Free Filthy: A Bad Boy Romance by Katherine Lace Page B

hit him.
    “I don’t give a shit what my dad wants,” Jess shoots back. Good for her. She’s no shrinking violet, just like I figured from the beginning. She’ll give as good as she gets. But she’s still a woman, and Carmine’s a man, and he’s bigger and stronger than she is, and he could hurt her if he wanted to. And he’s the kind of asshole who just might want to.
    I could hurt her too, if I’m not careful. Not on purpose. But it’s what I do. I’m not sure I know how to be any other way. I swallow back that thought. It’s one that always scares me. I don’t need that right now.
    Carmine has worked up to a snarl, his almost-attractive face screwed up into something ugly. “You think anything you say matters?” I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or to Jess. Maybe both of us. I do know he’s drawing a crowd, and I don’t want that. I start to steer us toward the door. Carmine wants to come at me, he can fucking well do it outside where not as many people are in the way.
    Predictably he follows. “You’re nothing, Cain. You’re shit . You know that. You’re just Spada’s dog.”
    I clench my fist as I push through the door. It’s chilly outside, just enough to take the edge off the heat of anger sliding through my veins. Romano doesn’t know what he’s fucking with.
    “And you…” Romano won’t shut up, and he’s stabbing a finger at Jessica now. “You’re his daughter .” He says it like a daughter is more than a few steps down from the dog he just labeled me as. “You know damn well you’ll do what he says. And what he says is that you’ll marry me .”
    He’s on a roll. I wonder what he’s trying to prove. I’d bet everything in my wallet right now—and that’s not an insubstantial amount—that he’s never had Jess. He sure as hell hasn’t seen her come apart like she does with me. No way in hell.
    I face him squarely, now that we’re outside. I know damn well what’s about to come out of my mouth should just stay there, but I can’t seem to stop the words once they start. He’s got me so pissed off my eyeballs feel like they’re on fire. “Even if you get married, she’s still going to be thinking about me every time you wave that tiny dick at her.”
    Romano’s face burns red. I’ve pushed him too far. Maybe he’ll drop dead of a heart attack right here. I have a feeling that would save us a lot of trouble in the long run.
    Through clenched teeth, he growls. His gaze swings to Jessica. “Get over here right now .”
    “No!”
    He spits—actually spits—on the sidewalk at her feet.
    Before I know what’s happening, my fist has connected with Romano’s jaw. He loses his balance and hits the concrete sidewalk. There’s blood on his mouth. I hope I knocked out a tooth. It’d serve him right. I stand right next to him, staring down at where he’s huddled on the ground. There are people all around us, milling, shocked, wondering what to do. I think about beating the shit out of him right here, right now, but instead I just wait until he manages to turn his head, to meet my gaze.
    “Learn some manners, Romano,” I tell him. “You ever talk to Jess that way again, and I’ll straight-up kill you.”
    I hear him spitting again as Jessica and I head back for the car. Apparently nobody’s thought to call the cops. Unsurprising. It’s probably not the first time they’ve seen somebody punched in the face outside Cartelli’s. I hustle her a little faster than she can walk in her heels, but I just want away from there.
    “Cain,” she protests. “Cain, slow down. I’m going to fall and break my neck.”
    I slow down a little so she can catch up, then, when we’re at the car, I grab her and kiss her. “You okay?” I ask when I’ve got her taste in my mouth again.
    “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” She smiles at me. “You totally punched him to defend my honor.”
    I shake my head, giving her a crooked smile back. “Yeah, I guess I did. You girls like that