The hallway is still quiet, the sounds from the party slightly muffled by the distance.
As I turn the corner, I bump into Shadow.
Was he waiting there?
Z already explained he couldn’t get rid of Shadow without cause. He needed more than manhandling a club girl who isn’t claimed by anyone.
Something about that really pissed me off.
Maybe I can help give Z the reason he needs.
Let’s face it, at best, Shadow’s a rapist-in-training. At worst, he’s going to end up getting Z or one of the other brothers killed.
With that in mind, I work my lips into a seductive smile and cock my hip.
“Hey, sweetness,” he greets me, his gaze roaming over every inch of me.
“Hey.” My legs tremble, but I force myself smile up at him. “How are you? Haven’t seen you in a bit.” I use my low, velvety voice. The faker-than-fuck one I used once upon a time to convince men they just had to have a lap dance or buy me a bottle of champagne. My seducing-men-who-disgust-me skills are rusty, but seem to work on Shadow.
Nothing about my sudden interest trips an alarm in his brain? He really is dumb. Or he just assumes every woman he meets is a whore who can’t resist his dick.
He’s blocking my way and the urge to push past him and flat-out run seizes me. I will myself to stand still. I’d rather not have our bodies touch.
Z’s made it clear several times that I’m with him. Shadow’s the VP. After the last warning Z gave him, he’d have to be out of his mind to touch me, right?
Life has taught me to always be on-guard because no matter what, too many men are waiting for their chance to degrade and take advantage of you.
Shadow’s predatory gaze sweeps over me in a way that sets alarm bells clanging inside my skull.
“This is nice.” He slides his fingers over my collarbones, left exposed by the wide scoop neck of my dress. “You’re a beautiful woman, Lilly.”
“Thank you.” Somehow, I’m not reassured by his compliment. “If you’re looking for Z, I’m on my way to him.”
“Nah, I’ll talk to the prez later.” He leans against the wall, caging me in, preventing me from running toward the party. I could probably sprint back to our room, but I’m too scared he’ll follow or push his way inside and…
I force myself to meet his stare. “What’s wrong, Shadow? Tired of little girls? You need a real woman?”
His eyes widen at first, then his expression slides into a laid-back smirk. “You know where I can find one?”
I jerk my head toward the living room. “Out there.”
“But you’re right here.”
“And I’m with Z.” I’m done. I was an idiot to try and engage him. I slip around him and quicken my steps.
Maybe I’ve grown complacent. Secure in my position as Z’s old lady. Too confident none of the brothers—even creepy Shadow—would ever lay a hand on me.
Shadow’s grip around my bicep startles me. I’m airborne for a second and then my back thumps against the wall, knocking the air from my lungs.
Holy shit.
As I stare down at his hand on my arm, icy tendrils of fear wrap around my throat.
He leans into me, using the solid weight of his upper body to nail me to the wall. “Your old man went a step too far,” he snarls. “Bitches should never come before brothers.”
“Then talk to him about it.” My confident mask slips. I struggle to free myself, but he’s too heavy. He slaps his hand against the wall next to my face.
“Where you going? I ain’t done talking to you.”
Fear makes the hallway blur around the edges, but I answer loud and firm, “I’m done talking to you.”
“Don’t act so high and mighty, girl. You may have cut off Z’s nuts but you’re still a whore desperately trying to prove you’re more than a dick motel.”
Charming.
I stop struggling and laugh. “How old are you, Shadow?”
“Huh?”
“How old are you? Running around calling women who aren’t interested in you dick motels? Sounds like fifteen, sixteen years old?”
He grabs my hand and yanks it toward his crotch. “No, baby. I’m all man.”
I pull away but he has an iron grip. “I’m sure you are.”
“You want to find out?”
Still stunned, I take a few seconds to respond. “Get your hands off me.” I issue the warning in a much more calm, confident tone than my racing heart suggests.
My mind’s still swimming with disbelief.
This isn’t supposed to happen here.
This can’t be happening again.
Not again.
Never again.
Too terrified and ashamed to protect myself, I’ve frozen until it was too late. Fear freezes me in place. Memories of that horrible incident and all the awful moments that followed threaten to drown me, leaving me weak and useless again.
The world comes rushing back. I’m in danger. And I’d rather fight like hell than do nothing. I slap my hands against his shoulders, attempting to push him away. “Get off me.”
Obviously, he’s not used to girls fighting back because I succeed in shoving him away enough to slip out of his grasp.
Party. I need to run in the direction of other people. Maybe he’s just screwing around. Trying to scare me.
I’m not sticking around to find out if he wants to have a hostile chat or laugh in my face.
I’m jerked to a stop and yanked backwards, almost falling out of my heels. My back thumps into the wall again. A soft oof bursts past my lips. My head hits the wall with a painful thud. Stars burst behind my eyelids.
Hostile it is.
“Let go before I scream.”
He wraps his fingers around my neck and squeezes enough to terrify me into silence. “Go ahead.” He leans in and I almost puke when his lips brush against my ear. “The louder you scream, the harder I get.”
Big shock there.
Maybe the sheer terror makes me reckless, but I snort with laughter. “It’s not about how hard your dick is, it’s about terrorizing and using your strength to hurt someone.”
He pulls back and frowns. “Huh?”
Logic and reason are wasted on this dumbass, Lilly. Kick him in the nuts.
I can’t work enough leverage to kick him, but I bring my knee up and narrowly miss smashing it into his crotch. He avoids the strike. Probably has a lot of practice avoiding kicks to the dick.
He grins, gloating that I missed.
Jake warned us about that, didn’t he? I should’ve taken a few more classes.
Shadow’s not squeezing hard enough to cut off my air. Yet.
The thumb is the weak spot.
Which way is his thumb?
Remembering Jake’s instructions, I push past my terror to jerk, twist, and duck, escaping Shadow’s hand.
“Hey!” someone yells from the end of the hall.
Nope. Not sticking around to assess whether they’re friendly or not.
I want to touch Shadow’s junk about as much as I want to swim in a pool of sharks. But I’m still sort of crouched down when he reaches for me again.
I pull my arms in, forming a fist with both hands, kind of like spiking a volleyball. I thrust up as hard as I can, aiming for his crotch.
Gotcha that time, fucker.
He screams and doubles over, backing away from me.
“Bitch!”
I scoop one of my shoes off the floor and whack him in the side of the head with it. They’re a solid pair with a hefty one-inch platform. It makes a satisfying thwack when it collides with his skull.
“What the hell?” someone else yells. Footsteps pound over the carpet. Great. I don’t trust anyone now. What if they all gang up on me and drag me into one of the empty rooms? Z won’t know what’s happening until it’s too late.
I turn and run and make it about five steps before colliding with Murphy. He automatically wraps his arms around me and I finally feel
safe. He’s bigger and bulkier than Shadow. Plus, I trust him.
He tips my chin back, staring at my neck for a second. Lifting his head, he glares at whoever’s behind me. “Who touched you, Lilly?” His grave tone suggests someone’s about to die.
Too scared to say much, I whisper, “Shadow.”
Murphy growls. His gaze zips past me. “Don’t you fucking move, motherfucker!” he shouts. The rumble of his voice even louder with my face pressed against his chest. The soft, cuddly biker who builds swing sets for his baby daughter and makes bear sex jokes at family barbeques is gone, replaced by a threatening mountain of a man who’s ready to murder.
I’m a huge fan of this scary-ass, violent version of Murphy at the moment.
“What’s going on?” Teller asks somewhere behind us.
“Get Z. Now,” Murphy says in a loud, even voice.
Keeping an arm around my shoulders, Murphy shifts me to his left. Freeing up his right hand, in case Shadow comes at us, I guess. I hang onto him like he’s the best damn life raft in an ocean full of deadly jellyfish.
More voices reach me. Whoever shouted at the end of the hall joins us. “I saw part of it,” someone says.
“What’s going on?” Z asks.
I wriggle out of Murphy’s grip and fly at Z, almost knocking him over.
He wraps his arms around me and frowns. “What happened?” His gaze darts from my face to Murphy and then past Murphy. I bury my face against his chest. “Someone want to explain?”
“Hold him,” Murphy orders.
“Get the fuck off me!” Shadow yells.
Z’s body vibrates and his hold on me tightens. “What. The. Fuck. Happened?”
I can’t form any words and risk glancing up at Z. He’s focused on something behind me. His entire body pulsing with barely-controlled rage. “Start talking,” he says through clenched teeth. “Now.”