“What are we talking about ladies?” My attention snaps to a tall, dark-haired man standing in front of our table with a couple of drinks. “I’m Brad, and this is my friend, Jared. Mind if we join you?”

My eyes flit to blond guy, Jared. He’s wearing a hopeful smile that makes his brown eyes twinkle. Both guys are pretty cute. Nowhere near as attractive as Xavier, but cute nonetheless.

I glance over at Quinn, and she shrugs, pulls out a flirty grin, and turns her attention back to the two guys in front of me. “I’m Quinn, and this is my cousin, Anna.”

Brad takes that as an invitation and takes a seat next to Quinn, sliding one of the beers he brought with him in her direction. “What brings you girls out tonight?”

Quinn explains we’re just out having a drink to unwind, and I take a second to glance over in Xavier’s direction as Jared slides a chair from the table beside us directly in front of me. Despite the obstacle I can still clearly see Xavier glaring at Jared’s back, watching every move he makes.

“I’m Jared.” I smile at him politely as he extends a hand toward me.

“Nice to meet you,” I say after shaking his hand.

I know getting to know new people is high on Quinn’s list of fun activities for us this summer, but I still can’t help feeling awkward. My flirting skills need some work.

“So, umm, are you from around here?”

I can’t tell if Jared’s actually interested in me, or if he’s just taking one for the team so his buddy can talk to Quinn. I shake my head and finish off my drink, feeling my toes start to tingle. I giggle as I wonder if this is what it feels like to have a buzz. “Nope. I’m actually from Portland.”

“Wow. Are you just visiting or what?”

“I’m a transplant—moved here today, actually. Quinn is my new roomie.”

I flick my tongue around in my mouth, amazed by how foreign it feels in my mouth as I speak, and giggle again. I lift the glass to my lips, but grow disappointed when I remember that it’s empty.

“I really like these things. They taste so fruity. You can’t even taste the alcohol.”

Jared grins and taps my empty glass. “Let me get you another drink.”

I rest my chin in my hand and smile, thinking of how nice Jared seems. “That would be great.”

When he gets up, I glance around, noticing there are a lot more people in here than an hour or so ago when we first arrived. Just then a voice pipes up over the low music that was playing, and a DJ announces that he’s taking over before an up-tempo song blasts through the speakers.

“Oh!” Quinn squeals in my ear. “I love this song! Let’s dance, Anna.”

She nudges me out of the booth before turning around and shouting at Brad to watch our seats. Typically I’m not a “dance in public” kind of girl, but with the way the liquor has me loosened up, and the heavy thump of bass pounding through me, all I feel like doing is letting go.

She stops at the edge of the floor. “Let’s give them a little show, cuz.”

I laugh as she grabs my hands and starts rocking her hips to the music, forcing me to follow her lead. “Where’d you learn to dance like this?”

“I should ask you the same question, girl. You’ve got some moves.”

I grin. “My undergrad degree is in dance. I’ve always been fascinated. There was a girl in one of my classes who taught me a few freestyle moves and introduced me to the beauty of top forty pop.”

“Oh, if Uncle Simon ever found out, you would’ve been toast.” She laughs and tosses her dark hair around. “Whip your hair around. It drives guys crazy!”

I mimic her actions just as I feel a hand slip up on my hip and see Brad push up behind Quinn.

“You look great out here. Very sexy!” Jared says in my ear as he hands me a drink.

“Thanks!” I shout so he can hear me over the music as I lift the drink to my lips.

My arm stops in mid-air, and I stare down at the fingers wrapped around my wrist. My vision follows the thick fingers, to the wrist, up the tattooed arm, broad chest, finally resting on a light-blue pooled iris. Xavier’s jaw flexes as he stares over my head at Jared, who has completely stilled behind me. “Don’t ever take a drink from a random guy. That’s lesson one in this cruel reality, beautiful. Not all guys are nice.”

He grabs the drink from my hand and slams the plastic cup down on the floor, splattering its pink liquid all over a group of guys standing a little too close watching the action unfold. With a sharp tug he pulls me behind him, effectively putting a wall of muscle between Jared and me.

Xavier stares down at Jared, his fingers flexing into fists at his sides. It’s like he’s ready to rip into my would-be dance partner. “You think I didn’t see what you put in her drink back there, motherfucker? There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow a little pecker-stain like you to attempt to drug this girl and get away with it.”

All the blood drains from Jared’s face, leaving his skin pale, and his mouth hanging open in shock. But more frighteningly, he doesn’t deny the accusations. Xavier shakes his head in disgust. “You just gave me the green light to end your fucking world.”

Jared raises his hands in surrender and takes a step back. “Hey, man. I don’t know what you think you saw, but I don’t want any trouble.”

Xavier rolls his shoulders. “You should’ve thought about that a few minutes ago because trouble is my middle name, and my foot has been twitching all night to kick your fucking ass.”

“I’m sorry, okay.” Jared’s voice shakes as his eyes flit to Brad, who seems content on staying the hell away. “We’ll just go.”

Some friend you’ve got there, Jared, leaving you to hang out to dry.

Xavier shakes his head and laughs darkly. “Go? You think I’ll let you just leave after that shit? You must be out of your fucking mind.”

Jared turns to leave but Xavier grabs him by the bicep, turning him back around before drawing back his fist to crush every bone in Jared’s skull. The instant I realize what’s going on I gasp.

I can’t let this happen. He can’t get into trouble over me.

I wrap both of my hands around his elbow, clinging on for dear life as I scream, “No!”

Xavier jerks his gaze to me, his thick eyebrows knitted in confusion. “You don’t want me to pound this punk?”

I shake my head vigorously. “I don’t want you to get into any trouble. He’s not worth it.”

“He’s not, but you are.”

The intense connection that always pulls me to him assaults me full force and I can tell he feels it too.

I stare into his eyes as I cling to him, my fingers woven together so tightly that they’re numb, while he waits for me to give the word to destroy Jared. I have to remain calm and try to defuse the situation before things get ugly, and Xavier gets arrested for murdering a man while defending me.

“Let him go and we’ll leave.”

His hard eyes soften a bit. “Together?”

I nod. “Anywhere you want to go.”

A wicked smile cracks his face, and a weird tingle erupts in my belly. Maybe I shouldn’t have promised that—who knows what’s on that naughty mind of his. But if that means walking out of here without Xavier in handcuffs, I’m game.

Xavier directs his attention back to Jared. “Looks like it’s your lucky day, fucker. You should kiss the ground this angel walks on because she just saved your fucking life.”

He releases Jared’s arm. “Don’t let me catch you in here again. Beat it, you fucking pussy.”

Jared and Brad push past Quinn, wasting no time getting as far away from us as possible. For a second I feel a little guilty for ruining my cousin’s fun—Brad seemed nice enough—but the old saying that goes “a man is known for the company he keeps” rolls through my brain, so Brad’s probably a date rapist too. In a way I guess I kind of saved her, well, Xavier saved her—us.

Quinn smirks as her eyes drift down to where I’m still tightly clutching my sexy savior and I quickly detach myself from him, only to be instantly reconnected with him when he grabs my hand and tugs me toward the exit. I turn and wave at my cousin as I’m pulled away.