Page 69 of Grumpmas

“No, Logan, it’s not—” He pressed his index finger against my lips.

“Save it. I know when you’ve fucking made love, sweetheart.” Logan put his hands on either side of my face. “You get flushed, get disheveled hair, and your lips swell, eager for a kiss.”

Logan planted his mouth on mine. His lips moved, but I didn’t reciprocate. Instead, I bit him.

“Ouch! Fuck! What the hell, Noelle?” Logan winced in pain.

My ex released me, and I slapped him in the face. His eyes were full of shock at my sudden reaction to his ambush, and tears bit at my eyes. My vision was blurry as I blinked several times and glanced toward the vehicle Faith was in, but she hadn’t seen. No matter how much Logan deserved to be hit, his daughter didn’t deserve to see her parents fighting.

“How could you, Logan?” I glared and stepped back. “What is wrong with you?”

“Me? You bit me!” Logan pointed at himself and dabbed a finger against his injured lip.

Logan cursed.

“Keep your voice down,” I warned in a hiss.

“Why? So your lover doesn’t hear we kissed?” Logan shouted.

“You’re unbelievable.” I shoved at his chest. “I don’t have time for this.”

Logan blocked my way toward his vehicle for a third time, and I was about to lose all control. He had no right to keep me from my child. He had brought Faith home early, and this was my time, not his. We’d never be a family.

Suddenly, someone pushed Logan aside, and he was no longer an obstacle. I spun around to find Jack holding a shocked Logan in a firm grip by his jacket collar. His face was inches away while Logan fought him, but Jack was too strong. My neighbor was far too massive compared to Logan’s small stature as Jack glared down at him, and he was seething.

“Keep your hands off her,” Jack hissed through clenched teeth.

“Let go of me, asshole. My daughter is in the car,” Logan whined.

The damn bastard used our daughter as a scapegoat. God, Logan infuriated me. I wiped the back of my hand against my mouth to get his bruising kiss off my lips.

“The father card doesn’t work with me. I know how to hurt a man and make the injury appear like an accident,” Jack said and pulled Logan closer. “Keep your hands off my girl.”

THIRTY

Shattered Reality

Jack

“So, it’s true?” Logan glanced between me and Elle. “You two are screwing?”

Fuck. My big goddamn mouth. The truth was out, and it was only a matter of time before everyone else found out. Unless...

“So?” I tightly twisted the fabric of his coat collar around his windpipe. “You got a problem with that?”

Logan’s face turned a pinch blue for all of two seconds before he shook his head. I let him squirm for another five seconds while his lungs screamed to breathe, but a voice in my mind urged me to let him go. This was Faith’s father, and I cared about her. It wasn’t her damn fault she had a fucked-up father.

I released Logan.

He coughed, “I’ll be charging you with assault.”

“Try me,” I hissed and grabbed Logan by the front of his coat.

Logan squeaked like a goddamn girl.

“Stop it, Timber!” Elle insisted as she touched my shoulder and squeezed me to get my attention. “Let Logan go.”

I cursed but freed the scumbag.