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Chapter 4
Jane gripped the bottle so tightly she wouldn’t have been surprised if the glass shattered. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute as she held his stare. Rys was an intimidating man, but she refused to let him act like some kind of caveman.
“He pushed me aside because I wouldn’t fuck him.” She shoved her shirtsleeve up and showed him her arm. She knew there was a hand-sized bruise marring her upper arm. She had seen it on her trek back to town by the muted glow of the streetlamps.
Rys dropped his gaze to the skin she exposed, and she saw his eyes widen, his nostrils flare, and his jaw clench. William cursed beside her, but she refused to look away from his brother. She shouldn’t have showed them, had known it would only upset them, but dammit, Rys had pushed her too far this time.
“Do you think I’m so easy that I’d sleep with the first guy who offers me dinner?” She stood and dug in her purse for a few bills. After throwing them on the table, she gripped the strap of her purse tight as she looked at them before swinging her eyes back toward Rys. He was still staring at her arm, although he couldn’t see it now that her shirt was down.
“Janey—”
She shook her head to stop William. Rys lifted his eyes to hers, and she held her ground. The rage on his face was visible, and she didn’t know if it was because he was pissed about her bruise or because she went out with Trevor. “Maybe I was so desperate for attention, for someone not to think I’m white trash for just a moment, that I made a bad decision and agreed to go with him,” she whispered as tears formed in her eyes.
Why did she even bother? This was Rys, one of her best friends, one of the men she was in love with. She looked over at William and gave him a sad smile.
“Sorry.” She pushed her way through the crowd and out the front door. Why did Rys have to be such an asshole? Why did he have to always get his way? Why did she have to love him? Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she brushed them away. She wasn’t really crying because of him. All her life, he had been rough to everyone, more hardened. William had always balanced them out, given her the hugs, the comfort. She wanted that from Rys as well, but she couldn’t deny she loved the coarseness of him. Was she a masochist?
She laughed bitterly. She could never reveal that she loved them, never have the guts to be so vulnerable. Wasn’t she always vulnerable around those two?
Jane started walking through the parking lot. Maybe she was being immature running away, but she wasn’t in the mood for Rys’s bullshit, not after the crap Trevor pulled tonight.
“Well, if it isn’t Little Miss Cock-Tease.”
She looked over her shoulder at Trevor stumbling out of his car. Missy Stanton climbed out of the passenger side, wove her way over to Trevor, and wrapped her arms around him, a smirk on her face.
“I don’t see your two guard dogs,” Missy snarled.
Jane was not going to take their bait. She turned around and started walking toward the street. If only this night could be over. Missy’s shrill scream pierced the night, and Jane spun around just in time to see Rys charge Trevor. Missy let go of him and stumbled back, shock and fear on her overly made-up face.
Trevor lunged forward, and Rys reared his arm back and slammed his fist into the side of his face. His head cocked back, and he fell backward. Dust puffed around him from the impact, and a moment later he was gripping his jaw as blood dripped down his chin. Rys stalked over and stood over him, cracking his knuckles in the process. The look on his face was frightening in its intensity, and her heart thundered against her ribs. Missy’s scream had caused the patrons to file out of the bar.
They now made a circle around the fight. Jane saw William push through the people a moment later. Surprise was on his face as he looked at Rys, but then his gaze swung to Trevor and anger morphed his handsome features. He moved with just as much deadly intent as his brother had, and soon the Holden twins were standing over Trevor. Jane could see their mouths moving, but she wasn’t close enough, and they were speaking far too quietly for her to hear.
“Looks like these two jokers are pissed I got to sample Jane’s pussy. Although she must be holding back and keeping the good shit for you two, because I didn’t see what the big deal was,” Trevor shouted at the twins.
There were a few gasps in the circle of bodies.
“Dude, do you have a fucking death wish?”
“You do realize there are two big motherfuckers right in front of you?”
“He’s obviously sloshed out of his brain.”
The comments were coming from every direction, and she saw a sliver of fear flash across Trevor’s face, as if he finally realized who he was speaking to. Missy was pressed against the Camaro, and she kept looking from Rys to William and back Trevor. Her date was half the size of the twins. They looked like mountains compared to him.
“Get a grip. Fucking her once was enough for me. She’s all yours.” There was a collective groan, and Jane could hear a few people say “dumbass.” Rys was positively shaking with anger, and he and William went after Trevor. The asshole swung again and nearly connected with William’s face, but at the last second, William moved out of the way and slammed his fist into Trevor’s side. He grunted in pain and gripped his waist as he hunched over. Rys made a move to go after him, but Jane stepped into the crowd.
“Stop. Please, stop.” The twins tensed and turned their heated gazes toward her.
“Did you not hear the shit he was saying, Jane?”
“The guy has an ass-beating coming to him, Janey.”
Exhaling loudly, she looked at Trevor. Missy was helping him to stand upright. “I know, but he isn’t worth it.” If things continued to escalate, there was no doubt in her mind Trevor would get the shit kicked out of him. No one would jump in and help him, not with the chance of having the Holden twins’ anger directed at them. It took them a moment, but their bodies relaxed slightly, and they moved closer to her. Rys grabbed her in a tight embrace. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart.
She heard Trevor murmur something unintelligible and turned her head to see Missy carrying him into Rowdy’s. The front door opened, and Brooklyn stormed out.
“Dammit, Rys, Will.” He pushed his way through the circle of people and barked at them to get the hell inside or go the fuck home. “Get out of here before one of these drunken assholes calls the sheriff.” Brooklyn tossed the white rag he held in his hand over his shoulder.
