Creepy Smile looks me up and down, his smile growing wider. My stomach twists into knots. “Some stupid guys to leave you two alone.”
They both snicker.
“Again, not alone,” Ellie corrects.
They crowd us, backing us into the wall. “Yet I don’t see them anywhere. You playing hard to get, baby? I like that,” Ponytail says, eyeing Ellie like a piece of meat he’s about to bite into.
I knew it.
I knew this place was bad news. The dilapidated sign out front should’ve been my first clue.
“Not interested,” Ellie says firmly.
We try to step around them, but they block us in.
“Hey, don’t be a bitch,” Ponytail says in a warning tone. “Unless you want me to make it hurt.”
My eyes go wide and my heart stops beating for a second,then kicks up. I glance around, but no one else is this far down the hall, and music is still blaring from the front of the bar, so even if we screamed, I doubt anyone would hear.
“I said we’re not fucking interested, asshole!” Ellie grits, shoving him, but the creepy one snags my arm before we can get away.
“You saidyouweren’t interested.” He licks his lips then smiles at me. “She might be. Look how short that skirt is. Why don’t you bend over and let me see what’s under it?”
“What the fuck!?” someone roars from behind us, making us all jump.
The guy drops my arm immediately, and they both take several steps back.
I let out a breath as Penn and Travis stalk toward us, but I tense again noticing how pissed they are. Shit, is that directed at us?
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Travis snaps.
The guys throw their hands up. Travis and Penn are both over six feet and radiating adrenaline. Travis’s eyes are narrowed, a snarl on his face, and though Penn’s expression is somewhat blank, there’s a muscle ticking in his jaw, vein pulsing in his neck that screams pissed off.
I press my back against the wall, nervously looking between the four guys.
“Hey, man, chill, we were just messing around,” Ponytail says casually as if he didn’t threaten to assault Ellie.
“Messing around with the wrong girls. Get fucking lost before I make you eat this goddamn floor for touching something that doesn’t belong to you,” Travis snaps.
My attention slides to Ellie. Is she as freaked out as I am? No. She’s grinning at Travis. I think there’s even drool coming from her mouth.
The guys start to leave, but Penn reaches out and grabsCreepy Smile. “Apologize for putting your filthy fucking hands on her.” His voice is a low demand.
My skin grows hot and clammy all at the same time.Huh?
The guy’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t argue, staring down at the floor while he mumbles, “I’m sorry.”
Penn whispers something to him that sounds like ‘pathetic’ and shoves him away.
The guys disappear, and Ellie jumps into Travis’s arms, kissing his cheek.
I let out a quiet, relieved breath that I hope no one can hear, fighting the urge to slam a hand over my thumping heart.
“Sorry about those assholes,” Travis says, letting Ellie drop to her feet.
“You just saved them from getting cut. I was about to pull out my knife,” Ellie says seriously.
I gape at her, but Travis barks out a laugh. “Smart girl.”
