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Conor has the reindeer in a headlock while he kicks the elf in the chest, sending him flying across the room and landing near Shane’s feet. Shane still has hold of Jason, whose face is a bloody pulp, by the throat, but he looks down and kicks the elf in the head like he’s kicking a soccer ball.
I want to help. I want them to know I didn’t mean for this to happen, but then Mikey closes the door and they’re gone.
“Keep the hallway clear. Escort any guests to and from the rooms for the rest of the night,” Liam says to the two bouncers who are standing in the hallway.
“Yes, Boss,” they reply.
“Nobody is to know anything has happened. Make sure the customers have a good night, right?” Mikey adds.
“Always,” one of them replies.
“Are you okay, Mrs. Ryan?” the other one asks me, his face full of concern.
“Yes, thank you,” I say, forcing a smile.
“Shane and Conor will debrief you when they’re done,” Liam adds. Then he tucks my face back into the crook of his neck and walks down the hallway to the fire exit.
“The car is here, baby,” he whispers. “We’ll be home soon.”
* * *
Mikey holdsmy hand while I sit on Liam’s lap on the car ride home. Liam has his arms wrapped so tightly around me that I can barely move. We have hardly spoken since we left the club.
“I’m sorry I ruined our night,” I whisper.
“No, baby. You didn’t,” Liam says softly, brushing my hair from my face. “You didn’t ruin anything. I should never have let you out of my sight for even a second.”
“I should have waited for you,” I sniff. “Was that woman okay?”
“What woman?” he frowns at me.
“The woman who was crying earlier.”
“I have no fucking idea, Jessie,” he says with a frown. “The minute I realized you were missing my whole fucking world stopped turning.”
Mikey puts his hand on the back of Liam’s neck. “It wasn’t your fault either, bro,” he says.
“What are Shane and Conor going to do to them?”
“You already know, Red,” Mikey replies.
I wipe away a tear that falls down my cheek. “It’s my fault they have to do that.”
“No. It’s not,” Liam says, hugging me tighter. “Those men hurt you, Jessie. They would have done way worse if we hadn’t found you.”
“Thank fuck we got to you so quick,” Mikey says with a deep sigh.
“I’m so glad you did,” I say with a shudder thinking of the threats Jason and his buddies made to me.
“Well, I knew you had to be in one of those rooms. We just had to get the keys and work our way through them,” Liam tells me.
“Yeah, we saw some interesting sights opening the other doors before we found you, Red,” Mikey says with a soft chuckle.
I smile at him but my heart is heavy with worry. Laying my head against Liam’s chest, I hope that Shane and Conor are home soon.
* * *
As soon aswe got home, Liam and Mikey briefed Chester on the evenings events while I took a quick shower — trying to wash away the reminder of Jason and his brother’s grubby hands on my skin. I’m so relieved that it was only my neck they touched.
