I grab the collar of his shirt, pulling him to me. Then I rear back my head and slam it into his face, headbutting him.
The sound of crunching bone echoes off the high concrete walls around us.
“Fuck!” He grabs his nose and staggers back, folding over at the waist. “You broke my fucking nose!”
I dust down my shirt and wait for him to stand.
He spits a mouthful of blood out on the ground.
“You’re just a charity case to her. She feels sorry for you after your wife and son died. I read all about it. How they were burned to a crisp.”
I take a deep breath so I don’t snap his neck here in this dank, stinking alleyway and throw him in the trash where he belongs.
“She told me you were a piece of work. Now I see, you’re just a piece of shit. Go back to England.”
He straightens and lunges for me again.
One undercut to his gut and he’s wheezing for air.
“I can do this all night, Boy,” I tut as he comes at me again.
This time, my fist connects with his jaw and sends him hurtling backward.
When he comes at me again, I deliver one quick open-handed jab to his windpipe.
He collapses to the floor, clutching his throat, struggling to breathe.
I roll each of my sleeves down, adjusting my cufflinks, then pick my jacket up. He’s writhing around on the ground as I walk over to him.
“We could have discussed this like adults.”
“Fuck you,” he chokes out. “Hall?—”
I press my shoe against the side of his face, pinning his head to the ground. The leather hand-stitched sole applies just the right amount of pressure that his lips pucker and he winces.
“I warned you what would happen if you said my girl’s name again. So maybe you’ll want to re-think how you finish that sentence.”
I remove my foot, and he glares at me with pure hatred darkening his eyes.
“You’re an old man.”
I crouch and pat him on the cheek.
“The only thing past it here is you. Now be a good boy and get yourself on a flight to London while you can still walk yourself onto the plane.”
I stand and stare at him as he scrabbles up to a sitting position. He stares at me, nose pouring with blood. A few seconds pass between us in silence before I turn and stroll away, leaving him sitting alone on the cold piss-stained floor.
I head to the tinted window of the SUV and tap on the glass, waiting for it to roll down.
“Make sure he goes and packs.”
Denver’s eyes track up the alleyway behind me. “You don’t want me to dispose of?—?”
“No.” I frown, looking in Rory’s direction.
As tempting as it is, Hallie deserves a man who can look her in the eye and promise her Rory didn’t meet a painful end. Because I know someone with a heart as pure as hers would blame herself if he did.
Even if he does deserve it.
