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"Violet."

I know I'm in trouble when Sully uses my given name.

"Stay there. Please."

"You are not⁠—"

"Please," I say again.

Thad's fingers dig into my scalp, and I flinch.

"Isn't this sweet? You've gone from mouse to tiger. We can fix that."

All the fear is still there. It hasn't vanished. It's in my throat, lodged in my ribs. Twisting my stomach. But with the fear? Power. Awareness. Backbone. Strength in the knowledge that I might not win this fight, but I will not go down easily, and Havoc will keep Sully safe.

Keep my heart safe.

Thad expected me to come alone, fearful and desperate and ready to bargain. Because that's what I always did. I apologized for no reason. I begged when I did nothing wrong. That's who he expected, the woman he hadn't finished breaking before he was sent away.

But that's not me. Not as I am now.

He has such a tight grip on my hair that he releases my wrist. And Lawson's voice slides through my mind with a surge of adrenaline.

Don't fight the strength. Find the weak point.

I lock my hand over his and step back so that his arm is straight. Then I brace my other hand under his locked arm, drop my weight and shove up with all my strength while twisting. I hear a loud pop, and Thad's hold releases me. I stumble back and race for Sully and Havoc. Thad holds his arm as he follows me, swearing and tossing out threats every step of the way.

He's so focused on me that Thad doesn't seem to realize he's now threatening the very thing I told Havoc to guard. The sound of motorcycles roars close. I hear them, but they're still too far away. Too far to help.

I make it to Sully's side as Thad lunges toward me. And seeing the threat to Sully, Havoc breaks from his guard position and leaps toward Thad, taking him down with vicious snarls.

Motorcycles roar down the alley in a blinding wave of bright lights and loud engines. Men scramble to surround Havoc and Thad, and Lawson gives a loud whistle and then calls the dog off.

I hear sirens in the distance, and once I know the men have Thad under control and Havoc is being properly praised, I bury my face into Sully's chest.

Thad's hauled to his feet with his hands behind his back. He's yelling obscenities at them and at me. Bleeding from where Havoc attacked.

It's all noise now though. Just noise.

"I'm not going to jail again because of her," Thad shouts. "She's not worth it!"

"She's worth everything," Sully shoots back in a pained voice.

My eyes burn. I can't cry now. Not when I've done the hard thing. When I've managed to be the woman who can kick butt—well, not really but some.

"You shouldn't have let him lure you out," Sully says in a tight voice.

“You got out of your truck, so he lured you out.”

“I heard a noise inside the bar. Went to check on it.”

I lean back and look up at him. “Looks like we were both tricked. And you would've done the same for me. So you're welcome.”

That silences him. Because we both know he would’ve come to my rescue, and if he tries to pull some sexist crap out of thin air, well, I can teach him a few of my new moves. "I'm not sorry," I add, smiling.

"I am."

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."