“You’re a bitch.”
“Yeah, I am. I’m also the kind of girl who knows who you are and can deal with it. Is she a nice girl? Does she know your habits? I bet she doesn’t.” Julia got to her feet and left the breakroom.
“Whoa! What’s with her?” Donovan, one of the owners of Club R, said on a chuckle. “She looked pissed as hell. You turn her down like the others?”
I grunted with a nod. I hated how everyone knew my business.
“Good for you.”
I raised my eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Donovan sat across from me on another sofa. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Standards is what I was talking about. The women here spread their legs for anyone. And hey, if that’s what they like, good for them. It doesn’t work for me though. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great for a quick fuck. It’s what they like. In the breakroom, utility closet… back seat of your car. But I’m pushing thirty. I need something real, and I’m not going to find it here.”
I studied Donovan. He was a smart, educated man. He didn’t fuck off like his brother, Derek, or the rest of us. But I also knew he had a wounded heart. He never hid the fact and admitted he’d do anything to get his old high school sweetheart back. Sadie was her name, if I remembered correctly. One night he drank half a bottle of tequila and talked nonstop about her. I felt sorry for the dude.
“Because what you want is in Seattle, right?”
Donovan sighed and reclined back. “Yeah, man. Sadie is in Seattle, living her best life… without me.”
“Maybe you should go after her.”
He shook his head. “Naw. She doesn’t want me. You can’t force a woman to love you. So when they offer it, don’t screw it up as I did.”
“I won’t.” I jerked my chin to the door. “Break’s over.”
He threw up a hand and I left.
I wouldn’t screw up with Rita. She was the real deal. I may not deserve her, but I’d do everything possible to make her happy.
It was around midnight when a commotion on the dance floor caught my eye. I elbowed Wolf and we ran over to break up a fight between two guys. The crowd was thick that formed around us, cheering at the two who were punching each other in the face.
“Calm your ass down!” I restrained one guy with his hands behind his back while Wolf got the other. Donovan and a server came to settle the crowd while we dragged the guys out of the building.
“Don’t hurt him… please,” a woman cried and tugged on my shirt. “He was only protecting me from my ex-boyfriend.”
“I’m just taking him outside. You’ll be banned from the club. The owners don’t permit any fighting.”
“Okay. Just don’t hurt him.”
I glanced at the woman. Her mascara was running down her face and she was trembling. She didn’t look much older than twenty-one, and I couldn’t help but wonder why the guys were fighting. But I didn’t ask because it was none of my business.
Wolf and I took the guys to a side door where we kick people out for causing trouble and blacklist them. I could hear Donovan behind us. Wolf and the ex-boyfriend went through the door first. It was business as usual. We did this sort of shit several times a month.
As I passed through the door, Wolf released his man and shoved him aside. Suddenly he pulled a knife and charged toward the man I was still holding onto. It happened so fast. The woman screamed. Wolf went for the idiot with the knife as I turned to block. A burning pain shot through my bicep.
“You motherfucker!” Wolf had the ex-boyfriend in a chokehold with one arm and removed the knife with his other hand.
“Oh my God, oh my God!” the woman screamed and grabbed onto her… current boyfriend?
I gripped my arm as blood oozed out.
“Jesus Christ,” Donovan muttered. “Toby, I need a clean rag.” He was on his phone. “Derek, get the police over here. A customer Nik was tossing out sliced his arm with a knife.” He went silent as he moved me to the side and looked over the wound. “About three inches. Yeah, definitely stitches.” He ended the call.
“I don’t need stitches. Just get me a Band-Aid.”
Donovan snorted. “I call the shots here when it comes to my employees. You’re going to urgent care to get that stitched up.”
I groaned. “I’ll take myself. I don’t need an escort.”