Page 29 of Here & There

She looks up at me, sending heat skittering through my chest.

“If you don’t want to stay with us, I’ll ask Lana or Chris.” At her confused expression, I say, “My staff.” At this point, I don’t care where she stays, so long as it isn’t here.

One of the guys on the porch starts hollering about a woman, along with a lewd blow job gesture.

It’s like a dark lens has dropped over my vision. Whether she’s here or not, that shit can’t stand.

“Nate, get in the truck.”

Nate’s eyes go wide, but he doesn’t move. Guess this’ll be a teachable moment like those parenting books I’m trying to mainline talk about.

“Mac!” Shelby’s warm hand lands on my forearm, cutting through my anger.

I turn back to her.

“Okay,” she says.

It takes me a second to register what she’s okaying, since there’s smoke coming out of my goddamn ears.

Did she?—

“Yes, please, I’ll take you up on your offer. Just until these guys are gone, though.”

Relief washes over me like a tsunami.

Though after I kicked the shit out of these assholes, I wasn’t above throwing her over my shoulder like a caveman.

“Great,” I say. “Great. Nate.” I jerk my chin at the truck. He listens for once and heads sullenly for the truck.

Once he’s gone, I look down at Shelby. “We can come back for your stuff later.”

“No,” she says, lifting her chin. “It’s bad enough they’ve run me out of here. Plus…I’d like to say goodbye to Diane.”

With that, she straightens her shoulders and heads up the stairs. I have to admire the pair on her—I wouldn’t blame her at all for not wanting to set foot in this place again. I’ll have to have a long talk with Diane and Ben. Maybe see if I can applywhatever I learn from Shelby to their business so they can refuse to house these fuckers next year.

When Shelby reaches the porch, she’s met with a wall of men’s backs she has to try to squeeze past. “Excuse me,” she says.

They ignore her.

I glance back to make sure Nate’s in the truck.

“Excuse me!” she says louder.

“Why, hello, honey,” that flat-top asshole says.

Then I take the steps two at a time.

“Excuse me!” She tries again. Some of them step sideways, though flat-top only smirks. One of them takes a good, long look at Shelby’s backside as she passes.

When I reach the top, I restrain myself from making fists, but I don’t bother keeping my voice down. “Give the lady some fucking room.”

That gets their attention quick enough. Shit, I might have flattened the leaves on the nearby trees.

They part like the fucking Red Sea.

I poke my head in the open door to see if there are any more in there. The coast looks clear.

“You okay?” I ask Shelby once I join her inside.

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