“Let me go.Now.”
He lowered his head again. “Why? So you can run back and tattle to that asshole behind the bar?”
“Hey!”
Her breath caught at the angry voice behind Travis. It was deep and laced with the threat of violence. They both looked up as Cody stepped toward them, his eyes on the fingers around her arm.
“What the fuck are you doing, Travis?”
The guy laughed, but the sound was all wrong. “Walker. It’s nice to see you again, man. It’s been a while. Since you accused me and Dayne of stealing and kicked our asses out of here, right?”
Cody took another step forward. “Release her arm.”
“Or what?”
“You really want to fucking know?”
There was a dangerous beat of silence, where the air was almost too thick to breathe. Was this Travis guy really not going to heed Cody’s warning? Because ithadbeen a warning, and anyone with a lick of brains would listen. Cody was a head taller than Travis. Hell, he was a head taller than everyone, and even in the dark bar, you could make out the thick muscles beneath his shirt.
Her heart began to rattle at a faster pace, panic rising in her chest that a fight was about to break out. But then Travis released her arm, and Cody immediately shifted in front of her.
“Now get out,” he said in a low, icy voice. “All of you. And don’t come back.”
One of the guys rose from the table. “Cody—”
“I’m serious, Dayne. You have no business coming in here after what you did.”
Another laugh from Travis. “Screw you!”
Harper’s breath caught. She was sure Cody would throw a punch in retaliation. But he didn’t. Just fisted his hands and watched the four men leave his bar.
It wasn’t until they were outside that Cody turned and looked at her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded quickly, even though she felt unsteady as hell. “I’m fine.”
“What did he say to you?”
“That I shouldn’t work here.” Though in morecolorfulwords.
Cody’s fingers slipped around her arm right where Travis’s had touched her. But while Travis’s hold on her had been tight and threatening, Cody’s was gentle, almost soothing.
“I’m sorry.”
Cody lookedat Harper for what had to be the fiftieth time that night. They’d just seen out their last customer, and she was collecting glasses from the tables while he cleaned behind the bar. The memory of Travis touching her and blocking her way played over in his mind.
Fuck, he hated that guy. He couldn’t believe he’d missed the jerk entering the bar.
Despite the incident though, Harper had impressed the hell out of him tonight. Her first time working in a bar and she hadn’t missed a beat.
Barry patted his shoulder as he passed. “Good hire. I’m glad you listened to my advice, boy.”
Cody rolled his eyes. Of course, Barry was taking credit for this.
“I’m sorry about Travis,” Cody said quietly when Harper returned to the bar.
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”
He could have laughed. He’d just told her she was safe in his bar, then what happened? One of his customers and ex-employees grabbed her. “I didn’t even see him and his friends come in. If I had, I would have sent them straight back out.”
