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"Nikolai, let's go, now!" he said

I whipped around to look at him and automatically dropped my eyes to his throat I flexed my bloody knuckles into a fist and turned back around, but then Jude was putting hirab my cheek "Nikolai, look at me," he said desperately

His request wasn't enough to stop my forward movement But when he softly said, "Nikolai, please,” the words had ed to hear them in the loud club, but I did I was that in tune with him

Jude’s thumb swept over my cheek “Take me home, Nikolai," he said slowly, clearly "Please," he added

His words and the way he was cradling ed a nod but instead of taking hi, I did so that ay out of bounds

I grabbed his hand and linked ers with his It was too intimate, too personal, too… much

But nothing and no one could have made me drop his hand in that et hi it for him

It was all for me

I forced myself not to dwell on h the crowd The majority of people in our path moved out of the way but for those who didn't, I snarled “lers aside My only goal was to get Jude out of the building I should've been thinking ten steps ahead of that, but I wasn't Aside from my beeline to the door, all I could think about was the biker’s meaty hand wrapped around Jude's slim throat and the fear in Jude’s eyes when he’d realized he was trapped

I had enough sense to call for the SUV toout front The driver had the back door open as we moved out of the club and onto the street I scanned our surroundings as I tugged Jude until he was ahead of ed into darkness when the driver shut the door It wasn't until the vehicle began toon the sa his hand

We were both breathing hard and it was all I could do not to pull Jude closer I was shaky and on edge And since I couldn't take my frustrations out with my hands, I wanted to do it with another part of my body I wanted to claim ownership of Jude so he would never end up in a situation like that again I wanted him to know that he was uy, let alone allow one to put his hands on him

"Nikolai," Jude whispered

I couldn't