Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men 9)

He’d been the only person to ever call me Julia. It was a pretty name, sure, but not my name, so it’d always annoyed me. A lot of things he did had annoyed me, and I hadn’t realized until later that he’d been trying to reinvent me as someone else the whole time we’d been together—changing my name, telling me how to wear my hair, what clothes he liked me in, all sorts of stupid controlling crap.

Sending him a look full of get the fuck away from me, I repeated, “Like I said, there’s nothing to talk about. Who I date now is none of your fucking business.” I turned away from him, but he growled and lunged forward over the counter to grab my arm, yanking me hard back to him.

“Don’t you fucking turn away from me, bitch.”

“Hey!” Brandt yelled, finally noticing us from his end of the bar. “Hands off, buddy.” He pointed at Shaun as he strode forward, and Shaun immediately let go of me, lifting his hands and straightening away from the bar.

“Out.” Brandt motioned toward the exit, staring Shaun down with a glare. “Get the fuck out and don’t come back.”

After sending me a look that promised retribution, Shaun turned away. I immediately rubbed my wrist, trying to dispel the pain he’d left behind.

Brandt touched my elbow. “Are you okay? What happened? Who was that?”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, shaking my head and hoping he would drop it. Motioning toward where Shaun was now stalking out the front door, I said, “He’s an ex.”

“Pleasant one,” Brandt answered sarcastically, only for concern to enter his gaze when a freaking tear slipped down my cheek. “Why don’t you take a break?”

I shook my head. It was busy as hell. I wasn’t abandoning him. But when I tried to turn to the next customer awaiting an order, he growled, “Julianna. I’m serious. Go pull yourself back together. You’re shaking. I got this.”

Dammit. I looked down at my hands and they were shaking.

Feeling a little too exposed, I nodded and hurried off. I only spent a couple minutes by myself in the break room, pacing the floor and blowing out calming breaths before I returned to the bar, but it was enough time to straighten my shit out.

Brandt eyed me with concern. “Better?”

I nodded and sent him a bolstered smile. “Yep. Thanks.”

He kept a sharp eagle eye on me for the rest of the night, though. I wanted to snap and tell him to cut it out—it freaking unnerved me. But he was just concerned, and he was my friend—plus Colton’s brother—so I just gritted my teeth and put up with it.

When he walked me to my car after our shift because we were required by Pick to always walk to our cars in the dark with buddies, he said, “I’m going to follow you home.”

I sighed. “You don’t have to do that.” But the look he sent me told me he was going to follow me home anyway. And okay, I kind of appreciated it. I wasn’t too sure whether Shaun would be waiting at my apartment or not. He’d looked pretty pissed earlier.

“Okay, thank you,” I relented.

It was weird having his headlights in my rearview mirror the entire way home, but also comforting. I planned to wave him off as soon as I parked. But he surprised me when he pulled into the spot next to mine.

“What’re you doing?” I asked in alarm when he stepped out of his truck after turning off the engine.

“I’m making sure you get to your door okay.”

“Brandt, seriously.” I let out a small laugh as I glanced around the deadly quiet area between here and my front door. “There’s no need. He’s not here. I’m fine.” Besides, what he was doing reminded me too much of the night Colton had brought me home after I’d seen Shaun at the frat party. It kind of felt like he was ruining my Colton moment by replaying it now with his own.

“Juli, I am making sure you get to your door okay,” he repeated. “End of discussion.”

I sent him an irritated scowl and tried a new route. “What would your wife think?”

The dry look he returned told me just how unimpressed he was by the question. “My wife would kick my ass if I didn’t make sure you got home completely safe and sound.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “You want me to wake her up and prove it to you?”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “No, don’t bother Sarah. Just… Fine. Whatever. Follow me to my door if it’s that important to you.”

“Good. I will.”

It was an awkward, quiet walk up to my apartment. Brandt stayed a step behind and to my right. Kind of like a bodyguard.

For some reason, I suddenly remembered what Colton had told me about the boy who’d been molested by his mother. It was strange to think of something like that happening to Brandt. And I knew I shouldn’t, but I was suddenly happy it hadn’t been Colton who’d gone through what Brandt had. Colton still carried the guilt of running away that night, but he had a strong constitution. He’d get through it. I was just beyond relieved he hadn’t had to experience it firsthand.

At my door, I paused and glanced back at Brandt, sending him a genuine smile. “Thank you. Even though it was completely unnecessary. I appreciate your concern.”