Almost Fired by the Cowboy - Natalie Dean Page 0,64

never mind. I don’t care who you think you all are or who your parents are, you do not put your hands on someone else without permission? Do you understand?”

“Look, Silas—”

“I’m Salvatore,” he bit harshly, practically baring his teeth at the group. “You know, the angry Miller brother.” Finally, he looked to her and some of the intensity of his face eased. “Are you alright? Do they need to say anything to you?”

“I just want them gone,” Nova answered shakily. Sure, maybe an apology would be called for, but she was still shaky from all the adrenaline. She would have fought back if he’d hit her, but it would have been sloppy and helter-skelter. She didn’t even want to think what the result of that would have been if Sal hadn’t shown up.

“You heard the lady,” Sal snapped, gesturing towards the door. “Get out of here. Before I think better of it.”

The three quickly hurried out, and Nova didn’t know whether to cry or hug Sal. He saved her. He didn’t even know what they had been saying, or if she had antagonized them. He’d seen her about to be hurt and he’d stood up for her.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” he took a cautious step towards her, his hands held up again nonthreateningly. “Nova?”

Perhaps it was hypocritical given everything that had happened, but suddenly her mind seemed to decide on both reactions at the same time. A relieved sob bubbled up from between her lips at the same time her arms went out to cling tightly to Sal’s muscled frame in a hug.

Nobody had ever stood up for her like that.

21

Salvatore

Oh.

So many things had happened so quickly that Sal was still scrambled by it. He’d been heading in to use the bathroom and wash his hands—after accidentally grabbing some meat that hadn’t been packaged properly—when he’d heard some snide voices.

For a moment he’d intended to ignore it, but then he heard someone who sounded like Nova, although it wasn’t exactly easy to tell considering how short and clipped the responses were. He’d headed over and opened the door out of curiosity. The last thing he’d expected was for Nova to be recoiling as a man who was bigger than her readied a punch.

The part right after that was a blur. Sal knew he’d seen red, and he’d rushed forward to put a stop to any of that. The thought of anyone putting their hands on Nova, on trying to hurt her, made his blood pulse in his ears. He never wanted her to wear that same shocked, horrified expression she’d had when he’d kissed her without permission, never wanted her to feel small or vulnerable.

A moment later, he’d been yelling at the attackers and then ordering them out once Nova said she wanted them gone. Some part of him itched for him to do more, to make sure they never hurt anyone again, but if Nova didn’t want that, then he wouldn’t indulge the temptation.

He’d approached her, just wanting to make sure she was okay, when she’d lunged forward and hugged him.

Except hug didn’t really do it justice. It was like she was holding onto him for dear life, her face pressed into his chest. He could tell through the thin fabric of his shirt that there were wet tears trying to run down her face only to get absorbed by the cotton.

He moved slowly, a bit in shock, but let his arms circle around her as well. That seemed to comfort her, and she practically melted into his chest, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt with slightly less desperation.

Wow.

A simple embrace shouldn’t make him feel like his heart was going to explode at any moment, and yet there he was, Nova’s arms wrapped around him, crying against him.

It would have been easy to get lost in that sensation, or even let it be at the forefront of his mind. But as warm and alluring as it was, it took a backseat to her wellbeing. She was crying. He’d seen Nova dislocate her knee multiple times, then force it into place, and she’d never so much as shed a tear.

“Hey, I’m here. I’m right here.”

She said something, but it was muffled by his chest and her hiccupping sobs.

“What was that?” he asked.

Nova peeled her face away from him, the damp spot of his shirt sticking to his skin.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Her arms came down and she wiped her face, rubbing the tears away as