“I didn’t get you fired, Roger,” I say, striving for calm, even though I feel like jumping out of my skin. “I’m pretty sure you managed to do that yourself with the way you talk to me.”
“It wasn’t an issue until you started fucking the owner’s friend.”
“It wasalwaysan issue,” I growl, inching closer to the shelf. “You have no right to comment on my body, my clothing, or my choices. And who I’m sleeping with or not sleeping with is none of your business.”
“You were supposed to be mine!” he shouts, spittle flying from his lips.
I rear back in shock, cold dread surging through me.No. Oh no.
“Roger.” I take a shallow breath, silently coaching myself not to vomit on his stupid leather shoes. “Have you been following me around town?”
“I was just keeping an eye on you. You don’t seem to have a problem when Razor Montgomery does it,” he says sullenly. And then he sneers again, his face twisting with malice. “Or is that because he’s a famous rockstar?”
I stare at him, completely taken aback. I always thought he was just a jerk, but I think I was wrong. He’s completely insane if he thinks he and Razor are anything alike. No, he’s lost his mind if he thinks he stood a chance with me, period. Even if Razor had never entered my life, Roger never stood a chance. I don’t date assholes, especially not assholes who go out of their way to try to make me feel bad about myself.
I may be a big girl, but this big girl knows her worth. And I deserve a heck of a lot better than any man who thinks a woman—any woman—should be treated like that.
“Razor isn’t stalking me!” I cry to Roger. “He isn’t leaving fake blood and threatening notes on my doorstep. Or hiding behind clothing racks to watch me shop. He’s been protecting mefrom you, not invading my privacy and my life without my consent.”
“Yeah? Then where is he now?” Roger makes a show of glancing around. “Because I don’t see him here now, do you? It’s just you and me, and my car is waiting right outside.”
Bile crawls up my throat as he takes a step toward me. There’s no way he’s getting me in his car. Hell will literally freeze over before I let him get me in his car.
He takes another step for me, and I lunge for a bottle on the shelf, sobbing in desperation.
Before my hand even closes around it, the door to the stockroom flies open. Razor and Bender fill the doorway, looking like avenging angels.
My knees sag in relief, dropping me to the floor.
“You son of a bitch!” Razor roars, taking one look at the scene unfolding in front of him. He charges Roger, grabbing him by the throat. Bender stays where he’s at, blocking the exit in case Roger tries to make a run for it.
Roger attempts to shake Razor free, but my caveman is a wall of implacable, murderous fury. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you right fucking now,” he growls, his voice low and menacing.
“You wouldn’t,” Roger says. He doesn’t sound so arrogant now. I think he knows he doesn’t stand a chance against Razor.
“You threatened the woman I love. You tried to put your fucking hands on her,” Razor says, shaking Roger like a ragdoll. “She will never belong to you, you piece of shit. She’ll never want you. She’ll never love you. She’smine. If you ever come near her again, it’ll be the last thing you do, you feel me?”
“You can’t threaten me!”
“It’s not a goddamn threat,” Razor roars in his face. “It’s a fucking promise.” He shakes Roger again and then throws him into a shelf of bottles so hard the shelf wobbles and tilts.
Bottles roll off, crashing down on top of Roger. One after another cracks him in the head before shattering around him. Before the fourth hits him, he’s out cold.
No one makes a move to drag him out of the way.
“Did he hurt you?” Razor asks, spinning to face me. He falls to his knees at my side, his eyes alight with fear and rage. “Please, tell me he didn’t hurt you.”
I fling myself against his chest, sobbing as his voice trembles and his hands shake. He runs them all over me, checking me for injuries.
“I’m not hurt,” I whisper, clinging to his broad shoulders. “H-he didn’t touch me.”
“Thank God,” Razor breathes. “Thank God.”
“Hold me.” I burrow into him, sending up my own thank you to God for sending this caveman to me. He protects me better than anyone, loves me more fiercely than anyone. “Don’t ever let me go, Razor.”
“I just lost ten years off my damn life. You’ll be lucky if I don’t have you surgically attached to my fucking hip after this,” he growls.
“Ah, goddammit,” Bender groans from behind him. “This fucker broke my best bottle of Scotch with his stupid ass head.”