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Brass steps away, nostrils flaring, eyes narrowed to thin slits, and yanks me with him, all but dragging me along as he heads for who knows where.
A moment later, I find myself released and in his office, his massive body in front of the door, blocking my exit.
Damnit.
This just goes to show my luck has to be going down the shithole right about now.
“Now, I’ll ask you again. What are you doing here, Thea?” he demands, those well-muscled arms of his crossing over his beefy chest, making him look even bigger than he is. No wonder they call him Brass. He looks to have not an ounce of fat on his body anywhere.
“It’s none of your business what I’m doing here, other than the obvious. I’m working, trying to make a living,” I snap, straighten my shoulders and glare at Brass.
“You could have been making a living working anywhere.”
“What, stripping’s not a good income? Where I’m standing, it is.” I huff, rolling my eyes. Of course, Brass is one of those men who should be classified as sexist.
“What I’m saying is you disappeared only to reappear as a stripper. Something about it doesn’t jibe well with me. Where have you been all these years?”
“Again, it’s not your business.” I shrug. “Now, if you’ll move out of the way, I’ll be heading home.”
“I don’t like the fact that you’re here,” he remarks gruffly.
“Doesn’t matter if you do or not. I’m not your concern.”
“Bullshit, Thea,” he grinds out, stepping away from the door and getting in my space. “You’ve always been my business.”
I shake my head and skirt past him, moving to the door before he can stop me. “That’s not true, and we both know it.”
I rush through the door and dash down the hall, not letting him catch me again. Seeing Brass, being around him, so close it’s messing with my head.
Outside I make my way to my car, my nerves racked by Brass, and I don’t do the one thing I’ve always done, scan my surroundings which I should have done first. I barely get to my car when someone comes up behind me, one arm around my waist the other going over my mouth. I smell the chemical and instantly know this is not going to be good.
I try to fight it off, but it’s strong, and whoever has hold of me is definitely stronger. My kidnapper starts dragging me backward when, suddenly, I’m wrenched from their grip and stumble forward into the arms of Striker. Lightheaded, I turn enough to see Brass going at it with my would-be kidnapper and sigh before collapsing as the drug takes effect.
CHAPTER5
BRASS
“Brass, brother, let up on him,” Striker yells, breaking through the haze that took over at seeing the fucker trying to take Athena. If I hadn’t gotten my shit together and followed after her, I would have been too late.
“What’s going on out here?” Twister demands, getting my attention. With him were Hades, Horse, and Dragon.He turns his gaze, and I follow to see Striker holding Athena in his arms. “The fuck happened here?”
“Someone tried takin’ her,” Striker answers, and I give the fucker in question a kick to the ribs.
“Stupid fuckin’ . . .”
“Brass,” Horse growls, stepping closer, “calm the fuck down.”
“Fuck calm, VP,” I snarl and kick the bastard again. “He was going to take Thea.”
“Thea?” Horse cocks a brow and looks from me to Athena in Striker’s arms, then back to me. “You know her, don’t you?”
I nod and let out a heavy breath. “Yeah, we were in the same foster home together. She disappeared at the age of fourteen without a trace.”
“There’s always a trace of something. Just got to find the bread crumbs.” Dragon grunts, sounding like his twin brother, Gadget.
“How about we get this party moved elsewhere?” Twister suggests. “Dragon, call your woman. We’ll take Athena back to the clubhouse and have her meet us there. Make sure she’s okay.”
“You got it, Prez,” Dragon grumbles and pulls out his phone. “I’ll also tell Gadget to start looking into what tonight was all about.”
