Page 110 of Burn

Is it bad that his words just turned me on a little?

Nixon’s beer gets knocked over and then he laughs, in a very creepy way. I actually cringe. “And you have no idea how easily that can be taken from you.” They struggle a little, both shoving and pushing, trying to get the bouncer out of the way, but he’s probably the size of both of them put together.

The struggle is useless.

Nixon’s never known when to shut up. It’s apparent he still doesn’t, but he also doesn’t know what Caleb is capable of.

“I’ll play dirty if I have to. Go ahead, try something with her.” Caleb opens his arms and motions to me. “Try.” He sidesteps me, his back blocking my view of their interaction as he gives Nixon one final shove. “And fuckin’ watch what happens, motherfucker!”

Before anymore can happen, the bouncer turns to Nixon and says, “You’re out of here, man. I warned you.”

Nixon holds his palms up and goes willingly. He’s done what he came here to do.

Ruin my night like I ruined his at the benefit dinner.

But he says one thing to me directly as he’s leaving. “Milena?” I don’t know why, but I look at him, and then back to Caleb, unwilling to give Nixon my eyes. “Tell your father I want a meeting with him tomorrow morning.”

Son of a bitch!

Scarlet finds me, her eyes wide and nearing tears, trying to grab my face to make me look at her. “Ignore him. Don’t let him get to you.”

Too late. Despite my lack of effort to stop them, my eyes burn with tears. That shit was crazy scary.

Caleb sighs, an act of annoyance as he runs his hand through his hair and then locks his hands behind his head, drawing in a few calming breaths. “Goddamn it,” he mutters under his breath, his jaw tightening.

Nervously, my eyes meet his and something inside of him snaps when he sees the tears in my eyes and he pulls me to his chest. “I may be losing my head right now.” His grip on me tightens, his hands trembling. “But I’ll tell you what, Mila, he’s never going to touch you.”

When I draw back, I can see it in his eyes. He’s scared of something more than what’s happening here. And then his stare focuses on mine, his face impassive as he watches the crowd though, his mind elsewhere.

For fifteen minutes Caleb says nothing. Absolutely nothing. And to be honest, I don’t expect him to. After knowing him a few short weeks, I already know he can suppress his anger. That is until suddenly he snaps, like he just did. Sometimes he’s vocal about his anger. And sometimes he remains silent, with a deadly attitude.

“What are you going to do?” I ask, confused and worried. Hell, you name it, I’m feeling it while trying to process what’s happening.

Again, nothing.

Kellan steps in, trying to get Caleb’s attention. “He’s not going to do anything, are you, man?”

Caleb shrugs him off as his fist connects with the wall near the bar, breaking the silence.

His eyes snap to mine and then suddenly he’s calm, the rage dying, but it’s still there, just suppressed again. Grinding his teeth, his eyes narrow. “He better stay the fuck away from you.”

The night has officially turned to shit.

Slamming his beer down, Caleb grabs me again by the hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“My place.”

I don’t even have time to say goodbye to Scarlet. Caleb drags me out and into his truck parked three blocks away on the street, which, I might add has the headlights busted out of it.

Classy Nixon. Real classy.

WHEN WE MAKE it through the door to his apartment, my eyes are heavy and the room starts to spin. Caleb had sobered up—adrenaline will do that to you—but I haven’t.

Once in his room, Caleb walks behind me and frees one strap of my dress and then lets the other slide away, his own eyes growing just as heavy. “Too many clothes.”

His hands sweep over my body, the same way flames engulf a room. Dipping down, and without saying a word, he picks me up and lays me on the bed.

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