Wild got into a handful of fights when he was a teenager. Still, it was never anything very serious and nothing past the age of probably fifteen, so I’m shocked when he grabs Dylan by the shoulder to turn him around, allowing his fist to connect with Dylan’s jaw and causing him to drop to the floorhard.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT. OUT, BOTH OF YA,” the bartender bellows from behind the bar, and I wince, knowing that was going to happen.
“It wasn’t his fault!” I say, trying to assuage the situation. “This guy is an asshole! He started it!” I point at Dylan, who’s slowly getting up.
“I was very fucking clear,” Wild snarls at him. “Now do you get me?” His voice is even and menacingly low and cool, as if he didn’t just put his entire weight behind a punch to someone’s face.
Dylan slowly stands, rubbing his bottom lip where the skin is cut and bleeding. His face is red and angry, and I think he’s about to swing back when the bartender speaks up again.
“I SAID OUT!!” the bartender yells, pointing at the door and waving over the security standing there.
Fuuuuck.
“That can’t be Sebastian Wilder causing trouble out there?” I hear someone say, and then a guy in a black button-down, blazer, and black jeans is moving toward us. I recognize him as another guy I went to high school with.
People really didn’t leave this town.
If I remember correctly, he was two years older than me, so a year older than Wild, and was also on the football team. I want to say his name is Peter or Parker or… Paul? Something with a P?
“Boss, he decked this other guy. I said they both had to get out,” the bartender explains while the security guard, a bald and very large man, has made his way between Wild and Dylan to prevent anything from escalating further.
“And Halle St. John?” the guy says before draping his arm around my shoulder. “You want to tell me why you guys are causing trouble in my bar?”
“Porter Jenkins?” Wild narrows his eyes at the guy. “You own this bar?”
“Well, technically, my dad does, but I’m here thirteen hours a day. Now what is going on?”
“This asshole was fucking with Halle,” Wild says through clenched teeth, keeping his gaze fixed on Dylan.
“And we all knowthat’sa crime.” Porter turns to me. “He hurt you?”
“Well… no, not exactly. He was being creepy and not taking no for an answer.”
“Alright, well, lucky for you,” he says, looking at Wild, “what I say goes.” He turns to look at Dylan. “Unlucky for you, you should probably go if you’re going to be causing trouble here.”
Dylan glares at all of us before smoothing his hair back and adjusting his man bun. “What the fuck? This asshole assaults me, andIhave to go?”
Porter doesn’t say anything. He just shrugs like he isn’t fazed that a customer isn’t happy. “Any drinks you’ve had are on the house? The best I can do.”
He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Fine, whatever,” he mutters before letting the security escort him to the door.
Sebastian’s hands are on my face instantly, and then his lips graze mine lightly before pressing his forehead to mine. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, fine. He didn’t do anything to me. But why was he so pressed and… aggressive?”
“Might have just been all a game to him. Hell, maybe Mike put him up to it because he wasn’t sure if we were together. I don’t give a fuck. I never want him around you again.”
“Does this mean I get out of going to Sara’s wedding?” I ask with a little—okay, a lot—of hope in my voice. I was happy for her and wished her the best, but after tonight, I had no interest in being around any of those people ever again, let alone in two months.
“It’s up to you at this point. I’m not going to ask you to put yourself back in that situation.” He shakes his hand a little bit, and only then do I realize that bruises are starting to form on his knuckles.
“Shit, let’s get some ice on that,” Porter says, waving toward the bartender. “Now, what the hell are you guys doing in town?”
“My mom’s engagement party,” Wild says as he holds a bag of ice to the skin.
“Okay, and second question”—he points back and forth between the two of us—“are you guys…?”
“Since high school, evidently!” Noah interjects.
