Malone's Fate (Haven, Texas Book 14)

Chapter 16

Shit, it was busy tonight.

Far busier than last weekend. Apparently, there was a stock sale on in the next town over and people had spilled over to Haven.

Which wouldn’t be so bad, except it seemed like a lot of the locals had been scared away. And she was left dealing with people that weren’t as nice.

Lilac had been working here for a week and a half and she still felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. For people to show her that they weren’t as nice as they appeared. That they didn’t look out for each other.

People weren’t like this anywhere else. Even the sheriff, who had come to talk to them the other day, seemed like a good guy.

Although his talk of needing to have a guardian was unwelcome. He’d given them another week to think it all through. But what was there to think about? She didn’t need anyone telling her what to do. Not even Linc, who’d offered to act as their guardian.

No, thanks.

A wave of fatigue hit her as she delivered a tray of drinks to a table full of rowdy guys.

God, she hoped she wasn’t getting whatever Ryleigh had. She was still feeling unwell.

Well, you can’t get sick, so just push through it.

She couldn’t afford time off. Yesterday, she’d received the bill for Sugar, and she’d nearly cried. It was far more than they could afford, and she didn’t know what they were going to do.

At least she started her first shift at the diner tomorrow. She’d already done some training.

“Hey, sweetie, get us another round, will you?” A middle-aged guy called out from another table as she moved past. He had a potbelly and sweat patches under his arms.

“I’ll let your waitress know,” she said. They were in Lemon’s section.

He scowled. “No, I want you to fucking get them, understand?” Reaching out, he grabbed her wrist and squeezed it. Hard.

Lilac’s heart started racing as her stomach rolled nauseously.

Do as you’re told, Lilac.

You’re just a stupid, ugly bitch.

Her breath heaved in and out of her lungs.

Shit. Fuck.

“Hey! You paying attention? Silly bitch!” The hold on her wrist tightened and she was drawn closer to the disgusting man as his hand came up to grope her ass.

Fight back.

Do something!

Fuck. How could she expect to take Stefan on if she couldn’t even defend herself from this asshole?

“What the fuck? Get your hand off her!”

Tanner appeared and she was released so suddenly that she stumbled back, falling on her ass.

What was happening? Where had Tanner come from? She hadn’t seen him since that night she’d broken the glass.

Tanner had the guy up out of his seat and was shaking him. “Don’t you fucking touch her!” he roared.

She gaped up at him. Her heart was still racing, and she couldn’t move.

Fear had her frozen in place.

Then, all the guys at the table stood. There were several of them. Tanner couldn’t take them all on!

Scrambling to her feet, she curled her hands into fists as she moved to back him up.

“Let go of me, motherfucker!” the guy who’d groped her demanded.

Glancing around, she didn’t see any friendly faces. In the distance, she could see Devon and Carlisle, the bouncer, dealing with another issue.

“Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you,” Tanner snarled.

“I’ll touch whatever I like.” One of the other guys swung his fist toward Tanner and she threw herself at him, taking both of them to the floor. She lay there, feeling a bit winded.

Someone let out a roar filled with fury, and it shocked her to realize it was Tanner.

The place erupted into a fight. More people joined in, and she couldn’t tell whose side they were on until she saw Raid punch the guy she’d tackled. Someone kicked her, hitting her right in the side.

Ouch.

She needed to get off the floor.

Someone grabbed her, lifting her up into their arms. She tried to fight them, even as pain made her cry out.

“Easy, darlin’,” a voice soothed. “I’m just getting you out of the way before you get hurt.”

She glanced up into an attractive-looking man’s face. He grinned down at her. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. If someone punches my pretty face, then my Snow is gonna be super angry. I won’t be allowed out of the house for a week.”

“Who . . . who are you?” she asked as he carried her to the bar. And who was his Snow? She saw Lemon and Cherie huddled back there with Jeremy standing over them.

“Name’s Beau Malone. Guessing you know my brother, Tanner.”

“Oh, you’re a Malone?”

“Darlin’, you say that with such enthusiasm.” He winked at her as he set her down behind the bar. “Now, stay here with Jeremy until Tanner comes and gets you.”

“I’m not . . . Tanner and I aren’t anything.”

“Uh-huh. Well, anyway. Stay.”

This guy was unbelievable. But then he stepped away.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“Why, to back up my brothers, of course.” He grinned.

“I thought you couldn’t let anything happen to your pretty face.”

“Aww, you think I’m pretty? I’m flattered, but I have a wife. I share her with my brother, but I don’t think she’s looking for a sister-wife.”

“That’s not . . . you called yourself pretty!”

“Stop flattering me,” he yelled back. “I’ve got to go fight.”

He was insane. She watched as he let out a whoop, then forced his way into the fight with a grin.

“Don’t worry, the Malones can take care of themselves,” Cherie told her, taking hold of her wrist to tug her down.

She winced, hissing in pain.

“Shit! I’m sorry. Oh God, look at your wrist!” Cherie said in horror.

“It’s fine.” She glanced down at her wrist which was already swollen.

But Lilac had experience with ignoring pain. What she couldn’t do was ignore the fight happening around her.

This was all her fault.

She should have just gotten the damn drinks. If she hadn’t frozen like that . . .

Fuck.

She was going to get fired, and then how would she pay the bill for Sugar? How would she buy medicine for Ryleigh? And the stuff that Kye needed? Or food?

And what about Tanner? He’d come to her rescue when he hated her. What if he got hurt because of her? She’d never forgive herself.

Getting to her feet, she attempted to stumble to the end of the bar. But Jeremy got in her way as Cherie reached for her.

“What are you doing, Lilac?” Cherie demanded.

“I have to make sure Tanner is all right. He could get hurt, and it will be my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, girl. Tanner will be fine. Been in more bar fights than you’ve had birthdays. Don’t you worry about him,” Jeremy told her.

Sounds of sirens filled the air.

“Oh, thank God,” Cherie muttered as she tugged her back.

Soon, several deputies entered Dirty Delights. People started to clear out and Devon slid behind the bar, his eyes moving over the three of them worriedly.

“Fuck. You’re all okay?”

Cherie and Lemon both nodded, standing with her. They all took in the destruction of the bar. She put her hand over her mouth in horror.

“Oh God, Devon. I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing for you to be sorry about, honey,” Devon replied, sounding tired. “Are you all right? Someone said that you were in the middle of it all.”

“There is something for me to be sorry for,” she replied, taking in everything. “This is all my fault.”

“Doubt that, honey.”

“It is. That table of guys . . . one of them called me over, wanting me to get drinks for them. I said I’d tell their server, but he got mad and grabbed me.”

“He what?” Devon growled.

She failed to notice the anger in his voice. Instead, she moved out from behind the bar, stepping around broken chairs.

“And when I froze, he got angry and pulled me toward him. That’s when Tanner appeared. I fell as he let me go, and then one of the other men at the table tried to punch Tanner. I shoved him to stop him and we landed on the floor.”

“Then what happened?” Jake asked.

She startled. When had he entered the bar?

“Where’s Tanner?” she asked urgently. “Is he all right?”

“He’s been taken to the station for questioning,” Jake told her grimly. “I’d like you to come as well.”

“Questioning? No, no, no, I can’t.” She shook her head, wincing as it throbbed. Nausea bubbled. Shit, she was going to be sick. “I can’t.”

“Okay, it’s all right. We can just talk here,” Jake soothed.

“I can’t have my name on anything.” Crap! She was revealing too much.

Jake eyed her for a long moment. “Then your name will be left off. Just tell me what happened.”

“You . . . you promise?” She shouldn’t trust anyone. She knew that. But if she didn’t tell him what happened, then would Tanner be arrested? What about his brothers?

“I do. I want you to sit down and tell me what happened.”

Taking a seat in the chair that Devon found for her, she went over everything that happened for Jake.

“Right,” Devon said. “You need to get checked over. Linc is helping deal with all of this, so he can’t take you to the hospital.”

“I can,” Devon told them.

“I don’t need the hospital,” she protested.

“Your wrist looks swollen,” Jake said. “And you might have a broken rib.”

“I don’t. I’m fine. Honestly. I’ve had far worse.”

She saw Jake and Devon share a look. Fuck, she had to stop oversharing.

“I’m good. Just . . . you’re not arresting Tanner, are you? He was only helping me.”

“Tanner Malone is a big boy. He can take care of himself. You are the one who needs looking after right now,” Jake told her.

See?

These people were so weird. They didn’t really know her. So why would they care?

“I’m not going to the hospital,” she said firmly. “I can’t.”

“I’ll call Doc and see if he can come out,” Devon said.

She opened her mouth to protest, but they both shot her looks.

“It’s this or the hospital,” Jake told her firmly.

“But Doc will do it off the records,” Devon added.

Great, just what she needed. To spend more money that she didn’t have. But she knew they wouldn’t to listen to her, so she nodded.