Chapter 44 #2
Before we leave the hallway, Crew turns once more, pressing his lips against mine. He trails his thumb over my lower lip as he pulls back and stares into my eyes.
“I will never get tired of that, Mara.”
I’m done for.
Crew Bannermin has ruined me.
I smile, take a deep breath to steady my racing heart, and move toward the curtain.
The human remains in front of the drapes, caught in a frozen daze, and Crew slaps his shoulder as we walk past. “Back to your nightly duties. Tell Otto we appreciate you opening that for us.”
The male blinks, slightly shaking his head to return to reality, and we make our way back across the bar. I try to smooth my hair, ensuring my dress is fully down, while Crew walks behind, casual as always.
I glance over my shoulder and roll my eyes. “Does anything rattle you?”
He smiles, pinching my ass. “Just you.”
I spot Bronwyn and Damien in the same spot at the bar, and she waves as we approach. Damien still wears the same puppy-dog eyes, watching her like she's the air he breathes.
“And where have you two been?” She places her hands on her hips.
Crew runs his hands through his hair. “Just showing Mara around.”
Damien huffs and sips on his beer. “Showing her that thing in your pants? I’m pretty sure I never got a tour.”
Bronwyn slaps him. “What do you mean, pretty sure?”
I burst into laughter.
Damien leans closer, taunting Bronwyn, “I mean, I’ll show you around if you want, give you the Crew Special.”
“Why would I want to see your shrimp dick?”
He tilts his strong neck back in laughter, and Crew mirrors him. Bronwyn fits in so well with them that it feels as if we’ve been friends for years.
“We’ve been having a great time, too,” Damien tells us.
Crew waves at the bartender, ordering two beers, and sets them down in front of us. “Sounds like it.”
“Yeah, if you count dancing with someone who has two left feet a good time,” she sulks.
I grab the beer, taking a long drink to quench my thirst, and glance around the bar.
It’s more crowded than before, and the sea of people makes it impossible to see the beginnings and ends of this place.
My eyes start to shift to each person, studying them, and I can’t shake the growing feeling of unease that bites at me.
I ignore the disconcerting feeling and refocus on my friends. The night carries on, and the loud music moves our bodies from the bar to the dance floor and back. With each song, the bass shakes our souls as we laugh, drink, and enjoy a sense of normalcy I never thought I’d feel again.
But no matter how hard I try or how many beers I drink, I can’t shake the feeling that something is changing. The atmosphere feels darker, the music louder, and the fog covering most of the lower part of the bar looks as if pure darkness were settling around us.
I glance at Crew and see him looking around, too—as if searching for something or someone.
Bronwyn and Damien continue to bicker and flirt while I attempt to suppress my feelings.
A loud shriek fills the air from a woman nearby, and I move my gaze to find her laughing with a friend, pointing at a group of nearby men.
Crew instinctively steps closer to me, placing a hand on my waist.
“Do you feel that?” he finally asks, leaning over me.
I nod and set my beer down. Bronwyn and Damien notice our expressions and turn their attention to us. She stands, and Damien shifts.
“Wait,” she says. “What’s wrong with you two?”
Damien pulls her closer to where we stand, and a sense of unease makes the club suddenly feel dark. The heavy crowd begins to close in on me, and my palms start to sweat.
I glance at Bronwyn and say, "I’m not sure.”
Crew glances at Damien. "Something is off.”
He nods and looks around. “Alright, what do we do? Want me to check it out?”
Crew grabs my hand, and I can feel the unsettling nerves dancing in his veins. “No, don’t go anywhere without us. We need to leave.”
Bronwyn nods, grabs her purse, and takes another drink of beer before setting it down.
“You two can come back to the Jade Order with us,” Crew says. “Mara has a room there that’s available. You will be safer there than at your Order.”
Bronwyn’s mouth nearly drops open. “I can’t stay there.”
Crew sets his intense stare on her. “Give me a reason why?”
She stumbles over her words, “B…because.”
Damien huffs, “Great reason.”
“If I can help it, neither one of you will go back with Shaw and Lowell until this is resolved,” Crew orders. “But we need to leave. Now.”
I nod and glance at Bronwyn, giving her a reassuring look, urging her to trust him.
“I need to speak to Talon,” she says.
Crew nods. “And I’ll make sure that happens, but first I want us out of here.”
She allows Damien to wrap his hand around hers, and we walk toward the door that leads to the offices.
We weave through the tight crowd, and with each step, something begins to shift in the air.
My heart races, and a growing unease pushes me faster away from the chaos.
Crew’s grip tightens around mine, feeling the same, and his emotions slam into my chest—he is as nervous as I am right now.
The thumping music doesn’t let up, and the intense red lights shooting around us make me feel overwhelmed, like the only thing I need right now is distance.
“Just keep following me,” Crew says. “Don’t stop.”
“I’m not,” I respond, not caring that I sound scared. “Just hold me tighter, please.”
His hand tightens around mine so hard I wince, but I appreciate his grip. He gives me a soft smile and tugs me forward.
A large man bumps into Bronwyn as we enter the narrow space near the bathrooms, nearly sending her to the ground, and I spin.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” I snap.
The man laughs. “You watch it, bitch.”
Damien quickly grabs Bronwyn and helps to steady her while I step forward to challenge him, but Crew beats me to it, wrapping his hand around the guy’s collar.
“Apologize to her,” he growls. “Both of them.”
The man coughs, batting at Crew’s hand. “Are you insane?”
Crew’s eyes shift to black. “Yes.”
The man’s eyes widen, and I watch as Crew squeezes his hand around the man’s throat. I place my hand on Crew’s shoulders and attempt to pull him back.
“It’s fine,” I say. “Leaving is more important than his apology. Something is wrong.”
Crew’s hand relaxes slightly, and I flinch as he drives his fist into the man’s stomach. The guy doubles over, clutching his torso while he gags from the blow.
“Don’t be a dick,” Crew says to the gasping man. “It’ll get you fucking killed. By me.”
The man tries to grab Crew, but he steps back. I look around at the others, and my face pales when I hear an earth-shattering scream pierce through the music in the main part of the bar.