Not My Brute (Angels of War Series #2)

Chapter Nineteen

I blink, blink and blink some more. Bret is on the floor, keeping Cameron down with his hand wrapped around his neck and I'm doing nothing. NOTHING! I need to put a stop to this before it gets ugly. The words coming from Bret's mouth are dripping with hate. And, all I can think about is how he got in here.

"You were attacking her in the window," Bret snarls, lowering his face closer to Cameron's ear. "For everyone to see. It's a good fucking job I was running past, wasn't it, huh, hard man?"

"Bret," I say, finally getting a voice. "Get off him before you get yourself in trouble."

Cameron struggles under Bret's body, the twist in his lips letting on to his pain. "You crazy fucker! Diana, call the police!"

My eyes widen when Bret lets out a long growl. "Yeah, let's call them so I can tell them you were pushing yourself on a vulnerable woman."

Cameron splutters, eyes zeroing in on me. "You're crazy," he finds me with his frightened eyes. "DIANA! Call the police."

I shake my head. "No."

"No?" Cameron echoes, the line between his eyebrows denting.

My hand touches Bret's shoulder, and he lets go of Cameron. I step back when he climbs to his feet, the scent of his aftershave consuming me when he wraps me in his arms and presses the palm of his hand on the back of my head. The feel of his heartbeat thrumming against my chest when small pants escape his mouth.

It feels safe, and I'm taken back by how much I enjoy being in his arms. "It's okay," he murmurs.

I squeeze him, pulling back, so Cameron doesn't get the wrong idea. It doesn't occur to me that my hands are shaking until I run my fingers down my outfit, silently traumatised by Cameron's actions. It's so unlike him to be so aggressive, he gets angry, yes, but never would he put a nasty hand to me.

Until now.

Cameron gets up from the floor in a worn out daze, eyes moving between Bret and I. "You know him?"

I nod. "Yes, Bret's my friend."

I know Cameron suspects something the moment his eyes close. "You've already moved on from me?"

No way. He doesn't get to do this when he's the one who's really moved on. I'm not in the wrong here, and I'll be damned if he makes it seem that way.

"No. Bret and I are just friends. Don't you dare play the 'feel sorry for me act' when you are the one who brought a stranger back to your home and had sex."

I-I'm not!" he responds, looking like his world just ended. "I was only asking," he clamps his teeth down on his bottom lip and then whispers, "I'm sorry for earlier. I don't know what came over me. Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I know what came over you, Cameron. Power. Us breaking up has hurt your ego, and you wanted to hurt me to be in charge again because you're selfish that way," I break off, shaking my head. "And, to answer your question...no, I'm far from okay. You scared me, and I don't like it. I don't think we should see each other from now on. When it's my time to see the kids, I'll organise it through Hayley."

Cameron lets out an irritating snort. "You hate Hayley."

Lies. Lies. Lies. "I never hated Hayley. I respected her as a mother, and I understood when she was wary of me. Those kids are her world. And, that's how it should be."

Bret places his hand gently on the bottom of my back and jolts me forward a tiny bit. "I want you to leave with me."

My eyes fall on his face to see the lines of concern. "What?"