Gray's Girl by Mina Carter

forward another couple of steps, Frankie slipping on the carpet in front of him as she tried to hold on and was shoved backward.
    “I’m gonna fucking kill him.”
    “Mind you, I heard that she was the local bike anyway. Let anyone have a ride on her—”
    Frankie stiffened, but then dropped her hands. He glanced down to see a fury that matched his own in her eyes. Her lips pressed together, a thin line of anger as her hands clenched.
    “You’re not. I am.”
    Before he could utter a word she turned, wound her arm back, and let fly with a perfect right hook that should have gone down in history as one of the most beautifully executed punches, ever.
    Her fist connected with the side of Robby’s face in slow motion. His head rolled to the side. Lips wobbled like a loose elastic band. Blood and spit flew as he staggered backward, so surprised he dropped on his ass right there in the middle of the corridor.
    Frankie stood over him, her chest heaving and her fists clenched. Gray had no doubt she’d happily clock the guy again if he even looked like getting up.
    “Don’t you dare say anything about his mum. Ever. Do you understand me?”
    Robby just nodded, looking up at her with a stunned expression on his face. As though his world just got rocked on its axis and resettled into a freaky new version he didn’t like. Gray hid his grin, wanting to punch the air in victory. Since they were kids, he’d always known Frankie had a mean right hook on her; he’d just never expected to see it deployed again. Especially not so effectively.
    “Y-y-you… Hit me. That’s it; I’m having you both for assault.” Robby’s expression twisted with anger as he pushed himself to his feet.
    Instinctively Gray reached for Frankie to shove her behind him out of danger, but she was having none of it. Toe to toe with Robby, she glared back at him.
    “Be my guest, sunshine. Would you like me to help you file the report? I’m looking forward to the part where I get to tell them you were dropped on your arse by a…let me get this straight. ‘Dumpy lump of a woman who’s so boring in the sack you needed to get some action elsewhere.’ I’m sure they’ll find that highly amusing.”
    “Screw you, bitch.”
    Robby’s eyes narrowed but Gray saw the expression in them a second before he covered it up. No way was he filing a report and admitting he’d be bested by a woman.
    “Er, no thank you. Been there, done that.” She swept him with a scathing glance, ending with a pointed look at his groin. “Nothing to write home about in any way, shape, or form. C’mon Gray, we’re leaving,” she said as she turned, stuck her nose up in the air and swept past him like a battleship in full sail.
    Gray paused for a moment, looking the other man full in the face as he issued a warning in a low and deadly voice. “Insult me, insult my mother; that’s fine. She’s dead and I don’t care. But upset Frankie again and I will hurt you more than you can comprehend.”
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    “Bollocks, that bloody hurt !” Frankie hissed, shaking her hand to take the sting away as Gray led her out of the front door of the hotel. She was mad. So mad she literally shook, not feeling the slight chill of the night air as they crunched over the gravel in front of the lobby steps.
    “He’s a twat. I can’t believe he said those things. What the hell is he doing up here anyway?” she demanded, looking up at Gray as though he had all the answers. He just shrugged, making his loose hair dance over his shoulders.
    “I don’t know, sweetheart, but I can’t believe you did that.” Capturing her hand he studied it for long moments. His sinfully soft lips pursed into a hard line, expressing his disapproval. “You might have hurt yourself when he hit your fist with his face.”
    His wordplay and the cheeky expression did it for Frankie. Amusement surged up, making the corners of her lips quirk, quickly followed by a laugh. “Yeah, there is