The policeman turned to James. “You heard the lady. We all good here?”
James nodded curtly, not looking at her.
“Escort him off my property,” Bran said to the policeman. “And James?” Bran sent James a steely glare. “Don’t come back. You can bet your boss will hear about tonight. I’ll be surprised if you still have a job tomorrow.”
James stormed to his car and the police vehicle followed his sleek sedan closely out of the resort.
Bran wrapped his arms around Ireland and tucked his head near her ear. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
He inched back and studied her face. “Really?”
“I will be.”
“He was hurting you.”
“How did you know?”
“I was making the rounds at the restaurants and took a shortcut. Your hair caught my eye.”
She huffed out a pained laugh. “I guess it’s good for something.” Tears welled in her eyes. Tonight had been rough. It had started out great, and now... But Bran was here. He’d protected her. Though she wished she hadn’t needed it.
He pulled her close and stroked the back of her head. “Your hair is beautiful. I’m just glad I came when I did. I wanted to strangle him.” The stroking turned unsteady at his last words.
“He’s like the others, all bark and no bite. But tonight he scared me.”
Bran pulled back, holding her shoulders gently. “What others?”
Not many people knew what she put up with at her old job. She’d never told her family—her brothers would have gone ballistic. But Bran was different. He’d seen how easily intimidated she was by guys like James. “James and his type run rampant in my industry. The men I worked with in Silicon Valley were bullies. Less physical than James tonight, but that almost made them worse. My life was a living hell at my old job.”
“James won’t work anywhere near Lake Tahoe again by the time I’m done with him.”
Considering the way James had botched the Tech Banquet software, that wasn’t a bad idea, even if he hadn’t threatened her.
Bran cupped her face with his warm, strong palms. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
No.She thought she’d escaped this thing, but maybe the problem was with her. Maybe it wasn’t the place she worked, but some flaw in her that made her a target for men like James.
She smiled, not wanting Bran to worry. “I will be.”
Chapter 22
Bran could have killed James for hurting Ireland, and that wasn’t like him. He didn’t get involved. He didn’t let a woman go to his head. But clearly all that had changed.
“I’ll drive you to Jaeg’s,” he said to Ireland after the police had escorted James off the premises. “If you’d rather stay with your cousin, I’ll understand, but I’d really like to hold you tonight.”
She closed her eyes and nodded. “I want to be with you.”
Bran’s chest warmed at her words. He’d forgotten what it was like to have a woman need him. Actually, had he ever been a woman’s source of solace? No, never. He’d been young and self-involved, or older and not interested in anything permanent. Being able to provide what Ireland needed made him feel strong, happy.
Bran drove Ireland’s car to Jaeg’s and waited outside while she packed a few things.
She closed the front door quietly and walked to the car. “They’re watching TV. Cali flipped out when I told her what happened. The only reason she let me leave is because I said I was staying with you.”
Bran should feel uneasy about holding her safety in his hands. He might have with anyone else. But not with Ireland. He wanted to protect her—to be the man she came to for help. He opened the passenger door of her car to let her in, and put her overnight pack in the back seat before making his way to the driver’s side.
Ireland watched as he pulled on his seatbelt. “I’m so ashamed of everything that occurred tonight.”
