“Shit, Connor?” I just nodded. “I’m sorry babe, we didn’t even think about that.”
“Like I said, I’m just overreacting, he won’t be here and if he is, well I’m sure it will be plenty crowded and I’m not alone.” A guilty expression spread across her face.
“Yeah, it will definitely be crowded tonight … Ashes and Embers is playing.”
“Awesome.” The night was just getting better and better.
“I’m sorry. We would’ve told you they were playing, but I was afraid you wouldn’t want to come. I really wanted it to be the three of us again, but Bas and I will make sure no one bothers you, even if I think you should let a certain sexy someone bother you.”
“I’m a big girl. I don’t need you or Bas doing anything for me. I especially don’t need you meddling. Let‘s just go have this fun you speak of.”
The place was packed, and the guys were already up on stage seducing the room from behind their instruments. Their performance incited a similar reaction as the night before. Everyone was going wild and once again I was ensnared by Kyden’s intensity up there. His deep voice wrapped around me. The low rasp was soft and warm like a caress, and when he hit the higher notes I was blown away all over again by his ability.
His hips moved and my eyes followed. The crowd swayed and danced with him, just as enthralled as I was. I really needed to get some air before I did something crazy like climb up on stage, strip him down and ravish him in front of the entire bar. I couldn’t believe how affected I was by him. No other guy had ever gotten to me in that way.
“I’m gonna step outside, it’s a little stuffy in here. I’ll be right back.” I practically had to yell so Vi could hear me over the noise level. She smirked, not at all fooled by my lame excuse. She gestured asking me if I wanted her to come with. I shook my head and left her moving to the rhythm with a drink in her hand. Bas and Lissa were dancing not far off. I was past the bar and almost to the door when I felt strong hands on my hips and a hard body pressing into me from behind.
“Mmmm, you smell just as good as I remember.” The harsh voice was barely above a whisper but the sharp lust dripping from every word froze me in my tracks and a wave of disgust rolled over me. I yanked myself from the crushing grip and turned to see a face I recognized from my nightmares. His cold, dark eyes bored into me. Connor O’Reilly. I knew it was possible I would run into him, yet I was unprepared for the sight of him standing in front of me, wearing the most lascivious expression. I had to fight the nausea that rose as every inch of me revolted against his presence.
“When Finn rang me half an hour ago and said he had spotted you in O’Brien’s I told him there was no fucking way that was possible, but he insisted it was you. I came down here expecting to have to beat his ass for wasting my time. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and there you were, looking just as exquisite as ever.” I cringed as his eyes traveled down the length of my body. He moved closer and ran his finger along my collarbone.
“Don’t touch me. Ever.” I smacked his hand away and took a step back, but he just matched my movement.
“Now now baby, that’s no way to greet me after all this time.” His lip curled up on one side in a menacing smile.
“Just back off Connor. I don’t have anything to say to you, and there’s nothing you could have to say to me that I want to hear.” I tried to push past but his hand shot out and gripped my upper arm, pulling me into him and holding me in place. He leaned in real close. I could feel his hot breathe on the side of my face.
“That’s alright, it wasn’t really talking that I had in mind.” His grip tightened on my arm as I struggled to free myself from his grasp. It was going to bruise, but that was the least of my problems at the moment. “I like it when you squirm, baby.” I looked around for help, but no one seemed to be paying us any attention. Everyone was caught up in the performance happening on stage. I knew he wouldn’t do anything in a public place. I needed to get away from him before he managed to drag me outside and away from all the witnesses. Who knows how long it would be before Vi and Bas noticed I didn’t come back.
“Let me go before I put my knee in your groin.” This only provoked him and he was shoving me backwards before I could get enough momentum to do anything more than graze his thigh when I tried to follow through on my threat. He slammed me hard into the wall behind. My head ricocheted off the hard surface and he pinned me in place. His whole body pressed up against me while the tight grip of his fingers bit into both of my wrists.
The impact rattled me and left me slightly disoriented. It took me a second to realize the music had stopped. As I registered the change in the atmosphere I also caught the movement of a tall figure pushing through the crowd toward me. A second later Connor’s body was ripped away from mine and I struggled to stay upright. Kyden was in front of me, standing over a surprised Connor. Every eye in the place was trying to see what caused the disruption.
Before anyone had the chance to say a word, Bas came pushing through the crowd, followed by Vi and Lissa. Their gazes traveled from me, to Kyden and then down to Connor. Bas’ eyes met mine in a questioning look. I nodded, confirming I was alright and he returned his attention to Connor. Vi rushed to my side while Connor dragged himself up off the floor and faced off with Bas and Kyden. Finn and some other guys I didn’t recognize stepped out to back Connor up at the same time that the rest of the band appeared.
“I see you’re still playing the bodyguard, Cross.” Connor practically snarled.
“And I see you still haven’t learned your lesson. How many times do I have to break your nose before you get it through that thick skull of yours not to come near her?” He fixed Bas with a hateful glare. Bas stepped forward until there was barely a foot between them. I wasn’t sure who was going to throw the first punch, but I knew it was coming. Lissa tried to pull Bas back, but he just shook her off.
“Sebastian, come on. You don’t need this, just walk away.” He didn’t even look her way, but just continued to stare down Connor. Thankfully before either one could take a swing, two big bouncer looking guys broke through the crowd.
“If there‘s a problem here, then you gentlemen need to resolve it elsewhere before we throw your asses out.” They were both large enough that they wouldn‘t have any problem tossing each one of them out the door. His focus then shifted to Kyden. “And you need to get your guys back up on stage and finish the set.”
“We’re fucking done for the night.” He snapped. “If that’s a problem, then you guys can find a new band to book from now on.” It was obvious from the bouncer’s resigned expression that Kyden had him.
“Fine then, but like I said whatever this is, isn‘t happening here.” He grumbled and fixed each of the guys with a pointed look.
“There’s no problem here. Just a friendly, little reunion.” Connor declared finally stepping away from Bas. This seemed to appease the two large staff members and they turned to start breaking up the crowd around us. When everyone realized a fight would not be happening they started to lose interest. Music came on over the speakers and they all went back to drinking and grinding.
Vi was still at my side and Bas came over to check on me. Kyden and the rest of the band members were standing just off to the side. Bas was examining my head when Connor and his buddies made to leave, but Connor stopped just two feet away and turned back to me.
“It was really good to see you baby. You have no idea how much I missed you. We’ll catch up later when I don’t have to worry about us being interrupted.” If I didn’t have such a strong grip on Bas’ arm, he would’ve launched himself at Connor who just winked at me before following the rest of his pack out of the bar.
“Oh and don’t worry, I’ll let your father know you said hello.” He threw over his shoulder and then disappeared out of site.
“I’m going to kill him.” Bas’ voice was a low rumble.
“Sebastian! Stop it. You don’t need to get mixed up in this.” Lissa walked over and
stepped between the two of us forcing me to let go of his arm.
“The hell I don’t Liss. You have no idea who that is or what the bastard is capable of.”
“Which is exactly why you don’t need to be involved.”
“You have to know I could never sit back and let someone hurt a friend of mine.”
“What I know is that since she got home you’ve almost been in two fights in two nights.” She was right. Both of them were because of me. “You know how many that makes total since we’ve been together? Two.”
“Neither one was actually a fight Liss.”
“Not for lack of trying.”
“I don’t know what you want me to do. You can’t seriously expect to just watch while he, or anyone else for that matter,” his eyes flitted to my other rescuer of the evening, “messes with her.”
“I want you to not get arrested or end up in the hospital, that’s what I want.”
“I’m not going to babe, you need to relax.”
“Can we just go home and finish this later?” Bas looked to me to make sure I would be okay without him, I nodded. He needed to sort this out more than I needed him to coddle me. Lissa let out frustrated sigh. “Yes, please get permission from the girl who is not your girlfriend.” She turned and stalked out the door.
“I’m sorry Jazz, she’s just-”
“It’s okay, you need to go and fix that. Don’t worry about me.”
“I promise I won’t leave her side tonight.” Vi assured him.
“I’ll call you later to check on you.” Bas kissed my fore head and went after Lissa.
“Soo … does someone want to fill the rest of us in on why this evening almost turned into a scene from Outsiders? I felt like Ponyboy over here.” Spade was the one to ask but all of the guys had the same question on their faces as they regarded Vi and I.
“Ponyboy? If anyone you would have been more like Sodapop. Ky was clearly Patrick Swayze in that situation, and Bas would be Ponyboy, or maybe vice versa.” Danny argued and then of course Ace had to chime in.
“No, I think technically she would be Ponyboy, and Bas would be Johnny.”
“Would you guys just shut up?” Chris was the only one of them who knew anything about Connor and how serious the situation actually was. He was there the night Bas brought me back to their house. He didn’t know everything but he saw enough to know this wasn’t the time for jokes. Besides, too many people ended up dead in that story.
“Princess, you going to share?” Kyden, who had remained silent until that point, finally spoke up. He was still standing a few feet to the side and when I looked over at him, I was struck by the heat in his stare. It was like I could see the violence behind his green eyes, which appeared almost black at the moment. Then he blinked and a calm mask slipped over his features as if two seconds ago he hadn’t looked ready to kill someone. I brushed it off as just adrenaline from the confrontation and tried to relax my own features. I really didn’t want to get into my complicated past and family issues here, with these guys. It meant a lot that they had all stepped up and had my back, but I still barely knew them. I wasn’t ready to share the horrors from my past, even though they didn’t seem to be staying in the past.
“No. I’m not. Thank you for helping me tonight, but it’s really none of your concern.” I tried to appear in control and put enough authority into my words that they would know the subject was off limits and wouldn’t push it. Who was I kidding? These were the kind of guys who were always pushing limits.
“If someone is trying to hurt you Princess, I‘m sure as fuck going to be concerned.”
“He’s right beautiful. I already told you, you’re family just as much as Chris and Bas and we take care of family. So if there’s something you want to say, you can trust us.” Ace’s voice was sincere and the worry etched in his features matched the rest of guys’ faces.
“Thank you, really, but there’s nothing to say other than that guy is a creep and I didn’t want him touching me. It’s over though now. He’s gone.” Chris snorted and I shot him a warning with my eyes. Kyden glanced back and forth between the two of us.
“I think there’s a lot more to it than that Princess.” I gave Chris a pleading look and his expression finally softened in understanding.
“Hey guys let’s give her some space. We need to pack up our equipment anyway.” I was thankful when Danny and Ace reluctantly headed back toward the stage. Spade started to follow them but then stopped directly in front of me.
“If you need anything Rainbow, anything at all, you better ask.” I just nodded, slightly overwhelmed by the comfort these guys offered even though I was hardly more than a stranger to them. Spade may have come across as insensitive and self-serving, but I believed him when he reassured me that I could come to him. “And if you need something to take your mind off of this I would be happy to provide distraction.” He waggled his eyebrows. I shook my head, but even his inappropriate banter was growing on me.
“I don’t think that’s going to be necessary. Come on Romeo.” Chris urged Spade in the direction of the stage but not before making sure I would wait by the bar for him. I was left standing there with Vi and Kyden, who was still staring at me intently. I felt exposed under his close scrutiny, like he could see right inside of me, past all of my defenses.
“Well, I’m gonna grab you a water, you look thirsty.” Vi announced and then slipped away leaving me alone with Kyden. Traitor.
Shouldn’t you be helping to load up equipment?” He ignored my question and moved directly in front of me.
“Take off your jacket.” His voice was soft but demanding.
“Excuse me?”
“Take it off Princess.” His tone left no room for protest, so I removed my jacket, unsure where this was going.
“Happy?” Once again he didn’t acknowledge my question, but instead reached out and gently took both of my wrists in his hands. He lifted them up for inspection. “Hurt princess?”
I was taken aback by the tenderness in his voice. It took me a moment to realize he was referring to the dark pink, finger shaped marks wrapping around both wrists. He didn’t wait for a response before he released my hands and trailed his fingers up the length of my right arm. He swept my hair off my shoulder and I could only assume by the dark look in his eye, that he found a matching handprint bruise forming on my upper arm.
Connor had gripped it hard and I knew it would be tender, but right now, with Kyden’s hands on me, I didn’t feel any soreness. I didn’t feel anything but the warmth of his body so close to mine and the feather softness of his touch. When he brushed his fingers lightly over the place where one of Connor’s hands had dug into my shoulder, I shivered at the intimacy of the contact. He mistook my movement as a wince of pain.
“I should have smashed his face in for putting his hands on you like that. I could kill him for this Princess.” His voice was thick with emotion he tried hard to contain. I could see it in his eyes as well and the way he tensed his jaw. There was a startling vehemence behind that angelic face. I was now acutely aware of the fierceness that emanated from him, not just on the stage but off as well. I felt sorry for anyone who had ever been on the receiving end of that ferocity unleashed. It was frightening and alluring at the same time. I needed to get space between us because I suddenly felt the ridiculous urge to kiss him, and that would be bad. I shrugged his hand off and took a small step back.
“That’s not necessary. I don’t need you to smash anyone’s face in for me. I don’t need anything from you” Even as I said it, I knew my remark was frosty and ungrateful but I couldn’t stop myself. I felt shaken by his display of aggressive dominance. I’d already dealt with enough of that in my life. Even so, I wasn’t nearly as alarmed by it as I should be and that was more unsettling than anything.
“He touches you again Princess, and I’m not going to care what you think is or is not necessary and sooner or later I’m going to get that explanation from you.” He didn’t give me
a chance to respond, just stalked off toward the stage where the guys were packing up the last of their equipment.
“Whoa, that was intense. I got goose bumps just watching the two of you.”
“Yeah, thanks by the way. What happened to not leaving my side?”
“I was burning up from the heat radiating between you two. It thought you guys could use a moment. I knew you were safe with him.” I raised my eyebrows. “Okay, maybe not safe from him, but babe, with the way he was looking at you; I wasn’t getting in his way. You should’ve seen him cast his guitar aside and vault off that stage. I didn’t know what was happening but he moved so fast. I don’t know who wanted to rip Connor apart more, him or Bas.”
“Yeah it all happened so fast. One second I was terrified and my head was throbbing, the next he was on the ground and Bas and Kyden were standing between us.” I was still in shock from the whole incident. “I just can’t believe Connor actually tried something like that, with so many people around.”
“Well I wouldn’t say he’s known for his sound decision making skills. He’s clearly got a few wires crossed and is missing some major parts, like a conscience. Bas always said he was unstable and I know something happened that you don’t like to talk about, but I guess I didn’t really get just how dangerous he actually is. There’s so much about your home life that you only shared with Bas.”
“I’m sorry if you felt like we kept things from you. I was just ashamed of everything having to do with my father, including Connor. Bas never gave me a choice, but I really didn’t want to talk about any of it, I still don’t. Someday I’ll be ready to tell you everything though.” She deserved the full truth about what happened that night.
“I know that and it’s okay, really. I get it, but you know you can tell me these things. I know I joke around a lot and drive you crazy sometimes, but I would never judge you or think any different of you. I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk. You’re my best friend, and I’m sorry that I didn’t take it more seriously when you said you were worried about him being here tonight. I just never thought-”
Finding Ever After Page 8