The music pulses through me, each beat an echo of my racing heart. I can't take my eyes off Eveiynn as she laughs and dances with her friends, moving gracefully among the crowd. But then something changes. Three boys move in closer to her, their hands landing possessively on her hips or shoulders, whispering things in her ear that make her blush and giggle.

Rage boils up inside me, hot and sudden as a blown fuse.

I force myself to remain calm, to think clearly. I can't lose my temper here; it would only make things worse for her. So instead, I carefully push away from the wall and begin moving through the crowd toward them. My steps are deliberate, calculated. The closer I get, the more my heart races with a mixture of anger and protectiveness.

When I'm close enough to see their faces clearly, I stop abruptly, forcing myself to calm down further. "Gentlemen," I say in a low, dangerous voice, "