Page 139 of The Rule Breaker
A bitter laugh rattles out of him. He takes a sip of his beer and mutters a low, “Good,” before heading back to the table.
Ryan snorts quietly beside me. “What’s the deal with them? Has Aurora told you anything?”
“Not a thing,” I reply with a shake of my head.
Ryan tips his beer toward his lips, and I flag the bartender for a drink, but before it even hits the bar, I hear the familiar echo of a few voices that make my stomach twist.
I turn around, spotting the guys from my Sports Management class entering together.
They stroll in, laughing loudly as they sit at a table. They don’t see me, and I thank the lord for that, because I know what happens when they do. The backhanded comments. The smug looks. The not-so-subtle reminders that I don’t belong in their little boys’ club.
Ryan’s hand tightens on mine, breaking me out of my thoughts, and I glance at him.
“You good?” he asks, his brows tugging together.
“Yeah,” I lie, swallowing harshly.
His brow lifts, noting something’s off, and shakes his head. “Try again.”
I exhale through my nose, squeezing my eyes closed. “The guys from class are here,” I tell him, seeing his jaw tighten. He knows exactly who I’m talking about.
He doesn’t say anything—just sets his beer down and moves.
I grab his wrist. “Ryan?—”
He turns back to me, and the muscle in his jaw ticks. “Stay here.”
He walks straight to their table and flips a chair around, straddling it backwards, his forearms resting on the top.
I hop off my stool and head closer, trying to listen.
“Oh shit,” one of them laughs nervously. “Reed, what’s up, man?”
Ryan doesn’t smile. Doesn’t blink. “I don’t give a fuck what you’re about to say.”
They blink, taken aback, but before any of them can reply, Ryan cuts them off.
“I just want to know which one of you disrespected my girlfriend.”
They exchange confused glances.
Ryan leans in, narrowing the distance between them. “The girl in your class?” he continues. “The one you clearly think isn’t worthy of being there, just because she’s a woman?” He pauses. “Ring a fucking bell?”
No one answers. No onedares. But they know exactly what he’s talking about. I see it in their wide eyes, and short glances at each other.
Ryan’s lips curl into a cold, dangerous smile. “Here’s the deal, assholes. You don’t get to disrespect her. Not now, not ever. I don’t give a fuck what you think your fragile masculinity is entitled to. If I catch any of you treating her like she’s anything less than the incredible smart as fuck woman she is, I’ll make sure the only thing you’re managing is a hospital bill. Got it?”
One of them swallows hard. Another nods.
Ryan smiles, tapping the table. “Glad we got that sorted.”
He pushes the chair back and walks off, like he didn’t just threaten them into silence. My heart’s pounding. Half from the adrenaline, half from the way he’s looking at me when he comes back.
Like I’m his.
And he’s not sorry about it.
“I thought I told you to stay there,” he says with an arched brow.
