Page 23 of Sawyer

“Yeah, well, I’m never coming back here.” I grab my black shirt and pull it over the black lace bra, finally hiding my exposed body. It’s mine now, and maybe it’s just a little piece of Jenny I can keep forever.

Disgust rolls through me that that is what I get to keep of her—a bra. That’s what my past is. Nothing more than lingerie, broken dreams, and the lingering stench of liquor I can’t get out of my clothing.

Dammit, I’m spiraling. I need ice cream, wine, and my favorite vibrator.

“You think you can call your guard dog off for a minute, sweetheart?” Tomi asks, sending a chill up my spine.

Rumor steps in front of me just as I grab my pants. “No,” he states, and the air fills with tension that vibrates my teeth.

“I ain’t asking, delta dog.” Tomi’s sinister smile stretches over his teeth. “Leave,” he barks.

I don’t see Rumor’s face. Hell, I don’t need to. His shoulders shake as he laughs at Tomi. Malice continues to pour off of Rumor. “I said no, this woman is under my protection. You already lost two of your gammas. I won’t allow her to become another statistic.”

“Two?” My stomach plummets as I zero in on Rumor. Those icy eyes of his look at me briefly over his shoulder before he focuses back on Tomi.

“Leave,” Tomi barks again, planting his feet and fisting his hands at his sides. His round face puffs out, and his cheeks turn ruddy. “Or I’ll make you leave.”

Rumor crosses his arms and shakes his head as though he can’t understand why this man is wasting his time.

I wish I’d had that nerve when dealing with Tomi all those years. Even someone as worthless as him can still strike fear into a gamma. It doesn’t matter that he’s a sleazy alpha. He barks and spikes fear in us. He did just that with the girls who were in here earlier.

“Do you have any idea who the fuck I am?” Rumor asks, his voice lowering to a brutal rumble. “I don’t need permission to kill you, and your pathetic bark won’t do shit to me.”

“Roger!” Tomi yells for the other brute. At least his brother is incapacitated.

Shit, shit, shit.

I slowly back away into the rack of clothing, my pants still clenched before me. My heels teeter, and I fall backward, slamming into the wall behind me. The chipped wall slices at my back, and my fear tinges the air with the scent of burnt limes.

I sink to the floor, trembling as Roger steps up behind Tomi.

I don’t even notice that Rumor is observing me, his head tilted just so he can see me and the two threats before us. Swiping his thumb across his bottom lip, he scoffs and then focuses on Tomi.

“You know, I let your bullshit slide when you demanded for my girl here to dance for information. It was her choice, and I’m all about letting females make their own choices.” Rumor drops his hands to his sides, and tension crackles in the air. “I could even let your pathetic little bark slide, since I can shake off better alphas than you, but you know what I can’t let go?”

“What?” Tomi snarls, clearly irritated with this whole situation.

Rumor inhales long and slow. “The scent of her fear.”

Behind Tomi, Roger chuckles, the tenor deep and gritty.

“Got to keep my girls in line somehow. You know how it is.” Tomi’s strained laugh proves he’s faltering.

“No, man, I don’t,” Rumor drawls, taking a step toward Tomi, “because where I come from, men don’t hit women.”

“Then you must not know what it’s like to have a disobedient bitch on your hands,” Tomi snaps, and spittle flies from his lips and drips down his chin.

“I think I’ve heard enough,” Rumor says. “Sin, you can stop hiding now.”

“About time. I wondered how long this was going to go on before you ended it.” Another alpha steps to the left of Roger. At first, he isn’t much to look at. He’s a handful of inches shorter than Roger and the same height as Rumor, and although he is slimmer than most alphas are, he oozes danger.

Even with his ratty hair and the tattoos swirling up his neck, his entire aura holds crazy vibes that I want nothing to do with.

Well, after he helps get me out of this situation.

Drawing my legs close, I watch as Rumor makes the first strike by grabbing Tomi around the neck and slamming his head on the nearest station. Tomi flops to the floor, out cold within minutes.

Pathetic, yes, but he was never the threat here.

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