Violet’s brilliant brown gaze meets mine, her eyes speaking for her.
You don’t know how happy I am to see you.
This guy has been bothering her for longer than she cares to admit, and all these people around her have done nothing to answer her cry for help.
My gaze hooks on hers.
I’m not going anywhere, I promise.
The dude’s head behind her rises. “It’s cool. She’s with me.”
Her lips twitch to speak up, but I beat her to the punch. “No, she’s not. Get your hands off her.”
His grip tightens. He hoists her back, and she squeezes her eyes shut, then all at once he shoves her to the side. A little too forcefully. His actions flick me on like a light switch, and just like that, my hands are out of my pockets and ready for a fight.
I step closer before I tell myself I shouldn’t fuck with a guy like him. He’s nothing compared to what I’ve dealt with, and I shouldn’t give him the time of day, but he had his hands on Violet as if she had no say in the matter then tossed her off him like a ragdoll. That’s not okay with me.
It shouldn’t be okay with him.
I obviously don’t know if he has a sister, but what if a guy treated her like that? What would he do? Laugh about it? High five the guy like the dick he is?
He’s in my face in a second flat. “Back the fuck off.”
“What’s your problem? You like putting your hands on girls who don’t want it?” I hiss at him. “Is that what gets you off?”
He rubs his jaw and smirks. “A lot of stuff gets my dick hard,” he admits. “She just so happens to be one of them. That aproblem?”
This fucking guy.
“You already know it is. Go back to the corner you crawled out of and leave her the hell alone.”
“What makes you think she doesn’t want me back?”
“Judging by the fact that she was trying to get your hands off her when I walked up, I’d say that’s her giving you the finger.”
He has the nerve to tip his head back and laugh. He rocks back on his feet, and when he settles his gaze on me once more before turning back to look for her, I see it. The glossiness in his eyes. He’s been doing more than drinking tonight. If Violet was interested, and that’s a big if, and left with him, it wouldn’t have turned out in her favor. This guy would have acted selfishly. Just like anyone else who’s ever been under the influence.
He twists, reaching for her when she moves just out of his reach and comes to my side. She hasn’t said anything, so I’m not totally sure what’s going on in that head of hers, but from locking eyes with her a minute ago, I know she’s feeling uneasy.
“You know what,” he says, turning in Violet’s direction. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth. Fletcher and Sylvia sent me over here, and for what? You’re a waste of my time.”
That’s when my balance between being a good guy and an asshole tips. My feet slide off the side of the beam and before I know what I’m doing, my fingers curl into a fist and fly through the air, knocking the guy in the mouth for disrespecting Violet. I’m not sure if I’d act out in the same way if it were any other girl. Would I come to their rescue? Sure. But putting my hands on someone?
Violet has etched her way into a special place in my head. She’s the first real person I’ve been able to trust and turn to outside of Aunt Bess and Sebastian. She was there for me when I needed it. Because of that, I have no problem stepping up to this guy.
She shrieks as I drop my hand at my side.
In a heartbeat, she’s at my side, shaking my arm. “What the hell are you doing? Why would you hit him?”
Shooting bullets at me with his stare, he swipes a thumb across his mouth and smiles as a swatch of blood colors his teeth. This motherfuckersmiles. I jab at him again, curious as to why he hasn’t lifted a finger in defense. Men don’t just give other guys free shots. Then someone screams, the girls around us scatter, and the realization hits me like a knee to the groin.
“Go on, buddy.” He opens his arms wide. “Keep throwing punches. I can take a couple more.”
He wantsme to get in trouble.
I straighten my fingers and curl them again, desperately wanting to have one more go at him, but Violet tugs on me.
“He’s not worth it.”
