"Fuck," I mutter, taking a step toward him, fully prepared to take his camera and shove it up his ass. I don't get a chance. As soon as I move, he takes off, bolting through the fucking bar like he's running from the police.
Serena just stands there, staring at the floor, so pale and silent I feel my goddamn heart stop.
I don't even stop long enough to explain what the fuck happened to my teammates. I just grab her purse and tell them that we're leaving.
Serena doesn't say a word.
She doesn't make a single sound until we're at my truck, and then she stops, rounding on me.
"You can't do that," she blurts.
"Do what, baby?"
"You can't just hit people, Austin."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, counting to three. It doesn't help.
"I didn't hit him. If I had, he wouldn't have walked away, princess. But I'm not going to stand there and let grown ass men box you in, call you names, and put their fucking hands on you, either."
"You can't just jeopardize your career for me!" she yells.
"Fuck my career," I snarl, so pissed I can't see straight. Is that what she thinks is important here? My goddamn career? Fuck that. If anyone wants to penalize me for defending her, they can have my fucking career. But I'll be damned if I do nothing while some prick touches her. "Ifyou think my career matters more than you, you're still not getting it, baby."
"Don't," she whispers, her voice wary as she backs away. "Just…don't."
"Don't what? Don't tell you that I meant what I said in there? Too bad. I'm in love with you." I back her up against the side of my truck, pinning her in place when she tries to push me away. "I love you. So I need you to deal with your shit before I lose my fucking mind."
"Austin, stop," she whispers. The way she says it breaks my heart. She isn't asking. She's begging, pleading for me to back up and give her space, to stop making her feel what she thinks she shouldn't. She's so goddamn scared to let herself fall that she's begging me to give her an out.
Except…I can't. I won't.
"I love you," I murmur, tipping her head back so she has to see me when I say it. "I've been in love with you for weeks already, Serena. I need you to deal with that. It's the only way we move forward."
"Maybe…maybe…" She licks her lips. "Maybe I don't want to move forward."
Even knowing she doesn't mean it, even seeing the fear and panic in her eyes, hearing it hurts like hell. "You don't mean that."
"Maybe I do," she says, frantic now. "Maybe this isn't going to work, Austin. I'm not what you need. Even your fans agree. They all think I'm just a desperate slut who isn'tgood enough for you. You know what? They're right. I'm not good enough."
"Talk about yourself like that again, and I'll spank your ass right here," I snarl, my temper flaring. She's allowed to be scared. She isn't allowed to insult herself or think for a single second that she isn't good enough for me. Hell no. "You're exactly what I need, princess. In fact, you're the only goddamn thing I need." I grab her hand, pressing it to my heart. "This is yours. Doesn't matter how hard you fight or how far you try to run, it'll still be yours. Until the day I die, it'll keep being yours."
"Austin."
"No, Serena. Deal with it." I crowd her back against the truck harder and kiss her like I'm trying to crawl inside her skin.
She fists the front of my shirt, whimpers my name, and then gives up fighting, kissing me with the same wild, bottomless need I feel for her. For one second, her defenses drop. She clings to me like she'll drown if I let her go, her mouth desperate, consuming.
When she finally tears her mouth from mine, we're both gasping.
"Deal with your shit, princess," I growl against her cheek, then step away. I open the truck door and wait.
She stares at me, her mouth working like she's trying to find a comeback—like some smartass comment will save her from what she feels for me. But it never forms.
Instead, she scrambles into the truck, completely silent.
I tip my head back, staring up at the sky, trying like hell to get myself under control. Except…I have none. I haven't since she damn near tackled me at Stu Mancini's and turned my life upside down.
And you know what? If loving her means giving up control, then so be it.
