Chapter 10
MARSHALL
For several seconds, I’m stunned by the stupidity some drunk guy I don’t even recognize spewed. The fucker who doesn’t even know me actually thinks I cooked up this fake relationship scheme just to get in Hope’s pants. Like she meant nothing more than sex to me.
I don’t respond with words.
I respond with my fist to his face.
Drunk Idiot stumbles, crashing into a table of appetizers. Instant chaos erupts as he charges me, blood running from his nose and barbeque sauce dripping from his elbows. I’ll owe Jax’s Bar & Grill an apology after this fight is over. Their wings are the best in town.
“That’s my future wife you’re talking about,” I say as grab him by the back of the neck and shove him back into the table he’s already destroyed, this time into a platter of deviled eggs. I’m not typically one for violence, but when he insulted Hope, my combat training kicked in automatically.
“Marshall, that’s enough,” Caden says, grabbing my arm as I lunge for the guy.
It takes Caden, Axel, and Nathan—the local police chief—to successfully hold me back from landing another punch.
One of Nathan’s officers escorts Drunk Idiot from the auditorium, and the rage inside me starts to subside. I take in the mess around me. “Shit, sorry about that.”
“We get it,” Caden says. “If someone insulted Ruby like that, I’d have done the same thing.”
“Or Audrey,” Nathan says, pulling out his handcuffs and giving me an apologetic look.
My heart plummets into my toes. “You’re going to arrest me?”
“You damaged city property. I don’t really have a choice. Plus, I think you need to cool off tonight,” Nathan says.
“In a jail cell?” Shit. This is bad. This is really bad.
Hope hasn’t even shown up yet. Or has she?
Did she witness this disaster? I scan the hallway, but there’s no trace of her.
As Nathan puts the cuffs on, I let out defeated sigh.
Well, this was not the way I thought this night would go.
I was supposed to kiss Hope at midnight, right before I laid it all out on the line. Right before I told her I loved her.
Fuck.
What if she overheard the conversation?
What if she thinks she was just a conquest?
“Can you arrest me tomorrow?” I ask Nathan, already knowing the answer.
“I think things will be better if you cool it for a night,” Caden agrees.
“But Hope—”
“I’ll find Ruby,” Caden promises before Nathan puts me in the back of a squad car and drives me to the station.