Charlotte heard the words just as a set of arms flew past her and slammed into Caleb’s chest. She went flying to the side, nearly toppling over before finding her footing.
Growling, Derek shoved Caleb against one of the porch columns with such force the entire structure shook. Charlotte watched as her husbandlooked up at Derek, his wide eyes full of shock.
“Let me go!”he demanded.
For a moment, Derek didn't say anything. He just stood there in his boxers, his sculpted body shaking with rage.
When he finally did speak, his voice turned low. Deadly. “You know what my dad would call you? A ball swinger.”
Caleb’s eyes narrowed, but he kept his mouth shut.
Smart move on his part.
“Wanna know why he’d call you that?” Derek got so close to Caleb’s face their noses nearly touched. “’Cause you must have a huge fuckin’ pair to eventhinkabout coming here after what you did.”
“Get your hands off me, or I’ll have you arrested for assault.”
Ignoring the threat, Derek gave one of his own. “Touch her again and I swear to God, I will kill you.”
A smug look crossed Caleb’s face. “And now I can add threatening my life to that charge.”
Derek chuckled humorlessly. “Oh, believe me, Porter. It's no threat. If you ever put your hands on Charlie again, it’ll be the last fuckin’ thing you do.”
Derek paused, then. Looking at her from over his shoulder, he asked, “Did he hurt you?”
“No,” she lied. “I-I'm good.”
His eyes lowered to where she was holding her sore wrist. She could tell he didn’t believe her.
Flinching slightly when Derek let him go, Caleb began wiping the front of his shirt in an attempt to regain his composure.
“You’ll be hearing from my attorney.”
“Duly noted. Now, get the fuck off my property and don’t come back.”
Caleb’s eyes slid to hers. The bastard actually smiled when he said, “Last chance, Charlotte. You can come with me right now, and we’ll forget this little incident ever happened.”
Yeah, right.
Derek swung his head in her direction. His fury toward her husband mixed with the fear she knew he felt for her. He was worried she’d leave.
Not this time.
“Goodbye, Caleb.”
Though she knew he wanted to say something more, Caleb turned to leave. Just as he got to the first step, he glanced back at her.
“You're making a mistake.”
Derek took a step forward, but Charlotte beat him to it. “The only mistake I made was accepting that first date with you.”
Then, unwilling to give this man any more of her time, she turned and walked back into the house.
****
Derek watched and waitedas Caleb walked down the porch steps and along the sidewalk to his car. Stopping suddenly, he glared back up at Derek.
“This isn’t over. She’ll come crawling back to me once she realizes where she truly belongs.”
