“Fuck, David, I’m so glad you’re here,” Elodie says, rubbing her temples and stepping back several feet.

“Me too, babe. I’m going to get rid of this prick.” I want to turn and look at her gorgeous face, but if she’s afraid, I will break this fucker’s face beyond a repair even my practice would provide. I look to the door and at Chris, then back to Elodie. “You stay in here, babe. I’ll deal with this.”

Elodie nods.

“I told you to never come back, asshole,” I say to the shitty ex-boyfriend that stumbled his drunk ass back to Elodie’s house. I have a feeling that he’s been pressured to do so.

Fucking Jefferson put Chris up to this. Probably going to call him during the trial, and that’s exactly the kind of shit you can expect a real asshole to do.

Right now though all I care about is getting him the fuck away from Elodie.

I came over here so that I didn’t kick the ass of the dude that’s been filming Elodie, Mark. And the truth is that Mark was trying to hurt Julian, Stefan, and I, and told me that he never wanted to get Elodie hurt.

Yeah, I know, how the fuck can that be true?

Well, I told that asshole that Stefan was going to deal with him so he’d have a pulse afterward.

If this Mark douche is telling the truth, then he probably deserves all the rage I’d want to direct his way. See, I can logically say that right now because he’s not in front of me where I’d only be thinking about kicking his ass.

Chris, though? Well, this douche totally deserves the ass-kicking I want to deliver.

Instead of pulling up my fists, however, I walk out the door and close it behind me. I pull out my wallet.

“I’m not taking any more taxi money,” Chris says, a crazed look in his eyes.

“I’m not giving you that. I’m giving you the card of a plastic surgeon. My practice won’t help you, but this guy can.” I fling the card in his direction.

Chris has a stupefied look on his face. “Fuck you man. You think you’re hot shit because that slut Elodie let you fuck her…well, I read the goddamn news, too. She’s putting out for just about anybody and spreading it for the camera and any prick that swings a dick in her direction.”

I press my lips together and look away for a second. There’s a molten rage boiling in my veins, and I want to hit this fucker more than I ever have.

“Look, I get that you’re not here because you want to me,” I choke out. I want to kick his ass. I’m trying to be a better man and not just some stupid hothead.

“Fuck you, man. I’m here because I was going to have her spread her legs for me, but you’re here again. I’m happy to share with ya since you and your bros seem to have made Elodie your little fuck toy.” Chris swings for me now, and I swerve back, dodging it.

I swing back, and I don’t miss. My fist lands with his nose, and there’s a gross fucking sound cracking through the air. I mean, you may not know this if you don’t work with your hands as your number one asset yet have an affinity for punching assholes. I’m both of those things, so I know that your hand fucking hurts when you really slam it into the many bones of someone’s face.

“Fuuuuuuuck!” Chris shouts through spurts of blood dripping down his nose and into his mouth.

“You swing at me. I swing back. Now, about your face, you might want to pick up that card,” I say, and I swear I try not to sound like too much of an asshole. The truth is I liked hitting him after everything he said about Elodie, even though I don’t want to actually hurt this ignorant shit that is likely just a pawn for Jefferson at the point anyhow. But that’s the logical part of me reasoning that.

The passion-fueled rage inside me is what likes hitting Chris for saying terrible shit about Elodie. For scaring her by showing up again.

“Get out unless you want to increase the already rising cost of healthcare,” I say, cracking my knuckles. I’m not even trying to avoid sounding like a dick there, yeah, but I really want him to leave.

“Fuck, fine, no ass is worth this,” Chris grumbles. He starts to walk away but I hear him groan and he picks up the card. He avoids my gaze and I just watch him to be sure he’s really gone.

I knock on Elodie’s door. She opens immediately and wraps her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek.

“Thank you, David.” She pulls back and looks to my hand. “Let me clean this up for you.”

“This can’t be how we…” I start and I realize, shit, I was about to say something about how we start our relationship, our dates or something. But that’s when it hits me.

I love her. I really do love Elodie, and way too much to try and fuck her right now when I’m twisted in knots about everything going on. I need to handle my own shit right now. I’m glad I didn’t pummel Mark, and that I went easy on Chris, only hitting him because he hit me.

“How we what?” Elodie asks.

“How we say goodbye. I will clean myself up and head out, I need to take care of some business with Stefan and Julian.” I say, sucking in a breath and holding it while I look at her.

I can tell she thought I was going to seduce her tonight. Sure, I wanted to…and while part of me still does, part of me knows that there’s time for later. I know, that’s possibly wishful thinking. But I love her too damn much to just tangle up our emotions that are already keyed up so high. “It was very good to see you, Elodie.” I reach out and brush my thumb over her cheek.

Her hand closes over mine. “You, too, David. Thank you.” Her hand drops and I go to her sink, washing my hands, drying them, and then leaving before my level head and my cock head start duking it out.

Because one look at Elodie’s face, her perfect body…I don’t know who would win.