Page 43 of Open To Negotiation

“I’m sorry.” I hugged my middle as I stood shaking in what appeared to be an office. “I can’t believe that happened. You shouldn’t have done that.” I frowned, not sure if what I was saying was even making sense. He didn’t reply as he pushed me gently toward the black leather couch.

“Shhh,” he said as I sat down and he sat on the coffee table in front of me.

“Theo, I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“He said he was going to sue you.” A shiver racked my body, sending my teeth chattering again.

“Stop worrying about me. Are you okay?” His eyes roamed my face before moving to my arms. “I am going to murder him.” He enunciated each word darkly.

I glanced down to see red marks that looked like handprints where Lucas had grabbed me. I’m sure it would hurt eventually, maybe once the adrenaline was all gone and I stopped shaking. “I bruise easily, it’s fine.”

“Stop saying that, it’s not fine.” He ran a finger gently over the angry prints on my arm where his eyes stopped, glaring at them. “Who was he?” he managed to ask through a clenched jaw.

“My ex-boyfriend.”

“Has he gotten physical before?” His eyes came back to mine and held my gaze. I was lost in the swirling grey in his blue eyes for a moment. His voice may have been calm and low, but his eyes were burning with intensity.

“No,” I whispered and tilted my chin down to look at my hands. “I feel stupid.”

“Why, Love?” Theo’s voice was so warm and caring that it made my eyes water a little. I was going to blame it on being manhandled. And the alcohol.

“I shouldn’t have let it get that far. I should have kneed him in the balls, I should have fought him off, I should have screamed for help. I should have done something other than just stand there. I didn’t want to make a scene. I didn’t think he would do anything, he was my ex-boyfriend, and I was in a room full of people. But there I was letting him pull me out of the club as he called me a slut,” I blurted it all out before I shivered again, my teeth chattering.

“Bloody hell,” Theo cursed, his accent intensifying. I watched as he stood up and went to the coat rack, grabbed his suit jacket and placed it over my shoulders. He sat back down in front of me and held my gaze. “Listen to me. That fucker had no business touching you. Ever. Whether he’s your ex or a stranger. Don’t worry about a scene, especially not in my club. Someone touches you, you make a fucking scene. You got me?”

I let out a breath and then nodded. “I got you.”

“And when you make a scene, I’ll come punch the fucker in the face.” I shook my head and let out a little laugh as I shivered again.

I pulled his jacket closer, it was covered in his scent and that alone was comforting, that cedarwood mixed with oak that I was starting to associate with him.

“Is your hand okay?” I reached out to grab it and ran a finger over his knuckles. They were a little red. I had no idea what to look for, no one had punched someone for me before.

“I’ve thrown a punch before, Quinn. I know how to do it without breaking a knuckle.” He sounded offended that I’d even asked as he flexed his hand a few times to show me that it was fine.

“A bad-boy billionaire… of course you are.” He smirked and I could tell he was relieved that I was smiling and the shaking had slowed down.

“Why were you here tonight?” he asked, changing the subject.

“You brought me up here…” I let my words trail off, faking dumb.

“I mean in my club, Quinn. And why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Well… Aubrey, the friend you just yelled at, she convinced me to come out with her and our friend Ryan and his boyfriend were already here so…” I shrugged. “I didn’t come here for you.”

“But you read my text from this morning asking you to come tonight.” It wasn’t a question so I didn’t bother answering him. Theo let out a sigh like I was exhausting him. Well, same, I was exhausting myself. “Why didn’t you come find me?”

“I wasn’t here for you,” I emphasized again. His eyes narrowed but knocking at the door stopped our conversation.

He muttered something, I think it was along the lines of how this better be important. While he went to find out who was here, I slipped my arms into the jacket. I was cold and his scent was comforting but it also hid my arms. Each time Theo looked at the handprints his eyes darkened. Covering them was best for all of us.

“What?” he snapped as he pulled the door open, putting his left arm on the door frame blocking anyone’s view.

“Calm down, dude.” I could practically hear the eyeroll that Aubrey gave him as she stepped into the room, ducking under Theo’s arm. Theo let out a sigh, stood up straight and ran a hand through his hair as Asher, Noah, and Jaxson came through the door too.

“You good?” Asher asked, his gaze fixed on me. I was surprised by his intensity, it seemed like he actually cared.