“Damn, I may not need to look any further. She’s hot enough to fry all my circuits,” Shane said with a low, drawn out whistle as he watched her walk away, her h*ps swinging hypnotically.
“I don’t know how you screw so many women, then leave them in the dust and have them still thinking you’re their freaking prince charming,” Rafe grumbled.
“It’s all in the attitude, man. I just make them think it’s their idea for us to only have one night together. Then, when I run away a free man, they just think it was an exceptional night of sex, and we’re good friends.”
Rafe snorted as he looked around the club. It was quite crowded for seven o'clock on a Friday night. He’d hoped to have a little peace for a couple more hours. As his bored gaze started returning to his friend, his eyes caught on a woman being led to the dance floor.
“No,” he uttered in disbelief.
“What?” Shane asked as he followed Rafe’s gaze and saw a small brunette being led out onto the dance floor. “Do you know her?”
The two men watched as the man held onto the woman, her body flopping against him as he felt her up. Rafe’s eyes narrowed further when it was obvious she was barely conscious.
“Son of a bitch!”
Rafe stood up so suddenly that his chair bolted out from behind him, hitting the people walking by. The man grumbled something, but they just continued walking. It was smart of the man, because Rafe was seeing red as he watched the man start to drag Ari away from the dance floor.
“What’s going on?” Shane asked as he placed his hand on Rafe’s shoulder, which nearly got him knocked out.
“She’s obviously drunk, passing out as they move and the bastard is taking advantage of her!”
With Shane right behind him, Rafe quickly made his way across the club and followed Ari and the stranger, coming up to them just in time to hear the man speaking to his pals.
“Hey, Chandler. Looks like you got another one.”
“Damn! She’s smokin’.”
“Yeah, if you liked the drugged out look.”
The four men started laughing as Chandler sent them a knowing glance, then headed for the back door. Rafe was right behind him. He followed them to the parking lot and saw as the Chandler guy began leading Ari to some run-down house behind the club.
Over his dead body.
“I dialed the police. I don’t think this is the first time this creep has tried something like this.” Rafe turned to see Shane right next to him as they approached Chandler and Ari.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rafe thundered as he grabbed the guy’s arm.
“None of your damn business,” the man snapped as he tried to pick up his pace.
“From what I overheard your friends saying, it sounds to me like you drugged this woman and now plan on taking her to your drug house to rape her.”
“Who in the hell are you? You don’t know what you’re talking about. This is my girlfriend. She just had too much to drink tonight and I’m taking her home to sleep it off.”
“Listen, jackass, if I were you, I’d hightail it inside without the girl and hide because my friend is about to kick your ass all over this parking lot. I’m mighty inclined to give him a helping hand,” Shane said with a smile of anticipation.
The guy’s eyes were darting around as if afraid of getting caught. Rafe could see he was trying to decide whether to fight for his victim, or drop her and run like hell. Fear won out when he saw the fury in Rafe’s eyes, and the determination in Shane’s. He suddenly pushed Ari toward the two of them, then took off running to the shack.
Rafe caught Ari just before she hit the hard pavement, thinking for one moment of setting her down and going after the punk. When she groaned in his arms, he knew he wasn’t leaving her.
“I’ll keep an eye on the place, make sure he doesn’t run for it. You take care of her. Just give me a call later and let me know if she’s okay,” Shane said before he walked to the rickety steps of the house and leaned against the rail, intently watching the door.
“Ari? Ari, are you okay?” Rafe asked as he scooped her up into his arms and slightly shook her. Slowly, her eyes came open, and it was obvious her vision was blurred as she squinted up at him. It took several moments for her to focus on his face.
“Rafe? When did you get here?”
Her hand came up and patted his cheek, her fingernails trailing down the side of his face before she smiled at him.
“Mmm, you smell good,” she slurred.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded. Her brows puckered as if she didn’t have any idea and it was a very difficult question for her to answer.
“I… I can’t remember.”
“I’m taking you home!”
Rafe was furious. What was she doing at a club on a Friday? And how had she allowed herself to get into the position she was in? If it wasn’t for him being there, she’d be getting violated at that very moment. This was why she should just accept his generous offer. It seemed she wasn’t able to protect herself on her own.
He strode to his car and set her on the front seat where she quickly passed out again. With an angry turn of his wrist he pulled out his phone and sent Shane a message, to let him know the minute the guy was arrested. He wanted to make sure the scumbag was locked up for a while, and hopefully never able to do this to another woman.
Rafe started driving toward his home, then changed his mind. He’d never taken a woman there and he wasn’t going to start now. With a jerk of the wheel he turned down a side road and reversed the car, heading in the direction of her apartment.
When he pulled up to her address, his eyes narrowed in disgust. Why would someone choose to live in such a crappy location? She was being paid well at her job. She should’ve moved out by now. He knew she had expenses, but a safe place to live should’ve been at the top of her priority list.
Luckily, she was wearing a strappy purse which was still hanging around her neck. He searched it and found her key, then lifted her into his arms and carried her up the unstable staircase to the second landing, where he found her doorknob on the dark front porch. It took him a few tries before he managed to get the door open.
His disgust grew at her shabby, small living area which was sparsely furnished. He laid her down on the couch as there wasn’t a bed in sight, then picked up his cell phone and dialed his private physician. The respected doctor said he would be right over, though the man paused when Rafe listed the address.