Before I know what’s happening, I’m lifted to my feet. Breaker’s giant hand clamps around my wrist as he pulls me through the crowd that parts from him. I stumble a little feeling unsteady after so many drinks. “Need me to carry you?” he asks, looking as if he’d like nothing more.

I shake my head, “No, thank you. I’m fine.”

He leads me toward the same door that Bess went through just moments ago, so I happily follow. But then he takes me through an emergency exit into an alleyway outside. There’s no sight of Bess and Venom.

“What?” I say, confused and unable to form my thoughts into words.

“Don’t worry little bird. Venom called dibs on the back room, and I don’t fancy sharing. Course, as Prez I could kick him out, but thought you might want the fresh air. You’re so tiny we don’t need a bed, I can just pick you up and throw you around.”

It dawns on me exactly why he’s brought me out here.

“Let’s go back inside, it’s cold out here…” I say, trying to move toward the safety of the door.

“I’ll keep you warm,” he says, pulling me back to him, his hand like a vice on my wrist as he grabs at my breast, squeezing it painfully.

He pushes me up against the wall, the roughness scraping my back as he fumbles, his weight pinning me in place as he tries to hitch up my skirt and fumbles with his belt.

“Please, no,” I say, pushing with both hands against his chest.

“Don’t be such a fucking cock tease. You’ve been grinding on it all night like a bitch in heat. Look what you did,” he says, forcing my hand down to feel the bulge in his pants. “You know you want this. I’m gonna split that little pussy of yours in two.”

Panic sets in as I realize he’s not going to take no for an answer. “Stop, please!” I beg as I struggle but he pins me in place.

He simply laughs at my fear, spinning me around so my face is pressed against the cool stone wall. “That’s it, little bird. I like it when they fight,” he whispers in my ear.

“Help!” I scream as he tears my panties off.

There’s a dull thud followed by a clanging sound and all of a sudden, Breaker is no longer pressed against me. Dazed, I turn around to see Breaker lying on the floor unconscious, his head bloody. My eyes land on my metal baseball bat-wielding savior.

“Mason!” I cry, my legs buckling with relief.

He scoops me up into his chest as I let out a sob. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here. But we gotta go, he won’t stay down long, we gotta get as far away from here as we can.”

“We can’t leave Bess!”

“Bess will be fine, the guys will get her out. Please, Emma, just trust me,” he begs.

“Alright,” I concede. “I can walk,” I add.

“I’m not letting you go,” he says, holding me tighter.

Somehow, his words feel like a promise. As if he won’t ever let me go.

I don’t want him to.

Chapter 16

Emma

Mason rides like a man possessed with me on the back of his bike. He doesn’t say a word. From how white his knuckles are and how tense his body is, I get the impression he’s fighting the urge to turn back and finish Breaker off.

When we finally stop, we’re outside a motel.

“What are we doing here?” I ask.

“I’m not risking going anywhere else until we know it’s safe. We wait here until we hear from the guys,” Mason replies, stalking into the reception.

Once we’re in the room, Mason sinks down into a chair and runs his hands through his hair. “Jesus, Emma. I told you this was a bad idea.”