The party is loud, the music pounding in your ears as Jess pulls you into a corner of the room. His hands are on your waist, his lips on yours, and for once, you don’t care about anything else.

“You’re trouble, you know that?” you whisper against his lips, breathless.

He smirks, his dark eyes flashing. “You’re just figuring that out now?”

Before you can respond, a voice cuts through the noise: “What the hell is this?”

You turn to see Dean standing in the doorway, his face a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Dean—” you start, but Jess steps in front of you.

“Take a walk, man,” Jess says, his tone calm but edged with defiance.

Dean doesn’t back down, and within seconds, the tension explodes into a fight. By the time you pull Jess away, both of them are bloodied, and you’re dragging Jess out of the party, ignoring Dean’s shouts behind you.

Now, in your apartment, Jess is sitting on your couch, wincing as you dab at the cut on his lip.

“You didn’t have to fight him,” you say softly, trying to keep your hands steady.

Jess shrugs, his usual bravado slipping. “Yeah, well, I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”

You pause, meeting his gaze. “Jess…”

He looks away, his voice quieter now. “I’m not sorry. I’d do it again.”

And in that moment, you realize just how much Jess Mariano is willing to fight for you—literally and figuratively.