Page 69 of Avenging Azalea

“Do I want to know how you two got into a twenty-one and over club?”

In a blink, I’d gone from a confident, concerned friend and badass to a troublesome nineteen-year-old. A thread of annoyance nibbled at me even though, technically, I was in the wrong. It was the look in his eyes that had shifted, and I hated it. I wanted to smack him and…I didn’t know what else, but something.

“Steph got us fake IDs, but I never drink alcohol if that’s what you’re thinking. We like to go to the older clubs because usually the atmosphere is better than the all-ages.”

He cocked a brow, but whatever he was about to say was cut off as a man walked into the office.

“What the hell is the meaning of this?”

Titus snarled like one of his dogs as he marched across the room and grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt. I stifled a gasp as Titus slammed the manager up against the wall. Oliver moved to intervene but stopped when Titus turned his icy stare in his direction.

“If you touch me, you’ll be the one leaving in a body bag.” Titus turned his attention back to the man he had pinned to the wall. “Do you know who I am?”

The man nodded, sweat beading on his forehead.

“Yes, you’re a Mikhailov.”

“I’m not just any Mikhailov. I’m Titus Mikhailov. I want you to remember my name because here is what’s going to happen. You’re going to give me all your security footage from tonight.” Titus held up a finger when the manager opened his mouth. “Don’t fucking tell me you can’t. I’ll get it one way or another, and if I have to crush you, your business, and your entire family, I will. Understand?”

My mouth dropped open. I’d never, not once, to anyone, for anything, heard Titus talk like this. He was on a whole other level of scary, one that I didn’t know he could achieve.

“Next, we’re going to discuss why no one noticed six guys corralling a stumbling female into the men’s washroom. Even if it was too crowded for the bouncers to see, that is why you have cameras. So, either the person manning the screens wasn’t paying attention, or you were paid to look the other way.”

Titus’s fist tightened, and in a feat of strength that seemed fake online, he picked the man up with one arm. The manager swatted at Titus, and I thought Oliver would try to jump in, but he stood looking as dumbfounded as I felt. The terrified expression on the man’s face made me feel like I should step in or say something. But I was frozen to the spot. Part of me even conceded that this was hot in a wildly inappropriate way.

“If I find out that you’re taking money from punks to look the other way so that they can take advantage of the women in this club, then the barrel of my gun will be the last thing you see. Do you understand?” The manager’s mouth moved, but no words came out. “I said, do you fucking understand,” Titus growled, and a shiver raced down my spine.

“Yes…yes, I understand.”

Titus let go, and the manager dropped to the ground but kept himself pressed against the wall all on his own. He reminded me of the videos I’d seen of the huntsman spiders in Australia. They would act like they were hidden in the middle of a white wall.

“Get me the footage, now. And if your people have tampered with it for even a minute….” Titus didn’t finish the sentence, but it wasn’t necessary. The manager scurried out of the room like his ass was on fire. Titus turned his attention to Oliver. The bouncer stood his ground, and I had to give him credit. “If you know anything, son, this would be a really good time to tell me. Anyone associated with purposely harming women in this club will not breathe another day.”

Oliver shook his head. “I don’t know anything about that, and if I did, I’d tell you. Shit like that disgusts me, the guys who did this tonight….” He nodded toward Steph, whose eyes had fluttered open slightly. “They make me sick, and I’d happily hand them over on a silver platter.”

“Good to know.” Titus rubbed his chin with his thumb. “You military?”

“Was. But I never made it out of boot camp. Blew out my knee, needed surgery, and here I am. How did you know?”

“The way you stand. It’s a dead giveaway, no matter how long you serve. Can I see your cell?”

“I have nothing to hide,” Oliver said, pulling the phone out of his pocket. He unlocked it and handed it over.

Titus typed away on the phone and then handed it back.

“If you ever want to get out of this shithole, give me a call. I’m always on the lookout for good security.”

“Seriously?”

“Did you help Fawn?”

“Well…yeah, but all I really did was kick in a door. Fawn had pretty much taken down everyone else.”

Titus looked my way, and a glimmer of pride danced in his amber eyes.

“Is that so?”

“It is. I’m still happy to interview. I just wanted you to know the truth of what happened.”