His eyes find the exact spot mine seem to be glued to. “Is that Shane’s sister?”
“Sure looks like it.” My nostrils flare.
“Who’s the loser with his tongue down her throat?”
I glare at him. He spins in his stool with his eyebrows raised, propping his elbows on the bar.
I return my eyes to her. My blood is boiling, and I think I might actually be vibrating.
He hands her another shot when they finally come up for air, and she stands, stumbling in the process. After taking the shot, Ash lazily falls back onto his lap.
She’s trashed.
Throwing her head back onto his shoulder, a warm laugh leaves her lips, and I swear, I can almost hear it even over the loud bar. I grip the beer can so hard it crackles. Then, he pulls down one side of her jacket and kisses her shoulder.
Fuck—I can’t watch this. If I sit here, I’m going to explode. “Listen, man, I’m sorry, but I gotta go.”
JT nods as I start toward the door, trying not to stare, but I can’t help it. She’s a magnet. When I glance back one last time, my eyes catch the guy sliding his hand across her stomach. She doesn’t flinch. As she tries to lift her head from his shoulder, it rolls to the side.
Goddamn it.
No! She is not your problem. This is not your fucking drama. You’re no one to her.
Then his hand moves a little lower, and I’m moving. A familiar feeling washes over me. One that I felt a long time ago in a situation not dissimilar to this one. My feet are racing in her direction without my mind telling them to.
The thing is, I’d probably step in no matter who it was. I don’t like guys like that. But it’s not just anyone, is it? It’s Ash, and I’m on fire. I rip her from his arms, flinging her toward Nik, who’s racing in our direction.
“Are you blind or just stupid?” I yell as the guy stands.
“What’s your problem, man?” He throws up his hands.
I grab the front of his shirt and grind my teeth. “Youcan’t see she’s too drunk to hold her head up? Or you think it’s cool to grope her anyway?”
“Is she your girlfriend or something? What the fuck!” he yells back, trying to shove me away.
“Put your fucking hands on her again, and I’ll cut the goddamn things off. You hear me?” I shove him back.
“Hey—” JT barrels across the bar in our direction, but I don’t stop until he steps between us. “Enough! They will call the cops. Walk away.” He grabs my shoulders, pulling me back.
I can’t think. I want to rip this fucker apart. My chest rises in short, sharp bursts. “I don’t give a shit. They better call more than the cops because I’m about to kill this piece of shit!”
“Yeah, we’re not doing that.” He turns to the weasel. “Now would be a good time for you to get the hell out of here.”
“I didn’t do anything. She was all over me!”
That’s what does it. Those words set something off in me, and I lunge for him.
“Now, or I’ll let him go!” JT shouts, his grip tightening on me.
The guy damn near takes out a table as he scrambles away. The room around us comes back into focus, and I realize Nik’s yelling. I whip my head around to see a pair of gray tear-filled eyes.
“What are you doing here, you fucking caveman?” Nik shouts.
“What are you doing? You just leave your friends with creeps at a bar?” I shout back at her.
I don’t even know who I’m mad at anymore. I’m just pissed. I’m a pretty reasonable guy. I don’t lose control ofmy temper often because once I do, I can’t focus. I’m ready to burn the damn building down.
“I was in the bathroom!”
