Page 82 of The Girlfriend's Guide to Dating a Biker
His stance told me he thought he’d get a clean swing in before I closed the distance. He was wrong. I lunged before either of them made their move, angling toward the chain first. He swung high, just like I wanted. I caught the length mid-arc, the metal biting into my palms, and yanked hard. His balance went, and I drove my shoulder into his chest, slamming him back into the wall. The chain came free in my grip, and I flung it out into the dark, far enough that he’d never get to it before this was over.
Tattoo roared and came at me, fists flying. I caught the first punch on my forearm, the impact reverberating up to my shoulder. The second slammed into my jaw, jerking my head sideways. Fire streaked through bone, and the world blurred under the high, piercing whine in my skull.
The pain didn’t slow me down; it flipped the switch in me that stripped away the rest of the world until all that was left was the fight, and the damage I was about to do.
I ducked under his next swing and drove a hook into his ribs, feeling the give under my knuckles. He grunted but didn’t go down. Behind him, chain guy had recovered and was circling wide, trying to get to Eden.
“Stay behind me!” I barked to her.
I pivoted to block the gap between Eden and chain guy, just in time for tattoo guy to slam his shoulder into my ribs. The air burst out of my lungs as my back hit the wall, brick scraping through my shirt.
He came in close, trying to pin me, but I shoved my forearm under his chin and forced him back a step. Enough space to drive my knee up hard into his gut. He folded, wheezing, and I followed with an elbow jab to the back of his neck.
Chain guy took his shot then, charging in with a wild swing. I met him halfway, grabbing his jacket with one hand and smashing my fist into his face with the other. Blood sprayed from his nose, warm against my knuckles, and he stumbled but stayed upright.
Before I could finish him, tattoo guy was back on me, cracking me across the temple. My vision flashed white, but I planted my feet and threw a shot into his side, then came up with an uppercut that snapped his head back.
A flicker of movement in my peripheral caught my attention at the same time Eden yelled, Jake!” Chain guy was lunging for me again, a knife flashing in his hand.
I turned to deal with him, but Eden kicked him and then swung her heavy laptop bag with both hands, slamming it full force into his head. The impact sent him stumbling, and I grabbed his wrist and twisted hard until the blade clattered to the ground. I booted it across the concrete and out of reach.
He tried to recover but was still dazed from Eden’s hit. I shoved him face-first into the wall, his snarl of pain muffled by bricks.
Tattoo guy grabbed my shirt from behind and yanked me back, but I dropped my weight low, twisted into his grip, and ripped free, spinning into him with a right hook that cracked against his cheekbone. He staggered but swung again out of stubborn reflex.
We traded blows. His knuckles split my lip, mine opened his eyebrow. We kept going until I caught him with a straight right that dropped him cold.
Chain guy tried one last desperate tackle. I sidestepped and shoved him off-balance, sending him crashing into his mate.
They were both down for the count, but I finished them off with my fists, making sure neither were able to get back up.
My breath was loud in my ears, blood warm on my lip, ribs aching with every inhale as I scanned for Eden. She was a few steps behind me, laptop bag still clutched in her hands, her chest rising fast.
“You okay?” I asked, my voice rough from exertion.
She nodded, tearing her gaze from the men on the ground. “You?”
I wiped my mouth, my fingers coming away red. “Better than them.”
I pulled out my phone and called Griff, detailing what happened, knowing that he’d send some of our men to clean up the mess. I eyed Eden while talking with Griff. She was shaken up, but her expression was stone. Sarah was wrong about her. My girl was fierce as fuck.
“What happens now?” she asked after I finished my call and walked to her. Glancing at the two guys on the ground, she said, “I’m guessing you’re not just going to leave them there.”
“No, darlin’, I’m not. The boys are on their way to sort this out.” My hands were gentle as I checked her for injuries. “Those were some moves you pulled.”
“Self-defence classes,” she said, gingerly touching my split lip and running her gaze over the beating I’d taken. “This all looks painful.”
“Nothing I’m not used to, sweetheart. Don’t worry about me.”
She continued eyeing my bruises and cuts. Then, she brought her gaze back to mine and said softly, “I feel like that’s my job now. To worry about you.”
Fuck.
I pulled her close, breathing in her scent and letting her presence calm the violence still raging beneath my skin. “You’re not leaving my sight tonight.”
She nodded against my chest as her fingers twisted in my shirt. “Good. I don’t want to.”
I pressed my face into her hair. The need to keep her safe, to shield her from everything dark in my world, raced through my veins.
