Page 310 of Dark Love

Someone scary enough that this creep would back down right away. I don’t want to cause a bar fight… club fight.

I scan the crowd. Who could I ask? Most guys are dancing with someone, or not scary looking at all.

Jackpot! The guy in the corner booth looks like he chews nails for fun while crushing people between his fingers. A sane person would run away from him. I’m normally a very sane and reasonable person. There’s got to be someone else.

“I can’t wait to beat the shy out of you.”

Those words scare the last shred of sanity out of me. I dash away from him winding my way through the crowd. For the first time since I stepped in here, I’m thankful for the boring ballet flats on my feet. They allow me to run like I wouldn’t be able to even in the lowest of heels.

Be a good guy.

This has got to work like it does on the television.

With grace that I’ve never felt before in my life, I slip into the booth next to a man capable of crushing bones with his bare hands. “Hello, darling.” My voice barely sounds breathless even though I’m about to hyperventilate or faint.

Fainting would be bad. Very bad!

Muscles tense as the bone crusher turns towards me. He has to help me. He just has to.

In the movies, they always kiss the guy or hug him, but there is no way I’m going to sexually assault a person to avoid being assaulted myself.

What should I do?

There’s no way the creep didn’t follow me. His eyes burned into my back the entire time I ran.

What should I do? Ask for help. Give the bone-crushing man in the beautiful suit a chance to say yes. I lean forward allowing my hair to cover my face as I whisper in his ear, “Please help me.” Three little words could save me a world of hurt.

“Come back here, you little—”

The creep is here! It’s the moment of truth.

Will the bone-crushing man save me or throw me to the wolf? I lean back to see what’s going to happen, but don’t get very far before a strong arm wraps around my shoulders.

“Mr.…Vex…Um. I didn’t…I thought…She didn’t—”

“Go now.” The bone crusher’s sharp words send the creep running.

“Thank you so much. I didn’t know what to do. I can’t believe it worked. Things on television shows never really work. It worked. I can’t believe you saved me. You saved me.” I lift my gaze up and freeze.

The glittering emerald eyes staring back at me are like none I’ve ever seen before. Do eyes naturally come in that shade of green? His pierce my soul, making me forget everything. Even the mind-numbing noise disappears.

What is he thinking as he stares back into my boring brown eyes? Mine aren’t dark enough to be considered pools of velvety chocolate or bright enough to remind you of umber stones. Dirt. My eyes resemble plain, boring old dirt, yet his gaze remains locked on mine for the longest moment.

Will he remember me, the woman he saved, after tonight? This memory will stay with me until the day I leave this world. He will stay with me.

Why does that thought settle my soul?

Because I haven’t felt this safe since the last time my father held me in his arms when I was a child. Nothing bad in the world could touch me then. And nothing bad would dare to touch me with this man watching over me. “Thank you,” I whisper the words. If I was living back home, Mom would tell me to make him cookies to show my appreciation. “What kind of cookies do you like?”

His head tips to the side. “Are you crazy?”

“Sometimes. But I think I’m the good kind of crazy.”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Oh, I figured that out the hard way.

“I have your drinks.” The friendly bartender walks up with a tray balanced on one hand. “Two white gummy bear shots. And one glass of champagne.” She sets the last glass down with a smile and a wink and then rushes away from the table.

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