After a congested drive across town, the Uber driver drops me off in front of Bruno's. The enormous white sign glows against the slick pavement from the brief drizzle that kissed the city, and fog escapes my mouth upon exhale. It’s been a long week, and it isn’t until I hear the rhythmic beats spilling out from the bar that I realize how badly I need this. The last time I had fun was the night at Casanova, where I got drunk, danced, and made out with Moses. 

The music swallows me as soon as I enter the fog-filled space where sweaty people jive to jams the DJ cranks out. I search beyond the flickering laser lights for Julian and Sofia and spot them by the pool tables. The two love to show off and have tag teamed against the other guys in the group. They're in the middle of a high-five when I sidle up next to them.

"Hey."

"Hey, hey!" Julian curls his arm around me and kisses my cheek. "Grab a beer."

"We bought a pitcher." Sofia points to it. "Help yourself, just make sure to buy another round if you pour the last pint."

"Go it." I wink and get comfortable on the leather couch against the wall.

For the next few minutes, I watch Julian and Sofia win their round of pool and shamelessly brag about it. They reset the table, but Sofia decides to join me on the couch and have a chat.

"So, Noah." She grins. "I need your help with getting his number from Moses."

"He made an impression on you, huh?"

"His kissing!" she gushes, a hand to her chest. "It was seriously mind-blowing. Like, an orgasm in my mouth good."

"If you say so," I laugh.

"Oh, come on. I bet Moses makes your toes curl!" She smacks my leg.

"We have a good time." I grin.

"See, I knew it!"

"Corner pocket," Julian calls out, his face serious as he lines the pool cue to take his shot, but Sofia turns to poke his butt, causing him to miss. "Damn it, Sof!"

"What?" She shrugs. "You had something in your pants."

"Lies!"

"Anyway..." Sofia dramatically rolls her eyes, does a hair toss, and turns back to me. "Moses is coming tonight, right?"

"Yes." I glance at my watch. "He should be getting off work in the next few minutes."

"Good. Then I can harass him about his brother."

About forty-five minutes pass as the guys play pool, Sofia talks my ear off, and I take slow sips of beer. The billiard section of the bar is crowded, with players having to dodge pool cues as people aim. There's a haze floating over from the fog machine from the dancing area. It mingles with the red billiard lights and makes everything look like Mars. Julian comes up to us and pours the last drop of beer, then frowns.

"Damn, this means I have to buy another round, but I'm on fire tonight." He glances at the pool table.

"I'll go."

"You will?" He jerks his attention to me, his eyes wide and bright.

"Sure. I'm sitting here doing nothing. Might as well."

"You angel." He takes my face in his hands and plants a kiss on each of my cheeks, causing me to chuckle. "Have I told you lately that I love your stinking guts?"

"Cash." I roll my eyes, smiling, and hold out my hand.

"Oh, right." Julian removes his wallet and hands me forty bucks. "That should cover the pitcher of beer, plus the tip."

"Thanks." I hop to my feet, grab the empty jug, and set off.

So far, the distraction of being at Bruno's has me feeling a little like myself again. I don't even mind that I have to squeeze through people to get to the bar or how it causes me to work up a sweat because of how congested the atmosphere is.

But of course, something always has to bulldoze my good time.

Or should I say, someone.

Julian's jerk-face friend, Garrett, is here too, but with a different group of friends. The last time I saw him was at the bonfire when Lisa invited us for a cancer fundraising event. He behaved like an ass that night, so I'm sure he'll act like an ass this time too. Of all of Julian’s friends, this guy is one I’d love to castrate with a dull butter knife. I can’t believe I lost my virginity to him in high school.

“Hey gorgeous!” he slurs with sour whiskey breath as he drapes an arm around me.

“Hi.” I shrug away from him.

“So, you’re like famous now. I keep seeing you in the news, and I even saw a Rolling Stone post about it on Facebook.”

“Cool,” I say, my attention elsewhere as I squeeze through the crowd, trying to get to the bar. But he follows me.

“So, you’ve got a boyfriend now, huh? I saw a picture online of the two of you at the courthouse when your old man got arraigned. If you ask me, you can do better than him.”

“Well, no one is asking you.”

“I mean, seriously, Val.” He blocks my path, grabs my hips, and pulls me close. The strobe lights flicker shadows across his face as he licks his lips. “Why be with a guy like that when you could be with this.”

“Ew.” I push him away when I feel the bulge in his jeans and try maneuvering around him.

“Aw, come on. I remember you liking my snake.” He reels me back and brings his face centimeters from mine. “I’ll never forget the taste of the sweet plum between your legs.”

“You’re a pig!” I slap his cheek. “Leave me alone.”

However, that’s not Garrett’s style when he’s drunk, and like that day in Lake Tahoe when we went snowboarding, he grabs my face and jabs his tongue down my throat. Using my forearms, I give his chest a hard shove, causing him to stumble. 

“No, means no, Garrett!” I wipe my mouth. “You should seriously learn that, or I’ll see you in the news one day.”

Someone touches my shoulder, and when I look up, my spine goes rigid. It’s Julian, and his brow is crinkled as he looks from me to Garrett. This isn’t good. All of my joints lock with fear for whatever is about to happen.

“What's going on?” he asks.

“Nothing. Let’s go buy that beer.” I nudge his chest.

“Val is a prude. That’s what happened,” Garrett laughs, and I’m praying Julian notices how slurred the words came out. 

“What did you call her?” Julian steps forward, his head tilted as if he needs to hear it again.

“Oh, come on, man, everyone knows she’s a cock tease.” 

“She has a boyfriend.” Julian begins cracking his knuckles, but Garrett is too drunk to notice. “And since he’s not here to defend her–”

“Julian, no!” I squeeze between them. 

“Val, move out of the way. I’m only going to say it once,” Julian warns.

“No. This isn’t high school. They’ll call the cops, and you’ll get arrested.”

“Good. Then maybe I’ll see your dad on the other side and beat his ass too.” He rolls his neck, and behind me, Garrett still doesn’t understand that Julian isn’t messing around.

“Come on, man. We were having fun. An innocent makeout.”

“We did not make out!” My eyes widen, and I spin to scold Garrett. “You don’t understand the word no.”

“That’s it!” Julian growls. He wraps his hands around my upper arms, lifts me off the ground, and sets me aside. 

It all happens so fast as his fist flies through the air and plows into Garrett’s face with a crunch. Then, he grabs him by the shirt collar and punches him again and again. The crowd around us slows their dance movements as they turn to see the commotion. Others take several steps back, allowing Julian to slam Garret onto the floor. 

“Julian, stop!” I scream. 

“Oh, shit!” Someone exclaims, and it's Sofia as she blurs past me with one of their friends. It takes both of them, but they manage to yank Julian off Garrett. 

However, it’s too late. The bouncers noticed and are shoving through the crowd like a demolition team. One hauls Garrett from the ground, and another curls his finger at Julian.

“Get the hell out of this club. Now!”

“We were leaving anyway.” Julian smooths his shirt and takes my hand. 

When we get outside, Garrett is escorted to the curb and forced to sit. He presses his sky blue button-up shirt to his nose as blood oozes through his fingers. The bouncer stands next to him, his hand on his shoulder, and glares our way, so we head down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

“Whatever happened to Bros Before Hoes?" Garrett shouts. "She’s never going to spread her legs for you. I don’t know why you bother.”

Julian stops, so I tug his hand to keep moving, but he breaks free and stomps up to Garrett. The bouncer is quick to stand between them and shove him back. 

“Keep moving,” the man orders.

“I don’t want to see your face again,” Julian snarls at Garrett. “So it’s best that if you see me, you cross the damn street. We are not friends. You’re an asshole who doesn’t understand the word no. Stay away from Val!” 

Garrett starts going off like a snarling dog with foam at the mouth, so I take Julian by the elbow and yank him away. "He's not worth it."

Julian follows me, but I'm practically dragging him away because he keeps looking over his shoulder to glare at Garrett and shout profanity at him. They exchange threats, and I don’t know why, but I feel like the fight isn’t about me at all. It's about them and their egos.

When we make it across the street, Julian wraps his arm around me and kisses the side of my head. “I will never let someone talk to or about you that way. Ever.”

“I know, but you don’t have to get into a fight.”

“Yes, I do. You’re my family. I protect my family.”

While I believe his words to be true, the fight was unnecessary, so I remain silent by his side. It isn't until Moses pulls up to the sidewalk in his car that I come back to life as my heart flutters, and I break away from Julian to run to him.

“You’re here.” I embrace him as soon as he exits the car.

“Yeah. I came as soon as I got off work.” He smooths a few curls out of my eyes and kisses me. “What did I miss?”

“Everything.”