iv

it hadn't done enough. Emilia whimpered as he yanked her

shit!" I hissed, fear and

reeking of whiskey. "You gonna hit

ents predatory as they circled around us. The driver, with hi

s never left my chest. "You're dressed like you wa

ack to whatever sewer you crawled out of," I s

er but broad-shouldered guy wearing a baseball cap. "I

his fingers grazing my ar

t tou

oved closer, pinning me aga

g against Tribal Tattoo's

looking desperately around for

my head. "Your friend's not going anywhere, and neither are you." His other

is groin, but he twisted away at the la

bed my wrist, squeezing

another car screeched to a halt beside us. Th

here?" A deep voice

reetlight. Broad-shouldered and imposing in what looked like an expen

ld Tooth snarled, but I noticed h

ed him immediately. Alexander Carter. My boss's boss's boss. The CEO of Carter Enterpr

leave them alone," he said, his voice calm b

you gonna do about it? There

lice, and they're on their way. I'm sure they'd be interested to k

hair, shoving her forward. "Whatever, ma

d me, and I caught he

y?" I wh

r scalp. "Bastard near

fing out his chest. "You think you're som

one who doesn't want to see two women harassed by drunken idiots. Now,

might throw a punch. Instead, he spat on

o his friends. "These slu

e roaring to life. Gold Tooth revved it aggre

to us. "Are you

and piercing gray eyes, he had the kind of face that belonged in business magazines, where it o

d hair, makeup probably smeared from crying earlier, and this ridiculou

ked, his eyes briefly dropping to my

till rubbing her scalp. "And my bo

r, a sleek black car. "I'm h

uilding where I worked. The man was known for his ruthless business tactics and cold demeanor. The

said carefully, "but w

d. "I'd rather not leave you ou

ntly communicating: "Are you crazy? Free ride

's not too much tr

opened the backse

It smelled of expensive cologne and a new car, a heady combinati

r," he said as he sl

erately omitting my last n

ircumstances." He started the engine, whi

address first, and t

asked as we pulled

ere at a birthday party where Liv caught

I hissed,

e in the rearview mirror. "I

wishing I could disappea

"Ryan is a cheating scumbag who de

ner of Alexander's mouth. "I ta

," I confirmed, wondering why I was

his eyes meeting mine briefly in the m