The Protector (Barrett Boys #3) - Jordan Ford Page 0,1

Don’t make me walk you past all those pretty ladies, you know? There’ll be other nights. Other girls.”

Disappointment overrides his anger. He knows he’s not winning this one.

Mumbling under his breath, he gives me one more sour frown before stalking away from the door.

A group of sparkling girls in dresses that barely cover their butts totter up next, and I check their IDs before ushering them in.

“Thank you.” I get a few flirty smirks, an eyelash flutter, and an air kiss.

It makes me grin, and I can’t help turning to watch them giggle their way into the club. Yeah, they’re set to party. I make a mental note to check on them later, then turn back to finish my front-door shift.

About an hour later, I’m back in the club, doing my rounds. Sweeping past the toilets, I make sure no one’s drowning in their own vomit or about to OD on drugs that we’re meant to turn a blind eye to. I kind of hate that part, but I’m a security guard, not a cop, and I have to abide by the law of Mr. Corstanza when I’m working at one of his clubs.

“Hey, Bro!” Allie, the bartender, waves me over, her wide smile making me grin. She’s always happy for some reason, which is why I like working the same nights she does. “Can you head down to the other end? Sounds like some couple is going off at each other, and it could turn ugly.”

“Yeah, no problem.” I move around the big guys blowing off steam after work and head down to the other end of the bar, where a couple is full-on screaming at each other.

The petite blonde with her fake nails and a dress so tight you don’t even need an imagination is pointing at what I assume is her boyfriend, calling him every variation of loser she can think of. She’s getting pretty vulgar, and the people nearby have actually stopped their own conversations to witness this fallout.

A guy with sharp features and smooth olive skin is glaring at her, his upper lip curling as she continues to insult him.

I move forward, intending to wrap this up before it can escalate.

Glancing around me, I look for backup in case this gets ugly, but none of the other bouncers are around. Turning back to the couple, I’m about four feet away when the boyfriend’s nostrils flare and he lashes out with a slap that nearly knocks her off her feet.

“Hey!” I shout, wrestling through a group and grabbing his arm before he can hit her again. “That’s enough!”

He tries to wrench free of my grip, but his twig arms are no match.

“I’m not letting you go until you calm down,” I warn him.

“You let me go or you lose your job.”

Yeah, whatever. This weasel has no say in my employment.

I stand my ground, my solid fingers not giving an inch as his girlfriend whimpers and dabs at her swollen lip.

“You bastard!” she screeches. “You cheat on me and then you make me out to be the bad guy! I hate you! You’re nothing but a f—”

“Okay, miss.” I raise my other hand, trying to shut her up. That mouth of hers is so not helping the situation. “I think it’s best if we get you two out of here.”

“The psycho bitch can leave!” the boyfriend shouts. “I’m staying.”

This little prick.

I quell the surge of annoyance and force a closed-mouth smile, grabbing his jacket and hauling him toward the door. “I think it’s best if you both go.”

He tries to scrap with me, lashing out with his fist and beating my arm. I brush him off, not losing my step.

“Let me go!” he hollers right by my ear. “You have no idea who I am.”

“Dude.” I grab him by the collar, turning him to face me. “I don’t give a shit who you are. All I know is that you hit girls, and that makes you scum. Now you are leaving this club!”

His dark eyes glitter, and the smarmy smirk tugging on his lips is punchable.

“That’s where you’re wrong.” He snickers as two strong hands clamp around my arms.

“Let him go.” I glance left and spot Adan. His deep voice rumbles in my ear. “Release him now and come with me.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“It’s time for you to go.” His dark eyes are sad and resigned as he drags me to the back of the club.

I’m marched upstairs and moments later am being raked over