Page 62 of Casualties

I lean back as best I can—his hand still grips my neck.I move my hand to feel around the surface of what I am up against.The lamp is on the opposite side of the room—there goes the idea of bashing it over his head.Jackson has at least a hundred pounds on me, strength is not in my favor.

Balls!I can kick him in the balls, that'll hopefully give me the opening to run.I hope my knee has enough force to cause severe pain.I don’t have any room to bring my leg back for momentum, so this knee will need to come from pure anger.I refuse to be a victim of my current circumstances.If I am, it won’t be from lack of trying.

I slide my hands up his muscular arms, trying my best to be seductive, despite the tears that are rolling down my face.His eyes widen in surprise, still shifting quickly.He has to be on something.My façade is working; his grip is starting to loosen from my neck.

“I knew you would come around to see things my way, Toots.”My mouth starts to water, signaling I'm about to puke.He doesn’t get to call me pet names.Not anymore.

“Yeah, you just took me by surprise.”I grip his shoulders.The hand that was trying to grope me between my legs is now on my hip, and that gives me the advantage of putting a little distance between us.

You can do this.One hard knee to his balls.Three…Two…One…

Crunch!

“Ah, fuck!”He drops to his knees in pain, holding his junk with both hands.Is he crying?Good.

I move around him, running for the door, when I see a small red light on the wall.It looks like a button.Is this for emergencies?At this point, I don’t care if it sends an alarm through the whole club, I press it.His hand grabs my ankle, tripping me, and I fall to the hard floor.I cough from the force of the impact to my stomach.

“No-no-no!Please stop!You don’t want to do this, Jackson!”my broken voice pleads to whatever sanity he has left.

“Get over here, you fucking bitch!I swear to fuck, I'll be getting in that virgin cunt, whether you like it or not.”He's trying to drag me back to him by my ankle with one hand, his other hand still holding his dick.

I get whatever grip I can on the floor as I lie on my stomach.Bringing my knee up the side of my body as high as I can, I kick my heel back to his face.His hand drops from my ankle as a blood-curdling scream rattles the walls.I pull my body up to make a break for it—this may be my last chance to escape the bastard.

“Ahhh!Fuck!Ainsley, what the fuck have you done?”I chance a look back at the damage.He has blood rushing from his cheek, pooling next to his face where it’s pressed against the floor.

I guess stilettos come in handy for something.

I rush for the door, tripping over my heels and falling into the wall.I won’t curse these bad boys though, they just saved my ass.

A loud crash sounds through the room as someone busts the door open, rushing in.I start crying hysterically at the relief that hits me immediately—someone is here to save me from this piece of shit.That button was good for something, after all.

I blink the tears away to see who stormed in.My eyes widen in shock.I know the person standing in front of me, breathing erratically.His emerald eyes stare at me in horror.

“Ace?”

THIRTY-FOUR

ACE

TWENTY MINUTES EARLIER…

So far, the night’s been easy.Denny’s members know the rules, and know what happens if they ever get out of line.Denny texted me saying he's heading this way, so I'm planning to dip out as soon as he gets here.

I’ve been working the senator job all night.Not catching a break, I decide to call it.Morgan and I came to a decision: Denny needs to give us a little more information so we know what more to look for.Otherwise this job is done, and we have nothing to give him worthy of blackmail.We've never come across a job where we couldn't find a little something for Denny.I shouldn’t be surprised, this is a state senator.But seriously, not even his douchebag friends have something to hide?I call bullshit.

The desperate hostess hasn't paid me another surprise visit, so I consider that a win.I hesitated calling down to the bar to order up a drink earlier.On the phone, I made sure to request that the bartender I was speaking with bring it up himself.

I switch from staring at the security screens to my phone—she still hasn’t gotten back to me.I asked Morgan if he's heard anything.He said the last update was a text she sent their mom.He knows I’ve been trying to find her.After I left, Cass filled him in.He called while I was on the plane, pissed I hadn’t told him sooner so he could come with me.

One of the screens catches my eye.I look up to see a few security guards rushing to the men’s room.Denny doesn’t have cameras in the restroom, so I can’t see anything else.I look at the screen showing the lounge—everything looks normal.This is weird as hell, and I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.I’m about to text Denny when an alarm goes off.I know what that alarm is: someone pressed the emergency button in one of the private rooms.

“Dammit!Not tonight.”I dial the head of security right away, he picks up after the first ring.“Ace, some shit is going on down here.”I cut him off.

“Someone pressed the emergency button in one of the private rooms!You need to go to room four!”He knows the emergency buttons take precedence over anything else.

“I have three women in the men’s restroom ODing on God knows what!I need you to go!Take any security you see with you.”The call drops.

“Shit!”

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