Drew’s laugh pisses me off even more. “I see what’s happening here.”
“No. No, you don’t.” I pace like a caged animal, feeling claustrophobic inside the four walls of the house. “I kept him away from her. I’d do anything to keep?—”
“Oh, wow. You really went all macho man, didn’t you?”
“No.” I give him a withering glance. “I was just keeping her safe.”
“Safe? Was she in actual danger?”
“Asshole, that’s not?—”
“Yes, it is,” he cuts me off. “You literally said you’d doanythingto keep him away from her.”
“He was antagonizing her.”
“She didn’t ask you to intervene.”
“She moved closer to me.”
Drew grins. “People grab railings during turbulence, Sebastian. Doesn’t mean they want the pilot to punch the sky.”
My mouth opens, then closes.
“That analogy was unnecessary.”
“It was perfect,” Drew says cheerfully. “Also, where was the cat?”
“I handed her the cat carrier. What does that?—”
He holds up a hand, shaking his head. “So you’re telling me she held the cat the entire time? That was not a damsel situation. That was a woman trying to keep it together while you squared up like a territorial raccoon.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I was calm,” I insist.
“Oh, I’m sure. Did you threaten him?”
“I warned him away.”
My brother stares at me like I’m insane. “You threatened a man in public.”
“I stated a boundary.”
“You stated an oath.”
Silence settles between us.
I stop pacing and stare at the hallway. The door remains closed.
“I just don’t want her hurt,” I say quietly.
Drew’s tone shifts—lower and steadier. “Then you should stop treating her like something fragile you’ll break if you loosen your grip.”
I look at him sharply.
He doesn’t back down.
“You don’t trust people,” he continues. “I get that. You don’t trust situations. Fine. But you don’t get to decide she’s incapable of navigating them.”
“I never said that.”
