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He nipped my lip, forcing a cry from me, then took advantage, kissing me deeper.I endured it, barely, but the entire time all I could think about was the knife in my pocket, the one I used for spelling, and how badly I wanted to bury it deep in his fucking eye socket.

Finally, he released me and I slumped, breathing deeply through my nose, because bending over and puking was a real threat.

Poe was a disgusting creep, he was forcing himself on me, and I freaking loathed him, but even if all of those things weren’t true, my reaction would remain the same.It sounded extreme, but being touched by any male who wasn’t Jagger felt wrong in every way.

“Don’t move,” he said and sauntered into the ring.

Like I had a choice?He faced off with his opponent.Now that I was sure he wasn’t looking, I quickly turned away and dragged the back of my hand across my mouth—and my eyes collided with Lothar’s.

He was frowning.His gaze sliced from me to Poe, then back again.

Shit.

Then he was on the move, heading straight for me, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.I couldn’t leave because it would piss off the demon gangster who was blackmailing me, and I sure as hell couldn’t let on to Lothar what was really going in here, not when they still had Luke.

Lars closed in when Lothar strode right up to me.

Loth’s narrowed stare sliced through the demon, and he curled his upper lip, flashing fang.“Back the fuck up now or you will regret it, demon,” Lothar growled.

Lars bristled, trying to be tough, but there was no missing the real fear in his eyes.All demons were afraid of hellhounds, to differing degrees, and I had to fight my grin when he stepped back.

“Make it quick.Poe won’t be happy you’re talking to this asshole,” he fired at me.

Lothar had already dismissed him completely.“You good, Sutton?”Loth was frowning again, and there was a whole lot more growl in his voice.

“Yep,” I said and smiled bright.Lars had stepped back, but he was still listening, and even if I wanted to tell Lothar what was going on, I couldn’t.“Just checking out the fights.My ah…friend, Poe, is fighting.”

“Friend, huh?You kiss all your friends like that?”

The hound was still growling.“We’ve just, uh…been on a few dates.It’s nothing, you know, serious or anything.”

Lothar crossed his big muscled arms over his chest.“That male is bad news, babe, not sure you should be hanging with him.”

“Poe?”I forced a laugh.“He’s a big softy under it all.I’m fine, honestly.”

The concern on his face didn’t fade.“Heard you moved out of the coven house.Not sure that was a good play either.”

My mouth went dry and my stomach clenched.I’d had no choice.I couldn’t prepare drugs there and put my coven in that position, and I couldn’t tell them the truth.Distancing myself from them was the only thing I could think of.I’d hurt my friends, but it was for the best.Phoebe and Fern thought it was about Jagger, and I let them believe it because it was easier that way.

I shrugged.“I wanted to go out on my own is all.”

“The shit that went down with Jag?—”

“I’m not talking about that.”

His massive chest expanded and his eyes narrowed.“I know my brother handled things wrong.He fucked up, but, babe, you gotta know he would not be down with this shit.He’s protective of you after what happened to you, finding you like he did, and you hanging with that fucker, kissing him, dressed like that in a room full of males, no one here to protect you?—”

“You need to stop, Lothar,” I shouted over the cheering.“Jagger doesn’t care what I do.What he thinks or feels about the way I conduct my life is irrelevant.I don’t owe him a damned thing.”

The cheering reached a new level, and I turned to see Poe standing over the smaller demon.There was blood everywhere, and his opponent wasn’t getting up.Every instinct in me screamed to get in the ring and treat him, heal him, but I couldn’t do that either.It would only piss Poe off.

His dead-eyed stare came to me now, then locked on Lothar.Shit, shit, shit.

My tormentor strode from the cage and over to me.He hooked me around the neck and tugged me against his sweaty, blood-covered body.

I wanted to retch and shove him away, but instead I stood there like a good little cage bunny, not fighting when he grabbed my chin, and not hissing and scratching when he tipped my head back and kissed me again.I tasted blood and whimpered in disgust.

He released me and tried to stare down Lothar.“You want something, hound?”