36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter thirty-six
T he bar was bursting with customers. Every seat in the place was filled. Couples were packed tight on the dance floor. The music was loud, the booze flowing, and everyone was having a good time. Aria hadn’t had a break all night. She loved it when the customers were shoulder to shoulder in front of her and the waitresses were running ragged.
But none of that made her forget there was a man out there who wanted to hurt Nick by hurting her. The seven texts she’d received from him tonight reminded her that he didn’t like her away from him. But she had to have faith in the agents protecting her. She had to have faith in herself.
Mason had picked up Lyric two hours ago, to send her away. Aria hated that it was necessary. She’d miss her sister. But understood Mason’s need to keep her and their unborn daughter safe.
Aria had thought about going with her sister to ease Nick’s mind, but ultimately decided she was needed at the bar and didn’t want to spend any more time away from Nick. She trusted those protecting her.
Aria was filling orders for the waitresses while Jax and Parker covered the rest of the bar. She filled two glasses of chardonnay, two Bud Lights, and four margaritas, then sent the waitress off as someone sidled up to her at the end of the bar.
Suddenly, there were several loud cracking sounds outside. Everyone in the bar froze, wondering if it was gunfire, and stared toward the windows and door facing the lot.
The agents watching her headed for the door to check things out.
“Come with me if you want your boyfriend to live.”
It sounded like a line from a movie.
Aria went still as her gaze collided with the man, who had to be Javier Lopez, though his hair was cut short with some wave at the top. In the picture she’d seen, he’d had shoulder-length hair and a goatee. He was clean-shaven tonight with a few acne scars on his chin and cheeks. The look in his dark brown eyes was the same deadly one she’d seen in the picture.
He flipped up the pass-through, reached out, and gripped her throat. “I don’t have time for this. Move.” He tried to drag her forward but she pulled back, countering his move.
He cut off her breath to scream, so she picked up the paring knife next to the condiments she used to garnish drinks and slashed it across his arm to get him to release her.
He hissed at the nasty gash she left across his forearm, but he didn’t let her go. She desperately needed to breathe. So she swung her hand in an arc and this time stabbed him in the side of his bicep. She hoped the lime juice on the knife burned like hell.
He released her, took a step back, then stared at the knife sticking out of his arm.
She sucked in a deep breath. “Fuck you,” she screamed at him.
He looked at the customers closest to them staring at him in horror, then he ran through the kitchen and out the back door, three agents running after him while one rushed to her.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. Go help them.” Aria pointed to the kitchen, but the agent shook her head, kept her gun down at her side, out of sight from everyone out in the bar, and remained by Aria’s side. She tried to catch her breath.
Jax wrapped her in a hug and held her close. “That was too fucking close.” He held her away from him and checked out her throat.
It hurt, but it wasn’t that bad. “I’m fine.” She brushed her fingertips over the sensitive skin. “Was someone shooting outside?”
The agent shook her head. “Firecrackers. Must have been a distraction so he could snatch you and take you out the back.”
Jax put one hand to her cheek. “Call Nick. You don’t want him to hear about this from anyone else.”
She pulled out her phone and, though her hands were shaking, she managed to make the call.
He answered on the first ring.
She didn’t give him a chance to say anything, she just blurted out, “I’m fine. I promise. He didn’t hurt me.”
“Who?” The calm word didn’t hide the intensity behind it, because he already knew what she was going to say.
“Javier Lopez just tried to kidnap me right from the bar with a crowd of people around me. I stabbed him and he got away.”
“What the fuck!”
Jax hugged her tighter. “That’s what I’m talking about. No one lays a hand on you.”
“Say it again,” Nick demanded.
“I stabbed him in the arm with a paring knife.”
“No,” Nick said. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I am. I’m fine. I swear it. Just a little shook up.” Her hands were trembling. Okay, her whole body was shaking, but she was alive and in one piece.
Jax confirmed it. “She is, man. She’s fine. I’ve got her,” he yelled into the phone. He kissed her on the head as people around the bar were staring and asking each other what happened while they eyed the agent standing close to Aria and watching the crowd back.
“Where the fuck were the agents?” Nick’s voice practically growled through the line.
“He set off some firecrackers out front. Sounded like gunfire. Everyone turned that way. He was just there in front of me all of a sudden. Then the agents rushed over, in like a minute. That’s all the time it took.” She sucked in a breath. It happened so fast. She’d barely had time to think, let alone react.
Jax poured her a shot of her favorite Gunn Brothers caramel vanilla vodka. “Drink that.”
She downed it.
“I’m on my way. You’re coming home with me.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’m fine and I mean it.”
“He just tried to… He could have… I need to see you. I need…you.”
She needed him. “Come and get me.” She couldn’t wait to feel his arms around her. “But be careful.”
“Stay right there. And there better be at least one fucking agent watching you.”
“Three went after Lopez. One is right in front of me.”
“I want to talk to him.”
“Her,” she corrected, then handed the phone over to the woman. “Sorry. It’s Nick. He wants to talk to you.” She hated that she’d forgotten the agent’s name. The woman was ready to take a bullet for her, and Aria forgot her name.
“This is Agent Valent.” She listened for a moment. “I won’t leave her side.” She listened some more.
Aria could only imagine the orders—she hoped not threats—he was issuing after she’d scared him.
Agent Valent gave Aria a nod that everything was all right. “I understand. I know my duties.”
Aria gave her credit for not rolling her eyes. Aria snatched the phone from the agent. “Nick. Stop. I’m fine. Agent Valent is literally a foot away from me. She is armed and I’m sure a damn fine shot. No one is getting past her. And if they do, I have another knife.” Jax had just jammed it into her boot. She hoped that settled him down.
Agent Valent grinned at her. “And you know how to use it.”
Nick wasn’t in the mood. “A knife. He could have… If I lost you… If…”
“Nick. Baby. Sweetheart. I. Am. Fine. And I will prove it to you when you get here.” She hoped that calmed him down.
Jax gripped her shoulder, shook his head like he couldn’t believe what she’d done but was proud of her for defending herself, then went to calm patrons and fill drinks for those who hadn’t seen what happened and were getting impatient.
Nick sighed. “I’m already in the car. I’ll see you soon. Please, stay with the agent.”
“I’m not going anywhere without her, not even to the bathroom. She’s my new best friend.”
Agent Valent gave her another smile. “I would like to get you out of this crowd and somewhere more secure.”
She checked out the crowd. She shook her head. “I’ll see you soon, Nick. Drive carefully,” she pleaded with him.
“I am. But nothing is keeping me from you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. You took ten years off my life.”
“Hold that against him, not me. I was just pouring drinks, minding my own business.”
“A fucking knife,” he said in awe. “Damn but you’re tough.”
“Don’t you forget it.” She loved his praise. It went right to the heart of her.
“Never. I can’t believe I almost lost you. Again. You’re mine, Ari. I love you so much. And I need you in my life.”
“I am yours. And I’m not going anywhere. Let’s hope Lopez got the message, too.”
Nick actually laughed. “I think you drove the point home.”