“No problem,” I say simply as I watch Little Red blink rapidly. I’m not hiding my side of the conversation, and she’s clearly listening in. But surprisingly, she doesn’t scurry off my body or lean away from me in disgust or terror. She may well be in shock because any other woman would be screeching at me right about now, I am sure. Regardless, my fingers continue to move against her skin, in the silent assurance that she will be fine, and her body listens as I can see her quick breaths slowing.

“And who the fuck is the redhead sitting on your lap?” Sebastian asks, and I smile slyly.

“I think she might be mine.”

4

Annie

Mine. I may not be able to hear the entire conversation, but I am pretty sure the man underneath me just claimed me as his. In the midst of my internal alarm blaring back to life, the light outside goes dark as the car drives off the side street and down into an underground parking lot. My breathing quickens as I realize the time for me to escape has well and truly passed. I trusted this man and now I have no idea where the hell I am or how the hell I am going to get away.

Aside from the handsome stranger who I am still straddling, none of the other men have spoken to me, all ignoring my existence as they remain focused. Even before we pull to a stop, they are out of the car and running in all different directions.

I remain in his arms, and he lifts us out of the car slowly, lowering me to stand. My feet hit the cement ground, but he doesn’t let me go. Instead, he waits, his hands encasing my waist to ensure I don’t fall, or faint – either option totally possible at this point.

Looking up at him, I ask with my eyes if this is the moment that I get taken into a dungeon and killed for being witness to a crime this morning? But his firm hands on my body don’t feel like they would harm me, and I hope like hell my instincts are right. My hands shake as we stand side by side, and it is almost comical how small I am next to him. He is even taller than I thought, and broad, his eyes dark as they watch me. His open shirt shows me a large black tattoo that licks up his neck, making him look scarier than I believe him to be. He saved me once, so surely, he won’t hurt me now…