Don’t be real. Even the Gods wouldn’t be so evil. Slowly, Rainie turned to see her old high school classmate. Life really wasn’t fair sometimes.

Praying Jake and the others wouldn’t notice, Rainie walked toward her. “Hello, Mandy.”

“Fancy meeting you here.” The brunette smirked. “I’m sure you remember Jefferson and Clay, don’t you?”

The Gods of Cruelty were feeling lively that evening since the woman’s two companions were also high school classmates. They’d ridiculed Rainie when she was poor, socially inept, and in dirty, ragged clothing. Their scorn had increased after they’d seen her on the streets with the drug dealer.

The two men looked her up and down as if assessing how much she’d charge for a blowjob.

Her mouth twisted. She’d never turned tricks. Ever.

Jefferson said, “I didn’t realize they permitted your kind in nice clubs. How’d you get in the door?”

“How do you think, bro?” Clay made kissy noises. “Probably gave the bouncer a blowjob and—”

A second later, Jake moved right up into Clay’s air space, his face set into hard lines of anger.

“Whoa, man.” Clay stumbled back a step. “Hey, you’re Jennifer’s brother. Jake, right?”

“I take it you don’t get out from under your rock often enough to recognize a bachelorette party?” Jake’s raised voice carried to the surrounding tables.

He was defending her.

Rainie’s skin went hot, went cold.

“Now listen—” Jefferson blustered.

“Perhaps your education is lacking in how a man should address a woman. I’ll be happy to instruct you. Shall we move this outside, gentlemen?” Jake’s voice held a fillet-sharp edge.

Clay and Jefferson flushed and retreated several more steps.

Mandy whined, “Jaaake, you don’t—”

She received a look only a Shadowlands’ Master could deliver, and her bright red lips shut so fast the lipstick smeared.

As Jake advanced on the two men, they glanced at each other, trying to decide how to withdraw without further loss of face. Cowards.

A second later, they backed away.

“Not going to fight over a piece of trash,” Jefferson muttered once out of reach. They disappeared into the crowd.

Rainie let out the breath she’d been holding.

Mandy sneered at Rainie’s low-cut bustier and short skirt before tilting her chin toward Jake. “I see you figured out how to get him, didn’t you?” Her snide tone hadn’t changed from a decade ago when her gang of mean girls spotted Rainie staring at Jake. Their cutting remarks still rotted in Rainie’s memory, surfacing when her spirits were low.

As Jake walked back, Mandy sidled away.

Jake watched her leave, shaking his head. He glanced at Rainie, then over her shoulder, and his anger transformed to amusement. “No wonder the boys surrendered the field.”

Rainie spun.

Ben stood nearby, his brawny arms folded over his huge chest. She was so used to his amiable grin that she’d forgotten how dangerous he could appear. While Jake was a razor-sharp blade, capable of slicing a man into thin strips, Ben was a cudgel designed to flatten them into the ground.

Like an elegant stiletto knife, Mistress Anne stood beside Ben, and the deadly glint in her eyes would make anyone afraid.

Warily, Rainie edged over to stand beside Uzuri.

“Scary, aren’t they?” Uzuri said under her breath, visibly trembling.

“Yeah.” In the Shadowlands, Rainie had viewed whippings, knife-play, needle-play—but the tops always had everything under control. They were careful, even when blood flowed. But here, the open threat of uncontrolled violence had turned her stomach.

After talking quietly for a minute, Jake, Anne, and Ben joined them.

“You okay?” Jake’s gaze swept Uzuri and Rainie.

Although Uzuri nodded, her color was more gray than brown.

Ben set a big hand on her shoulder. “Nobody’s going to hurt you, honey. Not while I’m here.”

Jake stopped next to Rainie and lifted his brows. “And you, sweetling?”

Answering in the affirmative would be a lie, and annoying him right then would be unwise. So she dodged the question. “Thank you for the help.”

Having him jump to defend her was… She couldn’t even say how that made her feel. Was her shaking from her ex-classmates’ cruelty or from the surprise of being protected?

How amazing. Really. She’d actually been rescued by a knight in shining armor. Rainie wrapped her arms around herself, wanting to cling to the sensation of being cared for.

If only Jake had saved her from pirates or criminals, but nooo, her attackers were people who’d known her. They hadn’t been surprised to see her dressed like a hooker—because they thought she was.

It wouldn’t matter if she wore the most respectable of designer clothing. They’d never let her forget her past. And she’d never escape them, not in Florida.

A little sick, she asked, “Can we leave now, Ben?”

Jake wrapped an arm around her. “You get Uzuri and Anne home, Ben. I’m taking Rainie.”

* * * *

“Thanks for the ride,” Rainie said as Jake parked his car.

Her voice sounded better, he thought, as if she’d finally recovered from whatever screwed-up shit had happened at the nightclub. “Not a problem.”

“I can see myself in.” She jumped out.

Jake joined her on the sidewalk and took her arm. “My mother would disown me if I didn’t escort a lady to her door.”

She gave a huff of exasperation, but then smiled. “Did you inherit that stubbornness from her?”

“Most assuredly.” His spirits lightened. Not much kept this woman down. He admired that.

Didn’t admire where she lived though. The damp night air brushed over his face as he walked her to a poorly lit, three-story apartment building. The closest streetlight was dark—shot out was his guess. The landscaping consisted of several dying bushes surrounded by weeds growing through sun-bleached bark mulch. How did Rainie stand it here?

Maybe it was the suit she’d worn, but he’d gotten the impression she had a good-paying job—so why live here? This wasn’t a safe place for a woman.

As they approached the end unit, she rummaged in her bag for her keys.

Her wide shawl cover-up fell open, and he reluctantly pulled it back together for her while inhaling her light, sensual scent. “Better keep this closed.”

“Excellent idea.” Her eyes darkened, and the pain he’d seen during the confrontation reappeared. “I wouldn’t want to give the place a bad name.”

“Rainie.” He touched her cheek, wanting to comfort.

“Sorry. Old history.” She shook her head as if to dislodge the past. “I really appreciate the way you rescued me.” Humor returned to her face. “You’re a regular paragon of chivalry. I would have said a knight in shining armor, but you’re closer to a gentleman pirate, like in old Errol Flynn movies or…or even Dread Pirate Roberts.”

“Mmmhmm.” Nice imagination. “Seems like a pirate should get a reward for saving a fancy lady. Doesn’t the code of the seas state that after rescuing, then comes the ravishing?”

She had a gorgeous laugh, easy and open, sounding as if it came from inside her chest rather than a fake one from her throat. This was a woman he’d enjoy ravishing.

“I think those are more like guidelines than rules,” she said seriously, although the glint in her eyes revealed laughter.

Moving closer, crowding her, he ran his finger down the sweet curve of her cheek. “You know, in a role-play, if booty isn’t offered…it’s taken.”

Her color deepened, and the way her pupils dilated said she wouldn’t be adverse to some rough sex and ravishing.

Then she blinked and shook her head. “No. No, I don’t think so.” She set her hand against his chest and stepped away.

“All right.” He wouldn’t push; she’d had enough stress for one night. He gave her hair a teasing tug, took the keys, and unlocked her door.

From the darkness inside, a whirlwind of a black-and-white dog assaulted her in a torrent of bouncing and barking.

She yelped and staggered back against Jake’s body.

Fuck, she was soft. He steadied her and reluctantly released her.

“Oh my God, you scared me spitless, baby.” Ignoring her dropped bag, she squatted to give hugs and scratches until the dog bounded away, turned two happy circles, and dove in for more.

“I’m afraid he might be a little crazy.” She laughed as the pup ran out for another circle. Her gaze rose to Jake. “Is he supposed to act like that?”

“Totally normal.” Jake grinned. “This your first small dog?”

“First pet ever,” came the muffled response as she buried her face in the dog’s fur. When she lifted her head, her pleasure was bright enough to melt icecaps. “I never knew how…how…wonderful a dog was.”

She smiled at the pup. “Of course, you’re absolutely the best dog ever, so other dogs might not measure up.”

Never had a pet? Jake raked his hand through his hair. What kind of parents didn’t give their kid…something? He and his sister had conned his folks into cats, dogs, rabbits, birds—even mice and hamsters and gerbils, until one too many escaped, and his mother had decreed a no rodent establishment. “How come no pets?”