Page 5 of Rush
"Right." She doesn't believe me. I can see it in her eyes. "Thanks for the save but I had it handled."
"I know."
"Do you? Because that was a bit much for a drunk guy stumbling."
She's right and I know it. My reaction was disproportionate.
But the thought of him touching her made something snap.
"Won't happen again," I say.
"Which part? The overreaction or the saving?"
"The overreaction."
"Good, because I don't need saving." She walks past me, back toward the old ladies, and I watch her go.
My hands are still shaking so I shove them in my pockets.
Tank appears beside me. "You good?"
"Yeah."
"That was intense."
"He touched her."
"He was drunk and he stumbled. He wasn't attacking her."
"I know."
"Then why'd you react like he was?"
I don't answer because I don't have one, not one that makes sense anyway.
Tank sighs. "You need to get your head straight, brother. This job is going to eat you alive if you don't."
He's right.
I know he's right.
But knowing that doesn't change the fact I wanted to break that guy's face for touching her. It doesn't change the territorial instinct that kicked in the second his hands made contact.
I stay at the clubhouse until Everly leaves at around eleven, then I walk her to her car again.
She doesn't say much, just unlocks her door and looks at me. "You don't have to do this every time, you know."
"I know."
"But you're going to anyway."
"Yeah."
She shakes her head but she's almost smiling. "You're something else, Rush."
"So I've been told."
She gets in her car and I watch her drive away, my chest tight and my mind already planning when I'll see her next.
