“He thought he could touch what’s mine, and I assured him that wasn’t the case.”

Holy hell. “Yes, you did.”

The last words Scott said sit in my brain like acid. How can people think that saying shit like that is okay?

“Did he think he sounded badass talking that way?” I wonder aloud as we file back inside. “Like, are there girls out there who would find that sexy?”

“He doesn’t care what they think,” Cameron says. “He doesn’t respect women at all. Or anyone, really.”

Maeve walks in behind us, putting away her phone. “I called an ambulance for him, but I’ll be damned if I wait out there. I hope you didn’t kill him, Keegan.”

“I didn’t,” he insists as he presses a towel filled with ice against his knuckles. “I know where I’m hitting.”

“Do you think he’ll really sue you?” I ask.

“I don’t fucking care if he does,” Keegan says and then reaches out to drag his fingers down my cheek. “When I saw his hands on you, and you fighting to get away, I saw red.”

“I guess so. Let’s finish work and talk about it later.”

I can see that he wants to pull me to him, and I know that we’ll have to talk this through later. I can’t have Keegan beating up every man who says something inappropriate.

But Scott took it way past inappropriate and into assault.

And that’s what I tell the cops when they arrive with the ambulance.

“And you have witnesses?” the cop asks.

“I have a bar full,” I assure him. “He was awful, and once outside, threatened to rape me.”

He sighs. “He’s had other complaints filed against him. When the hospital’s done with him, I’ll book him—if you want to press charges.”

“Yes.” I raise my chin and look him in the eyes. “I want to press all the charges. He can’t do this to anyone else.”

“Good.” The cop smiles. “Very good.”

When I return to work, the pep has left my step, and the adrenaline is gone, leaving me a little shaky and a lot tired. But I’ll be damned if I let another man like Troy or Scott ruin my day or make me run away and hide.

I’m a bit more careful in my flirtation with the customers, and I certainly don’t touch anyone in greeting. But I paste a smile on my face and get through the rest of the night just fine, holding it together until I can go upstairs with Keegan and see to his knuckles.

It’s my turn to take care of him.

Chapter 12

~Izzy~