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“Derek, no! Stop!”

The club had ground to a halt, everyone turning to see what the disturbance was about Customers moved back and out of the way as Derek pulled Nacho off the bar and launched hi to continue the one-sided fight Ginger knew she had to take action or Derek would seriously injure the other man

Using the ice e, she leaped on the bar and juht leg, but pushed forward through the gaping club-goers to throw herself on Derek’s back Ginger wrapped her ar in her feet, and pulled to no avail He still landed a punch squarely in Nacho’s face and reared back to hit hiht

“Listen to er saw the club’s two burly security guards pushing their way through the crowd Thankfully, a different fight had just broken out between two girls and drew the guards’ attention away from Derek

As pissed as she felt, it occurred to her that Derek, being a police lieutenant, would definitely not benefit froet hiht was on her side of the bar and tried to detain hiht back and the situation would only escalate

She put her ainst his ear and tried to reason with hiht now You are going to kill him I’m fine”

His body shook with adrenaline “He had his hands on you”

“It’s my fault I provoked him But it’s over now”

Derek turned his head and met her eyes “Your fault?”

She flinched at his fury Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the security guards parting the sea of club-goers, nearly upon the Derek out of the bar without being held up by security

And he had been defending her Despite his extrerateful that after years of inexcusable behavior from male customers, someone besides her had finally stepped in and put a stop to it No accounting for subtlety

“Get your shit”

Ginger recoiled She’d already h-handed tone infuriated her, e her mind “You can’t just demand I leave in the middle of my shift!”

“I can shut this place doith one phone call Give me a reason to do it Please”

Anger rapidly building inside of her, she shot to her feet Nacho writhed on the floor in front of hirowled He’d noticed the bleeding cut on her leg and looked ready to turn on Nacho once more

The security guards reached Derek then, but he extricated his badge and barked so hier Get Your Shit”

She turned toward the bar and signaled A anticipated her request, the other woer her purse, which she’d stashed in a cabinet beneath the register Ginger mouthed a thank-you just as Derek put a hand on her back, then steered her, through their rapt audience, toward the door

“Where is your coat?”

“In the back rooo get it”

He whipped off his jacket and settled it on her shoulders just as they exited the club into the cold Chicago evening S around in packs outside, oblivious to the scene that had just taken place inside the club Ginger vaguely registered the bouncer at the door calling her naer seat of his SUV