Chapter 1
Jordan
It’s been nearly four years since the last time I saw her, but I’d know Victoria Denali anywhere.
Her elegant profile.
The way she moves when she tosses her honey-blonde hair.
Her slender figure.
Even her laugh.
Four long years, but being this close to her makes it feel like yesterday.
When her family single-handedly ruined my life.
And ripped my heart out in the process.
Yeah, the last thing I need is to talk to her. Not now, not ever again. I put a couple of twenties down on the bar to cover my tab and begin making my way toward the door. I’m almost there when a group of guys comes bustling in, drunk and obviously looking for trouble. Exactly the kind of trouble I neither want nor am interested in.
“Vicki, come on, baby, give me some sugar!”
Christ, that’s my cue. I’m out of here.
“Stop it, Franklin!”
Victoria’s voice. Sharp. Annoyed. Slightly on edge.
God fucking dammit.
I know that tone—she’s not happy to see this Franklin guy.
Don’t get involved.
The angel on my shoulder makes sense.
Victoria is trouble. Always has been.
“Franklin, stop it!” Her voice is higher this time, and a bit frantic.
You’re really going to let some guy manhandle her?
The devil on my shoulder knows me far too well.
This is going to go bad, I already know that, but I turn around anyway.
Oh, yeah. I’m going straight to hell in a hand basket, but there’s no way for me to ignore what I see.
Victoria is up against a wall, and some dick weed is trying to kiss her, even as she squirms and turns her head, pushing at his shoulder. Not that she’s big enough to stop him.
I take a few long strides, yanking the guy away from her.
“She asked you to stop. You have trouble understanding a simple word like no?”
He whirls, ready to take a swing, but falters when he sees me.
Yeah, buddy, take a good look because I will flatten your sorry little ass.
