7. Seven #3
Tessa lays a calming hand on my forearm, once again acting as the angel on my shoulder.
“Let him go. Don’t you see what he’s doing? He wants you to lose control. You’re not a reckless teen anymore, Jake. Think of everything you’ve built. One punch, and he’ll press charges. Is this really worth going to court for?”
“He’s disrespecting you, and I won’t have it,” I growl. My fists tighten around the lapels of his shirt when that smug smile appears on his sweaty face .
“Don’t you dare use me as an excuse to get into a fight, because I don’t care what he says. His words mean nothing to me. He means nothing. He never did.”
“What’s it gonna be, Nelson?” The pudgy fuck taunts in a bored tone. “I’m turning gray over here.”
“Oh, shut up, Cooper. We both know you have nowhere to be, seeing as even your own family doesn’t seem to want to be around you.
” The pulsing vein on his forehead suggests I hit a nerve, which gives me just enough pleasure to release my hold on him.
Shane drops back on the flat of his feet and runs a hand down his shirt, smoothing out the evidence of my rough treatment.
“I’m disappointed.” Oh, trust me. No one is more disappointed than I am. “Not as much fun as you used to be, Nelson. Shame. I would’ve loved to see your ass rot in a jail cell again. Really cracked me up the last time.”
The growl rising from my chest can only be described as inhuman, and Tessa has to physically turn me away from the asshole before she forces me to meet her eyes. “He means nothing,” she repeats in a sure, steady voice, once again calming my inner beast. “He holds no power over us anymore.”
Fuck. This is killing me. Every fiber of my being wants to put him in his place.
Teach him a lesson and make him feel every ounce of pain he’s caused me.
But I have a reputation to uphold now. One that’s taken me years to rebuild after my father left a black stain on my legacy.
A slimy prick like Cooper isn’t worth risking it all for.
I’d be wise to check my pockets for drugs, just to be safe.
Guys like Shane have no conscience, and I don’t want to give him an opportunity to undermine my credibility.
Besides, I promised Tessa a night of fun.
A few hours for her to let loose and forget about the shit she’s got going on at home.
Am I really about to let that spineless turd ruin what has otherwise been a perfect evening?
Would it feel good to ram my fist into his face?
Fuck yes. Would it still feel satisfying when the police arrived to cart my ass off to the station for the whole town to witness?
I don’t believe it would. It causes me physical pain to back down, and I want to scream at the unfairness of it all, but I know I’m doing the right thing.
“Get the fuck out of here,” I spit, giving him a look that suggests he’s lucky I’m still sober enough to make smart choices.
A couple of drinks later, and there would’ve been no reasoning with me.
Shane lingers for a moment, glaring at me like he’s hoping I might change my mind.
When he realizes I won’t give him what he’s looking for, he reluctantly turns away.
I let out a slow breath, unsure whether I feel bereft or relieved.
“I never liked that fucking guy,” Carter slurs while we watch Temu Johnny Cash disappear into the crowd.
“So, are we still playing this stupid game, or are we over it?” he inquires, most likely hoping my run-in with my old nemesis made me lose interest. Here’s the thing.
I already backed down from one challenge tonight, and as pathetic as it makes me sound, this stupid game of ours is all I have left.
“We’re most definitely still on,” I tell him, ignoring his pained groan.
“Tell you what. Let’s hit the pause button for a few.
I need to get some air.” I avoid looking at Tessa when I say this, too riled up to hide my agitation, and I don’t want her to see how much Shane’s taunts affected me.
I know she feels bad for the choices she’s made, and I no longer feel the need to rub it in.
I just need a moment to cool off and get my head on straight, that’s all. “How much time’s left on the clock?”
“Twelve minutes,” Megan dutifully supplies, not missing a beat.
“Alright. We’ll pick it up when I get back. I won’t be long.”
Pushing through the back door of the saloon, I inhale the crisp night air as I run a trembling hand through my hair.
My adrenaline is dropping and my run-in with Shane seriously messed with the pleasant buzz I had going.
The back of the building is blissfully deserted—nothing but dumpsters and the surrounding woods.
Nobody ever comes out here, which is precisely why I’ve chosen this exit instead of the one leading to the crowded parking lot at the front.
I need space to get my temper under control.
Fuck, that guy really gets under my skin.
I hate how easily he got a rise out of me.
Tessa’s right. He doesn’t matter. He’s nothing but the dirt beneath my boot, and yet, every time we bump into each other, I want to rearrange his face.
I’d like to think I’ve evolved from the hot-headed kid I used to be.
I’ve put in the work and have come a long way in so many aspects of my life.
But Shane Cooper has been, and always will be, a sore spot for me.
The mere thought of that sleazy asshole putting his grimy hands on my woman makes me want to break things.
My woman . What a fucking joke. For all I know, she’ll be on the road back to LA the second the doctors give her mom the all-clear.
She can tell me she’s missed this town and its people all she wants, but the fact is, her life isn’t here and hasn’t been for quite some time.
I’d be smart to remember that. I lean against the cool brick wall and let my head fall back, gazing up at the starry night sky.
“Deep breaths, Nelson. He’s not fucking worth it,” I mutter, forcing myself to believe it.
The urge to go after Shane and give him the beating he deserves is strong.
Needing an outlet for all that pent-up aggression, I push off the wall and throw my fist into the side of the dumpster hard enough to leave a dent.
“Shit.” I shake out my hand and squeeze my eyes shut, breathing through the pain while I call myself every name under the sun in the privacy of my own head.
“Well. At least we can be sure this particular opponent won’t plant drugs on you.
” I whip around, coming face to face with the girl I’m losing my damn mind over.
Tessa tilts her head to the side and pins me with a concerned look.
“You okay?” She takes a tentative step toward me, like she’s approaching a wild Mustang.
When I don’t back away or snap my teeth at her, she reaches for my throbbing hand and gently turns it over in the dim lighting.
“It drives me fucking crazy that he touched you,” I grit out, focusing on the way her long lashes fan her cheeks as she checks each finger for injuries. She gulps before giving me a single, understanding nod.
“Do you think I’m proud of it?” Finally, she looks at me, lifting her chin in a way that tells me she’s done cowering.
“Don’t you think I’ve regretted it every day since?
I knew he wasn’t a good person, but I ignored the sickening feeling in my gut.
He used me to hurt you, and I was gullible enough to let him.
How do you think that makes me feel?” Her voice cracks, and suddenly I feel like an asshole for bringing this shit up again.
She made a mistake when she was barely old enough to understand herself.
Am I really going to continue to punish her for it?
God knows I’ve made my fair share of poor choices.
I got lucky when I found out I hadn’t cheated on her.
But the circumstances that led us there?
That’s on me. I release a soft breath, feeling my heart swell for this woman.
“I was a fool, and I wish to God I could take it all back.” Then something unexpected happens, and a smile settles on her lips.
“I guess we can always find solace in him still being as miserable and vengeful as ever. Only difference is, he now has a dad bod and what appears to be high blood pressure. You, on the other hand, have only improved with age. You’re like a fine whiskey. Shane’s just stale old beer.”
I bark out a laugh as the lingering tension slowly falls away.
“Is that so?” I ask, stepping closer to tuck a loose tendril of satiny hair behind her ear.
Tessa sighs at the unexpected contact and nuzzles her cheek into the palm of my hand, much like a cat begging for attention.
Her teeth dig into her plump bottom lip, and she stares up at me from beneath lowered lashes, unable to hide the longing swimming in her honey-colored eyes.
I’m done fighting this, no longer giving a shit whether or not this is going anywhere.
I’ll take anything she’s willing to give me and deal with the fallout later.
All that matters is that I have to taste her.
I’ve been dying to do just that since the moment she first showed up on my porch, demanding a few minutes of my time, and I’m sick of denying myself.
Tenderly, like she’s made from fine China, I cup her face and spin us around, walking her backward until her shoulders meet the wall.
I take my time mapping her features, drinking her in, and once again marveling at the stunning creature she’s become.
“No more talk of Cooper. I never want to hear his fucking name again.”