The second she opens her mouth, that's it. I can't take my eyes off of her. Her voice is beautiful, sultry, with that sexy little southern twang.
God damn.
I'm in awe, her voice hits me in the chest, and the sensation burns through the rest of my body. I'm warm all over. Her eyes close, and she's pushing the words out from the depths of her soul. She's in the moment, ignoring her nerves and finding a home on the stage.
And then it all changes.
A loud screeching from the speakers causes people in the room to cover their ears. The confidence I see in her disappears instantly, and there's nothing but fear in her eyes.
She's still, staring out into the crowd, a subtle tremble moves across her bottom lip. She inhales a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she uses the silence, embracing it as she keeps singing and playing, refusing to let the broken mic stop her from having this moment.
Except, I'm the only one that notices. No one else is paying any attention to her. They're all acting as if she isn't even there.
Anger bubbles inside, tempting me to stand on the bar and scream at the crowd.
Can't they see the talent on the stage?
Why am I the only one who seems to notice her at all?
Within seconds, she's surrounded by half naked girls, getting pushed off the stage. I can see the tears in her eyes, and the pain on her face.
Keeping my eyes on her, she leans back against the wall, and it looks like she's trying not to cry. A man steps up beside her, and boxes her in, placing both his hands on the wall. She looks left and right, and shakes her head no.
I have no idea what he's saying to her, but I can read her face. She doesn't like him there, and she doesn't like what he's saying. She tries to duck under one of his arms, but he swiftly drops it lower, keeping her in his cage.
Veering her stare, her lip curls as she says something. The man's smile thins, and he starts to run a single finger across her shoulder.
She doesn't look happy. And when she speaks next, I can read her lips easily. 'Fuck you.'
His hand begins to move lower and lower, until he's almost touching her chest. That's all I can take. He's done. He obviously doesn't care about what she says, and he isn't going to back off.
Standing up straight, I stretch my neck, rolling it on my shoulders. Taking a firm step in her direction, my teeth grind against each other as my fists clench at my sides.
“Where the hell you going, Ian? What's wrong?” my brother asks, confused. He jumps from his seat, and follows me closely through the crowd.
I don't answer him, I'm too focused on her and the guy who has his dirty paws all over her.
The man doesn't even notice me as I come up behind him. Grabbing him by the neck, I yank him back and push him away.
“Can't take a hint asshole?”
Gritting his teeth, he snarls, “Mind your fucking business. I own the place, and I can do what I want.” Balling his fists at his sides, he lunges forward to intimidate me, but quickly stops.
My brother comes up beside me and keeps his eyes on the guy in front of me. “What the hell is going on? You need help here?” he asks.
The guy looks between us, sizing us up. The girl from next door moves to hide behind me. Reaching back, I tuck her in closer. She softly touches my back, and my body ignites instantly.
She's so close, her tits graze my back as she's breathing. Each inhale drives hard nipples against my back, causing my cock to jerk.
I know people are looking at us, it's too quiet, even the music has stopped. The guy sucks in a slow breath and holds out his hands.
“All right, I don't want any trouble. Let's all relax here.” He looks out at the crowd and starts to head for the bar. Throwing his arm up, he draws a circle in the air above his head. “The next round is on me!” he yells, causing the room to erupt in cheer.
Turning my attention to my sexy neighbor, I ask, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you.” She won't look me directly in the eyes, and instead runs her hand through her hair. “I really appreciate it.”
“That guy was an ass, huh?” my brother asks as he steps to my side. “You're sure you're okay?”
“Yeah, all good. Thanks again.” She looks up at me, darting her eyes around my face. “Didn't expect to see you here.” She smiles, and it's the sexiest fucking smile I've ever seen.
“You two know each other?” Grey asks, pointing between us.