I pull into a parking spot, my breathing catching in my throat. “Is that a threat?”
I kill the engine, and Ashton unbuckles, hopping out of the car before answering me.
I climb out of the car, appalled that he hasn’t even answered me yet.
“If you come after Harper or Zeke, I will kill you.”
Ashton grabs his bag from the trunk and holds up his hands. “Relax, I’m not going to go anywhere near your girlfriend.”
“Or her son,” I grit between clenched teeth.
I reach for my bag, grabbing it and slamming the trunk shut.
“I’m not in the business of hurting little kids, and neither is your father. Just don’t fuck this up and everything will be fine.”
“Another threat. You sound more like Dante every second you’re in that house,” I shoot back.
“Thanks,” Ashton flashes a smile my way. “Your dad would be so proud.” He heads up the walkway toward the front door.
Bastard.
I lunge at Ashton before he makes it inside, yanking him back around to face me as my fist lands blow after blow to his face.
The sting feels good across my knuckles.
His arm comes up, blocking another repeated blow and uppercuts me across my jaw.
I stumble backward for a second.
Fuck, that hurts.
Liam comes running outside, apparently hearing the commotion.
He grabs me from behind, yanking me off Ashton, breaking up the fight.
It’s not the first fight he’s had to break up, but it’s never been off the ice.
“What the hell is wrong with the two of you?” Liam shouts at us. He shoves us inside like a den mother disappointed in her young.
“He started it!” Ashton points at me.
“Yeah, well, he threatened my fiancée and her son,” I growl, ready for another round if Liam releases his hold on me.
Nine
Harper
When Luca shows up to class, I can’t stop staring at him.
But it’s not in the typical way, where he catches my eye and my body heats up.
Okay, maybe it is, but it’s a different heat, the kind that burns with anger and concern, not lust.
“What the hell happened in practice?” I ask.
Luca is sporting a bruised chin and a split lip.
“Wasn’t practice.”
