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Neri pasted a thin, polite smile on her mouth, but her eyes turned arctic.
Her fingers clenched in mine.
I stood taller, willing the group to walk on by and leave us the hell alone.
But then, one of the older guys looked at me. His eyes narrowed as if he could see exactly where I’d come from and found my presence utterly contemptable. “Hey...you. What the fuck are you doing here, fucking foreigner.”
I froze.
Neri stiffened.
“Yeah, you! You don’t belong here.” One of the younger guys studied me closely. “What the fuck are you doing with a girl like her, huh? Fall off the wrong boat, did ya?”
Neri flinched. She swayed forward as if to attack them. I squeezed her hand so hard, I probably hurt her. I shot her a look. A look that screamed not to speak, not to engage.
They were nothing more than drunken idiots looking for a reaction.
They came closer, standing directly in front of us. “Oi, we asked you a question, mate.”
One of the younger guys wearing a tight baby-blue t-shirt crossed his bulky arms. “This asshole bothering you, sexy? Want us to teach him a lesson?”
Neri opened her mouth.
I squeezed her hand so hard she winced.
“Did you just fucking hurt her, you cunt?” one of the older guys spat, his eyes locked on our hands hidden in the folds of Neri’s dress. “Let her go.”
The air suddenly filled with violence and animosity as the other guys shifted, their drunken dawdle tensing with aggression. “Oi, you heard him. Let her go.” The fattest of the lot shoved my shoulder. His entire body bristled as if I’d personally offended him just by existing.
I rocked back on my heels, absorbing the strike but not letting it trip me.
The urge to retaliate bubbled in my guts.
The willingness to participate in bloodshed roared through my veins.
But there were four of them.
And two of us.
We’re alone.
Neri had already been abused by one Australian bastard. There was no fucking way I’d put her in the position to endure another.
“You don’t belong here. And you definitely don’t belong with a girl like that.” One of the younger guys spat at my shoes. “You’re not welcome. And you’re definitely not allowed to touch our fucking women.”
“Just go away,” Neri hissed. “Leave us alone.”
My eyes snapped closed.
Fuck.
She’d always been far too ready to defend me. Far too courageous for her own good.
“Ooooo, la-di-daaa...she speaks.” One of the older ones waved his arms about like a fucking lunatic. “He tell you to say that, sweetheart? You can tell us if he’s scaring you.”
“Only one who’s scaring me is you,” she spat back.
“Nerida,” I hissed.
She pressed harder against me. Our palms stuck together with sweat. I swear our heartbeats thundered to the same chaotic beat. She looked at her phone again, sucking in a breath as the red dot of our driver was nowhere to be seen.
“Don’t you fucking talk to her like that,” one of the older guys barked. “And take your hand off her. We won’t ask again.”
“I’m with him, you idiot,” Neri snapped. “Go. Away!”
Fucking hell.
She was determined to destroy me.
“Aww, don’t be like that, sweetheart,” Blue t-shirt moaned.
“Fuck off.” Neri bared her teeth.
“Hey.” The older guy with a bald patch scowled. “Don’t get mean.”
“Fuck. Off,” Neri growled. “I’m with him. I’m fine. He’s not hurting me. Your concern is not needed. Go. Away.”
The other gym buff in a black t-shirt huffed. “Only looking out for you, sexy.” He pointed at me. “You really shouldn’t be hanging out with trash like this.”
“Don’t you dare talk about him like that.” Neri stepped forward, proud and brave and utterly clueless to the fire she stoked. I held her back, my fingers white around hers.
“Neri...” I breathed, fighting the animalistic part of me that howled and roared to tear these men limb from limb. I barely clung to my humanness. Barely stayed coherent while these assholes threatened my most precious thing.
“Where the hell did you come from, huh?” Bald Spot asked me. “Definitely not from here.” He looked at his mate with an ugly fish tattooed on his bicep. “Reckon we should help him find his way home?”
“He belongs with me,” Neri hissed.
“Nah, you belong with one of us.” Blue t-shirt grinned. “I could make you real happy.”
My teeth turned to dust in my mouth.
I will not retaliate.
I will not put Neri in danger.
I will not strike.
I will not—
“Cat got your tongue, cunt?” Ugly Fish sneered. “Got nothing to say for yourself?”
Every bone in my body was on fire. The red haze that always fell over me whispered with bloody punishment. I wanted to beat them to a pulp for their slander and disgusting slurs.
But I wouldn’t.
Because I would never put Neri in danger.
I would never let my ego choose violence over protecting her.
They could say whatever the hell they wanted about me, but I
