“Hey. I didn’t invite you in.”
The man didn’t even pause. “Not your house. Don’t need your permission.”
Tommy latched a hand on Brody’s shoulder and yanked him around. Brody’s eyes flashed as his jaw tightened.
“You’re really pissing me off, and we need to set some boundaries,” Tommy said.
“You’re right, we do.” He held up fingers as he counted. “One: You don’t get to set those boundaries.
Two: Jules does. Three: Unless she tells me I can’t come in, I’m coming in. Four: Got it?”
Tommy stared at the bastard in outrage. “You’ve been around for, what? A couple of fucking weeks?”
He leaned into his face. “You don’t get to come in here and start making demands.”
And there it was again—that amusement in the slight twitch of his lips. Tommy fisted his hands tightly, the need to knock him into next Sunday so strong he could barely contain it.
“Oh, so it’s a time deal now? You think because you’ve known her longer, another man can’t come along and take your place?” Brody chuckled. He actually chuckled. “Here’s the thing. I don’t want to be her best friend. She already has one of those.” He poked his finger at Tommy’s chest. “You.” He shifted closer, nose-to-nose. “I want to be everything you’re not to her, and I’m pretty damn certain there are a few important things she’s not getting from you—which she can most definitely get from me. Trust me, I am more than willing to volunteer for the job.”
Fury had Tommy stepping right into Brody, pushing him backward despite the other man’s greater bulk. He poked his own finger into the jerk’s chest. “You so much as lay a hand on that woman and I’ll make sure you never step foot in the cage again. Julie is mine. So, back. The fuck. Off.”
The hardness eased from the man’s eyes before a cocky tilt curved his lips. “Game on, bro. You want her? Then you need to truly make her yours. Before I make her mine.”
“Dude,” he ground out, “you are walking a very fine line.”
“I’m not afraid of you, Tommy.” And in truth, Brody really didn’t look the least bit daunted. “I think that’s why you’re so pissed off, because you’re used to intimidating Julie’s dates and scaring them off so easily. But I’m warning you, until you actually claim that woman, publically, I’m not going anywhere.”
Stunned at the man’s audacity—and at that last accusation—Tommy could only watch him turn and stroll into her room.
Had he unknowingly used intimidation to get rid of any man who ventured too near Julie? Yeah, okay, he’d warned a few of them off while she’d been in the restroom at the clubs over the years. Mostly because he’d sensed a bad vibe about the guy and wanted to keep her safe. That had been his job—that would always be his job. One he didn’t plan to relinquish any time soon.
But…there was a ring of truth to Brody’s words. Before the other fighter had started sniffing around Julie, Tommy had never once been jealous. And now he realized there’d never been an opportunity to be.
It’d been too damn easy to get rid of any possible competition for Julie’s affections. But with Brody, Tommy’s jealousy had roared to life in full force…because the man had never flinched. He wasn’t afraid of him. And that had made Tommy see red.
Jesus H. Christ. Was he the reason Julie had been alone all this years? Had he unconsciously kept her all to himself, and unattached, while he continued to have a grand ole time with any woman he met?
If that were true, he was an even bigger bastard than he’d realized. And holy hell, he had a shit-ton of crap to make up to her for.
…
Julie sneaked a surreptitious peek at Tommy. He was still scowling. An hour ago, she’d been so happy to see Brody when he’d walked into the room…but Tommy had stormed in right after him and taken up residence in a corner chair, bringing along a frosty tension that had sucked the air right from the room.
He hadn’t moved since.
She tried again to budge him. “Tommy, Brody is here if I need anything. Please, go and take some time for yourself. You’ve waited on me hand and foot since last night.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I’m fine where I am.”
Brody leaned forward with a knowing half smile. “I’d take her up on her offer, man. From what I’ve heard, Mike’s planning a major ass-whooping for you tomorrow.”
She whipped her head around to stare at Brody. “What are you talking about?” Then she whipped her head around to Tommy. “What’s he talking about?”
The glare he sent Brody could have frozen hell. “How about keeping your fucking mouth shut?” He then looked at her. “It’s nothing.”
Yeah. She believed that.
She glanced at Brody, who was staring at Tommy with a mixture of disbelief and dawning respect. The disbelief she’d seen before, but the respect was new. Something wasn’t adding up. “Spill, Tommy.”