Total pages in book: 227
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
“You stay exactly where you are,” Danny orders, giving me a look I would never dare challenge.
“Right there, Beau,” James grunts as he stomps past.
I hurry over to Pearl and take her arm, bringing her to the bar and sitting her down. “Anya,” I call. “Vodka. Neat.” Poor thing is shaking like a leaf.
Mason springs over the bar and runs out to join the men as Anya slips a drink toward Pearl. I don’t have a chance to put it in her hand. She grabs it and throws it back. What the hell is going on?
“Oh my God!” Allison is soon with us, eyes wide, looking at Pearl. “What happened?”
Pearl turns her stare onto Allison, swallowing her drink hard. She doesn’t say a word. Just stares. Shock? I don’t know, but I do know Allison the lawyer definitely should not be here. I take her elbow and lead her away, and she looks back constantly, both to Pearl and to where the men all just ran. “You should probably get out of here.”
“Where’s Brad?” she asks. “Is he okay? What’s happened?” She appears panicked, truly worried for him, as she struggles to free herself from my hold. Fucking hell. I should be comforting Pearl, not battling with Brad’s new lady friend, who has absolutely no idea who we are. That’s Brad’s problem to solve. Not mine. I look back and see Beau with Pearl wrapped up in her arms. My worry worsens.
“Brad’s fine, but he said to tell you to go home.”
“Rose, will you please just tell me what’s happened?”
Fuck. “He’s been having issues with dealers in the club,” I blurt out, scratching around for more. “Pearl just encountered one in the restrooms. Quite an unsavory sort. The men are just dealing with it.”
“Drugs?”
“Yes, drugs.” I take her elbow. “The police have been called. It’s all fine, but I’m sure you don’t want to get mixed up in it. Brad’s going to have to rearrange your dinner date.” I guide her out the front of the club and find Des and Drake looking edgy. “Taxi for Allison,” I quip, smiling like a crazy woman, telling them all they need to know with my awkwardness and an urgency I’m trying to play down. “He said he’d call you.”
Allison nods, letting me hand her over to Des, who raises one of his beefy arms, hollering a taxi.
“Hope to see you again soon,” I say, sounding genuine. I’m not. I go to Drake. “Whatever you do, do not let her back in the club.”
A nod. “What’s going down?”
“I have no idea,” I answer, hurrying back inside, worried.
20
DANNY
* * *
I’m the second to make it outside after James, my dress shoes skidding to a stop when I see Brad on his knees next to a body. “Fuck,” I whisper, recognizing the suit. The blond hair.
“Nolan.” Brad looks up and down his body, his face a picture I hate on him. Horror. Problem is, I’m worried his concern is wasted. This kid has a lot of questions to answer.
Or . . . had.
I look down Nolan’s body, searching for movement, reaching for Brad’s shoulder. “Turn him over, mate,” I say, bracing myself for the damage, along with everyone else.
“No need.” Nolan rolls over of his own accord on a wheeze, and Brad falls back on his arse on a gasp. “Fuck, that hurt.”
I stare, flummoxed. Has this kid got nine fucking lives? “For fuck’s sake, Nolan.” I reach down and grab the lapels of his jacket, hauling him up to my face, raging. “I’ll fucking kill you myself one day.”
“Whoa, easy,” James says, seeing my predicament. I seriously want to grill him. Can’t do that.
“Fuck, Danny,” Nolan yelps, and I drop him, scowling, looking him up and down. “You shot?”
“No, I was fucking hit by a fucking car.” His face creases in pain as he struggles to sit up. Brad’s still on his arse, staring at the concrete.
“Hey.”
He looks at me, and I recoil.
“What happened?”
He seems to shake himself to life, wedging a palm into the concrete and pushing himself to his feet. “Drive-by.” He looks down the alley, and I follow his stare, noticing a body splayed out. “Got caught in the crossfire,” Brad explains, as I wander toward the dead man.
I stop and stare down at his body. “He certainly did.” What a fucking mess. “Did you get a registration?”
Brad shakes his head. I look at Nolan. He shakes his head too.
“And what were you doing out here?”
Brad raises his eyes but not his head, warning me off. I heed the warning. He looks on the edge of lunacy right now. He lifts his arm and looks under it. “Fuck’s sake.”
“You’re bleeding.” James moves in and takes a look. “Flesh wound. You should get it checked out.” He goes to Nolan and pulls him to his feet. “A trip to the doctor for you too, my boy.”