Forbidden Love With the Marine by Burke, Dez (great novels txt) 📗

you? Stay the hell out of this, motherfucker,” Eduardo snarled.

Ivan lifted his broad shoulders, encased in a snug black t-shirt. Was it Olivia’s imagination or

did he loom even bigger and taller than she remembered? Olivia’s heart lifted with amazed pleasure.

How she longed to dash off to him but Eduardo effectively blocked her way through and she didn’t

relish trying to struggle past the lunatic.

“I wish I could, man. But you see, the way I’m wired, I just can’t look the other way when I see

someone innocent about to be hurt.”

Eduardo huffed. “Well then, you can walk away with a clean conscience, hero. Because this

bitch is definitely no innocent. She’s a slutty tease and she’s got it coming.”

Olivia could see how Ivan’s fury had overtaken his whole frame. She recognized the signs; saw

the black tint overshadow his eyes as every little muscle in his body went taut.

Oh boy, Eduardo was in for it now. Ivan hadn’t stopped walking and now his fists were

clenched at his side, huge balls of retribution.

But it seemed Eduardo had some kind of death wish because he still kept talking. “What, tough

guy? Still wanna be a hero for this scrawny bit of tail? Hey, all you had to say was that you’d like a piece, too. I’m sure I can let you have a go once I’m done with her. There’s no need to get your balls in a twist. Hell, she might even like it if we both do her at the same time.”

Olivia could tell that Eduardo was beginning to get worried especially when Ivan closed in the

space between them with such purposeful strides. Olivia saw Ivan’s right arm swing back and at the same time, watched as Eduardo’s wrist flicked, the tell-tale glint of metal showing briefly in the middle of his palm.

“Ivan! Look out, he’s got a knife!” Olivia screamed, finally finding her voice as she saw both

men close in on each other. A shriek of fear pierced her lips and she stared fearfully as Eduardo’s hand lunged forward in a quick, unerring strike.

Chapter Seventeen

The scenario played out in Ivan’s head like he’d already worked out how it was going to go

down. He saw the gleam of the blade hidden within the asshole’s palm just a split second before

Olivia cried out. The man’s hand shot straight for Ivan’s mid-section but Ivan parried with a

quicksilver side-step before grabbing the wrist with the knife and twisting it until the man howled in agony. The knife clattered to the ground and Ivan kicked it out of the way while his grip tightened on the man’s hand until a sound of breaking bones could be heard.

“You fucking bastard!” the man screamed, swinging widely at Ivan with his uninjured hand and

missing. The first blow Ivan landed had his full weight behind it as he plowed through the man’s

belly. The attacker doubled over with an airless grunt, his face inadvertently turning toward Ivan whose other fist crashed into the man’s jaw to a resounding crack.

Ivan must have heard Olivia make a kind of strangled sound of shock but he wasn’t distracted

by that. He was more intent on keeping the bastard up before he hit the ground like a bag of rocks. The handsome face was all plastered with blood but he was still conscious – barely.

Very clinically, and with methodical swiftness, Ivan proceeded to plaster the man’s face with

punches. Ivan’s balled fist slammed into his nose, breaking it. And then there came the two black eyes followed by teeth flying as Ivan bust a fist in the man’s mouth. He ignored the shrieking sounds of pain the man emitted as he then bent over once again.

Big mistake, thought Ivan, bringing his knee up with all his might and smacking the man in the

face. The wretch hit the nearby wall before sliding down to slump on the floor. His face was a mask of blood but all that did was to increase the wrath coursing through Ivan’s veins.

The man was still breathing. Fuck that. This fucker was going to suffer until he’d be begging to

die for what he’d wanted to do to my Olivia…

“Ivan stop! Please! You’ll kill him. The police could be here any minute,” Olivia was calling

out, making her way over the man’s now prostrate frame and up to Ivan who’d been about to deliver

some kicks to the bastard’s groin and stomach.

Ivan lifted his booted foot in preparedness when the man barely managed to lift his shaky arms.

“Please, man! I…I’m sorry!” he forced out from his bloodied mouth, his voice tinged with utter pain.

Olivia was seizing on his arm and pulling Ivan back with all her strength. “Ivan, let’s just go.

Come on! You know the cops can’t find you here beating up a civilian,” Olivia begged earnestly.

“You know what he wanted to do to you?” Ivan yelled, his fists clenching as he made to spring

at the man coiled on the floor in anguish.

“I know,” Olivia said deeply, while still urging him away. “It doesn’t matter. You came and

saved me. You’re here.”

Ivan’s eyes closed briefly and he tried to collect his thoughts. Fought to summon all he

considered holy to keep him from smashing the bastard’s skull in right then. Simply finish him off, just like that. Toad didn’t even deserve to live…

He suddenly became conscious of Olivia’s soft yet strong touch on him. He could sense her

distress as her delicate fingers squeezed on his bulky arm. He drew in a ragged breath and slowly

backed away from the body writhing on the ground.

“You come near my girl again and nothing in this world will be able to save you,” Ivan snarled.

“I’ll fucking kill you, you hear me?”

“I hear you,” the man groaned, spitting out blood while clutching to his broken fingers. “I

swear. I hear you loud and clear.”

“Good,” Ivan gritted out. Turning sharply, he grabbed Olivia by the elbow and herded her out

into the main street amidst the groans of suffering following them from the wretch still on his back on the ground.

Chapter Eighteen

Ivan’s whole body was still shaking