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It took every ounce of restraint in my body not to drag her out of here the minute I saw her on that stage. Not because she’s dancing, she’s a beautiful dancer, if that’s what she wants to do, fine. But not here. The men watching her weren’t looking at her like she was a person, they saw her as their personal plaything.

I stayed hunched over the bar with my hood up while eavesdropping on that asshole who touched her. My fingers clench and unclench. He walked away and she was sent home. I’ll be cutting his brake lines before I drive away. It’s not hard to figure out which car is his with a license plate like STRLITE.

She walks out and I stay behind, waiting. The floor manager disappears into the back office after a while and the bouncer has wandered off to the bar. Top-notch security. I stay in the shadows and walk toward the entrance, casually glancing at the PatronScan terminal sitting on the desk. Most clubs scan IDs when customers enter. Convenient system. I tap the screen, scrolling through until I see his photo, the guy who was harassing her. I snap a picture with my phone. His address is right there.

There’s something satisfying about knowing where someone sleeps at night. I’d stay and deal with it now, but there were more important places for me to be.

The employee at the pizza shop blinks at me when I place my order.

“Pineapple and green olive?” he repeats back to me.

“Yes.”

His top lip curls. “That’s disgusting.”

“Thank you.”

He hands me the box like he’s personally offended by my existence and I turn on my heel. Before I get in my car, I peek inside the lid to confirm the toppings. The smell hits me like a brick to the face and I gag. “God, Anna. Seek help.”

When I drive up in front of her house, I grab the pizza and climb the front steps just when her neighbor is walking out and they hold the door for me. How neighborly.

I jog up the staircase and knock on her door; hopefully she’s out of the shower. I hear her pad to the door, pause like she’s looking out the peephole, and then she shoves the door open wide.

“Duchess,” I say.

I’m stunned when she throws her arms around me in a bear hug. “Today sucked,” she says, muffled into my shirt. “I missed you.”

You wouldn’t miss me if you texted back once in a while.

She squeezes me tighter before withdrawing. “I’m sorry I haven’t reached out. I’m the worst.”

I sigh. “You’ve just got a lot going on.”

All is forgiven in that one hug because apparently I’m a giant pushover when it comes to her. Anna steps to the side so I can walk in.

“I brought you a pizza.”

“Ooh, what kind?” she asks, lifting the lid.

“Your favorite, also known as the reason God abandoned us.”

She beams at me as she carries it proudly into the living room. I toe off my shoes and follow. Lamps in the living room cast warm pools of light, making every shadow soft and gentle. A blanket is casually thrown over the back of the couch.

“I want you to know I risked my reputation ordering that pizza in public.”

Anna grins. “What reputation?”

“How hostile of you.”

“Do you want anything to drink?” she asks.

I shake my head and she plops onto her sofa, where it appears she’s been watching a scary movie. She turns the volume down and angles her body toward me.

“So, the big festival thing is tomorrow?” I ask.

“Yes, I’ll be glad when it’s behind me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween, but the Harvest Festival is a lot of work. Lots of vendors and volunteers to coordinate and make sure we’re getting all the content, blah blah blah.”

“What time are you done?” I ask. “Maybe I can swing by after work?”