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Crash grinned and whispered to Shannon, “Restores my faith in redheads.”
“What makes you say that?” Jake asked her.
“The haircuts. The military wristwatches. The fact that you’re both built like a brick house.”
Jake grinned. “I do love an intelligent woman with keen observation skills.”
Two hours later, those boys had danced with probably every chick in the joint and currently each had a babe draped across their laps as they sat on the nearby window ledge. Crash looked over at Shannon. She was sipping her third drink and glancing around the room. His hand came up and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. When her gaze swung back to him, her expression was soft, her eyes a little bright. He grinned. “You gonna be okay to ride back? Don’t want you sliding off the back.”
She smiled at him, looking down at her drink. “I’m fine. These aren’t very strong.”
“Come here,” he suddenly growled as he took her hand in his and tugged, pulling her off her stool to stand between his spread knees. Her eyes looked up at him, her pupils dilating until they were big. He couldn’t get over how fucking gorgeous her eyes were. The prettiest he’d ever seen. His eyes drifted down to her sweet bow of a mouth. Unconsciously, his hand came up, his thumb brushing over her lip, remembering their earlier kiss. Her mouth parted, her teeth catching the tip of his thumb. His eyes flashed back up to hers, and the heat he saw there told him she was remembering, too.
Blue lights flashed through the window, lighting up the bar. Crash twisted to look over his shoulder. Several patrol cars had just pulled into the lot. He noticed both Jake and Shane looking also. Glancing down at them, he said, “I’m gonna get Shannon home. Looks like maybe a fight out in the parking lot.”
Jake and Shane both stood up, setting the girls on their feet.
“We’ll head out with you,” Jake offered.
“The party’s not moving back to my place.” Crash wanted to be sure they understood these girls were not coming back.
“Message received,” Jake confirmed.
Crash nodded and signaled the waitress for their tab. After they paid, he led Shannon out. Jake and Shane followed behind, their arms draped around the girls they’d picked up.
When they moved through the doors and out the entrance into the parking lot, Crash realized the commotion outside was more intense than he’d figured. There were several guys already in handcuffs, but one guy was being hard to subdue and was repeatedly taking a swing at the officers. Before he could get Shannon out of there, one of the cops hit the guy with a Taser, bringing him to the ground.
“Wham-o, take that sucka,” Jake teased.
“Fifty thousand volts will do that,” Shane confirmed with a laugh.
Crash smiled at them, but then he felt Shannon pulling back on his hand. Twisting around, he frowned, taking in her face. Shit she was freaking out again. Like that time in the parking garage, only this time was ten times worse. The look of utter terror on her face tore into him. “Fuck, baby. It’s okay.”
She shook her head, pulling back on his arm. He tightened his grip. No way in hell was he letting go. He pulled her to him, reeling her in until he could get his other arm around her. “Shannon. You’re okay. Nobody is going to hurt you,” he soothed her with low murmurs against her cheek as he cradled her head to him.
By this time, Jake and Shane had turned around, taking in Shannon’s reaction.
“She okay?” Jake asked.
“Yeah, man, she okay?” Shane put in.
“No, she’s not okay. She’s having a panic attack.”
“Maybe you should take her back inside,” Jake suggested.
Crash shook his head. “No. I’ve got her.”
“What can we do?” Shane asked.
Crash held her shaking body, his hand rubbing up and down her back. He pushed her head under his chin. “I’m right here, sweetheart. Nothing’s going to happen to you. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Shane and Jake just stood there, not sure how to help.
Crash looked up, and his eyes connected with theirs, seeing the compassion and concern in their eyes. “I just need to get her back to the bike and home.”
Jake nodded. “Yeah, man. We’ll help you.” They surrounded her, trying to keep her from the prying eyes of the bystanders that had been watching the fight. Both of them said something to the girls with them, and the girls disappeared back inside.
Crash looked over Shannon’s head at them as he walked her down the block to the bikes. “Guys, I got this. Go. Have fun.”
