Baby, Don't Lose My Number by Karen Erickson Page A

silence when he saw what was going on inside.
    Mia struggled to get out of the seeming embrace of her jerk-off boss. The look of terror on her face struck at his heart and he barged inside without thinking.
    “Jake,” she yelled when she caught sight of him. “Wait a—”
    But he didn’t let her finish. He tore Larry with the wandering hands away from his girl and socked him straight in the mouth. Didn’t even pause to consider his actions.
    Hell, he’d just punched Mia’s boss. What had he been thinking?
    I wasn’t thinking.
    Yeah, no shit.
    Larry tumbled to the ground like the coward he was, holding up one hand as if to ward Jake off. The other hand cradled the side of his face, a moan of agonized pain emitting from him. “Keep your asshole boyfriend away from me.”
    His hand was still clutched into a fist as he stared down at the jackass, his knuckles smarting from the direct contact with Larry’s smug face. Mia rushed to Jake and clutched his arm. He glanced down at her, saw the petrified expression on her face and he slipped his arm around her trembling shoulders to draw her close.
    “You okay?”
    She nodded, her eyes wide with worry. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
    “What do you mean, I shouldn’t have done that? He had his hands all over you.”
    “He’s my boss, Jake.”
    “So that gives him the right to touch you like some sort of goddamn pervert?” He was yelling, he knew it but he didn’t care.
    “Get out of here before I call security,” Larry mumbled from his spot on the floor. At least he sat up now. Didn’t cower like a pussy.
    “Go ahead. I’ll tell them what I saw,” Jake challenged. Fury flowed through his veins, making him see red. He couldn’t believe the nerve of this asshole, threatening him. Acting like he was the one in the wrong with this situation.
    “You didn’t see anything.” Larry stood, casting a piercing stare in Mia’s direction. She shrunk beneath Jake’s arm. “Neither of you did. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll both stick to that story.”
    “Fuck you,” Jake snarled, leading Mia right the hell out of there. She struggled against his grip but he wouldn’t let go. Wasn’t about to leave her in there alone once again with her boss.
    “You walk out that door, Mia, and you won’t have a job to come back to,” Larry threatened as they headed toward the door.
    She stopped in her tracks, her head swiveling to first look up at Jake then back at Larry. “I—I don’t want to lose my job.”
    “He’s an asshole, babe. Trust me, this’ll all work out in your favor,” Jake urged. The timing couldn’t be better regarding the accounting job at the construction business. He could arrange for her to have a job tomorrow, no problem.
    “But…”
    “You don’t want to lose your job do you, Mia?” Larry’s tone turned simpering and the sound of it made Jake want to puke.
    “I’ll take care of you,” Jake promised, his voice low, solemn. “Trust me, Mia. I mean it.”
    She looked between both men, the struggle clearly written all over her beautiful face. Terror clutched at Jake’s heart. He didn’t know if he’d be able to take it if she chose her job over him. He wanted her to trust him that he would make everything all right.
    He needed her to trust him.

Chapter Seven
    “Okay.” Mia swallowed hard, her gaze meeting Jake’s. The warmth she saw there, the emotion, it gave her the courage to finally leave Larry and her job, once and for all. “Let’s go, Jake.”
    “You’ll regret this, Mia,” Larry yelled as they exited her office. “I can ruin you, you know. Make sure you won’t find another job. Come back here.”
    “He’s such an asshole,” Jake muttered as he grabbed her hand, practically dragging her toward the elevator.
    Thank goodness she’d grabbed her purse. She clutched it to her side, her fingers so tight her knuckles stretched white around the leather strap. She still couldn’t get over what happened. One