Chapter 261

June's friends stared in shock at the ridiculously handsome guy who'd just walked

in.

"Whoa. He's so hot. Is that him?" someone blurted.

June, already tipsy, glanced up and broke into a goofy smile. "Elio? What are you doing here?" Her words slurred together. "You're just in time. Come drink with me!"

Elio's expression was pure thunder as he walked over. Without a word, he knocked the glass right out of her hand.

The crash of breaking glass snapped the whole room to attention. Even the dancers on the coffee table stopped mid-move and quickly hopped down, retreating to the side.

This was the most high-end club in Westbrook, where a single night's bill could make your eyes water. The women here were loaded-and most of them had husbands. Everyone remembered the time last week when a rich lady's husband had stormed in and started swinging after catching her with a dancer. So the dancers immediately assumed another jealous husband had just shown up.

"Elio, what's your problem?" June shouted.

Elio's face was dark as he stepped right over the coffee table. He grabbed June by the collar and yanked her to her feet. "June, is it not enough that you make a mess of your own life? Did you have to drag Lucie down with you?"

He slapped her hard twice in a row.

June exploded, shoving him back. "You bastard! You hit me? I'm not going to just take that!"

Elio's voice was ice cold. "I never hit women, but you're the exception." He grabbed her by the hair and started dragging her toward the door.

"Let go! Let go of me! Somebody help!" June shrieked, flailing as her friends rushed over.

"You can't do this! Let her go!" one of them shouted.

Elio shot them a deadly glare. "Stay out of it. This is between me and her." With that, he dragged June out of the club while she screamed and kicked. "What on earth is going on?" someone whispered in the stunned silence. "No idea, but it was serious..."

Outside, snow was falling, covering the street in a thin layer of white. Elio let go of June and shoved her to the ground.

"June, I've had it with you!" he yelled. "How many times have I told you to leave Lucie alone? Did you think I was joking?"

He slapped her again, hard enough that she was completely disoriented.

"Help! Somebody help!" June cried, struggling to get up. Elio kicked her a few more times, always aiming for spots that would hurt but not really injure her.

She rolled on the cold sidewalk, hair a mess, face bruised and swollen. She was dressed for a night inside, not out in the snow, and was already shivering.

Elio had always been a

troublemaker, but he'd never hit a girl before June, though, had crossed every line. Back when they'd dated a stupid fight had ended with her sleeping with three of his best friends in one night. The fallout had wrecked friendships he'd had since childhood. After that, he'd run from Australia to Canada, then to France, just to get away from her. No matter where he went, she'd find him and mess with anyone he got close to. At first, he'd thought she was just crazy. Since their families were close, he tried to avoid her instead of facing her head-on. But she'd just taken that as a challenge, following him around, spreading rumors, digging up dirt.

He might have let all of that slide.

But then she'd used Lucie to suck up to Steven, knowing full well what Steven would do. Lucie had been hurt, badly. That was the last straw.

Elio's anger flared up again. He kicked June a couple more times, making sure she'd remember this. "Did you hear me? Stay away from Lucie. If you go near her again, I'll make sure you regret it."

June howled, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. "Please, stop! I won't-l won't do it again!"

"Are you going to mess with Lucie anymore?"

"No! I swear, I won't! I'll never go near her again!"

"You'd better remember that," Elio spat, giving her one last shove. "Let this be a lesson."

He finally turned and walked off, his anger slowly fading.

June sat in the snow, hair tangled, face streaked with tears and makeup, shivering in her thin top. "Elio, you bastard! Just wait...I'll get you back for this! You think you can hit me? You'll u'll regret it!"God, ithurts... I'm freezing..."

She'd left her coat inside and now only had on a tiny camisole, her bare skin prickling with goosebumps in the cold. She tried to stand, but her ankle twisted painfully in her high heels and she collapsed back down too drunk and beaten to move.

“You're dead, Elio... Just wait.....” she mumbled through her tears.

She was shivering, miserable, and completely alone. Suddenly, a warm, heavy coat was draped over her shoulders.

June looked up, her vision blurred with tears. The sight of the person standing

over her made her freeze, her sobs caught in her throat.