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“Make me!” Kirk barked back. “You’re always pulling this! Acting like you’re in control of everything?—”

“I think the lady told you to get the hell out of here.” Suddenly, Parker was standing in front of Kirk, tapping him on the shoulder. “Which means, it’s time for you to get the hell out of here.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Kirk turned around to face him, before he threw another look over at Sadie. “Do you know him?”

“No—” Sadie started, her head shaking. “Kirk, stop?—”

“That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You don’t care about me hooking up with some girl. You just want to hook up with other guys, like this asshole!”

“Of course, she wants to hook up with other guys! Look at how you’re acting right now!” Parker said as he nodded toward her. “You’re scaring her and you don’t even care. You’re scaring me, too, frankly, but that’s okay. I know that people like you get off on scaring people because you’re scared yourself. Scared that we’re all going to see you for who you really are.”

Parker took a step closer to Kirk, closing the distance between them. “And who you are is the exact kind of slimeball who’d terrorize a woman half his size in public just so you can feel like a big man. Was it worth it? Do you finally feel like a big man?”

“You fucking piece of shit—” It was the last thing Kirk said before he drew back his fist, a punch headed straight in Parker’s direction.

But before he had a chance to land the hit, I was there, my own palm covering his fist, stopping him right in his tracks.

“You don’t want to start this fight, Kirk,” I said, my voice calm. “You really should just go home.”

“Or what? You’re going to kick my ass?” He scoffed.

“Why? Do you really think I can?” I asked, faux innocence in my tone. Kirk and I both knew that I could’ve easily taken him, unless he was in complete denial. It wasn’t something I was into, using my physical presence to intimidate people, but with guys who were acting like Kirk, all bets were off. I was happy to intimidate him if it kept him away from this bar, especially if it kept Sadie safe, too.

“Fuck you, dude.” Kirk backed away from me before he shot a final look over at Sadie. “And fuck you, too, Sadie. I’m glad we’re through. I can do a lot better, anyway.”

Kirk finally walked out of the bar, an annoyed look on his face, just as Sadie wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. “Thanks for that, Nicholas. Things looked like they were about to get bad.”

She then moved toward Parker, pulling him into a tight hug, too. “And thank you, too, you perfect stranger.”

“No problem. I have a pretty bad allergy to guys like that. If I don’t say something to them, it really agitates my sinuses,” Parker replied, with a bright smile.

“Do you need a ride home?” I asked Sadie, my hands resting on my hips. “Because Parker and I were just about to head out, anyway?—”

“I’ll be okay.” Sadie offered me a small smile. “Thanks for the offer, though. And don’t worry about closing out your tab. I’ll make sure to tell my manager that your drinks are on the house tonight.”

“Ah, the perks of being nice people.” Parker chuckled. “Free drinks are the best reason to do anything good, really.”

“Come on. Let’s go before they rescind the offer,” I joked, nudging Parker toward the exit and out into the parking lot.

Blood. Blood running down my shirt.

Specks of blood on my shoes.

My knuckles reverberating with pain.

Pain. Pain. Pain.

Memories playing out behind my eyes, my hands slightly shaking as I gripped the wheel. It was like all the pent-up adrenaline from the fight that didn’t happen back at the bar was finally coursing through me, and it was hitting me like a ton of bricks. I hadn’t been in a fight in years, on purpose, not since?—

Not since something I didn’t want to really ever think about again.

“Hey. You okay?” Parker quirked an eyebrow as he looked over at me from the passenger seat of the car. “You look like you were thinking about something heavy.”

“Just thinking about what happened back there,” I started as I turned a corner. “Or I guess what didn’t happen.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that,” Parker murmured. “I could’ve gotten us in some real trouble with the whole running my mouth thing. I just… I don’t know. I don’t like guys like that thinking no one’s ever going to stand up to them. I feel like if we don’t push back, this whole world’s just going to be overrun by bullies.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me about that.” I shook my head as I spoke. “I know a thing or two about standing up to assholes.”

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