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“Fuck off, buddy. The lady is coming with me,” Mr. Neanderthal snorted.
I could see a change in Viper, one that should frighten the man to death. He took a deep inhale, allowing the ragged breath to escape. “The lady belongs to me.”
What? Oh, no. I wasn’t going down this road.
I became incensed, planting my hand on Viper’s arm, gasping immediately. The amount of electricity coursing through every cell and muscle could light up all of Los Angeles, leaving plenty for the surrounding counties. My mouth was suddenly dry, the skipping beats of my heart pulsing in my throat.
Whoa. This wasn’t going to happen.
“Thank you, Daddy dearest, but I can take care of myself,” I insisted. “Besides, he was just leaving.”
“Like hell I was,” the caveman growled.
Viper did nothing more than fold his arms across his broad chest, glaring at the man. The threat was real, only the other guy wasn’t paying any attention.
I’d heard stories from Mike that Viper was considered dangerous, able to kill a man with his bare hands. I wasn’t in the mood to find out.
The caveman nodded, wiping his jaw as he glanced at his buddies. Then he made the huge mistake of throwing a punch.
There was a moment when everything drifted into slow motion, Viper’s reaction so quick and intense that my eyes didn’t catch it.
But suddenly the sound of Mr. Neanderthal moaning in anguish floated into the air just as the sight of Viper’s hand wrapped firmly around the dude’s fist, twisting his wrist at an unnatural angle, brought me back to reality.
Viper kept his firm hold, inching closer to the man in severe pain, cocking his head.
Another sound rocketed into the bar along with the loud pumping drumbeats of Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me.’ The other burly dudes Neanderthal man had brought with him jerked up from their chairs, snarling as they walked in our direction.
“Oh, Christ,” Mike snapped from behind me, another series of scraping sounds floating toward us as the entire group from the ball team advanced.
Suddenly, I’d been dropped in an action flick, ready to duck and wait until the entire bar had been demolished and blood covered the tabletops.
“Now, I’m going to tell you one last time. Either you and your buddies walk out that door politely or you won’t be able to walk for a very long time. The choice is up to you.” Viper was calm and collected, obviously enjoying himself.
At first, the caveman snorted. Although I didn’t see any change in Viper’s hold, the man started to howl in pain.
“Hey, man. Let’s get out of here,” one of his buddies said from behind us.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Mike added. I threw him a look. As if my brother was going to get in the middle of a fight he wouldn’t win.
“Viper. Let him go,” I said, wrapping my fingers around his arm. Just touching his skin seared the tips of my fingers. “Please.”
He slowly lowered his head, his chest rising and falling as he locked eyes with mine. For a few sinfully filthy seconds, there was no one else in the bar. My mind was swimming in murky waters that I shouldn’t be in. Next, I’d step into quicksand.
“As I said. It’s his choice.” There was a darkness to Viper’s voice I hadn’t heard before, the deep baritone sending a wave of sensations rumbling all the way to my core. This was a side of him no one had likely seen.
A quick glance in my brother’s direction confirmed that.
Mr. Neanderthal finally threw up his one arm in surrender. I couldn’t help but notice beads of sweat were rolling down both sides of the guy’s face from the pain. “I didn’t mean nothing by it.”
“Say that to the lady with feeling.”
The guy did as he was told, sliding his gaze in my direction, speaking through clenched teeth. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“That’s fine,” I said, trying to defuse the situation.
Neither of the men moved a muscle.
“Viper. Let him go.”
