Page 20 of Forbidden Cravings

I clenched my jaw, grabbing her by the waist and slamming her against my chest. “You won’t touch another man.”

She laughed. “See, you want it both ways. Well, you can’t have it both ways.”

Working from my arms, she sauntered away. “I’m going out with Riley. Don’t wait up.”

She’d won, just like Riley said she would. I had no grounds to stop her, although Tyson would have my head if he found out I’d let her walk out the door in that dress. The inclination to go so I could keep an eye on them was prominent, but that would only get me in trouble. Resigned to accept that she’d outmaneuvered me, I pulled my phone out and instructed Breck to take two men with him and guard them. I wanted no chance that anything would happen. I still wasn’t sure if the Bad Omen threat was looming. And if anything happened to either of them, I’d not only have to deal with myself, but I’d have Tyson and Tides at my throat.

“Dammit,” I grumbled, knowing it was going to be a long night.

I triedto keep my mind off Casey by diving into work. There were contracts I needed to review for new investments, payroll to approve, and a request from the manager at the restaurant I owned to make renovations to the kitchen. My phone alerted me to the opening of the gates close to eleven and I pulled up the camera, seeing Riley emerge from the car, but not Casey. Breck followed her in, and I grabbed my phone, bolting down the stairs.

“Where the fuck is Casey?” I asked, meeting them as they came into the living room.

“She wanted to stay,” Riley answered with a shrug. She looked exhausted, and I could see the night had been too muchfor her. Damn Casey for pushing her. She wasn’t ready yet, and it showed.

“Go to bed, Ri.”

She lifted on her toes and gave me a small kiss on the cheek. “Don’t go too hard on her, Mace,” she mumbled so that only I could hear her, then walked away, her shoes in hand as her bare feet made soft slaps on the hardwood.

I turned to Breck, my fists bunched. “What the fuck were you thinking, leaving her there?”

“She didn’t want to come back. I tried to convince her, as did Riley, but she was adamant. Shep and Finch stayed with her. She’s still being watched, and she’s safe. They won’t let anything happen to her.”

But Breck was the only one I’d told to ensure no one touched her.

“Let’s go,” I said, shoving past him.

“Boss?”

“We’re going to get Casey. Tyson will chew me a new one if he finds out she stayed. He’ll be pissed enough that she talked her way into going out tonight.” It was an excuse, one I used to cover the fact that she had me pissed off. That I was afraid another man’s hands were on her, doing what I wanted to do to her. And that she was letting him to get back at me.

While Breck sped through town, my mind played all the scenarios out, my heart thumping harder with each one. She’d thrown the truth in my face before she’d left. I couldn’t own her and deny my need to touch her at the same time. It was twisted, and it wasn’t fair to her, but that didn’t mean I wanted some other man’s hands on her.

My teeth were grinding by the time we arrived. I tore from the car as Breck pulled up to the front, bypassing the line of people still waiting for entry. Breck ran to catch up while the bouncer let me in. There were a few complaints from the line,but this was my club. If they complained too loudly, I’d shut it down for the night. If I found anyone touching Casey and had to put a bullet in him, I’d close it down for good.

I rolled my neck, feeling the tension as I felt for the gun I’d snagged from the glove compartment and tucked in the back of my pants. The music was blaring, the smell of alcohol strong, the crowd rowdy. Breck pointed to where my men stood, their hands clasped in front of them, their eyes vigilantly surveying the crowd, but Casey wasn’t with them. I scanned the club, spotting her on the dance floor. With three men surrounding her. My blood boiled as the man that was holding her waist pulled her closer.

“Fuck,” I muttered, storming through the crowd, my eyes riveted by the flirty smile she gave him as the one behind her closed in on her. I saw the glance over her shoulder that she gave him, but the other tugged her, jerking her body hard. She pushed against him as the third one blocked her in. They were circling her body like predators, ready to attack. Her staggered moves alerted me that she’d had entirely too much to drink. My men noticed her vulnerability at the same time I did, hastening toward her, but I was ahead of them. They would pay for letting her get that drunk and for letting another man put his hands on her.

The guy behind Casey grabbed the bottom of her dress, hiking it up. There were too many people for anyone to notice, but I saw it. I shoved people aside, making a beeline for her, my men following behind me. The clench of my fists was so fierce, the skin stretched uncomfortably. When I reached them, I punched the one behind her in the side of the head, pounding him until he was on the floor.

People scattered, the other two men reacted, but not before I pulled my gun. I yanked Casey from them, ignoring her complaints. They looked like they wanted to fight, and I invitedit, keeping Casey in my grip even as she struggled to free herself. The one on the ground stumbled to his feet.

“Don’t even think about it, shitheads. You fucking lay another hand on her and my staff will end the night cleaning your guts from the floor.” I nodded to Finch and Shep. “Get them the fuck out of here and teach them a lesson about touching women who don’t want to be touched.”

“The fuck she didn’t,” one mouthed off. “The whore was begging for it.”

Rage blinded me and my control precariously teetered, ready to topple and unleash what tether remained on my rage. “On second thought, take them to the alley, now.”

Any complaints stopped the second my men pressed their guns to their backs. They shoved the three through the club and out the back entrance into the alley. I dragged Casey behind me, ignoring her grumbling.

“What the fuck did you call her?” I said, as the door slammed behind us.

I motioned for Breck to let him go and the cocky shit had the nerve to get in my face.

“I said the whore was begging for it.”

I released Casey and slammed the end of my gun into his face. His words elicited fury from the depths of my body, and I drove my foot into his head when he hit the ground. Cocking my gun and shoving it against his temple, I said, “Apologize to her.”

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