I set her down.
Wrong fucking move.
The girl took off, plowing through the crowd and following him on his heels.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered. My heart lurched, seeing her take off after this dude who looked as though he wouldn’t hesitate to hit a girl.
“Shit,” Chuck cursed beside me. “Get her back to the camper.”
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I was already going after her, bulldozing my way through the crowd that gathered to watch.
“What did he say to get her so pissed?” I heard Christian ask Sage as I walked away. I could hear Chuck’s boots stomping behind me.
Lina was charging through the door of the bar as I hurried to catch up with her. An evening breeze brushed across my face as I stepped outside, but it might as well have been a heat wave the way I was sweating.
Lina bounded after the guy, who was now crossing the dirt parking lot.
“Lina!” Chuck scolded behind me as we closed in on her.
She ignored him, not stopping in her pursuit.
“You’re going to need to get her,” Chuck instructed. “She’s still pissed at me. I’ll follow close behind just in case there’s trouble.”
Chuck and I exchanged knowing glances before we both surveyed our surroundings for more than one threat. Thankfully, I didn’t see any sign of her stalker as Chuck fell behind and I closed in on her heels.
She was moving quickly, but in three long strides, I was on her. I went to grab her around the waist, but it was like she sensed me closing in. She twisted, and her arm extended to backfist me right in the fucking throat before I could even touch her.
“Kuh-huh!” It felt as if her bony knuckles lodged themselves right into my windpipe, causing me to cough. I think she meant for it to connect with my jaw, but with our height difference, she fell short of her target. “Fuck, sweetheart,” I said between clenched teeth.
Her arm reeled back like she was going to go again, but I caught it in midair, my fingers wrapping around her wrist.
“Don’t try to stop me, Reed.”
“Don’t hit me again.”
She wrenched her arm out of my grasp, breaking my hold.
“We’re not fucking doing this,” I told her, quickly gripping her waist and swinging her over my shoulder with effortless ease.
She released a surprised scream at the change in altitude. “Put me down, asshole!” Her nails dug into my back.
I adjusted my grip and held her around the back of the thighs to steady her.
Lina thrashed, trying to wriggle her way off my shoulder.
“Stop fighting me!” I swatted her ass. She let out a muffled cry as if she was biting it back. As if she didn’t want me to hear that it hurt. I hoped it fucking stung. At least enough to quit her squirming so I could get us out of here.
“You’re a fucking asshole!” Her nails dug deeper, and I hissed a breath.
“Yep, I’m a fucking asshole,” I confirmed, staring down the guy who was standing there, watching us. I hope he thought I was an asshole, too, and saw it as a warning. His mouth hung open now, but when our eyes connected, his teeth clicked closed. “You,” I directed at him, “better go before I change my mind and let her loose. She won’t just be swinging at me.”
He tipped his chin in a jerky nod of understanding before turning on his heels and disappearing between the parked cars. At least he wasn’t a complete moron.
“He grabbed Sage’s ass without her fucking permission!” Lina cried. “He needs to get the message, or he’s going to put his hands on another girl without her consent.”
In my periphery, I could see Chuck approaching to my right. We exchanged quick glances and he gave me a nod, silently letting me know he’d handle it before turning in the direction of the ass-grabber.
Gripping her against me, I quickly charged through the rodeo grounds, heading to our trailer. The sensation of her body wiggling against me, and my palm gripping her ass, was putting me on fucking edge. I felt like I was on fire, and my dick was painfully hard against my zipper. This girl was fucking trouble, and all I could think to do was push her to her knees while I fucked her smart-ass mouth.
