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Billy Joe gripped her shoulders, snarled down at her, then drew his fist back, and as far as she was concerned, enough was enough.
Her knee swung up and connected between his heavy thighs as his fist landed at the side of her head. His eyes went wide, a high-pitched whine filling the air as silence suddenly echoed around her, and Billy Joe Wingate went to his knees, his hands now clapped between his thighs.
Rogue’s head was ringing, she swore there were spots in front of her eyes, and she was thanking God that Billy Joe had pulled his punch at the last second.
“Get them the fuck out of my bar!” she yelled at Jason as he gripped the younger man beneath the arms and began dragging him out the door.
The other bouncer, Timmy, was pushing Luke out and Rogue followed with the bat.
Adrenaline and anger were pumping inside her. Her head hurt, her eyes hurt, and she was more furious with herself that she had allowed it to happen than she was at Billy Joe for throwing the first punch.
She stalked into the cool air of the night, glaring at the two men as the bouncers tossed them to the blacktop pavement. And of course they came up fighting, fists flying.
Hard hands gripped her shoulders and jerked her around, and she swore she saw Jonesy’s face blur for a precious second.
“Have you lost your damned mind?” he screamed in her face, his expression twisted in fury, his eyes burning with it as he shook her roughly. “Look what the hell they did to your damned face. Damn you. You’ve fucking lost your mind. ”
He shook her until her head lobbed on her shoulders, back and forth, and she grew dizzy from the effort it took to retain consciousness. Just as she thought she was going to lose it, an enraged yell sounded behind her. She was jerked away from Jonesy, stumbled, and fell against another hard body.
Helping hands supported her as curses rained around her. Shaking her head, Rogue blinked desperately and fought to make out what was going on around her. When she finally managed to clear her gaze she saw Jonesy laid out on his stomach, Zeke straddling as he locked cuffs around his wrists.
Jonesy was still and silent, but he wasn’t unconscious. He was staring back at her, his gaze filled with resignation and hurt. The kind of hurt fed by betrayal and steeped in emotion.
“What the hell are you doing?” She jerked away from the hands holding her, pushed back her hair, and stomped over to Zeke as he rose from Jonesy’s back. “Let him go.
Now. ”
“The hell I will! Have you seen your damned face yet, Rogue? What the hell happened here?”
“He didn’t hit me. ” Her hand connected weakly with his chest. “It was those damned yahoos the bouncers are holding for you. Now let him the hell go. ”
“He was shaking you,” he yelled into her face, his hands gripping her arms, and she could feel the bruises Jonesy had already left there.
“Yeah, well, what the hell are you getting ready to do?”
Rogue stared up at him, seeing the rage in his brown eyes, the tension in his hard, lean body. Zeke was ready to kill. A muscle ticked along his jaw and his lips were a flat line of anger as he scowled back at her.
“I warned you,” he growled. “The next time he laid his hands on you—”
“Get over yourself!” she yelled back at him. “I can’t have public rights with you, then I’ll be damned if you can have protective ones with me. Now let him go. ”
She was in his face, almost nose to nose as his head lowered and he glared down at her.
She could feel a heavy breeze whipping around them, feel the attention of the onlookers locked on them.
“Let him go, Gene. ” Zeke’s lips pulled back from his teeth in a snarl.
“Let him go?” Gene questioned in amazement. “He was about to break her damned neck, Sheriff. ”
“Now. ” The order was an animalistic growl that sent a tremor racing up Rogue’s spine.
“Get the two that started this shit in lockup and dry them out. Take statements. ”
“Uhh, sure, Sheriff,” Gene cleared his throat. “You’re off duty, it’s my call anyway. ”
“You’re damned right I’m off duty. ” Zeke’s fingers slid into her hair, clenched, and pulled her head back as his arm went around her back, jerking her to him. “And by God, I know how to take advantage of it. ”
His lips landed on hers in a kiss so fiery, so filled with hunger that she was left gasping.
