Page 24 of Beautiful Trauma

“Kellan.”

Before she could shake my hand, her dark eyes widened in panic. After jerking her hand back, she gasped. “No, no, no.”

“Are you okay?”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe he followed me here.”

Glancing behind me, I saw an angry-faced man striding towards us. He looked like the kind who was juiced up on steroids. His fury was singularly focused on Mya, which caused my protectiveness to rise.

Turning back to her, I asked, “You know him?”

“My ex, Anthony.” A shudder ran through her. “I guess I should call him my stalker since he keeps showing up wherever I am.”

I gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. You’re safe.”

“You don’t know him,” she argued.

“And you don’t know me,” I countered.

With my fists clenching at my sides, she widened her eyes. I turned to block Anthony from getting to Mya. But he outmaneuvered me by bobbing to the right. Before I could stop him, he grabbed Mya by the arm, causing her to cry out.

“What the fuck are you doing here with him?”

Whirling back around, I growled, “Take your hands off her.”

He glared back at me. “Pipe the fuck down. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Considering she doesn’t want to see you, I’d say she doesn’t concern you either.”

The guy took a step towards me, dragging Mya along with him. “I’m going to say this one last time. Mind your own fucking business and get lost.”

I moved to stand toe to toe with him. “Since you’re standing inmyclub and assaulting one ofmypatrons, it ismybusiness.”

His nostrils flared in challenge. “Then what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to ask you to take your hands off her.”

A cruel chuckle erupted from him. “And if I don’t?”

“I will have you removed and detained.”

“You’re one hell of a pussy to have your men fight your battles for you.”

His words demeaning my manhood were like a match to a powder keg.

Growing up, my father constantly shamed me for being more soft-spoken and less violent than my brothers. His humiliation was constant as going so far to constantly say I was a waste of a cock and a dishonor to the males of the family. Sometimes he even questioned my paternity as if I couldn’t have possibly come from him.

Most days I could regulate my triggers. Especially if I was in a public place.

But not today.

Launching myself at him, I grabbed him by the throat. “How dare you put your hands on a woman in my club!” I snarled.

As I tightened my grip around his windpipe, his eyes bulged. He quickly released Mya, who staggered back. When I didn’t release him, he pleadingly rasped, “I…let…the…bitch…go.”

Slowly, I shook my head at him. “You went too far, Anthony.“

The bluster slipped from his glare and was replaced by fear. His nails scraped against my hands at his throat. As they dug into my skin, a rush of metallic scent entered my nose.