Page 98 of Dearest Protector

I snorted, shrugging off his disparaging comments. “You actually gave up a few bucks so you could attend?”

“Bitch!” he snarled.

“Ariel?” Ben’s voice sounded from the entrance to the patio.

I held up my free hand so he didn’t interfere. I knew if he laid a hand on Leland, this wouldn’t end well. “Don’t,” I said to Ben as our gazes locked. “I’ve. Got. This.”

“Bastard!” I countered as my gaze fell back on Leland. “Don’t you ever touch me again.”

My rage guided me as I broke his grip on my wrist and let my hand fly with every bit of anger I’d stored up inside me for months. I slapped him so hard that his ears were probably ringing.

While he was still off-balance, I stomped and ground my heel into his instep until he whined and fell over onto his ass.

“You broke my foot,” he howled as he tried to grip his foot, his face even redder than it had been earlier.

“Is there something I can do to help, Mr. Blackwood?” one of the big, burly staff guys asked as he stepped outside next to Ben.

“Yeah,” Ben snarled, his turbulent gaze locking on mine. “Get this asshole off my mother’s patio and make sure he doesn’t come back. He just assaulted my girlfriend.”

The burly staff member hurried to assist. He took Leland by the jacket, easily hefted him up, and hustled him toward the parking lot.

“You broke my foot,” Leland screamed again as he was led away limping. “This isn’t over. You’ll pay for this.”

I moved to Ben and put a hand on his chest, urging him not to follow and beat the crap out of the man who had just grabbed me and tossed insults my way. “Don’t, Ben. He’s not worth it. I’m not terrified by him anymore. He’s a bully. He’s not worth going to jail. That would upset me, and it would definitely upset your mom. Let the investigator finish his work.”

I could feel Ben’s body shake with anger as he glared at the man who was being forcibly removed from the gathering.

I could tell he was in a struggle between his urge to hurt Leland and his want to respect what I asked him to do.

I lifted my hand and turned his head until he was facing me instead of looking at Leland. “Look at me. He’s not worth it.”

His eyes locked with mine. I had to wait until the venom in that hazel-eyed gaze started to dissipate.

“He. Fucking. Touched. You,” Ben said gutturally. “Did he hurt you, Ariel?”

I snorted. “Nope. But I think I hurt him. Thanks for the self-defense lessons, big guy. Jesus! That felt good. I don’t think I realized how much rage I had locked inside me.”

Ben wasn’t amused. “He. Threatened. You.”

“Bullies threaten a lot of things,” I told him gently. “They’re just threats, Ben. I took care of him well enough. I really needed to stand up to him myself this time.”

He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me close to him. “You did deal with him,” he acknowledged. “But you’ll never know how difficult it was to stand by while he had his hand on you. Don’t ever ask me to do that again.”

Oh, I definitely knew how hard it was for him to wait when he perceived that I was in danger. It wasn’t in his DNA, but he’d done it because I’d asked him to wait.

I wasn’t about to let Ben get arrested for defending me, and judging by his level of anger a moment ago, Leland would have been in bad shape.

Besides, itwassomething I’d really needed to do myself. I’d put up with Leland’s abuse for months, and I needed the release of the anger that had been buried inside me.

I put my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry. I just really wanted to see how those moves you showed me worked in real life on someone I despise.”

I could feel his muscles relax as he pulled back and skewered me with a doubtful expression. “I think you also wanted to make sure I didn’t kill the bastard,” he said unhappily.

I sighed. “If you did, I’d have to live without you because you’d be in jail. Not happening, handsome.”

“Smartass,” he said gruffly before he lowered his mouth to mine.

The kiss was filled with passion and leftover adrenaline, but I savored the protective embrace.

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