Page 34 of Betrayed

I need new friends. Friends who acted more like AJ than Danny. Paige fell somewhere in the middle, but was too easily influenced by Danny. She wasn’t always like that, but over time, she’d given up being herself when he was around.

Someone like AJ, but not him. AJ and I couldn’t date. Maybe if things were different, but we lived in two very different worlds. And he was too macho-man for my tastes. Too controlling. Too alpha male.

I wanted a calm, polite, professional man. Someone like Daddy. He had a great job, served his community, was polite and kind to everyone. He even hosted dinner parties for friends and colleagues.

I don’t think he’s ever raised a fist to anyone.

AJ was the complete opposite of what I wanted. So why couldn’t I stop thinking about him?Why do I blush every time I see his dimples pop when he grins?

And why was I thinking of him in terms of dating rather than friendship?

Concentrating during my second class of the day was nearly impossible. It wasn’t bad enough that someone had threatened me and disrupted my life, but they had to do it a week before mid-terms.

I prided myself on being a good student and the idea of my GPA suffering because of some asshole pissed me off.

After class, I told AJ I wanted to go to the library. Hopefully, the normalcy would help me relax so I could study. I expected an argument, but all he said was, “Lead the way.”

I could feel his powerful presence just behind me, off to the right. When we changed directions after crossing the quad, his shadow engulfed me.

As we approached the library, a guy came up and asked me to sign his petition.

Before I could ask what it was for, AJ waved him off. Undeterred, the guy asked again, shoving the clipboard at my chest.

I instinctively reached for it, but AJ slapped it back as he stepped between us.

Damn it!I didn’t need AJ causing another scene.

AJ squared his shoulders as he stood at his full height and told the guy to back off.

The poor guy looked like he wanted to piss his pants as he backed away.

I yanked on AJ’s arm to turn him around.

“That was not necessary,” I said, exasperated by his need to use violence when a polite word would do.

“What wasn’t necessary?” He scanned the crowd over my head.

I fought back the urge to scream. “Using violence and scaring him,” I answered as evenly as I could.

“How was that violent? I never touched the guy.” He kept his voice low as he argued.

Technically, that was true, but he had physically intimidated the poor guy.

Deciding it wasn’t worth arguing over, I rolled my eyes before turning and walking away. I didn’t like this AJ; he was a brute. The AJ I had lunch with was a lot nicer.

“I’ve changed my mind. I want to go home.” I wouldn’t be able to concentrate if I had to worry about him scaring anyone who talked to me.

Chapter 19

AJ

Blake didn’t get it, and it pissed me off. Her life was in danger, and she refused to accept it was my job to keep threats at a safe distance.

She didn’t have to like it, but she had to accept it. And things would go a hell of a lot smoother if she stopped arguing about it.

Was I more assertive than necessary when I stopped that kid?

No. Well, maybe.

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