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Chapter Twenty-Five

“ W ell, didn’t take her long, did it?” Dave laughed dryly, blood dripping from his lip. “Didn’t ever peg her as one to move on fast.”

“Longer than it took you, I can assure you that.” I shot him a venomous glare, my fist itching to punch him again.

“That was a mistake,” he said, something like guilt clouding his eyes for a microsecond. “I didn’t realize it then. I do now. I just need to talk to her—” He looked off as if he might try again to go after her.

“You’ll stay the hell away from her,” I growled, my blood boiling.

There was no fucking way I was letting this bastard anywhere near her. He’d destroyed her, not caring how many pieces he’d left her in. He’d wasted six years of her life, treated her like shit, and now? Now that he saw her again, looking beautiful and happy? Now he wanted another shot with her?

Abso-fucking-lutely not.

How the hell could he ever be with someone like Cassie and not kiss the ground she walked on? Not thank God everyday that he got to have her? It didn’t make any fucking sense.

“Why? You scared that she’ll come running back to me? She’s always been kind of obsessed with me. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much of an effort.”

I lifted my arm to throw the next punch, but a hand held me back.

“Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Brody hissed in my ear, trying to pull me away from the corner we’d somehow gravitated to.

I didn’t take my eyes off Dave for a second, infuriated at the way his eyes seemed to gleam with excitement like he was begging to be hit again.

“,” I heard Maggie gasp behind me. “What are you doing? Where’s Cassie?”

“Hey, Maggie.” Dave grinned his bloody smile at my sister. “How’s it going?”

“Shut up, Dave.” Maggie’s voice was venomous.

“She’s waiting outside,” I said through gritted teeth. “Go find her and tell her I’ll be right out to take her home.”

“Home?” Dave asked. “Her home is back with me. And I’m sure she’ll jump at the chance to get back together if it means getting the hell out of her Mom’s house again.”

“She’s not staying with her mom.” I glared, teeth gritted as I tried desperately to restrain myself from throwing another punch. “She’s staying with me.”

His expression went blank, and I saw the effect my words had on him. He was shocked, and… hurt? Good.

He cackled an ugly sound. “Well, now it all makes sense, doesn’t it? I mean, she’d do anything rather than go back to that hell hole. Even shacking up with some hockey asshole.”

“Don’t you fucking talk about her.” My jaw was clenched so hard it ached.

“,” Brody’s voice said in warning as he tried to tug me back once more.

“Go get my fucking car keys, Brody. I gotta take Cassie home.”

“No,” Brody said, “What you gotta do is avoid getting fucking arrested. Think about your career, man? Is this worth it?”

Yes.

“Don’t worry about your career.” Dave sneered. “What fun would it be if I took you out of the running with an assault charge?”

He smiled devilishly at me, loving the fact that he had the power to get me in some deep shit if he wanted to.

But I didn’t fucking care. I was hardly the first person to punch a guy, and this one sure as hell deserved it.

“She’ll come back to me,” he said assuredly. “She always does. Some brutish hockey player won’t change that.”

“Man, you’re really asking for it, aren’t you?” Brody laughed without humor.

“Doesn’t look too good for the Harbor Wolves that two of their players have a fan cornered and bloody, does it?”

At that, I unclenched his shirt, taking a safe step back. This didn’t matter right now. Cassie did. And she was outside, cold, and waiting to go home.

I took a breath, stepping away so I could get my car keys and get the hell out of there. Dave stared at me cautiously as if I were a wild animal that might pounce on him at any moment.

“Come on, man.” Brody clapped my back. “Let’s go.”

And I started to, but then, something made me turn, feeling a compulsive need to get the message across loud and clear before I left.

“Next time you come near my girlfriend.” I brought my face deathly close to his. “I’ll destroy you. And I don’t care what the fuck it does to my career. Got it?”

His silence was a good enough answer for me.