I followed her gaze and saw Lydie sitting with two men, laughing.
I looked back at Claire and in my heightened state knew exactly what I wanted to do. I grabbed her hand and pulled her behind me, heading back toward the bathrooms.
"What are you doing?" Claire yelled.
"Come on," I grunted at her.
I'd never been surer of anything in my life as I followed the familiar route beyond the bathroom lines and back toward the emergency exit. Claire seemed to figure out where my mind was headed, and she quickly went from being dragged along to actively walking with me, giggling softly.
We pushed out into the night. The alley was mercifully empty as I pushed her roughly up against the brick wall.
"I knew you couldn't help yourself," she said, smiling.
"I'm going to punish you for that," I said, pressing myself against her.
"Good."
I kissed her then, our lips pressing together in a hungry embrace unlike anything I'd ever felt before. The physical flirtation of the dancing, plus the desire that'd been building up between us, was practically creating sparking electricity between us.
She tasted incredible as I ran my hands down her tight dress, feeling her body. She moaned into my mouth as I cupped her breasts, moving lower, heading toward her sweet pussy. I couldn't wait, not a single second longer.
I moved up her thigh and instantly felt how ruined and soaked her panties were. They were doing more harm than good, and so I yanked them off her. She gasped and whined, but they tore easily enough. I tossed them away.
"Those were my only pair," she complained.
"You don't need them tonight."
"Nate," she gasped as my hand found her clit, rubbing her gently. I kissed her neck and slowly sank two fingers deep inside her pussy. They slid in with no problem, and I began to pump them in and out.
"Oh fuck," she moaned, and I stifled her sounds with my mouth.
I wanted to work her so badly. I was all raging fire and desire, an ocean of want and need and pleasure threatening to spill over. I could hardly contain my raging hard on. I wanted to sink it deep between her legs, but I knew I needed to warm her up a little more. I was going to fuck her rough from behind in an alley, and her tight, inexperienced pussy needed a little help before she took my big cock.
I knew what she needed as I alternated between fucking her with my fingers and rubbing her clit. She was writhing and moaning under my touch like I knew she would. I knew she was drowning in the pleasure and want as much as I was, totally overwhelmed by the incredible, powerful sexual need that was pulling our bodies together as if by magic.
I knew she was mine. I knew she'd do anything to take my cock, but I needed her to go a bit further. I needed her so entranced and soaking and overwhelmed that she was begging me to fuck her, begging me to let her come on the tip of my hard dick.
Just as I was about to whisper into her ear, something pushed me roughly from behind, staggering me sideways, and then smashed into my skull.
I stumbled away, grunting, stars swimming in my vision. The person came at me, right away swinging hard. I took some punches to the face and stomach as I dropped back, barely getting my hands up to ward off the blows. I had to put distance between the two of us as the guy kept coming.
I wasn't thinking straight and I knew it. That first blow to the head might have given me a concussion. Worse, I was still barely coming down from my sexual high, my dick slowly softening. I could hardly defend myself when I still had the taste of Claire's pussy dancing on my fingers.
The guy came at me again, a little clumsily, and I sidestepped him. He stumbled on the pavement, giving me space to maneuver. I looked over at Claire and heard her try to scream, her voice muffled by a second man.
That brought me back to myself. I quickly assessed the situation like the SEALs had taught me, realizing that I was up against two men. They both wore ski masks and boring clothing, as if they were accountants. The man attacking me held a police-issue nightstick in one hand.
He came at me again, and this time I didn't hesitate or play defense. I was all dangerous, violent energy as my body moved on autopilot. I emptied my mind, entering into that Zen-like battle readiness once again, where I was neither alive nor dead, only a body capable of doing terrible things.
I weaved under punches, stepping in and cracking his jaw with my fist. I followed that by grabbing the arm holding the weapon and twisting, causing him to scream in pain. I felt his elbow pop from the socket and applied more pressure, causing it to break cleanly.
I kicked him down to the ground and kicked him again in the head until he was still. I didn't think he was dead, but he wasn't getting up anytime soon.
That was how I had to be, brutal and efficient. I couldn't hesitate, not when I was up against two guys and Claire was in danger. I had to take him down and keep him down. The man knew how to fight, but he was an amateur compared to me, like he had never actually used any of the training he had.
The other man was backing away, still holding on to Claire. I pulled the gun from my waistband and aimed it at his head.
"Let the girl go," I said.
Instantly he complied, putting his hands up.
"Claire," I said. She ran toward me.
The guy made his move. As soon as she was between the two of us, he turned and sprinted down the alleyway. I moved, trying to get a good line on him, but I couldn't risk hitting Claire. The man made it to the other end and was gone by the time I felt like I had a clean shot.
Claire threw her arms around me and I hugged her back, holding her tight.
"What the fuck was that?" she whispered into my ear.
"It's okay," I said. "You're okay."
"Who were they?"
"If I had to guess, they were same guys as last time."
"Nate," she said, on the verge of tears, "why are they doing this?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to get Lydie and get out of here."
I moved her away and looked at her. She nodded, clearly in shock.
"Come on. Can you do this with me?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"Good. Be strong."
I quickly led her back into the club, leaving the first man there on the ground. I didn't have time to inspect him or to wake him up, but I knew what I'd find: a tattoo on his wrist of a dagger going into a heart.
We found Lydie still at the bar, and with one look she knew something had happened. We gathered her up and were back out front, flagging down a cab, and back home within fifteen minutes. It all moved by in a blur of activity. I didn't have time to think or second-guess; my only priority was keeping the girls safe.
Finally, when we were back inside, the anger I had been holding at bay ever since the men had attacked came surging back.
"Guys, what happened?" Lydie asked finally. She'd been oddly quiet the whole time, probably because Claire seemed like a catatonic mess.
"People are targeting Claire's father," I said through clenched teeth. "They've been trying to kidnap her to get at him."
"Holy shitballs. Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious."
She was stunned. For a second I felt a little proud that I had finally found something that would shut up even Lydie.
"Come on, Claire," I said. "Let me get you to bed."
"Are you sure?" Lydie asked.
"She's in shock," I said. "I'm here. I can handle her."
"Okay."
"Go home."
She stared at me. "Don't let her out of your sight."
"I won't. Call a cab and don't leave the house until it's out front."
She nodded, and then I took Claire upstairs. Lydie watched us go, concern clear on her face.
"Why would they do this?" Claire asked me.
"I don't know."
I helped her undress and put her in a T-shirt and shorts. I'd be a liar if I said that I didn't sneak a single look at her incredible fucking body, but otherwise I was a perfect gentleman.
Once dressed, I got her into bed.
"Stay," she whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"Please."
I undressed and climbed into bed with her, wrapping my arms around her tiny-seeming body. I couldn't believe a man could possibly want to hurt her. Anger flooded me again, but I choked it back, willing myself not to let Claire know how truly beyond pissed I was.
I held her like that late into the night. Eventually her breathing slowed as she drifted off to sleep. I wasn't the cuddling type, but I knew when a person needed to be comforted, especially after an insane trauma. A second insane trauma in a matter of a few days, no less.
Meanwhile, as she slept, I planned.
The bastards weren't getting away with it. I had been trying to give up and remain neutral, but neutrality was off the table.
Now I was going on the hunt. The motherfuckers didn't know what they had started.
15
CLAIRE
I couldn't tell how late it was when I woke up, but Nate wasn't sleeping. I could feel his warm body pressed against mine, breathing deeply and slowly. I pressed my ass against him harder and he responded, his arms wrapping around me.