you go ahead and save yourself the time and effort and go find one of them? Because this—” I gesture between the two of us “—is not happening.” With that, I turn away from him, placing my elbows back on the bar in front of me. I can see the stunned look on his face out of the corner of my eye. His mouth opens and closes, giving him the appearance of a fish out of water. Hoping he’s taken my not-so-subtle hint, I down the rest of my drink and start to stand.
As soon as my feet touch the floor, a rough hand closes around my arm, halting my movement. I stumble back to my seat, staring up at the man. What the fuck does he think he’s doing?
He towers over me. He has at least six inches on my five foot nine. The anger I saw in his eyes has returned. Only this time it’s deepened. He looks furious.
“Look here, you stupid bitch. I don’t know who you think you are, but nobody talks to me like that,” he growls. His fingers tighten on my arm, nails digging into my skin. I squirm, trying to break free of his hold. It only results in more pressure. I can feel the bruises already starting to form.
“Now. You’re going to sit here and enjoy that drink I so generously bought for you. And you’re going to tell me your name and laugh at my jokes. And when I say it’s time, you’re going to leave here with me. You got that?”
My sharp words and tough-girl persona disappear in a matter of seconds. I feel the panic rising in my chest, the sweat breaking out along my hairline. I’ve had to deal with unwarranted advances before. But not like this. Usually men just slink off, calling me a bitch and finding someone else to lick their wounds and stroke their ego. But not this man. I’m in over my head here and I know it. My eyes desperately search for Amanda or Justin. Anyone I know who can help me. I come up empty.
“P-please. Just let me go.” My voice is barely audible over the loud music booming off the walls of the club. I hate the meager sound of my words. I hate that this bastard has reduced me to this. Helpless—something I haven’t felt in years. A few ugly words and a strong arm and I’m back to where I was. Where I’ve tried so hard to never return again.
My docile tone has him smiling. A devilish grin spreads across his face and he loosens his grip on my arm. He returns his fingers to my neck, tracing the delicate skin there. This time my shudder is interpreted correctly. He sees the fear in my eyes. And it causes an almost predatory glint in his.
“That’s better. You’re much sweeter when you don’t talk. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners? That was no way to treat a new friend.” He leans into me again, pressing his lips to my throat. Tears spring to my eyes, threatening to spill over onto my cheeks. I squeeze them tightly and grit my teeth. I will not give this bastard the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
He starts trailing kisses up my neck. When he reaches my ear, he bites it sharply. I’m unable to contain the squeak that escapes my throat. His laughter echoes lightly in my ear. “You like it rough, don’t you?”
He runs his hand up the inside of my thigh. I’m desperately trying to get my voice to cooperate with the screams ringing through my head when I feel him torn away from me. I slump in relief at the feel of nothingness before me. The breath I’ve been holding for far too long finally escapes my lips, and a tear runs down my cheek. I quickly wipe it off before turning to see what happened to Bruce.
I expect to see Amanda and Justin. Instead, another man is there. He has dark, closely trimmed hair and a seriously pissed off expression. He’s a few inches shorter than Bruce, but he moves quickly and he’s obviously strong. Bruce swings at him, but the man deftly dodges the hit, causing Bruce to stumble off balance. While he tries to correct himself, the man lands a blow to his cheek. Bruce falls to his knees, a dazed look on his face.
A large man steps in then. I recognize him from the door when