Page 16 of Escape

“Steve,” I say, nudging his arm with mine. “Your mate’s barking up the wrong tree. Mandy’s taken.”

Steve turns, sizing up the situation with a quick glance. He claps his friend on the shoulder, steering him away from us with a grin. “Better luck next time, mate.”

Mandy gives me a grateful look before leaning in. “I’m heading out,” she says, her voice low. “You good?”

I nod, gesturing toward Steve, who’s already making his way back. “Yeah, I’m fine, go.”

Mandy hesitates for a moment, her eyes flicking between me and Steve, but then she shrugs and heads toward the exit.

Steve’s grin is back by the time he reaches me. “So, just us now?”

“Looks that way,” I reply, finishing my drink and setting the glass down on the bar.

He steps closer, his hand brushing against my waist, and I let him. The music pounds around us, the air thick with heat and sweat, and before I know it, his lips are on mine.

It’s a good kiss—skilled but not desperate—and I lean into it, my hands resting lightly on his chest.

“Your place or mine?” I murmur against his lips.

His grin widens like he just won the lottery. “Yours.”

For a moment, Owen’s voice flits through my head.Be careful,he’d said. I should just ditch this guy, go home to Owen and curl up in his arms and—

I shove the thought away, pulling back just enough to look Steve in the eye. “Let’s go.”

What the hell, right?

The flat door slams shut behind us, and Steve’s on me before I’ve even had a chance to kick off my boots. His hands are rough, gripping my waist as he pushes me back against the wall, his breath hot against my neck.

“Steve,” I mutter, trying to keep my tone light as I press a hand against his chest. “Chill out a bit, yeah?”

He chuckles, low and rumbling, but doesn’t stop. His hands slide to my hips, gripping tighter as he leans in to kiss me again.

“I mean it,” I say, firmer this time, turning my head away. “Slow down.”

But he doesn’t seem to hear me. Or worse—he doesn’t care.

His hands move to my shoulders, shoving me back against the wall hard enough to make me wince. “Come on, don’t play hard to get,” he says, his voice dripping with mockery.

A cold knot forms in my stomach. My hands come up, pushing against him harder. “Steve, I said no.”

He pauses for half a second, his eyes narrowing. Then he laughs, a harsh, dismissive sound. “Relax. It’s just a bit of fun.”

Before I can react, he’s leaning in again, his grip on me like iron. Panic rises in my chest, cold and sharp, and I shove at him with everything I’ve got.

“Get off—”

And then he’s gone.

It happens so fast I don’t even process it at first. One moment Steve’s in my face, and the next, he’s being yanked back, stumbling away from me with a startled grunt.

Owen’s there, his hand gripping the back of Steve’s collar like a leash. His face is a mask of controlled fury, his jaw tight and his eyes blazing.

“She said no,” Owen hisses.

Steve stumbles, trying to twist out of Owen’s grip. “Mate, what the hell—”

Owen doesn’t let go. He pulls Steve back further, his grip tightening as he leans in, his voice a quiet, dangerous growl. “Get. Out.”

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