Page 7 of Guardian's Touch

“That’s okay!” Thatcher insists before putting a hand against her lower back. Even though she flinches, he won't let up, pressing his fingers tight against her. “There are rooms in the back that are quieter.”

“We’ll show you,” his friend offers, leaning in and breathing almost directly in my face to be heard. From the way it smells, he's already had more than a few drinks tonight—and I guess it gives him the courage to grab my ass.

“Watch it!” I snap, slapping his hand away before I even think about it.

All he does is laugh, and so does Thatcher. Fiona wraps an arm around mine—she’s trembling like I am. “Thanks, but we're going home. Good night.”

We don't get more than two steps away before an arm wraps around my waist, tugging. “At least take a look at the room!” My heels slide over the floor even though I’m not moving my feet. He’s moving me like I’m a piece of furniture.

I'm not exactly familiar with the club scene. But even I know what their endgame is.

And it turns my discomfort into rage. “Not interested!” I shout, digging my nails into his hand to free myself before grabbing Fiona. She's wide-eyed and pale in the blue and purple lights shining down on us. “Fuck off, you piece of shit!”

Thatcher’s red face looms over me, his teeth bared in a snarl. “Fucking bitch!”

And then he’s on the floor. Fiona shrieks, and the two of us jump back in time to watch Dane take him by his shirt and haul him to his feet. He’s the one who knocked him on his ass.

Where did he come from? Why is he here?

Is he going to kill this guy? Because right now, it looks that way.

“What the fuck do you think you're doing?” he bellows in Thatcher’s face. “Huh? Answer me, you punk.”

Only he doesn't wait for an answer, tossing Thatcher to the floor again like he’s a rag doll before pointing at one of the men now surrounding us. I recognize him as the bouncer who let us in. “This is how you run things around here? You let underage kids in this club because, what, they pay you enough? You're fucking fired. Out of my sight, now!”

Then he turns to Frank, who until now has been glaring at Fiona. “I want IDs checked now. Every motherfucker in this place. If they're underage, they're out of here.”

I don't understand any of this. Who is he to tell people what to do?

Then he whirls on me, and there's no room in my head for any questions. Not when he looks at me the way he is, like he wants to kill me. He's breathing hard, almost panting. “So this is how you're going to behave? Sneaking out at all hours, paying off some brain-dead bouncer to let you into a club? What the hell has gotten into you?”

I want to answer him, I do, even if I don't know what to say.

The problem is, as intimidated as I am, and as much as I wish this had never happened, it's not so easy to think with all the blood in my body rushing south. He might be scary, but he's also the hottest thing I've ever set eyes on. Until now, he's always kept his temper in check—I know that since he's never acted this way before.

And even though he's furious with me, the sight and the sound of him are enough to make me wet. Nothing about what he does to me makes sense.

“Get her out of here,” he mutters once Frank has passed on his orders, jerking a thumb at Fiona. She manages to slide me a single horrified glance before her father pulls her away. I can't hear what he's saying, but from the look on his face, it can't be anything good.

I glance around and realize we've attracted a lot of attention. And there are people here I know, who I used to go to school with. Now they're going to get kicked out, too, all because I came here tonight. Maybe it's for the best that I won't be around much longer. I won't have to see them and relive this embarrassment.

“Let's go.” Instead of dragging me off the way Frank did to Fiona, Dane shocks me by sweeping me off my feet and into his arms. I'm too stunned to react, frozen in surprise, and more than a little excited to be this close to him.

You idiot. He's going to tear you a new one for this.Maybe so, but I'm still breathless with anticipation, and my heart still races because at least I'm in his arms. Where I've always wanted to be.

Even when we're outside, he doesn't put me down. Instead, he carries me straight to a waiting SUV. The black-clad man I recognize as one of his drivers opens the back door for Dane to place me inside, then slide in after me.

Without a word, he pulls me onto his lap and cages me against him, his arms like steel bands I couldn't break free of even if I wanted to.

And I don't want to. I've never wanted anything less than to be in his lap, pressed against his firm chest where his heart pounds out of control. Just like mine is.

4

DANE

Idon’t dare say a word in the car. Not in front of a witness. I can’t trust myself.

Besides that, words escape me. There’s nothing but screaming in my head. The sense of a hand squeezing my heart until it's on the verge of bursting. The deafening rush of blood in my ears.

---