A metal door met them at the end of the corridor. Keeping a hand on Brendan’s shoulder, Cash pushed open the door, which led out to a narrow alley separating the Tavern from the neighboring Chinese restaurant. Dumpsters cluttered the space, and the smell of garbage and urine wafted in the air. The sun hadn’t completely set yet, but the sky was cloudy, casting gray shadows over the alley.

Once outside, Brendan got a taste of freedom and tried to scurry away, his gaze glued to the opening where the alley connected with the street.

Cash swiftly stepped in his path. “Now, now, no running off,” he said pleasantly. “We haven’t had a chance to talk yet.”

Seth and Dylan flanked him again, while Jackson stayed by the door, his dark head scouting the alley and the exit of the restaurant next door.

“Look,” Brendan burst out, “I don’t know who you are, but my relationship with Jen is none of your business.”

“Relationship?” He made a tsking noise. “She dumped you, Brendan, and rather than handling the breakup like a mature adult, you’ve decided to play these sick games with her. But it stops tonight, understand?”

Tightening his jaw, Cash got right in the other man’s face. “Stop emailing her. Stop calling. Stop harassing her family and friends. As of this moment, Jen does not exist.”

Brendan looked livid, but his jaw remained shut.

“She doesn’t want to see you, she doesn’t want to talk to you. Hell, she doesn’t want to think about you. It’s time for you to get the message. Go to Oakland, do your investment banking thing, and leave Jen alone.”

Brendan’s nostrils flared. “Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around? I don’t know you, ass**le. And you know nothing about my relationship with—”

“Again with this relationship bullshit?” Cash sighed. “Just nod and tell me you understand, buddy. If you don’t, the only relationship you’ll be having is the one with my fist.”

Dylan snickered.

On Cash’s other side, Seth reached into his pocket for a pack of Marlboros. He extracted a smoke and lit up, looking bored as he inhaled, but the deadly look in his eyes belied his casual pose. Seth could rip Brendan to pieces in a nanosecond, if the provocation presented itself.

Brendan went silent, his eyes shifting from one man to the other. Then, as if he knew he was beaten, he mumbled a curse and said, “Fine. I won’t bother her again. Happy, ass**le?”

“Ecstatic. Now that we’ve cleared all this up, you can—”

The right hook blindsided Cash.

Fortunately, he saw the fist coming at his nose at the last second and shifted his head so that Brendan missed the intended target. The blow sliced into the corner of Cash’s mouth instead. His bottom lip snagged on his teeth and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth.

Oh, hell no.

As Jen’s ex charged forward with a second attack, Cash struck him with a jab that made the man’s head snap back. With a roar, Brendan threw another punch, which Cash easily blocked. Blood continued to pour from the side of his mouth, but he didn’t bother wiping it away. Anger pulsed in his veins, and his vision became a red haze. Blocking the fists swinging in his direction, Cash sidestepped and got his arms around the man from behind.

“Are you done?” he demanded as he secured Brendan in a chest lock.

“Screw you!” was the sputtered response. And then the guy elbowed him in the jaw before spinning around and landing a lucky kick on Cash’s groin.

Years of training had taught him to ignore the pain zipping through his balls. Without so much as flinching, he drew his arm back, prepared to pummel the ass**le’s pretty mug again, but Seth’s fist beat him to it.

A sickening crunch sounded in the air.

Blood erupted from Brendan’s nose and his hands flew to his face. “You f**king ass**le!” he shrieked. “You broke my nose!”

Seth just chuckled. “Shouldn’t have played dirty, going for McCoy’s balls like that. A broken nose seemed like suitable punishment.”

Cash stared at Jen’s ex, feeling a sick sense of satisfaction from the unnatural tilt of the guy’s nose and the blood flowing freely from his nostrils.

Seth retreated and walked over to Dylan, who had watched the entire scuffle with visible amusement.

Cash got in Brendan’s face again, narrowing his eyes. “This is your last warning. Stay away from Jen. If you try to make contact again, my friends and I will pay you another visit, and trust me, next time you’ll have a lot more than a broken nose.”

He stepped back just as sirens wailed from a distance.

Shit.

Cash caught the flicker of alarm on Dylan’s face, the resignation in Seth and Jackson’s expressions.

A car door slammed and footsteps thudded into the alley.

He didn’t need to turn around to know what awaited them.

“This is the San Diego PD! Hands in the air!”

Chapter Ten

Coming up with excuses not to go after what you want won’t achieve a damn thing.

Jen couldn’t get those words out of her head as she wandered around the apartment. After Cash left, she’d tried occupying herself by posting some photos on her blog, but her heart hadn’t been in it. Sifting through her photographs, she’d kept thinking back to everything Cash had said. Ordering her to stop making excuses and man up. Accusing her of letting her parents’ criticism erode her self-esteem.

His words had hurt, but not for the reason he’d clearly believed. He hadn’t damaged her pride or hurt her feelings. No, what he’d done was voice the truth she’d been too blind to see.