Page 161 of If Our Hearts Collide

I wish I could take credit for her self-defense moves, but I can’t. Besides, this is a full-blown attack. Her life isn’t at risk, but my ex-military friend’s is.

When my words finally register to her, she stops suddenly and whips her body around to glare at me. She hasn’t changed her outfit, and I can’t help but feel jealous that the entire club has seen her like this.

She is a vision in white.

The sexy scraps of material are in contradiction to her purity. I know Penny hasn’t had a chance to fully date. She’s barely been out of the facility to make deeper connections. Plus, the few guys that she was interested in while there didn’t pan out. And by that, I mean they were shut out fast and efficiently.

Penny can do better than them.

And she can do better than coming here to prowl for who the fuck knows what.

She points behind her but keeps her eyes trained on me. “Heis your hired guard?”

“Hey!” Chris scoffs. “I’m standing right here. I take offense.”

I ignore his hissy fit, having eyes only for Penny.

With her foot tapping against the pavement, Penny props her hands on her slender hips, which only elevates her breasts even more. Her gaze rakes over me, while her temper flares. And then she charges toward me, fists blazing.

“Calm down,” I snarl, actually concerned she’s going to get hurt this time.

She smacks against my chest. “You are a barbarian!”

“And you are defiant!”

“I can’t be defiant if I don’t answer to you!” She hits me again, but this time I catch both fists into my hands, immobilizing her.

“But you do answer to me,” I say simply. I glance back at Chris who is rubbing at his sore leg. Surely he’s been through worse, but the way he is pouting like a pansy, I’m really questioning if he can handle sweet Penny Hoffman.

Based on tonight, my instincts say no he can’t.

“I’m mad at you.”

“Did you bruise your hand?” I ask, ignoring her anger. I rotate her wrists, looking her over.

“What about my body?” Chris whines from the sidelines.

“Quit being a baby.”

“I need a Band-Aid.”

He’s a tulip.

“Penny, did you get hurt during your tirade?” She seems fine, but I want her verbal verification. “And what did I tell you during your lesson about where to keep your thumb’s location during a punch?” When she doesn’t answer, I remind her. “Well, you don’t tuck it in unless you want to break some bones.”

Chris makes eye contact with me. With a nod to my chin, he retreats and moves away from us, happy to get away to sulk and nurse his wounds, I am sure. He may be trained for stressfulsituations, but Penny takes everything up a notch. And nothing about tonight has gone to plan.

“I hate being followed.”

“I warned you that I would have eyes on you. You should not have tried to sneak away. It’s unsafe.”

“No,” she snaps. “Having a guy jump me in a dark parking lot is wrong.”

I sigh. “I told you that I’m vetting a potential guard for you, since we aren’t working out.” Granted, said guard is acting like he can’t handle a paper cut.

“That’s very fastidious of you.” Anger bubbles in her eyes as she comprehends my train of thought.

“Seemed like the most logical next steps.”

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