“Why do you have to hit him?” she murmured against my lips, staring at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Because he hurt you.” I tightened the hold I had on her face.

“It was an accident, Frisco,” she muttered, my name sounding like a curse coming from her lips.

“He’s not a good guy, Georgia.”

She backed away, and my lips instantly missed her touch. “Take me home.”

I nodded, unlatched the door behind her, and helped her inside. It wouldn’t be an easy sell. I knew where her fear came from. She worried that things would get out of hand and that something would happen to me. It was the same fear that had gripped me last night.

As I drove, Georgia stared out the window and didn’t speak a word. The silence was deafening. Georgia never seemed the type to hold her tongue, but I didn’t dare push her.

When we arrived at her place, she exited the car and headed toward her front door. I watched through the window, shocked by her stubbornness and hating that she was pissed at me.

Before she could open the door, I jogged to her side and took the keys from her hand. “Let me.”

“I don’t think you should come in,” she said, yanking the keys out of my grip.

My body recoiled, feeling the blow of her words as if she’d hit me. “You can’t mean that.”

She bowed her head as her hand with the keys dropped to her side. “I just don’t know. I guess I don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”

I put my arm around her waist, holding her body flush against mine. “I’m still me.”

“But-t-t,” she said, her body shaking in my arms, “you’re going to hurt someone because of me.”

“Because of him,” I corrected her, brushing my lips against her face. “He did this.”

“Why not let the police handle this?”

“He has a rap sheet longer than your arm, Georgia.” I peppered kisses down her jawline, finding the spot I loved most on her neck. “Would City do the same if someone had run Sunshine off the road?”

She tipped her head back as her breathing quickened. “Maybe.”

“Men want to protect what’s theirs,” I told her and sank my teeth gently into her skin. “You are mine.”

Her body shivered in my arms. “Yes,” she moaned, angling her head to the side and giving me more access.

I licked her flesh, feeling her pulse beat under my tongue. “I’ll protect you until my last breath, Georgia.”

“Lie down and hold me for a little while.” Her voice was airy and filled with want.

I nodded because, hell, there wasn’t anything I wanted more in the world than to hold her in my arms.

After taking the key from her hand and unlocking the door, I scooped her into my arms and carried her inside. Letting the crutches drop to the floor, she kissed me as I kicked the door closed.

Chapter 17

Old-School Beatdown

When I pulled into the office at ten thirty, I could still hear her voice in my head.

“Frisco, don’t leave me. Please,” she said, gripping me like her very life depended on it.

“I have to go, Georgia. But I’ll be back,” I told her before giving her a kiss and walking out the door.

Guilt clawed at my insides. The way she looked at me, the sadness in her eyes when I told her I had to leave, would haunt me for a lifetime.

Thomas, James, Morgan, and City stood in a circle outside James’ black SUV and were deep in conversation. Even though I’d told them I wanted to do this alone, I’d lied. It wasn’t that I couldn’t, but I needed someone there to pull me off the fucker and stop me from killing him.

I’d learned in the military that sometimes, when coming face-to-face with the enemy, emotions often got the better of me. I couldn’t easily remove myself from a situation once it started, but the guys would make sure I didn’t get carried away.

“Hey.” I climbed out of the car and approached them, feeling jittery as I walked.

James gave me a chin lift. “We’re waiting for a few more?”

“More? I thought I said no one else.”

“I know what you said,” Thomas told me as he walked in my direction. “But we don’t know what we’re in for. More men equals safety.”

“Well, I—” I shook my head, but I knew he was right. “Okay.”

“Here he is,” Morgan said when Sam pulled into the lot.

“Tank’s with Bear and will be meeting us there.” James pulled out his gun and checked the chamber.

“Where?”

“Neon Cowboy.” City came to stand next to me. “That’s where the fucker knew Tank from. He’s been coming into the Cowboy on and off for years.”

“Fuck,” I said and ran my fingers through my hair. Of all the places in the world the guy could hang out, why did it have to be my spot…our spot?

“I have a plan.” City rested his hand on my shoulder. “Want to hear?”

“I’m all ears.” In actuality, I knew I was going to hear his plan either way.

“Tank is going to lure him into the parking lot, and we’re going to take care of him outside.”

I scowled and didn’t try to hide my annoyance. “That’s your plan?”

He nodded.

“We’re going to jump him like a bunch of punks?” I asked, shocked that City had come up with the idea.

“No.” He shook his head. “You’re going to do what you want while we have your back.”

“So I’m going to jump the asshole?”

“What were you going to do before?” City laughed and backed away. “Were you going to knock on his door and have a chat first? Like, ‘Hey, I wanted to talk to you about the car you drove off the road. Do you have a moment?’”

I punched him in the shoulder. “No, you prick.”

“Then shut the fuck up and get in the truck. We have ass to kick.”

“Fuck yeah!” Morgan yelled before climbing in the back.

Sam settled in the middle. “I’m all in.”

“Let’s go. We have women to get home to,” James said, pointing at the backseat.

“I hope I still do.”

James and Thomas climbed in the front seat. “Everyone have a firearm, just in case?” James turned the key in the ignition and paused.

“Check,” everyone but me answered in unison.

“Frisco?” Thomas turned to look at me.

I shook my head and made tight fists. “I’m not killing the guy. I just want to beat the fuck out of him.”

“Always bring a weapon. You never know what’s going to happen. Got it?”

I nodded but paid his little advice no heed. The last thing I needed to do was have a firearm with me. Because, knowing my anger, I’d shoot the motherfucker in the head if he said something shitty. I’d rather use my fists to beat the living shit out of him and leave him reeling in pain.

I sat quietly in the backseat and stared out the window as the guys chatted on the way to the Neon Cowboy. Even though I had enough anger inside me to fuel a thousand fires, I couldn’t help but smile. This amazing group of guys had my back. I knew if something went wrong, they’d make sure that Georgia would be taken care of and would do what was necessary to protect her.

Just after eleven thirty, we pulled into the Neon Cowboy.

“I’ll text Bear,” Thomas said and hit a few buttons on his phone.

Moments later, while we sat in silence, Thomas’ phone beeped. “He said to go out back. They’ll meet us there.”

This was it. Twenty-four hours after I thought Georgia had been ripped from my life, I’d get a little revenge before this guy received justice.

As we walked around the back of the bar, we took positions around the perimeter. Everyone evaded the single light that lit the back parking lot, hiding in the shadows, waiting for Tank and Bear to bring him outside. My heart pounded so frantically in my chest that I thought it would burst as the seconds ticked by.