I take two steps inside and see her.
Rebecca is standing in the back and Nico is in front of her. I saw his face in the pics my source sent over and it’s definitely him. He’s about as tall as I am but that’s where the similarity ends. He’s wide and big with jet black hair and dark tanned skin. He looks like a Samoan wrestler, and I can’t say I’d get in a ring with him. He looks worse in person than he does in the pictures. I wonder if he’s using the product he’s been slinging. I look through the fog of the club, and I see his hand is gripping her chin. Rebecca looks at his face with terror in her eyes, and I see red.
My body is in motion before I have any thoughts as to what is about to happen. I’m over where they are standing in half a second and I’m taking control of the situation before I know my next move. I grab Nico’s arm and push him backwards behind me. Rebecca’s well-being is my only focus. As soon as Nico’s hands are off her, she locks eyes with me and starts to cry.
I see her tears, and scoop her up in my arms. I have a natural instinct to protect this little fairy from all the evil around her.
When I turn to leave, I see Nico being helped up by his people, and he’s eyeing me.
“You put down my property, and we don’t have a problem, Suit.”
I don’t really feel like getting into a pissing match with a drug dealer in his own club, so I try to make peace. Getting Rebecca to safety is the only thing I’m concerned about.
“I’m a friend or hers and she wants to leave.”
“Becs, you tell this guy you’re mine, or you know the consequences.”
Rebecca picks her head up and looks at me with wide tearful eyes. She’s pleading for me to make this situation right, to fix what’s broken.
“How much?” I ask, never looking away from Rebecca.
“A lot,” she whispers.
“I didn’t say I wanted your money, Suit. I want the girl,” Nico says, and I can see we’re at an impasse. I’ve got all the money he needs, but he wants Rebecca. He can have her when he walks over my dead body to get her.
I look over at Nico, and I can bet he’s willing to kill me for her. I have to try to think of how to resolve this. “Fine, you want the girl, you can have her.” I feel Rebecca stiffen in my arms, and then she starts to squirm.
Nico has a smug smile on his face, and he looks at Rebecca, victory in his eyes.
“But here’s the thing,” I say, halting her movements. “She owes me too. So until I finish taking out what I want, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait your turn.”
Nico looks pissed, and just as he reaches into the back of his pants, Hank walks in with four of his men. Most people think I keep Hank around because he knows the city and is a good driver. The real reason I keep him is he’s good at getting his hands dirty at a moment’s notice, and can hide a body or two without questions. Hank and I go way back.
Nico sizes up what I brought to the party, and comes up short on his end. He rethinks his claim to Rebecca and gives me a chin lift. It’s a sign for me to get the hell out of his club, and I take it. I’m not a coward and I don’t run from a fight, but I won’t ever put Rebecca in danger.
Once we are outside of the club, I get in the back of the car, still holding her to me. Hank says a word to the other guys and they all disappear into the night. I’m holding Rebecca to me when he gets in and takes us home.
I look down and lock eyes with my little fairy. “Thank you,” she whispers and puts her head on my chest.
I walk out of the bathroom and see Rebecca sitting on the bed. She’s dressed in a tiny pink tank top and white shorts. She must have taken a shower in the other bathroom while I was getting ready for bed.
My body is still on an adrenaline high and my hands are shaking. It’s been over an hour since we got back home and I haven’t said a word to her for fear of saying something hurtful.
“I’m sorry,” she says, and looks at me with those big violet eyes.
“I’m aware, Rebecca.”
“Please don’t be upset with me. I only went to meet up with my friends and have a good time.” I can hear the soft plea in her voice but it’s not enough to soothe my anger.
“A good time? Is that what you call that?”
“No. Thank you for stepping in. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Just get some sleep. It’s late, and I have an early meeting tomorrow. I’ll be in the guest room.”
As I start to walk past her and out of the room she stands up and catches my arm.
“Please don’t go. You’re so upset. Let me make it better.”
“I don’t know how you could possib—”
I stop speaking when her other hand reaches down and brushes the front of my shorts. I’m wearing jogging shorts, but no shirt and having my skin this close to hers is terrifying. I’m hard as a rock, and it’s obscenely clear from the large tent in my shorts. If she keeps this up, I don’t know that I’ll be able to control myself.
“I think I could come up with an idea on how to calm you down.”
I clench my jaw, still unable to form a word.
She lazily strokes her hand up and down my hard shaft over my shorts, but I feel it in every cell of my body. Her fingers trace their way up to the waistband and I feel the tips of her nails graze my stomach.
“Rebecca,” I say, but I don’t know if I’m pleading or scolding.