makenzie's lounger, dropping a towel onto her lap. She isn't even remotely red, but we've been here for an hour, and if one more motherfucker looks at her like they want to know what she feels like wrapped around them, Lyle's manhood isn't the only one I'll be threatening today.
He seemed surprised when I appeared in front of him. But I had a feeling the bastard would be here. He's never far when he thinks there's a deal to be made. As soon as Makenzie was safely in the bathroom, I went looking.
I found him on the deck, schmoozing with some fucking D-List movie star.
"Zion Carmichael." A slick smile crosses Lyle's face. He would have made a helluva used car salesman. "Everyone's favorite security guard." He says it as if what I do places me below him on whatever scale he uses to measure people's worth. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't. We've protected some of the most important people in this state. They pay well for the services of two decorated ex-Marines and a former SEAL. "I didn't expect to see you or your brothers at this little party."
"Sucks for you because here I am." I shoulder my way in between him and the D-List star. "You've been harassing Makenzie Baird. It stops today."
"Is that what she told you? She's hysterical, Carmichael. They usually are when you end things on bad terms." He waggles his brows suggestively.
I take another step toward him, getting so close he has to lean backward to keep me out of his personal space. "We both know she wouldn't touch your dick with someone else's pussy, Taggert," I growl. "So how about you stop being a piece of shit and leave her alone before we both find out how far down your own throat you can fit your cock?"
"I'll take that as my cue to get the fuck out of here," D-Lister mutters, backing away from the conversation.
"D-did you just threaten me?"
"No. I made a suggestion. And now I'm making a promise. If you come anywhere near her again, you're going to be the first man in Nashville to eat his own dick covered in barbeque sauce. She doesn't owe you a goddamn thing. Keep pushing your luck, and you'll find out exactly how it feels when someone pushes back, motherfucker."
"What'd she do? Hire you to threaten me?" he sneers, though the confident gleam in his eyes winked out about thirty seconds ago. The thing about men like Lyle…they think they're big and tough until someone pushes back. A bully hates karma. And I'm this motherfucker's karma. If he comes near my woman again, Madden won't have to destroy his world. I'll pluck it apart piece by piece, just to watch it collapse. And I'll do it with a fucking smile on my face.
No one threatens what belongs to me. No one touches what's mine. I may not be the same dangerous man I was when they put a gun in my hand and turned my loose on our enemies, but I'm not tame, either.
"She didn't have to hire me. Destroying you would be my fucking pleasure." I smile, a cold, lethal smile. It's the truth. She didn't hire me. Madden did. And there's not a single moment of destroying his world I wouldn't enjoy. "Get the fuck out of here before I decide to start right now."