“I want nothing to do with you.”
“I don’t really want anything to do with you either, but your last name is my ticket to the wealth that I’ve worked so hard for.”
“Good luck with that. My father doesn’t intend to leave anything to me.” Everly sounds bitter, yet brittle.
Todd scoffs. “Don’t be fooled. This was his idea.”
“Just give it up, Todd. It’s over.”
From my hiding place, I hear a moment’s pause and then several footsteps.
When Todd speaks, his tone is a mixture of surprise and accusation. “What is this? Do you honor your sham marriage?” He wheezes a laugh.
She must still have on the wedding ring. The fact that she hasn’t taken it off adds a little more water to what I thought was a half-empty glass inside of me.
“Let go of me,” she says as though spitting darts at the guy.
The sound of fabric shifting like she’s trying to get out of his grip fills the darkness and cements my next move. I take two long strides around the corner.
Todd grips Everly’s hand as if he’s going to try to drag her back to whatever hole he crawled out of. For a moment, he seems familiar. Slim, slick, and slimy.
Everly’s eyes are liquid and whatever fight she had in her, standing up to this leech, drains out of her.
“She asked you to let her go. What wasn’t clear about that?” I grind out.
“This is none of your business,” Todd says.
Stepping closer, I fire a verbal warning shot. “Hands off her.”
Like a boa constrictor, the words only make him clutch her wrist tighter. “What are you going to do about it?”
I swat him away like a fly and without thinking, I take hold of Everly’s hand and draw her close. She’s shaking and all I can think about is making it stop, making her feel safe.
19
GREY
Everly’s eyes are damp, but her hand is still in mine, clutching tightly. I didn’t want her to see me Hulk out again, but wasn’t about to let the loser manhandle her. Taking a cooling breath, I move us toward the gate in front of the manor, eager for this to be over.
But it isn’t, as Todd quickly gets back to his feet, glaring and snarling. He looks me over carefully, warily, perhaps realizing that I’m a real-life Hulk. As though shifting tack, he slowly, methodically brushes off as though no harm was done.
I’ve been around every kind of machismo with guys posturing and puffing up like they’re the alpha dog. I know Todd’s brand well—he makes other people feel vulnerable and powerless to build himself up because, in reality, guys like him are cowards.
“Have we met?” Todd asks, extending a hand.
I angle myself protectively in front of Everly and ignore his gesture. Forget manners, I won’t dignify the guy with a handshake.
His lips pucker with superiority. “I’m Everly’s husband.”
I scoff. “I’m her husband and if you ever touch her again, I’ll introduce you to Lightning and Thunder—” At least, that’s what the Bruisers call my fists.
“You’re her what?” Todd thrusts his chest out and sneers. “I thought it was for show. Who’d actually want to marry you?”
A growl grows inside. “She broke up with you. She moved on. Try to keep up with the times, buddy.” I say, once more shifting toward the gate.
“You haven’t seen the last of me, Everly.” He stabs the air, pointing at me. “You’re going to be hearing from my lawyer.”
His threat to Everly and his arrogance toward me cause my caged rage to boil to the surface. “You think money and the lawyers it can buy will protect you from me if I ever see you near her again?”
