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Our eyes are locked on each other.
“You’re welcome,” he says in a low voice.
“Hey, at least my first night out with the band ended with a bang,” I remark, trying to lighten the mood a bit. This earns a small smile from him, and I feel a sense of accomplishment.
He leans against my door frame. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. I’m not letting you out of my sight next time.”
His promise sends a rush through my body.
I slide the key into the lock and turn it, and the door cracks open. “Thank you again. I actually had a great time tonight. Well, until that drunk asshole decided to grope me.”
He scoffs. “Talk about a shit way to end things. I’ll see you later?”
I nod.
I know it’s time to walk inside, but the thought of breaking eye contact with him seems painful. I muster up the last bit of courage I have in me and lean into his body, wrapping my arms around his waist and into his soft t-shirt. I hug him for a second, and when his arms envelop me, I melt into him, getting a whiff of his cologne.
Before I let go, I rise to my tiptoes and plant a single kiss on his cheek.
“See you later, Ryan.”
He’s still standing there when I step into my apartment, which makes it so much harder to shut the damn door, but I do. Once it’s shut, I sink to the floor and let out all the tears I’d been holding in since that man tried to force himself on me.
I let them fall freely until the thought of Ryan saving me overpowers the pain. The image of him slamming the pervert into the ground, of him threatening to end him if he ever touched me again. The way he glared at Gareth for showing interest, the way he proclaimed I was off limits.
I force myself to my feet and slowly make my way to my bedroom. My bed is calling my name. Those thoughts of him push away those of the drunk man at the club, and when I finally fall asleep, it’s to dreams of Ryan Knox’s fingers brushing against my skin.
Chapter Fourteen
Ryan
Every time I close my eyes, I see that piece of shit with his hands on Juliet. I see him pulling her toward the bathrooms with that look on his face that makes it clear what he planned to do as soon as he was alone with her. The terrified, helpless look in her eyes.
He wanted to hurt her, to force her to do something she didn’t want to do.
I see him flat on his back; fear smeared all over his pathetic, drunken face.
Then I see her face. Her trembling bottom lip and tear-filled eyes as she gazes at me in fear.
My heart clenches at the memory, and my fists follow suit. It’s a memory that is seared into my brain.
“Sir?” the driver asks, eyes meeting mine through the rear-view mirror.
We’re still parked on the curb outside her apartment building, and I realize I still haven’t told him where to take me.
“Take me to the hotel,” I clip, training my eyes on the brick wall to my right.
I should have gone inside and made sure she was really okay before I just left her alone and fuck, I don’t want to.
My phone buzzes repeatedly in my pocket, and I know without looking it’s Olivia. Somehow she always finds out when one of us steps out of line, and me laying out some guy at a club will be a red alert on her radar.
I suck in a breath and let it out before opening the string of messages.
Olivia: Where are you?
Olivia: Is she alright?
Olivia: Get her home safe and call me in the morning.
