‘You doing okay, London?’ Ryan called out to her.
Damn it.
‘She’s fine. Now get the hell out of here, this is none of your business.’ Thomas’s reply came before she had a chance to answer. The viciousness of it made her spine tingle. Ryan froze to the spot, frowning as he took in the words.
Then he turned and walked towards them.
Damn.
‘Go, now, Thomas,’ she hissed through gritted teeth. He ignored her, his eyes firmly trained on Ryan’s approach. As he came closer, she could almost taste the testosterone in the air. It sizzled around them, hot and mean, making her as uncomfortable as hell.
‘You need any help?’ Though Ryan’s face was tight, his eyes were gentle when they caught hers. Even standing next to her soon-to-be ex-husband, she could feel the pull of this man, unable to resist his magnetic energy. There was something about the two of them together that slotted into place.
‘Thomas was just leaving,’ she said. ‘We finished mediation today.’
With his six foot two stature, Ryan dwarfed Thomas. He was more muscular, too. But height and weight counted for nothing next to intent, and she could feel the antipathy in Thomas’s stare.
‘I’ll leave when I’m ready.’ Thomas’s dismissal felt all too familiar. ‘In the meantime I think you and I have something to discuss, Sutherland.’
‘Thomas, don’t.’ She reached for his arm, but he shrugged her away. Ryan took a step towards them, his eyes darting from Juliet to her ex, as if he was trying to weigh up the situation.
‘I have nothing to discuss with you,’ Ryan said.
‘Apart from the fact you’ve been fucking my wife,’ Thomas spat out.
She wanted to scream. Torn between throwing herself between them, and running away and hiding, she found herself rooted to the spot. Frozen in that moment just before a crash, she could see everything that was going to happen, but was powerless to stop it.
‘She’s right, you should leave. Before you say something I might regret.’ Ryan’s stare didn’t waver.
‘Oh, is that a threat?’ Thomas raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m not scared of you, Sutherland. I despise you.’
‘The feeling’s mutual. So why don’t you slide your scrawny ass into your car and get the hell out of here?’
‘Oh, am I interrupting something?’ Thomas laughed. ‘Did the two of you have something planned? Maybe I should go, leave you to have sex with my wife the same way you’ve been doing for who knows how long?’ He shook his head, that mean smile still painted on his lips. ‘Is she a whore in bed for you, the same way she was for me?’
Ryan’s jaw was tight. ‘If you call her a whore again you’ll regret it.’
‘Will I?’ Another laugh. This time shorter and harsher. ‘You couldn’t hurt a damn fly.’ Thomas turned to Juliet. ‘Is this what you want? He left his family behind without a word, you know he’s not gonna stick around for you. He’ll just wander off into the sunset leaving you all on your own again. And you’d choose that over your family? Maybe I should request a psychiatric assessment as part of our divorce.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with me,’ she said. ‘My brain’s clearer than it’s ever been.’
‘The way I see it, you’ve gotta be messed in the head if you’re sleeping with that asshole.’ He jabbed his thumb towards Ryan. ‘Or is he just one in a long line?’
From the corner of her eye she saw Ryan’s hands clench into thick, round fists. ‘Thomas, you really need to go now.’ Her voice was urgent.
‘Don’t talk to her like that,’ Ryan said slowly. ‘She’s a beautiful, funny, intelligent woman you let slip through your stupid goddamned fingers.’ He took a step closer, until he was all up in Thomas’s face. Juliet’s heart rate went into a hundred metre dash.
Somehow she managed to get herself between the two of them. With her back to Thomas, she slid her hands onto Ryan’s chest, trying to hold him back. ‘Please don’t make this worse.’ She looked at him, willing for him to look back at her. Eventually, he dragged his angry stare to hers. ‘Please,’ she begged again. ‘Just go home and let me cool the situation down. This isn’t helping.’
He was silent for a moment. Behind her she could hear Thomas shuffling on the porch. Maybe he realised this confrontation wasn’t such a good idea after all.
‘I don’t want to leave you alone with him,’ Ryan told her.
‘He’s going,’ she replied firmly. ‘And anyway, I’m a kick-ass, remember? I don’t need a rescuer, I’ve got my own back.’
Ryan was hesitating, she could see that much in the way he was looking at her. He needed confirmation she was okay, that she could handle things. She nodded slightly, as if to say she had this.
‘Yeah, I’m leaving,’ Thomas said. ‘But this isn’t over, not by a long shot. If you think you’re welcome anywhere near my kid, you’re crazy, Sutherland. You can have my wife, but as far as I’m concerne