Something flickers in his eyes then, and a smirk plays at the corner of his mouth. He knows exactly what I’m pointing out. The look he gives me says he also knows what it did to me.
“That’s not what I was trying to do,” he says, voice low now.
“What was it then?” I challenge.
His jaw tightens. “I don’t tolerate shit like that,” he says. “Doesn’t matter who it’s directed at. I’m not standing by and letting some man talk down to you, or anyone for that matter.”
I cross my arms, trying to ignore my heart thudding. “You don’t even know me.”
“And I don’t need to either,” he replies immediately.
The certainty in his tone throws me off. He steps a fraction closer, not crowding me but close enough that I feel the heat of him.
“No one gets to speak to you that way,” he mutters. “Not on my watch.”
The air between us feels charged. Like we’re both aware of how close we are to each other and how easily this could tip into something else entirely.
My irritation falters, melting away entirely.
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
He nods once, like that’s all he wanted to hear.
I don’t let the moment stretch. I turn and push through the door out to the alley. The air is cool, biting at my cheeks as I step into the night.
And even as I walk away, I can feel him behind me. For reasons I don’t understand, I know this won’t be the last time our paths cross.
Chapter Three
Cooper
I got home after two and kicked my boots off near the door. The house was quiet. Kade’s and Owen’s trucks were parked outside. Talon wasn’t here, but I’m guessing he either took Wren back to her dorm or the two will follow me through the door before long.
I don’t have to be up early tomorrow. Practice isn’t until nine, so I can sleep in a little.
Still, sleeping wasn’t happening anytime soon.
My mind keeps circling back to the bar—to the girl I recognized from practice the day before.
It took me a second to place her, to figure out where I’d seen her. When Sasha walked past our table, I stopped her and asked for the girl’s name.
Brinley.
Turns out it was her first night too.
So when I overheard that dipshit giving her a hard time, I didn’t hesitate to step in. Not because I was trying to play hero, but because I’ll never be the kind of guy who stands by while a man talks to a woman that way.
I tried not to overthink it. Instead, I did what I always do when I need to shut my mind off.
I turned on my Xbox.
The game booted up, and I scrolled through my friends list, checking to see who was online at this hour. There were only a couple on, considering how early it was in the morning. That wasn’t what surprised me.
It was the one name that caught my attention. The same one that’s been offline for the past week.
I scroll down and click onCerealKilla’sprofile.
Last online: 9 days ago.
