Page 28 of Danger

“You're not doing this here.”

“Danger, I was just?—”

“Don’t.” His voice drops. Not louder—lower somehow. “Whatever game you think you’re playin’, you can play it somewhere else.”

Rylee lets out a sharp breath, then forces a high-pitched laugh. “Oh my God, I need another drink. I cannot deal with this tonight.”

Danger still doesn’t raise his voice. Doesn’t lean forward. Doesn’t move at all.

Which somehow makes it so much worse.

“I don’t care what you do,” he says flatly. “But this isn’t how you talk to people. And it sure as hell isn’t how you talk toher.”

The word lands like a door slamming shut.

Rylee’s smile vanishes. Just… gone.

Her friends glance at each other. Quick, uncomfortable looks—the kind people share when they realize they picked the wrong side of something. One of them suddenly finds the floor fascinating. The other reaches for her arm.

“Ry, let’s just—go over there?”

Rylee hears it. Sees it—the shift.

“He’s just upset right now,” she says quickly, waving a hand like she can smooth this over. “He’ll come around sooner or later.”

Danger shifts closer to me, his arm brushing mine, his eyes never leaving hers.

No one agrees.

Her friends are already steering her away, their grips more firm than friendly. She goes, but her steps aren’t nearly as confident as when I first saw her.

And she keeps looking back.

Not at him.

At me.

Danger stares them down until the last pair of heels is out of range. He stands there for a second more, just in case.

When he finally looks at me, it’s as if the rest of the room ceases to exist. “You good?”

Somehow his question makes my throat tighten.

Why did he just do that? Why did he stand up for me?

I nod once. “I just—I need to help with the bar.”

I turn before he can say anything else.

The bar's busier than Honey expected. Empty glasses are everywhere. I grab two, then three, stack them against my chest. I don’t look at him, but I can feel him behind me.

“I told you this bar wasn’t a good place for you. You can’t let people like that get to you.”

I snort before I can stop myself. “Easy for you to say. She doesn’t want to make your life miserable.”

He huffs a laugh. “You wanna bet?”

“It’s different for me, okay? People respect you. They don’t respect me. She didn’t come back here for the stale beer.” I swallow. “Once someone like Rylee decides you're the joke… everyone else joins in because it makes them feel better aboutthemselves. They won't quit until I give them the reaction they're looking for.” My voice catches. “I need this job, Danger.”