The Matchmaker's Replacement - Rachel Van Dyken Page 0,50
my head away, but the grip he had on my chin was unbreakable.
“How much?” he repeated, his eyes crazed.
“You can’t afford her,” came a familiar voice.
I sagged in relief as the guy released my chin and turned to face Lex, who had at least sixty pounds on him.
The man scowled. “Back off. This is between me and the lady.”
“You mean my girlfriend?” Lex crossed his arms, and I completely ignored the short thrill that ran through my body at hearing him say “girlfriend.” It’s like my body forgot to be afraid, because Lex was there. “I’m going to only say this once. Leave her alone, go in the club, grab a drink. There’s plenty of girls in there.”
The man looked at Lex as if sizing him up, then finally gave a firm nod and started making his way toward the door.
“Are you okay?” Lex moved toward me.
The man charged.
“Lex, watch out!” I yelled, but the man was already on Lex, ramming him into the wall.
Lex laughed. The bastard laughed as he shoved the man off him and punched him in the face, hard. Like so hard that my face hurt.
The man stumbled back.
Lex looked bored.
The man charged again. This time Lex landed an upper hook to the guy’s chin, then followed up with a punch in the stomach. When the guy doubled over, Lex patted him on the back and whispered, “It’s probably time to call it a night.”
The man groaned and fell to the ground.
Just as the police showed up.
Seriously?
Lex and I shared a look of disbelief.
“Well, Sunshine.” Lex grinned. “Looks like another trip to jail . . . What’s this, twice now?”
“You aren’t going to jail for self-defense.” I rolled my eyes.
A police offer stepped out of his car. “Everything okay here?”
“It is now.” Lex held out his hand, shaking the officer’s, and pointed to me. “My girlfriend was just attacked by this dipshit.”
“That true, ma’am?” the officer asked me.
I gave him a wobbly nod. “He asked how much I cost.”
The look in Lex’s eyes was pure hatred. “Clearly I didn’t hit him hard enough, then.”
“Do you work here?” The officer directed the question at me.
“I just got off.”
“Alright, I’ll need to file a report, but since it was self-defense and he was attacking you . . .” His voice trailed off. “I’d maybe invest in some Mace if you plan on keeping this job, or at least have your boyfriend pick you up at night.”
I nodded.
After giving another account of what happened, we were finally in Lex’s car. It was nearly midnight. I still hadn’t eaten anything for dinner.
And I had a class and work the next morning.
Double shift.
Plus Steve.
Add that to being terrified from my attack, and I was just . . . done.
Lex turned up the heat even though it wasn’t that cold out. I was grateful that he didn’t say anything. I needed to think, decompress.
Nothing had happened.
But it could have.
“I’m sorry,” I finally whispered when we were minutes from my house.
With a jerk, Lex pulled the car over to the side of the road, shifted into park, and faced me. “Are you serious right now?”
I nodded as my eyes filled with tears, and when I opened my mouth the only thing that came out was a pitiful croak.
“Shit.” Lex closed his eyes, then unclicked my seat belt and somehow managed to lift me over the console and into his lap. My feet dangled on my seat while my body rested in his lap. He held me close and kissed my forehead.
And I completely lost it as tremors wracked my body.
“You’re safe, Gabi,” he whispered. “I swear.”
“You know,” I hiccupped, “you were totally more superhero tonight than villain.”
Lex’s chuckle shook my body, warming it, washing me with its rightness. “Yeah, well, don’t tell anyone. I would hate to ruin a good thing, you know?”
I nodded.
“And I swear, if you ever apologize for getting attacked again, I’m going to spank your ass.” His eyes were hooded as he stared down at me. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad I was there. You did nothing wrong.”
“Well . . .” I broke eye contact. “I’m working at a club, so that’s probably the first bad choice, then waiting outside—”
“No.” Lex shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Okay.” I huffed.
“Okay?” He cupped my chin and then brushed a kiss across my cheek. His lips hovered near my ear, his breathing ragged. It matched mine.