It was obvious this kid didn’t know who James was, but with the way James’ eyes narrowed and his fists clenched, I could tell he was about to find out.
“Excuse me?” James sneered, “I think you need to leave… now.”
I found myself wary about the way James spoke, and I would have sworn that this guy would have as well. However, that wasn’t the case.
“You heard me…”
Before Alejandro could finish his sentence, James grabbed him by the neck and brought him in close. “I am the owner of this house, and if you don’t leave right now, I will make sure your future in Miami is done. Do YOU understand ME?”
Trepidation spiraled through me as I watched the scene unfold.
Alejandro was ripped from my body, and as he was, I fell to my knees on the floor, trying to catch my breath and calm my racing heart.
If James had not stepped in, god knows what would have happened. Alejandro was much bigger than me, and I was already having a hard time fighting him off.
The two men struggled in the kitchen until security arrived, and James had him thrown from the house. He had been my rescuer when no one else was around.
Tally and I were seriously going to have words about this.
I couldn’t believe she thought this guy was the right fit for me. He was everything I despised in a man, and so much more.
“Are you okay?” James asked, pulling me from my thoughts. My eyes slowly met his as my breath caught in my throat. Through everything I had just gone through…
He took my breath away and set my body on fire.
James.
The moment that I walked into the house and saw the situation Becca was in, I lost it. I had heard her plea for help when I opened the front door, but it wasn’t until I saw her that I realized how desperate she was for someone to step in.
The boy had her pinned, and with every movement he was making, I saw red.
“What the f*ck is going on here?” I snapped, my eyes narrowing at the man before me. I wanted more than anything to rip him apart and watch him die painfully at my hands.
Yet, I wasn’t sure why I wanted that so much. Punishing him, yes, I would do that for any woman.
But killing him… it made it feel more personal.
I watched as the kid looked over his shoulder at me and sneered, “Mind your business, old man.”
Old man?! He did want to die today, didn’t he? Kids have no f*cking respect anymore.
“Excuse me?” I sneered, “I think you need to leave… now.”
He laughed, and with that laugh, I decided not to wait for him to comply.
“You heard me…”
Before he was able to get another word out, I had grabbed him and dropped him to the floor. My hand on his throat as I stared daggers at him.
“I am the owner of this house, and if you don’t leave right now, I will make sure your future in Miami is done. Do YOU understand ME?”
Fear laced the young man’s eyes as I stared down at him. He realized he’d f*cked up, and there was no going back from what he’d done.
Before he could say anything else, Trevor and Zane entered the kitchen and dragged the man away. They were in charge of security and already knew what to do without me saying anything.
I wanted to know who he was, and who his family was. They would all pay for the disrespect he had shown not only to me but to Becca as well.
Becca…
Turning to face her, I found her on her knees trying to catch her breath. She was shaken up and seemed to be trying to get her bearings.
“Are you okay?” I asked as her eyes fluttered up to meet mine, and she shakily stood. My hand reached out to balance her as she nodded.
“I think so,” she sighed. “I’m so sorry about that, Mr. Valentino-“
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me James?” The soft laugh that left my lips caused her cheeks to blush. I was making her uncomfortable, but god, every time she did that, all I wanted to do was kiss her.
“I’m sorry-James.” She whispered, “I think I should go.”
Pushing past me, she made her way down the hall, but even as I watched her go, I didn’t want her to.
My thoughts about her were wrong, yet, something about being close to her felt right.
********
Becca.
“Wait.” His voice stopped me in my tracks, and as I turned around, I watched him close in on me. His fists were clenched, and his jaw was sitting in a tense way that made me uneasy.
“What’s wrong-“
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.