I fling open the door, wondering if I’m losing my mind as my eyes roam over a bloodied Clifton. Standing beside him, holding him up by the collar is Judge, and he’s sporting a blood-spattered shirt himself.

“What in the fresh hell—”

“Tell her,” Judge demands, practically shaking Clifton like a rag doll in his grasp.

Clifton’s gaze moves to mine, terror swallowing the light from his eyes. “I retract my offer!”

I hear Solana’s snort from behind me, and suddenly, everything starts to fall into place. She must have told Judge about this. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

“Clifton—” I start, but he cuts me off, shaking his head vigorously.

“I retract my offer! I won’t marry you. I don’t want you!”

“Gee, thanks.” I roll my eyes before turning my attention to Judge. “Are you satisfied now?”

He releases Clifton with a grunt and shoves him away. “I’ll be satisfied when I cut out his fucking eyeballs if he ever looks at you again.”

Clifton heeds his warning by scurrying across the lawn, running as fast as his legs can carry him before he trips and falls face-first into the grass. It doesn’t escape my notice as he drags himself back up that his clothes are torn. Judge has really done a number on him. He’ll probably take weeks to recover. Judge, on the other hand, only has some bruising around his knuckles to show for it.

“Was that really necessary?” I ask him.

“Obviously, he didn’t get the fucking message the first time. So yeah, it was.”

Judge is still fuming, his eyes burning as they roam over me possessively. I feel that look right between my thighs, and I’m sure he sees it.

“What are you doing here, Judge?” I choke out. “I—”

He grabs me by the waist and pulls me into the house with him. “What I should have done a long fucking time ago.”

Solana clears her throat behind us, alerting him to her presence, and Judge shoots her a glare as if this is all her fault somehow.

“I think I’ll just…” Solana gestures to the door as she heads for it in a hurry.

“Yeah, you do that,” Judge growls at her.

The moment she’s gone, he turns his fiery gaze on me, wraps his fingers around the nape of my neck, and tugs me against the hard plane of his chest.

“Over my dead body.” His lips brush against mine, the heat of his words singeing me. “Will I ever fucking let you marry him.”