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His nostrils flared. "You don't know anything about our relationship."

"I know you cheated on her."

"It was complicated."

"No, complicated is figuring out how to get a two-thousand-pound bull into a trailer when he's decided he'd rather stay home. Keeping your dick out of another woman while you're in a committed relationship is actually pretty straightforward."

"Damon," Mikayla warned.

Kenny's face reddened. "You think you're better than me?"

"No." I stepped closer. "I know I am."

He scoffed. "You're a joke, Lockhart. Everybody in this town knows it."

That one I could take. Hell, I'd spent years making sure people thought I was a joke. The charming brother. The fun one. The guy who never took anything seriously.

I'd cultivated that reputation like it was a prize-winning crop.

But then Kenny looked past me. At her. "Just wait, Mikayla. He'll get bored. Guys like him always do."

I moved before I thought. One second I was standing three feet away. The next, I had a fistful of his expensive suit jacket and had him shoved up against the barn.

"Here's what's going to happen," I said calmly. "You're going to walk back inside, enjoy the free food, and keep my girlfriend’s name out of your mouth."

Kenny swallowed. "And if I don't?"

I smiled. It felt wrong on my face. "Then we’ll find ourselves in a fuck around and find out situation."

"Damon." Mikayla's hand closed around my forearm. One touch. That was all it took. I released him.

Kenny straightened his jacket, muttered something under his breath, and stormed back into the barn. I watched until he disappeared.

Then I turned around. Mikayla was staring at the ground, her breathing was shallow. Shit.

"Hey." I started to walk towards her.

She shook her head. "Don't."

I stopped.

"I shouldn't have let him get to me."

"He's an asshole," I pointed out.

"He's not wrong about everything."

My chest tightened. "Which part?"

She looked up. And there it was. The doubt. I hated it more than anything Kenny had said.

"Your reputation." Her usual confidence was notably absent. "It's not exactly a secret."

"No." Her eyes flickered up to meet mine. I took another step toward her. She took one back. And that hurt more than it had any right to. "Mikayla⁠—"

"I'm sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

I frowned. "For what?"