Love Unrehearsed

I gave them all a glare of warning. “Okay, enough. Before any of you get any bright ideas, this crap is not going down in my pub.

You need to talk? We’ll all talk in the kitchen.

You want to have a beer? Find a place to sit down.”

Ryan drew in an audible breath through his nose that meant I don’t fucking think so.

“Sorry for your loss, but I can tell you that I’m taking care of what’s mine, so you don’t need to worry about Taryn. And I know my man Mike here has Marie covered. I can appreciate your concern but it’s not your place anymore. So what else do you need here?” Thomas grinned, welcoming the challenge like it was his birthday and he was getting just what he’d wished for. “He your spokes-man now?” he asked me, pushing the situation. “I recall when you were with me you had your own opinions on everything.” I stepped into his path, fully aware of his habit of turning his sadness into a fight.

Fine. If it was a fight he was looking for to ease his misery, I’d finally deliver. “That’s because you left me to fend for myself all the time, not caring about my welfare.” Something over his shoulder caught my eye.

That’s when I saw the first cell phone pointed our way. I turned back to Ryan, privately saying, “People are starting to take pictures of this.”

He ducked down and whispered in my ear. “Get rid of him—now—or I will.” He glared at Thomas. “I think it’s time you leave.

There’s nothing here for you, man.” Thomas’s anger became evident. His hands balling into fists didn’t go unnoticed, either. I knew he had come to talk to me and all he was getting was shit from guys he didn’t know.

Ryan moved me to his side so I was out of the way. Mike instantly took a step forward.

Ryan’s eyes never left Thomas. “You feel the need to take a swing at me, do it. We can throw down if it makes you feel like a man.”

“Cocky son of a bitch,” Thomas spat out with disdain, smirking as if what Ryan had just said was funny. I’d seen him act like this before and I knew exactly how it would end.

Ryan stood his ground. “Whatever. I’ve taken and given plenty of punches. But I won’t be the one going to jail for aggravated assault tonight, I can tell you that.”

“Enough. Both of you,” I warned.

Thomas smirked again, ignoring me.

“She’ll get tired of you controlling her eventually. And when she does, I’ll be right here to pick it all back up. You see, you may have this now, but I still have a part of her that you’ll never have. Even now, I know I still get to her.” Thomas leaned in closer. “And when you’re fucking her, know she’ll always be comparing you to me.”

Ryan’s body stiffened and I snapped, stepping back in between them before Ryan reacted to his taunt. “Knock it off. You know, for a second, I pitied you. Now you’re just being an asshole. Get out of my pub. Now!” Mike moved in front of Ryan, squaring off to Thomas when it looked like he wasn’t planning to leave. “Enough, dude.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Thomas sneered.

“Insurance,” Mike answered calmly.

“What are you going to do? Hit me?” Mike was casual but oh so threatening. “If I have to. It’s my job to shut you down before you do something extremely stupid.” Thomas looked at me. “Is he kidding?” I knew Thomas knew how to fight but Mike had hand-to-hand combat training.

There was no doubt who’d be the victor. “I’ve had people threaten to hurt me, Thomas. I suggest you don’t irritate my bodyguard.” He gaped at me. “You have a bodyguard?

Wow. You serious? Why?”

“Because I have what a lot of others wish they had.”

Ryan shifted slightly, silently acknowledging my words.

Thomas scoffed at me. “You’d risk your life for him?”

“Absolutely. There are always risks when you love someone.”

Ryan’s chin tipped up a bit more, standing taller and more forbidding. He had my heart and I had his and there was no confusion there. I also had his back, knowing I would go after Thomas myself before I allowed him to get one step closer to Ryan.

“Huh. Well, when you get tired of all the people snapping your picture and shit, give me a call. Unless you’ve turned into a spoiled gold-digger, too . . .”

I was so livid, I shoved myself in front of Mike.

I felt Ryan’s arm cinch around my waist, moving me to his side and out of the way in one easy sweep. “Get out!” I ordered around Ryan’s lunging body as Pete and Mike blocked him from making contact.