Page 46 of Harvest Brew With the Mountain Man
“Don’t get between two angry men.”
Beckett stands behind West. Brian feels closed in. His wide eyes fill with panic, and he claws at West’s hand at his throat.
“Back the fuck off. This is between my girl and me.”
“She’s not your girl, you shitstain. You’re the pathetic fuck who can’t take no for an answer?”
“Did you fuck her?” Brian yells in West’s face.
West’s hand squeezes. He leans in close. His voice is so low and menacing, I barely hear what he says. “I am the man who loves her, treats her right, honors her decisions, and yes, I fuck her. So good, my name’s the one she’s crying when I make my woman come so hard.”
Brian’s roar is animalistic as he fights West’s hold. That’s when the darkness West spoke of finds him once more. The hand at Brian’s throat swings him around, throwing him once again on the floor. West’s body straddles Brian and swings. And keeps swinging.
“If you ever fucking touch her again, I will find you, I will cut your dick off and make you choke on it, you sick fuck.”
“Asher,” I whisper, tears welling.
At first, Asher and Beckett stand in shock, seeing a side of their brother they’ve never witnessed. Only my brother has seen it.
“Stop him,” I cry. Not for Brian’s sake. I give three shits about him. For West’s sake.
Beckett snaps out of his shock, and both he and Asher wrestle West off Brian, who’s passed out. West’s cry is so primal and painful, I’m sobbing, watching him face this side he’s always feared and misunderstood.
Beckett pushes West’s front against the wall, blocking his movement from behind.
“Rein it in,” Beckett growls. “Look at her.” Then shakes West. “Look at her.” His authoritative tone has West instantly looking over at me. “She’s desperate to comfort you, but I won’t let her near you until I know you’ve reined that shit in. Now.”
Not wanting him to think my tears are fear of him, I nod and mouth, I love you, over and over. The feral darkness in his eyeseventually dissolves, and the gray-green stormy eyes I love so much come back to me. His body sags. And I know the shame narrative is attacking.
I don’t wait for Beckett’s go. I rush to my man, and he breaks from Beckett to meet me halfway. My body collides with him as his concaves over me, curling in so tight, fisting the material of my sweater.
“I’m sorry,” he chokes tears. “I’m sorry,” he whispers repeatedly.
“I’m here, Hero. I’m right here. I love you,” I whisper, running my fingers into his hair. “Look at me.” He shakes his head.
Over his shoulder, Asher and Beckett deal with Brian.
“Calling your brother,” Beckett lets me know. I nod and pull West and me around the fireplace pillar, wanting some privacy.
“Hero, look at me.” My tone is loving but firm.
He finally faces me, devastation lining every ounce of his body. “Don’t you listen to whatever is spiraling in that beautiful head of yours,” I tell him. I cup his bearded cheek. “I love you. All of you. And you love me,” I remind him. “Fiercely. That’s what that was. You coming to my rescue when someone tried to hurt me. You best believe, if anyone dared bring harm to you, I’d become feral and make them bleed.”
More darkness fades.
Jokingly, I whisper the lyrics to our song that talks about being fresh from a fight.
“I love you,” he rasps, cupping my cheek.
I stretch up on my toes and kiss him. It’s slow but deep, full of vows and claiming.
“Are you shitting me, right now?”
Fuck.West and I slowly pull away and face the ire my brother’s emitting, like a storm around him. From my peripheral, Asher steps closer, ready to step in.
“Drew–,” I start.
“I’ll deal with you after,” he growls.
