I crumple to the floor, dazed by Wolfe’s slap. I hate that he can knock me over with a swat. Like a grizzly bear pawing at a helpless squirrel, he effortlessly puts me down with a thud. Even though I’m dizzy, I push myself back up onto my forearms, blinking hard before struggling to get my feet under me. Wolfe’s thin lips twitch up at the challenge, almost merging with the long, pink scar slashed down the length of his face. His dark eyes glint down at me, soaking in my body since I only managed to get a bra and panties on before he stormed in here.

I want to cover myself up. I want to hide from him. I thought I could escape, but I was wrong. And now, all I’ve done is put Ryan in danger too. Glancing over at the bathroom door, I hold my breath and hope Wolfe doesn’t kill us both.

A steel-toed boot nudges me hard in the meat of my thigh and my attention snaps back to a man I’ve spent more time being terrified of than ever loving. How did I get myself into this mess?

“Ready to stop being such a bitch?” He says it like it’s an offer, and I suppose it is. An offer to temporarily end the violence as long as I’m willing to say and do whatever he wants.

I give him my best wide-eyed doe look. I watch his shoulders slide back and his terse features soften slightly as I force a sweet smile to cross my face. “Fuck you, Wolfe.”

Angry clouds roll over his already black eyes as he narrows his gaze down at me and sets his jaw. “I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into you...” He lurches over me and grabs my hair in one hand, painfully yanking me back to my feet.

“Oww, Wolfe, let me go.” I try not to howl like a wounded animal caught in a trap, but tears streak my face as he manipulates me with just one tattooed hand.

“...But I’m gonna knock this attitude the fuck outta you. I gave you a few days to sort yourself out, Red. I guess that’s what I get for being a nice guy. You’re just like everyone else. You need to learn the hard way.” He squeezes my cheeks tight in his free hand and it’s like a vice is pressing all the air from my mouth.

“Don’t fucking touch her!”

Wolfe’s hands immediately spring open, leaving me swaying on my feet like a delicate flower in a windstorm. I blink the blur of tears free from my eyes as Ryan bursts out of the bathroom, his body completely exposed as he didn’t even have time to try to wrap a towel around himself.

I’ve never seen Wolfe shocked before. His eyes grow with surprise before shutting back down into narrowed slits. He snarls over his shoulder at me, understanding exactly what happened here last night and probably believing that his refusal to accept my breakup makes this some kind of betrayal I’ll need to suffer for. His cold stare slides over my skin like the steel edge of his knife might later. I shiver at the memory of the last time Wolfe felt like he needed to put me back in my place. I push the thoughts about that knife and his rage free from my mind. If I don’t, I’ll freeze up with terror and never leave this place alive.

Fight, flight, or freeze. They say it’s not a choice, but here I am, fucking choosing. And I’m not going down without a fight.

Ryan lunges at Wolfe just as he spins back around to face him and knocks him off balance. The two of them fall to the floor, Ryan on top, delivering hard but ineffective blows to Wolfe. Even though Ryan’s completely naked, his thick cock out on display as he fights for my freedom, nothing could be further from my mind. The only thing it makes me think of is how vulnerable he looks in this fight. Wolfe rolls out from under Ryan and gets a couple deep jabs into his ribs.

I gasp and then immediately hate myself for being the useless damsel in distress while these two battle. I refuse to stand here wringing my hands together while Wolfe beats Ryan down. I search my small apartment for something to use as a weapon. You have no idea how much I regret not buying a gun right now.

Ryan ducks Wolfe’s fist and swoops under him, burying his own fist into Wolfe’s gut deep. I can hear my ex struggle for breath as I scan the room, my eyes sweeping over useless objects like the remote control and my hairbrush. Wolfe stands taller, but Ryan isn’t letting him recharge his batteries, tackling him back to the ground. He grinds his palm up over Wolfe’s nose like he’s trying to suffocate him and he thrusts his forearm over Wolfe’s neck, hanging onto him tight as he’s bucked around like a cowboy on a bronco.

As soon as my gaze hits the kitchen, I lunge forward, wasting no time. I wrap my fingers around the silver handle of my Teflon frying pan, wishing desperately that it carried the weight of one of those cast-iron skillets my grandmother used to cook me pancakes on. My pan might be flimsy, but it’s better than nothing. I turn back and see that Wolfe has managed to sit back up and both men are struggling for control.

Rushing the short distance between us, I lift the pan high over my head and don’t hesitate to bring it down flat over the crown of Wolfe’s skull just as Ryan smashes his jaw hard with a perfectly lined punch. For a second, I watch as Wolfe just sits there. Dazed but motionless. Fear grips my guts as I realize that we really might not make it out of here alive. Wolfe twists his neck, glaring over at me, but the anger seems to seep out of his eyes until only a vacant stare remains. He falls back on the floor, and I’m not sure if he’s knocked out or dead. To be honest, I’m hoping for dead. I know knocked out doesn’t buy you much time.

“Is he...?”

“He’s breathing,” Ryan answers tersely. “Thanks for that.” He nods to the pan I’m still holding in my hand.

I glance down at it and realize Wolfe’s blood is dripping down the side and let it fall to the floor with a clatter. I don’t know why I’m so shocked, I’ve seen Wolfe bloodied up before. Just never at my hands, although I can’t say he returned the favor. My astonishment boils away to anger as I remember all the times Wolfe split my skin with his meaty slaps and punches.

“We don’t have much time here, Red. Let’s get going.” Ryan reaches into my dark memories and pulls me back out to the present.

“Do you know how to tie strong knots?”

“What? We’ve got to go,” Ryan presses me.

“No, not yet. We’re tying this fucker up.”