Page 132 of Dove
Torrence’s eyes softened at her admission, which only succeeded in sharpening my anger, making the urge to pound that look of sympathy off his face even greater. Dove seemed to ignore it entirely as she took a few determined steps past him.
That’s my girl,I thought proudly, unable to keep the curl of a satisfied smirk off my face. One that promptly dropped the moment he reached out to grab her arm and tug her closer.
She stiffened in his hold as he pleaded, “Dove, can we please talk?—”
“Paws off,” I growled. “Or we’re going to have a problem.”
The soft look on Torrence’s face faded as he directed his attention to me, but his damn hand remained where it was, cradling her elbow. Did this assholewantme to break every last one of his fingers?
Movement caught my eye and my gaze snapped to just beyond his shoulder. As if her presence was forgotten entirely by Torrence, the girl he’d been with shifted with uncertainty behind him, worrying her lip nervously, gaze flickering between the three of us, watching us stare each other down. I hardly noticed or cared. Seeing him reach for Dove so casually, like he had every right to touch her, had the edges of my vision darkening from barely concealed rage.
Dove broke free from his hold. “We have nothing to talk about, Torrence.” She took a half a step back, then turned to leave. Checking to see if I was following, she glanced back at me. My rising anger at Torrence’s audacity must have shown on my face because her eyes widened slightly, begging me in a silent plea to let it go.
There was a time I was indifferent to Torrence, back when we were younger. I never particularly liked him, but I tolerated him, mostly because Eddie occasionally hung out with him. It used to irk me when he showed up to parties like he had every right to be there, invitation or not, his football cronies following his every move like he was some form of country bumpkin royalty.
His father owned a pig farm. There wasn’t anything royal about that.
Although he never really bothered me before, I couldn’t pretend I didn’t knowexactlywhy I couldn’t stand the sight of him now.
He’d touched Dove, plain and simple. Looking at him was a reminder that while I’d been away, he’d swooped in to snag the chance I thought I’d never be given, and it pissed me off he still felt like he had a shot with her, despite her disinterest.
She was with me now, and I wouldn’t tolerate this asshole touching what was mine any longer.
“Josh,” Dove called, a hint of pleading in her voice as if she knew what I was thinking. She probably did. “Come on, let’s go.”
As if she’d flipped a switch, I exhaled a pent-up sigh, releasing my growing anger like a steam engine. I didn’t want to be the reason the day was ruined, not when Torrence was just being his typical prickish self. From his slurred speech and half-lidded gaze, he was clearly drunk, or on his way there. He was all false bravado and talk, fueled by what I imagined was Dale Foster’s homemade hooch that was often passed around at these things. I reminded myself that we didn’t have anything to prove or disprove to this asshole.
If he touched her again, though, we were going to have a problem.
Relief washed over Dove’s face, and her pretty blues softened in a silent thank you before she headed out of the alley. I wasn’t far behind her, but Torrence couldn’t leave well enough alone. Just as I passed him, he leaned in, reeking of moonshine and whatever pungent cologne he doused himself with.
“You think I don’t know what you two were up to?” He sneered. Despite the warning look I cut him, he continued crudely, “I know exactly what she looks like when she comes.”
Pure, unadulterated rage blinded me and before I realized I’d moved, Torrence was pinned up against brick, his feet struggling for purchase as I hefted him higher so we were eye to eye. Ivaguely heard someone shout my name, but everything was a rush of white noise. My body vibrated with uncontrollable fury, and I succumbed to it, allowing it to drag me deeper into its dark depths as I pinned my focus on the asshole squirming in my grip.
“Keep talking,” I warned, voice low and ominous, inches from his face. “I dare you.”
Hatred burned in his eyes as he goaded, “Does she do that breathy whimper when?—?”
“Shut your fucking mouth.” His words boiled the blood in my veins, and he released a pained groan as I shoved him harshly back against the wall, his head bouncing off it with a dull thud. “You know how I know you’re full of shit?” Torrence remained silent, but his eyes shot daggers at me, saying what his mouth didn’t. “Because you wouldn’t know how to get a woman off if she drew you detailed instructions.”
Was the response childish and petty? Sure. Did I give a fuck? No, because it was true. That spectacle in the barn showed me all I needed to see. Torrence was greedy; he’d take his own pleasure from whoever he could without sparing a thought of the enjoyment from who he was taking it from.
His face reddened, either in anger or embarrassment, and he snapped, “She sure wasn’t comp?—”
My hands tightened in his shirt, making the fabric pull tight across his throat, cutting him off. “I’d think wisely about the next words out of your mouth,” I cautioned darkly, “because they may well be your last for a while.”
“Are you threatening me?” Torrence wheezed angrily, attempting to shove me off, but his sorry attempts did nothing. I could easily bench press whatever this fucker weighed, plus some. It’d been all I did while away from Dove, that and miss her, and I was infinitely grateful for how my time at the gym was now coming in handy.
“Am Ithreateningto break your jaw?” I mocked coldly, my voice foreign to my own ears. “No, Weller, I’mpromisingyou.”
“Break it up!” A deep, authoritative voice shouted down the alley, and the familiarity of it had me breaking our intense staring contest to see Zeke striding toward us, Dove and Reverie trading worried glances as they followed behind him like concerned little ducklings. The woman Torrence had been with was nowhere to be seen.Smart girl.
I turned back around, bringing our faces closer together so my next words were for our ears only. “If I find out you so much as lay another finger on her, I’ll make sure it’s difficult for you to touch another woman for along, longtime.”
With that, I dropped him. He looked pitiful slumped against the wall, rubbing his reddening neck and gulping down air. My stomach twisted oddly, and for the first time in years I imagined what my father would say if he’d seen how I behaved just now.Especiallybecause it involved my feelings for Dove.
A surge of shame overcame me, and I took a step back, right into Zeke. His hand curled over my shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
