went into your phone and turned it on. I have to protect my asset.”
“I’m not your damn asset.”She wanted to kick him or punch him she was so pissed. The bastard had
violated her finances and her privacy. “You are a bastard, Fred. A real
bastard. I wish I’d never met you.”
“We were good together, Ri—”
Seeing him reach out to her, she
raised her hands and stepped back. “Maybe in the beginning but not for a long time. Ask my bank account that.”
She just needed to get away from
him. She turned but found her arm caught again. Shifting she faced Fred again
about to give him a piece of her mind when a shadow fell over them.
In an instant, Fred’s hold slackened
as he found himself grabbed by the throat.
Chapter
Eight
“Don’t fuckin’ touch her,” Theo
growled, holding Fred tight with their faces less than two inches apart.
“Who, ah…who...what the…”Fred’s blue
eyes stretched wide as he babbled and stared at the massive male who made him
look like a ragdoll.
Riley would have laughed at the view
if the situation wasn’t so serious. She’d never seen Theo angry before this
moment and he looked like he could easily snap Fred’s body in half. Fred was an
asshole, but she didn’t want to see him dead. “Theo, he’s not worth it. Just
let him go.”
“You heard her. You heard her,” Fred
croaked as his hands grappled Theo’s thick wrist, attempting to loosen himself.
“I’ll stay away from her…just let me go.”
All was silent as Theo held Fred a
moment longer before releasing him. Fred crumbled to the ground, coughing and
choking in air as he rubbed his throat. “What are you, some kind of steroid
addict?”
“Just go away, Fred. Please.” Riley
sighed.
“You’re not welcome in Den County.
Get the hell out,” Theo told him.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll go.” Fred
scrambled to his feet. “You can have Riley’s ass. I just want my stuff.”
“You’re a liar. I don’t have
anything of yours, Fred.” Riley stared at her ex trying to determine what angle
he was playing.
“Do you have something that belongs
to this asshole?” Theo gazed down at her.
“No. It has been over for a long
time. I only took the things that were mine when I left. Hell, I left him all
the furniture that I paid for.”
Fred took a step toward him, but
then he heard the deep rumble come from Theo’s chest and stepped back.
Swallowing, Fred said, “I need that sculpture.”
Confused, she tilted her head and
assessed him. Fred wasn’t the type of guy to collect artwork. All the paintings
and decorations in their place she had bought and left with him. “What
sculpture?”
“That ugly animal with all the paint
splatters.”
Ugly animal? How did I ever date
such an idiot? She
shook her head. Her class had seen the small wooden coin with a bear face
carved, and thought she collected bears or liked them. Because the kids didn’t
know the story surrounding it, only that it was a gift from her childhood. “First
of all it is a bear and not ugly. The paint is not splatters, my class painted
if for me—eleven three year olds.”
“Whatever. It’s not like it is worth
anything.” He shoved his fist deep into his pants pockets.
“To me it is. I’m not giving it to
you.” Finished discussing the matter, Riley turned to leave as she tossed over
her shoulder, “Go home.”
“Riley! Look…look…” Fred hustled
around so that he was once again in front of her.
She noticed that the crowd around
her was getting really thick. She was sure that every person in town was
standing somewhere around her and Fred making a wide circle. She hated to be
the center of attention, especially in a situation like this, these people
didn’t know her. Her mind ran with various possible thoughts the crowd could
have about what they were seeing. None of the thoughts she concocted did she
like.
“Go away, Fred.”
“Just let me see the damn thing. For
one moment.” His gaze shifted around as if at
“I’m not your damn asset.”She wanted to kick him or punch him she was so pissed. The bastard had
violated her finances and her privacy. “You are a bastard, Fred. A real
bastard. I wish I’d never met you.”
“We were good together, Ri—”
Seeing him reach out to her, she
raised her hands and stepped back. “Maybe in the beginning but not for a long time. Ask my bank account that.”
She just needed to get away from
him. She turned but found her arm caught again. Shifting she faced Fred again
about to give him a piece of her mind when a shadow fell over them.
In an instant, Fred’s hold slackened
as he found himself grabbed by the throat.
Chapter
Eight
“Don’t fuckin’ touch her,” Theo
growled, holding Fred tight with their faces less than two inches apart.
“Who, ah…who...what the…”Fred’s blue
eyes stretched wide as he babbled and stared at the massive male who made him
look like a ragdoll.
Riley would have laughed at the view
if the situation wasn’t so serious. She’d never seen Theo angry before this
moment and he looked like he could easily snap Fred’s body in half. Fred was an
asshole, but she didn’t want to see him dead. “Theo, he’s not worth it. Just
let him go.”
“You heard her. You heard her,” Fred
croaked as his hands grappled Theo’s thick wrist, attempting to loosen himself.
“I’ll stay away from her…just let me go.”
All was silent as Theo held Fred a
moment longer before releasing him. Fred crumbled to the ground, coughing and
choking in air as he rubbed his throat. “What are you, some kind of steroid
addict?”
“Just go away, Fred. Please.” Riley
sighed.
“You’re not welcome in Den County.
Get the hell out,” Theo told him.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll go.” Fred
scrambled to his feet. “You can have Riley’s ass. I just want my stuff.”
“You’re a liar. I don’t have
anything of yours, Fred.” Riley stared at her ex trying to determine what angle
he was playing.
“Do you have something that belongs
to this asshole?” Theo gazed down at her.
“No. It has been over for a long
time. I only took the things that were mine when I left. Hell, I left him all
the furniture that I paid for.”
Fred took a step toward him, but
then he heard the deep rumble come from Theo’s chest and stepped back.
Swallowing, Fred said, “I need that sculpture.”
Confused, she tilted her head and
assessed him. Fred wasn’t the type of guy to collect artwork. All the paintings
and decorations in their place she had bought and left with him. “What
sculpture?”
“That ugly animal with all the paint
splatters.”
Ugly animal? How did I ever date
such an idiot? She
shook her head. Her class had seen the small wooden coin with a bear face
carved, and thought she collected bears or liked them. Because the kids didn’t
know the story surrounding it, only that it was a gift from her childhood. “First
of all it is a bear and not ugly. The paint is not splatters, my class painted
if for me—eleven three year olds.”
“Whatever. It’s not like it is worth
anything.” He shoved his fist deep into his pants pockets.
“To me it is. I’m not giving it to
you.” Finished discussing the matter, Riley turned to leave as she tossed over
her shoulder, “Go home.”
“Riley! Look…look…” Fred hustled
around so that he was once again in front of her.
She noticed that the crowd around
her was getting really thick. She was sure that every person in town was
standing somewhere around her and Fred making a wide circle. She hated to be
the center of attention, especially in a situation like this, these people
didn’t know her. Her mind ran with various possible thoughts the crowd could
have about what they were seeing. None of the thoughts she concocted did she
like.
“Go away, Fred.”
“Just let me see the damn thing. For
one moment.” His gaze shifted around as if at
Similar Books
