That should’ve been the end of it. But Shawn decided he didn’t want to break up with Carly, and he’d been emailing, calling, and texting her nonstop, apologizing and trying to get her to come back.
Carly had held strong, doing everything in her power to try to make him understand that they were over…but for some reason, Shawn wasn’t getting the hint.
And now it seemed as if he was escalating his campaign to get Carly back. Kenna couldn’t hear what he was saying, but he stood too close to her friend. At six feet tall, he was looming over Carly’s five and a half feet, obviously trying to intimidate her.
Kenna didn’t even hesitate. She was pissed on her friend’s behalf and determined to make Shawn understand once and for all that his relationship with Carly was over and done with. She headed straight for the pair.
When she neared them, she overheard Shawn say, “You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
Kenna saw red. “No, she’s acting like a grown-ass woman who doesn’t want to be talked down to as if she’s a little kid,” she bit out.
Shawn turned to glare at her, and Kenna refused to back away, even if the hate in his hazel eyes made her want to. He’d cut his dark hair short since the last time she’d seen him, almost a buzz cut. He had on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, making him blend in with the crowd of locals and tourists without any problem. Kenna had to admit at first glance, the man seemed harmless. Even though he was in his forties, he’d kept himself in shape, didn’t drink or smoke—according to Carly—and had a steady, well-paying job doing something with the local government.
But the crazy in his eyes, the way his hands clenched into fists, and the snarl on his face all showed his true colors.
“No one’s talking to you,” Shawn sneered. “Butt out.”
“I’m sorry, but no,” Kenna said, trying to sound braver than she felt. They were in a public restaurant with people all around them. Shawn wouldn’t do anything to her, she was almost certain of it. “Carly’s told you she doesn’t want to see you anymore. You need to move on.”
“Our relationship is none of your business,” Shawn retorted, then turned his back to her and reached out, grabbing Carly’s bicep. “I just want to talk,” he said. “You owe me that.”
Kenna ground her teeth together in frustration. She was taller than Carly, but not strong enough to take this guy on. She was also well aware that she was at work. Alani was a great boss, but Kenna didn’t think she’d approve of her hauling off and hitting this asshole. Not to mention, she was one hundred percent certain Shawn would call the cops and get her arrested for assault or something.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Carly said. “We’re through.”
“We aren’t,” Shawn insisted. “After all I’ve done for you, I can’t believe you won’t just talk to me. When we started dating, you were a naïve little girl. I turned you into a woman. You can’t just throw me away.”
Kenna wanted to scream. Shawn had always belittled her friend. Tried to come off so worldly because of his age. He’d mocked Carly’s much younger age since almost the beginning. Yes, she was twenty years his junior, but in Kenna’s eyes, Carly was the mature one. His behavior tonight proved it.
“Give me a break. We didn’t date that long, and you didn’t turn me into anything. So I can and I am throwing you away,” Carly retorted bravely, lifting her chin. She tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but Shawn tightened his grip, pulling her closer so he could grab her other arm as well.
He physically shook her as he said, “You stupid bitch! No one breaks up with me!”
Kenna was done. She reached for Shawn and tried to push him away from Carly, but his grip on her friend was too tight. He stumbled and ran into a chair, making it tip over with a loud crash. “Let go of her,” Kenna ordered.
“Fuck you,” Shawn hissed, turning to Carly once more. He shook her again, harder this time. Kenna watched as her friend’s head bounced back and forth, even as she struggled in his grasp.
Desperate to help, she took a step toward them, but suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her backward, away from Shawn and Carly.
She fought for a second, then heard a low voice at her ear. “Aleck and Jag have this.”
Turning her head, she saw it was Mustang who’d pulled her away from what was going on. Midas was standing on her other side, posture tense, as if ready to make sure Shawn didn’t turn on her.
Glancing back, she saw that in the few seconds she’d taken her attention off her friend, Marshall and Jag had gotten Shawn to let go. Jag’s arm was around Carly’s shoulders and he was escorting her away from the bar area.
“We aren’t done!” Shawn yelled at Carly as she hurried away.
“You’re done all right,” Marshall told him. He spun Shawn around, twisting his arm behind his back, wrenching it upward in what looked like a very uncomfortable position.
“Let go of me, asshole!” Shawn yelled.
“No,” Marshall said calmly. “Not until the cops get here.”
“Cops? That’s bullshit!” Shawn said, trying to get out of Marshall’s hold, but he held him secure. “I didn’t do nothin’. I was just having a talk with my girlfriend.”
“She’s not your girlfriend,” Kenna couldn’t help but growl.
“Yes, she is,” Shawn insisted.
“It’s a moot point,” Marshall interjected. “You don’t put your hands on a woman. Ever.”
“I wasn’t hurting her,” Shawn said.
“Oh, so those bruises on her arms that were already forming weren’t from you?” Mustang asked. “And you were shaking her—hard.”
“Fuck you!” Shawn retorted.
“That’s mature,” Kenna muttered.
“The cops are on the way,” Paulo said from behind the bar.
Kenna nodded. She knew there was an emergency button behind the bar for situations like this, when people got out of control. She was so glad there was a Honolulu Police Depot not far from Duke’s. In the past when the police had been contacted, they’d been there within minutes.
“Let go of me, you asshole!” Shawn shouted, managing to wrench his arm out of Marshall’s hold.
Mustang grabbed Kenna’s elbow and pulled her farther out of the way.
Midas joined Marshall in subduing the pissed-off man and within seconds, they had him on the floor. Marshall had a knee on his back and held both of his arms, while Midas secured his legs. It didn’t look like they were exerting much energy to control Shawn either. Kenna couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Relax, man,” Midas told him.
“Get off me!” Shawn yelled.
“How’s it feel to have someone bigger and stronger manhandle you?” Marshall asked. “Sucks, doesn’t it? How do you think Carly felt?”
“Fuck you!”
“Seems to me things between you and her are done. Move on, man. Doing shit like this just makes you look pathetic, not macho or manly.”
“I said, fuck you!” Shawn repeated as he continued to struggle under the two SEALs.