I glance at the bar just as Elliot climbs onto it. He waves to security by the door, pointing a steel bat at Noah’s head below him.
“Get him out of here!” he bellows. Boston slowly lowers Noah to the ground, taking a step back as security stalks through the crowd. Elliot points the bat at the table near the door. “His friends, too!Out!”
“Fuck that!” Noah barks. “I didn’t?—”
“Banned!” Elliot cuts him off, pointing the bat at his face. “Permanently. You do not entice a fight at my bar, especially with someone you know will give it to you. Get the fuck out.”
I stare up at this little man and his thick-rimmed glasses. Balls of steel on him.
Pride swells in my chest. I didn’t swing. Sure, it took three of my friends to effectively keep me from doing it, but I didn’tgive that prick the fight he wanted. I saved Elliot and Cole another headache with my name attached to it. I saved myself the worst charge of my life.
Security hauls Noah out, and despite him barking that he’s a cop, they don’t relent.
Elliot glances down at me, pointing the bat in my direction now. I open my mouth to start apologizing, but he doesn’t scold me. No, he nods. His face is still hard and angry, but he’s just as proud of me as I am of myself.
That feels a little good, to be honest. Sometimes, it’s nice not to be the problem.
I wink at him, like I did it for him. That gets me the eyeroll that I was expecting.
Elliot hops off the bar and storms toward security without another word, bat still in hand.
I run a hand over my face, relief washing over me with my next inhale. Boston and Lowesy slide in next to Cap the second security vanishes into the crowd.
“What the fuck was that?” Declan hisses.
“A problem,” Saltzy grumbles. “Good for you, Fork. You didn’t hit a cop.”
“Give me a medal,” I bite out, sarcastically.
“He knows how to push all the right buttons, doesn’t he?” Boston says, letting out a breath. He blows a pink bubble and drags his hand through his long, dark hair. “Take what he said with a grain of salt, Fork. He was hammered and he clearly fucking hates you.”
Had he been close enough to hear? I didn’t notice him anywhere near me while Prick was running his mouth.
“Right.”
That should be easy, except that Noah implied that he fucked her.
He said he slept withmygirlfriend.
I know it’s not true, and that she’s technically not my girlfriend, but the notion of it swarms my head like a bunch of hungry flies.
“You’re about to lose it, aren’t you?” Declan asks carefully.
My hands are shaking. I manage a nod and another Jager is pushed into my hands. I down it, trying my best to shove the adrenaline away. I’m fuming. More mad than I’ve ever been, I think.
“He’s gone,” Saltzy reminds me, patting my shoulder. “You did good, Fork. Take a breath and relish in the fact that he’ll never step foot in this bar again.Ourbar.”
But he can still step foot in the hospital.
I watch Boston and Declan exchange a worried look. They know me too well. They know what it looks like before I lose my goddamn mind. I need to get out of this environment. I need to go home. I don’t trust myself right now. Noah might be gone but there are way too many people in here who can bump into me or spill my drink and set me off.
I’m a ticking time bomb.
“Anyone sober enough to drive?” I ask quickly, shaking out my hands.
“Me,” Declan nods, immediately fishing in his pocket for his keys. “Saltzy, grab Lucky and Wyatt. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
