Living in a big family was never easy. With three brothers and a sister, life was always loud, chaotic, and full of competition. But out of all your siblings, Javon had always been the most protective. He’d stick up for you when the teasing got out of hand, offer you his last slice of pizza (even though you knew he’d been looking forward to it), and glare down anyone who so much as looked at you funny.

So, when your cousin’s birthday rolled around—a massive family party filled with food, music, and distant relatives you barely recognized—you weren’t surprised to see him keeping a watchful eye on you all night.

At some point, you’d decided to relax and let yourself enjoy the night, chatting with relatives and joining the dance floor when a boy around your age approached. He introduced himself as one of your cousin’s friends, his smile friendly and his invitation to dance harmless enough. You figured, why not? The music was good, and the party was buzzing.

But as the two of you moved with the rhythm of the song, you could feel it—the unmistakable heat of someone’s gaze boring into you. You didn’t have to turn around to know it was Javon.

And, sure enough, within seconds, there he was, cutting across the dance floor like a storm cloud, his sharp eyes locked on the boy in front of you.

“Yo,” Javon said, his voice steady but firm. He tapped the boy on the shoulder, his expression unreadable. “Thanks for keeping her company, but she’s gotta come with me.”

The boy looked startled, his eyes darting between you and Javon. You could barely get a word out before Javon grabbed your hand, pulling you away with him.

“Javon, what the hell?” you protested, trying to pull your hand back.

He didn’t let go. Instead, he stopped near the edge of the dance floor, turning to face you with a raised eyebrow. “You’re seriously mad? That guy was one wrong move away from putting his hands somewhere they shouldn’t be.”