I ring back - not prepared to be attacked (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
laid into
'be attacked' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'i ring back not prepared' is the wordplay.
'ring' becomes 'dial' (as in dialling a phone).
'back' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'prepared' is an anagram indicator.
'i'+'dial'='idial'
'idial' in reverse letter order is 'laidi'.
'not' is an anagram of 'nto'.
'laidi'+'nto'='LAID INTO'
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for laid into that I've seen before include "Savaged" , "Attacked" .)