I’m watching in absolute shock and terror as Jeremy lurches forward, his hand jerking out to knock over my glass. I’ve only taken a sip, and when I glance at Jeremy’s glass to see that he’s downed the entire thing, it all clicks into place. Jeremy is conscious, but barely, as his head collapses onto the bar top.

“Your man having trouble holding his liquor?” The bartender’s critical accusation comes from lips twisted in irritation as he mops up the spill.

“More like he has trouble keeping it together when our drinks have been drugged,” I snap, glancing around the bar.

When my eyes land on two men who are watching me intently with scowls on their faces, my stomach flips over twice. Pulling out my phone, I hold their gazes and raise my voice.

“Ronin? It’s Rayne. Yeah, I’m at The 501 with Jeremy, and someone drugged his drink. I will stay put, Ronin, I promise. Five minutes? Okay.”

I slam the phone back down on the counter and glare at the unknown men. “Five minutes to move your ass before reinforcements get here. I’m not going anywhere with you, assholes.”

One’s eyes narrow as he assesses Jeremy and then glances at my empty glass. Hopping down from his stool, he pulls out his phone and starts to speak urgently into it as he pushes through the crowded bar to get to the front door. The other follows behind, clearly knowing they can’t cause a scene in a crowded bar.

“Get us some water.” Snapping out of his surprised trance, the bartender grabs a bottle of water and slides it across the bar top.

“Hold on Jer.” I rub the cool bottle over the back of his neck. His skin is damp with sweat and his breathing is ragged. “Help is on the way.”

“Rayne…” His voice is a garbled murmur. “Stay.”

“I’m right here, baby. Not leaving. I’m okay.”

I rub his face and attempt, and fail, to get him to drink water as I wait, and it doesn’t take long before Ronin Shaw is walking through the door.

“Okay, Rayne?” he asks as he helps Jeremy to his feet.

Right behind him, Grisham takes my arm and glances around. “Perp still here?”

Shaking my head guiltily, I frown. “Two of them. They’re gone. I snapped and told them to leave. I’m sorry I confronted them. I should have waited. ”

We exit the restaurant, Ronin and Grisham both heaving Jeremy’s large body with them. Jeremy’s taking dragging footsteps, doing his best to help his buddies out, but he’s in rough shape, and fury burns through me.

“What did they think they were going to do?” The question shoots out of my mouth as I walk beside Ronin.

Ronin grunts as he places Jeremy into the backseat of an SUV. “They likely wanted to drug you both. Take Jeremy out of the picture so they could grab you. My guess is that Horton is sending men after you to bring you to him alive. He wants something.”

Shuddering, I picture Wagner’s intense blue eyes and twisted, furious mouth. “He wants me.”

Ronin glances at me as he gently nudges me into the front seat of the vehicle that Grisham is now starting. “Not gonna happen, sweetheart.”

Twisting around to look at Jeremy in the backseat, I sigh. “Is he going to be okay?”

Ronin, climbing in beside Jeremy, nods. “Oh, yeah. He’ll have a hell of a headache in the morning, but he’ll be fine.”

Biting my lip, I pull out my phone. “I’m going to call my friend Macy. She has Decker; I need to make sure he’s okay.”

Ronin grunts. “Dare will continue to keep watch on him. He’ll call if there’s trouble.”

Letting out a sigh of relief, I make the call and ask Macy if Decker can stay the night with her and inform her that a member of Night Eagle is keeping watch over her house. I don’t want Decker seeing Jeremy like this. We plan for me to pick him up after school tomorrow.

Glancing into the backseat again, I note that Jeremy’s head is against the window and his eyes are closed. Settling into the front seat with a frustrated sigh, I speak to Ronin and Grisham. “What now?”

Grisham glances over at me. “Now we take you guys home. Swagger will stay with you tonight, watch over you while Brains is out.”

Wringing my hands, and watching the scene change from beach town to downtown, my heart sinks. “He’s going to be so upset in the morning. I don’t know how to thank you guys for everything you’re doing for me. I’ve brought so much trouble into your lives.”

Ronin leans forward, his hand landing with gentle force on my shoulder. “Hey. You’re family now, Rayne. Doesn’t matter how long we’ve known you. We protect our own. And you’re ours. It’d be the same with Dare’s wife, Berkeley, or Grisham’s fiancée, Greta.”

Nodding, offer up a weak smile. “Thanks.”

When we arrive at Jeremy’s house, Grisham pulls all the way around to the garage in back and both guys help Jeremy, who is now almost completely unconscious, out of the car. Hurrying ahead to open the door for him, they drag him inside the house to a chorus of distressed barks from Night.

Rubbing the big dog’s head, I talk softly to him. “It’s okay, boy. Jer’s just had a rough night. He’ll be good as new in the morning.”

Ronin and Grisham herd Jeremy up the stairs while I scoop out Night’s food and place it in his dish. After I’ve filled his bowl with fresh water, Grisham and Ronin are heading back down the stairs. When they enter the kitchen again, I lean against the countertop.

“Ghost is going back out on surveillance. Private Eye hasn’t led us to Horton yet. Something tells me that he’s going to, though, so we’re not giving up. If he doesn’t make contact again with him, either by phone or in person, we’ll find another way to get to the bastard. I promise you that. This will end, Rayne.”

Unsure, my thoughts turn dark.

What if this doesn’t end? What if he just keeps coming after me and the next time Jeremy ends up hurt, or…worse? I’d never be able to live with myself. And what if one of the guys lost their life over me? I’d never be able to look their wives in the eye. Ronin’s right, this does have to end. But what if I’m the only one who can end it?

My phone buzzes on the countertop, and I pick it up to read the screen. A text from a blocked number. My stomach clenches as I read the scrolling words.

My knees buckle and my heart buzzes too fast in my ears. The color must have drained from my face because Ronin grabs hold of my arm to steady me while Grisham grabs my phone from my trembling hands.

His mouth sets in a line, and he shows the text to Ronin.

“Don’t even think about it, Rayne,” Grisham warns. “He’s trying to scare you, get into your head.”

“It’s working.”

Ronin rubs my shoulder, trying to reassure me and place me onto a barstool at the same time. “You’re safe with us. He can’t get to you, Rayne. Trust us, all right?”

Shutting my eyes tight, I cover my face with my hands and take a deep, shuddering breath. “I do.”

And it’s true. I do trust these men to protect me. Each and every one of them wears his own special brand of a badass hero cape. Their competency is on another level. I’ve never seen anything like them.

I don’t miss the concerned glance exchanged between Ronin and Grisham. Standing up, I give each man a hug on impulse. They have lives; I know they don’t usually work twenty-four/seven. But apparently, my case never ends.

“Thank you both. I need to check on Jer.”

Ronin nods. “Settle in for the night, Rayne. I’ll lock up as soon as Ghost leaves and arm the security system. I’ll probably watch Brains’s camera feeds for a while, just to make sure everything is quiet. I’ll be on the couch all night if you need me.”

Grateful, I give him a nod and head out of the kitchen with Night on my heels.

Opening the door to the bedroom, I take note of Jeremy’s prone form on the bed. Night trots over and drops his big, blocky head down on the mattress with a quiet whine, staring at his master with an anxious gaze.

“It’s okay, buddy,” I whisper, pulling my clothes off and grabbing one of Jeremy’s T-shirts to slip into. “He’ll be good as new in the morning.”

Sliding under the covers, I attach myself to Jeremy’s side and rub a hand over his hard chest. He stirs, but barely, turning into me and wrapping an arm protectively around my midsection. Even drugged and passed out, his body is trained to protect me.

With a sigh, I close my eyes and drift to sleep.