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“Bitch,” he spat.
A shiver ran through me when he dropped his gaze to my breasts, licked his lips, then spun around to rejoin his buddies across the room. They were already getting a little rowdy, so when he returned empty-handed, they went ballistic.
“You need Tony to keep an eye on them,” Celeste, one of the other bartenders I worked with regularly, said while pouring a row of shots.
“Yep. I’m on it.”
Tony was our security slash bouncer for the evening. He also happened to be a retired state trooper who didn’t take shit from anyone. Even though the lights were down low in the bar, I was able to locate him fairly quickly.
Catching his eye, I pulled down on my left ear three times; a signal he’d taught us to use as an alert for possible trouble. His gaze, which had bordered on indifferent, went razor-sharp in an instant. I tilted my head in the direction of the large table of college students who were getting more out of control by the moment, then went back to work, knowing he had the situation in hand.
The rest of the night flew by without any other mishaps. By the time I’d finished closing down the bar and clocked out, I was dead on my feet. Making my way across the nearly empty parking lot toward my car, I thought about what Mom had said. She was right, of course. It would be nearly impossible to continue with my current pace as my pregnancy progressed. Yet, there wasn’t another alternative.
A hand wrapped around my elbow—the grip tight and unwanted—jerking me to a stop. Cursing my distracted brain, I looked up into the bloodshot eyes of the asshole from earlier. He’d obviously gotten one of his friends to buy him drinks because the stench of beer wafting from his pores indicated a high level of intoxication.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he slurred.
“Listen, buddy.” Using my free hand, I reached into the front pocket of my pants, wrapping my fingers around the cylindrical tube I kept there for just this reason. “It’s been a long night and you’re obviously drunk, which is the only reason I’m giving you to the count of three to get the hell off me.”
“Or what?” His hand contracted farther, squeezing to the point where there’d be bruises come morning.
“I’d suggest you listen to the lady, asshole,” Alec’s deep growl sounded from behind me. I hadn’t heard him approach, then again, I really needed to pay better attention to my surroundings.
“I’ve got this handled, Alec.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I took in his stance; hands fisted at his sides, feet spread shoulder-width apart. Towering over me with his icy-cold glare locked firmly on his opponent made him look imposing. It also made him look hot as fuck.
Now was not the time for sexy thoughts.
“Yeah?” he grunted, shifting his gaze briefly to mine.
“Hold your breath.” I smiled then winked before turning back to the drunk. “Three.” Withdrawing the small can of pepper spray from my pocket, I took aim and depressed the trigger.
“Fuck,” the idiot squealed, relinquishing his grip on me in order to cover his eyes against the onslaught of liquid fire currently burning his retinas.
One muscled arm wrapped around my waist, pulling be backward into Alec’s chest, while he gently took the now-empty can from my grasp.
“Next time you pull a stunt like this, I’ll redden your gorgeous ass,” he grumbled low in my ear.
“That’s not a deterrent, Hot Shot.”
I could feel him start to harden against my back before he abruptly maneuvered my body behind his.
“Fuck. Stay there.” He pointed to the ground below my feet.
“Woof.”
“Smart-ass.”
“What the hell happened?” Tony yelled, coming out the back door of Bliss.
“Oh God it burns. The bitch blinded me.”
“Shut up, asshole,” Alec barked, approaching the screeching idiot. “Call 911. Tell them Quin was assaulted.”
Then, with one move—which should not have made my panties damp, but most definitely did—Alec swept his leg out, taking my would-be assailant off his feet. It was by far the sexiest thing I’d ever seen in my life and despite the cool breeze floating around us, my body began to sizzle.
Damn pregnancy hormones.
