Page 27 of Jump on Three

Freddie lifted his chin. “That’s right, Savage. Remember that.”

I was the first to notice Felix approaching the table, his focus on Bella. Her back was facing him, but the empty seat beside her seemed to be his target.

I braced for his imminent evisceration. If he sat there, Bella would be wearing his intestines as earrings, and he would absolutely deserve it.

Rat bastard.

Felix stopped to the right and slightly behind Bella, clearing his throat. “Mind if I sit down?”

Crimson rose on her cheeks, and her big eyes flared even wider. The nerve of this boy, hurting her one day, then trying to act like nothing had happened a few days later.

Bella twisted in her seat and propped her feet in the empty chair.

“This seat is occupied,” she singsonged. “No room for you here.”

Felix scowled at her, then looked around the table, from person to person. No one was contradicting her, not even his boys. If Bella didn’t want him to sit with us, that was it. It was up to her to decide.

Ivan leaned into me. “Why doesn’t she like him?”

I turned my head to speak into his ear. “He told her she wasn’t the kind of girl he'd want to introduce to his parents.”

“Her feelings are hurt.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “He’s ashamed of her.”

“Fucker. I hope she broke up with him.”

“She did. He told her he thinks she’s ‘too much’ and should tone down her personality.”

Ivan pulled back so he could look at me and slowly shook his head, his jaw tight. “I do not like him.”

“I don’t either,” I agreed.

A scuffle from the other side of the table drew us away from each other. Things had changed while we hadn’t been paying attention. Felix was bending over Bella, speaking to her in low tones. She cringed away from him, tucking her chin to her chest.

Ivan shot out of his seat, rounding the table. At the same time, Beckett and Rhys got to their feet, moving behind Felix.

Ivan got there first, though, yanking Felix away from Bella. “The girl told you you’re not wanted here,” he gruffed.

Felix tried to jerk out of his hold. “This isn’t any of your business, bro.”

“It’s cool, Ivan. I have this.” Beckett stepped closer to them both, gripping Felix’s shoulder.

“No one needs to handle me,” Felix gritted out. “I’m just trying to have a civil conversation with her.”

Ivan hadn’t released Felix, and from the tightness in his jaw, he didn’t appear to like what Felix had to say.

“As I said, you were told you aren’t wanted here.” Ivan used his chest to herd Felix away from Bella and the table. “Get out of here.”

Felix shoved Ivan with his free arm, but he was a rock, not moving a meter.

“Get the fuck off me. This is between me and Bella.”

“You made it between all of us when you interrupted our nice dinner,” Ivan intoned, giving Felix another bodily shove.

My stomach was doing strange things. It was clenched tight, but not with panic. Warmth spread from my belly button down. I shifted in my seat, which didn’t help anything. Seeing Ivan like this, an unmovable wall between Felix and Bella but also the rest of us, flipped a switch deep inside me I hadn’t known existed.

Rhys positioned himself on Ivan’s other side, giving his shoulder a pat. “Come on, comrade. No need to get violent. Felix is going to do the right thing and leave on his own.”