Kelsey followed Adrien hesitantly, wondering how he always made everything seem simple when it wasn’t simple at all.

She’d gotten used to the fact that he was practically fearless, that he seemed to expect the world to bend around him, that he had no problem demanding it did.

Surprisingly, he was patient and willing to take her input, and he still hadn’t really answered her question as to why.

Why was this handsome, wealthy, smart man trying so hard to help her? Why did he insist on being interested when he could turn down any woman and regularly did?

And why did she keep thinking about kissing him again every time she looked into his gorgeous eyes?

“Come on,” he said. “Take my hand this time. I don’t want to lose you.”

She tried not to shuffle her feet as they crossed the street to Bernard’s restaurant. He was just the manager there, but you’d think he owned the place based on how he acted.

Dread built in her, making her legs feel heavy and numb the closer they got to the entrance.

When they reached the doors, she saw Bernard notice them and come out to greet them. He was a tall man, heavily built with thinning hair he combed over to look thicker. His face was perpetually sweaty and greasy, and all she could think of when looking at him was the last time he’d tried to come after her.

His focus was on Adrien first, his smile greedy as he looked over the rich stiff in front of him. Then his eyes switched to her, and his entire expression changed to one of shock and then anger.

He pointed at her. “You. You dare show your face back here? I should have you charged with assault.”

She flinched, but Adrien stepped in front of her quickly, facing off with the much burlier (but not much taller) Bernard. And where Adrien was all lean, hard muscle, Bernard had a lot of fat.

“You won’t talk to her, or I’ll call the police and tell them about the indecent acts you’ve attempted,” Adrien said.

Kelsey snorted at Bernard’s confusion at Adrien’s odd words. She’d gotten used to the way he talked, even kind of liked it, but she knew it was a little beyond Bernard’s vocabulary.

“Shut up,” Bernard said. “This doesn’t involve you. This is between me and that little slut.”

Adrien’s whole body tightened. “That’s one.”

“One what?” Bernard asked. “Anyway, I have business with the cunt, so you’d better get out of here.”

“That’s two,” Adrien said, his voice calm with a hint of menace. “And no, I’m not departing until we get what we came for. You have Kelsey’s money, and we are going to retrieve it.”

Bernard scoffed. “You mean that pathetic envelope she left under her mattress? No. Finders keepers. If she hadn’t been so busy knocking me out and running away like an ingrate, leaving us all hanging, she’d have her money. As it is, she owes us."

“That’s three,” Adrien said flatly.

“I don’t know why you’re counting,” Bernard said in frustration, cocking his head.

“You’ll see,” Adrien retorted. “Kelsey, how much does he owe you?”

“Four thousand dollars,” she said softly. Her heart was pounding. She’d been so much bolder around her new friends that she’d forgotten how afraid she’d always been around Bernard, who was always so much bigger than her and so threatening.

“So this is how it’s going to go, Bernard,” Adrien said. “We’re going to go back to the apartment you were renting to Kelsey and get anything she may have left, and you’re going to come with us to pick up the money, if it’s still there, and if not, you’re going to go acquire the money and meet us there.”

Bernard’s expression darkened. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll meet you there.” His eyes darted to Kelsey. “She knows where the apartment is.”

Kelsey bit her lip as Bernard went back into the restaurant, probably to pull cash from the register, if he had enough.

“Do you think he’s planning something?” she asked Adrien, who was still standing there, glaring.

“I hope so,” he said cryptically. “Because I am. Now, where is that apartment?”

She led him around the side of the restaurant to a building at the back that was several stories high. It was hidden by the storefronts, but there were a dozen apartments there, mostly used by employees.

She walked up the stairs to the one she used to live in and pulled on the doorknob. “It’s locked. Of course.”

“You’d think he’d have rented it by now, given how much he seems to care about money.”

“Care?”

“You know, to steal it from a woman who desperately needs it. It’s so cowardly and low I can hardly comprehend it. It doesn’t help my opinion of humans.”

“Humans?”

“Men, I guess,” he said.

“You’re kind of a misanthrope, aren’t you?” she said.

“Yes,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Though I’ve recently met someone who is changing my mind.”

A warm rush went through her, cutting through the cool night air and her nervousness. She was here with him and she was safe, and her belly was full and she had somewhere to go home to.

All that remained was this one last thing, which he wanted her to let him help with.

She leaned on the railing as she waited for Bernard to come back.

When he appeared out of the darkness, she noticed there were two employees following him. Men she recognized as servers, whereas she had always spent most of her time doing prep in the stockroom and kitchens.

They were tall, though, and it gave her a bad feeling that they were coming with him.

Bernard pulled out a keyring that jangled as he walked up the steps, shouldering them out of the way so he could unlock the door.

He swung the door open, and Kelsey walked in, followed closely by Adrien, who stayed protectively between her and the door.

“We’ll check for things in here alone, and you can give us the money after,” Adrien said, gesturing for Bernard and his lackeys to go.

But Bernard shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid not.” He came into the room, ducking under the door, and his two friends followed him in.

Dread sank through her as she watched them close the door, making the space around them shrink with their presence.

Adrien let out a frustrated sigh. “Am I correct in guessing you didn’t bring the money?”

Bernard glared. “The money is mine.” He turned to Kelsey, menace in his eyes. “And I’m going to make sure I get the rest of what I’m owed as well, you little slut.”

“Four,” Adrien said in a harsh tone.

“Shut up,” Bernard said, stepping toward Adrien. “You two, grab her.”

Adrien’s whole body went rigid as she gasped and stepped back quickly from the men coming toward her. Her legs hit the back of the bed, and she bounced onto it, then quickly tried to get up as Bernard laughed.

“Nah, leave her there. She belongs on her back,” he said, throwing his head back.

Adrien moved almost too fast to be seen, tapping one of the men going for her on the shoulder.

When the man turned, Adrien hauled off with a huge punch that knocked the other man away from the bed. Then he turned and shoved the other guy, so hard the man actually flew into the wall and then slid down it, expression slack from the impact.

Adrien cocked his head, looking kind of surprised. Just how strong was he that he could do that seemingly on accident?

The other man had recovered and was staggering back, facing Adrien with fists up, and Adrien just rolled his eyes, as if bored of the whole situation. He drove a fist into the man’s stomach, and when he bent with an, “Oof,” Adrien used his other hand to punch him in the side of the face with a sickening crack.

The man slumped forward on the ground, and Adrien kicked him casually out of the way, sending his body flying.

Then he turned to face Bernard, who looked like he was considering whether or not he should run.

“Uh,” Bernard said.

“Five,” Adrien said, holding up a hand with all five fingers extended. “Five times you insulted my mate. You hand over the money now, or you find out what five means.”

“I don’t have it,” Bernard whined. “And it’s not fair anyway. She broke things, and I did everything for her.”

With a snarl, Adrien closed the distance between them and held Bernard up by the neck with one hand.

Holy hell, how was Adrien able to do that? Was he some kind of superhero or something?

Bernard’s legs dangled, toes scraping the ground as he gasped for breath.

“My mate doesn’t need your precious money,” Adrien said angrily. “And you are one of the lowest life forms I’ve ever encountered. And I wouldn’t bother wasting another minute on you, except I can’t let insults to my mate go unanswered.”

What was a mate? Was that just another old-fashioned term he liked to use?

She didn’t really care at the moment. He’d protected her as if it were nothing, and it was incredibly… hot.

“One,” Adrien said, and he slammed the hand he wasn’t holding Bernard with into his face with a loud crack.

Bernard screamed and struggled harder, his arms alternating between trying to free his neck and swinging wildly.

“Two,” Adrien said, snapping his leg up to kick Bernard squarely in the groin, making the other man howl.

“Stop it! Stop!” Bernard begged. “I’m sorry. I’ll get the money.”

“You called her a whore. A slut. That woman is one of the best people I’ve ever met, and you attacked her. You made her afraid. You should have been grateful. Three.” He grabbed Bernard’s wrist with his free hand and made a quick snapping motion to one side that resounded with a terrible crack.

“No!” Bernard howled. “Stop!”

“Adrien,” Kelsey said, wondering if this was going too far.

“This man is a rapist,” Adrien said sharply. “I want him to be sure he thinks hard before he ever tries it again.” He set Bernard on the ground and grabbed him by the shirt front, yanking him in close so he could glare at him right in the eyes. “I’ll be watching you. You try anything like this again, you or anyone you know, and there will be more of this. Four.”

Bernard flinched, but Adrien paused. He looked over his shoulder at Kelsey with a small grin. “Anticipation makes it that much better,” he said darkly.

The next second, he’d planted his foot hard into Bernard’s gut, sinking it in and then pushing back with a hard snap that sent Bernard flying into the door, which broke under his weight, letting him roll out onto the stairway.

Adrien walked calmly after him, cracking his knuckles. He nudged Bernard so he rolled off the stairs, under the railing, and then jumped down to follow him.

Kelsey glanced around the room, and then, deciding there was nothing there important to her, quickly followed them out.

“Don’t kill him,” she hissed, running down the stairs to stand by Adrien. “I don’t want you in jail.”

“I’m not stupid,” Adrien said calmly. “I won’t kill him.” He raised his foot over Bernard’s trembling frame as he looked up in fear. “Five.” He brought his foot down quickly on Bernard’s shin, and she heard the loudest crack yet as it seemed to snap in half.

Bernard howled, rocking forward and screaming for help, and Adrien knelt and dragged him forward.

“Shut up,” Adrien said, and Bernard whimpered. “You want this again? Then try to find me. Try to tell on me. I’m happy to do this again.”

Bernard shook his head. “I won’t tell. Please. No more.”

Adrien released him and held out an arm for Kelsey. “Do you have anything else you need?”

She shook her head.

Adrien paused and looked back at Bernard. “Go ahead and use the four thousand you stole on medical care for your injuries. I’ll make Kelsey whole on my own. It was worth it to kick your worthless ass.”

Bernard just stared after them, breathing heavily as they strode away. He made no effort to follow them.

She almost wanted to go back and make sure he was okay, but Adrien was right.

Bernard had tried to rape her. Wouldn’t have hesitated to hurt or even kill Adrien if he was in the way.

What Adrien had done was ruthless, but perhaps it was deserved in the situation.

And even though calling the police might have been better, it would have been their word against his, and most likely nothing would be done about it.

This way, Bernard would definitely think twice before putting hands on an unwilling woman again.

Adrien walked swiftly with her to the car, opened the door for her, and then got in, cursing to himself. “We’ll stop by an ATM on the way home,” he said. “I’ll make sure you’re whole. I’m sorry we couldn’t take it out of that asshole’s hide.”

“No,” she said. “Let’s just go back. Are you okay, though? I can’t believe you just did that. I mean, are your hands bruised? Are you on steroids or something?”

He sighed. “I just… I’m weirdly strong, okay? I always have been.”

“What are you, a superhero?” She joked because her heart was still pounding, and she didn’t know what to say about the situation.

“What is that?” he asked.

“You know, they fly around and have super powers that humans don’t, and sometimes they’re oddly strong.”

He thought about it. “Interesting.”

“But you aren’t one?” she asked.

“I’m afraid not,” he said. “I’m just strong and very used to fighting.”

“But he weighed so much…” she said, trailing off.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stop by an ATM?” he asked.

“You really don’t have to pay me back,” she said. “It’s just nice that it’s over. I appreciate you taking my side.”

“Every time,” he said. “Especially against dirt bags like that. That was especially satisfying.”

“So violent, though,” she said with a shudder as he pulled out onto the street.

He stopped the car and stared at her for a moment. “When it comes to you, I’ll be violent if I have to. Those men would have threatened your life.”

“I suppose,” she said.

“I’m ruthless, Kelsey. I’ll never deny that,” he said. “But I can promise with me on your side, you’ll only be grateful for it.”

“I am,” she said. “But I just don’t… want to be responsible if you’re hurt.”

“Let me worry about that,” he said. “I promise it’s pretty hard to hurt me.”

But she couldn’t forget the image of him on the ground, bleeding, in the rain.

She made a small note not to let him go after anyone else in her past who had wronged her and decided to just be grateful they were both just out of there safely.

She put a hand on his arm as he started the car again. “Thank you, Adrien. It means a lot.”

“What does? That I failed to retrieve your money?”

“That you cared,” she said. “That you minded that I was insulted. That you treated me like a person when none of them did.”

He shrugged. “They are wrong. Now they know it.”

She laughed as they headed back home. “Yes. I suppose they do.”