Page 125 of Outcast
“What the hell is he doing here?” Gray growled. “I didn’t think this was his scene.”
“Who, Dallas?” Axel said. “He only comes in when he wants toslumit. Guy’s a real piece of work.”
Dallas came to a stop in front of us.
“Well, look at the cozy couple,” he drawled. “Careful who you hang out with, Em. You don’t want to be tainted by Forrester trash.”
“What did you say?” Axel said, jumping from his barstool. “Who’s trash?”
“He’s just jealous,” Gray said. “Because Emory doesn’t want him, and he knows it.”
I winced. That was true, but saying it so bluntly wasn’t likely to encourage Dallas to move on.
Dallas let his gaze travel along my body, then looked at Gray with a smirk. “He’s got a sweet ass, but I don’t really go for sloppy seconds.” He flicked a glance at Axel. “Or is it thirds?”
Gray took a fast step forward. “Shut your mouth.”
Dallas looked triumphant. He was getting exactly the reaction he wanted. “You should have seen the way Emory was panting for me in my car. He was begging for it.”
I gasped, horrified. “I wasnot!”
“He was a real tease, putting up a fight like he did,” he said with a chuckle. “But that’s just part of the fun, isn’t it?”
Gray grabbed Dallas by the collar and spun to shove him against the bar. “I said, shut your fucking mouth! No one talks about Emory like that.”
Damn. I shouldn’t like violence, but Gray standing up for me like that was sexy. Still, I didn’t want him getting in any trouble.
I tugged his arm. “Let’s just go, Gray. He’s not worth it.”
Dallas kept running his mouth because he didn’t know when to quit. “He’ll get tired of slumming it eventually, and then he’ll come crawling to me.”
Gray scoffed. “Yeah, in your pathetic dreams.”
I gave another tug, and Gray released Dallas and turned toward me. “Sorry, golden boy. I shouldn’t have?—”
“Gray!” Axel shouted in warning.
But it was too late. Dallas swung a barstool, catching Gray’s shoulder and sending him to the ground.
Axel snatched the barstool, tugging it away before he could hit Gray again.
“Son of a bitch,” Gray groaned.
I couldn’t check on him, though. Red fury was eating up my vision. Dallas had struck Gray from behind like a coward. He’d tried to assault me. He’d harassed me. And I’d taken it.
But no more.
I lunged forward, swinging. “Don’t youdarehurt Gray!”
My fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head back.
Dallas snarled and rushed toward me. Axel hooked an arm around him from behind and dragged him back, both of them crashing into a table and hitting the ground.
“Hey, cut it out!” Deputy Harvey yelled, charging across the room.
Gray surged to his feet. “Holy shit, are you okay? I can’t believe you did that.”
I shook out my throbbing fist. I hadn’t been in a fight since middle school. “Me either.”
