Page 49

“I said,” he grits out through clenched teeth. He’s trying to keep his voice low since we’re not the only ones in here but he’s struggling.

Oh God.

Dalton.

He’s seen this whole thing.

“We need to talk.” His grip on my arm tightens and my mouth pops open from the pain as I glance down at his hand. There is a part of me that realizes I should be scared and maybe I am, but overriding all of that is a burning rage like I’ve never felt before.

Fuck this man.

Before I can say anything else, Dalton is at my side. He grabs Owen’s arm and physically peels his fingers off my skin before tossing his arm away from me. Owen stumbles back a step, his eyes wide as he looks from Dalton to me.

“She said no, fucker.”

Owen turns a glare towards Dalton. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“The fuck it doesn’t.”

His answer is simple.

And so damn complicated.

I want to ask him what he means by that but this is not the time or the place.

Owen takes a menacing step towards me and fluidly, Dalton steps between us, guarding me with his body.

“I will lay your big, dumb ass the fuck out if you don’t fucking leave now,” Dalton says, that air of danger I sensed around him earlier growing until it feels like it fills up the whole damn bakery. And I don’t doubt him one bit. I think if Owen pushes this, Dalton will knock his ass out. I press my hand to his back in a silent thanks and something about it makes me feel more grounded, like I can take a breath for the first time since Owen walked into my place.

“I told you, this doesn’t concern you so back the fuck off.”

A ripple of something sinister echoes through the room, coming off Dalton as he takes one single step towards Owen.

“Let me make myself abundantly clear,” he says, his voice so menacing but somehow, it feels like an embrace to me. I don’t know how I know this man would protect me with everything he has, I just do. “If you don’t leave in the next ten seconds, you will be spending the next six weeks eating your meals through a fucking tube.”

Owen takes a step back, eyes Dalton for a moment before his gaze finds me over Dalton’s shoulder.

“We’ll continue this later.”

Dalton takes a step towards him, his hand forming a fist. “You fucking won’t.”

Owen wisely chooses not to say anything else, turning and storming out the front door of the bakery and I stare down at my hand on Dalton’s back, focusing on every breath in and out of my body.

“Thank you,” I whisper. Dalton turns towards me, letting my hand fall to my side and when I meet his eyes, they are soft and kind. It’s such a wild combination from the threat that was just filling this room. His lips stretch into a soft smile and he closes the distance between us.

My breath catches.

And I can’t take my eyes off his.

Heat rushes through me as he leans in and my brain stops functioning.

Oh God.

Kiss a man if you feel like it.

Well, I fucking feel like it.

Dalton’s smile turns into more of a grin and then I feel his hand in the back pocket of my jeans and my lips part. Then, he steps back with my phone in his hand. I can’t tear my eyes away from his gorgeous face as he opens my phone and begins typing something.