After securing the bloodied girls in the back of an UBER, I got reassurance from Ash that she was coherent enough to get the two of them inside the apartment, before I finally shut the door and watched the car speed off into the night.

I knew it would have been in my best interest to leave with them; to touch ground back at the apartment and barricade myself under pillows and blankets and wake tomorrow pretending tonight hadn't happened. I just couldn't bring myself to deal with them right now. I knew Ash would spent the rest of the night ranting and drinking her demons away at home and Lindsey would probably puke a couple times before crying herself to sleep. They'd been this way since high school and I just didn't have the patience to play Mommy tonight after the weekend I'd had.

"Thought you'd have been long gone by now." A husky voice filled the quiet alleyway, breaking through my train of thought. Slowly shifting my body, ensuring I kept a good distance between us, I turned to find James standing with his back pressed against the emergency exit of the club. His arms had been cleaned of blood, but he still held a wad of tissue to his nose with blood soaking it to a point the white was no longer visible. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be too fazed by my unintentional hit, but straightened and extended his hand in my direction. "You're still bleeding."

I slowly brought the back of my hand to my cheek, then nose, then let out a hysteric laugh. "Fucking great."

This was the last thing I needed. I had the custody hearing in less than a month and our case worker was always making unexpected appearances at my house on the weekends. She'd have a field day with my face right now. Not to mention both Henry and Linda would be horrified and concerned as soon as I stepped in the bar for work tomorrow.

"I have some stuff in my car for it. Come on."

I eyed him from head to toe. "I'm good."

"I'm not going to hurt you." he said, taking in my cautious expression. "In case you forgot, you're the one doin' the abusing tonight, babe."

"Exactly why luring me to your car would be the perfect opportunity for your own attack. Alone. Quiet—"

"Come on. We need to clean it up. You don't want it scarring."

I crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt to be menacing but ended up wrapping them completely around myself to keep me my emotions at bay the entire way around the building and to his car in the parking lot.

I wasn't surprised in the least when he stopped at a royal blue Camero; a bartender and a football player, I'd honestly be shocked if he didn't have a nice sports car.

"Give me a sec." he ducked into the car and rummaged through the duffel bag in his back seat before walking around to join beside the passenger side door . My eyes fell from his face to the white first-aid-kit box in his hand. "Was my mom's wish when I left home. Knowing I'd be getting cuts and bruises on the field daily, she made me swear to keep one of these things handy."

I averted my gaze to keep from falling victim to the oceans I knew his eyes had become reminiscing in memories of his mother. Too lost in my own thoughts, I nearly elbowed the man again when I felt his cold fingers grasped my jaw gently. "This is going to sting a little."

A little alcohol sting on an open cut was nothing compared to the fractured ribs and lacerations that Dalton had left me with. But the athlete had no idea of the shit I'd been through, and I had no intention of letting him in on any of it, so I just nodded and pretended to wince when he touched the small wipe to my cheek.

"You know, if you hadn't grabbed me, your nose wouldn't be a mutilated mess right now." I said, uncomfortable with the silence. "I can fight my own battles. I don't need a man stepping in."

That was the last thing I needed.

"I know you don't. I didn't do it for you, babe." that smirk he'd wore back in the bar touched at his full, bloodied lips. "I did it for her. The look in your eyes before I grabbed you. No doubt you would have left that girl much more than a mutilated mess."

I shrugged a shoulder, this time actually wincing when he touched under my left eye. The girl had landed a couple nice hits there.

"I've had to learn to fight for myself." Is all I said, training my eyes straight ahead into the darkness. It was eerily quiet for a Thursday. Most nights car horns and the sound of squealing tires and police sirens could be heard, but it was as if all the animals and townspeople were silent, waiting in anticipation for me to conjure up a lie to present to everyone tomorrow morning.

"It looks a little better. The scratches, I mean." He leaned back against the car beside me and nudged his shoulder against mine. "Can't say the same about that eye though. Definitely gonna have a black eye in the morning. Also can't do much about the brewery smell."

I flashed him a dark look. "Funny."

"It's cool, I smell like it every night when I get home. Accidently spray alcohol on myself at least twice a night."

"Yeah, Ash has done that a few times at the bar." I responded, unable to fight the small smile inching its way across my face. "She always does it when hot guys sit down at the bar. Gets so distracted. One time she even overfilled a drink, and it drenched the bottom half of her shirt and her shorts."

He chuckled, throwing me a curious look, "You take ride or die friend to a whole new level. You're someone I'd want on my side."

"We've been like that our whole lives. Ash and me. She has my back, I got hers." I whispered. "Wouldn't want it any other way."

Before he could respond, my phone started ringing, and he unfortunately caught a glimpse of Danni's face lighting my screen before I could hide it. Shifting my body in the other direction, I answered and brought the phone to my ear.

"Mommy?" Danni mumbled groggily. "Mommy."

"Danni, where's Gram? It's late, baby. What are you doing awake?"

"Scary." She sniffled. "Daddy scary."

My heart sunk, and for a moment I forgot James was close enough to be able to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Daddy's not going to hurt you again, sweetheart." I breathed, clutching the phone tightly. "Can you go to Gram's room for me and tell her you can't sleep? Mommy will see you tomorrow, okay?"

"I love you, Mommy." She said, but I could hear her Minnie shoes singing as she left the room.

"I love you too, Bug."

I hung up and straightened myself, staring at the phone and blinking rapidly to keep tears from escaping. Unfortunately, my emotions and the events of tonight all seemingly crashed into me at once and I collapsed against the fender of the blue sports car, touching the back of my right hand to my mouth to contain a sob.

"Did you need a ride home?" James fell into a crouch a few feet away.

"Please just go." I pleaded, avoiding looking in his direction. "I'll move and you can go home."

He remained silent for a while before he said, "I'm not leaving until you're either in an UBER or you let me drive you back to your apartment. I've seen first-hand what can happen to women in this parking lot."

"Then you're going to be stuck here all night," I squeezed my eyes shut. "I can't go back to my apartment right now. I can't. . . I can't deal with them. I just want to be alone."

For a moment I let my eyes wander back to the man beside me, and found his eyes were looking over my head at his car. He looked as if he were considering doing what I'd asked of him-leaving. Then he seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts and stood, offering his calloused hand. "Come on."

"Did you not hear a word I said?"

He sighed. "Yes, I heard you. But you clearly didn't hear what I said. I promise you I'm not trying to hurt you in any way, Harley. Get in the car. It's getting late and you don't want to meet the people that hang around here this late."

I have. But I had no energy left to fight him-or let him in on just how well I knew what went on around here after dark. I obliged to his demand and slowly slipped into the passenger seat and let him close the door behind me. He didn't say a word as he started the car and revved the engine. A rock ballad immediately filled the car, but I was too tired to try and reach to turn it down.

He waited until we'd pulled out of the parking lot to pull out on to the dead street and head in the opposite direction of my apartment.

"Where are we going?"

"You said you wanted to be alone." He said with a quick glance my way. "Or at the very least, to not have to take care of your friends. So I can crash on my couch, and you can take my bed."

I blinked, leaning forward, and tilting my head as I processed his words. "What?"

"My roommates are chill; they won't ask any questions. Just don't cry around them, they'll freak out."

I shook my head. "I am not sleeping in a house full of men."

"No, you're not. You're sleeping in a nice King-Sized bed alone and getting a good night of sleep before you have to recover and figure out what to do about the aftermath of destruction that you and your friends created tonight."

I looked away from him and out the window.

"The mark on the back of your shoulder blade, did he do that?"

My head whipped in his direction at the question. "Huh?"

"Your kids father, did he do that to you?"

"It's none of your business."

He tapped his fingers along the steering wheel. "I mean, you're right, it's not. But I don't just stand around and let men beat women."

"Good thing we're not friends and you won't be seeing me after tonight."

"Just. . . leave. I know it sounds easier said than done, but for your kids' sake, sticking around isn't going to do any good." He breathed, his voice catching in his throat. He cleared it, then continued. "It'll traumatize them. That shit, the memories, the abuse, it sticks with them."

Though defensive words flew to the tip of my tongue, I forced my mouth shut so they wouldn't escape. I knew seeing how much he shifted in his seat that he was speaking from experience. His jaw was set, eyes trained straight ahead hardened, muscles in his arm flexed as he gripped the steering wheel.

"We did."

He looked toward me again. "What do you mean?"

"I left." I said softly. "I. . . he's in jail right now. Have an order of protection against him."

"Good." He relaxed a little. "Your kid will be so much better off."

"Yeah. Without either of us." My voice cracked and I quickly looked back out the window.

He waited a few minutes before asking, "You don't have custody of her?"

"It's not your bus—"

"My mom went through the same shit." He interrupted, shaking his head. "My sister and I were in foster care for years. She finally got custody of us again when we were fourteen and fifteen, but the damage had already been done. Between our father and the countless group homes we were in, we were just a mess."

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

He didn't budge, but eventually said, "Point is, you'll get her back, and I'm sure she's pretty young, so hopefully she won't remember most of this."

"Thanks." I replied. "For everything."

"Yeah, no problem."

Our conversation must have struck a nerve in James because he remained silent the rest of the way to his place. It was a townhouse with a lime green Kia and a black Tesla parked in front of the small garage. He led me up the staircase, but I stopped when he unlocked the door and looked out into the lot.

What the hell was I doing? Did I seriously just allow a random guy, a stranger, to drive me back to his apartment thinking he wasn't expecting anything in return?

"I'm not going to kill you." James was laughing, shaking his head in amusement. I must have been muttering to myself. "If I wanted to do that, why would I have brought you back here? There are witnesses here, remember?"

I nodded and hesitantly followed him into the apartment.

A man sat at the edge of a black leather sofa, one so eerily similar to the piece of crap that sat in Dalton's old apartment in made me nauseas, headphones on, speaking almost as quickly as his fingers were moving across the controller. His thick, long black hair was a messy mane around his face, falling into his eyes and half covering the outside of the headphones. He wore only a pair of red boxer briefs, and even from afar I could see a stain of some food on his bare chest. As if he could feel my eyes on him, his own dark ones flickered to me and a look of horror crossed his face. He threw his headphones off and glared at James behind me.

"Bro, what the hell! Why didn't you tell me you were bringing a hot chick over?"

James snickered. "Last minute decision, man."

The man patted his hair down and crossed the room to us, extending his hand with a smirk peeking out through the thick beard he was sporting. "I'm Scott."

"Harley." I answered, not sure whether I wanted to touch the hand or not. "Don't feel like you need to like, change anything because of I'm here. It's temporary."

"That name is sick." He looked to James, then wiggled smirked suggestively. "You haven't brought a chick home in ages, bro. Been wondering if you were starting to swing the other way."

James shoved his friend aside playfully and headed into the kitchen. Before I could try and figure out what my next move was, I was quite literally run over by a beast of a man on his way down the hall.

Though he wasn't as tall as James, he looked as if he lifted weights in his sleep. His entire body was one huge masterpiece of muscles and tattoos. He wore his dark hair in a fade and had a light scruff, nowhere near as thick and bushy as Scott, but enough to make him look older than baby faced James. Like his roommate, he was in nothing but boxers, the white a contrast to his rich, dark skin. He halted to a stop, then did a double take when he saw me. Then suddenly looked toward both men as James returned from the kitchen.

"I was going to ask which one of you idiots brought a girl here without warning me first, but Scott only pulls chicks like this in his dreams." The man threw a flirtatious wink and smirk my way. "Chris."

"Chris, this is Harley." James said, making a gesture to speed things up with his water bottle. "Harley, this is my roommate and defensive end Chris."

I lifted my hand up in a half wave, then looked back down the hall. "I'm going to go find the bathroom."

As soon as I started down the hall, I heard James snap, "If either of you try anything, I will string you both up by your scrotum, are we clear?"

Finding the bathroom at the end of the hall, I entered and immediately pulled my phone out from my purse. I was greeted with a couple texts from Ash letting me know they were home and safe and asking where I was, and one from Mom letting me know she'd finally got Danni back down. I messaged Ash my location in case something did happen, and this all went south, then texted my mother goodnight and started to swipe damped toilet paper across my face to take off my makeup. I avoided looking in the mirror in hopes it'd keep me from seeing my terrifying reflection. I threw everything away and stepped out into the hall, unbuckling my heels.

"Here." James' hand shot into my line of sight, holding an old high school gym shirt. I grasped my shoe strap in my finger and took the shirt with my free hand. "I'll um, go grab my shit and set up camp on the couch. You know where to find me if you need anything."

I threw the shirt over my shoulder and caught James' wrist as he was readying himself to walk away.

"Thank you."

He shrugged carelessly. "Yeah, no problem."

"No, seriously, James. I appreciate this. I appreciate you."

He offered the weakest of smiles before nodding and whispering, "Get some sleep, hotshot, you got class and work tomorrow. Goodnight."

Then disappeared down his hallway and out of sight entirely.