“Everything’s fine, girls. Did you see what happened?”
Jamie nods. “Those guys were all part of that bachelor party that started out in the champagne room. They were really being assholes, then Byron moved them out here and they just got worse.”
I cringe. I knew it would come back to my Dom favor.
Selling your soul has repercussions.
“So, what started the fist portion of the evening?” I ask, glancing over to see Byron and Gabe shoving the last offender out the door.
“The bachelor grabbed Crystal’s leg while she was at the end of the stage. One of his buddies got real pissed and started screaming something about his sister. I have a feeling he is the future bride’s brother.”
I don’t blame the guy for reacting, but this stuff absolutely cannot happen in my club. Ever.
Glancing around the main room, I find things are slowly returning to normal. My employees are doing their jobs, wrangling the clientele and getting the girls back on the poles. I run a tight ship and I don’t let things like this ruin the evening for everyone, at least I try not to.
This is going to cost me.
“Have the waitresses tell their sections the next round is on the house. I will help you man the bar until things calm down.” They nod and disappear to tell all the waitresses just as Gabe and Byron make it back to the bar.
Gabe gives me an “I told you so” look.
“Don’t you fucking start with me,” I snap, grabbing a bottle of Glen Livet and pouring us all a shot. We raise our glasses in unison and down them in one gulp.
“Gabe, go check on Danika. I left her in my office. Keep her company until I’m done down here.”
His look holds a thousand questions that I have no plan on answering right now, or maybe ever, but he keeps his mouth shut and walks toward the elevator, leaving me and Byron to get things back to normal.
I down my second glass of bourbon and pour myself another one as I sit at Savage’s desk, my eyes glued to the footage of the club on the screen. My heart hasn’t stopped racing since Savage disappeared behind the door.
How the hell does he think he can just bolt out of here like that without explaining what’s going on to me?
I raced to his desk to see what was happening and found myself watching my baby sister push her way through a throng of men to get Savage to the middle of the crowd. My heart may have stopped when I saw that asshole throw a punch at him, but another glass of bourbon has somewhat steadied my nerves. That, and seeing Savage is okay.
Now, on glass three, my heartbeat is finally returning to normal as I watch him behind the bar. A knock at the door startles me, and I almost drop my glass. Setting it on the desk with my shaking hand, I stand to open the door but wobble on unsteady legs. Maybe I shouldn’t have poured that third drink. I kick off my heels and, with a little more balance, make my way to the door, Savage’s parting words echoing in my head.
“Who’s there?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly. Shit, adrenaline does weird stuff to your body.
“Danika, it’s Gabe, open up.”
I recognize his voice and turn the lock, opening the door and letting him in. He offers me a kind smile and closes and locks the door behind him.
“Why isn’t Savage back?”
He walks to the bar and grabs a glass, glancing around for something. He finally sees the bottle of Blanton’s on the desk and they flicker to me. He grins. “Bourbon girl, huh?”
I nod and walk over to the desk, scooping up my glass and taking a long pull while I take a seat.
This night is becoming a hell of a lot more stressful than I had anticipated.
“Savage has to sort some stuff out at the bar,” he explains, grabbing the bottle and giving himself a generous pour before dropping down into the chair across from me.
“And you or Byron couldn’t do it?” I ask with a little more snipe than I had intended.
There goes your mouth again, girl. Rein it in.
He grins at me. “If you haven’t noticed yet, Savage likes to be in control, especially of his business. Getting him to delegate isn’t easy.”
I sigh and slouch back into the chair I dragged over after Savage left. “Has he always been like this?”
“More or less, but it definitely got worse after the accident.”
I glance at the picture frame in the corner of the desk. It’s Savage and a young, female version of him smiling widely at the camera with snow-capped mountains in the background. “Did you know her well?” I ask, turning the picture around to face Gabe.
His gaze falls on it and his smile falters. He takes a long drink from his glass. “Yeah, I did. I grew up with the Hawkes. They’re like family to me.”
The sadness in his voice rips at me.