His eyes went to my eyes and then my mouth and then he kept his attention on anything else but me as he growled "Medusa."

I exaggerated a growl back "Lurch."

"Are you trying to intimidate me?" He questioned after a cavernous rumble resembling a laugh left his chest "You just look cute."

"I am not cute!" I exclaimed, "I am Ella!"

Stone shook his head once. His usually emotionless expression contorted to one that almost looked like concern as he peered down at me.

All that went around in my head was the question of why he was doing this and why he cared so much about me getting home safe.

"I can look after myself." I delivered softly.

He did not answer. He only sent a glare my way that meant there was no point in me arguing with him.

He was taking me home and that was final.

The smell of whisky on my clothes made me feel sick. It made me feel like I was just as worse as my father.

I remembered watching my father turn up to my mother's funeral wasted and falling all over the place. The priest at the church even suggested we remove him. I vowed then never to end up in a state worse than him.

I had broken the promise I had made myself.

I guess both my father and I's promises were like the bottles of alcohol in our apartment. They were completely and utterly empty.

We were nearly at the front of the door when someone shouted my name.

The big burly body carrying me stilled before turning around and facing the new voice.

Chase ignored the fact that I was cuddled into the chest of the giant because he only looked at me when he apologised "Ella, I am sorry."

Stone's eyes grew darker, and his jaw clenched when he looked down at me and uttered gruffly but softly "What did he do to you?"

The expression on his face was one that could give grown men nightmares. His tensed body and his terrifying scowl promised bloodshed if he did not like the next thing that left my mouth.

"I called him Catwoman." I giggled in reply instead of telling him what really happened.

"Ella." Chase said again.

"Sorry I couldn’t be much use to you tonight." I remarked sarcastically as I turned my head towards the quarterback "Have a nice party, Catwoman."

The arms around me were shaking. The veins bulged and the muscles flexed as he held on tighter to my body.

"Much use to him?" Stone thundered before snarling in the direction of the blonde guy "What did you say to her?"

Eyes widening, Chase pleaded "Ella, Come on—"

Stone took one large step forward. Then he stopped. He tilted his head downwards towards me cradled on his chest and he ceased moving towards Chase.

"You are so fucking lucky she is in my arms right now." The furious man gnarled.