Without warning, I reached down and gave her ass a hard smack.
"That's for spray painting my car," I said.
Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You're such a caveman."
"Caveman? How about this?" I said, smacking her...
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CALEB'S POV
The second Esme slammed into me, something inside me snapped.
She was shaking. Breathless. Eyes blown wide with terror.
What the fuck is going on?
I barely got the words out before I saw him—the bastard tearing out of the alley like a rabid animal, his face twisted in fury.
"Get away from her!"
That was all I needed.
Red-hot rage surged through me, white-knuckled and deadly. My body moved before my mind could even catch up, instinct taking over as I shoved Esme behind me, shielding her. My fists curled so tight my knuckles cracked.
"You picked the wrong girl to mess with, asshole," I growled, my voice low and lethal. My entire body was coiled, vibrating with the need to fucking end him.
The guy barely hesitated before charging at me like a dumb motherfucker who didn't know what he was walking into.
Fine. I'd teach him.
I struck first—hard. My fist collided with his jaw, the satisfying crack of impact traveling up my arm. He staggered back, blinking in shock, but he didn't go down. No, the fucker came back swinging.
I ducked just in time, his fist grazing my jaw as I twisted out of reach. But he was relentless—bigger, stronger, fighting like someone who'd been in plenty of brawls before. He came at me again, but I was faster. I slammed my knee into his gut, knocking the wind out of him before throwing another punch—this time aiming for his ribs.
He grunted, stumbling, but then his eyes snapped to Esme.
Like she was his to take.
Something primal ignited in me.
I saw red.
I wasn't fighting anymore—I was out for fucking blood.
With a roar, I tackled him, sending us both crashing onto the pavement. My vision blurred, fury driving me forward as I slammed my fist into his face over and over.
"You touch her again—" Crack. "You look at her again—" Crack. "You breathe near her again—" Crack.
I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
Because he had tried to take her from me.
I blinked, chest heaving, hands slick with blood—his or mine, I didn't even fucking know. The guy groaned beneath me, barely conscious, his face swollen and beaten to a pulp.
I exhaled, my breath ragged as I pushed off him, grabbing his shirt and hauling him up so our faces were inches apart.
"If you ever come near her again," I spat, my voice razor-sharp, "I will fucking kill you."
