After we leave the party and walk to the parking lot, I'm happy to see that my bike is untouched, as is Jensen's. I was talking a big talk to reassure Brynn, but I have no fucking idea what these clowns are up to.

I think they're as fucking creepy as she does, but I'm not going to tell her that. That might ruin my chances to get into her panties. To be more specific, I need to get into— and get her out of— that little red thong I know she's wearing, because I saw and touched it when we were on the dance floor.

I even tried to move it over so I could explore what was underneath with my fingers, but she pushed them away. Pretending to be such a good girl.

But just wait until we're alone. I know she has a bad side just waiting to come out for me. And come for me.

"Here you go," I say, handing her my bike helmet. "Hop on."

"Hop on… how?" she asks, looking sheepish.

Poor darling's never ridden a motorcycle before. Or me. She has no idea what's in store for her.

I help her onto the bike and say, "Don't be scared."

"Okay," she answers, but I don't know if she's referring to the bike, or me, or to the clowns. Maybe a combination of all three.

As we head to Riley's house, the streets are quiet except for some drunken revelers, spilling out of the bars and house parties and heading home to their beds and their hangovers tomorrow morning. No sign of any clowns. Good.

But when we pull up to Riley's house, a quick shadow darts across the lawn.

"Hey!"

As I cut the engine and jump off my bike, I see more shadows running from the driveway.

Stupid punk kids.

But under the street lamp I see that they have fuzzy colorful hair, white foundation, black streaked makeup and red noses. They're dressed exactly the same as the clowns that were at Clay Tucker's mansion. For all I know, they could be the same clowns.

"Fucking clowns."

"They were trying to steal Whitney's car!" Brynn says, pointing at the clowns and then to the car parked in Jensen's and Riley's driveway.

The fear in her voice is palpable. And her whole body fucking tenses up.

"Wait here, Babe," I tell her. "I'll handle these fucking idiots."

"You'll never catch them," she starts to protest. "It's a good thing we showed up in time. Let's just go make sure that Whitney and the boys are okay and that…"

But I'm chasing after one of the fucking assholes before Brynn can finish her sentence. The clown looks back at me with terror spreading across his stupid gothic- looking clown face. Both he and Brynn underestimated how fast I can run.

As he tries to turn back around to keep running, he trips and falls over a tree branch.

I grab him and say, "Stupid clumsy clown."

Suddenly there are a bunch of other clowns, pounding their fists into me. But they're weak amateurs compared to me. I know I can knock them fucking senseless, and I do.

I turn around swinging, knocking them out left and right. I punch them right on their creepy, ugly noses and I kick them once they're down.

Their scary faces meet the cold hard force of my years of military and martial arts training. And that fucking stops them all right. Some are out cold. The rest run or crawl away.

"Yeah, run away like the cowards you are!" I hurl at them. "You think you can mess with me? Stay away from this fucking house."

None of them respond as the last of the bunch slinks off, but I'm pretty sure they got the message.

"I got them!" I yell back at Brynn. "Go inside and check on Whitney and the boys. And call the cops. But wait until I'm gone."

"Wait until you're gone?" she sputters.

"Please get in the house," I tell her.

She runs and opens the door.

"Is everything okay in there, Brynn?" I shout, before she has the chance to close the door.

"Yes," she answers, sticking her head back out. "I'll call the cops. But can't you come in?"

"No. I'll wait in the lobby of your hotel if you're able to sneak back out," I tell her. "But I can't stay here."

I run and jump back onto my bike and speed off down the street, casting one regretful look in the direction of the house. I hope she'll still come and meet me. But I can't be caught by the cops.

I'm out of here, even if it means losing out on the night of passion I'd planned with Brynn.

I might not get to fuck her senseless, but at least I saved her and her son from those creepy clowns. And now I have to save my own ass.