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“Hey!” she called as she slowed her approach.
Oliver’s head whipped up, and his eyes widened at the sight of her. He glanced left, right, then over his shoulder.
“We need to talk,” she said as she marched the rest of the way to him. “Hey, what the hell are you doing?”
He grabbed her upper arm and spun her toward the building. Her back hit the cinderblock wall with a rough thump. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he whisper-yelled in her face.
“Ow.” She struggled against him. “Get your hands off me.”
He grabbed her other arm and shook her so hard her head hit the wall with a painful smack.
“Dammit, Oliver—”
He shook her again, getting right up in her face this time. “You need to leave right fucking now, Brenna.” Never had she heard that tone from him. Part fury—that part she recognized—and part abject terror.
“Hell, no.” She continued to struggle against his firm hold. “I’m not leaving until—”
“Brenna, listen to me,” he almost shouted, shaking her again.
Her neck flopped like a ragdoll’s. “Seriously, fucking stop it!”
“Brenna. Shut the fuck up and listen.” He lined his face with hers. “Leave. Now. Go home. Don’t be stupid.” Spit hit her face as he spoke so fast his words almost slurred.
“Get your hands off me.” She seethed. Fuck him for overpowering her so easily. Tomorrow, she’d start those damn self-defense lessons, but at least she had one weapon at her disposal.
The second he slackened his grip, she jammed a hand in her pocket and yanked out the pepper spray. She aimed it at his face the way she’d practiced in the mirror earlier and pressed the nozzle, shooting fiery liquid at Oliver’s face.
“Oh, fuck,” he screamed, immediately coughing. Back spray hit her face, inflaming her airway and stinging the hell out of her eyes. Oliver released her, clawing at her face.
The door opened, and a huge, bald man with deeply tanned skin stepped out. “Need help with that one, man?”
Oliver doubled over and shouted, “She fucking pepper sprayed me. Grab her, Bolt!” A coughing fit stole anything else he might have ordered.
“What the fuck?” The big guy sprinted in her direction.
Blistering tears rolled from her scorched eyes, but Brenna turned and ran for all she was worth. Her lungs burned. Every breath felt like knives in her airway. She didn’t make it ten steps before she could feel the giant right behind her.
Run faster.
She pumped her arms and legs, cursing the days she’d skipped her workouts.
Three steps later, the giant seized her arm and started to haul her toward the building. “Hey! Get your freakin’ hands off me.”
What was with men grabbing her tonight? And there was no way in hell she’d be going anywhere with this behemoth.
“Look,” she said, wrenching her arm back and forth, trying to break free. Her eyes still poured with tears, but the hot sensation was lessening. Oliver didn’t seem to fare as well since he’d gotten a straight shot to the face. He stood, bent and cradling his face as he shouted curses her way.
“Let me go. This is between Oliver and me. Just go back inside. Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to be involved here.”
The colossal man laughed. Through her blurry eyes, she made out a large spiderweb tattoo on his scalp above his left ear. Didn’t that mean he’d killed someone in prison or something? Where had she heard that?
Either way, it sent a chill down her spine, as did his amused laugh.
“L-let me go,” she said with less force as fear began to steal her voice.
He laughed again, and the fear morphed into fury.
Fuck this. She kicked out hard, nailing him right in the sensitive ankle bone. The guy cursed and dropped her arm. Brenna wasted no time sticking around. She turned and ran for all she was worth, only to collide with Oliver ten steps in.
