the power to hurt me. Once, I may have been made of glass and you
might have broken me into little pieces at will. Now, I refuse to let you crush
me. You will never see my shards again.”
“Pretty speech, bitch. But I don’t believe it. You’re still
the same pathetic woman who hobbled around my kitchen and clung to me the
second I walked in the door every night.” He glared. “So, did that big asshole
you were with when I last saw you tell you how much he values you and what a beautiful
woman you are so that he could fuck you? Did you believe him? Are you feeling
all strong and mighty now that he pumped you up to pump his way inside you, you
stupid whore?”
His contempt angered Carlotta, but it didn’t hurt her.
Gordon was like a child lashing out because someone else wanted the toy he had
cast aside. He couldn’t hurt her, not
ever again. “No. Caleb knows how to love. He knows how to be a true partner. He
would never tear me down to build himself up. Of course, I am certain that was simply
your way of compensating for your very tiny penis. But I no longer care. I will
not say good-bye, Gordon. I wish you nothing well. Instead, I think I will
leave you with a very cheerful fuck off.”
She had never uttered that word in her life, and saying it
now felt so damn good. So freeing. She smiled as she turned to leave.
Gordon grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back. With a
terrible snarl and wide, maniacal eyes, he curled his arm around the front of
his body, like he meant to backhand her across the face. Fear surged. Carlotta
tried to tug herself free, but could not budge his grip. Instead, she kicked,
hitting him in the shin, earning a nasty curse from him. But he gripped her
tighter.
“Take your hand off of her right this fucking second or I’ll
do this world a favor and take you out,” Caleb growled behind her.
Instantly, Gordon let go. Then he shoved her away, smirking
when she stumbled.
Caleb caught her, then turned her to face him. The familiar
comfort of his blue eyes, his searching gaze full of concern, set her at ease.
“I am fine.”
He kissed her forehead. “Go to the car, Lottie.”
“Let us go together. I have nothing more to say to this
scum.”
“I do.” His jaw tightened. “Wait in the car.”
“But I have said my piece.”
“I haven’t. Gordon and I need to be crystal clear, baby. Go
on.”
Careful , she
mouthed to him. He nodded and sent her off with a guiding hand at the small of
her back.
Carlotta did not like leaving Caleb with Gordon. Not that
she thought her man incapable of defending himself against the weasel. More
that she worried Caleb would not see Gordon’s sneaky manipulation until it was
too late. But he had respected her need to speak her mind. She could allow him
no less.
In the car, she waited, wringing her hands, watching with an
unblinking gaze. They exchanged some low, heated words—nothing she could hear.
Suddenly, Gordon paled and stepped back. Caleb smiled, gave him the
one-fingered salute, and marched back to the car.
When he hopped in, she stared, mouth agape. “What did you
say to him?”
Caleb just grinned, supremely satisfied. “Let’s just say he
understands now that if he bothers you again he’ll have a sniper, two SEALs, a
former Army Ranger, and a former CIA operative willing to end his miserable
life and hide the body so it will never be identified. I might have described
just a bit how that could happen. Just for a minute. Nothing too over the top.”
Carlotta thought she should probably be horrified or maybe
even angry that it had taken Caleb’s threat to make Gordon understand. But she
wasn’t going to change the little bastard. The important thing was that she had
changed herself. And even when she had not let Caleb hold her hand for every
part of this journey, he had been with her in spirit, showing her from the
beginning what a true man should be.
“You really are a wicked, wonderful man.”
#
Later that
might have broken me into little pieces at will. Now, I refuse to let you crush
me. You will never see my shards again.”
“Pretty speech, bitch. But I don’t believe it. You’re still
the same pathetic woman who hobbled around my kitchen and clung to me the
second I walked in the door every night.” He glared. “So, did that big asshole
you were with when I last saw you tell you how much he values you and what a beautiful
woman you are so that he could fuck you? Did you believe him? Are you feeling
all strong and mighty now that he pumped you up to pump his way inside you, you
stupid whore?”
His contempt angered Carlotta, but it didn’t hurt her.
Gordon was like a child lashing out because someone else wanted the toy he had
cast aside. He couldn’t hurt her, not
ever again. “No. Caleb knows how to love. He knows how to be a true partner. He
would never tear me down to build himself up. Of course, I am certain that was simply
your way of compensating for your very tiny penis. But I no longer care. I will
not say good-bye, Gordon. I wish you nothing well. Instead, I think I will
leave you with a very cheerful fuck off.”
She had never uttered that word in her life, and saying it
now felt so damn good. So freeing. She smiled as she turned to leave.
Gordon grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back. With a
terrible snarl and wide, maniacal eyes, he curled his arm around the front of
his body, like he meant to backhand her across the face. Fear surged. Carlotta
tried to tug herself free, but could not budge his grip. Instead, she kicked,
hitting him in the shin, earning a nasty curse from him. But he gripped her
tighter.
“Take your hand off of her right this fucking second or I’ll
do this world a favor and take you out,” Caleb growled behind her.
Instantly, Gordon let go. Then he shoved her away, smirking
when she stumbled.
Caleb caught her, then turned her to face him. The familiar
comfort of his blue eyes, his searching gaze full of concern, set her at ease.
“I am fine.”
He kissed her forehead. “Go to the car, Lottie.”
“Let us go together. I have nothing more to say to this
scum.”
“I do.” His jaw tightened. “Wait in the car.”
“But I have said my piece.”
“I haven’t. Gordon and I need to be crystal clear, baby. Go
on.”
Careful , she
mouthed to him. He nodded and sent her off with a guiding hand at the small of
her back.
Carlotta did not like leaving Caleb with Gordon. Not that
she thought her man incapable of defending himself against the weasel. More
that she worried Caleb would not see Gordon’s sneaky manipulation until it was
too late. But he had respected her need to speak her mind. She could allow him
no less.
In the car, she waited, wringing her hands, watching with an
unblinking gaze. They exchanged some low, heated words—nothing she could hear.
Suddenly, Gordon paled and stepped back. Caleb smiled, gave him the
one-fingered salute, and marched back to the car.
When he hopped in, she stared, mouth agape. “What did you
say to him?”
Caleb just grinned, supremely satisfied. “Let’s just say he
understands now that if he bothers you again he’ll have a sniper, two SEALs, a
former Army Ranger, and a former CIA operative willing to end his miserable
life and hide the body so it will never be identified. I might have described
just a bit how that could happen. Just for a minute. Nothing too over the top.”
Carlotta thought she should probably be horrified or maybe
even angry that it had taken Caleb’s threat to make Gordon understand. But she
wasn’t going to change the little bastard. The important thing was that she had
changed herself. And even when she had not let Caleb hold her hand for every
part of this journey, he had been with her in spirit, showing her from the
beginning what a true man should be.
“You really are a wicked, wonderful man.”
#
Later that
Similar Books
