Page 35 of Shattered

“I’m sorry. I—”

“You lost, bro?”

I release a sigh and turn to Jason, who just returned with our drinks. He’s all puffed-up chest and protective glares. I take my drink from him and press a hand to his chest to halt his advancement toward the guy.

“Jason, just leave it. He was just being nice and asking if I’d like to play some pool.”

“She doesn’t want to.”

My brows draw together in annoyance. “Excuse me. It’s not up to you.” I’m half tempted to tell the guy yes simply to contradict him.

Jason looks down at me in disbelief. “You don’t even know this guy.”

Anger rushes to the surface, making my skin feel flushed. Is he serious right now?

“It wouldn’t matter if I did!” Neilix is a prime example of that. He was his best friend, whom I knew very well, and look what happened with that. “You can’t keep me in this little bubble. I’m not a little girl.”

My words go in one ear and out the other, not even registering with Jason.

“How about you let her make her own decisions, man?”

The pressure against my hand increases as Jason takes a step closer to the guy. “How about you shut the fuck up and piss off?”

“Jason, just stop. I was already going to tell him no, okay?” I give the guy an apologetic look over my shoulder, and he frowns back at me as if I’m only saying that because of my brother.

For a second, it looks as if Jason listened to me and is going to back off, but then the guy speaks again.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little overbearing? If the girl wants to hook up with someone, she can.”

Oh geez.

Jason lunges at him in the next second, knocking me aside and gripping the guy’s collar before landing a punch to his face.

“Oh my god! Jason, stop!”

The guy is startled at first, blinking a bunch of times and touching his face, but within seconds, he lands a punch to the side of Jason’s head. I look around, trying to find someone who can step in and stop this right now. My eyes connect with a large guy hanging out by the entrance. I didn’t think there was a bouncer at such a small bar, but maybe that’s what he is.

He glances at the guys fighting and rolls his eyes like it’s no big deal and happens all the time, then he steps over to us. It takes him seconds to break up the fight, and apparently, since this isn’t the first time Jason has been in a fight in here, he’s the one to be kicked out.

I follow him out, my lips pressed together in irritation. There was absolutely no need for that, but of course, Jason erupted without thought, like he always does, like he was just waiting for an excuse.

“What the heck was that?”

He rubs a hand over his jaw and gives his head a quick shake. “What? He just wanted to sleep with you.”

“Maybe I wanted to sleep with him!” Jason’s eyes narrow, anger evident on his face, and he opens his mouth to reply, but I’m faster. “No, fuck you. You don’t get a say in what I do and don’t do.” I turn around and start storming off, not really sure where I’m going, but he’s on me within seconds.

“Hold up. Wait. Sienna.” Grabbing my shoulder, he spins me around and brings me in for a hug. “I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. You need to stop that shit, Jason.”

“I’ll try,” he mumbles above my head with a sigh.

“Well, try really hard. Or I’ll go out there and fuck any guy who talks to me.”

“Geez, Sienna.” He pushes me back and frowns down at me. “Why you gotta talk like that?”

I cross my arms with a huff. “Because you don’t listen otherwise.”

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