Page 161 of Stanton Unconditional

“God, I wish, where do I find a man like this?” Abbie sighs. Bridget giggles and clinks glasses with her. The group of young guys we know are here and bound over to the table. “Let’s dance.” They start to groove on the spot. The girls both stand and move to the dance floor and I stay seated. “I’m not dancing,” I sigh.

“Yeah, me neither,” replies the young one with the curly brown hair.

“Where have you been? You haven’t been here for weeks,” he asks. I nod. “I know,” I frown. “My gran got sick, so we have had some stuff on.”

“Oh shit,” he replies. “Is she ok?”

“No, she has cancer,” I sigh.

“Sorry,” he mutters.

“I met a girl,” he blurts out to change the subject. My eyes widen. “Really? Tell me.” I smile.

“She’s blonde and beautiful.” I smile.

“She’s away at the moment with her parents.” He shrugs. “How did you meet?” I sip my drink, this guy is so cute. “At work,” he replies.

My skin prickles. I feel him before I see him. My eyes flick around the space and sure enough there he is. Tall, dark, handsome and extremely infuriating. Shit. I turn around in a rush and swallow the lump in my throat. Bloody snitchy bodyguards. Joshua is talking to my bodyguard against the wall.

He walks over to the table. “What do you think you are doing?” he snaps.

I swallow uncomfortably.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Answer the question,” he replies.

I narrow my eyes. “Talking to this wonderful man actually.” The boy next to me widens his eyes in fear and I bite my lip to stifle my smile, poor bastard.

Joshua’s furious eyes hold mine. “Leave,” he snaps to my companion.

He nods immediately and goes to stand up. I grab his arm. “Sit back down. You are not going anywhere,” I reply.

“You have five seconds,” Joshua growls. The poor boy’s eyes are the size of saucers as his eyes flick between Joshua and me. Joshua is scaring even me.

“Cut it out Joshua,” I snap. “You leave.”

“Five…four,” Joshua starts to count in a cool calculated voice and the boy practically jumps and runs. Joshua stands with his legs wide and his hands in his suit pockets, fury dripping from his every pore as he ticks his jaw. His tall body leans down to me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he sneers.

I swallow the fear in my throat. I don’t think I have ever seen him so angry.

I drain my glass. “What does it look like? Drinking,” I stammer. He narrows his eyes at me. “I have been at your house worried and I find you are in a bar drinking with other men and ignoring my calls.”

I twirl my hair uncomfortably. “I don’t feel like seeing you tonight,” I reply.

He grabs my arm. “You want to fight, precious? Say when.”

I pull my arm from his grip. “Stop it. You’re acting crazy.” My eyes flick around to the bodyguards who are all purposely looking away.

“You haven’t seen fucking crazy yet,” he whispers so coldly that I get a shiver down my spine.

I snap my eyes away from his glare. “Stop carrying on,” he angrily whispers.

“Who’s carrying on, Joshua? I’m in a bar trying to enjoy myself and you turn up here like Fabio. Go away, please.”

“Get your ass in that limo now,” he growls. Of all the nerve, I screw up my face. “No.”

“Now,” he screams.