Page 115 of The Way We Collide

My smile melts when I see Larry standing at a table not far from where Hendrix is walking up to greet me.

“I love it.” Hendrix gives me a hug. “You’re a superstar.”

“Thanks.” I’m a little breathless, shielded by his strong body, but when he straightens, I can’t ignore the man standing beside us. “Larry? What are you doing here?”

“That massive talent.” His voice isn’t exactly congratulatory. “I remember when your mother chose that song for you.”

I do, too. Vividly. She said it was to “match my new look.”

“She hoped it would embarrass me.” My voice is sharp, and I lift my chin. “Too bad it backfired. It’s a great song, and it’s perfect for my voice and my range.”

“She killed it.” Hendrix stands beside me with his arm around my shoulder.

Larry scowls at him. “I know all about you and this fake arrangement. I hired a private detective the minute you sent that marriage certificate. I know it was only for the money. There’s no way a guy like you would marry someone like her.”

He saysherin a tone that catches me off guard. Shame burns in my chest, and I’m too thrown to argue.

Good thing I don’t have to. Hendrix’s arm is off me in a flash, and he steps into Larry’s space. “We discussed this,Lawrence. Is this really what you want to do right now?”

Unbelievably, Larry doesn’t back down.

“You ruined everything,” he hisses angrily. “I was supposed to marry you, not him. That was the plan. Half of that trust fund belongs tome! It wasourwedding present from your mother.”

“Wait a minute.” I grab Hendrix’s arm, pulling him to the side, so I can get in Larry’s face. “She wanted me to marryyou? Why? So you could take over demeaning me for the rest of my life?”

“You are mine, Biscuit.” It’s a whiny shout, and Hendrix grips his upper arm.

“That’s it.” He practically lifts Larry off his feet, dragging him to the front door of the bar and out into the parking lot.

I jog after them holding my hand out, unsure what’s about to happen. Hendrix shoves him in the direction of the parked cars, and Larry stumbles before regaining his balance.

“I told you never to call her Biscuit.” Hendrix’s voice is angry.

“Fuck you, Mr. Football Star.” Larry staggers forward, actually stupid enough to get closer. “Mr. Johnny-come-lately. You think you’re special? Anyone can get a girl pregnant. It just makes you careless. Irresponsible. I know your type.”

“You don’t know shit,” Hendrix snaps. “I love her. I want to build a life with her. What do you want?”

“Oh!” My heart jumps in my chest, and I take a step back, my eyes fixed on my husband.

“You call that love?” Larry shouts. “You want her to be average. I want her to be great. Her mother saw it, and I see it. She lacks discipline. She’s lazy, and she overeats when she?—”

Hendrix grips the front of his jaw and slams him back against our rented Range Rover SUV. “Shut your idiot mouth before I break it. Raven is smart and focused. She’s caring and fierce. She’s the sexiest woman alive, and I wouldn’t live in your world where everyone looks the same and every woman is starving and miserable for one second, let alone a lifetime.”

“I want what’s best for her,” Larry argues.

Hendrix leans into his face. “If you know what’s best, you’d better get the fuck out of here before I kick your ass so hard, you spit leather.”

The entire karaoke crowd is outside the bar, and I look around at all the phones on us. I count at least ten kids recording videos, and I can’t let Hendrix get into trouble for defending me.

Rushing forward, I catch his arm. “We need to go. They’re all watching.”

“Let them watch.” He shoves Larry with both hands, and the loser staggers backwards, falling against another car before landing on his butt in the dirt.

Hendrix takes a step forward, and with a little yelp, Larry turns onto all fours and quickly crawls away like the coward he is.

For a moment, I watch Hendrix’s broad shoulders heaving, then when he turns to me, his blue eyes are blazing.

He’s vibrating with adrenaline, and when he closes the space between us, my skin prickles with heat. My body is on fire, and I want to climb him like a tree.

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