Chapter 25—Kooper
Iwas already planning on heading up north even before Natalie called. I knew after Atom texted that I needed to be there. I stayed away too long. Left her alone with her thoughts too much.
She’s a strong woman. Nothing Ruby does is because someone tells her to do it.
She can be a willing person or as stubborn as a mule.
But she’s never a pushover. Her thoughts are her own, and she says and does what she wants.
Pushing her into something is the easiest way to see her walk away and never look back.
That’s why I kept myself away. She had a lot going on, and she needed to focus on other things.
I know she was thinking about me. I zoomed in enough times on my surveillance cameras to see her start a text with a message to me and then close it out without sending it at least half a dozen times.
Something I’ve been doing, too, but double the amount.
Okay, fine. Triple.
I might not have reached out, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t watching. I think I’ve watched her more in the last two weeks than I did that first year I was on her detail. Things have changed. Even if I wanted to go back, I can’t. Something has turned the tide, and there’s no stopping what’s coming.
I track her location and am happy to see that it doesn’t change as I make the long-ass drive up. Nat gave me the address, said they were at some house party. That things were getting out of control, and she was worried.
That she called was what had me running to my bike.
I just got out of Church. Issues are going on with the Devils Damned.
Their president wants a sit-down, something I don’t like.
And I wasn’t the only one. But with the shit that happened between Psy and Casper’s old lady, it’s murky waters.
Church was put on hold when a vote couldn’t settle things after three attempts.
Stalemate each time. Club has a rule: When it’s something this big, the majority needs to be on board.
We rescheduled Church for another day, and as soon as I collected my phone on the way out, since they ain’t allowed in Church, it rang. The name had me speeding past everyone. No one protested. A few asked if they were needed, and I shook my head.
Nat’s voice was panicked, but nothing too frightening. I got the details: Ruby went looking for a good time and found trouble. Same MO as usual.
After hanging up with Nat, I checked my apps, then called my contact. He has eyes on her. So far, she’s fine. A few college boys are talking to her, but nothing more. Not that he can see much more from the scope he has on her from across the street.
My guys don’t engage. They survey. I might not have been the one close to Ruby these past weeks, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a team on her at all times to keep her safe. Despite what she might think, there’s still a target on her back. Might always be there.
I park behind Ruby’s car and head inside the only house on the block with people spilling out of it.
The sign above the door lets me know it’s a damn fraternity.
I was never in one, just knew pricks who were.
I don’t know everyone, but if I haven’t met a single decent guy who was in a frat, what does that say about them?
The place is packed, but not enough that I miss Ruby. Especially since she’s on a table dancing with two other girls I don’t know. I look to the side and see Nat, biting her lip and looking worried as she stands close enough to catch our girl if she falls.
She’s in her typical armor: corset, tight pants, thigh-high boots with fucking tall heels. You’d think she’d break her neck in them, but apparently they’ve been her staple since high school.
Her moves are coordinated. No teeters. No falls.
And when one girl stumbles, my girl just shakes her off and keeps going.
Those fucking Misfits must still be teaching her dance moves.
No way she learned to bend over and snap up with her ass in the air from TV.
Not that I’m complaining about the view.
But I’m not the only one who notices. Or admires.
I sneer at everyone, enough that a few back away from me, but it doesn’t deter them all.
She twirls, puts her hands up, and shakes her hips. Her eyes are half closed, and then her head rolls and she sees me. A grin, a sultry devilish one, touches her lips before she overdramatizes her movements.
I get closer, standing by Nat with my arms crossed. Ruby looks down at me but keeps dancing.
“Kooper, thank God. I’ve never seen her like this. She’s danced before and we’ve partied before, but she’s like a whole other person right now.”
“She been drinking?” I glance at Nat out of the corner of my eye and see her nod.
“Yeah, a bit. But no more than usual.”
I hold out my hand and wait. Ruby doesn’t take it at first, but I raise my eyebrow in challenge, and she takes the bait, grabbing my hand and then putting her foot down on a chair that must have been used to get them up there.
It’s dainty as fuck how she takes two large yet graceful steps down and doesn’t once stumble.
As soon as both feet are on the ground, she’s in my space.
“Koop. What are you doing here?” She’s all smiles and breathless words. Something that has my dick taking notice.
“My job,” I grind out and clench my hand that isn’t holding hers. Because she hasn’t let it go, and I refuse to be the first to do so.
“Your job?” Her eyebrows rise. Then her head shakes. “Didn’t you hear? I no longer have a dad. So that means”—she lets go of my hand and wraps her arms around my neck—“there’s no reason for you to watch over me.” She moves in close to my ear, her breath tickling my skin. “Unless you like to watch.”
She pulls back and flicks her tongue over my nose before detangling herself from around me and sauntering away, hips shaking and every damn eye in the place on her ass.
I follow her and feel Nat hot on my heels. By the time I’m next to Ruby again, she has a cup in her hand. I take it from her, sloshing a bit over the side.
“Hey,” she cries in protest before she grabs it back. “That’s mine.”
“We need to leave.” Another growl. One that should have her quaking in her boots. But she just smiles around the rim of her drink as she sips on it.
“After this one.”
Never say I was never one to compromise. I grab the cup out of her hand one last time, chug it, and then crush it with my hand before throwing it on the ground.
“There—it’s done.” I grab her upper arm, and for a second, she sways into me. “Let’s go.”
She pouts. Literally pouts. One fucking big-ass lip pout. Something that shouldn’t be cute and a fucking turn-on but is. And as I move through the people to the door, I slide my other hand over my dick and push it down. Now isn’t the time.
“You’re no fun.”
“You’re having enough fun for the both of us,” I mutter a second before I’m greeted with a wall. Not just any wall. A frat wall of drunken college kids who think they know best.
“Hey, man, what’s the rush? Why not stay a bit longer?”
“Yay to staying,” Ruby chimes in, and I roll my eyes.
The prick who’s the ballsiest of them all for even saying anything to me lights up at her voice. “See? Stay. And if you’ve got somewhere to go, at least let her have some fun.”
Another guy smirks a second before he speaks. “Yeah, we’ll make sure she gets home. Won’t we, boys?”
Some think that if you go to college, you become smart. Or that only smart kids go to college. For a few, that might be true. For others, it’s their daddies’ money that got them into college. Not a single brain cell was used. Just like now.
Because if they had even half a thought between the five of them, they would see me as more than just some guy dragging a girl out of this place. They’d see my vest. My attire. They would understand that my entire vibe right now is not to be fucked with.
But they’re idiots. The whole lot.
And when they look at one another and grin some more, I’ve had enough.
I turn back and hand Ruby to Natalie. “Don’t let her go.”
I wait till she nods, and then I turn back and let my fists do the talking.
The first one goes down easily; he wasn’t paying attention.
The second throws a right hook, which I block and counter with my own.
I swing low and punch the third with a jab to the stomach, and as he bends over in pain, I grab his head and ram it into my knee as I pull up.
His head bounces off me, and then he falls back.
That leaves two: the one who spoke the last time and some other asshole who’s too stupid to run when he’s in a losing match. They look at each other and then put their fists up like good little boys who learned how to box from their fathers.
The music is still going, but we have a wide area to work with, as everyone backed up. And not a single person is coming to these two dipsticks’ aid.
I see the moment the talker makes his move. He holds his breath and punches out. I block and then see a fist coming at me from the other side. I block again, but it leaves me open, and I take a jab to the ribs. I grunt and see the talker smile wide as if he just won.
Celebrating too early. Big mistake. I’m just getting warmed up.
I stop messing with the no-name and uppercut him, sending him flying through the air and landing on a few girls, who scream. Then I turn, all my anger focused on the last man standing.
He backs up a step and then lunges. I grab his fist, and he stops.
But I don’t. I use it to hit him in the face.
Once. Twice. Then I spin him till his back is to me and kick him in the spine.
He stumbles into the crowd, which parts like the Red Sea, and smacks into a wooden wall before falling backward.
Everyone here has held their breath as I breathe and look around, waiting for the next attack. I eye a few, who just shake their heads. Seems there are some with brains after all.