“Shut the door,” I tell him and wait to hear the click of the door.

“Okay, it’s shut,” Nate says.

I turn toward him and give him a look that would cause most men to piss themselves. Nate just holds his hands up.

“Well, fucking excuse me. It’s been a long night. You could have said shut the door behind you. And maybe said please,” he adds as an afterthought.

“Get. The fuck. Out.” I snarl in a deadly serious voice.

Once again, Nate tosses his hands up, the white shirt he had under the one Megan’s wearing, stretching against his broad shoulders.

I don’t turn my gaze from the door until long after Nate had pulled it closed, this time with him on the other side of it. I can feel my breathing coming rapidly and despite the fact that I know I need to calm down before I take care of Megan, I can’t seem to ease the fear that I have had since I got the call from Zac. When her small hand reaches up and presses lightly against my chest, I take a deep breath, and let the calm of her touch seep through my skin. Even through my vest, I can feel her touch like a branding burn to my skin.

Turning I look deep into her eyes, careful to keep my anxiety from being seen. She looks up at me, her brown eyes assessing and roaming over my face. I can tell she’s trying to place my emotions and it’s not something I want to add to her plate. She doesn’t need my shit to add to what she must be feeling after almost being taken by a known rapist.

“You okay, Megs?”

“It’s Megan,” she mumbles.

I close my eyes and drop my head until my forehead is resting against hers. “You’re okay,” I breathe out in a rush, my body relaxing instantly.

Her body jerks in my arms, but I don’t move. When I open my eyes and meet her gaze, her gasp tells me that I’m doing a shit job at hiding my feelings right now.

“Not a call I like getting, darlin'. Scared me to my core.”

She pushes at my chest with my words and I wait a beat before dropping her slowly to her feet. I don’t move my body away from hers; instead I wrap my arms around her and pull her as close as I can get her with my belt in the way. She struggles, not against my hold, but with where to put her arms. Finally settling with just letting them hang at her sides. I hate that she won’t take some strength from me. Dipping my head, I press my mouth against her neck, smiling when I feel her shudder. I don’t speak, but when I take a deep breath, pushing the air out in a rush, she shivers again in my hold.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Megs. I don’t like it.”

“It’s Megan.”

I laugh softly, “Yeah, baby.”

I don’t speak again, just continue to hold her while she shifts awkwardly. Finally with no other option, her arms come up from hanging limply at her sides and wrap loosely around me. My belt digs into her abdomen and I curse the fucking thing for keeping us apart. We don’t speak and it takes a few seconds before she pushes against my hold, giving her the space she needs to drop her arms back down to her sides.

I take another deep breath and allow her to fully pull away. Her arms instantly shoot up and wrap around herself in a protective stance that makes my relief from just seconds before vanish instantly.

“This ends now,” I state.

“What does?”

“The games, baby. No more avoiding me.”

I bend, pressing my lips against hers, but don’t move to deepen the kiss. When I back away, I move my hand and lightly caress the marks that asshole left against her pale skin. They aren’t going to bruise, but they’re fresh enough that I can still see the impression of his fucking thumb and just that mark alone has me wanting to charge through the club to put a bullet through his skull.

“He touched you.”

“I’m okay, Liam.”

Dipping my head, I move until my eyes are level with hers.

“Not yet, but you will be,” I tell her.

I give her another kiss, this time I linger, letting her feel what I wish I could say without spooking her further. When I pull back, I study her eyes before turning and walking to the door. I give her another glance over my shoulder, her eyes wide and her body soft, no longer holding herself in a protective move. With a wink, I turn the knob and walk through the door.

“MOLLY, BABY?” I CALL DOWN the hall toward her room, sighing when I don’t get a response. “Molly?”

“Yeah!” she screams, running around the corner and crashing into me with a giggle. I wince when her arms reach up and touch the soreness on my arms. Luckily she misses it and with a bounce jumps back to smile up at me.