The manager’s words died quick, fast, and in a hurry when Belview turned and scowled.
“I heard you the first time,” Dickhead snapped. He turned back to me but what he was really trying to do was get a look at Addy. Luckily, her small frame wasn’t visible. “We’re not done, Addy.”
Fuck this.
My forward motion was halted when Addy’s hands slid from my hips and went around my waist and she pressed her chest to my back and held on for dear life. Dickhead didn’t miss her gesture nor did he hide his revulsion.
“I see, you prefer some scarred-up punk to a real man. Thought you were worth it. But you and your daddy issues aren’t worth shit. Never were. Best thing I did was getting shot of you.”
Addy squeezed my middle in a silent plea for me not to reply. It was needless, I was smart enough to ignore the pissant and wait for him to burn himself out. As long as Addy wasn’t in physical danger, the idiot could shout the place down and make himself look like a fool.
I also wasn’t dumb enough to make my move in front of witnesses. No, that’d come later after I figured out who this jackass was and why he thought he had brass balls.
“Sucker,” he muttered and jogged away.
The manager righted the chair and asked us to leave as well. It wasn’t worth explaining that neither of us had done anything wrong. I simply pulled out my wallet, dropped a few twenties on the table, and tucked Addy to my side as we made our way through the café.
When we hit the sidewalk I scanned the area, grateful there wasn’t a crush of people so it was easy to see the guy was gone.
“Where are you parked?”
“The VA.”
“I’ll walk you—”
“No!”
“Addy, you’re not walking to your car alone.”
“Jake’s at the VA.”
“Jake?”
“The guy. His name is Jake. He’s at the VA. Or he had an appointment there, so he’s probably parked over there.”
Sergeant Jake Belview.
“All right, we’ll go to my truck.”
Addy nodded, and without argument, stayed tucked close.
My jaw clenched at her easy acceptance. This was not Adalynn Walker. She didn’t silently follow orders, especially not from me. She certainly would never allow me to hold her.
Motherfucker.
There was a massive difference between shy and spineless. Addy was shy but she was no doormat.
Unless she’s shit scared.
There were a plethora of reasons why I wanted to throat punch Jake. Scaring Addy was at the top of that list. Shouting at her and insulting her only a notch down—a small, minute notch.
We got to my truck, I beeped the locks, helped her in the passenger side, and rounded the tailgate. It wasn’t until my ass was planted in my seat that I finally asked, “Who was that guy?”
Addy’s head turned to the side window. Having her in profile, I saw one side of her mouth tip down before she pinched her lips.
I’d seen Addy smile, I’d seen her frown, I’d seen her happy, and I’d seen her pissed at me. But I’d never seen her unsure and scared.
Fucking dick.
“Babe, look at me.”
She shook her head and answered, “My ex.”
What she didn’t do was look at me. She also didn’t elaborate.
I thought back over the months I’d known her. No one had mentioned she had a man and she’d certainly never mentioned him.
“How long has he been giving you trouble?”
I couldn’t imagine Jasper, her brother, or one of her many male cousins not handling the jackass, which meant she’d kept the ex from her family. That was unlike Addy—she was open, she shared, she was close to all of them.
“I haven’t seen Jake in years.”
That made more sense, but she still wasn’t giving me anything.
“Baby, I don’t wanna sit here and pull every detail from you. Explain to me what just happened.”
“So don’t.”
“Come again?”
“So don’t sit here and try to get the details.”
“Addy—”
“Don’t, Trey. Don’t pretend you care. I appreciate you coming over to the table but let’s leave it at that.”
“You think I don’t care?”
“I know you don’t.”
What the fuck? My neck got tight as I stared at her staring out the window. Again, what the fuck? Why would she think I didn’t care some dick was harassing her?
“You don’t know shit.”
I instantly regretted my biting tone when her head whipped to the side and she squinted her pretty green eyes.
“Really, I don’t? I know you think I’m coddled. You think I lead a perfect life. I know you avoid me, you don’t take