Finding Ever After (10 page)

“If there‘s a problem here, then you gentlemen need to
resolve it elsewhere before we throw your asses out.” They were both large
enough that they wouldn‘t have any problem tossing each one of them out the
door. His focus then shifted to Kyden. “And you need to get your guys back up
on stage and finish the set.”

           
“We’re fucking done for the night.” He snapped. “If that’s a problem, then you
guys can find a new band to book from now on.” It was obvious from the
bouncer’s resigned expression that Kyden had him. 

           
“Fine then, but like I said whatever this is, isn‘t happening here.” He
grumbled and fixed each of the guys with a pointed look.

           
“There’s no problem here.
Just a friendly, little reunion.”
Connor declared finally stepping away from Bas. This seemed to appease the two
large staff members and they turned to start breaking up the crowd around us.
When everyone realized a fight would not be happening they started to lose
interest. Music came on over the speakers and they all went back to drinking
and grinding.

           
Vi
was still at my side and Bas came over to check on
me. Kyden and the rest of the band members were standing just off to the side.
Bas was examining my head when Connor and his buddies made to leave, but Connor
stopped just two feet away and turned back to me.

           
“It was really good to see you baby. You have no idea how much I missed you.
We’ll catch up later when I don’t have to worry about us being interrupted.” If
I didn’t have such a strong grip on Bas’ arm, he would’ve launched himself at
Connor who just winked at me before following the rest of his pack out of the
bar.

“Oh and don’t worry, I’ll let your father know you
said hello.” He threw over his shoulder and then disappeared out of site.

           
“I’m going to kill him.” Bas’ voice was a low rumble.

           
“Sebastian! Stop it. You don’t need to get mixed up in this.” Lissa walked over
and stepped between the two of us forcing me to let go of his arm.

           
“The hell I don’t Liss. You have no idea who that is or what the bastard is
capable of.”

           
“
Which is exactly why you don’t need to be involved.
”

           
“You have to know I could never sit back and let someone hurt a friend of
mine.”

           
“What I know is that since she got home you’ve almost been in two fights in two
nights.” She was right. Both of them were because of me. “You know how many
that makes total since we’ve been together? Two.”

           
“Neither one was actually a fight Liss.”

           
“Not for lack of trying.”

           
“I don’t know what you want me to do. You can’t seriously expect to just watch
while he, or anyone else for that matter,” his eyes flitted to my other rescuer
of the evening, “messes with her.”

           
“I want you to not get arrested or end up in the hospital, that’s what I want.”

           
“I’m not going to babe, you need to relax.”

           
“Can we just go home and finish this later?” Bas looked to me to make sure I
would be okay without him, I nodded. He needed to sort this out more than I
needed him to coddle me. Lissa let out frustrated sigh. “Yes, please get
permission from the girl who is not your girlfriend.” She turned and stalked
out the door.

           
“I’m sorry Jazz, she’s just-”

           
“It’s okay, you need to go and fix that. Don’t worry about me.”

           
“I promise I won’t leave her side tonight.”
Vi
assured
him.

“I’ll call you later to check on you.” Bas kissed my
fore head and went after Lissa.

           
“
Soo
. . . does someone want to fill the rest of us
in on why this evening almost turned into a scene from Outsiders? I felt like
Ponyboy over here.” Spade was the one to ask but all of the guys had the same
question on their faces as they regarded
Vi
and I.

           
“Ponyboy?
If anyone you would have been more like
Sodapop.
Ky
was clearly
Patrick Swayze in that situation, and Bas would be Ponyboy, or maybe vice
versa.” Danny argued and then of course Ace had to chime in.

           
“No, I think technically she would be Ponyboy, and Bas would be Johnny.”

           
“Would you guys just shut up?” Chris was the only one of them who knew anything
about Connor and how serious the situation actually was. He was there the night
Bas brought me back to their house. He didn’t know everything but he saw enough
to know this wasn’t the time for jokes. Besides, too many people ended up dead
in that story.

           
“Princess, you going to share?”
Kyden, who had
remained silent until that point, finally spoke up. He was still standing a few
feet to the side and when I looked over at him, I was struck by the heat in his
stare. It was like I could see the violence behind his green eyes, which
appeared almost black at the moment. Then he blinked and a calm mask slipped
over his features as if two seconds ago he hadn’t looked ready to kill someone.
I brushed it off as just adrenaline from the confrontation and tried to relax
my own features. I really didn’t want to get into my complicated past and
family issues here, with these guys. It meant a lot that they had all stepped
up and had my back, but I still barely knew them. I wasn’t ready to share the
horrors from my past, even though they didn’t seem to be staying in the past.

           
“No. I’m not. Thank you for helping me tonight, but it’s really none of your
concern.” I tried to appear in control and put enough authority into my words
that they would know the subject was off limits and wouldn’t push it. Who was I
kidding? These were the kind of guys who were always pushing limits.

           
“If someone is trying to hurt you Princess, I‘m sure as fuck going to be
concerned.”

           
“He’s right beautiful. I already told you, you’re family just as much as Chris
and Bas and we take care of family. So if there’s something you want to say, you
can trust us.” Ace’s voice was sincere and the worry etched in his features
matched the rest of guys’ faces.

           
“Thank you, really, but there’s nothing to say other than that guy is a creep
and I didn’t want him touching me. It’s over though now. He’s gone.” Chris
snorted and I shot him a warning with my eyes. Kyden glanced back and forth
between the two of us.

           
“I think there’s a lot more to it than that Princess.” I gave Chris a pleading
look and his expression finally softened in understanding.

           
“Hey guys let’s give her some space. We need to pack up our equipment anyway.”
I was thankful when Danny and Ace reluctantly headed back toward the stage.
Spade started to follow them but then stopped directly in front of me.

           
“If you need anything Rainbow, anything at all, you better ask.” I just nodded,
slightly overwhelmed by the comfort these guys offered even though I was hardly
more than a stranger to them. Spade may have come across as insensitive and
self-serving, but I believed him when he reassured me that I could come to him.
“And if you need something to take your mind off of this I would be happy to
provide distraction.” He waggled his eyebrows. I shook my head, but even his
inappropriate banter was growing on me.

           
“I don’t think that’s going to be necessary. Come on Romeo.” Chris urged Spade
in the direction of the stage but not before making sure I would wait by the
bar for him. I was left standing there with
Vi
and
Kyden, who was still staring at me intently. I felt exposed under his close
scrutiny, like he could see right inside of me, past all of my defenses.

           
“Well, I’m
gonna
grab you a water, you look thirsty.”
Vi
announced and then slipped away leaving me alone
with Kyden.
Traitor.

           
Shouldn’t you be helping to load up equipment?” He ignored my question and
moved directly in front of me.

           
“Take off your jacket.” His voice was soft but demanding.

           
“Excuse me?”

           
“Take it off Princess.” His tone left no room for protest, so I removed my
jacket, unsure where this was going.

           
“Happy?” Once again he didn’t acknowledge my question, but instead reached out
and gently took both of my wrists in his hands. He lifted them up for
inspection. “Hurt princess?”

           
I was taken aback by the tenderness in his voice. It took me a moment to
realize he was referring to the dark pink, finger shaped marks wrapping around
both wrists. He didn’t wait for a response before he released my hands and
trailed his fingers up the length of my right arm. He swept my hair off my
shoulder and I could only assume by the dark look in his eye, that he found a
matching handprint bruise forming on my upper arm.

           
Connor had gripped it hard and I knew it would be tender, but right now, with
Kyden’s hands on me, I didn’t feel any soreness. I didn’t feel anything but the
warmth of his body so close to mine and the feather softness of his touch. When
he brushed his fingers lightly over the place where one of Connor’s hands had
dug into my shoulder, I shivered at the intimacy of the contact. He mistook my
movement as a wince of pain.

           
“I should have smashed his face in for putting his hands on you like that. I
could kill him for this Princess.” His voice was thick with emotion he tried
hard to contain. I could see it in his eyes as well and the way he tensed his
jaw. There was a startling vehemence behind that angelic face. I was now
acutely aware of the fierceness that emanated from him, not just on the stage
but off as well. I felt sorry for anyone who had ever been on the receiving end
of that ferocity unleashed. It was frightening and alluring at the same time. I
needed to get space between us because I suddenly felt the ridiculous urge to
kiss him, and that would be bad. I shrugged his hand off and took a small step
back.  

           
“That’s not necessary. I don’t need you to smash anyone’s face in for me. I
don’t need anything from you” Even as I said it, I knew my remark was frosty
and ungrateful but I couldn’t stop myself. I felt shaken by his display of
aggressive dominance. I’d already dealt with enough of that in my life. Even
so, I wasn’t nearly as alarmed by it as I should be and that was more
unsettling than anything.

           
“He touches you again Princess, and I’m not going to care what you think is or
is not necessary and sooner or later I’m going to get that explanation from
you.” He didn’t give me a chance to respond, just stalked off toward the stage
where the guys were packing up the last of their equipment.

           
“Whoa, that was intense. I got goose bumps just watching the two of you.”

           
“Yeah, thanks by the way. What happened to not leaving my side?”

           
“I was burning up from the heat radiating between you two. It thought you guys
could use a moment. I knew you were safe with him.” I raised my eyebrows.
“Okay, maybe not safe
from
him
, but babe, with the way he was
looking at you; I wasn’t getting in his way. You should’ve seen him cast his
guitar aside and vault off that stage. I didn’t know what was happening but he
moved so fast. I don’t know who wanted to rip Connor apart more, him or Bas.”

           
“Yeah it all happened so fast. One second I was terrified and my head was
throbbing, the next he was on the ground and Bas and Kyden were standing
between us.” I was still in shock from the whole incident. “I just can’t
believe Connor actually tried something like that, with so many people around.”

           
“Well I wouldn’t say he’s known for his sound decision making skills. He’s
clearly got a few wires crossed and is missing some major parts, like a
conscience. Bas always said he was unstable and I know something happened that
you don’t like to talk about, but I guess I didn’t really get just how
dangerous he actually is. There’s so much about your home life that you only
shared with Bas.”

           
“I’m sorry if you felt like we kept things from you. I was just ashamed of
everything having to do with my father, including Connor. Bas never gave me a
choice, but I really didn’t want to talk about any of it, I still don’t.
Someday I’ll be ready to tell you everything though.” She deserved the full
truth about what happened that night.

           
“I know that and it’s okay, really. I get it, but you know you can tell me
these things. I know I joke around a lot and drive you crazy sometimes, but I
would never judge you or think any different of you. I’m here whenever you’re
ready to talk. You’re my best friend, and I’m sorry that I didn’t take it more
seriously when you said you were worried about him being here tonight. I just
never thought-”

           
“Stop.
I do trust you and I couldn’t ask for a better
friend, even when you drive me crazy. I don’t want you any other way. I like
the crazy.” I grinned and she laughed “None of this is your fault. The only
person to blame for anything is Connor.”