Page 39 of Beast

“Privet, Bellichka. Now I understand it is that you rejected the offer from me”

What offer? Isa squeezed my arm and whispered to me. “He asked me to teach at his studio.” She turned to Pasha, her body remaining by my side. “How on earth did you know I was up here? Did you just drive up from LA?”

He let out a deep laugh. “I went to see your old man and he told to me where it is I find you. I am smart man so I put two and two together.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “Only reason you did agree to work together with her dad is to get to Isa, da?”

I stared Pasha down. “That’s it, buddy. I’m not sure why you’re here, but it’s time for you to leave before I throw you out.”

Pasha ignored me, plowed past us, and made himself right at home, sitting on the sofa.

“It is a beautiful place, Grady.”

“Why are you here exactly? I’m giving you five minutes before I kick your ass out.”

He slicked his hand through his greasy hair. “What is it your plans with the Marines?”

Here we go.

“I’m getting medically retired. After that, no clue.”

His gaze shifted. He wanted something from me. “The producer, he has his eye on you. You could do show, dance with beautiful woman, make money. How does that sound?”

I swallowed hard; though I could barely understand him with his thick accent and broken English, I knew one thing for sure—this guy saw me as a meal ticket, just like Isa had seen me as a pity fuck. “I’m not interested. I just want to find something that makes me as happy as being a Marine does. This book is a one-shot deal with me. I’m not going to be your right-wing gun-toting show pony.”

I glanced over at Isa, who shook her head and muttered something under her breath.

Pasha let out a cackle that reminded me of the bleats from the goats in Iraq. “Grady, listen to me. You will get money, endorsements, TV shows. I can make you.”

Fuck, I already told this guy no. For a second, I wondered if Isa put him up to this shit—a way to get her back on the show. But the scowl on her face told me she was as angry with him being here as I was. I needed to get this prick to leave. “Not happening.”

“Dammit, just leave him alone,” Isa said in a sharp tone.

He leveled her with an icy scowl. “Isa, stay out of this. This is not concerning to you. Why do you not shut up and let the men talk together about business. Go pour me a coffee.”

Isa shot a cold, dead glare at him. “Fuck you, Pasha.”

Fuck this dude. I didn’t give a rat’s ass that he was on TV or he used to dance with Isa. No one was going to talk to her like that in front of me.

I grabbed him by the arm and tossed him off the sofa. “Isa’s my woman, not yours anymore. Get the fuck out of here.”

“Your woman?” Pasha’s eyes widened as he straightened his clothes. “You must be blind, also. A woman as beautiful as Isa could never love a man as hideous as you. She’s using you for money—just like she used me to dance.”

My hands wrapped around his neck and I shoved him against the door. “I may be blind in one eye but you must be deaf. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. You contact either of us again and I’ll break both your legs and you’ll never dance again.”

I released him, and he slumped to the floor. This motherfucker wasn’t worth going to jail over.

He clenched his fist. “Good job, Isa—you will never get back on show. You left dancing together with me and now want to date this freak?” He slowly stood up. “And Grady, if you lay your hands on me again, I will have you arrested for assault.”

Ha. That was almost funny. “Assault? Go right ahead—that will be great for your public image—arrest a war hero who you begged to go on your pathetic show. I’m not afraid of you. Fuck you and fuck your show. What are you going to do? Sue me? I don’t have a fucking dime to my name and I’m about to get kicked out of the Corps. I jumped on a grenade to save my buddies’ lives—I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine, and that includes Isa. If you come by here or harass us, or you talk to her like that again, I’m going to fuck you up. Am I clear?”

His head made a slow, disbelieving shake. “Crystal. I’ll let myself out.”

Isa bit her nails, her eyes glued to her feet. I put my arm around her as her ex partner slammed the door.

I locked the door and set the alarm, then turned my attention back to Isa. Her hands were clutching her stomach.

“Hey. It’s okay.” I pressed my hand under her chin.

She gulped. “He’s just such a jerk. He only cares about himself. Always has.”