“Want to get out of here?” I nod.
“Good, I already told Damon to come and get us. He’s picking us up in the back. The front is crazy packed.” I stand, pulling my dress down that had ridden up. Mac links her arm into mine.
“These heels aren’t so easy after a few drinks.”
“I hear ya.” We have to shift and move through people. As interesting as this all has been, I don’t think clubs are for me.
We pass the bathroom, and I swear the hallway is closing in on us. I’m thankful when I see the back door with the red exit sign above it.
“I feel giggly,” I tell her.
“Then why aren’t you giggling?”
“I don’t know. I’m not a scientist.”
“A scientist?” Mac bursts into laughter. It’s honestly enough laughs for the both of us. I push open the door, and we step out into the back alleyway. “This isn’t creepy.” She points to a light overhead that is flickering. “Straight out of a horror film.” Mac starts making strange sounds. “Dun-dun... dun-dun.”
“What are you doing?”
“It’s theJawssong when the shark is about to eat you.”
“I can tell you with an extremely high probability that a shark isn’t going to eat you.”
“Someone almost got eaten tonight.” She wiggles her brows. “I’m talking about you.” I know she is, and I’m thinking about how I actually pictured that happening. “Whatever.” Mac waves it off. “You’re what people should fear in alleyways.”
“Thank you.” That was really sweet of her to say. I’m getting all kinds of compliments tonight. The club might not be as terrible of a place as I thought.
“Naomi, that was not a—” My hand flies out, grabbing Mac firmly by her forearm, and I squeeze. She snaps to attention. I tilt my head, trying to listen. I point toward the left, where there is a small alcove. Mac nods, letting me know she heard it too.
I motion for her to open her bag for me. Once we’d gotten inside of the club, I’d taken my knife off. I had it strapped to my thigh, but my dress kept riding up. I slip my hand inside, grabbing it before I start walking toward the sounds, but then I pause again.
Fuck me. I slowly step out of my heels and onto the gross concrete before I start creeping forward. A feminine whimper grows louder, and I’m done trying to be quiet. I clear the rest of the space to see a man has a woman pinned to the side of the wall.
He’s got his hand over her mouth trying to pull at her dress. Her eyes lock with mine over his shoulder. I put my finger to my lips, telling her to be quiet. This asshole is going to pay. I’m going to give him a taste of his own loss of power and enjoy the hell out of every second of it.
Then the man gives me the widest opening I have ever gotten in my life. I have not a clue what he’s doing, but he partly lifts one of his feet. I’m still not a scientist, but I know the human body even if my mind is kind of fuzzy. I simply kick his other leg, targeting his popliteal fossa. I learned that move during my jiu-jitsu phase. Never underestimate a good leg kick. I should really get back into that.
It sends him crumpling to the ground. He almost takes the girl with him, but I grab her. I stumble back, and hell, we almost go down too.
“Oh my God, thank you.”
“Run.”
“What?”
“Run!” I shout, making her eyes widen, but she takes off as the fuckhead stumbles to his feet.
“Mac?”
“Present,” she calls from behind me as I take a few steps back and realize it’s the same man from before.
“You little cunt,” he says, getting to his feet.
“Ahh, he called you skinny,” Mac says. I take another step back, knowing he’s about to charge me. I can see it all over him.
“The cameras!” I tell her as he rushes toward me. I side-step, letting my blade draw across him as the lights in the alleyway flicker and cut off, the moon only giving partial light. At least, that’s what I thought I’d done.
He groans, dropping to the ground. Headlights light up the alley, and I stare down at the man. I know from the roar of the engine it’s Damon. “Well, shit,” I sigh. “I didn’t mean to hit his liver.” Mac comes to stand next to me.
