“Darlin’,” he called softly, snapping my attention back to him. My spine straightened, my body on alert again now that we were alone. He held up his hands, the storm in his eyes calming a bit. “You alright?” I nodded. His handsome features softened, causing my belly to flip, and my heart skipped another beat. How could a man like this be soft? “Need to hear you say the words. If you don’t, I’m going to go after him.” “W—why?” I asked. The damage was done. It was over. “Men don’t hurt women,” he stated, his jaw tightening. “Men who do pay.”
