Page 3 of Brand Me, Cowboy's Second Chance

“You defending 'em 'cause you're screwing one of 'em again? I got something for you if you come home with me tonight.” He staggers and puts a hand on her arm.

I see red.

"Say it again." Anny jerks her hand away and balls her fist. She’s never been one to back down from a fight.

But she isn’t going to get the chance tonight. This asshole is all mine. I cut through the crowd like a blade. It takes me two steps to get to her before she can swing.

"Back the fuck off," I bark, loud enough to snap heads.

The dude turns just in time to put a hand to my chest, and it's a big mistake on his part.

"Fallon?" Somewhere behind me, I hear Anny's voice, but it's too late. “Fallon don’t?—”

But it's too late.

I yank the man backward and send him stumbling over a barstool. He crashes onto the floor like the sack of shit he is. The place erupts. People scatter. The bouncer tries to pull me off. I take a step back willingly.

But the dude makes the fatal mistake of getting to his feet. He throws a sloppy punch in my direction, so I lunge again. This time he’s down for a three count.

“It’s done.” Danner puts a hand on my shoulder as I loom over the man.

I shake him off. My heart pounds furiously in my chest. "I'm not done until this asshole is done. That's how it goes. I don't make the rules, but I sure as fuck am gonna follow them."

Security surrounds me as I stare him down. The man shouts, slurring and mumbling in my direction. I put up my hands and tell them I’ll leave as they drag the man toward the back doors. I don't take my eyes off him.

I wish he would make a single move in Anny's direction. I'll have every dude on the dance floor laid out flat to get to him in three seconds flat.

"Get out of here. I'll pay your tab. Just go." Danner pushes me toward the exit.

"Okay. Okay. I'm good, I'll leave." I lie.

Danner can't possibly understand the magnetic pull that's anchoring me to Anny. There's no chance of me walking out of here without her. Not when I'm close enough to touch her. Not after all this time.

"Damn you Fallon, I had it handled!" Anny appears in front of me and she’s shouting.

"You were about to get sucker punched." I snap, grabbing her forearm and ignoring the spark of heat that shoots through me. "That's not handling it."

“I could have taken him." She jerks away from me. “I’m not your responsibility.”

"The hell you're not."

My voice booms over the chaos, over the music... over everything. The silence that follows is sharp and immediate. And just like that, I realize the whole damn tavern is watching us. But I don't care.

I look at Anny, and everything in me tightens. Her eyes are wild with adrenaline. Her cheeks are pink and flushed. Her chest rises and falls like she just ran a marathon. Fuck if she doesn't look beautiful. She's wild, dangerous, furious... and still mine. Always mine.

"Let's go," I growl, grabbing her waist.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You are," I say, pulling her toward the back door. "Unless you'd rather me hang out here and put this guy through the drywall next." I gesture at a man running his eyes down Anny’s backside.

“What the hell?” He grumbles at me as he turns away.

She grits her teeth, but doesn't fight me. "You’re a jackass."

We get outside and I'm sure these Findlay boys are happy to see me go. The door slams shut behind us, muffling the bar noise and I let go of her. The air is thick and warm. The smell of stale beer and heat wraps around us like a blanket.

Anny spins to face me in the quiet of the night. Fury etches into every line of her face. I brace myself because I already know what's coming. There won’t be a ‘thank you for rescuing me.’ That’s for damn sure.

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