"Are we just going to pretend you didn’t spot her in the front row of your game the other night? Like you didn’t shoot that winning three because you knew she was watching you?" Ryder teases, wiggling his eyebrows at me, but I ignore him. It’s easier to do that than admit that he’s right.
"Oh, for fuck’s sake. Let’s get out of here before there’s a stampede," I say, but their eyes are all glued to something behind me.
"I said, get your hands off me," a familiar voice spits. Equal parts angelic and absolutely infuriating.
Not that I’d ever say that out loud.
I whip around to see a man about my height and size towering over her, trying to hold her to his chest.
"Oh, don’t be like that, Olive. I want the photo I paid for."
She shoves him away, her body shuddering, and I realize too late that my legs are moving on their own, with Harley and Ryder right on my tail.
Unfortunatelyandfortunately for me, I get there first.
"She told you to get your hands off her." I clench my fists by my side, my nostrils flaring at the sudden burst of rage I feel.
Red hot fire bubbles inside of me, instinct taking over.
"I have it handled." Her eyes shoot daggers my way, and I take a step back, raising my palms in the air, letting her take control of the situation she claims to have covered.
"Yeah, Jones. Don’t want a repeat ofthatnight, do you? Ended the season last year on such a low. Wouldn’t want this one to start the same, would you?" He tilts his head to the side, a wicked smirk slapped across his face.
I hate that he’s using that shit against me especially when I’m, again, trying to protect an innocent woman.
I don’t bite. Not here. Not now.
But my jaw clenches anyway. He knows exactly what he’s doing—bringingthat nightup like this. Like he was there. Like he knows everything.
"Security, have this guy escorted out before one of these three men does something they’ll regret," Josie says, nodding to me, Harley, and Ryder.
"I’m going, I’m going," the man says.
Then his hand swoops down to give Olive’s ass a quick squeeze. Like he just couldn’t help himself. He raises his hands in the air right after, all innocent, probably hoping nobody saw.
But I did, and that’s enough to make me snap.
Enough to turn my vision from clear to a cloud of red smoke rage.
I don’t even know this girl, but I feel a deep need to defend her.
Protect her, like I would Noelle or Leah.
"Absolutely fucking not." I storm over, clenching the collar of his shirt, his jaw now resting on it. "You’re lucky I have a game soon, or I would break your wrist," I whisper through clenched teeth, grinding them together as I work my way through my anger.
"Avery. Let him go." It’s Noelle’s voice I hear, cutting through the ringing in my ears and bringing me back down to earth. The same voice I heard that night, only this time, her voice is real and not in my head.
Dropping my hands by my sides, I shake my head in disbelief, ignoring the blinding lights around me. I shove past security, who are cuffing the guy, and head out the back door with the green neonExitsign glowing above it.
The footsteps that follow me are familiar. I know who they belong to without even turning around.
No one says my name.
No one tries to get me to wait or slow down.
They know that I’m pushed to my fucking limit and won’t listen to reason. I just head for my car, and start it. I want to get out of here, as fast as I can.
"Get in the car," I say to Noelle and Leah. I don’t look their way, but I hold the door open anyway. Ryder shakes his head at me from behind them.
