Page 24 of Kiana's Hero

The man beneath him bucked and clawed at the arm around his throat.

“You can only drink so many Mai Tais before—” George started.

The big man lunged toward George.

For a tall man, George was quick on his feet. He stepped to the side and grabbed the tattooed man’s arm, twisted it behind his back and shoved him face-first to the floor.

When the other man rushed George, Rex Johnson pushed Kiana behind him.

Rex turned back in time to intercept the second man with a hard jab to the gut. As the man doubled over, Rex caught him on the chin with a wicked uppercut. Before the man could regain his balance, Rex planted a well-placed sidekick to his chest, sending him flying backward into a table.

The table broke beneath the man’s weight and crashed to the floor.

“I called the police,” the bartender yelled. “They’re on their way.”

The man Dev was holding onto finally fell to his knees.

Dev released his hold around the guy’s neck and shoved him forward.

He landed on his hands, sucking air into his lungs.

George and Rex stood with their fists clenched in a ready stance.

“Dev, get your girl and get out,” George said. “We’ll hold them long enough to give you a head start.”

Dev moved toward Kiana, frowning. “That’ll leave you three to two.”

“We’ll be fine,” George assured him.

“We’ve had worse odds,” Rex said. “Besides, Logan’s on his way. He should be here soon.”

“Go,” George insisted. As the biggest tattooed guy staggered to an upright position, George swept his leg out, knocking the man’s feet out from under him. He fell hard to the floor, cursing.

Dev didn’t like leaving his guys, but he needed to get Kiana out of there in case more tattooed gang members showed up.

He grabbed Kiana’s hand and left the building, stepping out into the night.

As soon as the door closed behind them, a dark figure leaped out of the shadows and plowed into Dev, slamming him into the wall of the building.

Because Dev had been holding her hand, Kiana was jerked along with him. When he hit the wall, the air was knocked from his lungs, and he released his hold on Kiana’s hand.

The man who’d slammed into him grabbed for Kiana.

Dev launched himself at the guy, grabbed the back of the man’s shirt and yanked him backward before he could latch onto Kiana. “Run, Kiana!”

When she hesitated, Dev gritted out, “Just go! I’ll be right behind you.” He spun the man around, shoved him hard into the wall and then ran after Kiana.

He’d only gone a few steps when the man he’d shoved flung himself at Dev, caught him around the waist and knocked him to the ground.

Thankfully, Kiana hadn’t stopped.

Sirens blared in the distance, coming closer.

He prayed she’d make it to the car before any more gang members appeared out of nowhere.

The further she got from him, the more worried he became.

Damn it.

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