Ethan leapt to his feet, opened his wallet, and slapped some bills on the table. “Have a good night.” He moved his way through the crowd, keeping his eyes on his target. The woman he’d left behind scoffed and made a rude remark.
He didn’t care.
People loitered near the exit. Without slowing down, he parted the crowd. The warm night air hit him in the face. The late July humidity made his shirt cling to his chest when he stepped outside.
His eyes zeroed in on them. They were halfway across the parking lot. The dude’s hand curled possessively around her elbow as he dragged her across the gravel. Much too quick for Riley’s staggered footsteps. She didn’t appear to be putting up a fight, but with the drunken wobble of her legs, that didn’t reassure him. Distaste swirled over Ethan’s tongue.
Don’t overreact. This is none of your business.
It wasn’t his business, but goddammit, he couldn’t stand around and let her leave with the douchebag. The reasonable part of his brain that still worked shouted at him to remain cool. He had to give him the benefit of the doubt. For all he knew the guy was going to put her in a cab. He wouldn’t step in unless it appeared otherwise. Any man that took an intoxicated woman home from the bar had only one thing in mind. She threw her head back and cackled, her steps wavered, and she slouched against the man’s side.
The guy’s hand extended in the air. A soft beep-beep sounded through the night, and the headlights of his red Ford Mustang flashed. Every muscle in Ethan’s body tensed.
Like hell.
She laughed again at something he’d said. Her cowboy-booted toe caught the gravel and she pitched forward. She landed on her hands and knees, and then rolled to sit on her ass, her giggles erupting through the night. She was plastered.
His feet crunched over the gravel as he approached. The man slid his hands under her arms and hauled her to her feet.
“I want smum more alcohol.”
The thundering of blood through his skull drowned out the soft slurs of her voice.
“Come on girl, I have tequila at my house.”
“Let her go.” Ethan’s voice boomed through the wall of humidity. The screeching cicadas around them silenced before beginning their symphony again. His movements didn’t slow. The man lifted his bent head, the salacious smile evaporated from his face. He took a step back. He was of medium-build, but next to Ethan, he lacked size and mass.
Riley reeled to face him. Her eyes widened on his face. “What are you doing here?”
Fire shot from her green eyes, enough to sear him to the spot. Huh. Two minutes ago, she’d been drunk and on her ass. Now she didn’t slur a single syllable. There was no way she’d sobered up that quickly. What the hell was she trying to pull?
Ethan stopped inches from her. “Hello to you too, Riley.”
“Do you know him?” the man’s voice wavered, his eyes racked over Ethan.
Riley’s gaze never left his. “No, I don’t.”
She turned, but Ethan stopped her. The skin above her elbow was smooth beneath the rough pads of his fingers. When the prick reached for her, Ethan stepped between them. Withhis back to him, Ethan’s senses sparked. The muscles in his back bunched anticipating an attack. His training still deeply ingrained in his psyche.
“You’re drunk, and I’m not letting you leave with this douchebag, all right? I’ll call you a cab.”
Her brow snapped down. She was so short next to him, her eyes were level with his sternum. She yanked her arm out of his grasp. “I’m fine. Mind your own business.”
She stepped around him. “Come on, Ryan.”
Her eyes burned into Ethan’s. “Let’s go.”
The man snickered and welcomed her to his extended arm. “See ya later, bro.”
He should back away. He should let her do whatever the hell she wanted. He cracked his knuckles. Not happening.
In one swoop, he caught the man’s shirt collar and yanked him backward. Ryan stumbled and flopped across the loose stones on his ass. Ethan stepped over top of him, his hand fisted at the throat of his shirt.
“Let him go, you maniac.” Riley shrieked behind him. She pulled on the back of his shirt with the strength of a squirrel. He ignored her.
“You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing getting a young woman plastered and taking her home?” Ethan gave him a shake when he didn’t answer. The man’s hat flew off revealing dark, close-cropped hair.
“She came on to me, man,” he wailed. “I didn’t know she was with anyone.”
