Page 81 of Cassio

Chad spotted Áine and walked towards us. His eyes never wavered from my fiancée, his sleazy blonde hair heavy with gel and a fake smile across his face. If he thought I’d allow him anywhere near my woman, he was a bigger idiot than I thought.

“Mr. Callahan,” Chad greeted him. “I must admit, I was surprised I wasn’t invited. Friend of a friend mentioned there was an engagement party, and I couldn’t resist coming. I hope you don’t mind.”

Yeah, I fucking minded.

“So why are you here?” I asked him. I signaled my men that stood right outside the ballroom. “I believe I told you once to stay away from her.”

He reached for Áine’s hand but before he could take it, I grabbed him by his wrist and twisted it so he couldn’t move. “Don’t touch my wife,” I snarled.

I realized too late that I’d called her my wife. She wasn’t yet. I waited for the correction to come, never moving my eyes away from the weasel. To my surprise, Áine didn’t say a word.

Instead, the air stilled and everyone’s eyes were on us, watching the scene.

“I can greet an old friend,” the sleazebag tried to say, but his voice was too squeaky.

“No, you can’t,” I deadpanned. “Not unless you are ready to have your tongue cut out.”

The blood in my veins burned me to think of what this fucker had worked up with Marco. I should just shoot him now and end him for good.

“Too many people,” Luca muttered. He must have read my bloodthirsty thoughts.

So I’d have to be satisfied with throwing him out. My men came up, and when he tried to reach out for Áine’s hand, I shoved him away.

“Take him out,” I ordered my men. Chad’s eyes fleeted towards Áine, as if expecting her to save him. “I can gouge your eyeballs out too,” I added in a menacing voice. “It would make my fucking day.”

“Áine-” Chad attempted but didn’t get to finish.

My men ushered him out in a not so gentle manner. I’d have to put security on Áine. I didn’t trust Chad not to get his filthy paws on her. At least Marco didn’t pretend to be a good guy. This one went around pretending he was better when in fact he was even worse.

Once he was gone, I turned to my future wife and found her face pale as death. She swallowed hard, then met my gaze.

“Are you crazy?” she rasped in a low voice.

“Maybe,” I admitted. “But I don’t tolerate men that use force on women and children.”

“What do you mean by that, Cassio?” Jack inquired. After all, he preferred Chad Steward for his daughter, but it was only because he didn’t know that weasel was as good as I did.

Her gaze flickered to her father then back to me. “He’s the state’s attorney. He helps victims,” Áine defended him and the ugly jealousy slithered through my veins. “The King family uses force on women and children.”

“Not all,” Luca growled, taking a step towards her, but I held him back.

There were a few words I wanted to say myself but I pressed my lips tightly. This was neither the time nor place.

“Cassio?” Jack asked again.

“I’ll send you information,” I told him curtly. “I’ll assign a guard for Áine.” It was a moot point since she had one already. He didn’t need to know that. “I know you have your own. I don’t want Chad Stewart getting close to her.”

Jack nodded and that was settled. A strangled laugh escaped Áine, her eyes darting between her father, Luciano, Luca, and myself.

“What? I don’t get a say?” she challenged. “Would you like to decide when my bathroom breaks are?”

“You can decide on your own bathroom breaks,” I drawled. “But in the matter of Chad Stewart, no. You don’t have any say.” Her safety was non-negotiable to me.

She bit into her lip and narrowed her eyes on me. “Whatever you send in terms of information, Cassio King, I want it too.”

She strode away from me without a backward glance and her back stiff.

“Man, this marriage is going to be awesome,” Luciano shattered the silence. “Didn’t I tell you redheads are trouble, Cassio?”