by Nina Levine
The three of us worked well together and had some fun. I loved watching Annie loosen up, and I especially loved seeing the smile on her face. It’d been too long.
A couple of hours after opening, the day went to shit.
Mario and his goons came in, and I sucked in a breath. The look of malice on his face scared the shit out of me.
My hand went to my phone in my pocket.
I need Donovan.
Mario’s face curved into a sneer as he said, “Seems we meet again.”
“What do you want?”
He slammed his hand on the counter, making me jump. “I want my fucking money!”
My heart fell into my stomach. “I told you, I don’t have your money, and I haven’t heard from Dale.”
My words seemed to really piss him off. “You’re a smart bitch, aren’t you? Fucking feeding me lies about having no money.”
What’s he talking about?
“I’m not feeding you any lies. Look around my bar. Does it look like I have enough customers to make me rich?”
He leant across the bar at me, his foul breath polluting the air between us. “I know who your family is,” he spat out.
Fuck.
My stomach rolled.
He expected me to go to my family for the money.
He gave me a smug look as he stepped away from the bar. “Two days, bitch, and then I’m coming for you.”
I watched him leave, my legs almost buckling from the dread surging through my body. I staggered back against the wall behind me and clutched my stomach as it threatened to expel its contents.
“Shit.” Jess gave me a worried look. “You need to call Blade.”
I pulled my phone out and dialed him. “Layla,” he answered, his voice tight as if he was distracted.
“Mario came back.”
I was met with silence and then, “Fuck.”
I waited.
“You okay?” he asked, the concern clear in his voice.
I blew out the breath I’d been holding in.
Donovan will fix this.
“Yeah,” I said.
“I’m gonna send someone over to stay with you until I can get there, okay?”
“Okay.”
Silence.
And then, “Call me if you need me. I don’t care what the fuck it is, you ring me. Yeah?”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you.”
He ended the call, and I placed my phone down on the bar. I looked up at the girls who were staring at me expectantly. “He’s taking care of it.”
“Thank fuck,” Jess muttered.
Annie’s eyes were wide with fear and I went to her. I put my arms around her and pulled her close. Smoothing my hand over her hair, I murmured, “It’s going to be okay, honey. Donovan will help us. We don’t have to do this on our own.”
Her body was tense. I knew her reaction must be from remembering the shit we’d been through together. We’d come a long way since then and I’d learnt how to defend myself. How to defend us.
I won’t let you down again.
She pulled away from me. “Okay,” she whispered, but I could tell from her hesitation I hadn’t convinced her.
I placed my hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “I promise.”
She answered me with a small smile and nod.
It was the best I’d get out of her.
Turning to Jess, I said, “I’m gonna lock the front door until Donovan’s guy gets here. If any customers want to leave, we’ll let them out, but no one else gets in, okay?”
She nodded. “Good idea.”
I locked the door and we waited.
How the fuck do I get myself into these situations?
***
Banging on the front door twenty minutes later startled all of us. The bar was empty now after the last customer left five minutes ago.
“Might be Blade’s guy,” Jess suggested.
“Let’s hope so,” I said, and went to check it out.
Thank god for the glass panel in the door.
Two bikers stood on the other side, staring at me.
Shit.
I hesitated, not sure whether they’d been sent by Mario or Donovan.
One of them spoke. “Blade sent us, babe. Open up.”
I eyed him. Ink pretty much covered every inch of his skin, and although I didn’t usually go for that look, I had to admit he was gorgeous. I shifted my gaze to the other guy. He was more my type, with less ink, and had the looks sure to melt any woman’s panties. But they both oozed a don’t-fuck-with-me attitude.
That’s what I need.
I unlocked the door and let them in before locking it again after them.
The heavily-inked one looked at me. “You can leave it open, babe. We’ll stay till Blade comes.”
Gratitude overwhelmed me. “Thank you.” It came out almost as a whisper.
His grin lit his face and that was when I appreciated fully what he had going on. He was breathtaking with that grin. “You’re welcome.” He pointed to himself, “I’m Nash, and this dickhead is J.” He pointed at J as he introduced him.
J jerked his chin at me. “You ladies okay? Haven’t heard from Mario again since you spoke to Blade?”
They followed me to the bar where Jess and Annie were waiting. “No, he hasn’t been back,” I answered.
“Good to hear,” J said as he settled on a bar stool.
“You guys want a drink?” Jess asked, her eyes roaming all over Nash. She had a weakness for bad boys, and I figured he was hitting all her buttons.
They both declined.
Nash pulled up a stool as well and scanned the room before giving his attention to me. “You had the bar long?”
“I’ve been part-owner for about a year now. Before that I worked here for years.”
“You do well?”
“We used to but the last few months have been slow.”
He turned his gaze back to the far corner and then looked at me. “Ever thought about putting a stage over there and bringing live music in? I’ve always thought this place would do well with that.”
“You’ve been here before?” I’d never seen him here.
J snorted. “Highly doubt that, babe. You don’t have any skin on show in here, hardly Nash’s preference.”
Nash ignored him. “I’ve been here a few times over the years, but I keep up with all the bars in the area. We’ve got a strip club not far from here so it pays to know what’s happening out and about. Not much live music around, so you could do well.”
It paid to never judge a book by its cover. My parents never taught me that, but once I was on my own in the world, I’d quickly discovered it. I loved meeting people who proved it. Smiling at Nash, I said, “Thank you, I’ll put some thought into it.”
He grinned at me again. “Anytime. Gotta look after Blade’s woman.”
Blade’s woman.
I was far from his woman, and yet Nash’s words shot delicious warmth through me. I had no idea where last night would lead, or what it meant to Donovan, but I wanted more.
I needed more like I needed air.
***
When Donovan strode into the bar a little over an hour later, his face said it all.
Anger and concern all rolled into one.
He came straight to me. His hand cupped my chin, and his eyes bored into mine. “You okay?”
I am now.
“Yes.”
His chest heaved. “Thank fuck.”
Letting go of me, he turned to Nash and J. “Thanks for coming.”
“Anytime, man. You want us to tag along when you go see Mario?” Nash asked. From the gleam in his eye, I was betting he hoped Donovan said yes.
“Heading over there now. You got time?” Donovan asked. Turned out I was right because Nash jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t even feel sorry for Mario. As far as I was concerned, he
deserved whatever they did to him.
J interrupted, “You got eyes on this place now?”
Donovan nodded. “Yeah, two of my guys are sitting outside.”
“Thank you,” I murmured.
He turned to me, and his gaze softened. “I’m gonna give you their numbers. You ring them first if you need them, but you always ring me after. Yeah?”
It stunned me how much I loved his protective streak. After years of looking out for myself, I hated relying on anyone or needing anyone. Donovan was different. I looked deep into his eyes. “Yeah.”
He keyed their numbers into my phone, inspected the place to make sure we were secure, and then the three of them left.
To take care of Mario.
Deep down, I knew what that meant.
And I had zero problems with it.
Chapter Ten
Blade
I pulled up outside Mario’s place. The motherfucker lived in a dive. Paint peeled from the house, overgrown grass hid the ground, and rubbish littered the footpath. He’d fallen a long way from the place he used to live.
That’s what drugs do to you, asshole.
Slamming the door of the Jag as I exited it, I surveyed the street.
Quiet.
No one around.
Fucking perfect.
“What’s the plan, boss?”
I turned to Ben. I’d brought him and two of my other guys with me. Nash and J, too. “You three take the back. I’ll keep Nash and J with me at the front.”
He nodded his agreement.
“I get to finish the asshole, Ben,” I added.
“I figured,” he said, his face a mask of intent.
I watched the three of them head around the back and then motioned for J and Nash to follow me. A moment later, I banged on the front door.
We stood back and waited.
When Mario opened the door, he looked at J and Nash before smirking at me. “Brought your back-up, I see. Won’t make a difference, though, asshole. Your bitch owes me money, and I fucking want it.”
My fist collided with his cheek so hard he staggered backwards. I stepped inside his house and punched him again. Blood flew at me. I punched him again.
“Motherfucker!” he roared.
I ducked as he tried to get a punch in. “Yeah, I fucking am! You want to pull the shit you pulled today, this is how I fucking deal with it.”
My mind was zeroed in on dealing with Mario, but the sound of glass shattering and yelling from the back of the house grabbed my attention. Nash pushed past me and stalked toward the noise while J stayed with me.
Mario snarled at me. “That bitch isn’t worth the shit this will cause, Blade.”
We stood glaring at each other, sizing the situation up. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, and the desire to end him quickly overwhelmed me. “What fucking shit will this cause, Mario?”
“People won’t like it when I tell them about this. I hope the cunt is worth it.”
Mario always had thought more of his standing in the world than what it actually was. I shoved my face in his and grabbed his shirt with both hands. “You’re missing something here, Mario.”
“What?” His smugness only fuelled my rage.
“The fact you won’t be around to tell anyone about this,” I growled, and enjoyed watching the smugness slide off his face.
I shoved him away from me. Hard, so he stumbled back into the wall and slumped to the floor. His confidence disappeared, and my darkness surged up as I looked down at him. The demons I forced into hiding most days circled, begging to be let out. Today, they were in luck.
J slammed the front door shut and made sure all the curtains were closed. The house had grown quiet as Ben and the guys dealt with whoever Mario had out the back. “Just you and me now,” I spat at him. “Regretting your greed yet, asshole?”
Fear lined his face. He knew how I dealt with problems. “I’ll forget the debt, Blade. And I’ll leave her alone, whatever you want.” He forced his words out in a haste to stop me.
Too late, motherfucker.
My monsters have already been unleashed.
I slid my blade from its sheath attached to my belt and stepped closer to him. Bending to a crouch, I pressed the tip of the knife to his chest. “Your problem, Mario, is that you just don’t have the fucking brains for this shit. Takes a smart man to handle the dirty work of this world. Idiots are slowly weeded out, and it looks like your time’s up.” I cut the top button of his shirt off. The sound of it bouncing on the floor was the only sound to be heard in the quiet of the house.
His chest rose and fell, rapidly, sweat pooling on his face as he fought to breathe through his terror. No words were said, however. He knew we were way past that.
I cut the next button off and slowly worked my way down his shirt until they were all discarded.
J grunted from behind me. “Did you piss yourself, motherfucker?”
He had.
My monsters roared at the smell of fear in the room.
I trailed the knife down his body, from chest to waist, pushing his shirt out of the way as I went. His skin hypnotised me as I imagined sinking the knife in and drawing blood.
Blood.
I hungered for it.
He’ll never threaten a woman again.
I pressed the knife into his stomach, just deep enough for blood to pool on his skin. The whimper he emitted touched the edge of my consciousness as I concentrated on my revenge. A moment later, the smell of his blood hit my nostrils, and I fought the urge to lift my arm and bury the knife in his chest.
“Blade.”
Ben’s voice cut through my fog, and I snapped my head around to look at him. I glared my question at him. What?
“We need to take him to the warehouse for this.” His voice held urgency.
He was right.
Mario began snivelling as he cowered against the wall.
With one last scowl at him, I stood. Jerking my chin at Ben and the guys, I ordered, “Get him into the back of the van and I’ll meet you there.”
Ben nodded his understanding, and the three of them moved into action.
Nash looked at his watch. “You good now, brother? Or do you still need us?”
I reached behind me and slid my knife back in its sheath. “We can handle this from here. How many are out the back?”
“Two. They’re unconscious.” He gave me the information I needed, and I nodded. They wouldn’t be a problem as they were only men for hire. Mario had no loyalty in his operation.
Nash slapped me on the back. “Yell out if you need us again. Always happy to help.”
J gave me a chin jerk, and I watched them leave. Scott had come through for me today when I’d called and asked for his help. I hadn’t wanted to ever ask him for it, but when Layla called, I was dealing with a situation I couldn’t leave, and Scott was my best option.
***
It was ten o’clock that night before I saw Layla again. She sat in the corner at a table.
My table.
Her head rested on her arms on the table, and, as I approached, I sensed she was asleep. She didn’t stir when I sat, so I rested my hand on her shoulder. “Layla,” I murmured as I gently nudged her.
Her head shot up, and groggy eyes stared back at me.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” I apologised.
“You okay?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.
I frowned. “Yeah. Why?”
“I never heard from you after you left, so I’ve been worried.”
I’m an asshole.
What the fuck am I doing?
I leaned back in the chair and stretched my back. My muscles were all knotted, and the pain I always felt there had intensified this afternoon. Raking my hand through my hair, I said, “I took care of Mario. You don’t need to worry about him anymore.”
She stared at me silently. Her quick nod was all she gave me before she stood and walked away.
Fuck.
I dro
pped my head and squeezed my eyes shut.
She’ll never accept your demons.
What the fuck are you doing?
I took a deep breath. Best to face the truth before beginning something. Disappointment washed through me, though. I’d thought the connection had been there. I’d thought she might accept my darkness.
I opened my eyes and lifted my head.
She stood in front of me.
“Thought you could do with a drink,” she murmured as she passed me a glass and the bottle of scotch.
Fuck.
You don’t deserve her.
“Thank you.” I poured a drink and asked, “You want one?”
“No, I’ve already had a few tonight. I’m so tired that another one might knock me on my ass.” She sat down again, her movements sluggish.
I eyed the scarf around her neck. Reaching across the table, I loosened it to reveal the marks I’d left there last night. The asshole in me loved those fucking marks.
Her hand landed on mine and held it there. Our eyes met. The noise in my mind that never shut off quietened. The ache in my chest that clung to me and never gave me a moment’s peace ceased.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Fuck, her touch healed, if only for that moment. She knew what I’d done, and she was fucking thanking me for it. She accepted that part of me.
I drank some of my scotch and welcomed its burn.
She let my hand go, tightening her scarf back around her neck. My need to be connected to her was too great to move my hand away. I trailed my finger along her collarbone and then I traced the skin above the v of her t-shirt, letting my finger slip underneath the material every now and then. The gentle rise and fall of her chest turned me on. I loved how I affected her.
I kept feathering my light touch over her skin while I drank the rest of my scotch. Our eyes held each other, and the slow burn of need sizzled through me.
“I need you,” I growled.
“I need you, too,” she whispered.
Fuck.
I looked at my hand against her chest and the contradiction of what that hand could deliver wasn’t lost on me.
The contradiction of me.
I moved my hand and stood. Picking up the scotch and my glass, I waited for her to stand, and then I followed her. I took the scotch upstairs with me. I’d need it tonight.
