“What?” I managed, breath catching in my throat, stunned by the sharp turn in his demeanor.
“I won’t put up with you dancing likethatin a place likethis,” he snapped.
My mouth parted, but no words came out. His grip was still locked on my arm. I tried to pull away, but he held firm.
“Don’t make me look like a fool,” he hissed, giving me a slight shake. “You didn’t want me the other night, but you’ll dance like that? For everyone to see?”
Before I could process what was happening, a voice cut through the noise—low, dark, and laced with threat.
“Nope.”
His voice was unfamiliar—a tone I’d never once heard from him before—sharp, dangerous, commanding.
Logan’s hand clamped down on Miles’s shoulder, jerking him back hard enough to force him to let go of me.
“What we’re not going to do is talk to her like that,” Logan said, stepping between us. “And you sure as hell don’t put your hands on a woman—especially not this one.”
Miles laughed—a bitter, mocking sound. His eyes flicked from me to Logan, then back again.
He stepped back, stumbling slightly, and that’s when I noticed it.
The redness in his face wasn’t just anger—it was alcohol. Too much of it.
“I’ll leave,” he muttered, throwing his hands in the air. “But she’s coming with me.”
“No, she’s not,” Logan said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. His stance widened, grounding himself like he was ready for a fight.
“You’re getting in that truck out there with Rhodes,” he continued, his tone like steel. “He’s driving your drunk ass home. I’m taking her home, and I’m going to make sure she’s safe. Got it?”
“Everyone take a breather,” I interjected. The way Logan commanded the space left no room for negotiation, but Miles wasn’t leaving without resistance.
They ignored me.
As if on cue, Rhodes appeared at Miles’s side, gripping him by the shoulders.
“Get your hands off me,” Miles snapped, shifting his shoulders to break free of Rhodes’s grasp. “I’m a grown man and can walk by my damn self.”
“Then act like it,” Rhodes replied, which earned him a snarl from Miles.
Both men headed toward the door with Miles in front, leading like this was his choice and not like he was being forced against his will.
Logan and I stood still, watching as the door swung closed behind them.
Around us, the bar slowly came back to life. The girls were returning, their eyes flicking to mine, concern etched into every expression.
Shame burned through me, hot and fast.
I could feel the whispers forming already.
Ellie Cassidy, caught in another toxic mess.
I wanted to cry. To collapse and disappear.
Why did I bring him here? My date had turned the night into a spectacle, in front of my friends—my brother.
Logan’s arm slid around my shoulders, firm and steady, pulling me in.
“Come on,” he said softly.