He approached and caught me around the waist, murmuring, “Let her go, baby, they’re videoing.”
“Don’t mind us. We’re just collecting evidence,” Pagan called over. “Who’s gonna call the cops? Saskia wants to report an assault.”
My heart leaped into my throat.
“Shit,” Kennedy muttered from my back.
Saskia let out a loud whimper, and my fingers immediately released her hair, like the mere touch of her burned.
Saskia hauled ass toward Pagan, who casually sat astride his bike, alongside his club brothers.
He glared at her and jerked his chin at Castle, who was parked beside him, a silent order for Saskia to get on the back of the VP’s bike.
Atlas stalked toward us and stood beside me, folding his arms across his huge chest, and skewering Pagan with a glare.
“She tried to hit Maeve,” I called out, desperation in my voice. “Who hits a pregnant woman?”
“Did she really?” Pagan drawled, his tone almost bored. “So you’re telling me Saskia hit Maeve?”
“Well—n-no,” I stuttered. “But only because I stopped her.”
“Courts won’t care,” he called over, his eyes flicking over Maeve, who was cuddled up to Callum. “She hasn’t got a mark on her. Can’t say the same about Saskia. Cruise has got the video of you dragging her, so you’re gonna have a hard time proving that whole self-defense thing.”
Atlas’s stare bored into Pagan, and a sneer twisted his face as he shook his head at the other man and bit out, “You set my sister up.”
Cash, who stood beside him, shook his head disbelievingly and said, “And you used my club to do it. Bad move, brother. Hope it was worth it because this won’t be forgotten.”
Pagan’s mouth stretched into a wicked smile. “Nobody made your sister beat the snot outta one of my girls. She did that all by herself.”
Cash snorted. “Funny how your man was in the right place at the right time to catch it all on camera.”
“Asshole,” Donovan rasped, pulling me close.
Pagan’s smirk widened into a predator’s grin. “Been called worse things by better people. You’re about to go through a custody battle, right?” He sucked air through his teeth. “I don’t like your chances, babe, especially after that video gets out. Social media’s a funny ol’ thing. It’s fuckin’ crazy how that shit gets shared over and over. Goin’ viral’s a bitch, and imagine your ex seeing it, or even worse,the courts.”
Pain burned through my chest.
A ripple of mutters went through the crowd.
“Asshole,” Cara called out, her tone as sharp as cut glass.
Pagan laughed. “Yep.”
“What do you want?” Aislynn’s voice was clear but filled with steel. “Is this because of me?”
Pagan smirked again, victory lighting in his eyes. “If you were to come with me and talk, I’m sure I could convince Saskia to zip it.”
“She’s not coming with you,” I snapped, the pain in my chest turning to fury. “Jesus, is that why you went to all this trouble? Because you can’t stand being told no? Are you that small?”
I caught his flinch, but he masked it with a shrug, feigning nonchalance. “You wanna keep a hold of your woman, O’Shea. She’s got a sharp tongue.”
“She’s only voicing what the rest of us are thinking,” Donovan shot back. “And you need to remember that Rosie’s not just my woman, but also the sister of the ally you just screwed over.”
Aislynn turned to me, her eyes soft but determined. “I’ll go with him.”
“No, Ash—” I started, but she came closer and cut me off.
“I’ll hear him out and leave. Months of dating the asshole taught me one thing: he always gets what he wants, and he’ll take anyone down along the way. He’ll use that video, Rosie, and you can't afford to have your name dragged through the mud.” She took my hand and squeezed. “Pagan’s never crossed the line with me once, and he’d never hurt me—not physically anyway.”
