“That doesn’t work for me. You might decide to call the cops.”

Penni wrinkled her nose as the smell of alcohol on his breath wafted closer.

“I know you don’t know me, but I’m really good at minding my own business.”

“Shut your trap.”

Penni winced as a drop of blood slowly dribbled down her throat. She didn’t dare glance toward her purse. Carefully, she used the heel of her tennis shoe to drag her purse closer.

When the stranger cupped her breast in a forceful gesture, Penni didn’t scream, trying to keep him distracted.

“Are you just going to leave him there?” She nodded toward the dead body.

“Why not? It’s not like he’s going to complain.”

The man became even bolder when she didn’t struggle against his hold. Her top was slipped from under her jeans as he burrowed his hands underneath, wrenching several buttons loose on the front of her blouse. Penni was tempted to use one of the chairs on a table to brain the man intent on raping her.

Biding her time, she used her tennis shoe to reached for her purse. She bit the inside of her jaw, ignoring the sensation of his tongue entering her mouth. She damn near vomited. She wanted to rake her hands down his face. Instead, she pretended to like it as she searched her purse for what she wanted. The disgusting excuse of a man really believed she was responding to him. Thankfully, her fingers curled over what she wanted.

“Woman, we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

“Yes, we are,” Penni promised as he shoved his disgusting tongue down her throat.

Not able to control her gag reflex any longer, she pulled her tongue from harm’s way. The teeth that her dentist had charged a small fortune for bit down, nearly ripping the offending invader from her mouth, but he couldn’t seek sanctuary.

She ignored the bloodcurdling screams that filled the bar as she pressed against his chest, engaging the trigger on her Taser.

Penni didn’t let him go until he was writhing in agony and had pissed himself. Then she stumbled to her feet, grabbing for her purse as she ran toward the door. She almost lost her balance in the flight but managed to right herself as she reached the door.

The humid air filled her lungs as she took a flying leap off the step. Then …

“No!” Penni found herself pinned within a pair of strong arms that refused to relinquish her struggling body.

“I didn’t know we’re having a party, Hennessey.”

Penni found herself surrounded by at least twenty men. She was under no illusions that she had found a savior. The arms that were wrapped around her roughly were covered in tattoos. The one who had two tear drop tattoos at the corners of his eyes had her wishing fervently Shade would miraculously show up.

The dark-skinned man came to stop next to him. “If Ricky and DJ are screwing around when they’re supposed to be watching for Striker, I’m going kick their asses. Cruz, you’re responsible if they screw up this meeting,” Hennessey threatened, coming to a stop, his eyes widening in surprise.

Penni saw the expression mirrored on their faces when the door opened behind her.

“What the fuck happened to you?” The man holding her—named Cruz—was obviously angry.

“The bitch almost bit off my tongue.”

“What did he say?” Hennessey questioned the man Penni guessed was his second in command from his appearance.

Penni tightened her lips. Damned if she would help the bastard explain himself.

The man who had tried to rape her jerked her out of Cruz’s arms. She wasn’t given time to react before she felt her cheek absorb the shock of landing on the ground.

“Fucking bitch! I’m going to kill you.” Boots kicked out at her out, one after another, as she tried to catch her breath.

Penni used her nails to crawl away from the attack until a large pair of boots had her looking up.

Hennessey stared down at her furiously. She refused to flinch as he picked her up.

Penni waited for the attack to continue. She was smart enough to realize the man holding her wouldn’t be as easy to escape from.

As soon as the dark man had touched her, Ricky had stepped back. The man who had her now was the one calling the shots. Yes, this man was the president. His towering height had her standing up straight, glaring into his eyes. Penni made sure to notice every detail she could use as a weapon, like the diamonds in his ears glinting in the light from the door.

The expensive jewelry could potentially be used as a weapon, but it would be one of the only ones. The president was easily as big as Max with a bald head that made his frown even more menacing. Penni knew he was the more dangerous one.

“Cruz?”

“Got her.”

“Sy, let me know when Striker gets here.”

“No problem.” The biker who answered took a seat on one of the bikes, looking like he was pissed about missing the confrontation brewing between the two bikers.

“He’s already shown up.” The man who had chased after her from inside of the bar glared at her with retribution in his eyes before his face filled with fear at the dark brown man who was unsettled by his answer.

“He showed early?”

Penni found herself handed back over to the stranger who had stopped her panicked flight. He carried her back inside the empty bar.

“Why’d he show?”

The twenty men who followed them in came to a stop at the sight of the body lying on the floor.

“DJ better be sleeping.” Hennessey’s growl had her attempted rapist paling.

“It was an accident …” Ricky stammered.

Penni wanted to place herself as far away from the body as she could. Unfortunately, the man in charge and his men blocked her escape route.

She didn’t flinch when Hennessey pulled out a gun from under his leather vest.

“Why is the only other black brother dead?”

“I caught DJ calling Striker, telling him to show up early. He was going to take the money and disappear before you and the brothers could get here. If I didn’t try to stop him, he would have taken off with our money.”

“He’s lying,” Penni found herself saying then found herself shoved into a chair. Cruz placed a heavy hand on her shoulder.

Ricky had taken a step toward her, but Hennessey blocked him before he could reach her.

“She’s lying.” Ricky’s raised his hand as if he were going to strike her.

“I’m not.” Penni glared back, lifting her chin, prepared to tell the truth, even if it meant taking a hit from the man glaring at her, promising retribution.

Hennessey caught Ricky’s arm in his grip, and Ricky’s expression became a mask of fear.

Penni’s bottom lip curled in contempt. The biker was making a fatal mistake by letting the men see his fear.

“He didn’t have a cell phone in his hand when he was stabbed in the back as I came in through the door. Ricky would have had time to call you if he wanted to,” Penni explained.

“She’s lying!” Ricky screamed as Hennessey aimed his gun.

A pool of blood appeared on his thigh.

“Dammit, listen to me.”

Another pool of blood appeared on his other leg.

Ricky fell to the floor with Hennessey standing over him.

“Dumbass, DJ would have never betrayed me. He knew the price for betraying me.” The gun was pointed at Ricky’s temple.