punishment?”
“Darby.” Amanda was holding onto her temper by a thread. “It is none of your business. I don’t remark on the women in your life – of which there are thousands. I expect the same courtesy. I told you that I expect to be treated as an adult. If you can’t do that–”
“I’m trying to help you.” Darby jumped up from the stool, his entire body tense and his fists tight. “How can you do this to yourself? Sebastian Gibbs is going to hurt you again, and when he does don’t expect me to be around to pick up the pieces this time. I have better things to do.”
The doorbell rang imperiously and Amanda sighed in resignation. She wasn’t getting any peace tonight. Shaking her head at the ill-timed interruption, she pulled open the door. It was probably just her neighbor, Lois, coming by for a chat.
“Lois, it’s not a good–”
“Were you expecting someone else?” Seb’s voice interrupted whatever she’d been about to say. He was standing on her front porch in his well-worn jeans, red T-shirt, and abashed expression. Her heart leaped in her chest as she let her gaze lovingly run up and down his gorgeous self. She’d thought she might have to wait days to see him again.
“I thought you might be my neighbor,” she explained, stepping back to let him in. “Come and say hi to Darby.”
Seb entered and she shut and locked the door behind him, hoping he was here to stay. She’d deal with Darby and send him on his way.
Seb joined them in the kitchen. “Nice to see you, Darby. How are things?”
His perfectly reasonable tone didn’t seem to soothe Darby’s ruffled feathers.
“Actually I was just trying to talk some sense into Amanda. Since you and she have been back together, she’s ceased to make any sense at all.”
Sucking in a breath at Darby’s caustic tone, Amanda’s gaze swung to the man she loved. Seb appeared calm and controlled, simply smiling at Darby, who in comparison was red-faced and practically spitting bile.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Seb replied mildly. “Amanda is quite intelligent and practical. As for us rekindling our relationship, I don’t think it’s any of your business.”
Seb’s tone was friendly but with an edge of warning. Unfortunately, Darby didn’t heed it.
“You’re bad for her. You’re going to break her heart again just like last time. When I saw you at the party that first time, I thought she’d tell you to go to hell. But you’ve brainwashed her. I won’t let you do this, Sebastian.”
“Stop it,” Amanda broke in, hating the way her friend was acting. “You don’t have any right to make decisions for me. I have no clue why you’re even acting like this. What’s gotten into you?”
Seb stepped in between her and Darby, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her still.
“Darby, I don’t like your tone. I think you need to leave now.” Seb had abandoned any pretext of civility. It was clear he thought Darby was a threat both emotionally and physically.
Darby swung hard at the box of cupcakes, sending it sailing into the air before they smacked against the kitchen wall. The box fell to the ground and chocolate seemed to explode on the wall and the floor.
“You cock sucking bastard. Amanda belongs to me. She always has. I won’t let you take her from me again. Not again.”
Now she was really pissed off. Darby had made a mess of her kitchen and was spouting nonsense. She didn’t fucking belong to anyone, least of all him. She belonged to herself and loving Seb and wanting a future with him didn’t change that.
Shaking with fury, she managed to twist around Seb’s large frame. “Get out, Darby, and don’t ever come back.”
His normally handsome features twisted into something really ugly. “I tried to warn you about him but you didn’t listen.”
“You’re the one who slashed her tires, aren’t you?” Seb grated, his eyes black and cold. “Was that your warning?”
“It was, but she
“Darby.” Amanda was holding onto her temper by a thread. “It is none of your business. I don’t remark on the women in your life – of which there are thousands. I expect the same courtesy. I told you that I expect to be treated as an adult. If you can’t do that–”
“I’m trying to help you.” Darby jumped up from the stool, his entire body tense and his fists tight. “How can you do this to yourself? Sebastian Gibbs is going to hurt you again, and when he does don’t expect me to be around to pick up the pieces this time. I have better things to do.”
The doorbell rang imperiously and Amanda sighed in resignation. She wasn’t getting any peace tonight. Shaking her head at the ill-timed interruption, she pulled open the door. It was probably just her neighbor, Lois, coming by for a chat.
“Lois, it’s not a good–”
“Were you expecting someone else?” Seb’s voice interrupted whatever she’d been about to say. He was standing on her front porch in his well-worn jeans, red T-shirt, and abashed expression. Her heart leaped in her chest as she let her gaze lovingly run up and down his gorgeous self. She’d thought she might have to wait days to see him again.
“I thought you might be my neighbor,” she explained, stepping back to let him in. “Come and say hi to Darby.”
Seb entered and she shut and locked the door behind him, hoping he was here to stay. She’d deal with Darby and send him on his way.
Seb joined them in the kitchen. “Nice to see you, Darby. How are things?”
His perfectly reasonable tone didn’t seem to soothe Darby’s ruffled feathers.
“Actually I was just trying to talk some sense into Amanda. Since you and she have been back together, she’s ceased to make any sense at all.”
Sucking in a breath at Darby’s caustic tone, Amanda’s gaze swung to the man she loved. Seb appeared calm and controlled, simply smiling at Darby, who in comparison was red-faced and practically spitting bile.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Seb replied mildly. “Amanda is quite intelligent and practical. As for us rekindling our relationship, I don’t think it’s any of your business.”
Seb’s tone was friendly but with an edge of warning. Unfortunately, Darby didn’t heed it.
“You’re bad for her. You’re going to break her heart again just like last time. When I saw you at the party that first time, I thought she’d tell you to go to hell. But you’ve brainwashed her. I won’t let you do this, Sebastian.”
“Stop it,” Amanda broke in, hating the way her friend was acting. “You don’t have any right to make decisions for me. I have no clue why you’re even acting like this. What’s gotten into you?”
Seb stepped in between her and Darby, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her still.
“Darby, I don’t like your tone. I think you need to leave now.” Seb had abandoned any pretext of civility. It was clear he thought Darby was a threat both emotionally and physically.
Darby swung hard at the box of cupcakes, sending it sailing into the air before they smacked against the kitchen wall. The box fell to the ground and chocolate seemed to explode on the wall and the floor.
“You cock sucking bastard. Amanda belongs to me. She always has. I won’t let you take her from me again. Not again.”
Now she was really pissed off. Darby had made a mess of her kitchen and was spouting nonsense. She didn’t fucking belong to anyone, least of all him. She belonged to herself and loving Seb and wanting a future with him didn’t change that.
Shaking with fury, she managed to twist around Seb’s large frame. “Get out, Darby, and don’t ever come back.”
His normally handsome features twisted into something really ugly. “I tried to warn you about him but you didn’t listen.”
“You’re the one who slashed her tires, aren’t you?” Seb grated, his eyes black and cold. “Was that your warning?”
“It was, but she
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