and slams his fist on the glass. Inside, a dark shadow in the shape of a man lifts his head and stands. The door flies open, nearly slamming into Mark’s face.
A foul look twists Gage’s face as he steps outside, his eyes narrowing at Mark. “I thought I told you to stay off my property.” Then he notices the car parked in his spot, and his chest swells with rage.
“I’m shutting you down.” The smug asshole smiles as though it’s the proudest moment of his pathetic life. He slides a piece of paper out of the manila folder and holds it up to Gage, who bats it out of the way. Mark sighs and bends over, picking it back up.
“I have a court-ordered document approving the shutdown of this business for violating several building codes. You will be shut down for a mandatory thirty days until we—why are you smiling?”
I’m too stunned to take in Gage, who crosses his arms over his black, button-down shirt and laughs. Actually laughs as though Mark is playing a practical joke on him.
Mark continues in the same steam, trying to speak over Gage’s laughter. “If you violate this court order, you will be detained and—shut up!”
Gage doesn’t shut up. He takes the paper from Mark’s hands and studies it. “How many people did you have to pay off just to shut me down? I want to know how much this is costing you.”
Mark’s lawyer grabs his arm. “Don’t answer that.”
He throws it off. “Did you even hear me? I won. You’re not doing an oil change for at least thirty days!”
“I guess I’ll have more time to work on other things, like my wife. Not you, though. You’ll keep hammering us with your money just to fuck with the girl I stole from you.”
My hand flies to my throat as Mark lunges forward. The lawyer drops his briefcase and wrestles him back.
“You think this is it? This is just a preview to what I’m about to do to this town!”
Unable to watch anymore, I run across the parking lot to Mark, who’s still flailing in the lawyer’s arms.
“What-the-fuck-do-you-think-you’re-doing?”
Mark’s smirk returns. “Protecting my assets, honey. It all goes away if you agree to come with me. I’ll tear up this court order and Mr. Carter can have his business back.”
Everything I’ve every loved and admired about Mark shrivels up and dies. I seize the suitcase on the ground and swing it him with all my strength. He blocks it with his arm at the last second.
The lawyer protests. “Hey, that’s mine!”
Mark backs away, holding up a hand. “Stop! You’re a—fucking—maniac!”
I swing the case, hurling it as hard as I can, determined to bludgeon Mark’s face. “Stay away from me! Get out of my life!”
Suddenly, a pair of warm hands pull me back and the briefcase falls from my limp fingers. His hold is gentle, and the red glaze over my vision disappears.
Mark hunches over, clutching his arm.
I can’t help but get in another jab. “Poor baby. Did that hurt?”
He rubs himself, shooting me a dark glare. “You’ve completely lost your mind. Steve, make sure you take a picture of me. I want everything documented.” Then he turns back to me, screaming. “You’re unfit to be a mother!”
Only Gage keeps me from clawing Mark’s eyes out. How dare he say that? “If I could cut off your balls, I would, but I’m not sure you’ve ever had any.”
Gage’s fingers dig into me. “Calm down, tiger. He’s just trying to bait you.”
The lawyer looks at my ex. “Mark, I’m advising you to leave now.”
The only thing keeping me calm is Gage’s hands moving up and down my shoulders. I watch them climb into that overpriced car, fighting the urge to throw something after it when it drives away.
Gage grabs the piece of paper from the ground and studies it, his beautiful eyes narrowing with every sentence.
“I—is it true? You’re shut down?”
“Yeah. It cites all these building codes that the shop supposedly violates, but I can have someone come in to approve it again. What a pain in the ass.”
I flinch against the tone. “I’m so sorry.”
He palms my cheek, softening. “It’s not your fault.”
“He took your job. All of your employees’ jobs.”
“I’m not going to bow down to that asshole no matter what he does.”
“Gage, he won't stop!”
Then a smirk tugs at his mouth. “Two can play that game, baby. He has no fucking idea what he just started.”
Ten
Gage
Chris and I walk toward the bed-and-breakfast. It’s an