Page 9 of Forever My Protector

I took a swig of my beer.“Nah, for tonight I’m your wingman.Now, go over there and talk to her.She’s hot.”

“Hey, that could be the future Mrs.Damon Ryder you’re talking about.”He punched my arm.“But, yeah, she is kind of hot.”

When he was gone, I waited for the bartender to come back around so I could order another beer, too.That was when I heard high-pitched giggling coming from a group of girls.One of them stumbled on the bar stool next to me and then toppled, while the other, who looked a lot like Max’s wife, tried to help her but couldn’t stop laughing because she seemed so smashed she couldn’t even get her arms around her.Once they were both sitting down, I saw the other one come into clear view.It was Scarlet.Only she didn’t look as sober as she was today.Instead, she was giggling as she spoke to the bartender who had just approached her.When he prepared shots for all of them, she shouted, “Wooo!”and guzzled one down.Then another.Then another.It was none of my business whether or not she got smashed, so I ordered another beer and just sat there.

“Shit, I am so sorry,” one of her friends said, as she stumbled into me, trying to walk on her own two feet to the dance floor.Scarlet came by and hooked her arm around her, not once lifting her head up to notice it was me.But I noticed her, she looked adorable with her light brown hair tied back in a cheerleader-like ponytail with a satin red bow.

When she lifted her head, her beautiful brown eyes grew wide and it seemed the shock sobered her up a little.“Colt,” she exclaimed, “what are you doing here?”

“Just enjoying my night, you?”Honestly, I was enjoying a whole hell of a lot more now that she was here.I couldn’t help but notice how sexy she looked in that short jean skirt and camisole that barely covered her boobs.Honestly, it looked like they might pop out at any second and all I could think about was what I could do, whether my hands would fit perfectly around—

Her friend’s loud call startled me out of my reverie.“Scar, we’re going to dance.See you later!”

Scar apologized on her friends’ behalf, managing to get it all out in a coherent sentence.“Did she spill anything on you, because I’m more than happy to pay for your dry-cleaning.”She was clearly still a little out of it, though, because her hands immediately ran down my shirt, her hands lingering on my chest and her eyes meeting mine.She licked her lips and then shook her head.“I have to pee,” she said really loudly.Okay, then.

I wrapped my arm around her when I noticed her wobble as she started walking away.“The restroom is that way.”I pointed.She was going in the opposite direction.

“I knew that,” she mumbled.“I’ve been here before.I just forgot, that’s all.”She laughed and I could smell the alcohol on her breath or maybe that was just the general aroma of the club.Either way, it was strong, and it was a reminder to me that she was drunk.“See, I told Brooke every time she had an idea, it went wrong.First year of college I ended up sleeping with the PA for one of my classes.Second year of college Brooke and I snuck into the principal’s office and changed our grades.Third year of college I had sex with my high school dean.He was so hot,” she started to slur at the end.

I kept my arm around her and guided her to the restroom.“Why don’t you go to the bathroom and then I take you home?”

“No, because that would mean that I didn’t stay and I promised Rach I wouldn’t bail on her and Brooke.I haven’t been back in so long and I miss my girls, you know?”

“I’m sure they’ll forgive you,” I supplied.“Here, the ladies’ room.Do you think you can handle it the rest of the way?”

“Mmhmm,” she moaned.If she wasn’t wasted, I would’ve been more turned on by that sound.

Just then, her face got pale and she gagged.“Colt, I don’t feel so good.”Fuck.I knew what was coming.I held her hair back as she puked on the floor in front of the ladies’ room.“I think you should take me home now,” Scar said.

“Didn’t you have to go to the bathroom?”

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and closed her eyes.“That can wait.I—” and I grabbed her as she passed out.

I picked her up and carried out her out of the club in my arms.I passed her friends on the dance floor and they immediately began freaking out.“Oh my gosh, what happened?”one of them asked.

“She passed out.I’m going to take her home.”

“Wait, Colt!”Brooke said as if seeing me for the first time tonight.“All right.Thank you.”She knew her friend was in no danger with me.

“Call a ride share, you two.”

Brooke nodded.“Absolutely.That’s exactly what Rach and I will do, right?Oh, and don’t tell Max,” she hollered at me.“He doesn’t like it when I get this drunk late at night.”It was two a.m.

I nodded.What Brooke did was her business and what Max wanted and didn’t want his wife doing was their business.Right now, the only thing that I was making my business was making sure Scar got home safe and sound.The last thing I needed was something happening to Brandon’s sister on my watch, too.

* * *

I found her apartment keys in her purse after rummaging through a whole bunch of other crap.Women weren’t kidding when they said they had their whole lives in their purse.She had different lipsticks, chapstick, a wallet, what I could only imagine were tampons and a whole bunch of other stuff.

“Home sweet home,” I muttered to mostly myself once I got in, considering Scar was still sleeping in my arms, her arms wrapped around my neck, my hand tucked under her butt to make sure I held her properly in case she loosened her grip on my neck.She stirred a bit in my arms and a chuckle came out of her.“You can put me down now,” she half-slurred.

“I think I’ll just get you the few feet to your bedroom and put you down there.”

“That’s so nice,” she said.“Nick would never do this for me.In fact—” She placed a finger on my lips.“He’s not through with me yet.He’s coming for me and I can’t stop him.”

I had no idea what she was talking about, but whatever it was I had a feeling was one of the main reasons she let herself get so drunk tonight.Nick sounded like a possessive boyfriend, maybe (hopefully) ex.I laid her down gently on the bed, and she curled up immediately and rested her hands under her head on the pillow.“Stay with me, please.I don’t want to be alone.”

I tucked her in and she grabbed my arm before I walked away.The tingle that I felt run through my body only confirmed what I already knew—that I was attracted to her.“Please,” she begged.

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