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I catch sight of Daniel as he cuts through the room, making a beeline toward us.
I release Sadie’s wrist as if she burned me. My face is on fire where she hit me, but no one seems to care that she struck me and I was defending myself by simply stopping her from doing it again. They see what they want to see—a man holding a woman against her will.
I could ask if anyone saw her hit me, I’m sure someone did, if not everyone. But what’s the point? I’m not going to change anyone’s mind, no matter how much I argue… even if I’m right.
“Daniel, she hit him.” Isla’s voice rings out. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
I glance up, meeting Isla’s gaze even though she’s focused on the manager. But her words are met with a chilly attitude, and when I scan the room, all I see are averted eyes and cold shoulders. Like I said, there’s no changing anyone’s minds - even with the truth.
But Daniel shakes his head, his jaw set. “It doesn't matter. You know the drill.”
“Fine.” The word is clipped and obviously a white flag in this battle I’m tired of fighting.
As I stand up to leave, my chest tightens and fury sweeps through me. The whispers follow me across the bar, but I couldn't care less what their opinions of me are. But before I can step out, Daniel speaks up.
“Wait,” he says, making his way toward me.
I face him, wondering what he’s up to. “We’re sick of you fighting here, Walker,” he says in a low tone. “Maybe make yourself scarce for a while.”
I don’t bother wasting my breath on a reply.
My gaze sweeps across the bar, feeling the hate in every stare, the cold judgment of people who just want to feel superior to someone, anyone. There’s already a crowd of men around Susan, but I don’t give a damn about her.
No, it’s Isla's eyes that snag mine—wide, flecked with concern and sadness.
“Sorry,” I mutter to her, though I'm not sure why I'm apologizing to her. She gives a slight nod, her lips parting as if she has something to say, but no words come. Maybe my plan has been working. Though this may have set me back, I made sure to have contingency plans, of course.
I’m ready for the cold night air, but before pushing the door open, I glance back at her one more time. Our eyes lock, and something bolts between us, a shock that has her bringing her fingers to her lips as if I’ve kissed her and that has my body reacting to her in a way it shouldn’t while I’m standing here. Thank God for cold air.
I step out and the door closes behind me. With brisk steps, I shove my hands into my pockets, a smile crossing my face. Now that I think about it, that couldn’t have gone any better than it did. There’s something else I need to do - I pull out my phone and make a call. If they want to start a war, I’ll ride into battle tonight.
Chapter Six
Isla
I can see Walker’s date surrounded by guys trying to convince her that they’re the one who can protect her and love her like she deserves. And she’s loving every second of the attention. I’m disgusted, not just by the scene that had played out with Walker, but also by the sound of her slapping him, the sudden silence that followed, and how Daniel told Walker to leave, as if he wasn’t the one wronged.
I get that Walker fights. He’s trouble. But this… this isn’t right. But the thought of how he’d reacted swiftly, his reflexes obviously honed from years of needing to protect himself, catching her wrist mid-air... The gesture wasn’t aggressive, just... protective.
“Daniel,” I say, but he lifts a hand in a sharp gesture for me to be quiet.
“He’s trouble. And it’s easier this way. We don’t have to worry about him being a problem in the future, either.” Daniel’s no-nonsense tone says I’m wasting my time trying to talk sense into him.
Daniel's jaw clenches as his gaze fixes on something by the door, and my heart thumps as I turn to follow his stare.
As if summoned by our conversation, Walker walks back into the bar, his presence sucking every last hint of oxygen out of the air. I know that look - he’s ready to fight.
“Walker, don’t,” I say softly, and his gaze flicks to me as if considering my words before dismissing them. His mind is made up and things are about to go south.
“I told you to make yourself scarce.” Daniel’s tone tells me he also knows what’s about to happen, and he’s ready. As he rolls up his sleeves, I try again to disarm the situation before it can blow up even more.
“Daniel, he was just protecting himself,” I say, my voice rising above the sudden outburst of whispers and hushed voices. The air is charged, and everyone has to feel what’s going to happen next. I notice - with some satisfaction, I won’t lie - that the men around Walker’s date dropped by half the moment he walked back in the door.
I know my words fall on deaf ears as Daniel strides over to Walker. The men stand toe to toe, and I try to calm my racing heart. I don’t want this to happen. Not now, not ever.
Then, like lightning, Daniel's fist arcs through the air, aimed at Walker's powerful jaw.
But Walker, with the grace of a great cat, evades the blow, his body moving with a fluidity that belies his solid frame. In a heartbeat, he counters with a jab that's too fast to see but impossible to miss. Daniel’s head snaps back, his nose gushing blood as he lets out a sharp grunt of pain and fury.
