I try to clear my mind and look at him, hoping I'm badly misjudging all this. But then he speaks, and the cruel tone in his voice confirms my nightmares.
“Don't bullshit me, girl. I know you're the reason he's losing it. Boss wants you bad. He can't focus. He's going to get us into trouble if this continues. Now, I see why you make him crazy. I see what a nasty little tease you are.” His free hand reaches down, and I sense him fumbling with his belt, or maybe the zipper to his jeans. “Let's make this fun. I'm going to give you the fuck you've been begging me for with your pretty eyes all evening. I'm not just doing it for our pleasure, Claire. This is doing the whole club a favor, everything Tyler's worked to build.”#p#分页标题#e#
He draws his hand off to finish dropping his jeans, and I'm too drunk to scream. My stomach rolls violently. I wonder if throwing up all over him will get me out of this, or if I've screwed up so bad my first time is going to be with this wasted maniac.
He shoves me against the wall again – this time harder. His hands go places. There's no pleasure, only sickness, pain when he squeezes my nipple. My mind tosses and churns between hate and horror.
I feel him everywhere – on my breasts, around my back, cupping my ass, between my legs. I moan, and he mistakes it for pleasure, but really I'm crying for help. I'm sick to death. Scared.
I'm about to black out when the door snaps open and a wild animal comes crashing into the room.
Or that's what I think, at first, in my fucked up state.
Next thing I know, I'm backed into a corner, watching the screaming men at my feet. The bigger one completely covers Karl and holds him on the ground, flattening him while his fists go at the Swede's face. I recognize the wavy tattoos flowing down his shirtless back instantly.
Ty.
“You sneaky sonofabitch!” My brother's voice explodes, and several wine bottles break in the commotion, falling onto the floor from the impact of his fists. “Did I fucking tell you to touch her? You were supposed to be the one asshole in this place I could trust not to make a move!”
His voice is slurred from the beating during the fight, but he takes Karl easily because he's sober. Ty doesn't give him a chance to answer. His fists keep coming down, this time without any gloves. There's nothing between the Swede's face and my step-brother's bloody knuckles.
Karl moans, tries to sit up and plead, tell him it's all a big misunderstanding. Ty pushes him right back down.
It's worse than watching the fight. There's no referee here, nothing to save the bastard who tried to force himself on me from Ty's righteous blows. My heart flips.
I'm drunk, but I know he did wrong. I want him to pay for it – suffer for what he would've done. But then I hear the sickening snap as his nose fractures, and I think I'm going to be sick.
“Ty...” I whimper meekly. It doesn't get through.
He grabs Karl by the collar and hoists him up, but only for a second before smashing him down on the hard floor again. “Pick your sorry ass up and get the fuck out! You're done here. Drag your fucking carcass back to Europe, and I won't press charges. It's not a choice. I'll make sure you never work in this goddamned city again!”
His voice rumbles low, booming, savage. Scarcely human. I don't try to squeak out another word, even if I want to.
“No, no, no, boss,” Karl blubbers. “She's a tease. She brought me here. Boss, please! Boss!”
I cover my face with one hand. Fuck it. He deserves everything the mad dog protecting me wants to give him.
Karl never gets out another word. Ty picks him up and drags him across the room, through a narrow space formed by boxes stacked to the ceiling. A door I hadn't seen before swings open in the back. I catch a glimpse of some loading docks, and that's where Ty throws his manager.
Well, former manager. The door slams shut while the man is still screaming, and he whirls around.
Now, I'm face to face with the devil himself. But if he's a devil, then Satan has the coolest, most beautiful blue eyes anyone can imagine.
I feel like I'm facing a firing squad. Only, instead of catching a bullet, I'm going to catch nothing but pure hell, or else a twisted ache between my legs.
“I'm sorry as fuck about this, babe. He's never acted like this before – or at least I've never caught him. Shit, it's always the ones you trust.” Ty shakes his head.#p#分页标题#e#
I see he's got a bandage on his temple, and his skin's gone slightly dark in several patches on his face. Fresh bruises are blooming from the fight.
I can't believe what's just happened – what I've barely escaped. Rage floods my brain in one blast.
“I didn't need your help. I would've screamed.” I ball my fingers into fists, amazed at the words coming out of my mouth. It's pure defense. “There was another couple out there who would've heard us, broken up what he was doing. Thanks, but no thanks, Ty. I appreciate your help, but I don't need it. You're not my knight in shining armor, and you're definitely not my prince.”