Page 84 of Unofficial

All Kade sees is red, and the next thing he knows, Landry lies on the floor, blood on the corner of his mouth.

"Holy shit," Jess whispers from behind Kade.

Landry jumps up, and Kade shifts to make sure Jess stays blocked from him. "You made a mistake, Kade."

"No, you did. Talk whatever shit you want about me, but you crossed a line I won't let you come back from. That woman is a solid ten, and you know it. You're just butt hurt because you're nowhere near the nine you believe yourself to be, and the only one with an ugly personality in this room is you. Once you come to terms with the fact that you are the reason you can't get women to stay, maybe you'll find what you're looking for."

"You're just as pathetic as she is."

"Insult her one more time. I dare you," Kade says. "And your reward will be taking a long nap on the floor."

Landry takes a swing, but Kade dodges it and lands a solid right jab to his left side, making him stagger backwards. "You're going down."

Kade braces himself as Landry charges him, but he grabs him, places him in a headlock and swings him around until they're at the door. "She told you to leave. Don't ever come back here," Kade says, releasing him and punching once more in the face.

Landry falls backwards onto the yard, but he's still conscious. Kade made sure not to knock him out to avoid needing an ambulance. Plus, the charges may be lesser if he didn't cause the need for medical intervention.

"You can both go to hell," Landry says, standing up and wiping his mouth before staggering to his car.

Kade walks back into the house, shuts the door, and stares at Jess. What did he just do?

Chapter Thirty

Jess stares at Kade as he leans against the front door. Kade's a lover, not a fighter, but he came out swinging when Landry insulted her. He came to her rescue, and he's damn good at it.

"Jess, look, I know you're not a big fan of violence, but it had to be done," Kade says.

"I know."

"He crossed a line with how he talked to you-"

Walking up to him, she wraps her arms around his waist and puts her head on his chest. "I know you aren't him."

"What?"

Her eyes look up into his face as he stares down at her, his arms wrapped tightly around her. "You worry you're like your father, but you're not, Kade. You're nothing like that man, and you never will be."

Relief floods his eyes. "I didn't know I needed to hear that until you said it."

"He's so angry," she says and nuzzles her head against his chest. "He's going to hurt someone one day, and I wish he'd get the help he needs to deal with whatever has him so torn up inside."

A chuckle comes from him. "Only you would want someone who insulted her and said terrible lies to get therapy to help them cope with whatever seems broken inside them."

"What can I say? I want the best for people, I guess."

"He was wrong. You know that, right?"

"About what part?" she asks and releases him, walking into the living room and turning her back to him.

Kade walks behind her and wraps his arms around her, and she loves his warm embrace. "All of it. Waiting two months to sleep with you is torture, but it's worth it. And I say torture because I've been with you, and I know what I'm looking forward to. But for a woman like you, I'd wait forever, if I had to. And you are definitely not a six or a three. He sure as hell ain't a nine."

She can't help but laugh. Landry has a weird way of moving from strong superiority to self-deprecation yet still projects it onto other people. "He's a very complex and strange man."

"I can't believe he showed up here tonight."

"Me, either."

"Did he interrupt you while you were changing for bed?" Kade asks, his lips on her jaw just below her ear. "You've been holding that robe closed with a death grip since I got here."

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