At my words she drops my arms and squares her shoulders. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

When she takes a step in my direction, I hold my hand up. “No, I think I’m good on my own tonight.”

I’m pissed off as I walk away, wondering why she keeps trying to make me go home. I’m a grown woman blowing off some steam after a hard day at work. Jesus, it’s not like I’m kicking a puppy.

When I walk around the corner, I see Skyler, Jamie and Joel up ahead and I take long steps to catch up with them. Once we’re at the entrance of the club, I shake off the aggravation from a second ago. I like being happy Mallory when I’m buzzed, and I don’t want to let her weird mood spoil tonight. My first week of work rocked, and I want to let my hair down. Whenever we went out in college, we always cut the nights short, more focused on school than anything.

As soon as we’re inside, Skyler pulls me onto the dance floor while Jamie and Joel shove their way to the bar to grab us drinks. The DJ has got the bass thumping, and I’m all kinds of wonderful. Skyler and I are silly as we dance, doing the robot and laughing.

I’m sweating by the time Joel and Jamie get back from the bar with our drinks. He hands me another whiskey and a bottle of water, and I thankfully chug both, the whiskey burning my throat, but warming up my body, and the cold water probably a good idea at this point.

After both of my drinks are drained, I’m back to dancing, and this time Joel dances, too. Skyler and Jamie are dancing with us, so it’s more like a group dance than us coupling up. I’m laughing and having a good time, really happy to shake off the blues from today. Not only with Paige now, but my funk about Oz being quiet for so long. I’m going to head home tonight and take some dirty pictures for him. He’ll love getting them in the morning.

Suddenly, the music turns from fun and bouncy to a slow, sexual beat.

I look over and see Skyler and Jamie wrapped around each other as the crowd moves in closer. Joel reaches for me, and I laugh it off, but as bodies move on the dance floor I’m pushed into him.

He grips my waist and moves against me. I take his hand off me and put a little space between us but keep dancing. He grabs my hips again pulling me into him. I’m about to tell him I’ve had enough dancing, when there’s a break in the crowd and a fist comes flying.

The music keeps playing, and I watch in shock as Oz leans down and punches Joel in the face again. It takes me half a second to react.

“Oz!” I shout over the music, and he turns to look at me. His dark waves are all awry and he’s breathing hard. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, and he looks like he’s sweating. Jesus, did he run all the way from London?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Joel sit up and I reach out to help him up. Oz moves to step in between us and I give him a death stare. He freezes, and Joel stands, putting his hand to his face. I think there’s blood running down his chin, and I’m so angry at Oz I could spit nails.

I look over to see Skyler and Jamie, both with their mouths open. Then Jamie smiles and leans over to yell, “Your boyfriend is so hot!”

Skyler rolls her eyes and pulls Jamie back to her, but then comes over to me. “You got this?”

“Yeah. I’m good,” I shout. I turn to Oz and push past him.

“Are you okay?” I ask Joel over the music. Oz’s hands grip my waist, pulling me gently back to him, and I’m getting even angrier that I don’t hate his touch.

“Yeah. Sorry, I didn’t know you had a bodyguard. I’ll talk to you later.” He glares at Oz over my shoulder before making his way out of the club.

Everything happened so fast. Most of the people on the dance floor didn’t see anything happen. Not even a bouncer comes over to stop the shit, and that’s what they’re hired to do.

Oz wraps his arms around me tighter. He leans over me, trying to blanket my body.

“Get off me,” I say, pushing at his immovable hands. “I can’t believe you did that.” I actually stomp my foot, thinking it will get him to let me go, but he places his warm lips on my neck and gives me a gentle kiss.

I will not lean into him. I will not give in to this. I will not like this one bit.

His big hands flatten on my stomach, and his hips push into my ass. The sexy bass runs through my buzzed blood, and I’m reminded of how much I missed his touch. One of his palms runs up my body, cupping my breast as he kisses my neck more. The other slides down my thigh, his fingers tracing the hem of my dress as his big body moves with mine.

“I’m sorry, baby. I was going to surprise you, but then I saw someone with his hands on you and lost it. I missed you so much, Mallory. Please don’t be mad.”

“You bust in here like you own the place, and think it’s okay for you to punch my friend? You can’t steamroll me, Oz.”

“Mallory, nobody puts their hands on what’s mine. Nobody.”

I push away from his grip, hating the loss of his hands on my body, and immediately wanting it back. But I have to stand my ground. I can’t have him thinking that he can get away with this kind of behavior without me putting up a fight. I whip around and the sight of him is nearly impossible to resist. Gritting my teeth, I turn to walk away. I’m a little too tipsy to try and figure out what it is I want to say. I know I’m mad.

Before I make it a single step he’s pulling me into his arms. I hold both my fists up against his chest and try to push off of him. But this time he doesn’t let me go.