I storm out of Ron’s office like my ass is on fire. I don’t even bother shutting the door behind me as I march straight for the bar, heading behind it and making my way to the alley. Thankfully only Bree tries to say anything. She got one good look at my face and backed away. Once I reach the door, I take a quick glance behind me to make sure no one has followed me before I let the tears fall. I make my way outside and lean against the cold brick of the building, covering my face with my hands. I feel so angry, so used. But honestly, I shouldn’t feel angry at Ron. He told me this was something that could never be. I was the one that had to go and push it. But he wanted me. He was just as into it as I was, he knew I was a virgin and he took me anyway, that must mean something. I’m trying to organize the chaos of my mind when suddenly I’m aware that I’m not alone anymore.

“Look, just leave me alone …” I turn expecting to see Greg or Jake and instead see a man I don’t recognize.

He’s tall, built like a linebacker with tattoos running up his arms and his neck. He’s dressed like one of Ron’s guys, in slacks and a button-up shirt but there is nothing familiar about him.

“Sorry, principessa, no can do.” He smirks at me and I lower my hands down to my sides, readying for a fight. The minute I hear his Italian accent I know something terrible is about to happen.

“What do you want?” I hiss, grateful my back is against the wall. I don’t know if I can take him, but at least this way I know no one can come up behind me.

“We doin’ this the hard way then?” he asks, cracking his knuckles.

I think he’s trying to appear threatening but the move is so cheesy I crack a smile. He has no idea what he’s gotten himself into.

He lunges before I expect him to, his left hand gripping my right shoulder and slamming me farther back into the wall. I hiss in pain as he squeezes my mostly healed bullet wound, and it distracts me from what his other hand his doing. Too late I realize his right hand is holding a knife against my throat.

“You’re gonna come with me. Quietly. Or I’ll slit your throat right here,” he hisses, looking around nervously. He must have just realized he was trying to abduct me right outside Ron’s door. Dumbass. No one fucks with someone that works for Ron, but more importantly, no one fucks with me.

“You know they have cameras out here,” I bluff, weighing my odds. They aren’t good. I grit my teeth, knowing what happens next is probably going to hurt.

In one quick motion, I use my left arm to shove the hand holding the knife to the side, at the same time bringing my right palm up and shoving it up into the man’s face. His nose cracks and he swears, backing away from me, momentarily stunned. I don’t hesitate, kicking him right between the legs before he gets his bearing. I feel a slight trickle of blood running down my neck from where the knife nicked me but there is no time to worry about that right now.

I try the door back into the bar, but it’s locked. I quickly abandon that plan and run toward the street. I hear footsteps behind me but don’t bother looking. I fly around the corner of the building and run right into what feels like another wall.

“She giving you trouble, Gino?” A deep male voice asks, his chest vibrating against me. His arms wrap around me like a steel trap, and I struggle to get free.

I lean forward and bite his chest as hard as I can, feeling the flesh give way. He tosses me away from him, growling in pain. I land on the pavement, quickly jumping to my feet and turning to run again. Someone grabs my arm stopping me before I can gain any momentum.

“Who’s laughing now, asshole.” The first man, Gino, says, squeezing my bicep to the point of pain.

“I already kicked your ass once, wanna bet I can do it again?” I smirk, my eyes desperately seeking out the door of Keegan’s. Someone must come out. No way this has gone unnoticed. Where the fuck is Jake when you need him?

“You got lucky,” Gino says, giving a look to his friend who has blood staining the front of his shirt from my bite. It makes me smile despite the situation.

“Easy job they said. Just grab a little girl they said,” his friend whines, rubbing his hand over the wound on his chest.

I change my footing and swing my free arm around, aiming for Gino’s face but my fist never reaches him. I feel a sting in my back following by a clicking noise. All the muscles in my body lock up, making me completely immobile. I feel myself falling to the ground, my head bouncing off the concrete before everything goes black.