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“You fuck off. They’re mine. I saw them first.”

“What the fuck? You think women are some sort of property? Get the fuck out of here.”

He sneered. “Isn’t that what we’re all doing out here in this heat? Looking to get laid?”

“No, we’re fucking not,” I said.

“Zachary,” Grace whispered. The relief in her voice chilled me.

“Fuck off,” I told the guy again, “and don’t make me say it a third time.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Or what? I don’t need both of them. You can take whichever you want. I want Goldie here. You can take the other one.” He pointed at Grace, and I saw red. “And you won’t stop me.”

He took a step toward her.

Grace shrieked as I raised my fist and punched the guy right between his eyes. He wobbled backward until he reached the wall opposite from the one Grace and her friend were propped against.

“Are you insane?” he asked.

“Fuck off.”

“Get checked, man.”

I laughed without humor, but he scurried away.

Once he was out of sight, I turned to look at the two women. “You two okay?”

“Yes, now, thanks to you,” Grace’s friend said. “I’m Lais, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. I’m—”

“Zachary LeBlanc,” she finished for me.

“Have we met before?”

“No, but I’ve heard about you.” She glanced at Grace, who had a hand on her chest, tugging at her pendant. Clearly she was still unsettled.

“Grace, are you okay?”

She nodded, but it wasn’t very reassuring.

“What the fuck just happened?” Beckett’s voice came from behind me as he and Anthony joined us.

“Where were you two a few seconds ago?” I asked.

“Looking for you. One second you were with us, the next you just disappeared. Thought we lost you in the crowd. Then we saw you clocking that guy,” Anthony said.

“He deserved it,” Lais cut in. “He was making us very uncomfortable, and Zachary here was our knight in shining armor.”

“Lais, Grace,” I said, “these are my brothers, Anthony and Beckett.”

“Grace Deveraux?” Anthony asked.

“Yes,” Grace replied, nodding.

“Why don’t the three of us grab drinks?” Lais suggested, pointing at my brothers. They immediately nodded.

That worked for me. I wanted to take Grace somewhere private and make sure she was really okay. She seemed almost uncomfortable here. Was she not used coming out to the Quarter on weekends?