Page 24 of Keeping Guard

“Nope,” he said, not stopping. He could still see her ex’s cold, calculating eyes as he watched her. The douchebag was no match against him, but he was capable of hurting Peyton. If he had, Noah was going to make him sorry.

Jack jogged, catching up with him. “And we’re going to save your runaway bride because?”

“Because her ex-fiancé is there, and she’s locked herself in the bathroom.”

“She’s afraid of him?”

“Appears so.”

“No one hurts a woman on our watch,” Jack said.

“Copy that.”

“Peyton, you have exactly one minute to come out before I kick the damn door in.”

Was he serious? Were her shares of Elk Antler really worth forcing her to marry him?

The door crashed open. She screamed.

“Damn it, Peyton, you’re being ridiculous.” He grabbed her arm when she tried to become one with the wall. “So your father promised me shares in the brewery. Why is that a problem? We’ll just be keeping it in the family.”

“Let go of me. I’m not going to marry you.”

“Yes, you are.” He dragged her to the living room. “You can pack a bag, or I’ll do it for you. Either way, by tomorrow night, we’ll be married.”

“No! I’ll scream bloody murder to anyone who’ll listen.”

He shook his head as if she was nothing more than a naughty child. “You really don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?” She tried to pull her arm away again, but that only made him dig his fingers deeper into her skin.

“Your father’s dying. His wish is to see you taken care of.”

“You’re a lying toad. He’s not dying. He’s not!” How could he say something so horrible? If that was true, her father would have told her. Wouldn’t he? She was so furious at Dalton’s lies that she stopped thinking and let the rage take over. She pulled her arm up, lowered her mouth to the fingers that were going to leave bruises and clamped her teeth down on them.

“Bitch.” He jerked his hand away from her teeth, but she saw the droplets of blood bubbling on his skin.

Good. Her phone vibrated on the floor where she’d dropped it when he’d grabbed her. Noah?Please let him be on the other side of her door.

“Noah,” she screamed.

Her front door splintered, and two of the most furious-faced and intimidating men she’d ever seen rushed in. One was Noah, but before she could reach for him, Dalton pulled her against his chest.

“You!” Dalton said, his gaze on Noah.

Lucky rushed past Noah and his friend, his tail wagging as he tried to get to her. Noah picked him up, handing him to the other man. “Hold him while I deal with this asshole.”

“What is this, a garden party?” Dalton snarled.

“Let her go.” Noah took a step closer. “Do it now before I make you, and believe me, you don’t want that.”

Dalton tightened his hold on her. “So, you are fucking him.”

“You’re disgusting.” Why had she ever agreed to marry him? Noah’s eyes were growing icier by the second, and his hands were fisted at his sides. She was pretty sure he’d like to plant those fists in Dalton’s face. “You’re outnumbered here, Dalton. You really should let go of me.”

He put his mouth next to her ear. “This isn’t over,” he said, then pushed her so hard that she fell to her knees.

Faster than she’d ever seen anyone move before, Noah had him backed up to the wall, his hand wrapped around Dalton’s neck. “You touch her again, come anywhere near her again, you’ll wake up in the hospital. You hearing me, you worthless piece of shit?”