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The man had tried to kiss me, tried to rape me, and he might’ve done it if I hadn’t fought back. Hell, before my men barged into my life, I might’ve been a passive participant.

The good girl.

His dark eyes speared me, roaming over my skin. I was fully clothed in a tank top and shorts, but he made me feel naked.

“It’s nice to see you again,” Enzo continued, a tremendous smile on his face.

“You too.” I tried to infuse sincerity into my words, but it was hard. Nearly impossible.

And where were my guys?

A sly glance showed Declan staring intently at the bartender’s lips as the jovial man spoke. Out of my peripheral, I spotted Fallon with his back turned.

I couldn’t see the others from this angle, and I wasn’t about to announce their locations to Enzo. We had no idea if it was my parents coming after me, but it was logical to believe so. Who else would want me so much they would hire mercenaries to kidnap me?

Couldn’t they just find another punching bag? Wouldn’t that save them the hassle? I supposed it was too much to hope for. Evil didn’t think logically. They saw things in black and white.

“You look beautiful, even after all this shit.” Enzo moved to brush a strand of my brown hair out of my face, and I trembled in revulsion. That only made his eyes flare brighter, but whether because he mistook my disgust for want or because he knew I feared him remained unclear.

“You too.”

Yeah, real coherent, Addie. Real smart. Tell the crazy man you hate that he’s beautiful. Ten out of ten. Good survival instincts.

“You still do that thing? Speak your thoughts out loud?” He snorted. “I suppose it’s impossible to take the crazy out of the girl.”

He leaned closer, and the stench of stale beer assaulted my nostrils.

His voice was a hushed murmur. “I’ve been thinking about you. Our kiss. The salty taste of your skin. When I’m fucking other girls, I’m thinking of you.”

What. The. Fuck?

“What the fuck?” a high-pitched voice echoed. Fear skated down my spine.

Tommy stood behind my barstool, hands on his chubby hips. His large glasses were sliding down his nose, and he used one finger to push them back up.

“Who the fuck are you?” Enzo asked, and to my relief, he sounded more amused than annoyed.

“I could ask you the same thing. What you just said...that’s nasty, man. Fucking nasty. You watch your tone, boy. Do you speak to your mother with that dirty mouth? Don’t make me wash your tongue with soap.” Ignoring Enzo’s flabbergasted expression, Tommy turned towards me. “And what are you still doing up? It is past your bedtime, missy. Don’t make me start a scene, because I will.”

Too late for that. Everyone in the general vicinity was turned towards us as Tommy's voice rose in volume. Declan’s face was glacial as he slid from the barstool. I could see Fallon meeting Tam and Asher, all three walking towards us with deadly calm faces. Ryder and Ronan, however, did not exude the calmness of my other four lovers. They had always been passionate, always been hotheads, and this was no different. Red-faced, they pushed the throng of people aside, intent on getting to Enzo.

Enzo, seemingly unperturbed, flashed me an indolent smirk before sliding off the barstool.

“I’ll be seeing you real soon, Addie. Real fucking soon.”

And with that, he disappeared down one of the many hallways.