Page 136 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

Dave walked in the door looking a whole lot scruffier than when he was with the service. That slow smile, the sharp edge to it, that was the same though. He zeroed in on me, strutting over like he was cock of the rock.

But right now, that was me.

People started to mutter as I slipped from my seat. I’d had exactly one light beer hours ago so my head was crystal clear as I fixed him with my gaze.

“Rhett…” Brent growled. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Not my boss anymore,” I told him, because this needed to happen. Every damn day I’d been forced to work with this fuckhead, I’d kept my mouth shut. Not now.

“You’re still a firefighter with the Metropolitan Fire Service,” my former boss told me. “And you’re in uniform.”

His words washed over me. I’d barely kept a lid on my hatred of Dave, but now…? It was like the brakes had failed and I was hurtling down the hill to destiny.

Dave was about to obliterate them.

“Where’s your fat little bitch?” he asked. Someone cried out at that as I shoved myself away from the table. “Got sick of your shit already.” His hand went to his fly. “I could slip her my dick if yours didn’t satisfy her.”

“Dave—”

Joe worked with Dave when the man was still part of our team, but when he stood up to intervene, Dave shoved his hand off his shoulder.

“Don’t.” Just one word and I took a step forward. “This has to happen.”

“Is this dickhead Dave?” The scorn in Rhys’ voice was like a cold beer on a hot day. It expressed perfectly how I felt. “How the hell did you get a girl like Katie to look twice at the likes of you?”

Dave’s head whipped around and for a moment I saw pure venom in his gaze. He mastered himself, looking Rhys up and down with a sneer.

“You fucking her too, are ya, mate? If I knew she was such a?—”

The last time I grabbed the prick by the throat was in the fire station lunchroom and it’d felt so damn good. It was surprising to note this was better. I wasn’t a firefighter and neither was Dave. We were just two blokes, and he was mouthing off about my girl.

“Say another fucking word,” I growled, watching him claw at my hands. “And I’ll knock your fucking block off in front of these nice people.”

“Rhett—”

I shoved Dave away from me, watching him gasp for breath.

“Keep your mouth shut and I’ll do it at the back of the pub, away from all of these prying eyes.”

“It’s on!” Charlie shouted, grabbing his beer and all the other firefighters did the same. They surged outside, Joe forcing Dave to stumble after him.

“Rhett.” Brent appeared in my line of sight. “Look, mate, I know you want to put that idiot ten feet under?—”

“Deeper,” I growled, stretching my arms and back out in preparation.

“But you’re still a member of the service and in uniform. Don’t throw your career away over petty revenge.”

“Uniform?” I wrenched my shirt up and over my head before tossing it aside. “Now that’s sorted…” People had formed a rough circle in the lot behind the pub and Dave was shoved into the centre of it. “It’s time to take out the trash.”

Chapter69

Rhys

I’d heard all about Dave. He was like the ghost of shitty boyfriends past, but right now I stared at this scruffy prick and wondered what the hell Katie saw in him. Didn’t matter. By the way Rhett flexed his biceps, all of the strength he’d worked hard at my former gym about to be put to work.

“So what’re you gonna do?” Did everyone else hear the thread of fear in Dave’s voice, because I sure did. “Beat the shit out of me? I still go there first, fucked…”

His mouth snapped shut as he was forced to dodge backwards as Rhett swung hard at him. By the smile on my best friend’s face, it was clear this was just a feint, something to get Dave dancing.

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