Page 79 of Just Say When

I could take care of myself just fine.

“What’s wrong with your wrist?” Brax asked, interrupting the silent argument I was having with him. “Why are you rubbing it like that?”

I hadn’t even realized that’s what I was doing. I glanced down. My wrist was a little achy and red, and a bruise the size of Alan’s thumbprint was forming on the pale underside. “It’s nothing. Alan and I had a little disagreement, that’s all.”

Brax’s eyes are black as night in the dimly lit bar. “Alan did this to you?” he asked, quiet rage simmering in his voice.

“He thought we weren’t done talking. I informed him we were.” I glared at the bruise. “I would have laid him flat if I hadn’t been so worried he could use that to take Pirate from me.”

A muscle flickered in his cheek. “Where is he?”

“Don’t,” I warned, and I meant it. “I don’t need you to fight my battles for me. Had I known he was only a one-percent owner, he’d be out back looking for his teeth right about now. But the moment is over. You can’t go chasing him down now because that’s not self-defense. That’s assault.”

For some reason, that didn’t seem to amuse him the way it should have.

“It’s a lawyer joke,” I explained. “Because you’re a lawyer.”

He stared at me, his jaw locked tight, his eyes fathomless. Not finding me funny in the slightest, apparently.

I sighed and glanced around. James and Adam were making an early exit to get home to Ben, and they were taking Zack with them. He was healing pretty well, but with his leg in a cast, he didn’t stay out late, and he didn’t drive.

“Don’t worry about Alan. I can handle him myself. Can we go home now?” I linked my elbow with Brax’s and tugged him along. “It’s been a long week, and I don’t want to end a celebration on a bad note. Let’s go get naked.”

He allowed me to pull him out of the Painted Cat. We met up with James, Adam, and Zack in the parking lot and said our goodbyes.

“See you bright and early tomorrow morning, Essie!” James said with a shit-eating grin.

I grinned right back. I couldn’t wait to get back to work.

“Actually, could you give Essie a ride home?” Brax asked. “There’s something I need to take care of.”

My gaze shot to his. “Brax?—”

“I’m going to pay him, okay? Don’t worry.”

I hesitated. “I could wait for you.”

“You have an early morning. Get some rest.” He pressed a quick, sweet kiss to my lips. “I’ll see you at home. Thirty minutes, tops.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

But all the way home, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have stayed.

31

Brax

Ihad fucked up.

I stared into the dark night as the red taillights disappeared around a bend, taking my wife with them. Seeing nothing but that devastated look of betrayal on her face when I told her the truth.

She could have defended herself from Alan. I knew Jack had taught her well, having been used as her practice dummy on more than one occasion. She could have driven her knee between his legs or punched him right in the solar plexus.

Hell, if she wasn’t in the mood for violence, she could simply have hollered. The bar was packed, and not a single person here tonight would have thought twice about putting Alan on the floor. Janie knew I kept a shotgun behind the bar, and she knew how to use it.

Though, she wouldn’t have hadto use it, because if Essie had screamed, I would have torn Alan apart with my bare hands.

But she hadn’t screamed. She hadn’t fought him off herself, and she sure as hell hadn’t called for my help. So I had sat there, laughing with my brothers, enjoying my beer, while Alan Gaffney put his filthy hand onmy wifeand bruised her fucking wrist.

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