Page 72 of Obey

I stop beside their table. “Damn. Y'all aren't even trying to be subtle.” Three heads turn toward me, and I give them a wave. “What's the plan? Get her friend distracted, buy her another drink, and hope she's too fucked up to tell you no?”

The one who made the suggestion scoffs. “Mind your business.”

“Funny thing about that.” I rest my forearms on the table. “You just made it my business.”

“Man, who the fuck are you?”

“The reason you're about to have a really disappointing night.”

The taller one squares his shoulders. “How about you keep it moving, pretty boy?”

“Or what?”

He steps closer, expecting his size to intimidate me. But I've put bigger men on their asses for less, so I stay exactly where I am.

His friend reaches for his arm, but I keep my attention on the idiot standing in front of me.

"See, I was going to be nice about this." I straighten slowly. "But now I'm wondering whether you're stupid enough to put your hands on me."

"You think I'm scared of you?"

"Not yet." My smile widens. "But I'm a patient man."

The third guy mutters something about them leaving, but I catch the asshole by his shirt before he can follow and snatch him forward until he's close enough that I don't have to raise my voice over the music.

“You know what really pisses me off? Men like you who see a woman having a good time and think that makes her easy prey.”

“Get the fuck off me!”

“See, now you're being rude, and I've been nothing but polite.” I glance past his shoulder when I spot Nate and Elias approaching. Perfect timing. “Love, would you be a dear and grab this asshole's ID for me?”

Nate takes in my fist twisted in the man's shirt, then the two idiots hovering behind him. “What did he do?”

“He and his buddies were discussing how to get our sweet girl away from her friend and drunk enough that she wouldn't remember what they did to her.”

Elias stops beside me. At six-foot-four with shoulders that could fill a doorway, he doesn't have to do much to get the men's attention. The tallest one takes a step back when Elias looks his way.

“Which one suggested it?” Elias asks.

“This charming gentleman right here.” I give the shirt in my fist a little tug. “Though his friends seemed pretty enthusiastic about helping.”

Elias looks at the man I'm holding. “You were planning to assault her?”

“We weren't gonna—”

“That's a yes-or-no question.”

The man swallows. “Man, we were just talking.”

“Then you won't mind repeating what you said to the police.” Elias takes out his phone. “Or should I call the manager over first?”

“Fuck, dude. It's not that serious.”

Elias steps closer, forcing the man to tilt his head to look at him. “Tell me which part wasn't that serious.”

The man's friends have gone completely silent. One of them starts edging away, but Elias turns his attention toward him.

“Stay.”