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Yeah, you can fuck right off, dick face. No way is he going near her. I rise to my feet the minute I notice her leave the dance floor and head over to the bar.

“Fancy seeing you here,” I shout over the music. Her head whips round, her long dark locks swinging over her shoulder as she gasps.

“Oh, my god. W-What are you doing here?” she stammers. Usually she would greet me with a hug, so her reaction tells me she’s a little uncomfortable with my being here.

“Business. What are you doing here? Who are you here with?” I question, wondering what’s got her acting so strange around me.

“Erm, my friends, from, umm, my gym. It’s my friend Luna’s birthday.” She points to the group of girls.

“What can I get you?” the barman asks.

“A water for me, and she’ll have a…” I say, directing my words to Gabriella.

“A cosmo, please.”

The barman begins making our drinks, and I take a step closer to her, her sweet cherry scent invading my senses. Everything about Gabriella Monroe is so sweet, and the idea of how sweet she would taste enters my head, and I instinctively run my tongue along my lower lip.

She’s your friend, your younger friend.

“Thank you. You didn’t need to buy me a drink,” she yells over the music, folding her arms across her body, her arms now covering her exposed stomach. She looks nervous, uncomfortable, and the idea doesn’t sit well with me.

“You look different, you look—”

She interrupts me before I can finish. “Ridiculous right? I told Luna this wasn’t very me.”

“Hot. I was going to say you look hot, Gabriella.” Her eyes widen as she looks up at me. She stands at a tiny 5ft 2 next to my 6ft 4 frame, and she has to crane her neck to look up at me.

“You think I look hot?” Her tone is surprised.

Has she seen herself?

“Yes, and just about every man in this club has eyes on you, so don’t shy away. You have nothing to worry about.” I worry I’ve taken my comment too far, but when her face softens and a small smile forms I relax.

I reach out and tuck a strand behind her ear, and she flinches in surprise. You’d have to be blind not to think Gabriella Monroe was anything but beautiful. With big brown doe-like eyes, olive skin, full lips, and a slight roundness to her cheeks, she is a natural beauty. She’s not usually one for make-up but tonight she looks different, and I like what I see. I go to speak, but the barman places our drinks on the bar, and I hand Gabriella hers before taking my bottle of water.

“Water?” she asks, her brows furrowing.

“Yeah, I’m driving. I can take you home when you’re ready,” I offer.

Taking a small sip of her cosmo, she shakes her head. “No, I’m good. A few of us are going to get the subway back. There’s a stop right by my apartment.”

Like hell she is.

“No, I’ll take you home,” I say, my tone firmer this time.

“Brad, I’m fine, you don’t need—”

I close the space between us, coming so close my teeth almost graze her ear, lowering my tone I say, “I’m not asking, Gabriella. I wouldn’t be your friend if I let you leave here alone, when every man in this place is looking at you like they want to take you home and devour you. You are leaving with me.”

Her body stiffens as she takes in my words. I straighten up and look at her.

“Okay,” she says softly.

I give her a terse nod, happy she didn’t fight me.

“I, erm, better get back to my friends.” She gestures with her thumb over her shoulder, directing it toward the large group of women huddled together on the dance floor.

“Just let me know when you’re ready to go,” I say as she turns on her heel, heads back to her friends, and leaves me standing there watching her perky ass sway as I try to figure out where that came from. Sure, I want to make sure my friend gets home safe, but there was something else inside me that took over then, something that felt a lot like jealousy and possessiveness that crept into my soul. She’s slowly looking like more than just a friend to me now.