Don't Need You - Lilian Monroe Page 0,22

been trying to break up with for six months. The guy who shows up at my apartment unannounced and invites himself over to my family’s Thanksgiving. The guy who just. Won’t. Leave. Me. Alone.

Kit puts the bag of bottles and cans down and moves forward. He takes a step in front of me, shielding me protectively from the angry man in the driveway.

Kit’s height doesn’t scare me. The size of his biceps is inviting, not terrifying. The raw power coiled in his muscles is a relief, not a source of fear. The flat, angular planes of his body look like they were made to protect me, not hurt me. Even the hardness in his eyes makes warmth bloom in the center of my chest.

I’m glad he’s here.

Angelo, on the other hand, looks homicidal.

7

Kit

My whole body tenses. Serena stands behind me, and I make sure to shield her from the brute in front of me. My hands hang loosely at my sides, and I try to stand as tall as I can.

I may look relaxed, but every instinct inside me is poised. Ready.

I really wasn’t expecting a fight on Thanksgiving Day, yet here I am. Waiting for the first punch to fly. When Serena’s ex huffs, his eyes darkening as he takes a step forward, I wonder if the awkwardness with Finn and Esme really would have been so bad. I could have stayed in Woodvale and had my stepmother Lydia’s pumpkin pie.

Can’t be worse than this, right?

But Serena lets out a soft whimper behind me, and I know I’m exactly where I need to be.

“Angelo,” she says. “Please, just leave.”

“Who’s this guy? Are you already fucking someone else? I always knew you were a slut.” The big man spits the words. I can feel Serena wince behind me.

“Don’t speak to her like that.” My voice is deep and steady. It sounds more confident than I feel. “If she wants you to leave, you should leave.”

“I don’t have to do anything she fucking says,” Angelo shoots back. His huge ham hock-sized hands ball into fists as my heart starts to thump. My vision narrows. Adrenaline and anticipation thicken inside me, sharpening my senses.

The last time I got punched was in the schoolyard when I was twelve. Finn’s fist connected with my jaw, and we both got detention for a full month.

I really didn’t think I’d be in this situation as an adult, but the need to protect Serena wells up inside me. I widen my stance.

“You need to leave,” I say, carefully enunciating the words.

“I don’t need to do shit,” he responds, taking a step forward. His lip curls, warm air huffing from his mouth. It blows in a cloud of mist, dissipating in the cool air.

“Go inside,” I tell Serena over my shoulder.

“No.”

My eyes widen and I steal a glance at her. Her jaw is set, her lips pinched in a thin line. She takes a deep breath and tries to step around me, but a noise behind us draws everyone’s attention.

“Angelo!” Serena’s mother appears in the doorway, her arms spread wide. “What a wonderful surprise!”

I glance at the beast in the driveway, frowning. His whole demeanor has changed in the split second that I looked to see who was behind us.

Now, he looks like he nurses newborn kittens in his spare time and helps old grannies with their groceries. His face is soft, with a kind smile plastered over his lips. All the coldness gone from his eyes.

Serena, on the other hand, looks the same as she did before. Her brows are drawn together and when I reach over to touch her lower back, I feel how much she’s trembling.

Angelo’s eyes flash when I reach for her, but I ignore him.

“Come in, Angelo. I saw your mother at the grocery store this morning. How is your sister?”

“She’s fine, Mrs. Russo,” Angelo says, his voice smooth as molasses and just as sweet. The change in his personality is dizzying.

“Come in!” Mrs. Russo repeats, laughing. She swats at Serena to get out of the way and gestures for Angelo to enter.

Mercifully, he shakes his head. “I shouldn’t, Mrs. Russo. But thank you.”

“Nonsense. I’ve known you since you were in diapers, Angelo. Even if Serena won’t see what a catch you are, you’ll always be welcome in my house.”

Serena stiffens, and I splay my fingers wider over her back. She leans into me as the pulse in her neck thumps.

Angelo gives her a smile, running his hand over his slick-backed hair. “Thank