by Alison Mello
“Thanks, Sky. Thanks, Logan.” He fist bumps me and walks out of my office to get to work.
There’s one more knock on the door and it is Tony and Jake wondering what their positions are tonight. I inform them that Sky is on bar two, and one of them should be close by while the other is wandering.
Sky says, “I’m going to go start setting up my bar for tonight. I’ll see you in a little bit.” She gives me a kiss and walks out of my office with her security team.
The music is playing and patrons are filing in, hoping to have a good time tonight. Within an hour my club is packed and there’s a line down the street of people waiting to get in. I have some VIP sections booked tonight with Shawna managing them well. I make my rounds to visit my VIPs and introduce myself, making sure they are happy with the service they’re receiving from Shawna and my other staff. Once I’m sure everyone is pleased, I head down to the bar to check on my bar staff. They’re good, and I knew they would be because Shane is running tonight.
Then I hear Jonah in my ear wig. “Logan, Troy just tried to enter the club.”
I respond right away. “Did you stop him?”
“Yeah, but he’s pissed. Said he’s going to sue you for not allowing him in.”
I laugh. “Fuck him. It’s private property. I can refuse entrance to whomever I want.”
He laughs back. “Just a heads up.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that, man. Let me know if anything else suspicious comes up.”
“I’m heading around the club now to scope things out and make sure everything looks good. I’ll let you know if I see anything.”
I head back to my office to shoot off an email to my agent, letting her know we want another property and that I would like a list of places available in the next two weeks. I’m also sure to inform her that we have decided to go strip club instead of dance club.
I’m hoping Sky and I can come up with a name while we’re relaxing on vacation somewhere. It’s kind of driving me crazy that she won’t tell me where she wants to go until tonight. I’ve been asking her for about two weeks and she keeps saying she has to think about it. When she finally chose a location, she said she had a fun way to surprise me. I can’t wait to get her home tonight and see what she has in mind so we can book the vacation tomorrow.
I get a call that one of the bars needs help, so I head back out to see what’s going on. Shane is behind the second bar with Kelly and Skyler, and bar one is way overloaded. They tell me they need liquor and a hand behind the bar. This place is jumping tonight. I run to the back to grab what they need and hurry back to jump in and help out. I don’t usually like being behind the bar, but tonight it’s a welcome distraction.
When we’re finally wrapping up last call, I leave the first bar and head over to the second to check on them. Shane tells me they’re good, that he’s running to stock them on liquor while they start cleaning up. I make one more round through my VIP section to see who’s left up there, and most of them have cleared out. There’s a large drunk crowd up here that Shawna probably should have cut off a long time ago.
“Jonah,” I call over the mic, “VIP 3 is filled with a drunken bachelor party and I need them to be cleared out. Get them all cabs or whatever, but I want them gone.”
“I’m on it.”
In minutes I see him appearing with one of my other bouncers to get these guys out of here.
People slowly make their way out of the club and the crowd is dwindling. The DJ has already started gradually lowering the music volume, letting people know the night is coming to an end. That usually helps to empty the place as well.
Jonah comes over a short while later to let me know they are making final rounds but he thinks the club is empty.
“I’m going to check the ladies room!” Skyler calls and walks off in that direction. When Tony gets up to follow her, she says, “I’m good. There’s no one here.”
He nods and takes his place back at the bar. My staff is cleaning up and I don’t see any patrons, so unless anyone is in the bathroom or passed out in a corner—which has happened—we’re good to lock the doors.
I press the button on my ear wig to give Jonah the okay to lock up, and as he’s about to lock the door we hear a loud bang, and a fire breaks out behind the bar where Kelly and Skyler were working.
I scream for everyone to get out of the club before the fire spreads. With all the open alcohol behind there, this place can go up quick. The staff quickly makes their way to the door. I’m watching to see where the fire goes when I realize Skyler hasn’t come out yet.
“Jonah!” I shout. “Skyler is in the bathroom!”
I can already hear the fire trucks because Shane called as I was clearing the place. Jonah and I run toward the ladies room, but bottles of liquor are exploding and glass is flying all over the place. The smoke is getting thick, and the only way to get to her is through the back door. Jonah tries to pull me from the club, but I’m fighting him.
“Logan, the fire department is pulling up! We’ll show them how to get to her!”
I’m totally freaking out because my love is stuck in a burning building and I’m afraid I’ll never see her again. Jonah runs up to the fire chief and frantically explains that we have someone still inside. He tells him that she’s in the ladies room and takes them to the back door, informing them this is the safest way to get to her.
My two security guys stop me from running after them. “They’ll get her!” Tony shouts as the firemen run in the back entrance. All I keep thinking in my head is, Please be okay, please be okay.
“What the fuck is taking them so long!” I scream to no one in particular.
Shane is by my side with Jonah. “Give them a minute. I know it feels like an eternity, but they’ve only been in there a few minutes.” Shane squeezes my shoulder, trying to comfort me, but it isn’t working. An ambulance pulls up, and I’m hoping it’s because they called for it and they have found her.
The doors burst open and a firefighter comes out with Sky over his shoulder. She’s unconscious. He lays her down on the stretcher that meets him halfway, and they start working on her.
“Go with her,” Shane says. “We’ll meet you at the hospital as soon as this place is under control.”
I run after the EMT, jump in the back, and explain that I’m her boyfriend, that she has no other family, and they let me ride with them. It’s only then I’m informed that I have some cuts on my hands and face I’ll need to have cleaned and dressed when we get to the hospital. I explain about the shards of flying glass from the alcohol bottles.
I’m pacing the waiting room waiting for some update on Skyler when my entire team comes rushing through the doors of the hospital. They can sense the stress and panic as soon as they see me.
“I don’t know anything yet,” I mournfully inform them.
We all sit in painful silence, praying she makes it. I look around at this group, and it’s in this moment that I realize how awesome our friends are.
Chapter 16
Skyler
There are multiple voices around me, but I can only make out a few because there’s too much noise. I hear Logan talking to someone and I think it’s Jonah. Though I want to open my eyes to see where I am and who’s around me, I just can’t manage it. I’m scared. Why can’t I open my eyes? Why do I hurt?
I drift back into a darkness I don’t even understand why I’m in.
I try to groan, so I can get someone’s attention. I feel someone on the side of me. It hurts to open my eyes, so I’m not even sure who is here until I hear his voice. It’s Logan, and he sounds like he’s been crying. I want to tell him it’s okay, but I can’t manage the words.
“You're going to be okay, my love,” he whispers. “Rest. I’m here for you and I love you.” I feel him kiss my hand before I drift off again.
I wake to more voices.
“Doc, she started to grumble before but didn’t really say anything. When do you think she’ll wake up?”
I will myself to wake up. I have questions because I don’t remember any fire or being hit on the head. I can’t open my eyes. I squeeze my hand the best I can to let Logan know I hear him and I’m not giving up.
Sadie is crying, asking Logan how someone could do this to me. She takes my hand. “Skyler, please wake up! So many people love you and want to hear your beautiful voice again.”
“I’m sure my voice is not sounding so beautiful right now,” I manage in a low, gravelly tone.
“Oh thank God, you’re awake!” Sadie cries, squeezing my hand.
“You’re making my hand soggy.”
“I’m sorry.” She giggles with excitement. “Be right back.” I hear her run to the hall and call, “Logan, she’s awake.”
He comes running in with Sadie. “Sky?” he questions, and I can hear panic in his voice.
“I’m here, sweetie,” I whisper.
“Oh thank God.”
“Welcome back to us, Miss Jones,” the doctor says. “Do you know where you are?”
“Hospital.”
“Good. Do you know why you’re in the hospital?”
I shake my head and instantly regret it. “Oh, that hurts.”
“I’m sure it does. Miss Jones, do you remember anything from the other night?”
“Other night?” I ask in panic. “How long have I been here?”
“Miss Jones, I need you to calm down. If you don’t remember, that’s okay, but if you get worked up I may have to sedate you, and I would rather not do that.”
I take a few deep breaths. “Fine. How long have I been here?”
“You’ve been here a few days now, and once you stay awake and we’re sure you have recovered from your concussion, I can send you home.”
“Okay. Can someone tell me what happened?”
“As long as you promise to remain calm. If your monitors start to beep, I’m kicking everyone out.” I nod and he tells me he’ll be back in a bit.
***
Logan
“I’m so glad you’re back, Sky. How does your head feel?”
“My head and chest hurt a bit, but that’s it. Will you tell me what happened?”
“We were closing the bar the other night,” I say quietly. “Somehow Billy got through security. Troy had tried but Jonah caught him and told him to hit the road.”
“Who let Billy in?”
“Don’t worry about him. He’s been fired. Anyway, he planted a small bomb behind the bar you were working. We assume he was figuring once it went off, the entire club would go up.”
I pause, watching her take a few deep breaths. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, keep going.”
“Before he set it off, he hit you on the back of the head and dragged you off to the ladies room, probably figuring we wouldn't notice you missing until it was too late. He wasn’t accounting for you telling me you were heading that way.”
Sky takes a few more deep breaths. She’s having a hard time listening to this, so I wait until I see she's composed before I continue.
“The police found his truck up the street from the club with all the equipment he used to make the bomb in the back of it. He’s been arrested and will be fully charged with arson and attempted murder. You’ll never have to worry about him again. They think Troy is also involved but don’t have the proof they need just yet to arrest him, though they’re pretty sure Billy will flip once they start talking to him.”
“Hawaii,” Sky says.
I look at her in confusion. “What do you mean Hawaii?”
She chuckles. “That's where I want to go. I want to go to Hawaii. Please tell me you'll take me there?”
“My love, I’ll take you to the moon if that's where you want to go. Hawaii it is. As soon as you’re well enough to travel we’ll head there.” I smile down at her and brush her hair away from her face.
“Logan, I want to go home and rest in my own bed.” she says, opening her eyes.
“There are those pretty eyes,” I say with a huge smile as Sadie walks back in with Jonah.
“Sky, I’m so sorry this happened.” Jonah sighs in frustration. “The guy who let Billy in has been fired. He wasn’t paying attention and allowed him to walk in with a hooded sweatshirt on so he was able to hide the bomb in his front pocket.”
“Jonah, this isn’t your fault, and I won’t have you beating yourself up over it. Which bouncer was it?” Skyler asks curiously.
“It was Nick, why?”
“Isn’t he the same person who let Troy in the night that Logan had to kick him back out? I'm wondering if he let Billy in on purpose.”
“You're right, Skyler. It was Nick that let him in. He said he didn't know what to do because Troy was putting up a stink, but I bet he did it on purpose,” I tell her, confirming her suspicion. “I bet Troy and Billy paid Nick to let them in the club, and Troy would have made it in if Jonah wasn’t at the door to stop him.”
Kyle, Shauna, and Kelly all walk into the room.
“I’m so glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?” Kelly asks with a big smile.
“Thanks for coming, guys. The doctor said I may be able to get out of here in a few days, which will be nice. I want to get into my own bed and onto the vacation I was supposed to be planning this week.” She winces. “Sorry, my head still hurts. I have to remember to talk slow and low.”
Kelly rubs her leg. “We’ll whisper, though I have a feeling the doctor is going to kick us out because he was giving us looks as we walked in.”
“I’ll tell him I need a few more minutes with you guys and then I’ll get my rest.”
“You need to eat too, Sky. It’s already after lunchtime. When he comes back we’ll see what you can have for dinner and then you can go back to sleep.” I’m hoping she’s hungry and will be willing to put some food in her stomach.
A few minutes later, the doctor comes walking in and wants to kick everybody out. Skyler begs for a little bit more time with her friends, and the doctor agrees to ten more minutes. I take the opportunity to ask the doctor about what she can have for dinner. She hasn’t eaten in days. He tells me he'll be back with a dinner menu in ten minutes when it's time for everybody to leave.
Exactly ten minutes later, the doctor walks back in. “Okay it's time for everybody to go. Skyler needs her rest so she can be sent home tomorrow or the day after.”
Everyone hugs her and says goodbye as they head out the door. Skyler looks tired from the visit, but she also seems happy to have had a few minutes with her friends. Only Sadie and Jonah are left, and he’s trying to convince me to go home and shower, telling me they’ll stay with Skyler while I go, but I don’t want to leave her side.
“Maybe after she eats I’ll go.”
“Logan, go home and shower.” Sky yawns. “I don’t want a stinky boyfriend.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, so now I'm stinky, am I?”
“I tried to tell you, man, but you don't want to listen to me. Listen to your girlfriend. Go take a shower.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll go home and shower. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Is there anything you want from home?”
“Yeah, I would like a toothbrush and a fresh-smelling boyfriend.”
“You’re funny now, huh? I’ll be back as soon.” I kiss her on the forehead. “I love you, Skyler.”
“I love you too, Logan.”
She closes her eyes, exhausted from her short visit with her friends.
“Jonah, keep an eye on my girl and don’t let anything happen to her.”
“You got it. Sadie and I’ll be right here, and if her dinner comes before you get back, we’ll try to get her to eat for you too.”
“Cool, thanks.” We bump
fists and I run out the door. Yeah, I literally run because I want to get back to the hospital as quick as I can. I’m so whipped.
Chapter 17
Skyler
I’m lying in bed alone and the aroma in the house tells me Logan is cooking. That man is amazing; I have been out of the hospital for three weeks now and he’s done nothing but work and take care of me. The club is closed right now for repairs. It’s important we get the club open again as quickly as possible, so he’s been busting his tail working with the insurance company and the construction company to get everything done.
The good news is Billy rolled on Troy. They were in it together and the police didn’t need them to confess to paying Nick because they were dumb enough to leave a paper trail, so he’s being arrested as well. The three of them will be in jail for a while, and that’s fine by me. Now Logan and I can leave on our vacation without fear of what we will come home to.
We leave tonight on a redeye to Hawaii and will arrive first thing in the morning. Logan has booked us an all-inclusive resort right on the beach. He says he’s also booked some surprises for me. That has become the new game with us, who can surprise who with what. It’s a bit silly but it’s fun, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I hear Logan walking up the stairs. I pretend I’m still sleeping so I can see what he’ll do to wake me up. He pulls the blankets down to find my shirt has ridden up and my belly is hanging out. I lay there until I feel something cold on my belly. I yelp and he cracks up laughing.
“I knew you weren’t sleeping. You had a smile on your face the entire time.”
“Maybe I was having a nice dream and you ruined it,” I pout.
“Oh baby, let me make your dreams come true.” He leans down and licks the whip cream off my belly. I moan to let him know I’m enjoying this and hope he’ll continue this little game. He lifts me off the bed and pulls my shorts and thong down. I’m glad he has eased up on ripping them.