Rage surfing.
Brady had never done it before.
He used surfing as a reward, an escape, a place to relax and let go of what he was bothering him.
Lo had been agitated to the point of not being able to enjoy herself. He knew it was Miller's fault, but he didn't have anything to act on. Miller had been sure to say whatever he wanted to say to Lo away from Brady.
So he'd let loose, chased high rough peaks, put on a show.
Apparently, his talent increased in proportion to how much he wanted to protect Lo.
And wouldn't you know, Miller Boden didn't just hate losing the girl, he also didn't like sharing the spotlight.
What had started as a heated exchange on the beach, followed by a kid asking Brady for an autograph, flowed into Miller totally losing his cool by throwing his Oakley sunglasses into the ocean.
Miller decided to get in Brady's face. Brady wished he could say that was Miller's first mistake. But it wasn't. His first mistake was hurting Lo. Getting in Brady's face was just plain stupid. Miller might have lean muscle and above average height, Brady still towered over the six foot surfer with an additional four inches and he easily had double the muscle mass.
And self-control. Brady had that in spades. At least compared to Miller's toddler-sized temper tantrum.
“How do you think your employer would respond if he knew you were out there stealing peaks? Maybe I should let him know what an inconsiderate prick you are.”
What Miller didn't know was it would take a lot more than false accusations and a running mouth to get Brady to lose his mind. He'd been living with Steve for years now, this was nothing.
“I bet Lo wouldn't like it.” Miller's mouth twisted into a sneer when he hit Brady's soft spot. “Yeah, it's still new. Just wait until she's not impressed by you anymore.”
“Back off, man. There's plenty of ocean for everyone.” Brady gave a curt nod to Serge who was watching the exchange with rapt attention but hadn't interfered. He tucked his board under his arm and trudged back out to the waves.
It wasn't until he'd snaked out of the curl closing in on him, did he realize Miller wasn't on the beach anymore. His stuff had been abandoned, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Brady pulled his board out of the water and tossed it onto the beach. The kid from earlier lifted his chin. “He left.” He pointed the direction of their apartment and Brady's stomach twisted forcefully.
“Dammit.” He looked around for Serge, but he was out in the water somewhere. Deciding he didn't have time, he needed to be sure Lo was all right, Brady started that way without any of his gear.
“What about your stuff?” the kid called behind him.
“Keep it,” Brady called over his shoulder.
Shane would just have to deal.
“Boden!” Brady called when he rounded the corner into the hallway. Miller Boden was almost to their door and Brady was done with the juvenile delinquent.
Miller faced him and crossed his arms. “The hell, man. Are you her bodyguard, too, or what?”
“Kinda seems like she needs one,” Brady pointed out as he closed the distance between them.
“I just want to talk to her, okay?” Miller held his hands up while shrugging. “I want to apologize for earlier.”
Well, this was a new tactic. Not that Brady was buying it for a second. “What could you have said that would possibly need an apology?”
Miller's sneer turned smug and Brady should have braced.
“I told her it wasn't fair she works her daddy issues out on you.”
Brady placed his hands on Miller's shoulders and pushed him into the door. A twisted gleam of satisfaction lit Miller's brown eyes and he pushed Brady back. Brady didn't really feel it though, and he crowded Miller into the doorway.
“She's really in your head,” Miller baited. “You think you can save her and she's selfish enough to let you try. Part of me wants to sit back and watch you crash and burn.”
“Why don't you?” Brady growled, feeling the poison of Miller's words try to sink through his skin and dig inside.
The muscle in Miller's jaw jumped. “I never minded the daddy issues. She can work those out on me all day.”
Lo
Lo wanted to yell. Maybe she was yelling. Something loud was happening in her brain. Brady and Miller grappled on the floor, but it wasn't much of a contest. Miller was outmatched. Brady straddled Miller, one hand braced against Miller's bare chest, his other in a fist that struck out to connect with Miller's face in a sickening thud. Miller retaliated with a blow of his own. Except his fist glanced off Brady's jaw, hardly touching him.
“Hit him again, Samson! Break his face!”
Lo whipped around to glare at Tessa, who had stuck her straw in the margarita pitcher and was shadowboxing against the screen. “Tessa Lanore!” she scolded.
Tessa tried to look guilty, but it lost its effect when she declared, “Yes!” in conjunction with the sound of another well placed fist.
She turned back to the fight that only seemed to be escalating in their very tiny living space. Someone was going to call the cops. This was a disaster. A memory flashed through her mind. Spencer breaking up the fight between Bo and Brady weeks ago. She stepped forward, ignoring the cloud of testosterone she was suddenly engulfed in, and successfully grabbed both men by the shells of their ears.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Miller whimpered.
Brady said nothing, but his face was pinched in pain.
Lo's height proved to give her even more control. As the men separated from one another and stood up, they also had to bend sideways.
“If I let you go, will you stop acting like idiots?” she asked seriously.
Brady's eyes were burning, the blue more intense than she'd ever seen it. He flicked his gaze her direction and back to Miller, before he nodded.
Miller glared like a petulant child. “He started it.”
Lo pinched his ear harder, satisfied when he winced. “Yes! Geez!”
She let go and stepped back, putting her hands on her hips. “Now does someone want to tell me why you guys were using your fists and not your words?” Though, if Miller was involved, chances were it had been his words that had gotten him into trouble.
Miller had a death wish. She had always known that. It had been very appealing when they'd first started dating, but now it was mostly obnoxious. He wiped the blood from his mouth and openly leered at Lo. “I told him I liked how you used me. And I'd be willing to let you do it again, and again, and again.”
Brady took a step towards Miller and Lo placed a hand on his chest, stopping him while Miller laughed in his twisted way.
“You need therapy,” Lo said, regretting it the moment she said it.
“Ha,” Miller lifted his chin. “Not as badly as you do.”
“Get out, Miller,” Lo said, extremely tired with all of the bullshit.
Miller gave Brady a smug glare and a wide berth as he circled around the broken door and down the hall. Probably to find a bar. He had all of his new battle wounds to get him the attention he so desperately craved.
“I can fix the door,” Brady said after it had been quiet for several minutes. Lo's eyes dropped the broken wood and the destroyed door jamb.
“How?” she asked.
“Wood glue.”
They both turned to the laptop where Tessa was nodding solemnly. “That shit fixes everything.”
“I think it's time to say goodnight, Tess,” Lo said, withholding a smile as she stepped over to the laptop.
“No!” Tessa cried forlornly. “If you hang up on me I'll be forced to Skype random strangers until I pass out!”
Lo shook her head. “Go to bed, sweetie.”
“Fine.” Tessa looked past Lo to Brady. “Team Brady! WOO HOO!” Then the screen closed out.
Lo snorted a laugh, the stress of the day catching up with her and it was only one o'clock.
“I don't know what Miller Boden said to you this morning,” Brady began. Lo turned to face him as he spoke. “But with what he said to me, I can only imagine. I'm not going to apologize for hitting him.”
Lo pursed her lips. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“He doesn't know you,” Brady declared with a growl. “He might think he does. But that guy is the most spoiled, selfish bastard I've ever come into contact with. And I'm friends with Adam Sawyer.”
Lo didn't know what that meant. “I don't know that person, but you're not wrong. Miller has a public persona and then the one you just met. I seem to bring out the worst in him.”
Brady's eyebrows descended sharply. “That's not on you.” He stepped closer to Lo and took her by the shoulders. “You are not responsible for the mental and emotional stability of any person on this planet besides you.”
She stared at him as his words echoed in her head. He knew her. She could see it on his face as his blue eyes examined her, sharp and intense. In the short amount of time they'd known each other, he had figured her out.
And proving her right, he bent down, placing a kiss on her stunned lips. “I need to get this door taken care of, then you and I are going out tonight. You need tacos and a margarita, and I need to dance with you.”
And Lo fell in love.
Fell like a stone into the ocean.
Straight to the bottom, a slow descent.
Covering her.
Saving her.