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Marching toward her, I frowned as one of the guys beside her grabbed her elbow and pulled her into him. She struggled and shoved him away, shouting something I didn’t catch. The guy didn’t take no for an answer, touching her hair and laughing in her face.
I saw red.
Murderous fucking red.
My march became a jog, and I weaved through people drinking and mingling, coming to an explosive stop before them. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” My snarl ripped through the drone of voices, stilling the guy’s hand on Neri’s shoulder.
Her eyes shot to mine, shock making them wide but then relief making them hood. “Aslan.”
Shit, the way she said my name.
The way she looked at me.
It was a tsunami sweeping me off my feet.
But then...somehow, the heavy wave waked away. The depression I couldn’t survive parted like a miraculous sea and I stood on earth again.
My spine straightened and I couldn’t do it anymore.
I dropped all the guards I usually hid behind.
I didn’t try to hide the depth of my feelings.
Whatever she saw in my gaze made her trip backward with a soft gasp, coming to a halt as the guy kept her pinned with his hand.
Tearing my eyes from Neri, I glowered at the bastard. “I suggest you let go of her before I break every single one of your fingers.”
A few years ago, I would’ve cringed at saying such things. I’d cower from the memory of where I’d come from and the bloodline I carried, but not here, not tonight. Tonight, I would happily tear off his arm and feed it to him if he didn’t let Neri go.
“Fuck off, mate. I was here first.”
My nostrils flared.
Neri shoved his hand off her shoulder. “I told you, you idiot. I’m not interested.”
“Wasn’t what you said before. You batted those pretty eyelashes at me and—”
“I was being polite! You asked me if I was having a good night and instead of telling you I had a shitty one, I gave you a smile and moved out of your way.”
“Bullshit, you pressed your tits against me—”
“I was pushed!” Neri waved her arms at the crowded bar with its craypots hanging from the ceiling and the seaweed draped candelabras above. “It’s busy. You can clearly see that.”
“I can see you making excuses. I bought you a drink.”
“I didn’t ask for it, nor do I want it.”
“Well, you owe me. Fucking pay up. Give me your phone number. A drink for a date.”
My hands balled. Power siphoned through my blood. I prepared to choose violence after running away from it all my life.
But then Neri shocked me stupid by coiling her arm through mine and hissing, “I can’t go on a date with you because the truth is, I’m with him. This is my boyfriend. I already have one. See? So I suggest you give it a rest and—”
“Him?” The guy with his overgrown black hair looked me up and down. He was my height but heavier. I could win against him, but it wouldn’t be easy. I’d get hurt.
Then again, I wanted to hurt.
I wanted to feel something, anything, so I wasn’t so dependent on Neri for existing.
