I couldn’t stop watching Syi. And the fact that he acted like I didn’t exist just made me hate him and made me drink more than I should have.

“Okay,” Kim finally said to me. “You’ve been staring at him for a while. What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“That guy is super hot. Is that… wait a second.”

“No,” I said.

Rachel came to my other side. “What are we talking about?”

“The hot guy across the bar. The lumberjack-looking dude.” Kim nudged me. “I think that’s the guy Lara has been banging.”

“Oh, nice,” Rachel said. “I’d love to grab those arms. Look how strong he looks. The other guys aren’t bad but he’s…”

“You two need to shut up,” I said. “You don’t get it.”

“Oh, here we go again,” Kim said. “The you don’t get it attitude.”

“Fuck you both,” I said. “He’s the guy that saved me in the woods. Okay? His name is Osiris.”

“So hot,” Rachel whispered.

“I went up to his place to thank him for saving me. Since you all think I tried to commit suicide, which I didn’t. I just didn’t want to be there camping. With the engagement bullshit. And then there’s no firewood. And no food. You trying to push Alex on me. He’s a loser.”

“Whoa,” Kim said. “Take a breath.”

“Nobody shoved Alex on you,” Rachel said. “We were…”

“Just stop,” I said. “Stop getting involved in my life. No, I don’t want to work at a fucking flower shop for the rest of my life. Yes, I wish I didn’t lose my job. And, fine, I can’t stand what Thad did and I can’t just let that shit go and let someone else fuck it out of me.”

“I bet that guy could, though,” Kim said with a grin. “Osiris… you’ll be screaming O while he’s giving you an O…”

“I’m done,” I said.

I tried to step back and missed my footing. I could trip when I was sober. But being drunk… yikes.

I grabbed for the bar and missed. I grabbed my glass and threw it to the floor. It shattered. I stumbled back and Rachel put her hands to my back. I threw an elbow at her and grabbed for the bar. I got my balance.

“Whoa,” Kim said. “Lara…”

“No way,” I said. “I want to fight you, Kim.”

I stepped up to Kim.

“You want to fight me?” Kim asked. “Why?”

“You’re a bitch. Everything you say and do to me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Just helping you from ruining your life.”

“Why don’t you two cool off?” Rachel said as she tried to get between me and Kim.

I knew there was jealousy flowing through me and it was a nasty thing. I knew the right thing would have been to back away and maybe even call for a ride home. Or maybe go up to Osiris and throw a drink in his face for being such a…

What? What did he do that was so wrong? He was only honest.

I hated that word right then. Every time someone was honest, I got hurt.

Just like Kim being honest…

“Go pull the stick out of your ass, Lara,” Kim said.

My hand swung before my head could control my heart.

I slapped Kim across the face with a loud smack that garnered the entire attention of the bar. Everyone made noise as Kim stood there, staring at me.

I went to move my hand again and she grabbed for me.

We were locked in a struggle. The truth was that we were both trying to get away from one another but we didn’t trust the other person not to do something stupid.

As fast as it began, it ended when I felt something insanely hard come between us. And when I looked up I saw Osiris standing there.

“Syi,” I whispered.

“Sugar,” he said, his voice rough.

I could smell beer on his breath.

There was pain in his eyes.

“Get her out of here,” Kim yelled.

There were a few cheers. Then chants for more fighting.

“What the hell are you doing?” Osiris asked me.

I made fists and backed up. I unleashed on his chest but that was like hitting a steel wall.

My hands hurt as I then turned to talk to Kim.

I watched as he moved toward the door to the bar.

“If you’re the one who saved her, do it again,” Kim said. “She’s out of her fucking mind!”

I ran toward the door, right at Kim, right at Osiris.

He managed to get me with one strong arm and then carried me out of the bar like I was a toy. I thrashed my arms and realized I was being a complete lunatic.

“Sugar, you need to take a breath before you end up in trouble,” he said to me.

I was standing in the parking lot of the bar, near his truck.

I saw Kim and Rachel standing a little bit away.

He looked back at them. Then he looked at me.

“I should have stayed home,” I said, dead drunk. “I should have…”

“Okay, okay,” Osiris said. “Let me take you home then. Stay away from whatever is here. Got it?”

I looked up at him. “Why? You’re helping me again? Why? So you could tell me nothing about yourself?”

“This isn’t about me,” he growled. “This is about you. Those are your friends.”

Kim started walking toward us.

I curled my lip.

Jealousy was a raw thing to feel. It wasn’t a good fit, but it had a hold on me.

“You’re the guy from the mountain?” Kim asked. “Osiris?”

“I am who I am,” Osiris said, being mysterious and sexy, as always.

“Well, whoever you are, are you drunk?”

“No.”

“You’re good to drive?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Good. Get her home. Before she ruins everything else in her life.”

“I’ll slap you again,” I yelled and jumped forward.

I crashed into Osiris’s hard chest and let out an oomph sound as I lost my breath for a second.

“Christ,” Osiris said. “Both of you shut up. You go back in the bar.” He nodded to Kim. “Stop running your mouth at Lara. You're both drunk and upset over something. Stop adding to it.”

“Fine,” Kim said. “Have a good night.”

“Yeah, way to leave me with a stranger!” I yelled to Kim. “So when I wind up missing and dead, it’s on you!”

“Jesus,” Osiris said. “You think I’m going to hurt you?”

I swallowed hard. “No. I’m just so…”

My bottom lip started to quiver.

Osiris opened the passenger door to his truck. “Get inside.”

He pushed me into the truck and I tried to kick him.

Then he just stood there. The crazy sexy lumberjack guy from the woods looking down at me.

“Sugar, whatever is going on here, I want you to know… I’m on your side. Whatever was said to make you want to fight your friend must have been pretty shitty. So let me help you get the hell out of here.”

I grabbed for his shirt.

He grabbed my hand and pulled it away.

I fucking wanted him so bad.

That’s why I was angry.

Every fantasy Kim wanted me to have, I wanted it, too. I wanted it with Osiris.

And he was about to take me home.

And I was about to ruin another night again.