Page 111 of Strung Along
I press my finger to her mouth. “Stay here with me. Just for a couple’a days. Please?”
Thankfully, that’s all it takes to convince her.
“Fine. Fine! But only until you go back to Nashville.”
“Sure.”
My grandparents snicker, but Anna ignores them and the realization that if I have it my way, she’ll be out of that rental of hers in no time. Even if that’s a downright crazy sentiment to most people.
We make quick work of saying goodbye to my grandparents before she’s back in my truck, and ten minutes later, we’re pulling up in front of her place.
The black sedan parked inmyspot along the curb has my hackles rising. Anna sucks in a sharp breath before frantically flinging up the lock on the door and diving into the cold. I’m quick to follow her, my heart stuttering in my chest when the driver’s door opens and a man steps out.
“Stewart?” Anna shrieks, stumbling over her feet on the sidewalk. “What are you doing here?”
The man turns to her, a wide grin spreading his lips. There’s a giant bouquet of roses in his suit jacket–covered arms. I quicken my steps and reach Anna’s side before she gets too close to him. She reaches for my hand, taking it in an almost painful grip, and while I love that she’s looking at me for comfort, it pisses me off that she feels the need for it.
“I missed you. It’s time to come home,” he says.
My nostrils flare, blood starting to grow hot beneath my skin. This guy looks just like I imagined he would. Conceited and stuck-up. Too proud to fight for her the way she deserves. He’s not here to do that. It’s months too late for that. There’s another reason for his appearance, and I’ll sniff it out. He’s not getting within spitting distance of her. Not again.
I drape my arm around her back and press our sides together, rubbing the top of her arm over and over in a calming gesture. It’s not likely to do anything, but I’m willing to try anything.
“I am home. I’m not going back to Vancouver, and certainly not back to you,” Anna snaps.
He skips right over her words, dragging his judgmental eyes all over her body instead. The slight curl of his lips is enough to have me stepping toward him before Anna tugs me back, shaking her head.
“What are you wearing? You look ridiculous. I’ve let you play country hick long enough, I’d say,” he says, his tone so damn condescending.
The grip I had on my temper slips. “You have a lot of fuckin’ nerve, you know that? Get back in your car before you find yourself with a mouth full of pavement.”
He glowers at me, his left eye twitching. I’d have laughed at how pathetic I find his attempt at intimidation if I wasn’t so desperate to remove him from Anna’s general vicinity. I’m confident enough to believe that there’s no way she’ll leave with him, but that doesn’t mean his presence won’t affect her.
“You’ve played house with my fiancée for long enough, Brody Steele. It’s time she comes back home to her real life.” He looks at her now, dismissing me. “Let’s go. From the looks of your attire, there isn’t much for you to grab, so let’s just skip that step. Your closet at home is still full of your nice things.”
“Leave, Stewart. I’m not going with you. And I’m not your fiancée. You made certain of that when you stuck your dick in someone else.”
Stewart rolls his jaw, scratching at the hairless length of it. “Annalise. Get in the car. I’ve tired of these games. While I forgave you for the mess you made in our bedroom, my patience is still very thin.”
“Leave. I’m not going with you. And it’s not our bedroom anymore. Last time I checked, you hadn’t even bothered to try and convince me to come home before right this moment. I’m not sure why you’re here now, but that’s your problem, not mine,” she says, standing firm, chin held high.
I’m so fucking proud of her.
“I was giving you time to get over your hurt feelings. Instead, I learn that you’ve been living it up in this no-good town with this wannabe cowboy on social media. You’ve made quite the mess back home. I’ve had to convince all of our friends that youwere simply acting out and not actually involved withhim,” he sneers.
Anna laughs a loud, bitter laugh. “I’vemade a mess? You’re insane. The only reason you’re here is because you’re upset I’ve moved on and you’ve seen it in the media. I can assure you that there’s nothing wannabe about my cowboy. Not a damn fucking thing.”
My heart thumps wildly. Her public claiming makes my cock throb, the time and place not seeming to matter.
Stewart leans a hand against the door of the SUV and lets the roses in the other fall to rest against his thigh. “Your cowboy? Give me a break, Annalise. I brought your ring. It’s in the car. Come put it back on. I don’t appreciate you walking around without it.”
“You’d have to force it on me,” she states.
His face grows blank, his mind seeming to buffer for a few moments before rage flares in his eyes. I tuck Anna behind me just enough I don’t worry he’ll grab her.
“Come here and I’ll do just that, then. You’ll never get the fucking thing off again.”
I don’t let Anna hold me back this time. My strides are huge, eating the distance between us and that fucking no-good sack of shit until I’m right in his face. He smells like money. Money and arrogance. The worst combination but the most common with guys like this. He’d get along with Garrison, I’m sure.