Redesigning Fate (Revive #1) - A. M. Wilson Page 0,53
the club, I see.” He gives me an icy glare, but otherwise his feet stay firmly planted.
Why the hell does he care? “That guy is friends with the bar owner. What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Duluth?” I ask. Is this bathroom a wormhole to some alternate dimension?
“I’m not in Duluth, because I’m living down here.”
“Are you stalking me? I saw you outside of my apartment!” The accusation flows from my mouth before I can stop it. The longer I stand here, the more my courage returns. I’ve always dealt with this same Travis.
“I’m not stalking you, I swear. I’m just keeping an eye on you. That guy is not safe—,” Travis grits out through clenched teeth. His temper is rising with each enunciated word, but I cut off whatever he was about to say.
“You are not safe. You don’t even know him. Let me leave.” I need to get out of here. I don’t care if he hurts me at this point as long as I can get someone’s attention and get out of this bathroom. There are people outside of this room to help me. I inhale deeply and try to step around him.
“Listen to me, damnit.” He thrusts his arms out and grabs my shoulders, fingers digging painfully into the muscles of my arms. He uses his body to block my escape. “That guy is dangerous. I know more about him than you do.”
“I’d say you’re pretty dangerous when you’re throwing me down the stairs. Now get out of my way before I start attracting attention.”
“I love you, Lena. I’m only trying to keep you safe.”
“Don’t ever say that to me. I don’t love you. I’m with him. Don’t come near me again.”
“Fuck, why won’t you listen?” he yells, and I pray someone hears him over the loud music. “I’m trying to save you before you get hurt.”
“Are you crazy?” I screech. “The only person in this town who’s hurt me is you!”
He takes a step towards me, and I reciprocate with a step back of my own. “I made a mistake. Please, let me make it up to you.”
Oh, God. He’s delusional. How could he think hurting me and cheating on me was simply a mistake? That I’d ever take him back? I had a weakness for him in the past, but that’s all it was. Me being weak. Allowing him control over my actions and my life. I’m not that girl anymore. The few months away from him has done me some good.
“Help! Someone, help me!” I scream as loudly as I can. Before I can utter another syllable, Travis rushes me, slams his hand over my mouth, and forces my back to the wall by the sinks.
My head ricochets off the concrete with a loud thud.
“Do you see how you made me do that? Fuck, I don’t want to hurt you! I just—ˮ
One second, he’s pinning me to the wall, the next, he’s hurtling toward the floor. My body sinks down the wall until I’m sitting on my heels. I can’t take my eyes off his body as he puts himself in a pushup position and lifts his torso off the tile. A heavy, black boot slams into the center of his back, knocking him down to his chest.
“Stay down.”
At the sound of the commanding voice, I bring my eyes to my rescuer and meet Sin’s glare. My body turns to granite as he slowly approaches and lowers himself into a crouch before me.
“You all right?” he asks, his tone taking on a soft quality I’ve never heard from him before.
I swallow thickly, trying to clear the residual panic from my throat. “I’m okay.”
Sin looks me over from head to toe. He seems to be deciding something. Arriving at a conclusion, he slides his hands beneath my armpits and hoists me to my feet. Just as I regain my balance, we both turn when the bathroom door slams.
“Motherfucker,” Sin growls, and the sheer ferocity of those four symbols has me cowering back against the wall. Tears well in my eyes. Travis took the opportunity of Sin’s back being turned to sneak out.
“I ain’t gonna hurt you,” Sin says when he turns back around.
“I know,” I reply quietly. Somehow, I do. I didn’t do anything wrong, and even if I had, he doesn’t look like the type of man to hurt a woman. Sure, he’s scary as hell looking, but the way he acts with Shelby proves he has a softer side.