Chapter Ten #2
“Well, you’re welcome. Who knew that my niche would end up being party favors?” she muses, but she sounds pleased with the notion.
“Like I said, you make people happy. You do, Faith.”
She tips her head to the side. “And on that note, I’m going to excuse myself and go to the ladies’ room.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
She slips from beneath my arm and walks away. I can’t tear my gaze from the dip of material that exposes her back, the sway of those sexy hips, or the way her hair bounces against her back as she moves.
“Jason! You’re finally alone!” Charlotte comes up to me, pulling me into a hug. “Thank you for letting me perform tonight. I love live audiences in small venues.”
I extricate myself from her grasp. “Well, you and Lola make a dynamic team.”
She smiles at the compliment. “I’m trying to convince her we should record a song together.”
“I expect it would be a hit.”
“So…” She flips her hair over her shoulder, her gaze steady on mine. “You looked quite … domesticated with your girlfriend.”
“So what?” I ask, knowing both the description of my relationship and the fact that Faith is my girlfriend are true.
Here I am, celebrating my biggest success, and I wanted her by my side. Brought her to live with me. Introduced her to my family. Made her a part of my life, all the while proclaiming I didn’t want anything serious.
I was such a dense asshole, but I have my head on straight now.
“So I thought you didn’t do serious.” Charlotte sets her hands on her hips, clearly wanting an answer.
I’m not surprised Charlotte wants to discuss my relationship with Faith.
At a glance, it is obvious what I have with Faith is deeper than anything I shared with the raven-haired beauty in front of me now.
She might be gorgeous, but she didn’t do it for me the way Faith does, and what Charlotte and I shared?
It was fun but superficial, like all my prior relationships.
I always thought she was on the same page, as she was busy building her career and traveling. Until I broke up with her and then she cried like we were engaged or something. Yet I prided myself on always being honest with the women in my life, Charlotte included.
“Look, people change. Circumstances change.” I met the right woman by chance on the side of the road, and my entire life spun upside down.
She stares at me, hurt in her expression, something I never ever intended to do to her.
I shove my hands into the pockets of my pants. “I’m sorry. But I was honest. I never lied to you.”
“Except about what you were capable of giving.”
The truth is, I didn’t know what I was capable of until I met Faith. I roll my shoulders. “When you meet the right person, you know.” I pull a deep breath. “Thank you for performing tonight and I wish you the best,” I say, wanting to end this conversation.
“Right. You, too,” she begrudgingly says.
Because there is nothing more to say, I turn and come face-to-face with Tanner. “Hey,” I say.
“Hey.” Tanner grins. “We did it.”
I nod. “That we did. I—” Before I can get the next word out, the sound of a piercing scream echoes throughout the room, and my stomach plummets because I recognize the person behind the sound.
“Faith. She went to the bathroom,” I say, my heart pounding hard in my chest. I sent Renault home because the only people left were family, friends, and workers who were vetted. Because I have her back, the way I have for the last couple of months.
The hallway with the restrooms had an entry on either side of an island-like wall. “I’m going that way.” I point to the nearest way to the ladies’ room hall. “You take the back. Call 911,” I yell out to everyone who is suddenly panicking.
Tanner nods and we take off at a run.
* * *
Faith
I wash my hands in the sink, then fix my makeup, cleaning the dark smudges from beneath my eyes and freshening my lipstick. My feet hurt in my shoes. I don’t know how much longer Jason needs to stay, but I’m more than ready to go home.
With a last look in the mirror, I stride out of the powder room and walk right into a wiry male body I recognize immediately.
“Colton.” My mouth goes dry at the sight of him. He’s never looked worse. His hair is stringy and greasy, hanging limply over his face, his eyes are glazed, and his skin tinged yellow.
“You are one hard woman to get alone.”
“How did you find me to begin with?” I ask, eyeing either side of me, hoping someone will come by.
“My friend’s sister works at the police station. Not that it matters. Just that I found you.” He raises a shaky hand and grabs my wrist.
I know immediately he isn’t strong enough to hold me, and I yank my hand away. Instead of being able to run, I teeter on my heels and twist my foot, my ankle wrenching hard.
“You bitch.” He swings his hand, slapping me hard across the face. I’ve never been hit before, and the move dazes me for a precious second, and in that instant, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pocketknife, releasing the blade.
Needing to get someone’s attention, I scream, because even if Colton wasn’t strong and able-bodied, he certainly is deranged and determined.
“Shut up, bitch. You’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass,” he says as he roughly yanks me to him, pulling me up against his thin body, his body odor overpowering.
He raises the knife to my neck. “I just want my money. We’re going somewhere for the night, and first thing tomorrow, you’re going to the bank and giving me what’s mine. Understand?”
Careful not to move and cause him to stab me with the knife, I say, “Yes,” in a deliberately tiny voice.
Although Colton’s blade is small, it is sharp and I already feel it prick my skin. I’m more afraid he’ll hit an artery than I am of him in general. He’s a shaking, pathetic mess of the man he was, but his tremors make him dangerous.
How does he think he’s getting me out of here, I wonder, what with the front of the bar bustling with help and Jason’s family milling around? But I don’t want to freak him out and cause him to react by asking him about that, so I voice the other question on my mind. “How did you get inside?”
“I walked in with a huge party that was on the list.” He speaks like he’s proud of himself. “Then I hid in the back and hoped I could get you alone.” His hand shakes, which makes me nervous.
I wonder when he had his last fix. “Colton—”
“Faith.” Jason calls my name as he steps cautiously into the hallway.
I’m so grateful to see him, my knees almost buckle as I meet his gaze.
“You okay, sweetness?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I swallow, careful not to move.
“If you want her to stay okay, move aside and let us through.” Colton nudges me forward one step. My ankle buckles, and I yelp in pain.
Jason’s gaze narrows, his fury at me being hurt obvious. “It’s crowded out front,” he says through clenched teeth. “Why don’t you take her out the back door.”
Colton shakes his head. “That door’s got an emergency alarm. What do you think, I’m stupid? I checked it out earlier,” he says, tightening his grip.
Jason takes a step forward as he speaks. “That’s okay. Tanner’s going to throw you out the back, aren’t you, Tanner?”
It’s obvious we have company, and Colton clearly realizes the same thing. “Fuck!” he yells, and whirls around to check behind him.
Jason lunges forward, pulling me out of his grasp and into his arms just as Tanner dives for Colton, easily taking him down, Colton’s frail body no match for Tanner’s more muscular frame.
“Jesus Christ.” Jason lifts my face to his, running his hand gently over my cheek. “Does it hurt?”
I shake my head. “Not as much as my ankle. I wrenched it when I tried to get away.” I sit back on my butt and stretch out my leg.
He gently looks at the area, holding my foot, which seems to be swelling, in his hand. “I’m sure you just sprained it in those damned heels.”
He glances at Tanner, who has subdued my brother easily while waiting for the cops. “I was going to remind Tanner not to beat the shit out of him, but if the bastard gives him a hard time, I’m not saying a damn word,” Jason mutters, then turns his gaze back to me.
Acting on impulse, I scramble forward and throw my arms around his neck, holding on tight. “Thank you.” Trembling, I feel better when he wraps his strong arms around me and doesn’t let go.
“I hated seeing him touch you. And that knife.” Jason utters a curse. “It was small, but if it’d slipped because he was shaking so hard…” He buries his face in my neck, his breath warm against my skin.
“It’s over,” I say, tears finally coming to my eyes. “It’s all over.” So much more than I am ready for.
Pulling away, Jason meets my gaze. “Faith, I—”
Before he can say what’s on his mind, the police rush into the hallway, separating me from Jason and taking over from where Tanner all but sits on the yelling, shaking Colton.
* * *
Jason
I pace the kitchen in my apartment, my head pounding, my heart a mess.
First the police questioned us for hours, taking statements about what transpired in the club.
Faith’s history with her brother took forever to explain, but, in addition to tonight’s attempted kidnapping, the incidents she documented with the Manhattan police, plus the information she told the on-scene cops that her lawyer had on Colton—photographs of her bruised neck, the judge’s willingness to seal her name change to prevent her from being found—meant things looked bad for her pathetic excuse for a sibling.
After calming all of my family down, seeing them out, escorting Charlotte and Lola to their limousines safely, I left Tanner and Landon to handle closing up the club.
Given the swelling of Faith’s ankle, I wanted to stop at the emergency room, but we agreed it wasn’t worth the hours we’d sit waiting to be seen.
I wanted to ice it, but she insisted she needed a shower, wanting to rid herself of Colton’s stench, and I can’t deny her. I gave her the time alone she requested, knowing she needs to come to terms with what happened with her sibling.