I try not to ogle Meg from across the club, but it’s hard when she looks so damn good. It’s clear to me that she knows it, too. The way she walks around the club floor, so sure of herself, so confident, it’s like she’s evolved again. And she’s raking in the tips as well. Everyone seems to have their eyes on her. She’s stealing the show.
But then, the fact that everyone has their eyes on her makes me nervous, too. I walk over to Ethan after I’m done speaking to Ralph and say, “Keep an eye on Meg tonight, huh?”
“Sure,” he says with a shrug. “Why?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. Some of those guys have been drinking a bit too much at her tables, and I just have a bad feeling.”
“Sure thing, bossman,” he says, and I cross back over to the bar to see if Carter needs a hand. We are getting really busy.
I help him with a few trays of drinks, and he thanks me. “You keepin’ an eye on Meghan?” I ask him as I get ready to go speak to another customer who has gold key status if he needs it. He’s an investor from the San Francisco area, and though Bill’s not around here much, he’s an important client, so I need to speak to him when he is.
“Yeah, a couple of those guys are getting a little rowdy,” Carter says. I turn to look, and I see what he’s talking about, but Meghan’s on her way back for another round at the moment, and I’m not about to stick around and speak to her. I can see no reason in spoiling her good mood.
I walk over to talk to Bill, but I’m watching Meg out of the corner of my eye. Carter’s right—that table is getting out of control. She sets the beers down, turns to address a guy on her right, and then the guy on her left smacks her ass.
Fire rages up inside of me as I can’t believe what I’ve just witnessed. Bill is standing in the way, and I don’t want to tackle him in my haste to get there to help her, but I do have to interrupt him midsentence and dart over.
By the time I get there, though, the situation is handled. Meg has brought her stiletto down into the guy’s foot. Her fist darts out and connects with his nose, and a spurt of blood cascades down his face. “If you ever fucking touch me again, you asshole, I swear to God, you’ll be peeing through a straw, do you hear me?”
“Hey, baby!” he protests, but then Ethan has him by the shirt, and the rest of the jerk’s friends, who had thought it was hilarious a minute ago, fall quiet. “All right, prick,” Ethan says as Carter wraps his arm around Meg’s shoulders protectively, “it’s time for you to get your ass in a cab.”
“All of you, go!” Carter shouts at the rest of the table, and all four of the men get up, grumbling as they drop bills on the table, knowing they won’t ever be welcome to come back here if they don’t pay their tabs.
Ethan gets them out, and I stay back, even though my instincts tell me to run to her, to wrap my arms around her and pull her to my chest. To kiss her lips and promise her no one will ever touch her that way again. But that would make me just another unwanted man placing his hands on her without her permission.
“Are you all right?” Carter asks her, and he looks genuinely concerned, which makes a fire begin to burn in my soul.
I hear Meg’s response. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just one of those things. Thank you, though. I’m glad you got over here so quickly, you and Ethan.”
“No problem,” he says. “Do you need some ice for your hand?”
She shakes it out a few times and says, “Nah, I’ll be all right. Back to work I go.” He releases her, and she pats his arm lovingly—and then she turns around and her eyes are on me.
The expression on her face is unreadable at first, as if she didn’t even know I’d been watching her. But then, she rolls her eyes, and even from this distance, I can tell she’s making a “humph” sound as she turns around and saunters back to the next table to check on them. Everyone seems concerned about her, but she laughs it off, like it’s no big deal.
I am utterly and completely helpless in my own club, letting my other workers take care of the one person I care most about because I can’t be there for her myself.
I return to Bill, apologizing for the disruption, and he says it’s no big deal as he continues to talk about his newest business venture, but my eyes aren’t on him. I’m looking over his head.
I’m watching Meg.
CHAPTER28
MEGHAN
“That was amaaaazing!” Allie says, coming over to me and clapping me on the back. “You actually punched that guy in the nose!”
“Really, Meghan! That was so boss!” Sadie agrees. “If I could do that when someone slaps my ass…”
“You can and you should!” Lexie tells her as she also pats my shoulder. “I am so impressed, girlfriend!”
“Thanks, you guys,” I say, gushing. I honestly don’t know what came over me. I was just so pissed that that man had dared to touch me, I had to do something. Punching him in the face was an afterthought, after I drove my heel into his toes. It had felt so good to hurt him the first time, I couldn’t help but get a little more revenge on his face.
Back at the bar, I wait for Carter to get the round of beers I need to take over to my other all-male table. These guys are far more polite than the rowdy assholes who have just left, though, courtesy of Ethan’s bouncing services.
“Something is different about you, that’s for sure,” Carter says, setting five beers down on my tray, his long fingers able to handle them all at once. “I think it’s a good change, Meghan. You seem to have really come to life recently.”
“Thanks,” I say, smiling at him. “I guess I’ve just decided not to put up with any bullshit anymore.”