Lord of Destiny (The Dragon Demigods #6) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,15
a hard-on for you.” He looks at me like he wants to tear my head off.
My hands are tight knots at my side. I’m clenching my teeth so hard I might crack a molar. I want to get right up in his face and tell him where the hell he can get off, but I stay right where I am. This isn’t my fight. As she pointed out, Raven is a grown woman, perfectly capable of standing up for herself.
“You’re acting like a jealous asshole!” she shouts at West.
“I’m not! I’m trying to protect you.” His voice softens. The calm doesn’t last. “He wants in your panties.” West points at me, and I have to hold back a snarl. “How is it you can’t see that?”
My lip curls in a silent growl. I think I might have popped a few scales on my chest.
“So what if he does? It’s no business of yours or anyone else’s who I sleep with.”
West’s eyes go comically wide. “You can’t mean that!”
“I do.” She looks at me. “I’ll wait outside.” Then back at West. “This conversation is over.”
“It isn’t!” West speaks softly. “I’m not giving up on you.”
Raven looks crestfallen for a second. Then she sighs. “I wish you would.” Then she walks away.
As soon as the door to the diner closes, West points his finger at my face. “If you lay so much as a—” he starts. His eyes are narrowed on mine.
Maddox puts a hand on his chest. “Drop it!” he says, giving West a push.
“I need to warn this asshole,” West snarls, “about what will happen to him if…”
I bristle at his words. I know that if I retaliate too harshly, this will blow up. I’m not afraid of West, but the last thing we need right now is a brawl. Sometimes saying nothing is more difficult than speaking your mind. I’m not sure how, but I keep my lips zipped.
“I’ll go with Raven,” Maddox says. “She’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.” He gives me a hard stare but looks away before it can become uncomfortable.
“She will if she stays away from that mother—” His finger is back up and pointing at my face.
“Don’t!” I say. “You were right when you said you don’t know me. You don’t! Not well enough to call me names, at any rate. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but I don’t like being pulled into it.” I hold both my hands up.
“If you keep your hands off her, we’re okay. If not—”
I let my arms fall to my sides. “Don’t threaten me.” I keep my voice even.
Jarrod puts his hand on my chest in much the same way Maddox did to West earlier. I realize that I’ve taken a step forward. “Stay out of it, bro,” Jarrod warns.
“That’s good advice,” West snarls.
A choice ‘Fuck you!’ is on the tip of my tongue, but I hold back. I think he can read it in my eyes because he adds, “I suggest you listen to your brother.”
“You should try listening to Raven sometime,” I bite out.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” West takes a step towards me; that damned finger of his coming up yet again. I want to break it.
“My boss is threatening to call the cops,” a timid voice pipes up from behind us. It’s Avery.
“Shit!” I mutter. “Sorry! Let’s go and take care of the check. We’re leaving now; no need to involve the police,” I assure her as I pick up the bill folder. My back is to West and Maddox. I can hear Maddox trying to talk some sense into West. Trying to calm him down. He’s ushering him out of the diner. Jarrod stays with me.
“He’s a loose cannon,” I whisper as soon as we’re out of earshot.
The door clicks shut as Maddox and West go outside. They are still arguing.
“Please don’t go there,” Jarrod says. “For the love of god, stay away from Raven.”
“Because that bozo told me to?” I fight to keep from snarling.
“Because it’s clearly a mess you don’t want to get caught up in,” Jarrod warns.
“It seems to me that whatever they had is long over.”
“Or she’s going to use you to get to him.” Jarrod pulls in a breath. “Right now, it seems to be working.”
“I don’t think that’s it.” I shake my head.
“Don’t be so sure. Raven pulled you right into that.” He pauses before going on. “Why did she specifically have to stay with you?”