Page 29 of When He Fights
“I am her friend.”Kane whistled and kept right on holding her hand in that bear-like grip of his.“Platonic friend, huh, Ana?My name’s Kane.”
She’d deal with him in a moment.First, Ana stepped toward Turner.“We are not in some deep, committed relationship.”
“No, you are not,” Kane stated decisively from behind her.“Don’t see a ring on her finger.”
She pulled her fingers—all ringless—from his grasp.
“We went out a few times,” Ana continued in a polite but firm voice.“It was not serious.The connection was not there.”
“Itisthere,” Turner argued.Not polite.More snarling.
“In what world?”Her face scrunched.“And, please, don’t pull some big, messy scene with me.You found a backup date.”The concert must have already ended, and they’d come to the bar.Ana made a vague motion with her now free hand toward the dance floor.“You two seem to have great chemistry, and I wish you well.”She did.There.Done.End of drama.“Have a good night, Turner.”She turned to leave.
He reached out.Grabbed her wrist.He was much smaller than Kane, but Turner’s griphurt.She sucked in a sharp breath at the flash of pain when he seemed to grind the bones in her wrist together.
“Oh, you do not want to do that.”Kane’s tone had gone lethal.“Let her go, now.”
“Back off,” Turner thundered.“I don’t care how big you are, I am a third degreedecidedblack belt, and I’m not scared of your size.I can take you down just like I take down anyone else.”
“Letgo,” Ana told Turner.“You are hurting me.”
Would he have let go on his own?Ana wasn’t sure.Because as soon as that one word—hurting—left her lips, Kane attacked.He moved wicked fast for someone so big.By the time she could even blink, her hand was out of Turner’s rough hold, and Turner had just gone crashing into the table she’d sat at only moments before.The table toppled.Turner toppled.When he crashed to the floor, so did her drink.It spilled onto him, and the umbrella fell into his lap.
“You don’t hurt her.Not ever.”Kane loomed over the fallen man.“Third degree, my ass.Amateur, you do not want the hell I’ll bring to your door.”
Everyone was looking at them.Even the small band had stopped playing.How utterly wonderful.“It’s all under control,” Ana called out as she whirled to face the crowd.“He slipped.Accidents happen.Go on about your business.”
She heard a scuffle behind her.Wincing, Ana looked over her shoulder.
Kane had his fingers curled around Turner’s neck.
“Oh, jeez.”She bounded for Kane.Tapped him on the shoulder.“Let go.”
“He charged at me,” Kane defended.“I just stopped him before he could make contact.”
Fair.But they had too many eyes on them.“Let go.You’ve made your point.”
He kept holding a squirming Turner.“What point might that be?”
Seriously, the cops would be called soon.The bouncer was even starting to make his way over to—no, scratch that.The bouncer had just done a double-take when he saw Kane, and the bouncer was hurriedly backing away.Sighing, Ana explained, “The point that you’re the toughest badass in the room.I get it.Now let Turner go.”
“He hurt you.”
She flexed her wrist.“I’ve been hurt worse.”
Kane’s head turned toward her.“I don’t want youeverhurt.”
She swallowed.The look on his face was just so—so intense.
“Turner!”A squeal from a lady with long red hair, a white crop-top, and super small jean shorts.The woman Turner had been kissing moments before.
“Let him go,” Ana pleaded again.
Kane did.
The woman ran toward them.She threw her arms around Turner.“Baby, are you okay?”
Turner glared at Kane, ignored the woman, and, with his eyes on Ana, he said, “Ana, you have to believe me.I have no idea who this lady is.”
