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“I don’t need a bodyguard,” I tell him. “Now stay.” I point at him, narrowing my eyes in an attempt to combat the fluttering in my stomach.
Why does he have to be so freaking hot?
Why does the thought of some random stranger caring enough to walk me safely to…anywhere… feel so damn good?
I don’t want to feel that way.
I can’t afford to.
With a sharp frown, I point at him one more time, then spin on my heel, determined not to look back or interact with this guy for another second.
I'm on a mission to find someplace to sleep tonight, and I don’t need him hounding me. Or judging me for storming out of a sorority house like a hissy-fitting toddler.
Okay, so maybe I haven’t put much thought into my choices tonight.
But come on. How can I do what Aimee is asking of me? How can I possibly get some stupid playboy to fall in love with me? This Ethan Galloway dude who I’m then supposed to publicly humiliate.
I’m so not about that.
Bullies suck. I don’t want to become one, even if Aimee does think this Ethan guy deserves it.
I will not?—
“Hey, sweetness.”
I jerk to the right when a van slows to a stop beside me. It's mustard yellow with covered-up windows in the back, and from the leering looks these guys are throwing me, there should seriously be apredator alertlabel plastered to the side of that thing.
“Where you goin’, honey?”
The voices calling out the window make my skin prickle… and not in a good way. This is no lust-fueled tingle—it’s arun like hellwarning.
And I accused the jock of being a creeper.
This can’t be happening. Of all the nights to make a stand and tell Mr. Empire State Building I didn’t need him. Of course I have to be approached by a van full of perverts.
My stomach hitches as I realize my little legs will never be able to carry me fast enough. Even if I break into a run, these two guys—no, wait, there are three of them—could jump out and grab me, haul me into their van, and do who knows what to me. I may fight like an alley cat, but three against one?
Shit. I can’t believe I’m failing Common Sense 101.
I can’t believe I’m gonna have to turn around, yet again, and hope to God Mr. Empire State Building didn’t take me at my word.
CHAPTER4
ETHAN
I stayed like she told me to, but I didn’t take my eyes off her, and thank fuck for that.
As soon as that van slowed beside her, my muscles coiled. And yeah, there’s a certain sense of satisfaction in knowing I’m right—I’ve heard too many rumors to not believe that some of them are true—but the thought of even one of those assholes touching her has me breaking into a run.
“Baby, wait up,” I call, jogging up beside her and throwing my arm around her shoulders. The duffel bag bumps me in the stomach, but I ignore the buckle digging into me and pull her a little tighter to my side. Then I throw an icy glare in the direction of the van. My tone is anything but friendly as I seethe, “Hey, guys. What the fuck are you doing trying to pick up my girl?”
They all recognize me. I can tell by the way they jolt, the way their eyes round just a little.
They’re not calculating if they can overpower me, because they know if they touch me, every guy on my hockey team will make it their personal mission to rain down a fucking hailstorm on them. You don’t mess with the Nolan U Cougars. Anyone with half a brain knows that.
“We didn’t know she was your girl, man.” One of them laughs uneasily, and it looks like these douche nuggets might have a full brain between them, because moments later, the tires are squealing as they take off down the road.
“I hate you,” she mutters.
