Top Dog

She turned back around while Abigail downed her shot. I pushed the full shot glass out of my way.

“We’re going to dance,” Libby yelled to me then. “I promise not to take her to a dark corner, and take advantage of her.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” I shouted back but sat down on the bar stool to keep an eye on them.

It was useless trying to convince Libby to leave. If she wanted to stay, Abigail would stay as well out of pure loyalty I suspected. A headache pounded in my temples while I watched Abigail and Libby dance about the floor with each other. Their cheeks were flushed with sweat and alcohol, and I found myself stirred to arousal yet again when Abigail turned to give me a flirty wink. She looked so carefree and innocent that she drew me in along with everyone else.

She had no clue of her power as a beautiful, pure woman. It was a gift that someone would certainly enjoy. I just hoped like hell it was the right someone.

I tensed when Abigail stumbled over to where I sat.

“Hey. Be careful.”

Her hands grasped my thighs as she tried to steady herself. I tensed at the unexpected contact. She smelled like sugar, and glitter danced across the tops of her breasts. Her gaze was unsteady when she leaned further into me, shimmying her hips a bit provocatively. Fuck she was so hot it hurt.

“Come dance with me,” she whispered, batting her eyelashes. Some part of me wanted to give in, but I knew better. One dance would lead to another, and another and I’d have her pressed against the wall, making love to her until I heard my name on her lips. She was far too tempting, and I was dangling over the edge of desire.

I grabbed her wrists to tug them up before she slid her hands up and ran into something thick and hard.

“No,” I said, firmly. “We should go, Abi. You’ve had way too much to drink.”

“No.” She slipped out of my hands with a pout on her pretty lips. “I want to dance. If you want me to go, then you’ll just have to catch me.”

She disappeared back into the crowd before I could respond. I sighed in annoyance and stood up to adjust myself discreetly as possible. Fucking myself later was becoming a must instead of a hopeful wish. I couldn’t keep getting a hard-on every time Abi came around. It was fucked up on a million levels. Something had to give.

Libby stumbled up to the bar with a breathless laugh, stealing my attention. She moved in next to me and wiped away the sweat on her forehead.

“You know,” she shouted, signaling for another shot, “the two of you should just sleep together. I can see that you think she’s hot.”

I rolled my eyes. There was no way in hell I was discussing anything personal with Libby, especially when the little tart was drunk as a skunk.

“I’m here to protect here,” I yelled back over the music. “You don’t make my job easy when you take her to a club where every guy in here wants to grind up on her.”

Libby fixed me with a knowing stare. “She’s a big girl, Harley. I know her Dad doesn’t make it seem that way, but Abi is perfectly capable of making good decisions. She’s never gotten into anything. Never.” She hiccupped and covered her mouth as she burst out laughing.

Abi never getting involved in anything nefarious was part of the fucking problem. She’d have no clue how to handle it when it did happen, which wasn’t going to be on my shift.

I looked away to find Abigail wrapped up in a pair of arms of a local man grinding up against her eagerly. Jealousy surged through me hard and fast. I took a step toward them when Libby placed a hand on my arm to restrain me.

“Let her have fun,” she said. “Do you honestly think I’d let Abi get taken advantage of?”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Abigail’s hips as she moved to the beat of the music. Her pretty face was filled with elation, her cheeks pink and smile wide. I glanced back toward Libby. “Not intentionally, I don’t think you would. She’s drunk, Libby. We need to leave this club before something bad happens.”

“Go get her then,” Libby said. “She’s into you, too.”

I gritted my teeth. “That’s not what I’m here for. How many times do I have to—”

A scuffle caught my attention instantly. I turned to find Abigail struggling against the man who was grabbing her face roughly. Panic filled her eyes when she glanced back at me in a wordless plea for help. Her hands thumped uselessly against the man’s chest.

I shoved people out of the way to grab the man by the collar. He struggled against me in vain before I tossed him away with a scowl.

“What the fuck, American bastard!” he shouted, scrambling up to his feet.

“Stay away from her,” I shouted back. “If you touch her again, I

’ll cut you from your fucking throat to your cock. Got it, asshole?”

I wrapped an arm around Abigail’s trembling shoulders to steer her out of the crowd that had gathered to watch. Libby wordlessly followed us into the night with wide eyes and a pale face.