Free Under Pressure [IAD Agency] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Laurie Roma Page A

“Oh lord…” and peeked out around Jason’s larger frame to see Sal standing in front of them.
    “Sal!”
    With a cry of delight, she tried to rush to him, only to be stopped by Jason’s large hand pushing her behind him again. Jason carefully studied Sal’s face, and the rage he saw did not sit well with him, familial connection or not.
    Sal bristled visibly. “Dammit, Bella, what the hell do you think you’re doing with him ?”
    Bella paused in trying to swat Jason’s hand away as her eyes widened in surprise. “You know Jason?”
    “Get away from him.” Sal barked out as his eyes seemed focused on where Jason’s hand wrapped around her waist. Sal spoke softly, but the menace in his voice was clear. “Let her go, Mac. Boss or not, I will kick your goddamn ass, you coldhearted son of a bitch.”
    Jason remained unmoved by Sal’s insult and simply stood still with his body blocking Bella as he used his arm to hold her partially behind him.
    “Goddammit, Bella, I said get your ass over here now!”
    Bella’s eyes narrowed. Oh, no, he didn’t. “Listen up, asshole—”
    “You better get away—”
    “—don’t you order me around you oversized—”
    “—from him right now. I mean it, Bella.”
    “Ape!” Bella yelled out.
    “Jesus, Bella, what the hell is with you? Do you make it a habit of fucking around with guys you barely know? Dammit, you never did have any sense when it came to men,” Sal barked out, making Bella flinch as if slapped.
    “S on of a bitch. ”
    Sal was spun around to a fist flying at his face from behind. He hit the wall with a grunt and forced himself not to strike back as he looked at his youngest brother’s livid face.
    “Tony, no!” Bella cried.
    Tony, Danny, Finn, and Liz had followed them back, only to find Bella being protected by Jason with her enraged older brother facing the couple down.
    Jason’s ready stance had not moved, first and foremost protecting Bella from any danger, even that coming from her own brothers.
    Sal stroked his aching jaw in his hand slowly as he eyed Tony. “Well, that’s some welcome home, little brother. What the hell is wrong with you?” For a computer geek, Tony had fists of iron. Sal was bigger in size, but Tony’s vibrating fury made him the bigger threat at the moment.
    “Fuck your welcome, you son of a bitch. You don’t ever talk to Bella that way. Not after all she’s been through. You don’t know anything . Don’t you dare speak to her like that! You weren’t here. You weren’t there when she needed you, you piece of shit. Two fucking years! She could have died , and the first thing you do is talk to her like that?” Tony’s hands were clenched as he tried to get in Sal’s face despite Finn’s and Danny’s desperate hands pulling him back.
    “That’s enough, Tony,” Bella said softly, shaking so badly her voice wavered. She had felt Jason’s big muscular frame grow even more rigid at Tony’s words. Sal’s eyes went wide in shock, staring at Tony and then Bella, swiveling back and forth between the two.
    Danny shook his head, saying to Sal in a sad voice, “You’ve missed a lot, Sal.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?” Sal whispered before asking the same question again in a roar.
    Bella flinched, trying to push forward again, but Jason turned to her, cradling her shaking body with his as he pushed her chin up to meet his penetrating gaze. “Sweetheart, are you all right?”
    “No, she’s not all right. Get your hands off her, Mac, or I’m gonna break them off.” Tony snapped, struggling against Danny’s bracing hands. “Bells, let’s go. I’m taking you home now.”
    Jason didn’t let go of her but met Tony’s menacing stare straight back with eyes cold as steel.
    “Someone better tell me what the hell is going on!” Sal barked again. Already ashamed at what he had said to his sister, he was even more so by what Tony had said to him, but not knowing why was catapulting him off a