CHAPTER ELEVEN
Gabe
The following morning, I quietly step out of CeCe’s apartment, planning to be back before she wakes up. As much as I want to stay in bed with her, I need to deal with this now. The rage consuming me isn’t going to go away until I do and that bastard needs to pay.
Laughter greets my ears as I make my way down the hallway. Around the corner, I find the two boys from the other night sitting on the floor together, laughing over something on their phones.
Perfect timing.
“Hey.”
They jump at my greeting, obviously not hearing my approach. Both of their heads crane back to look at me, their eyes wide and nervous.
“Hey,” the one with brown hair greets back, uncertainty edging his voice.
I drop down on one knee, looking them in the eye. “You know the girl in apartment 1204?”
They nod.
“She’s hot, right?”
They look at one another, surprised by the remark, before turning back to me with a hint of a smile.
“Yeah, man. She’s super hot,” the other one says.
“Well, she’s also mine,” I say, a possession I’ve never felt hardening my voice. “And I don’t like it when people look at what’s mine. I get even more pissed off if they upset her.”
Their smiles are quickly stolen by fear.
“If I find out you little fuckers try peeking at her again, I will break both of your legs. Understand?”
They nod, their movements jerky.
“Good. I’m glad we had this talk.” Clapping them both on their shoulders, I push to my feet and walk onto the elevator, facing them once again. “See you around.” The door closes, sealing off the warning that they best not forget.
Two down, one to go.
I pick up Johnny on my way just in case I need reinforcement. I texted him when I first woke up and told him I needed him to come take care of some business with me. He didn’t ask questions.
He sits waiting on the front steps of his house with Leah, her arms wrapped around his neck. They share a kiss before he stands and walks toward my truck. I lower the passenger window and greet Leah with a wave.
She returns the gesture. “Don’t be long. It’s his only day off for a week and I want to spend it with him.”
“I’ll bring him back soon,” I promise.
“Good. See you later.” She walks back into the house the same time Johnny climbs into my truck, an almost giddy excitement lighting up his face.
“What’s with you?” I ask, pulling away.
“Dude, I just had the best morning sex of my life. I mean, we took down the fucking house.”
“Congratulations on fucking your girlfriend,” I say dryly, not understanding what the big deal is.
“My fiancée,” he corrects me.
My head whips to the side, finding that cheesy ass grin of his even bigger. “What?”
“I asked Leah to marry me and she said yes.”
“Holy shit. Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks. I’ve decided I’m going to ask her again tomorrow morning and see if I get the same results.”
My chuckle fills the truck, his news easing some of the rage that’s been coiling inside of me.
“You gonna be my best man?” he asks.
The question doesn’t surprise me considering we’re best friends, but I’m still honored by it. “Hell yeah.”
“Cool. I plan on asking Travis to be a groomsman so you two better get your shit together and get over this little spat.”
I grunt. “There is no spat. Once he gets over his little fit about not fucking my girl, everything can go back to normal.”
“Your girl?” he asks, lifting a brow.
I nod.
I decided after our date that she was someone I planned to see a lot more of and after last night that feeling only intensified. I don’t know exactly where I stand with her but I do know I have every intention of seeing where this goes, and I’ll be damned to let anyone else take that from me.
“Then I agree. He needs to get over it.”
Damn straight he does. Knowing him, he’s probably already moved on. He’s just being a stubborn bastard to prove a point.
“So where are we going anyway?” he asks.
I’m saved from giving him an answer when we pull up at the bank.
Confusion masks his expression. “What the hell do you need me for?”
I consider sharing with him what’s about to go down but the last thing I want is to be talked out of it. “You’re about to find out. Come on.”
He follows me out of the truck without question. A cold blast of air hits our faces as we walk in.
The receptionist looks up, her eyes widening for a fraction of a second before appreciation reflects back at me. “Hi there,” she greets us, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Can I help you?”
“No thanks, we’re just here to pay Graham Davis a little visit.” I move down the hall where all the offices are, gesturing for Johnny to follow.
“Wait! You can’t go in there without an appointment,” she calls to our retreating backs.
Ignoring her, I check the name on each door we pass.
Johnny remains close, beginning to look nervous. “You wanna tell me what the hell is going on? You look like you’re about to commit murder.”
Once we reach the door I’m looking for, I finally acknowledge him. “Do you remember the access code to my account?”
He frowns. “Yeah, why?”
“Use it if I need bail money.”
His eyes widen. “What?”
I don’t waste time explaining further and grasp the door handle.
“Gabe!” His heated whisper drifts behind me as I barge into the office, coming face-to-face with the bastard who made my woman cry.
Graham Davis sits behind his mahogany desk, holding the phone up to his ear. “I see them, Amanda, thank you.” Hanging up, he stands and walks around to greet us. “Can I help you?”
“You Graham Davis?” I ask, ensuring I have the right guy.
He smooths his hands down the front of his expensive tie and buttons his suit coat. “Yes.”
I slam his office door, the loud crack echoing through the room. “I’m a friend of CeCe’s.”
The flash in his eyes is instant. He turns to reach for his phone again but I’m faster. My fist strikes out hard, connecting with the side of his jaw.
He loses his footing and crashes into his desk. Grabbing the back of his neck, I pin him there, crushing his face into the shiny wood.
“It doesn’t feel good to have someone’s unwanted hands on you, does it, asshole?”
“You have no idea who you’re messing with,” he says between clenched teeth.
“What are you gonna do, call the cops?” I ask. “How about I do it for you? I have a lot of friends in the department who would love to hear about how you tried to blackmail my girl to have sex with you.”
“She’s lying,” he spits out.
Lifting his head, I slam his face back into the desk, relishing in the blood that spills from his nose. “You’re a sick fuck who preys on girls half his age, but this time you messed with the wrong one.” I lean down close, peering into his beady little eyes. “If you do anything to fuck with her business or ever come near her again, I will be back and I will not leave you breathing. Do you understand?”
When I don’t receive an answer, I add pressure to the back of his head, making him howl in pain.
“Answer me!”
“I understand,” he grits, his breathing choppy.
I make no move to release him, a war battling inside of me, the need to shed more blood overpowering all else.
“That’s enough, Gabe. Let’s get out of here and get back to CeCe,” Johnny says, his voice calm and cool as always.
It’s the sound of CeCe’s name that has me releasing him but not without a final shove, his face smacking the desk again before he crumbles to the floor. He cups his bloody nose and glares up at me.
“I mean it. Stay the fuck away from her or my face will be the last one you’ll ever see.” I storm out of his office, knowing if I don’t leave now there will be no stopping what happens next.
Johnny follows closely, the receptionist watching us nervously as we tear out of the bank.
Once we make it outside, I get a hard shove in the shoulder by my best friend. “You mind giving a guy a heads up before you fucking play hero?”
I turn on him, my furious eyes colliding with his. “It needed to be done and nothing was going to stop me, Johnny. Not even you.”
We glare back at one another, his anger reflecting the one twisting in my chest.
“What would you have done, huh?” I ask. “What if he had done that to Leah?”
His hard expression eases, a heavy breath escaping his chest as he drives a hand through his hair. “Okay, I get it. So what now? You gonna go to the cops?”
I shake my head. “I’ll leave that up to CeCe. I think I got my point across.”
He grunts. “It was a nice right hook, I’ll give you that.”
He deserved a hell of a lot more but the next step will be CeCe’s decision and hers alone. I have a feeling I’m already going to be in shit for this.
Shoving the thought aside, I clap Johnny on the shoulder. “Come on. I’ll take you back home so you can fuck your fiancée again.”
His bright smile returns full force, all the earlier tension disappearing. “You’re the bestest friend I’ve ever had.”
We both cut into laughter as we climb back into my truck, leaving the heavy moment behind us.