“Can I help you?” I asked. It came out as more of a demand.
“Just looking for Octavia Klein. She works for you, right?”
I frowned, not liking her name on his tongue. “Why? Who are you?”
“I told her I would stop by so we could catch up.”
I narrowed my eyes. “That is clearly a lie. She called me less than thirty minutes ago and said you were not supposed to be here.”
“Did she?” The man stroked his beard, smirking. “So that was her. I knew I wasn’t trippin’.”
I clenched a fist.
Car tires rolling on sleek pavement sounded behind me, and I looked over my shoulder. Octavia had pulled up again. She parked right behind my car, a good distance away from us.
“Ah. There she is.”
“Stay where you are.” I grimaced at him before walking toward Octavia’s car. She rolled down the window, but not without tossing a wary glance his way.
“What the hell does he want?” Her voice was trembling. I did not like seeing her like this.
“Who is that man?” I asked.
“My ex.”
“Do you still talk to him?”
“No!” she exclaimed, gripping the steering wheel so tight her knuckles prodded through her skin. “I didn’t lead him here, I swear. I haven’t talked to him in years. You have to believe me, Javier. I would never—”
“I believe you, amor. I believe you.” And now I was pissed off. I did not know a thing about her ex, but he clearly had no respect for her. And one thing I absolutely hated was a man who did not respect a woman’s boundaries.
I looked at Aleesa, in her car seat in the back seat. She had an orange lollipop in her hand but was curiously looking between me and Octavia.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said. “Tava got me lollipop.”
“Hola, princesa,”I murmured. After having so much cotton candy at the event, the last thing she needed was another lollipop. However, it was good that she had it, because I needed her distracted for what I was about to do next.
My eyes shifted to Octavia’s again. They were welling with tears.
“O!” the man said, now a few steps closer, with his hands in the air. “Come on, it’s me!” I did not like that he was smiling, as if he wasenjoyinghow distressed she was.
“Oh, God. Please.” Her bottom lip quivered, and she closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. “One ... two ... three ...”
I touched her arm mid-count, and her eyes opened wide, connecting with mine.
“Has he hurt you before?” I asked.
She nodded, then lowered her head with shame, as if it wereherfault that he had hurt her.
Bottling my anger, I pressed my forefinger under her chin and tipped it back up. “I will take care of him.”
She tried to smile—truly, she did—but the expression wavered, then collapsed.
“Roll the window up,” I said, stepping back and looking at the shithead standing next to my gates. “I do not want Aleesa to hear this.”
I heard the window roll up as I stormed toward her ex.
“She does not want you here,” I snapped, getting in his face. “Leave now, or I will make you leave.”
