I gave an emphatic nod. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. That way you can stay here and help Tamar close up. She doesn’t need to be here by herself.”
Tamar was quick to protest. “You don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. Let Charlie take care of you. You’re going to have a knot the size of a softball come tomorrow. We should really take you to the ER to get you checked out. I mean, God, Shea, you could have a concussion…or…I don’t know. You need to take it easy tonight.”
I got the feeling a whole lot of her doubt was projected toward Baz who eased up behind them, his big body towering over them as he looked down on me. Restless, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, something I knew he did when he became uneasy.
“I’m fine. Really.” I forced a smile. “I just want to go home.” I met Sebastian’s steely gaze. “Baz can take me.”
My answer seemed to penetrate him, before he took a step back. “I’m going to make sure my guys are all set and bring my car around back.”
Charlie pushed to his feet. “All right. I’ll help her out. You take care of whatever business you need to.”
Baz sent a searching gaze my direction as he hesitated at the door, before he pushed it open and disappeared.
Tamar’s bright blue eyes fell closed, and she swallowed hard, but she opened them to study me. “You sure you trust him, Shea? You don’t know him.”
I didn’t.
But I wanted to.
“It’ll be fine,” I promised.
“Hope so.” Her tone was soft and sad, and filled with more concern than I thought warranted. But I got it, knew the hurt she’d had at the hands of her ex, the way she’d escaped out east to escape him. Maybe Baz gave her the same vibe—someone so fierce and powerful, an automatic threat.
But it wasn’t my body I was concerned about.
“Come on, Shea Bear,” Charlie said, stretching out his hand to help me onto unsteady feet. I swayed just a little, my legs still trying to catch up with what had gone down—that jerk of a barely legal kid who thought he had the right to touch me without my permission.
I dealt with grabby hands all the time. Like I told Charlie, it came with the territory. But this had been entirely different, his hands pressing beneath my clothes before he’d pressed them viciously to my face.
I’d been scared, it was true, but the second I’d felt Baz come near, a feeling of safety had captured me.
Charlie wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me out of the break room, through the kitchen, and down the dimly lit hall. With each step, my heart rate increased. Pushing open the metal back door, he ushered me out into the deep, deep night. Humidity hung thick, and I drew a cleansing breath into the well of my lungs. My nerves were on overdrive listening to the roar of an engine as a car rounded the corner. One I knew could only belong to one man.
Headlights cut into the lot, and that same black car Baz had ducked into four days before rolled to a stop in front of the door. He put it into park and jumped from the driver’s seat. He rushed around the front to open the passenger door. It felt as if the heat of his hands seared me when he gripped me by the upper arms and helped me down onto the soft black leather.
He stepped out of the way and Charlie took his place. My burly, softie of an uncle dropped a kiss to my forehead before he pulled back with a smile, touched my chin with his knuckle. “Rest up, Shea Bear. I’ll check in tomorrow.” Then he turned his attention to Baz and said, “Take care of my girl.”
Baz just blinked a long, pained blink, then gave him a short nod.
Charlie headed back inside, and Baz clicked the door shut. Tamar stood near the outside wall, appearing edgy and uptight. The movement of her red lips was vehement, firm, and in no uncertain terms, ripping with warning.